Siemens 10km Run

This was the last run for the year. Participating in races kept the momentum going otherwise I would have slack off by skipping the weekend morning runs.

Once I broke the sub 70 minutes barrier, the challenge was not merely to improve further but maintaining it at this level was itself a difficult feat! This is proven in the Siemens run.

Where the hell are the mobile toilets?
5 days before the race, I felt I was going to get a mild sore throat and adopted my usual remedy of drinking cups and cups of water. It worked (again). On Saturday night and race morning, I made sure I was well hydrated by taking more drinks than I would usually consume prior to a race.

Reached Dataran and parked at the usual underground car park. The basement washroom was not opened yet. I took Ben's bibs and went to the Clock Tower area to wait. After a quick scan around the area, I realized there were no mobile toilets onsite and decided to check the basement again. To my disappointment it has yet to open. There were numerous runners searching desperately in the basement looking for a place to let-go. Some had to let-go in a corner and I followed suit! Don't blame the runners if the car park stinks, blame the management who don't open such facilities early to cater for nature calls.

Quick StartBen Lim turned up to collect his bibs. Ben as I know him is a rugged runner: runs with his old 4-year-old Nike "detached sole" shoes, no Powerbar/gel in half-marathons, appears to be unperturbed if there is no water and have never complained about stomach or muscle cramps in all his runs. Is this a man or a machine?

Inside the barricade, met CS, Jamie, Newton, Rohaizad and others. Was glad to see CS back in action. The last time we ran together was in April in Singapore. Datuk Ong Tee Keat was the guest of honour to flag-off the race. Notice there were unusually a high number of Mat Salleh runners, probably working for Siemens.

Bang! Off we go. Sifu (Jamie) told me he would be taking it easy since the Singapore Marathon is next week. I tried to follow Ben and Newton's pace, well at least for the first few kilometers, but was unable to keep up. I was completely outpaced after the 1st kilometer. Newton has improved tremendously. I used to be able to follow him for at least the first 2-3 kilometers but not this time. Ben was probably going at a fast 5-5.5mins/km pace (During our double-hill route training, I normally would be able to keep up with him for the first 4 kms - his warm-up.)

Benchmark
I memorized the Adidas KOTR run times at the 5km and 9.5km mark. To equal or better the times, I must reach the Duta Stadium in 27.5mins. Managed to reach this mark in 27mins but my legs felt so heavy. I soon realized I started off too fast and was beginning to feel the stomach cramps building up. I still have the Duta hill in front of me! This will be my toughest 10km race!

I toiled the Duta Hill with all the mental strength I had. Coming downhill was a bit dangerous, as the road construction had narrowed the road. Was trading leads with this male runner, he was sort of using the Galloway technique. Just before the Jln Semantan flyover, a male Caucasian (imitating a Malaysian slang) runner came up to me and said "It's pretty boring lah. There is nothing to see! ". I couldn't agree more. This has to be the most boring 10km run. The female runners are nowhere to be seen. Either I am running so well that they are behind me or they are well ahead.

Approaching the Jln Parlimen flyover, I looked at my watch to see if I was within target of reaching the 2nd checkpoint in time. I need to run within 4 mins to reach the Bkt Aman traffic lights. Overtook a number of walkers including the Gallo runner. Clocked 1:00:57 at the 2nd checkpoint (KOTR was 59.5mins). I was lagging behind by 1.5 mins from my previous race time.

Last Hurrah
Towards the end, the last km I did not know what to expect. Normally, I would focus on a strong finish but this time I was in a daze. I have pushed myself too hard by trying to meet the checkpoint times. Every step I took I wanted to stop. Legs felt dead heavy. The moment I stopped at the finishing line, my sigh of relief ran from my head down to my toes. The body can finally stop what the mind won’t allow. Stopwatch displayed 1:09:17. Just over a minute from PR.

Later met up with CS, Jamie, Newton, Rohaizad, Ben, Kenny, Mee Peng and her friend Lynda.Ben finished a fast 56 mins. Newton homed in a record time of 60mins. Lynda got a medal and was the top 40 finishers in the 7km Women Veteran category. Mee Peng clocked 56mins and had minor cramps. Kenny probably finished around 76 mins.

