Mizuno Half Marathon Championships 2007 at Plover Cove Reservoir ( 7-1-2007)

Re: Mizuno Half Marathon Championships 2007 at Plover Cove Reservoir ( 7-1-2007)


 I participated in the above race on 7-1-2007.I woke up at 4:15 a.m. Having performed some warm-up exercise, I left home at 5:10 a.m. It was chilly that morning. When I reached Tai Po Railway Station at 6:10 a.m. it was still dark, I could only see the dim outline of everything at that moment.


 I went to the starting Point (Plover Cove Reservoir) with 2 friends by bus. We reached the destination at 6:45 a.m. The outside temperature was around 10 degree celcius. I had never run for such a long distance, i.e. 21 km. so I prepared for the race right after I submitted my application 2 months ago. I practised running in the nearby football field to get in my best shape.


The race started at 8:00 a.m. that morning. Lying before me was a mountain slope which was an ordeal to me simply because I only practised running on the flat and soft running track. Having run for about an hour, I felt a little bit sore on my left knee. I feared that I might not finish the event. Luckily, the painful feeling only emerged when I run down slope. So I reduced speed to run down each slope in order not to make the situation worse.


During the race, I was overtaken by other runners but I insisted on running in my own speed. The scenery was beautiful along the reservoir. I was not familiar with the race course and just run blindly forward.


 It was a relief when I caught the sight of a signage indicating that I had covered 17 km. I looked at my watch, I had run for more than one and half hour. It gave me some encouragement and I summoned up the rest of my strength to move forward.


Minutes later, I was running along the main dam. I assumed that running to and fro along the dam would end the race. I began to adjust my speed and overtook some runners, however, I found that my justification was wrong soon after I reached the end of the dam.


There came a path leading up a slope and I had to run for a longer distance. It was a rough time to me because I could hardly move my exhausted limbs as they did not listern to me.


I staggered to and fro to cover the last 2 km. I nearly crumbled to the ground when I passed through the finish point. I completed the race in 2 hours and 15 minutes according to my own record. I have tried my best for the race.


2 hours 15minutes and 48 seconds was my official times as released by the HKAAA one day after the race.