EVENT: PREDATOR NIGHT RUN 2018
Date:4 August 2018
Date:4 August 2018
Venue:Parking lot next to Energy Commision building, Putrajaya.
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| With Dr. Ahmad Fauzey |
Not a planned event to join.Decided to go for it when my good old friend from Alor Setar asked whether I join or not because he wanted to join an event at Putrajaya.
I decided to go for it to show my support to him who just started running early this year after his knee surgery last year as one way to stay healthy and to ensure the knee won't be a problem again by controlling his weight.
He said he already started joining some events up to 10km so far and keen to try a 15km distance to prepare for his first half marathon run in September.I am also very happy to see his excitement in enjoying his running when we met and had a LSD run together during last trip here after Raya Aildilfitri this year.Just after that we registered for the event.
This is the first time I joined and to know about the event.Learning from experiences before, I have some reservations but I stayed positive and hoping to have a good event with my good friend.
My worry truly started during the RPC day itself.It started when I drove in front of Palace of Justice where the event supposed to take place.Nothing and no signs of preparation seen.It triggerred plenty of questions in my mind.
I don't like to bash any event but my worry started when within 2-3 weeks before the event, I could not find much updates the FB page or notification via email.
I arrived at the in front of PoJ early at about 6.30 p.m with my friend.Once we saw nothing there, we were puzzled and we went to the RPC location to reconfirm.
Upon arrived there, one runner with his family told us that the venue was moved to the back of PoJ at the parking lot.Then I drove there to confirm saw the preparation works still on-going with canopy, FO/FL arch which was still not ready and that was about 7.00 p.m. already as shown on my watch.The FO for 15km was informed at 8.15 p.m.
Then we felt a little bit relieved because at least the event is on although we felt so worry on what would exactly happen on the night.
Below are what finally happened during the event and made me feel so unfortunate when almost all my worries became reality.
1. Insufficient crews to man the route and crews on duty were unsure about the route for 15km and 10km.
2. At some points the traffic policemen seen very upset with the crews because not directing runners to the right route.
3. Some exit points and junctions left with no crews. Runners had to ask and at some points screamed to them from far to reconfirm the route.
4. At about 1.00 p.m. of the event day, the route still not finalised when I asked the crew during the RPC.
6. No single km marker or signage placed to guide runners along the route.
7. Luckily the traffic policemen on motorbike and the patrolling JPAM personnel with the medical van available to control the traffic and helped to guide runnes to follow the right route when some runners were given wrong direction for at some U-turns (especially between the 8km and 9km) and exits by the crews on duty.
8. No proper lighting at the event venue for FO/GL.Only depending on available street lights that made the venue dark.Lighting only provided under the canopy for massage service and finisher tee collection.
9. Only plain water provided in a packed cup with straw.I saw only two on my route which only about 12+km instead of 15km as what I signed up for.
10. No cooled water, any snack or banana at the dark FL area.
11. The bib has only the number and event logo with no other regular information such as emergency contact details and name of the runner.
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| The bib with no typical information available |
13. 15km finishers received extra tee on top of the event vest.This one is rare and good for 15km event.
15. RPC time on the event day itself and the venue changed 1 day before.
16. The signage to the RPC room at KBS building only written with marker pen on A4 paper.
17. The crews were unsure whether 3 or 4 WS to be provided for 15km when asked during the RPC.
18. For the first time for me at the event, I had to continue running after I crossed the FL and received my medal to ensure I finished my run according to the actual 15km distance.
19. Some roads were fully closed until about 5km which was good but at roads that were not and there were vehicles after that, no safety cones at all placed and crews to look after the runners. Sometime I screamed to alert runners in front of me about vehicles coming from behind. The traffic control problem started truly between the 6km and 7km before the first timing checkpoint and the small roudabout U-turn. That was the time I saw the crew started to have some problems when the traffic policemen in duty. They looked so clueless about the route and I must thank those policemen for being so proactive to react swiftly to guide runners especially at junctions that they were assigned.
My run...
My run started quite smooth since my intention was just to have a nice run as apart of the build-up for Kuching Marathon on 12 August.I had a 21km LSD run with my friends just a night before and I did expect to push myself for any quick pace for the night.
I felt quite comfortable for the first 5km and surprisingly able to run at pace 5 for the first 5km. Then I started for feel a little bit exhausted and reduced my speed to pace 6 and tried to maintain it to the FL if possible until the issue with the route started.
At one point to turn between 10km and 11km, the crews just let runners for 15km to follow the route of 10km runners until I heard one traffic policemen arrived and to reconfirm the actual route with him.
Then I asked which turn to take whether left or right and they were unsure again and then showed us to one direction that we followed. Some runners already started to vent their anger to the crews by screaming at them but for those who were close to me while we were running, I tried to calm them down. I just talked to them nicely that we just need to finish the run and later vent the anger to the race director at the FL. At least all of us that time need to stay safe to the FL.
