Walked a marathon!

Race: 1st Putrajaya International 12 Hour Walk 2008
Date: 13th Dec 2008 20:00 to 14th Dec 2008 08:00
Venue: Bualavard PutraJaya
Distance: All you can walk within 12 hours
Official website: http://racewalkermalaysia.synthasite.com/event.php
Why this Race:
Thought it would be fun to walk thru the night (and it should be easier to walk than run?)

I had never joined a walk event before. I heard from Jamie about the experience in long hours walk, which was about eat + walk all the way. Even though the event was 1 week after the marathon, I thought it would be fun to join this event, so I signed up.

The route was 1km long in front of Palace of Justice. Walk as many laps as we could in 12 hours, the placing would base on most completed laps, then the timing. For women category, we could get a medal with merely 18km, while the men needed to complete 24km. This means if I could walk 4.5km in an hour (a really normal walking pace), I only need to "work hard" for 4 hours and sleep in the remaining 8 hours!

At first, I thought of completing the distance that was enough for me to earn a medal, after all, I had just completed a marathon and should rest my legs. I started very slowly with Joyce, we were like doing shopping pace compared to others.

Then I remembered I had to submit my result to my company's "Move Your Feet" campaign (a charity program from my company, it will donate EUR2 for every km we walk/run in a race), my "kiasu" (afraid to lose) mind said the mileague should not be too shabby, so I decided to do at least 25km.

Later I became more kiasu and walked very seriously with a new friend. In between, I also rested my legs few times. Now I realized walking long hours is actually a lot harder than running! In running, at least I can choose to run or walk depending on the condition, but in walking event, just walk, walk and more walks! I guaranteed the tireness of the legs is equal if not more than running!

I recalled I completed about 30+km before going to have a short nap before 4am. I was so tired, this was my first experience sleeping at a "kaki lima" (corridor)! Everywhere could be a bed when rest is really in need.

Then I chatted and ate with friends again after woke up from sleep. Suddenly I decided why not completing a round number of 40km? So I started walking again! I could feel the blisters all over my feet, every step was in pain, but I persisted.

There were still a bit of time to 8am, the finishing time, when I completed 40km. I calculated my pace, I believed I could finish another 2km to make it a marathon! I walked my heart out, and yes, I completed 42km in total!

The first 60th placement could get a prize. I remembered the prize for 31st to 60th was a RM100 Genting Card. You know what... my placement was....
60, BXXX, XXXXXXXX, Malaysia, 43, 11:55:56
61, BXXX, XXXXXXXX, Malaysia, 42, 11:41:07
62, B447, WONG CHUI BEE, Malaysia, 42, 11:54:42

If I didn't detour to change clothes when working on the 40km mark... I MIGHT be able to finish another lap and MIGHT be able to earn the prize... :'(

Conclusion: I will think twice before signing up this kind of event again... walking is not as easy as it is thought to be...

p.s. The male winner walked a total of 94km! I never see him took a rest!