THE CHALLENGES AT SEMENYIH ECO TRAIL RUN 3.0

Date : 6 August 2017, Sunday.

Venue: Hot Spring Jln Sg. Lalang, Semenyih, Selangor

Distance: 15km

Participation: 2nd time.

Made the return at this event after experiencing a very challenging run last year.It was my most difficult trail runs for me last time around but made it my must attend event this year.However, most of my friends who joined with me last year did not with me again this year.

The organiser reduced the distance from 16km to 15km this year and initially I was a little bit disappointed with that.It was because at least I could compare my performance fairly should it the same distance.

With what I had experienced last year, my preparation was more on workouts to strengthen joints and muscles of my lower body parts especially the knee and ankle.

I spent more time at gym with more intensity for workouts that could achieve my goals which were to have more comfortable run in the 3.0 version of the event.In overall, my body felt much better prepared this time compare to last time around.

Initially I planned to use the hydration bag that I bought about a year ago for trail runs which I have never used for any run since I had it.I decided not to use it and just left it in my car because I am still not comfortable in using it.So, I used the same waist pouch with two small bottles that I used last year.
After all, based on my run last year here, I did not think I truly need extra stuff to bring more water supply to keeo me hydrated because with the three WS provided along the route should be sufficient for me.

I arrived at the venue from Nilai at about close 6.00 a.m. A little bit disappointed because I did not able to park my car close to the venue like last year although arrived fairly early.

What made it worst was when I asked one of the crews about where to keep the luggage, he said it was not provided.So I went back to keep my stuff in may car about few hundred metres walk.

Met some regular running friends when I returned to the venue.

There were some changes at the venue and this year no more properly well guided warm up session with the instructor and music from the stage.There was no stage too and warm up was just a simple one  by one of the crews.'

Ready to go!

The FO was slightly late and not sharp at 7.00 p.m but I did not matter too much for a just 15km trail run.

I started my run in more relaxed mode this time compare to last year and runners were greeted with truly trail run experience from the earlier part of the route.

Hilly route after hilly route awaited runners to overcome from the first 1km as soon as we entered the totally off road with bushes and jungle. The weather was also very nice that morning.

After passing the 3rd km, I was still feeling very confortable with my run despite the more and more uphills and downhills that I have to deal with.I saw some runners fell while running at the downhills and that made me extra cautious with each of my step to avoid such incidents.

There was one very challenging and fairly long uphill stretch last year but it was not part of the route this year. However, that was replaced with more uphills that required quite intensive amount of energy and strength to overcome.

I heard some runners talked  about how tough the hilly routes at MHWH Night Run and PJHM recently but I truly believed that they will talk about how much tougher this route is should they join this run. At some stages of the route, I saw some runners vomitted and struggled to overcome the route.

Despite much more elevation with all the uphills in the route this time around, I felt better and my lower body joints and muscles were so much more comfortable all the way to the end.It mainly resulted from the strength training that I did in my preparation of this run.I did not feel that much stress or pain compare to my run here last year.

Overall, the route was much more challenging this year despite the shorter distance by 1km.It gave runners like me a truly trail run experience.Physically, this type of run does help me to strengthen my body especially the lower parts which will contribute to improve my runs in the future as well.

I did not have much troubles along the route.However, I twisted my ankle at one of the downhills due to a misstep when my left foot landed into uneven surface covered with small stones. This happened at about the fifth km of the run. It caused me some pain immediately after that but gradually became lesser when I continue my run at slower mode.

Another unpleasant thing that happened again this year was when I almost lost again at the rubber plantation area along the route.If last year it was because I could see clearly the route markers, this time it was because I was misled by some old route markers. I also could not see any crew to guide us when we reached and entered that area as well.

Luckily I realized it and there we also few runners behind me. Once I noticed and felt that we were heading to not so right direction for about 500 metres, I stopped and told other runners that I was not sure to run further.We turned back and I screamed loudly to attract the attention of other runners and any nearby crew.

Then I heard the reply voice and we ran to that direction. Not long after that, I saw other runners who were following the right path of the route.

When I saw one crew after that, I told him to place someone at the place I was lost to avoid other runners following the wrong route again due to the mixed between the old and new markers.

The route started to become more flat once we reached about the last 3km before the finish line. The best part for me was, I felt more relaxed and did not experience that much pain and stress  at my joints and muscles like last year. At this stretch we started to interface and then ran together with 7km runners.

During the last 3km, the pain from the twisted ankle started to be felt again and more this time.However, the excitement to reach the finish the run overshadowed the feeling.I stopped for a while and made a short video when runners were heading to the FL at one of the downhills as well.

As we get closer and closer to the FL, the  voice from the PA system was getting clearer and clearer to be heard.

Then finally I reached the most interesting part of the run just before all runners reaching the FL.All of us have to cross the river which was about the same water level like last year.Only the distance was a little bit longer this time.I did not miss the opportunity to asked some of the crews to take my photos  and making a short video using my phone as well.

Officially I finished the 15km run in 2 hours 13 minutes with a much much comfortable and enjoyable run.It was not because this was the second time I ran at the event but more of the challenges that I had to face along the different parts of the route and because I was more prepared physically for it.

With Grace. The champion for 7km run for ladies.

En. Marzuki, the backbone of the event organiser.

Met some friends,had chats and taking photos with them after crossing the FL. However I could not wait much longer as I intended to do because my ankle started to swell and more painful. I need to rush back home for some quick treatment to ease the pain and swelling. I just hope it would recover soon enough for me to run in next back to back events in August, the 15km Larian Sukan SEA on 19 Aug and followed by the Merdeka Mybuddies Run on 20 August.

I have finished my 3rd out of 4 trail runs event planned for this year. For the last one, I have already registered for the 20km trail run at Janda Baik, Pahang in November. For this run, I do think I will need the extra water supply along the route and I planned to use my hydration bag.

Overall, it was another good event and definitely I will be back for the 4.0 version next year. The arrangement and controls at the finishing area was also smooth for all runners to collect the medal, meals and drinks smoothly without much hassle.

Until the next event...