NIGHT AND MORNING BACK TO BACK HALF MARATHON CHALLENGE

THE BACKGROUND

The idea came when I saw the promotion in April this year that both events were scheduled in such way and both are also quite memorable events to me last year. The year when I started running my half marathon runs.

Men's Health Women's Health(MHWH) Night Run was my first event HM event and PJHM is the oldest half marathon run in Malaysia and where I clocked my personal worst time of 2 hours 18 minutes for my HM runs in 2016.

So far, I ran the back to back runs only once but it was only 7km and 13.5km respectively and morning and morning and not night and morning with both are 21km events like this one that I tried to accomplish.

It looked very tough initially to me but I decided to give a try. Based on some advice and my own information gathering, the crucial part would be about the strategies for each run and what should I do to ensure my body to recover enough after the first one.

The potential risks that came into my mind were...

• If I push too much for the first run and if I don't recover enough, it  may cause me to have tougher time in the next one or event to opt for a DNS.
• I may get injured if my muscles could not take it especially for the second run.
• If I fail, it may demotivate me for the upcoming runs.

THE PREPARATION

Learning from my previous weekend to weekend(4 weekends) back to back 21km runs in July-August in 2016 and my recent 2FM and 1 HM runs in May this year, I knew that I have something to work it out for me to prepare for this personal challenge.

• I should not expect PB or better time compare to last year and therefore  the target that I believe should be reasonable is to run at both events in under 2 hours 30 mins.
• It must be another injury and cramp free runs.
• I must be able to get back to work on the following day.

The weaknesses and what I did to overcome or improve were...

• To develop more endurance and strength at my lower body muscles especially at my knee, calf and ankle. I had this problem of the pain at these parts of my lower body at the last 3rd and quarter of my HM and FM runs respectively. I added more workouts to overcome this problem. I increased the intensity and frequency of workouts to strengthen my knee and thigh muscles during my gym sessions. For the calf and ankle, I added more speed drills at the uphill route during my LSD runs.

• To strengthen my core muscle to enable me to maintain my comfortable posture during the run for longer time than it used to me. I may have run 42km in one shot before I believe to shift  from one 21km to another one would require more strength for me to continue running and to prevent injury or to cause pain to my core muscles. What I did to overcome this was just to add more intensity to my core workouts in every my gym sessions and before and  after every LSD runs. Added to that, I did more workouts to strengthen other parts of my body as well such as should, chest and arm.

For the diet, I just continued with my regular healthy diet and with more focus on the last 2 weeks before the event days.

I increased the intake of water and salt especially during a week before until about the last 2 hours before the FO.

I took more carbo the last 3-4 days before until about 6 hours before the FO.

The total km that I ran in the build up to this...

May...140+km

June...45+km( Ramadhan + Syawal)

July ...until the 19th of the month....80+km

For the logistic, I planned to stay overnight at the hotel in PJ and nearby and only within walking distance to the FO area of PJHM.

With FO of MHWH Night Run at 8.00 p.m and 5.00 p.m for PJHM, I planned to have at least 4 hours sleep in between excluding the traveling from MAEPS Serdang to the hotel in PJ. It meant I will spend less time after the night run to take photos and to mingle with friend to enable me to do the recovery and rest. To get muscles at my lower body especially at the joints to recover faster, I planned to apply some recovery cream that I have been getting in the goodies bags at previous events.

So, I truly has the belief that my preparation was quite solid and I entered to the final week before the weekend for the events with some confidence that I would be able to accomplish my back to back mission strongly. The about 10% doubt is just a typical pre-event scare that all runners need to deal with because we would never know what truly can happen on  the event day itself.

For both runs I have managed to get two friends to be my pacers and both are still studying at the university.The intention was just to have a buddy to stay running with me all the way.

For the attires, I planned to wear the normal Reebok running tight and my Brooks Launch 4 for  the first run and 2XU compression tight and Brooks Ghost 9 for the second one.The main reason is for me to have more support for the already exhausted lower body muscles with the use of the compression tight and for my foot to have more cushion to minimise impacts while I am running with that shoes. I did expect the effect of muscle fatigue that will lead to some pain at my calf and ankle would be much more to be felt at the last 10km of the second run especially.

And for the first time as well, I will use my newly bought Garmin Forerunner 235 GPS Watch at the MHWH Night Run.

