Marathon with personal best time

Just completed the Singapore StanChart Marathon with my personal best time according to my watch. Felt really good during the run, while I was initially worried about "cramping out" in the middle of it. The key milestones were 20-21 km (where I had embarassingly succumbed to leg cramps during a half-marathon few years back), 25-26 km (where I had to walk instead during a previous marathon), and between 30-42 km. But I wasn't particularly concerned about the last part, since cramp-then-walk-lor...

The weather was great, being mostly cloudy and windy in the early part. The sun did come up about 9+, but it was manageable, even with the sparse shade.

One worrying thing during the run was a strange and cold sensation on the head, and a weird heart beat. The cold sensation on the head could be due to my attempts to lower my body temperature by dousing water on my hair. Probably not a great idea, since I had not done so in the previous few runs.

The weird heart beat was more of a concern, with the number of runners who complete their ordeals and seemed fine, but collapsed some time after. Better monitor myself from here. No longer the young 20-something guy.

Just remember the great feeling during the run: hey, this is going well. my body is tired, and in pain, but all within tolerance. and i am moving pretty consistently, only stopping to drink water every now and then. i can stride, but choose to move slowly. i can look at the people around me, at their REASONs for joining the marathon, though there were a lot less people who put their REASONs on their back this year. i choose to smile at the supporters, who were cheering the runners on. i choose to smile and be curious about this lady who had a rag doll of a child strapped to her back, as support for the Children's Cancer Foundation.

Now that the 7th marathon is complete, i wonder if 10 is really all i should be planning to do. Well, we shall see.