I must say that running the half marathon was an experience of a lifetime. I was at an all time high upon hitting the finish line. The run is more mental than physical. I did a 15k without any problem during practice and that was my peak. The remaining 6k of the race was completely uncharted territory. However, the result is evident here:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=55005302&id=2327802
Right when I hit "The Wall" near Haji Ali, I thought to my self, this is it, I don't think I can do it anymore. Right then, the "strategically placed" song kicked in on the iPod. The eye of the tiger ! That one and a few songs after that took me through the wall and I was then cruising over the comfort zone where I had practiced before. I think I said this before, but I don't think I have experienced anything quite like this before ever in my life.
There is never such a thing as a perfect experience. There is always room for improvement. Here is what I would suggest to the organizers of the Marathon for next year.
1) They should have a 15 minute delay in the start time of the race between serious runners and walkers
2) More street lights should be working and kept on during the start of the race so that people do not run into each other.
3) There should be a much more organized fashion in which the medals and refreshments are handed out to the ones who complete the race. It would make a wonder photo opportunity for everyone.
4) Some additional john's should be placed along the way and should be properly marked
5) The kilometer markers were incorrect and should be re-reviewed. We were running a few meters extra per kilometer which adds up by the end.
6) On a positive note, there were plenty of water stations along the way so there should have been no complaints about that.
Onwards to a cyclothon, marathon and a triathlon !!
