Yangon International Marathon 2013

So.. this was the main reason of my trip to Myanmar.

To run the inaugural Yangon International Marathon. 

My sister told me about the marathon just about two months before the event. I thought it was so last minute so I didn't think much about it. Nevertheless, I casually checked the air ticket. As there was no ongoing promotions, flight with AirAsia cost RM400+ around the event dates. I didn't buy the ticket then cos my sister told me she bought hers for only RM140 or something. Of course I wasn't willing to pay more.

Luckily a few weeks after that, AirAsia came with the 11 cents promotion to celebrate its 11th anniversary. Even luckier that the dates that I wanted were available! So yeah ladies and gentlemen.. my return tickets to Myanmar cost only RM122.11!!
*do the chicken dance*
I love you long time AirAsia! hehe...  

Got my tickets so I quickly registered myself for the marathon. 

Being an inaugural marathon, it was just a small scale event. There were two categories offered; the full marathon and the 10km run. Total participants were around 1000 runners with only 1/5 of them being full marathon runners..

We started running at 5.30am in front of the country's most iconic landmark, the Shwedagon Pagoda. 

The course took us around Yangon; passing the beautiful Inya Lake, a few universities and pagodas, the international airport, and most importantly, the suburbs. 

I especially loved running through the suburbs as it was kinda off the beaten path. As it was an inaugural event, the locals were very supportive. Along the course, they offered me foods and drinks (although I politely declined as I was afraid of food poisoning), and cheered me to keep on running. 

And yeah.. I kept on running. Cos I was among the last runners! At some point, the sweeper truck was trailing behind me. Gahh!! 

I so hate it! I saw some of the runners behind me in that truck, surrendering themselves due to cramps and whatnot. That made me run and run and run. I told myself again and again like a mantra, I would not let myself ride that truck. 

Entering the city centre, about 5kms towards the finishing line, I was escorted by a safety car as traffic was starting to get busy. Prolly cos I was running alone. Prolly cos I was a girl. Prolly cos I was among the slow ones. Or they were just waiting for me to ask for a ride back to the finishing line. Whatever the reasons were, I felt like a VIP yo!

Even more like a VIP cos when I was approaching the finishing line, the MC called out my name! hehe...

Oh.. I did a PB too. Sweet!