Friday, June 25, 2010

Tribute to Full Marathon Virgins (FMV)

At this moment, you’ve done what is best for your body to prepare for your first ever 42.195km running event, known as the marathon. Some of you might have been running for 6 or 7 hours per week, or clocking anywhere between 30km to 60km per week during your peak time. Every couch potato will fall in disbelief upon comprehending the amount of training you have to put, just to run a marathon.

By now, you have to consider that your physical preparation has come to an end. Nothing much can be done, with about plus minus 40 more hours to go before the gun off time, come Sunday 5am. What you should start doing now, is to build up your mental strength. You need all the positive thoughts locked firmly up on your brain, and a little courage in your heart to be standing there at the starting line.

Trust me, that is the real energy you will need, to get to the finishing line. The positive energy.

“No matter who you are, whether it’s your first time, or tenth time, you are going to suffer out there.”

“The physical pain is surely going to be there, no matter what. It’s going to hurt.”

You’ll come across some thoughts like above, and it is almost for sure, pain during a marathon is unavoidable. But, is pain what you are scared off? For all we know, we’ve been living with pain since we were first born. And I think you would agree with me when I say, the bigger the pain you can endure, the stronger you’ll become.

And deep inside your heart you know, you are strong. Or else, you won’t sign up for it.

My normal rituals before a big race, is to watch inspirational videos. Something big, much bigger than what I’m doing. I’m watching few Ironman triathlon inspirational videos now as we speak, because it is my BIG dream. And as I mentioned earlier, if we focus on something bigger, anything else will appear smaller. I’m not saying marathon is easy peasy. This is going to be my 4th time and I’m still pretty nervous. I’m just saying that, there’s a way to make it ‘feel’ easy.

Think about the longest distance you’ve ever done during your training sessions. Going one meter further will already be your personal best. How much better could that be, for you guys the FMV? It’s going to be your first experience ever. There will always be ONE first time in your life.

“Once you’ve crossed that finish line, it can’t be retracted. You did it, and you did it on your own.”

“You’ll find out what you are really made of. How strong you really are. So when you cross that finish line, you know more about yourself.”

“Even when you feel like dying, you actually haven’t.”

“You’ve been dreaming for this for months, and now you only have few more hours to make the dream comes true.”

“You can usually think of at least a hundred reasons why you should actually stop. But there’s only one reason why you should keep going.”

For me, I’ll try my best to do another PBE – Personal Best Effort run, insyaAllah.

My finishing moment last year. I suffered big cramps on both calves, 2km before finish line.

With my running buddy, Kash.
Hopefully this year we can all gather in a big group for a post-race photo session.

Good luck to all of you.
Enjoy your race!

25 comments:

Diket said...

Waaa...so many quotes. Who said those bro? Now you're a runner-blogger-philosopher pulak eh? Kagum 8000 kali. Thanks bro. I'm always FMV at every marathon.

Unknown said...

Well said, Nik.

EnAikAY said...

Shakhir,
Strong athletes said those quotes.

No no, i wish to be a triathlete-blogger-photographer. But, i suck big time in all three disciplines.

Zaki,
Thanks bro. Hope tubuh badan dan akal fikiran kau dah ready for your half-ultra-marathon. :)

RaYzeef said...

eh no pantun?

where's ijam? pensan makan durian kot?

EnAikAY said...

Ray,
My pantun hormone only comes when i'm not feeling well. Hihihi.

Carboloading durian? perghh...

tolldoll said...

nice quotes nik.

have a great race!

Footdiva said...

Hope you have a fantastic race on Sunday, Nik. I always like to follow your blog entries - very helpful, motivating and entertaining esp for a beginner like me!

kookykash said...

Run your best, nik. You are sub 5 material, someday sub 4:30 material.

EnAikAY said...

Nadia,
Hope to see you at Kash & Rais's kedai runcit.

Hope your dad will have a blast running at KL marathon.

Maya,
Wow, thanks for visiting this blog, all the way from tanah Singapura. I'm flattered.
Well, you did great during Sundown 10km run. It's a good start. And if you keep on doing what u do, soon enough, u'll get your 42km finishers medal n tee.
And, thanks for dropping by.

EnAikAY said...

Kash,
Sub-sub sui? Hehehe.
InsyaAllah.. moga2 doa u makbul.

Don't forget to come to dataran merdeka ok. We'd like to meet u n rais there after the run. C ya!

mclarenna said...

Hi...
Good luck to you too. Gawd Im nervous!!! (and im not doing FM pun)
Hehehehe
I shouldve entered Kids Dash. Hehehe

EnAikAY said...

Nana,
Kids Dash?
I thought your age is 27, or is it 2.7 years old? hehehee.
Good luck to you too!

Kalau jumpa, tegur2lah ye.. saya ni pemalu sikit orangnya. :)

June Malik said...

thanks Nik and all the best to you too .. hope kita jumpa nanti , by november leh lari kat jb haha

EnAikAY said...

June,
Go FMV go!
Letak la gambar vest FMV tu (kalau dah ada).. senang kitorang nak stalk.. err... i mean, support.

IJAM said...

read later, comment first, teruk kalah ni...

ziff71 said...

Thanks Nik for this post. Really heplful to tackle the mind game coming sunday. Wish u the best too. C u on sunday

IJAM said...

nik pemalu?...
memberi inspirasi betul entry kali ni...esok saya takkan mengadap pc, saya ada aktiviti kemasyarakatan esok...jadi jumpa awak semua di dataran merdeka di pokok tauge itu...

EnAikAY said...

Ziff,
Wait for me at the finishing line. We should take a photo with the medal hanging at your neck ok!

Ijam,
Ye betul, pemalu.

Kawan2 semua.. dengar sini. besok Ijam tak mengadap PC.. kita semua boleh jadi nombor satuuuu!!!!!!

IJAM said...

aku ada lagi la...

kawan2 semua...selamat berjuang..
macam Chap ayam punya moto :
"PENYERTAAN DI UTAMAKAN, PENCAPAIAN BELAKANG KIRA"

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I remember the Kona IM video you sent before sundown. It was very moving!

I'm sure the FMVs will find this helpful.

SCKLM last year was the first time we met!

ian yusof said...

so, are we running together again this time? or you have learned your lesson? ... hehheh

Kevin Siah said...

All the best Nik! May you have break your PB again!

iamsyah said...

o ye lah... this Sunday morning will be my anniversary meet with you and Kash heheh!

EnAikAY said...

Haza,
Yup, last year KLIM was the first time i met the great running blogger herself. Glad to be on the same race course with u once again.

Ian,
I always learn something from u bro.

Kevin,
Thanks. I think i did break something.. :)

Syah,
Yup, we all should celebrate 1st year anniversary, shouldn't we? hihi

P/s: malasnya nak tulis race report....