This had to be mentally the most tormenting 10km race. I had thoughts of stopping and walk right from the 5th kilometer mark but refused to give in. Tried hard to close my mind off the heavy legs and shortness of breath. The race certainly proves that if I were to maintain a below 70mins performance, I have to run with all guns blazing! I feel I may have reached my maximum potential. I would be very surprised if I could improve further by even 5% in the near future. Let’s see…

Lesson learnt: Running too fast at the beginning is not the right way to a good start.

2004 Review:
I have done 11 races in 2004. Here are my thoughts of them:

1. KLIM 2004 (10km) : Eye opener, as a first-timer completing the race within qualifying time was an accomplishment and it conquered my fear of running long distances.
2. Power Run (10km): Running with a pacer, Newton made the race less boring.
3. Hong Leong Charity Run (5km): It is short but can you sustain the speed? Discovered 5km is tougher than 10km. Short distance racing can be stressful.
4. JP Morgan Corporate Challenge (5.6km): The best-organized race I have ever experienced. First class!
5. Nike Pacesetter (15km): First encounter with the Double Hill. Learnt why pacing is important.
6. Penchala Tunnel Run (10km): Tunnel looks like Monte Carlo F1 race. Air quality was excellent with surrounding greenery and kampung serenity.
7. Olympic Run (7km): Running alone. Comrades didn’t turn-up
8. Amway Health Jog (5km): First time running with Mee Peng.
9. Adidas KOTR (10km): Top form. Ran a comfortable PR of 68mins.
10. PJ Half-Marathon (21km): Feels great to finally tackle this distance but was cheated by mistimed qualifying time.
11. Siemens Run (10km): Mentally most challenged 10km run.

Approaching the 40s

As one ages, few things come into mind. I read somewhere the average life span of a Malaysian male is around 70-72 years old. My father and grandfather did not live past 71 years. If you are 35, it is an indication that you have crossed the half-way mark. What have one achieved or enjoyed in Life? Life is indeed short. In Australia the community was reminded "Life...Be in It". "C'est La Vie" (I love life). Live Life to the Fullest for you may never know what will happen tomorrow.

PJ Half Marathon

I have heard so much about the PJ Half-Marathon from people who had completed it many years ago way before I started running. Kenny, my brother had done it 17 years ago. He reminisced the kind of disciplined training; running almost daily at Lake Gardens sometimes with veteran Pacesetters members.


Others have warned: “You MUST train for this distance, it is not like 10k” – Suresh my colleague pointed. None of my practice runs have gone beyond 13kms. The last long run was the Nike 15km back in April. The night before the race was also my niece’s birthday – Kenny’s daughter. While doing my routine photographing, Kenny again proudly pointed his framed and famed 1987 PJ Half-Marathon certificate with a timing of 2:17 (literally asking me to match his timing). I got worried when he said, “ Watch out after the 18th km because that is when you start to dehydrate.” Even Mee Peng questioned my readiness “Do you have enough training or not? I notice you hardly run “

On the positive side my 2 mentors: Jamie and Newton have full confidence in me. “…you will do 2:15 come race day. mark my words!” says Jamie. “You did Nike 15km and that was running on hills..” says Newton. Deep inside, I dread the thought of not finishing.

Went to bed around 10:30p.m after a hefty birthday meal of fettuccini, meehoon, half-burger and fried drumsticks (chicken feet power). I skipped the greasy birthday cake.

It's time…


Woke up at 3:30 a.m. Breakfast: Oatmeal PowerBar, self-formulated cereal drink and 2 bananas. Stomach felt a bit bloated up – took a heavier dose of cereal drink than normal. Packed 600ml of Gatorade for pre-race consumption and 2 packets of PowerGel.

It was easy to spot the PJ Stadium as the floodlights were brightly lit. Reached the car park around 5:50 a.m. The stadium was spacious and unlike Dataran there were proper free toilets and no smelly mobile units. Pre-race drinking water was available – a first! Good job sponsors! Later, met Cheah and Newton’s brother Chee Hwa. I decided not to carry the water bottle pouch after talking to Chee Hwa who is a seasoned half-marathoner. I forgot to thank Chee Hwa for helping me with the bibs collection earlier.


