Having taken part in the event before, I looked forward to this year’s race. After all, there is nothing sweeter than running my 10th full marathon on home ground.

The race was amazing in so many ways. The elevations along the full marathon route made the race interesting yet challenging.

The weather was perfect for running, with slight drizzle at the beginning. Fellow runners were supportive of each other. Of course, I have to bow to the organisers for a smooth and well-organised event.

I ran with no expectations whatsoever. I simply wanted to do my best and to enjoy myself along the way. Unlike in previous races, I didn’t carry any pace notes with me this time.

Although I had no target in mind, I was hoping that my consistent weekly mileage over the past few months would somehow pay off.

KM0 — KM10: Dataran Merdeka to Istana Negara

The full marathon runners were flagged off at 4.30am. I started at a slow and steady pace, cruising along with the crowd without trying too hard to zigzag my way around runners. As the crowd slowly dispersed, I picked up pace.

The air was noticeably fresh and cool. I had a feeling that this was going to be a good race. At the 10km mark, I was feeling fantastic.

KM10 — KM20: Istana Negara to Royal Selangor Golf Club

The more I ran, the stronger I felt. With every stride, I got faster. My mind was relaxed. In other words, I was in my “zone”.

Although my plan was to “go with the flow”, I played it safe and kept a controlled tempo. As I was slightly under-trained, I had to be careful not to overexert myself to avoid the risk of “hitting the wall”.

I also wanted to save energy for a series of climbs at the end of the run.

Looking back, I’m glad that I didn’t let myself get too carried away with my pace.

KM20 — KM30: Jalan Tun Razak to Jalan Ipoh

This was the stretch that I was most familiar with as it was in the vicinity of my office in Jalan P. Ramlee. Runners were greeted by the sounds of drums in front of Suria KLCC. The drumbeats certainly lifted my spirit.

After going past Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, my body started to show slight signs of fatigue. I kept running, resisting the temptation to walk. From that point onwards, the run was mainly about challenging myself to run continuously from one water station to the next.

I looked forward to reaching KM36.

KM30 — KM40: Jalan Ipoh to U-turn at Jalan Sultan Salahuddin

KM36 was my favourite, because this was where the Full Marathon Virgins (FMV) water station was located. I was happy to be greeted by friendly and familiar faces of my close running friends who served me a cold, refreshing cup of cola and showered me with encouragement.

From KM35, the route became familiar. This was part of my usual Sunday route. I knew the turns, uphills and downhills almost by heart. Despite the rolling hills and my apparent fatigue, running my favourite route at the final part of the run felt awesome.

THE FINAL STRETCH: U-Turn To Dataran Merdeka

Memories of my 2010 full marathon came to mind as I approached the infamous U-turn at KM40. I remembered picking up pace at this point, ignoring the pain in my legs in an attempt to complete my run in less than five hours.

This year, although I wasn’t chasing after a certain time, I repeated the effort. I felt that this race deserved a strong finish.

So, for the final 2km, I ran my heart out. In fact, I had my eyes so focused on the finishing gantry that one of the official photographers had to wave his hand to catch my attention.

I crossed the line in four hours and 36 minutes. It was not my personal best, but I was extremely happy and satisfied. How could I not be? I just ran an amazing home race.

Kuala Lumpur proved to be a tough and exciting city to run in. The organisers certainly deserved a nice pat on the back for a job well done.

Thank you, Kuala Lumpur, for the wonderful experience.

For first-timers

FULL Marathon Virgins is a well-known group among full marathon runners in KL. It was created by runners for runners, mainly to help support and motivate first-time full marathoners. They have helped a lot of runners, including the writer.