Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2011 Unofficial Results
On the night before the race, Arjun Prasad from Nepal asked us whether we can wake him up by knocking his door at 4am, in case he was fast asleep on the morning of the Hong Kong Marathon. Ashley and I told him to do likewise if we were the ones fast asleep. We had to wake up at 4am (race start was at 620am). Arjun knocked on our door at 4am sharp. After that Ashley started to shower, brush teeth and then stretch. After stretching, I gave Ashley a partner stretch so that he can increase the range of motion. After that, Ashley took his baggage bag and left his room with a knee length tights and a tracksuit with the Singapore singlet inside.
Picture 1 - Taken just before leaving the hotel room
We met in the lobby downstairs with the Singapore manager Hoe Aik Teng, as well as Anne Date, the Singapore female representative runner. We met several Kenyan elite runners plus many from other countries like Malaysia, China, Philippines, Nepal, Russia, Morocco Macau, Mongolia, Ethiopia, Ukraine, Netherlands, New Zealand and Kyrgyz Republic.
Picture 2 - Many athletes gathering at the hotel lobby
After the warm up and stretch, Ashley Liew and Anne Date (together with the entire invited runner group) walked towards the elite warm up area, near the race start line. When we reached, I saw many runners (total about 65000) gatheed to run the half-marathon and the marathon race. The local runners sounded very enthusiastic. We reached the warmup area 5: 20am. I told Ashley that we had reached the warmup area too early. I had to give him a routine so that he did not do his warmup way to early. At exactly 5: 50am, later on, Ashley started to do some form of limbering. He did some striding specific to the timing that I gave.
Picture 3 - Ashley warming up
At 6: 05am, the elite runners were told to gather at the start point. I took some shots and took some 'up close and personal' shots of Ashley Liew at the start line until a foreign runner told me, " Hey, we trained very hard for this, can you give us the space." After hearing this, I went to a side where I had to do some stuntman type actions to photograph many exciting photos until someone in the crowd, the supporters, smile at me and just told be," Be careful". That was very nice of the gentleman.
Picture 4 - One of the stuntman shots of the starting athletes
Finally, the race started with all the runners running in an excited manner to run the marathon route.
I could not see Ashley after that. The officials told that the whole race is on the highway, hence, the advice was not to support the athlete along the highway as it can be dangerous.
We waited patiently in the officials tent. After 2hrs, I started to make my way to the finish point and did a short prayer, just like last night, that Ashley will do well. The route was going to be very tough and I was hoping that the time will be good.
At the finish, one of the officials told me that the course record is 2hr 13min 09sec. It was missed and the first runner Nelson Kirwa Rotich from Kenya came in with a time of 2hr 16m 00sec. Then, later on, I saw fellow Kenyan John Tubei coming in 9th in the race. His timing was 2hr 17min plus, 2min away from his Hong Kong marathon personal best time.
Picture 5 - Kenyan Nelson finishing first
Picture 6 - John finishing 9th
I started to pray that all will be alright for Ashley as I thought maybe it will be a blessing to do a personal best time which is faster than 2hr 51min 22sec, set in 2009's Singapore Marathon.
It was so fortunate for us as Ashley Liew suddenly started to appear just before me. The time was 2hr 45min plus. At the final stretch, unlike the Standard Chartered Marathon (Singapore) 2010 dying out at the finish, Ashley was sprinting till the end with strength and valour.
A sudden smile started to come over my face and I decided to cheer out loud. I jumped the barrier, although I was not supposed to cross, and immediately gave a good handshake and told him, "You did it!". At that point, Ashley was limping just like Samira Raif. It was a 100% effort and I was very happy with this.
Picture 7 - Ashley achieves his personal best of 2hr 45min 34sec!
Hoe Aik Teng, the team manager, Ashley and I took some photos together. The feeling was great to see Ashley Liew improve from his personal best time of 2hr 51min 22sec to 2hr 45min 34sec, considering the hilly and tough slopes of Hong Kong.
Picture 8 - A shot together with coach Rameshon and team manager Hoe Aik Teng
It was worth it to come here as we were told by top runners that they are not going for personal best time but for a near personal best time.
After the race Ashely told me, " I feel very happy and thanks for coming all the way to support me in this race to give moral support, on your accord."
I asked him on his next goal. Ashley told me that the next plan is to go Gold Coast Marathon, where Lim Thow Wee, Dr Ben Tan and myself are gearing up for the race. "I want to aim for a time which is realistic, preferably between 2hr 34 and 2hr 39min. I believe that this is possible as I could have done a much faster time in Hong Kong if we had run a flat course."
Picture 9 - Finsher medal and race tag
Stay tuned for Ashley's post- Hong Kong marathon interview!
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