The 2 officials who manned the Registration card counter gave the wrong info by stating the race starts from inside the stadium. Later, there was an announcement to assemble outside the stadium. As I moved towards the road, Newton called me. Newton introduced me to Justin. Also met Kenneth and his wife, Yen-Nee. Justin advised us of the long incline at the start. While waiting, suddenly we saw people running perpendicular to the road where we were standing. We thought it was the start of the race! To everyone’s relieve it was a false start.

The Challenge Begins…


I started my stopwatch at the sound of the gunfire. Here I am… finally doing the 21km run. As usual Newton ran along side. Everybody seemed to take it easy, no rushing. Around the first kilometer, Jamie came up on our left flank. Called him and 3 of us chatted for a minute before Jamie went ahead. Later somebody greeted us from behind; it was Sivapalan our ex-secondary-schoolmate. Reached the 1st water station, supposedly the 4th km mark in 24:48. We didn’t feel we were running fast and suspect the distance markers may be inaccurate.

Very organized water station and option of drinks; first group served isotonic drinks and the second group drinking water, distinguishable by the cup design. Good job Water Station organizers! I grabbed 2 cups of water. Took my time to gulp the first one down. I used the second cup to rinse my hands and wipe my face.

Motorola Interchange


Told Newton to go ahead. U turned at the bridge, ran on the pavement and back on the other side of the Federal Highway. Cars and buses were all over the place. Somehow I was unperturbed by the presence of these vehicles since I am used to running on the road shoulder (sometimes at night) at home. Skipped the first sponge station.

In the next 2 kms, I was trading leads with a lady runner. Her footsteps were dead silent. Cannot hear her breathing or movement. At the start of the Subang flyover, her agility pulled her uphill ahead of me. I took my time to neutralize the hill and sped downhill. Managed to overtake the feather light runner. Cannot really see her face because normally when I overtake I don’t turn my head to look at the person but when being overtaken I will occasionally look. Since she moved like a ninja, I have no way of knowing when she will next overtake.

From afar, I could see the 100 Plus umbrellas, which means it’s the second 8km water station. I had planned to take the PowerGel at this stop but changed my mind. The feeling was like “I’d rather breathe than eat”. Did not have the appetite. The water was rejuvenating and energizing. Next came the sponge station. This is the first time I took the sponge. It was ice-cold water!

At the 11km mark a Caucasian lady runner (dyed blonde hair) slowly overtook me. This spurred me to follow her pace. She may not have the perfect body but her skin completion was excellent - like porcelain. I just followed her closely and soon realized a lot of cars were slowing down to look at her! Including a TNB truck loaded with uniformed staff moving along with us at jogging speed! Opposites attract – she must be some kind of magnet.


As I was approaching the 12km water station, it was time to slurp the caffeinated strawberry flavoured PowerGel. Took my time to drink 1.5 cups of water. By this time, Porcelain Runner was ahead by about 10 meters. I caught up with her and hesitated whether I should overtake or just follow from behind since our pace was almost identical. In the end, I overtook her and a few other male runners who seemed to be tailing her :)


From the opposite road, I could see the leaders heading back to the stadium. Admired their athleticism. On the other hand, I saw a runner sitting by the cement walkway massaging his toes, not sure if it was cramps or blisters. I pity him because he looked kind of sad.

Subang Roundabout


After the Subang roundabout I was able to see closely the runners who had already U-turned back at the Aerobridge. Saw Newton on the other side taking a sponge and gave him a yell. Took about 5mins before it was my turn to take a sponge. At this point I saw Ninja girl in the opposite direction running with her eyes almost closed. While running back to the roundabout, images of “2:15” and “2:17” begin to cloud my mind. Kenny and Jamie’s expectations were haunting me.

Beyond 15km


I was looking forward to the 4th and last water station. Next to it was a big “15KM” signboard. I reached here at 1:38:20. My tongue was dancing with joy when I drowned my dry throat with water. No intention of taking the 2nd Gel. Here onwards I started concentrating on the route; keeping a look out on loose gravels leftover from the construction and using the shortest possible path when tackling a bend. At one long right turning stretch, instead of running to the left most lane which was cordoned by cones, I choose to run just outside the cones to shave off a few meters. I was running with my head down and did not even notice Porcelain lady had accelerated way ahead – she had turned on her afterburners!

