Running the good race

Last year, I went to support my staff running in the Standard Chartered Marathon last year (2 people actually doing the full marathon, others the mini-marathon or half-marathon) and saw a few others I knew running past the finish line. This year I technically don't have any staff but I thought I'd support them anyway.

Many people see running a marathon as a milestone in their lives; an achievement to remember. Watching the runners come in, there is a wide range of people taking part, especially in the half-marathon and mini-marathon. Marathon runners are obviously super-fit types, but I did see a few older men come in. In the half and mini marathons, there are more older runners, and a wider range of female runners including many who have given up and are taking a leisurely stroll to the finish line at the end. But I still applaud them for trying - after all I didn't take part myself. See more marathon pictures.

I reached the finish line a little after 9am and found a colleague of mine stationed opposite the portable toilets in front of Supreme Court (not the best view surely?). He held his SLR with his superlong telephoto lens (I can't remember the length), I had my tiny little Canon IXUS in my bag. I need a new camera. We waited for some of our colleagues to come in after their 10 km run, and together we awaited the arrival of the sole half-marathoner of the group, to cheer him on the final stretch of his run. In the meantime, the kids'event was held and I spotted a friend of mine in the midst of all the kids, with his video recorder in hand. But where was his son? According to what he told me thereafter, he had jogged the last 3km of the half-marathon with a strained leg muscle (nonetheless he did it in about 2 hours, a good result) and just couldn't keep up with his son during the kids' event. He didn't hear me calling him and as a result I have only a photograph of the back of his head.

After the kids, the stragglers for the half-marathon were coming in and our young man was still nowhere in sight. I was complaining that he seemed to be pretty slow and someone told me I should be "more supportive". Finally we got an SMS from him - he had just woken up. Good thing I didn't waste my "supportive" energies.