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My Stories for the following marathons:
"To describe the agony of a marathon to someone who's never run it is like trying to explain color to someone who was born blind."
-- Jerome Drayton
Honolulu Marathon 1988
Singapore Marathon 2005
Perhaps my final marathon
Singapore Marathon 2004
First and only marathon running with a partner
Singapore Marathon 2003
Training for this marathon hampered by prostate infection
Singapore Marathons 1997, 1999, 2002
Struggle to overcome a painful severely torn hamstring injury
Honolulu Marathon 1991
My last marathon in Hawaii
Honolulu Marathon 1990
A marathon for which I did not train at all
Singapore Marathon 1987
My very first marathon
Back to Why I Run the Marathon
Other Races:
New Balance 10 km Run 2005
First time I ran barefoot in a race.
I had been living in Hawaii for the past six months when I ran this marathon. During that time, I had been adjusting to student life and to life abroad in Hawaii. But I still loved running, and I wanted to experience running a marathon in this strange new land. My final exam was starting the very next day. But who cares? I wanted to run the marathon and I was not going to let some silly exam stop me.

Did I train for this marathon? No, not at all. I was too busy studying, not wanting to fail another exam. I ran maybe once or at the most twice a week along the beautiful tourist-infested Waikiki Beach and Magic Island. Each run was leisurely. I was busy admiring the beautiful sceneries and females at the beaches. Each run was a mere 7 to 9 km. And I did not carbo load at all. Why didn’t I carbo load? Because I had never even heard of carbo loading at that time. My ignorance about marathon preparation continued...

So there I was, eager to run my first marathon in this scenic land of paradise. I enjoyed the sceneries  – with the beautiful green mountains on one side and the blue Pacific Ocean on the other. I was surrounded by beauty.

The finishing point was Waikiki Beach. After I had crossed the finish line, beautiful Hawaiian girls put leis (flowers) around my neck. (In Hawaii, leis are used for celebrations including weddings, graduations etc.) My timing was 4 hours and 31 mins – 9 mins slower than my previous marathon the previous year. But it was ok. It was just a leisurely run for me.

Now it was time to go back to my Waikiki studio apartment to study for my exams. But first I had to enjoy a delicious cup of chocolate yogurt. At the Waikiki food stall, a cute girl noticed my leis and running attire and asked if I had just run the marathon. I smiled and replied with a proud “yes” as she handed me the yogurt.
At my Waikiki apartment the day before the marathon. Getting the number tag prepared.
At the finish line. I had completed my first Honolulu Marathon. Official photo.
After the race. Pictures taken by my Japanese apartment mate.
Wearing the marathon finisher's T-shirt sometime during Christmas season of 1988.
Singapore Marathon 2006
The clumsiest of all my marathons so far. Tripped twice and fell down once.
Swissotel Vertical Marathon 2006
My very first stair-climbing race - 73 storeys. I was the only barefoot runner.
If you feel bad at 10 miles, you're in trouble. If you feel bad at 20 miles you're normal. If you don't feel bad at 26 miles, you're abnormal.
-- Rob de Castella
Singapore Marathon 2007
"Don't run this marathon", Mom said, "you are still sick". I didn't take her advice -  I soon regretted.