THE FIRST 21km CHALLENGE...MHWH NIGHT RUN

The venue was changed with the instruction of the PMO from Putrajaya. When I saw the route map provided, I was a little bit disappointed because I don't like running in loop. Mentally, I just don't like it because it is quite boring to me. I was told that MAEPS route offered some hilly areas as well but this one was not much of my concern.

I had my meals from the morning as planned with any spicy or hot meal was totally not in my list for the day or I may risk some stomach problems for my runs. I had earlier lunch before that after I finished my work at the office and after checking in at the hotel with my family, I brought them to have at Amcorp Mall which is just very close to the hotel. My eldest son ordered a rice set at it came with rendang and I just ordered a drink. However, when my son offered me and my daughter to eat the rendang because he don't like it. The smell of the rendang was very nice too and without thinking much I took a bite of the rendang and my daughter finished the rest. I did think about the risk but since I ate just a bite, I believed it would not cause me any problem.

After the lunch, I drove to Serdang from the hotel and arrived at about 5.45 p.m. I intentionally came early to avoid the traffic jam at the venue and from parking my car too far from the venue. Along the way I drank more plain water to keep me hydrated enough before the FO.

Met with my friends from Anonymous Runners(AR) Marzuki at the parking area before we were joined by Fyrus, Isey, Irwan, Aznizan, Easther and her friend Linda at the event venue. Then Hakimi joined us as well but came just to see us and not participating.

While we were walking to the Surau, I met Kharol Nizam with his friend as well. While waiting to pray I met a new friend a new friend who is also from Nilai, Azrul Hafiz.

Marzuki

L-R: Aznizan, Marzuki, Esther, Linda, Fyrus

L-R: Fyrus, Me, Isey,Marzuki, Irwan

With Dr. Zulhakimi and me with our newly bought Garmin watch

After the Maghrib prayer I moved to the luggage control to keep my bad and here I met Habib, Farah and finally my pacer Syakir Isa. Then I moved to the FO area to join the crowd of 21km runners and ready to start my run.

MY RUN

My run was executed just according to my plan for the first 10km where mostly I kept the average pace 5 before it reduced to pace 6 for the the next few km. At this stage I had the feeling that I might be able to match the time at the last year's run. My only concern was about the safety because at some areas, it was fairly dark with insufficient light especially when runners were running at the downhill areas. I was pretty lucky because with my pace, I did not have that much crowd to deal with in front of me but I still ran cautiously when at some areas I could not event see the road surface clearly and I also some vehicles somehow were seen passing the same route.

I was really enjoying my run to complete the first two loops before returning towards the FO line to complete the last and final about 5km loop to the FL. However, I started to feel some ache at my stomach from about the 13th km. It started to create some discomfort and also produced some sounds that indicated to me some more worst stuff to come. 

Not long after that, I started to fart to release some air too although the feeling in my stomach did not become better as I continued running. I knew that time it was the typical sign of diarrhoea. However, I just hoped an prayed that it would not get worsen and at least I would be able to finish the run.

Then I slowed down a little bit and it become better for while. I increased my speed again but until I reached at about the 14th km, the ache truly disturbed me and I farted more frequently as well. 

What I did to mitigate that discomfort was to slow down my run and tried to ease my stomach ache with more deep breath and less movement of my upper body. That lasted for about few more km until to the point when suddenly I felt I could not hold it anymore and wanted to defecate badly. 

I just kept my finger crossed for me not to opt to just jumping anywhere at any spot  in the dark of the road side and  then just let it go. While dealing with the ache, I looked all over the place along the route looking for the toilet.

Finally, I saw the toilet it between the 18th and 19th km and fuuuuhhhhhh....felt soooooo relieved after that!!!

I did not notice how long I spent my time for that but when I finished, I just wanted to continue although there was some more discomfort at my stomach. 

Just after I continued my run and after passing the 19th km mark, I saw a guy was in pain in front of me at the downhill. He is a Chinese guy and looked much older than me. I stopped and asked him whether he was ok to continue.He did not answer and I saw his face was so much in pain and he started to scream as well. He was very unstable to stand anymore and to me, it was just a typical sign to muscle cramp. I quickly hold his shoulder and asked him to hold on me. I also asked him to stop screaming and just to breath deeply but he continued screaming. 

