Event: 3rd Eventbiz Charity Run 2017
Date: 2-7-2017
Venue: Padang Merbok,KL
Distance: 15km
Category: Men Open
Flag Off Time: 7.00 a.m
Others:
No timing chip provided for all categories
No timing chip provided for all categories
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
This event was not in my plan for 2017. Registered by my wife Wahyu Akmal because she was looking for an event for July but her friends were not interested to join mainly due to the Hari Raya mood is still there for many. I agreed and after driving from Nilai to KB and then returned in the span of 3 days, initially I thought it was not a good idea too.With the lemang and ketupat with other Hari Raya meals that we took from the first day of Hari Raya, I personally was totally unsure how all that would affect our run.
Added to that was my 7 years old son infected by fever on our way back from Kota Bharu and my wife was thinking of DNS and thought of asking my eldest son to run using her bib.
Added to that was my 7 years old son infected by fever on our way back from Kota Bharu and my wife was thinking of DNS and thought of asking my eldest son to run using her bib.
However, we were quite fortune that our son was getting better and until a night before the event, my wife finally decided to run.
Honestly both of us were not it truly in the mood of running but somehow we managed to convince each other to just go out there and run on the day.
We left our elder children to look after their little brother that morning.
For the RPC, I went on Friday at Ultron NU Sentral KL alone although we were still on leave since my wife was still taking care of my son at home. I also helped my wife to get her race kit ready including placing the bib at her event tee. I knew she may struggle a little bit with her fitness because she did not do any workout at all in the entire fasting month and her last run was at SCKLM 2017 in May. However, I still admired her commitment to go for the run finally.
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| The 5km event tee for my wife and the vest for me to run the 15km. |
THE EVENT DAY
We left Nilai at about 5.00 a.m in the morning to KL.The plan is to perform our Subuh prayer at the mosque nearby the event's venue.
After the Subuh prayer, we reached the event venue at about 6.10 a.m and I was so lucky to get a parking spot very close to the FO area.
I did not see that many crowd seen at that time but by the time closing to 7.00 a.m, there were not that many as well. Considering the long Hari Raya holiday and at the early week of Hari Raya, I believe it was expected.After all the event is just a charity event and runners were not provided with the timing chip for 10km and 15km categories as well.
However, the arrangement at the FO area was pretty organized with tents for sponsors were placed at one side and the FO was at another side.
My goal for this event was just to use it as the first step to rebuild my fitness and pace after the Ramadhan and Hari Raya celebration. I did run during Ramadhan and even during the Hari Raya but all that were just to keep my body and muscle active to make me feel comfortable for my daily routines. In short, it was supposed to be a relax and fun run for me.
The first known person I met at the venue was Lim Wah. Glad to see him again after we ran the FM at SCKLM and both of us were in the 15km runners for this event. He runs for the same reason as I do.Just to stay healthy and having fun in the same time.
Then I met several more familiar faces to me suvh as Ven Goh and Steven Chong and we took some photos together. Also met for the first time my recently connected FB running friend Don Koh SC. I know he is one of the fast runners who has been always in the top placing for prizes at events.
Other than that I also met Shia Pei Yong, another fast runner. After the finish, I noticed that she was placed 2nd in the 10km in her category.
Other than that I also met Shia Pei Yong, another fast runner. After the finish, I noticed that she was placed 2nd in the 10km in her category.
Some of runners who I met did not join the event but just came to support friends or just to run their normal LSD with their groups.
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| Lim Wah |
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| The moment we just arrived at the venue |
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| With Lim Wah, Ven Goh and Steven Chong (Can't remember that name of the guy with the red tee) |
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| Lim Wah, Don Koh KC,Shia Pei Yong, Steven Chong and Ven Goh |
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| Before the FO with my wife |
After taking more photos with my wife at the FO area, then I moved to the FO area at about 6.45 a.m and leaving my wide alone in the crowd for other categories waiting for their FO.According to the tentative programme, there should be a warm up session at about 6.45 a.m as well but I noticed the emcee for the day was not experienced enough in managing the crowd with proper directives and information.
On top of that, the location told for the warm up was in front of the so-called main stage(pretty small stage with the event backdrop) was the other side and the FO was at another side.Most runners were all gathered at the FO area waiting for the FO while chatting among themselves but the emcee keep pushing all runners repeatedly with announcement after announcement to come to the stage for the warm-up session to start. It definitely would not work that way. Realistically, he should have just started the warm-up session and to let the FO time would not be affected.