Twilight Zone


Somewhere at the 17 or 18th km right after the Subang NKVE flyover, my left calf muscle twitched. The spasms were intermittent and it got me worried. It was a sign of a mild cramp that could develop into something, which I was afraid I could not control (had I taken the 2nd gel would it make a difference? I wondered).

Initially, I was comfortably tailing two runners and when it happened I immediately dropped off. Since the contraction was on the left leg, I used my right leg to push forward and the left one to limp. This technique seemed to work albeit at a reduced speed but at least I did not have to walk or stop. This is what happens when one has never tested the distance – it was exactly what I feared and what Kenny had warned.

20km Signboard


I was excited when I approached the left turning, the signboard states “20km”. I looked at my watch it was 2:01:51. It was back to the MAS building road. I should have no problems covering the last kilometer in 13 minutes! Flashes of glory and jubilation tingled my spine. As I was sprinting pass the traffic lights in one of the junctions, my right calf had a sudden attack! The split second feeling was as if the muscle behind my knee had momentarily lost contact with the bone. I was over-abusing my right leg due to the earlier situation. This is where teamwork comes into play; it is now the left leg that would take the lead and the right one dragging along.

Another Gunshot


I ran and kept wondering where the hell is the stadium entrance. Followed the runner in front of me and pray he knows the way. A group of runners probably the leaders who had finished much earlier cheered us on. I smiled and acknowledged their support. There onwards, I dare not look at the stopwatch as now every second counts. Finally I entered the stadium, the comfy track cushioning was so nice to run on. About 150 meters from the finishing line, I heard a gun shot “BANG!!!”. Something told me it was bad news and indeed it was. Jamie and Newton were cheering me on. I queued up at the finishing line in front of another “A” group runner and stopped my Timex watch. It showed 2:13:10.

Disappointment


I waited for awhile while the officials were not recording any of our bibs. Then one of them broke the bad news “The official time is over”. One of the runners who was just behind me questioned the official and said his stopwatch showed it was before 2:15 of which the official replied “You cannot follow your time, you have to follow our official time”. I felt shortchanged and flabbergasted. So near yet so far but that is how it is.



Group Photo


While I was digesting the situation, Newton came up to me to join in a group photo. I was the last runner. Mee Peng jested and told me she had earlier requested Cheah (Cheah did a fantastic 1:50) to run back and look for me…just in case I pengsan (fainted). Kenneth and Yen-Nee had finished an hour earlier and were waiting for the rest. This would motivate me to run faster next time, as I do not want to keep the good people waiting too long for the last man. Thanks to all the comrades!



Retrospective


Prior to this race, I had 2 fears. One was that I might not be physically strong enough to withstand the 2+ hours of continuous pounding (did not adopt Galloway). The second was the water station: should I carry the water bottle as insurance for a “no water” scenario? I honestly believe I cannot possibly finish within 2:15 and had hoped no injuries would hamper my aim to just complete the race. It’s a miracle.

Adidas King of the Road

This race attracted a number of participants probably because of the Adidas T-shirt. On race day, at least 5 of the runners whom I’ve helped to register did not turn-up. Reasons cited were illness, out of town and work commitment. I was looking forward to this run because I wanted to gauge my fitness level since it will be the same route as the KLIM and Power Run 2004.

Jln Duta Revisited

Woke up real early, 3:50 a.m. Ate 3/4 of PowerBar and gave the other quarter to Mee Peng. Mee Peng will be running her first 7km distance under the Women Veteran category. Contemplated whether I should wear my contact lenses* or stick to my glasses. Decided to try something different and went for the contacts.

While driving, I had an unexplained mild chest discomfort but luckily it disappeared during the race. Reached Dataran at 6:30 a.m and met up with Cheah. I have photographed every running event but this time I do not have a photographer since Mee Peng was running as well. Determined to photograph somehow, decided to take the camera first for some pre-race shots. Since I had to rush back to the Dataran basement car park after the shooting, I made sure I observe the time by looking at the Clock Tower. To my chagrin, the Clock Tower was dead! Bad feng shui!

