PENANG BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL MARATHON 2016

27  November 2016

My notes from #pbim2016

Arrived at the hotel at Bayan Baru about 7pm on Saturday after a long journey from Nilai started at about 11am.The traffic was fairly nice with only some areas were slighltly jammed due to rain and slow moving heavy vehicles

Went for a dinner and returned for some rest at about 9pm.Woke up at about 11.30pm and took a shower to refresh and prepare myself to go to the PBIM venue.Still felt a little bit tired but the excitement to participate in PBIM exceeded everything. Took a cab from the hotel but dropped about 2+km from the venue because the roads towards Queensbay Mall already closed.Had an early warm up...he he he.

This time my son joined me to the venue but he did not run.Just to accompany me and helped me taking photos. I arrived at the venue at about 12.45 am and walked straight to the FO area to take some photos.FM runners have started gathered at that area. The FO for HM was at 3am.So, I just waited at the tent.Great because a lot of chairs provided for all to use and waiting.

Then my fellow runners from Anonymous Runners arrived Ismail Razali Marzuki Khalid Syakir Isa to join me waiting for the FO.

With Ismail

With Ismail and Marzuki

I have no specific target and just to enjoy my first #pbim2016 which is also the last half marathon event for me in 2016. About 2.15am we went to the FO area and started warming up.Over there I met Syahmi Haziq and Shukz Rumlez.Then we saw Razman Shah Shah who will run 10km arrived.

The FO was on time but I was not sure there was any fire crackers show like after the FO for the FM.

Shukz

Shahrol

My run...

I started the run pretty good with pace 6 for the first 1km and gained the pace 5 and maintained it until the 12th km.My NRC told me that I have maintained the sub 1 for the first 10km at 56 minutes.It was a fairly nice weather too with a cooled ambient and slight windy at some places although not reaching the bridge yet. Bumped into bro Yusmadi J Mohamad at the first few km and he looked very steady with his run.

Then something that I always fear the most while running struck me for the second time at the 13th km.A fairly mild cramp at my right calf muscle.I thought it will disappear slowly if I slow down a little bit.I reduced my pace and praying it won't stay long because I felt my run has been pretty ok and gunning for another sub 2 was looking possible too with the generally flat route.

The last time and my first muscle cramped was at 100 Plus Outrunner run in April this year.

It did not disappear but started to move to the thigh and this time I could not bear the pain already and decided to walk.Gave some slaps to my calf and thigh while walking.Then bro Yusmadi overtook me.Told him that I had a cramp and ecouraged him to keep it up and then slowly he disappeared from my sight.

Then I tried push myself to run at my normal pace again to recover the lost time initially but unfortunately the pain was too much for me.After trying it for few more times at few more hundred metre each, I decided to just forget the timing.By this time I have slowly entering the bridge area of the route.

What I did from that moment was to do repeats of fast walk for few hundred metre and then run slowly at about the same distance. On the bridge, suddenly Mohd Habib Fadhullah gave me a pat from the back.I thought he did run but he told me he was pacing a friend this time.

The excitement to run on the Penang Bridge for the first time was totally different and unique to me.

To divert the pain from the muscle cramped of my leg from the 13th km, I started to do selfie along the way and posted to my FB.This worked very well this time.

I have absolutely no complaint about WS because I found it plenty all the way too.It helped very much because I felt the ambient was fairly hot and humid especially on the bridge.

At the U-turn at the bridge, the pain was getting more painful and I was started limping in my run.Then I stopped to apply plastic packed ice provided at one of the WSs at my leg.It eased it a little bit and I continued fast walking and running.At this stage,pace was no longer my concern and when DNF was not an option, I just kept my mind to focus and make necessary decisions to ensure I will finish the run.

When I saw the 5km left signage towards the finish line at the bridge, I believe that would the longest 5km I have to run to the end.

In the same time my mind quickly concluded that this run would be my longest ever HM in timing so far.My previous longest time HM is 2 hours 18 minutes recorded at PJHM in October this year.

At about the 17th km, someone touched me and mentioned my name."Hi En. Zaini! Biasa laju"

When I saw him passing me I replied."Go ahead bro.I got cramped.Keep it up bro!"He is one of my old business contacts.

I continued slowly and by reaching about between 18-19km, the pain was getting lesser at the downhill exiting the bridge.Then I saw bro Abdul Halim Ahmad in front of me to complete his FM run.I passed him and slowly I was gaining my speed again.

Then I saw one younger runner who was fairly slow.I guess he was exhausted to the FL already.Gave him a pat at his back and said to him."Come on bro.It's just few very close for us to finish it!"

He replied."Yes bro.I need someone to run with me!This is my first HM"

I answered him."Let's do it together bro! We can finish strong too!"

Then he started to pick up his speed and ran side by side for about 1.5km.

Along the way, I encouraged him to keep pushing to the FL.

"Don't get beaten by a veteran like me bro! He he he" While laughing jokingly with him and he laughed too.

"It's about your mind over your body now.Make sure you don't lose!"I pushed him some more.

I assumed after 1.5km running together he get pumped again and continued to speed to the FL.He was out of my sight not long after that.Glad to see that while I was slowly speeding again to the FL as well.

In less than 1km to the FL, I saw abang Talib Kastam to finish his FM in less than 4 hours and he is at his 50s already.He is an inspiration for me to stay healthy and fit as well and the first time we met was at HSN21km in October this year.

After I just passed one small roundabout towards the FL, suddenly I heard a guy yelling my name something like this."Come on Zaini Jai!"

Did not really see who he was but I do appreciate his final boost for me to start my regular sprint to cross the FL.

Yes! Yes!Yes! Whhoooahh! 

My hands were raised again while performing my last sprint for the run and finally my body crossed the FL.I have done it again and I am the finisher far below the COT of my 8th HM run! What made it sweeter was when I checked my NRC,the unofficial time shown was only 2hours 14minutes.Still not my worst performance despite the pain and mental challenges that I have had to overcome along the route.What a run!

 

After receiving my medal I was quickly looking for a place to rest my leg with the hope I would be able to wait for my friends to finish their run.Our routine is to take group photos.

Unfortunately with my calf and thigh muscle pain slowly returning, I decided go back to the hotel after my son snapped some photos of me after the finish.

I have got to walk slowly to the hotel which is almost 5km from the venue and me and my son left the venue at about 5.45 am.

Overall the event was just a moderate event to me despite its reputation as an international event if SCKLM is the comparison.The environment from the time I arrived and after I finished my run was not that lively as I have anticipated.

Tents for sponsors and others placed scattered too far from the spots where runners were waiting and arriving.I did not wait until all runners from all categories have finished their runs and therefore, I could not absolutely sure on what more were happening and how the venue look like until the event ended.

Congratulation to all fellow running friends who were among all finishers today with some added the title as MARATHONER to themselves too.

Well done guys!

PBIM 2016 was truly a test for me and In sha Allah I will be back.Despite the challenging my first PBIM, I still enjoyed my experience from the day arrived in Penang until I received my finisher medal.

Many lessons learned for me to have better runs in the future too.

Next year I feel want to conquer the bridge with a FM!

A day after that was  another day in Penang to continue this wonderful trip with my family before going back home.

Until next year...thanks PBIM 2016!