Then I saw another runner came and asked him to help me to help this to lie on the ground. In the same time we tried to keep talking to him to ask him to calm down. Unfortunately suddenly I realized this guy did not understand Malay and he was still screaming in pain. Luckily seconds after that one Chinese guy arrived and stopped who was able to help us to speak to him. 

Finally we managed to get him lied on the ground and the first guy who stopped, brought out the his cream and we applied it at the calf of the cramped runner to ease his pain. 

Three of us tried to give the early cramp treatment and tried to make him standing again but he just could not. Then I saw two of my running friends, Jansen Yong and Isey arrived. They stopped for a while to help and  Jansen told me us that  there should be a WS not far after that. He said will  rush to tell the crew and to ask for the medical assistance. 

We were much luckier after that when one lady runner stopped and told us that she is a nurse. She helped us to calm the guy and finally he stopped screaming and managed to breath nicely.I felt relief when one of the race crew finally arrived and told us that the medic was on  the way soon.

Then I left the guy with the crew and few more runners who also stopped when seeing the incident. I just hope that the guy was fine after that and it would be great if he can continue and finish the run too.

The pace for every km from Garmin Connect

I continued my run to finish it off with only about 2km to go after that. There was still some stomach ache felt that still caused me some discomfort to have my normal but I still felt good about my run because my watch showed I was still within the targeted finishing time. At this moment my mind has already started thinking about the next run in the morning and if I push myself further, it might cause me other injury as well with my stomach was still not recovered from the diarrhoea that suddenly attacked me during the run that night.

Running in the loop

Finally, I finished the run in 2 hours and 18 minuets according to my watch and I knew the timing should have been better. The feeling was so relieved because other than the diarrhoea problem, I did not have any injury or muscle cramp to deal before the next run.

Crossing the FL

Just after I crossed the finish line, I met Fadzil , who overtook me towards the end of the run and then I quickly rushed to get some water to drink and took bag with my hand phone.

Then I went to collect the medal and goodies bag. At the goodies bag area, I bumped into Hazrul Asuat and his friends and later we saw Pak Engku Raja also arrived to join us.Then I excused and returned to the FL to take some photos. Here I met with Azrul Hafiz again and then with AB Malek who just finished their run and lastly with Kar War who finished earlier. Before I left, I met with Zul Hakimi again who were  having their meals with Ahmad Junaidy,  Halim and his wife Hazrani.

AB Malek

Kar Wah

Halim,Zul Hakimi,Hazrani and Ahmad Junaidy

I left MAEPS at about 11.10 a.m  in good spirit for the next 21km in the morning although I had another stop at the toilet before the car park to ease my stomach again by answering the nature's call.

IN BETWEEN THE RUNS...RECOVERY TIME

I reached the hotel room and about 11.45 p.m and after cleaning myself I quickly applied the Perkindol gel at my knee and downwards,my shoulder and wrist.These were parts of my body where muscles need to recover enough for me to accomplish what I have been planning for.

I took some instant high energy and  carbo meals such as energy gel, banana and some bread as well.In the same time I increased the quantity of intake for the ORS drink to get me hydrated again quicker.

I was not able to get the planned 4 hours sleep because my stomach ache still did not  go away and after almost every 20-30 minutes , I had to go to the toilet to flush some fluid out again and again. Every time after that I took another sachet of of ORS to replenish the the fluid in my body. I At some point, I was thinking about a DNS for the run in the next morning if my situation do not become better. 

Finally I was able to sleep and all I had was just a solid one hour something sleep before the alarm clock woke me at 4.00 a.m.

When I woke up and quickly assessed my body and mind. Then I finally decided  to continue to run at my second PJHM because I felt only very little ache at my stomach and no muscle pain felt at my ankle, calf and knee. I just felt a little bit some sore at some of my muscles here and there but it was totally expected in this back to back challenge. I just hoped and prayed that my body has recovered enough to complete another 21km distance.

TO COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE...PJHM 2017

I had myself prepared after I woke up that morning with one goal.Just to complete the 21km and the timing is totally the least of my concern.Since the diarrhoea struck a night before, my initial goal of under 2 hrs 30 mins was no more in the picture.My wife did ask me again before I left whether I was fit to run  or not and I assured her that I would not harm myself.I promised her that if I were to stop during the run because I could not finish it, I wouldn't mind to return in an ambulance.
As a precaution for this run, I brought two packs of energy gel instead of one that I  normally planned for my HM run.This is mainly due to the diarrhoea that might have caused me losing more energy and not replenished enough from my recovery meals.