This route then led us to the t-junction at Lebuh Saujana where no one was there to guide us on which way to go.Then we just followed to one direction where we saw returning runners from that direction.
When we followed that, we arrive to the second checkpoint and from there we assumed we will have to run straight through the Jalan Tun Hussein to the finish line. At the point which was at 11km, I knew we won't be able to run up to 15km because the maximum we can reach only about more or less 12km only.
I was totally demotivated and very angry at this stage but I tried to cool myself down and started walking for a while. I chatted with some runners who shared the same frustration. Then I started my run again.In my mind was just about to reach the finish line and decided to continue after that to finish the 15km run that I have planned for the night.
I saw one photographer at the last t-junction before the FL and then I saw my running friend Pak Engku Raja and he called my name from in front of me.It was a pleasant surprise when when he ran with me to the finish line. I also saw him before just after I left the FO and I remembered he told in the FB that he will come to see the event and later to have his own regular run at other route.
After crossing the finish line, I saw my watch recorded only 12+km and paused it.Then I took the medal and had some water before I continued my run at much slower pace with the intention to reach at least 15km. I did exactly that by running through Persiaran Perdana and then entered the Jalan Tun Hussein again for one loop until I reached the FL for the second time.
I finished my run in 1:40:37 with 15.65km according to my GPS watch and I don't care about the official result!
Then I my friend Dr. Ahmad Fausey Kassim from Alor Setar who have finished his run called me to meet up.
After that I bumped into some friends but honestly, the excitement to take photos at the FL area like I always do was not there this time. Me and my friend just snapped few photos and then we left the venue after that.After all the FL area was quite dark to have nice photos by the smartphone.
My run...
My run started quite smooth since my intention was just to have a nice run as apart of the build-up for Kuching Marathon on 12 August.I had a 21km LSD run with my friends just a night before and I did expect to push myself for any quick pace for the night.
I felt quite comfortable for the first 5km and surprisingly able to run at pace 5 for the first 5km. Then I started for feel a little bit exhausted and reduced my speed to pace 6 and tried to maintain it to the FL if possible until the issue with the route started.
At one point to turn between 10km and 11km, the crews just let runners for 15km to follow the route of 10km runners until I heard one traffic policemen arrived and to reconfirm the actual route with him.
Then I asked which turn to take whether left or right and they were unsure again and then showed us to one direction that we followed. Some runners already started to vent their anger to the crews by screaming at them but for those who were close to me while we were running, I tried to calm them down. I just talked to them nicely that we just need to finish the run and later vent the anger to the race director at the FL. At least all of us that time need to stay safe to the FL.
This route then led us to the t-junction at Lebuh Saujana where no one was there to guide us on which way to go.Then we just followed to one direction where we saw returning runners from that direction.
When we followed that, we arrive to the second checkpoint and from there we assumed we will have to run straight through the Jalan Tun Hussein to the finish line. At the point which was at 11km, I knew we won't be able to run up to 15km because the maximum we can reach only about more or less 12km only.
I was totally demotivated and very angry at this stage but I tried to cool myself down and started walking for a while. I chatted with some runners who shared the same frustration. Then I started my run again.In my mind was just about to reach the finish line and decided to continue after that to finish the 15km run that I have planned for the night.
I saw one photographer at the last t-junction before the FL and then I saw my running friend Pak Engku Raja and he called my name from in front of me.It was a pleasant surprise when when he ran with me to the finish line. I also saw him before just after I left the FO and I remembered he told in the FB that he will come to see the event and later to have his own regular run at other route.
After crossing the finish line, I saw my watch recorded only 12+km and paused it.Then I took the medal and had some water before I continued my run at much slower pace with the intention to reach at least 15km. I did exactly that by running through Persiaran Perdana and then entered the Jalan Tun Hussein again for one loop until I reached the FL for the second time.
I finished my run in 1:40:37 with 15.65km according to my GPS watch and I don't care about the official result!
Then I my friend Dr. Ahmad Fausey Kassim from Alor Setar who have finished his run called me to meet up.
After that I bumped into some friends but honestly, the excitement to take photos at the FL area like I always do was not there this time. Me and my friend just snapped few photos and then we left the venue after that.After all the FL area was quite dark to have nice photos by the smartphone.
Something positive that I can take away ...
- A photographer from Checkpoint Spot was there to take photos of runners at last few hundred metres from the FL.
- At least the event was not cancelled.
- I finished my run with 15km distance within the targeted average pace 6 and without any injury or facing any safety incident.
- My friend also finished his run.
My conclusion.
The event is the most terrible event for me for this year in 5-15km category. Surely the event and organiser will be dumped into my blacklist.
I feel so sorry for my friend who flew all the way from Alor Setar only to run at an event that was very poorly organised at Putrajaya.
The key lesson learned again!
Be more careful in selecting running events to register and prepare for the worst case scenario if we decided to join any new event, events organised by unknown organisers and organisers with bad reputation in the past and events with bad reviews from runners in the past.