After struggling with the camera's aperture and some insignificant shots, I left the Ixus back in the car. Entered the barricade and met up with Jaime, Newton, Kenneth and the rest.

Flag-Off

Bang! Off we go. This is probably one of the biggest 10km group. I thought I was starting-off rather conservatively until I suddenly realized I was about to overtake Sifu (Jamie)! Immediately, I joked "Eh! How can I overtake Sifu?" and decided to fallback. Sifu quipped, "It's not me but it’s you going fast!" 3 of us, Newton, Kenneth and myself were running closely together. We were also secretly chasing a Cutie. Just before the Bank Negara tunnel, Cheah called me from behind. 4 of us were pacing rather well. In the midst of running the BNM hill, Newton introduced me to Kenneth and likewise I introduced Cheah to both of them.

Shortly after the 2nd kilometer, Cheah switched to his normal pace and went ahead. Newton and I bumped into an ex-La Sallian schoolmate, Sivapalan. At the 3rd kilometer, Kenneth and Newton surged ahead. Was able to tail them until the water station. Thereafter I lost sight of the pair.

Took only a sip of the 100 Plus. Did not drink the whole cup, as I do not know the effects of the gas and risk tummy ache.

Duta Hill

Ah, the Duta Hill again. In the previous 2 races, I had to walk. In fact, the last occasion, Power Run I overexerted and suffered stomach cramps. Normally at this section, runners will take a breather and walk. Fewer runners were seen walking. The KOTR runners are a determined bunch. I planned not to walk too and succeeded. Endured the very slow non-stop uphill jog to the top - no more over optimistic “Hamburger Hill” style of charging.

Downhill speed

After conquering the hill, it was downhill speeding. Ran with long strides - felt like an Olympian! Overtook quite a number of runners. At 7.5 kilometer, I began to slow down. I could hear groups of runners stomping from behind. In the span of 20 seconds, at least 10 runners whizzed past me like wild horses galloping. They probably thought this runner lack endurance! These runners appeared to have conserved their energy for the final kill, the attack of the last few kms. I did not have the ammunition to join in the foray.

Only 10 minutes

Just as I was approaching the Parlimen flyover, a lady Caucasian runner in her 20s shouted "Only 10 minutes! Only 10 minutes! Come on!" She was running high on MP3 and urging the walkers to run. All the walkers followed her encouragement and started running! I followed her closely. At the start of the uphill flyover I put in a little more pace and it was enough to overtake her. The next checkpoint was important, the National Monument bus stop. Stopwatch displayed 59:27 mins. To break into sub-70, I must run the last leg in less than 10 minutes. Normally at this downhill stretch I would be able to do short sprints but not this time. I was out of gas. The best I could do is to maintain a steady run to the finish.

Approaching the clock tower, I saw a familiar figure. It was Mee Peng running. I ran along side and said "Kum Garm Kaer" (What a coincidence) and zoom off. At the finishing line, my stopwatch clocked 1:07:52. Yes, I had done it in 68 minutes - an improvement of 4+ minutes from the last Power Run.Mee Peng was right behind, finishing 76th just one short of the medal position. She clocked 55 mins.

The Milo drink station was miles long. Went back to the car to get water and camera. Met up with Newton, Kenneth and Jamie's mates for a group photo. Took a picture of Mee Peng's colleagues Cheah, Alice and Ong. We waited for the lucky draw but no luck. The lucky draw was poorly conducted. Our minds were now craving for food. Felt so hungry. Later, whacked a big packet of Jinjang Nasi Lemak sotong, ayam etc. Food never tasted so good and justified.

That was it. Another Run, another healthy day fulfilled.

Footnote: Contact lenses
With the contact lenses I was able to run with my head down! Something I could not do with glasses on. I did this each time I struggle uphill or need a boost. The head down ritual has 2 functions: first it allows the sweat to drip straight from the face to the ground and second it was like a silent prayer "i am exhausted…please let me have the inner strength to continue please..." Lasik surgery next?

