| Date added : | 09-Dec-2009 |
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Dec 4th Travel Day Singapore-Malaysia This was always going to be a strange one. It was like I was starting the challenge all over again because I just did not want to leave home. With the injury I got in Athens a few weeks before I had decided not to run at all in the meantime so Singapore was always going to be tough. I had a few things happen in between. It was crazy at work and I and my wife were trying in vain to travel to Belfast but it just wasn’t happening for us. Low and behold 2 weeks ago we were finally on our way. We had just left home early evening and headed off after saying goodbye to the kids. It was lashing rain as we drove and news of floods were constantly on the radio. After about an hour and a half we decided to turn back for some reason and headed for home. About 15 minutes from home we got a call saying that our son Harry had woken up from his afternoon sleep very unwell and with a very high temp. As we arrived at home we took him straight away to the doctor who then called an ambulance straight away. As always my wife Aisling was truly amazing how she coped with Harry as he was receiving oxygen as we waited for the ambulance to arrive. I feared the worst at that point as his temp had gone up over 40 degrees. When the ambulance arrived he headed off to hospital. I drove my car and Aisling and Harry went in the ambulance. I’m not a religious man at all but as I drove to the hospital as fast as I could I prayed and prayed. Harry spent the next few days in hospital and got better and now thankfully is at home. Then the Singapore marathon raised its head. I just didn’t want to go but then I read some of the e mails that we get from people and you realise that some good is been done because of this and it does make it all worthwhile. So I headed off and flew to London only to find out that the Singapore flight was postponed for about 12 hours. I rang the Singapore marathon expo as I now was not going to able to collect my number but thankfully they very kindly arranged to send it to my hotel. Hours of hanging around the airport and a long 13 hour flight later I finally arrived at the hotel around midnight. The marathon was in 5 and a half hours time so I got some food and prepared my running kit and headed off to the start at 4am. It was dark and wet and about 30 degrees and no wind so I arrived at the start of the race sweating and tired and about to start the marathon. 5.30am and off we went. There was water station thankfully every 2KM where I drank as much as I could and poured pints and pints of water over my head and body to keep me cool. Having not been running in the heat for such a long time I found it difficult to keep going despite the fact that I was tired. My body might have been in Singapore but my mind was racing. I wanted to be at home with my family. I kept thinking why am I here? Just before I left home a man gave the charity 100K to be used in Kenya Africa, a young child gave me €20 to help the poor, runners join me in different marathons and collect funds for the charity, this is why I am here and I know this, but today it’s just plain hard. As the race progressed I never really settled, just get the job done and get home was all that was going through my mind. I finished in 3hr 49mins, slower than normal but so glad it was over. I went back to the hotel for a shower and then headed off to the airport and boarded a plane for home. The Singapore marathon is well organised. The race does run through the city which is great but having a start time of 5.30am does mean there are very few people on route to help you along compared to other marathons around the world. The people are truly lovely and very friendly. So all in all it’s a lovely race and one that I would recommend but I was never happier than when I returned home to see my wife and family and have the tea…….
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