I left the hotel room in a  high spirit to the FO area which is just the opposite side of the main road next to the hotel. At the reception, I requested the on  duty guy to take my photo as well.

I arrived at the FO area at about 4.30 a.m and I saw the electrifying atmosphere with runners were started arriving as well. After taking some photos at the photo booth I bumped into a runner who I saw at MHWH Night Run.I introduced myself and we had a short chat about our back to back run. His introduced his name is Redz Ismail e wore kain pelikat for this run.

Then I met Cikgu Ahmad Ikmal who also just arrived before another good friend Al-Rumie bumped into us.

After that I waited for Razman Shah to give his race pack and Hanafi Zaidan, my pacer for this run. Hanafi has prepared a plan for me to reach the 2 hrs 30 goals but at the moment, that was no longer my concern. I just wanted her to assist me by running together for me to finish my run only on that day.
After more and more runners arrived and I also met for the first time some of my FB running friends such as Mohd Halmy. Amir Syahmi also was on duty again as the crew this time.

Redz Ismail

Al-Rumie and Cikgu Ahmad Ikmal

Mohd Halmy

Amir Syahmi

Razman, Linda, Me, Dr. Zul Hakimi and Esther

Before the flag off

In general, there was no drama like the night before for my PJHM this time. After the warming up, I did feel some sore at my left ankle but after the first km, it slowly disappeared. I started the run as my revised plan as I informed Hanafi earlier. When the sore disappeared, I managed to get my rhythm and running at pace 6. My mind keep telling me that time, if I were able to run at that pace, the 2 hrs 30 mins would be still within my reach. I was able to maintain that until our stop for Subuh prayer at the Petronas petrol station after the 9th km. After the prayer, I tried to regain the pace 6 but that was the time I started experiencing some that I believed  the after effects of the diarrhoea that struck me the night before. 

The flag off

From about the 13th km, I felt the effect to dehydration from excessive liquid that I have lost and it showed that my fluid intakes were not enough after that. My throat felt so dry faster and the lack of fluid that I can feel in my body started to reduce the ability of my muscles to push me further to run and  getting back my initial pace.

Despite taking extra water at each WS that we stopped, it just could not allow my body to respond to my run the way I intended it to be for the remaining distance of the run. At this point, my pace has dropped from 6 to pace 7 and later to pace 8. I felt fortunate because my decision to bring the extra energy gel truly paid off at that crucial time. I believed that it added some energy into my body to keep me running when  I started to experience the muscle fatigue from about the 14th km. Honestly, I have never felt such lacking of energy and fluid in my body before although in my previous FM runs.

In the same time, this was also the time when my pacer Hanafi played very significant role to keep me focus and taking care of myself while pushing it to the finish. The most difficult part for me was when I started to feel so painful at my calf muscles and at some points, suddenly it became hardened.When that happened several time, the only left for me was to stop running and walk slowly to ease the pain. I knew that if I keep pushing myself to run or increase the speed, it may risk me muscle injury and that is the last thing I want to happen to me during any run.

I was lucky again that Hanafi was there to remind and helped me to take some ice at the following WSs and rubbed it at my calf.It worked and it eased some of the pain that finally enabled me to run again slowly.

Then I felt comfortable to run again and the moment we reached the last 2km of the run, the pain and other discomfort started to go away as expected. This is the typical moment, runners will start to smell the personal victory although that could be felt as the longest 2km to finish for the run.

The pace for every km from Garmin Connect

PJHM  is know for its tough route with hilly areas are waiting runners especially throughout the second half of the 21km. I knew it from my first run here last year and that gave me some advantage to prepare myself mentally when I decided to include PJHM in my back to back challenge. However, when the location of MHWH Night Run move from Putrajaya to MAEPS, I knew that I had to deal with "double trouble" routes for HM runs.

The following four photos were taken at the last 1km of the run and each of the photo explains how was my feeling at that moments.

Photos by Action Pix Malaysia

Running towards the FL was more relaxing to me and Hanafi as there to keep encouraging me to get my challenge done and to accomplish my mission.