Another thing that sounded improper to me was the emcee keep saying "I want" in all his announcements/directives and not in more polite way such as "we hope/we appreciate/ we need your cooperation" to communicate with the crowd.. As as result of the incompetent/inexperience emcee(what I felt), the FO for 15km category was delayed and of course for the other categories after that.
On top of that, the location told for the warm up was in front of the so-called main stage(pretty small stage with the event backdrop) was the other side and the FO was at another side.Most runners were all gathered at the FO area waiting for the FO while chatting among themselves but the emcee keep pushing all runners repeatedly with announcement after announcement to come to the stage for the warm-up session to start. It definitely would not work that way. Realistically, he should have just started the warm-up session and to let the FO time would not be affected.
Another thing that sounded improper to me was the emcee keep saying "I want" in all his announcements/directives and not in more polite way such as "we hope/we appreciate/ we need your cooperation" to communicate with the crowd.. As as result of the incompetent/inexperience emcee(what I felt), the FO for 15km category was delayed and of course for the other categories after that.
At the FO area, I had a chat with two guys who were from KL.Both claimed, that was the first time for them run 15km distance. We were having a pretty nice chat at the back portion of the crowd at the FO area when suddenly we were flagged off finally.
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| The new friends that I forgot their names |
The route started from Padang Merbok and moving towards Bukit Aman, Masjid Negara and then an uphill route towards Planetarium Negara.
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| Running at Jalan Parlimen. Photo by Seven Chiam Hooi See |
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| Heading to the uphill stretch to pass Tugu Negara. Photo by Seven Chiam Hooi See |
Then we ran further and then crossed the Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar towards Bukit Tunku area. Here I bumped with Ven Goh who was on his LSD run running at the opposite direction.
Initially I was thinking to just focus on my run and to take photos after I crossed the FL but upon reaching Bukit Tunku area, I just could not help myself other than taking some photos along the stretch. Bukit Tunku is often known as the most challenging route for runs in Kuala Lumpur and I used this opportunity to make this event as one of my uphill training time when we ran within Bukit Tunku area and other uphill stretches along the route such as at the Tugu Negara area.
Not long after I entered the Bukit Tunku area from the Lebuh Raya Sultan Iskandar, I saw my another running friend Don Koh SC overtook me. He was in the 10km category and at that time, I knew surely he will finish among the top in his category(He won the 1st place for the Men Veteran Category).
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| Does it look familiar? |
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| Bukit Tunku downhill |
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| Dealing with the downhill route |
Running at the Bukit Tunku this time was really giving me the different kind of experience when I have to overcome the elevation one after another before I could not have a proper breathing after completing one before the next one.
With the not so truly in a good fitness, this run turned to be my toughest 15km event so far. What made thing worst for me was my NRC started to indicate inaccurate information after almost the half way distance for me when it recorded almost 2 km less when I compared to the markers provided by the organiser along the route. With that inaccurate information, I could not depend on it to monitor my pace and for me to control my run towards the end of the run.
Then, I just turned the voice of my phone off to disallow the inaccurate information from the NRC to distract me after after that towards the FL. By the way I ran, I knew I was running at the average pace 6 but the NRC keep indicating I was at pace 7 and sometime 8 and that was really disturbing to mentally.
With no more indication of pace and just the marker for every km passed, I had more relaxed run to the end. Occasionally I ran with the other runners together and encouraging each other to continue running or to finish strong at the end especially when were overcoming the uphill stretches.
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| Bukit Tunku Photo by My Runners |
The heat from the sunlight started to hit me the moment I crossed the overhead road crossing the Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar again to leave Bukit Tunku area. I stopped at the water station there and did some selfies as well with the crews.
Yes, it was more hot and humid after that to finish the run. Immediately after that we have to pass another uphill stretch and then running towards Bank Negara before turning back to pass the JKR building complex and then towards the finishing line at Padang Merbok.
At about 1km left to the finished line I called my wife to check where she was and she has already finished when I called.
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| Photo by Wendy Soo |
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| Towards Bank Negara building.The lady next to me ran faster and finished ahead of me although I may look happier at this point. Photo by Wendy Soo |
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| The last sprint for the last 500m to the finish line. Photo by Duta Foto |
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| Photo by Duta Foto |
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| Photo by Duta Foto |
I finally finished my run in 1 hour 34 minutes according to my NRC although the distance indicated was only about 12+km. I think this would be the last time for me to use NRC for my run at events because the GPS watched that I have already ordered recently.
