Full/Ultra Marathon No. 34: Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon 2022 (KLSCM 2022) - First Full Marathon in 3 Years Since Covid Pandemic

Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon 2022.11.13

Race Kit Collection (Nov 10)

My last KLSCM race was in 2019. Then unfortunately the Covid pandemic hit us. Even though KLSCM organised virtual runs in 2020 and 2021, I didn't participate. KLSCM 2022 was in fact my first full marathon in 3 years time. 

I went to collect my race kit on the first day (Nov 10) at Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.  There was a long queue leading to the race kit collection counter. Perhaps everyone was like me - so excited to be able to run KLSCM again after a 3-year gap!

I also bought some energy gels at the exhibition. 

Found my name! 

42.195km Race Route

There was a change to the race route in KLSCM 2022. It was flatter compared to previous years' SCKLM. I was so happy to know that we full marathoners no longer needed to suffer the Bukit Tunku hill on the way back to finish line.

 

KLSCM 2022 - 42.195km full marathon race route

Race Day (Nov 13)

In 2019, I sold my only Garmin GPS watch. Hence, I have been running without a watch. Earlier this year, I bought a cheap Maimo fitness watch without GPS. Even though it measures the distance, pace, cadence, time. but the accuracy is way off. I would say the distance is short by about 10% compared to a Garmin GPS watch. Anyway, it doesn't bother me as nowadays I run for health only. As I'm getting older, I can no longer run for speed. As long as I can finish my run and continue to enjoy my run, I'm okay with being a slow runner. It's a matter of fact that I need to accept with ageing. 

To help me estimate my finish time, I couldn't depend on my inaccurate Maimo watch. Therefore, I decided to follow 4:00 hour pacers as much as possible during the race.  The pacer balloons would be my GPS watch. And I told myself that should I fall behind the 4:00 hour pacers, I should try my best not to let 4:30 hour pacers pass me by. lol! Was that a running strategy? I don't know. But I just wanted to try my best to run the 42km as best as I could without a GPS watch. Pacers were then my lighthouse during the race!

I managed to follow 4 hour pacers in particular Yew Khuay for the first 25km. But once I stopped at the water station around KM25 to refill my water bottle, I fell behind already. No matter how hard I tried to catch up, I kept falling behind further and further.

At KM31, I hit the wall! What a bummer! My legs were very tired and draggy. I guess after 3 years of not running a full marathon, my legs were stressed to the limit on this race day. But I still could see 4 hour pacers very far in front of me. I could see the balloons at least! lol!

By the time I reached KM35, 4:00 hour pacer balloons were no longer in sight! 

Suddenly, I lost my motivation to run as I know there was no more hope for me to catch up with my only guiding light (4:00 hour pacer balloons) anymore. 

I also lost my sense of my running pace as I couldn't estimate how fast or slow I was running. I couldn't know exactly my average pace or current pace as well. My Maimo watch just behaved like a normal watch. I was frustrated but hey - it was only a race. I should be glad if I could finish it without any injuries. 

Hence, I picked up my mood and spirit again to continue running. I told myself to forget about speed, to forget about pace, to forget about pacers. I should just continue to run by feel and shouldn't care about finish time anymore. 

With that spirit, I continued to march on as much as I could. Legs were giving ways already. I walked a bit nearer to KM40. After that, I just ran all I could to the finish line!

Photo credit: Seven Days Photography

Photo credit: Seven Days Photography

Photo credit: Seven Days Photography

Finish Line

It was very nice to be back into a race again. Runners, KLSCM organiser and volunteers were super awesome and supportive! 

Race Result

Despite not being able to achieve sub 4 hour finish time, I was super duper happy to have completed my first 42km race after 3 years within 4:30 hours.

• Race: Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2022.11.13
• Category: Full Marathon 
• Gun Time: 4:09
• Net Time: 4:08
• Running shoe: Asics Evoride 2

KLSCM 2022 was also my 33rd full marathon, or 34th full / ultra marathon.

I have learned to be more forgiving to myself on finish time nowadays. Speed is no longer on my side. 

Besides, life is more than just running. As long as I can continue to enjoy running healthily for many more years to come, I'm grateful.

KLSCM 2022 certificate