Just before the finish line.
Photo by  KU Wong

So, finally I crossed  the FL with my pacer for my second PJHM with the official time of  2 hours 44 minutes and 16 second with the average pace of 7:49 min/km.

Just after crossing the FL with Hanafi

Personally I have accomplished another personal mission in my running for health journey. With what I have done all the way from the preparation until I crossed the finish line at both runs, the failure to achieve the targeted time of within 2hours 30 minutes is negligible to me after all that I have experienced from the 8.00 p.m flag off at MAEPS to about almost 9.00 a.m in the next morning in PJ.

After the FL I joined the Q to collect the medal and finisher tee and later towards the finishing area where meals and drinks were provided for all runners.

After having some meals and drink to refill and re energize my body, I spent sometime to meet some friends who were already and just arrived and took some photos with them. 

Azli

Cikgu Mohd Farid

Razman and Ikhmil Farisz

Kenneth Kuan

Dr. Zul Hakimi

Mohd Faisal

MOhd Hafizzuddin and Kharun Naji

Kian Au

Tharmendren

Rozaidi, Wak Omar and Noraiz

Fivezal and  and Ahmad Firdaus

Muzamir and Aezzat Asnan

Jamal Zabari

Azrizal.Ranked 4th in the 10km run

Then I went to search my wife  and kids who were already waiting for me for us to return to the hotel. I truly exhausted and unable to spend more time to mingle with more friends who were still there.

It was another special and memorable time at PJHM again this year where I managed to accomplish my back to back HM challenge mission.

Could not explain the joy and satisfaction of reaching and crossing the FL with all the experiences that I have been through throughout the whole process.

Alhamdulillah...

I survived  the challenge finally!

KEY SUCCESS FACTORS AND LESSONS LEARNED

• Sufficient endurance with total km covered in about 3 months in the build up.

• Strength training  for lower body muscles and joints especially at knee, calf and ankle and also core muscles. I did not experience the typical muscles and joints pain that I often faced towards the end and after each of my previous HM and FM runs. I had little problem to maintain my posture in firm positions during both runs  despite the problems I faced due to the strengthened core muscles.

• Planned and executed the recovery plan very well despite the unfortunate diarrhoea attack. This was the key in my decision to continue to complete the challenge after the first run.

• A good logistic plan  from one event venue to another one. I managed to minimise the risk of stress and delay while dealing with  the traffic to reach and leaving the event venues with my travel and logistic arrangement.

• I may not need a pacer for the first run but must have one for the second one for potential back to back challenge in the future.My pacer played the crucial roles that enabled me to manage my run at PJHM throughout the run with his plan and knowledge about running to guide me.

• Watch out  the meal and liquid intakes especially in less than 4-6 hours before the FO because it may give  risks such as diarrhoea and indigestion that may show the effects during and after the run.

• Know and understand every part of our body and how it responds  throughout the run and how to mitigate the potential impacts whenever it responded. I truly believed my ability to respond correctly when I experienced  the effects of the diarrhoea and the calf muscles fatigue at PJHM has avoided me from further pain and injury.

• Supports and encouragement from friends in the running community do help especially when whenever we have any doubt or unsure on what to do or whether we are trying something achievable or not. I gained so much advice and tips from some of them too especially in the preparation stage.

• Take some efforts to do our own researches by reading some of the available guidelines and tips online to complement our own knowledge, experiences and inputs from friends.

• Please ensure the immediate family members are aware on what we are trying to do and also what to achieve.Their supports and understanding will help a lot as well as the people closest to you.

THE CONCLUSION

It good to create such personal challenge like this in my  efforts to stay healthy and fit. Although some of the intention are to achieve some typical goals in running, the entire process especially at the preparation stage is the one that truly will improve us as a person.

I achieved almost all personal and running goals in this challenge and the most important thing of all is I did it with another injury free and cramp free  runs despite the intensity of challenge that my body had to overcome.

Physically, I have proven to myself that I can achieve more of the unthinkable in my healthy and fitness regime with proper plan and clear goals with my healthier body.

Spiritually, I feel more grateful and blessed with every second of life given by Him to me since I started my health transformation until today.

Until I create another challenge....Alhamdulillah on what I have been achieving so far.

" To stay healthy, no excuses and just do it!"