MR 25 Ultramarathon Qualifying ( Redo)

So I decided to redo this one, maybe I felt it is good to have more training before the marathons coming up and also partly I do not want to be the last one on the board for the qualifying.

At least I can quite safely say I wont be the last one.  So I decided to go for one more round as going for the more rounds is more like it.

Actually, to mentally prepare for a long one is not easy.  But somehow, after so many times, the fear is not as bad as the first time.  But I do know, to pick up and go one more round it just feel really really so reluctant.  Because of this I kinda left the house late, was supposed to be 12 hours format, but I only start at 07:45am.  Partly because I wanted to use the locker facilities which only open 07:30 am, for now $2 you can open unlimited which is a bonus.  So I decided to make the locker a check point and beside there is this bench area to rest there and it is near the toilet so it is convenient.

Starting

This time I drove, as I need to send my friend off to the airport after “race”, however, being a cheapo, I do not want to park inside the carpark which might end up quite a hefty sum since is gona be at least 12 hours.  I usually park at the “free parking outside” which is just any free place along the road near the park.

I reached about 07:15 am and slowly walked with my check point food and change of clothes items to get the locker.  The Gink go shop was already opened, this time I have locker 2.  It was the top level, I squeezed all my stuff into the locker which miraculously it did.  For the food, this time I had prepare 2 gels , one left overs hot box from dinner, as usual gummies and electrolytes with the diarrhea salt replenishments ( a cheapo alternative to isotonic drinks but it pretty provide the same effect).  Originally, I wanted to carry the water bag but thought it might not be that necessary as I intended to rest at the amneties centre every loop ( this is where the lockers are).

This time round , I just cannot seem to find the speed for the first two rounds and actually took much longer time than the 1st time.  The third round was really getting very hot at the height of the noon, but I managed to pull it through and took a quick lunch of the bee hoon I prepared after the third round.  I already took off my MR top for the fourth because it was simply too hot, the strategy had become that ranger station which was 4km away had become another check point.  This time I had also changed from the 250ml bottle to the 500ml one, sweating out too much.  Good thing I wore the T8 shorts, but the bad thing about T8 shorts is that the sweat doesn’t really dry up that fast.  So really through out that 10 hours I was pretty drenched for the legs.

Fourth Round and on

This 4th round is the hottest of all.  At the crust of the heat, struggled through, from the third round on it was more like walk run walk run.  Uphill walk, while down hill was running as far as I could.  Also anywhere tarmac would mean run.  After the fifth round, I was really very reluctant to go on another round, it was 4:50pm when I started the sixth.  By then, the weather really cooled down and it was much more tolerable.  Somehow I found the energy to push through the last stretch.  Finally finishing it was so surreal, but was happy that I did.  I thought it was good to at least push for 6 rounds.  I have a cross eye by then  but and it continued all the way till the night.  I was really happy that I finished it, I took a few pictures to commeorate and finally dragged myself for a quick bath so that I can pick up my friend to the airport.  I feel my maximum is maybe a 7 round.  But seriously I am not keen to go for it, cos it was really getting dizzy.