When the Tebrau City Half Marathon came up, I couldn’t resist jio my colleagues (3 current and 3 ex)for a 21km challenge.

Why?

Because running 10km felt… unchallenging. Plus, we’ve got a history of being “ghost runners” (yes, sneaking into events without registering) for short distance like 10km.

But here’s the twist…

Life got in the way. Work commitments kept my colleagues from training,

Also I had been absent for three weeks on holiday.

Not the best prep for a half marathon.

Fast forward to bib collection today. Excitedly, I asked them in the office, “How long do you think you’ll take to complete 21km?”

Their response? A cautious “4 hours, within the cut-off time.”

My reaction? “Wah, that’s torture!”

So, I did what any responsible (and slightly meddlesome) running buddy would do: I turned to Google’s race predictor.

With a bit of quick math, I showed them a pacing strategy: run at 8-9 km/hour, and you can wrap it up in about 3 hours +.

Much more manageable!

Then came the big question: “How long are you planning to follow me at this pace?”

The consensus? About 10km—roughly 1 hour 20 minutes. Fair enough.

At least they had a plan, and I was determined to start alongside them.

I left them with one last wish: “Enjoy the run and the journey 4am tomorrow.”

After all, the beauty of running isn’t just about crossing the finish line—it’s about the shared experience, the laughs, and even the pain we endure together.

Looking back, it wasn’t just about the distance we ran but the camaraderie that made every kilometer count.

To my current and ex-colleagues: you showed up, laced up, and gave it your best.

For that, I salute you.