Full Marathon No. 38: Pattaya Marathon 2025

COROS 12-Week Marathon Training

After my last sub-4 hour finish at Tokyo Marathon in 2018, I lost my passion in running. I didn't feel like joining any races or running at all. Probably it was due to burnouts.

I sold my Garmin GPS watch since I no longer enjoyed running.

Then Covid pandemic hit in 2019. And I stopped running completely.

When we could go outdoor to run again, I decided to run by feel for health and fitness reason. I was no longer chasing after finish time. And I have been running without a GPS watch ever since.

I'm very grateful that my running passion has returned and I'm enjoying every moment of running again!

Earlier this year, I decided to buy myself a COROS Pace 2 GPS running watch. I was hoping my fitness level would not deteriorate so fast due to ageing with the help of a proper running watch.

In fact, it was also my first time to go through a structured 12-week marathon training plan with combination of running, core strength and leg strength exercises. I was glad that I could keep up with the 12-week training leading to Pattaya Marathon on July 20, 2025.

Running Strategy

Let's face the cold hard fact! Age is catching up and slowing me down! I knew I would not be able to run another sub-4-hour full marathon again in my lifetime.

However, I told myself I should still try my best to follow 4:00 hour pacers as long as I could at Pattaya Marathon.

Reason: I was eager to find out whether the 12-week training program I had undergone was effective or not. This would give me an indication of my current fitness level - whether it has improved from the 12-week training program, or it has continued to go downhill (getting slower and slower) due to ageing.

Start to KM 6

The weather was cooling with strong wind. I guess it was due to the typhoon in Vietnam and Hong Kong.

I started from 2nd pen.

Perhaps I drank too much water before the race. I ended up going to mobile toilet twice before the start, and my first toilet break during the race was at 1 km.

By the time I came out from the toilet, 4:15 hour pacers and 4:00 hour pacers were way ahead of me already.

I did my best to run as fast as I could, cutting through the crowded field, trying to chase after the pacers.

Finally at KM 6, I managed to catch up and follow behind 4:00 hour pacers.

KM 6 to KM 21

Literally, I was like a leach, running behind the three 4:00 hour pacers as close as possible, from KM 6 to KM 21

While 4:00 hour pacers were smiling and at chit chatting mode, I was running out of breath!

When they stopped at water stations, I would follow them to stop and take the drink as well.

When they skipped water stations, I also skipped. I was worried I might lose them If I were to stop and take my drink.

It was quite a hard run, trying to keep up with 4:00 hour pacers as far as I could.

I knew my age was not on my side. I could no longer run like before.

But I tried.

21 km (U turn) to 25 km

My legs were getting heavy after the hilly highway stretch. Upon reaching KM 21 U-turn water station, I started to lose my pace.

Furthermore, the ice cream, water melon, banana, jelly provided at 21-km water station were too irresistible. How could I resist the temptation of eating cold ice cream after nearly 2 hours of sweaty run?

I was running at a slow pace while eating ice cream.

The I saw the mobile toilet. Suddenly, I had the urge to pee. I ended up going to the toilet for the 2nd time during the race.

By the time I finished my ice cream and came out from mobile toilet, I lost sight of 4:hour pacers! Sigh!

I wanted to give up totally then and there.

Then I said to myself, "Hey! Give it a try to chase after them! Who knows? I may be able to catch up?"

With tired body and heavy legs, I psyched myself up to pick up my pace.

For the next 5 kilometres, I ran at 5:21 min / km pace chasing the 4:hour pacers.

I was glad that I could get really close to the 4:hour paces at some point near KM 25, but I started to slow down after that. I ran out of stamina at 5:21min / km pace!

KM 25 to KM 30

4:00 hour pacers were running further and further ahead of me from KM 25 onwards.

It was time for me to say goodbye to them!

It was time for me to say goodbye to sub-4 hour attempt!

It was time to accept my body condition!

Nonetheless, I was grateful I could still maintain 5:40 min / km average pace for the first 30 kilometres.

I contributed this outcome to the COROS 12-week marathon training.

KM 30 to KM 40

1. Run with my heart

A running quote says, "When you can't run with your legs anymore, run with your heart!"

And that was exactly I did from KM 30 onwards. I switched my mindset from chasing after 4:hour pacers, to just running with my heart.

I just listened to my body, followed my heart, ran by feel, and enjoyed the scenic Jomtien Beach and Pattaya Beach.

The mindset change also allowed me to smile in front of cameras even though I was tired! lol!

2. KM 32 water station

Besides KM 21 water station, KM 32 water station was another memorable water station for me!

KM 21 water station was also where the 21km runners merged with 42km runners!

With more runners around, suddenly the atmosphere was becoming even much livelier!

And yes! Ice cream, banana, water melon, chocolates, jelly, drinks were served here!

I stopped and enjoyed my 2nd ice cream in the race along with water melons and some other Thai snacks! Yummy!

3. Leg cramps

Perhaps it was due to not hydrating at each water station and running at a faster speed than my body could take for the initial 30km, my legs virtually became jelly around KM 33 onwards.

My leg cramps were so bad that I had to stop at 2 water stations to get deep heat to be sprayed on my legs. The deep heat spray helped a lot but I was still literally down to walking, limping, slow running pace.

It was the worst leg cramps I had experienced since running 50 km ultra marathon in 2017 (Route 68 Challenge).

But I told myself I wasn't gonna give up easily!

I bit my lips and pressed on!