Running a Race Thirteen Degrees above the Equator

Signing up for a race when I live just thirteen degrees above the equator might not have been the smartest idea, but I figured that a 10K wouldn't (or shouldn't) kill me. Luckily I had lots of great company during my training, as ten of my colleagues registered for the 10K, half marathon (I wasn't feeling that crazy), and marathon (borderline insane).

For me the training was easy, two to three runs a week usually 7-8K, which is the distance from school to our house via "backstreets".  The marshy land in our area doesn't lend itself to actual back roads, but it is traversed by a network of khlongs, or canals, which have elevated sidewalks that function as roads for scooters and as a running path for me.  (Side note: I shared in an earlier post, that I nearly drove a bicycle off an elevated sidewalk and into flooded rubber plantation fields. Therefore, I am certain that if I tried to drive our scooter on the khlong path that both the scooter and I would be in the water.)

Running with friends and running a one way route (I couldn't cut a run short when the route was linear instead of a loop...I simply wouldn't have be home yet) was great for me.  I also got to observe the khlong community, which is mostly Muslim, and exists in parallel to my school and community. I also got to see many more animals that otherwise I would not encounter.  Farms that are tiny by American standards had goats, chickens, ducks, cows, and water buffalo (which were sometimes being herded to a grazing area or wading in the khlong).  There were also herons and, on occasion, monitor lizards. 

This small monitor lizard staked claim to the path for a few minutes before finally jumping into the water and letting us pass.

On the weekend of the race, we stayed downtown near the start line. This was especially important for those who we're running the full and half marathons as their races started at 2am and 4am respectively. 

The race started and ended outside the walls of the Thai royal family's Grand Palace.

The 10K started at 6am and was crowded from start to finish (even more crowded than Philly's Broad Street Run as the course was more narrow and there was no staggering at the start--everyone running (or walking) the 10K and 5K started (or tried to start) simultaneously).  

My friend, Darcy, and I started the race together assuming we wouldn't find our other friends among the tens of thousands of runners. We were pleasantly surprised when we found Karli and Amy about 2K into the race!

Running a new route, through a part of Bangkok I haven't explored yet was great. Some sights were familiar, such as monks walking barefoot to collect food from Thai Buddhists who are making daily merit offerings to the monks.

Other sights were new and reminded me that I still have lots to explore in this City of Angels [Bangkok's official name is the longest name of a city--continue reading--The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn.]. 

This was the pretty view I enjoyed as we approached the finish, back outside the Grand Palace. 

At the end of the race we were rewarded with our choice of a fish or pork burger from the ubiquitous McDonalds, where Ronald McDonald wais, or acknowledges you with a bow, outside every location.

Yes. I do sweat that much now that I live in a tropical climate. Note to self: put black running shorts on my Christmas list. 

I skipped the pork burger, saving room for the New York style brunch we had planned for after the race.  The avocado toast and steak and eggs with asparagus at TriBeCa Restobar were worth the wait.