Cant believe it is actually this Sun!

Yes, the race is this Sun - 13 April.

Butterflies of anxiety filled in my stomach since beginning of the week, to be honest. Slowly I can feel their anarchy in my head too. Even this very moment, typing this blog I am feeling nauseous and affected with intervals of cold /hot flashes. (I don't really discern the two polars as it happened so quick.)

Laterly weather in London has been flickish. 2-inch snow last Sunday. Snow in April! Hopefully weather this Sun morning would be favorable to runners. Forecast temperature is low 6C and high 13C and we might have some light shower.

Some trivial facts of this year's marathon. We would be part of the history this year as it is the centennial history of London Marathon when the 1st guy Dorando Pietri of Italy passed the finishing line in the Olympic, but he did it with the help of the authorities.


He was not the winner of the race, but instead Johnny Hayes from the United States was the official winner. Obviously it was because of the contravention of rules, led to Pietri disqualification. So down in history, Pietri had the trophy for crossing the finishing line first, while Hayes had the medal - the official winner of the race. Could this be the reason why the official prize for the marathon runners and winners is a medal rather than a trophy?

Anyway, my racing kit for Sun is top priority this week. As usual, procrastination, the root of all evil, has its way in me. No I had to wait till the marathon week itself to crack my head and source for the prop and material. Thank to God, I managed to get my act together. Look, I will have this little buddy (yet to give her a name) on my back!


With much creative thinking and after several trial & error, Mie, another PhD student in my lab, and I came out with this great idea to fasten, let's call her, Ceria onto me. With cable ties (like those around plastic bag after shopping at Mustafa - famous Indian 24-hr MegaMall in Singapore), her right upper limb and left lower limb are clutched together so that it gives a firm wrap around me while I run. Then her right lower limb is fastened to her right upper limb to stabilize herself on my back. Her free left upper limb would be used to wave to spectators and runners along the way. Cool ya?

Here's how she would look on me with my racing outfits for that day.



Yesterday, I went to the gym with Ceria to see how it feels running with her. In the beginning, it was just warm at the area where her body was next to. 2 miles into the run, I could feel the humidity and at the end of 3 miles, my shirt was soaked wet at that particular area. Other than that, everything seemed fine, not much abrasion on the side. She seems to hang well on my body even at the speed of 12km/h. Well, with the hope that it would build more awareness among the public of the diminishing habitats and the urgency to conserve this poor species from extinction, I think it is all worth the heat and uneasiness ya? Hopefully God would have the weather on my side, making it slight cooler and DRY... I would have to pray.

Now I really cant wait for the race to come! Wish me luck!

Oh ya, this is Ceria in real life at the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary.