BACK 2 BACK HM RUNS CHALLENGE AT ASHM AND PSHM 2019

9-10 March 2019

My first back to back morning to morning HM runs.

I did one b2b night to morning HM runs at MHWHNR and PJHM in 2017 and that experience was very helpful and useful for me to prepare for this one.

Antara sebab saya berani cuba b2b HM runs at ASHM and PSHM because both are flat routes.Another factor is ASHM is a city run with busy traffic at some stages and PSHM is expected to be more leisure run while enjoying  the country side.

Did not make any specific preparation in term of build-up runs other than keeping my regular weekly and monthly total km targets achieved in Jan and Feb

Simulasi saya ialah pada 9 dan 10 Feb di Putra Nilai dan Bukit Tunku KL that staerted at 6.30 a.m. where I recorded 2:24  and 2:47 respectively with no cramp or other problems at all.

Route di Putra Nilai agak flat dan Bukit Tunku pulak korang tau la kan...😁

That was the basis I set the 2:15 and 2:45 targets.

My only challenges were the long drive from Nilai to Alor Setar on Friday and then to relax and rest sufficiently before ASHM on 5.00 a.m., Saturday.Then the recovery meals , rehydration and treatment for faster recovery of my lower body muscles at knee and below after that before another over 3 hours drive to Pasir Salak.

Using ice in water in a pail really helped to get back my foot to feel refreshed after ASHM.

The running strategy for each run was quite simple.Although the two events are  not the same but I will use the same body to finish both.So, I must plan the run at ASHM in asuch way that it would not make make me struggle to finish or get injured at PSHM.

At ASHM, I planned to run under 1 hour for 10km, then at pace 6 up to 15km and then take it easy to mix between pace 6 and 7 to the FL.Since, the run to start early and will finish before the full sunrise, I did not plan to take any photo and short videos along the route because the surrounding is expected to be still mostly dark.

Finally I managed to finish my run in 2:10.It was 5 minutes less than the targeted time.

ASHM 2019 was a well organised event and I have little to complaint.Traffic controls, markers and supplies at each WS were well managed and provided along the route.

However they can improve in few things.

- the idea of about 3km of crossing the rice fields was good but it was still dark.Therefore, runners can't see the scenery and the road surface as well.Some blinkers provided and there were patrolling crews on motorcycle and bicycle but I think it was insufficient for runners to stay safe with some holes found on the road surface.

- it was quite disappointing when I could not see any clear marker or signage about mobile surau or masjid as indicated in the map.Then none of at least 4 crews whom I asked at some WSs and junctions  could not tell me where is the place to pray or surau facility provided.When I could see the mobile surau at about 16km, I decided to pray after the FL when I saw my watch indicated that I can finish my run within the praying time.This was truly surprised me because in 2017, there crews available to usher runners to the masjid with sarungs also provided.

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To return next year? Yes I will.In sha Allah  because ASHM is still a highly recommended event to join in my list.

Then at PSHM, the plan was just to run and maintain at average pace 6 until 15km and take it easy and slower after that to the FL.

My wife joined the 5km run and she was also excited to run here.

However, since this is my first time to run at this event, I planned to have some photos and videos along route which is designed to cross the country side of Pasir Salak.

The FO was at 6.40 a.m. and that resolved any issue about praying.

The most flat HM event to me so far and the route ended with the last 6km with shaded areas by trees along the route.Running along the very much less busy traffic crossing villages and rice fields was an amazing experience.It reminded me about the LHKSNS but this one offered more challenges with the 21km distance.

I did take some photos and made few short videos along the route as planned. Surprisingly, despite having fun all the way with all that, my body responded very well with my executed recovery plan and I finished my run in 2:30 which is 15 minutes earlier than targeted.

 

This event is much smaller scale in term of total runners compare to ASHM but I could not highlight anything else other than kudos to the organiser. I have no complaint to raise about the route and everything provided along the way altbough it was about 1km over distance. I personally attracted to join when I read, saw and heard how well it was last year. I sincerely hope more runners to enjoy it next year.

Alhamdulillah everything went well from ASHM and  until I left PSHM on Sunday afternoon. My running plan at both events was executed accordingly and achieved much better than I targeted in timing.Again, I had no problems at all especially at PSHM where I did expect some struggle with my lower body.I did run less than 1 hour for the first 10km at ASHM and able to maintain mostly at pace 6 later until the FL with the overall average 6:12 min/km officially.

At PSHM, I surprised myself when I felt so relaxed for the first 15km and only need to push my body a little bit after that to the FL which is about 1km extra than 21km.I finished it with average pace 6:51min/km for 21.9km according to my GPS watch.

In short, both were very relaxing and enjoyable runs to me. Bumped into some runners whom I can recognise and vice versa along the routes and  chatted with them when we had the opportunities while running.I did some wefies with  some of them as well because some of them, I met them for the first time in-person after only connected via socmed.

It made me feel worth it to spend my time travelling over the weekend.Feeling amazing!

At both events, I took photos of runners as well with my DLSR camera after I have finished my run.It has been some kind of cooling down for me know after my run at any event this year.

On top of that, my wife and kids had great times as well during our short runcation trip over the weekend.

As always, it was so nice to meet so many running friends at both events.Hope to see you again guys!😁

Glad to had an evening tea with my running buddy from Alor Setar Ahmad Fauzey Kassim who is getting faster in his runs now😁Also a big thank to Pak Engku Raja for everything  and other buddies  in the group who made the arrangement for my trip to stay at Pasir Salak possible.Yes, running  always feel much more awesome with good friends around.

Congrats to the organisers Puncak Ventures and Team Pacat, photographers and all runners especially my fellow b2b ASHM and PSHM finishers.Hope to see you again next year...2020!

Healthy will open us to many positive and sometime surprising possibilities.