I am also lucky also this time because the moments of me running towards the FL captured by some photographers at the event and also by my wife.
Finally I decided to get one after the NRC started to give me regular inaccurate information for the last almost 7-8 months. iItried other smart phone running apps as well but records shown always inconsistent and I do hope the GPS watch would solve me that running records problems.
I am not the type of runner who likes to monitor too many parameters in to track my runs but when the basic information such as distance and pace started to be inaccurately produced, I know I need to find the solution for that.
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| Photo by Ee Kok Jun |
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| Photo by Chan WK |
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| Photo by my wife |
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| Photo by my wife |
I am also lucky also this time because the moments of me running towards the FL captured by some photographers at the event and also by my wife.
Finally I decided to get one after the NRC started to give me regular inaccurate information for the last almost 7-8 months. iItried other smart phone running apps as well but records shown always inconsistent and I do hope the GPS watch would solve me that running records problems.
I am not the type of runner who likes to monitor too many parameters in to track my runs but when the basic information such as distance and pace started to be inaccurately produced, I know I need to find the solution for that.
So, hopefully for my next events at MHWH Night Run and PJHM, I hope I would start to have more accurate records for my runs.
At the FL area, I met more friends and had more chats with them. Met for the first time my FB friend Husin and he was the one who recognised me and said hello to me. Then made a new friend, Jaz Yap who were in the Q behind me for the turn to take photo at the photo booth with photo printed facility provided by the organiser. Then I also bumped into another well known runner Arief Zain who was there to mingle with others after completing his training for Hulu Langat Marathon with his father.
After taking photos with my wife with the main stage as the background I saw someone familiar who I met before but I could not remember her name. We looked into each other and she introduced herself as my FB friend, Grace Tan Bee Yen. She is another fast woman runner that I know off and he secured the 3rd place in the 10km in her category in this event.
After taking photos with my wife with the main stage as the background I saw someone familiar who I met before but I could not remember her name. We looked into each other and she introduced herself as my FB friend, Grace Tan Bee Yen. She is another fast woman runner that I know off and he secured the 3rd place in the 10km in her category in this event.
Then I met another FB friend Mohamad Sollehuddin and we took a photo together as well after having a short chat.
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| Husin @ Pujangga Berbicara |
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| Jaz Yap |
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| We did it again! |
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| With my wife and Grace Tan Bee Yen |
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| Mohamad Sollehuddin |
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| Finished another awesome outing together again! |
The route for this event was also pretty interesting and also challenging although I was not looking at the route map at all before the run. Runners were not require to run in the main road and the only stretch where the main road was involved was only the few hundred metres of Jalan Parlimen. So, the traffic along almost the entire route was fairly clear.
The traffic controls was also fairly sufficient with traffic policemen manned the major junctions and exits/entries along the route and crews at other places. The water stations was sufficient to me although only plain water was supplied at each station.
Medal and goodies bag collection were also done smoothly and after that there was not busy crowd for all to enjoy foods and beverages provided by each sponsors scattered all over in front of the main stage.
Not to forget the designs and colours for the event tee were also nice to me. Also the medal with the nice design and rotating feature which made it unique as well.
I must also thank all the running photographers for taking the nice shots for the event. Running moments that captured by them have made running for ordinary runners like me more special and memorable at every event.
Me and my wife left the venue at about 9.30 a.m to go back home because after that I need to send my son back to his hostel at UIA centre for foundation studies in PJ and my wife will have send my daughter back to his school's hostel in Rembau.
Me and my wife left the venue at about 9.30 a.m to go back home because after that I need to send my son back to his hostel at UIA centre for foundation studies in PJ and my wife will have send my daughter back to his school's hostel in Rembau.
At the end, personally I must thank my wife for registering me with her for this event.Overall it as a fairly well organised event and I have little negative remarks on it although it was just a charity and non-competitive event.
I can say that we had another nice and healthy outing together again and what made it more special, this year both of us ran at a running during the Hari Raya Holiday. Last year we just had a normal morning together at her hometown in Kelantan on the 2nd day of Hari Raya.
I was pretty impressed with the performance of my wife too because despite with no runs at all during Ramadhan, she recorded her PB for the 5km distance with all the uphills and downhills under the 50 minutes this time.Well done my dear and congratulation!
To me, the goal was also achieved with another good feeling of finishing another run with no injury.
" To stay healthy, no excuses and
just do it consistently"
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