JP Morgan Corporate Challenge

The JPMCC run generated a sense of excitement, it was an opportunity to run in Singapore and it’s my first Team event, representing Citigroup. It was very kind of CitiClub Singapore to accommodate and sponsor our participation. 3 of us, Jamie, CS and myself drove across the Straits of Johor on April 28 to be part of the 6700+ runners in 210 companies competing in the inaugural JPMCC.

At the Padang

We parked at Suntec Tower and had a rather late lunch at 2:45 p.m. Earlier, I made the mistake of missing the Food and Rest area prior to entering Tuas Customs. The Padang was next to the beautiful Esplanade Theatres On the Bay. Overlooking the Marina Bay is the Merlion, the famous Lion Head fountain landmark.

We were early; the weather was hot and humid. After scouting the area, we easily found the Citigroup tent. Met up with Jessie Toh, the friendly CitiClub coordinator who had been so helpful in getting us into this event. Mee Peng’s cousin, John came right after work to meet me. John was also a photo enthusiast. He helped us took numerous shots of the event with CS’s Nikon D100. In fact, he was literally the “official” Citigroup photographer!Jamie had the honor of conducting the stretching exercises for the Citigroup runners!

At 5:45 pm, Jamie and I moved to the narrow barricade. I could see the twin 2-sided Digital Stopwatch above the Starting/Finishing line, a sight I have never observed in all my previous runs. After speeches from the officials and a Lion Dance performance, the countdown begins. It was not the usual gunfire but the blare of a horn. The Run has begun!

5.6 kms

This was the first time I felt being pushed and brushed aside from behind. This could be due to the narrow road. I deployed the same strategy i.e. to start-off strongly since it was a short run. After the 9th minute, I felt pain on both sides of my abdomen. “ Not again “, I told myself because once this happens, I will be sure of not doing an above average timing. Common sense told me to walk but that would affect my pacing. I continued to run at a slower but steady pace. Experience told me the pain will ease away later in the run but it did not happen! At one point, I felt my nose was watery and it may have been a mild nosebleed but thank god no blood oozed out. It was humid. This was also my first race ran on an afternoon.

Towards the end of Republic Avenue, the route U-turned and took us to the costal Marina Promenade tarmac. This appeared to be the home run. There were overhead signboards indicating the 4th and 5th kilometer mark. Many runners increased their pace. I was slowing down! The lingering stomach pain did not go away. My body felt like an overheated engine. It can do no more. I thought the Hong Leong Run was hectic but this was worse.

Last 100 meters

After passing the Esplanade Theatres, I could hear cheers and music from the finishing line area, probably another 300 meters to go. I line myself for the one and only “acceleration”. As I turned towards the right, pom-pom girls, photographers, supporters were cheering the runners on both sides; this inspired me to sprint the last 100 meters, zigzagging and overtaking everybody in my path.

This has to be my fastest last 100 meters in a Run! “Why couldn’t I do this in the last 1000 meters?” a question I posed myself. I guess I was afraid of the consequences of going beyond the limits of my stamina and endurance.

I crossed the finishing line in 37:27 mins. Each individual runner has to self-record his official time on a sheet.

Fruits, Oats and Buffet

Ample food and drinks were laid on the table for the runners. There was no rationing of food and drinks. There were apples, bananas, oats bars, mineral water, fruit juices and chilled canned drinks. CitiClub even organized a mini-buffet for us. I must have drunk at least 7 cups of 100ml apple and orange juices! (Wished they had chilled beer!)

World Class

I went back to the finishing line to look for John and it was there I saw the spirit of comradeship and sportsmanship. In KL, immediately after the Run, there is practically nothing to do unless you are the top runners awaiting the immediate prize presentation and that happens when the rest of the runners are still struggling to finish the run.
In this race, the JPMCC organizers waited until the LAST runner crosses the finishing line before any prizes were presented. After the 60th minute, the pom-pom girls, supporters and organizers were still there to cheer and applaud the last batch of runners/walkers. Who says you can’t Walk the entire course in a Run?

This was the best-organized and most generous sports event, any sports event that I have ever participated. The organizers must be highly commended for setting such high standards and professionalism in this world-class event.

Goodbye

We thanked and bid Jessie and her teammates goodbye and started our long journey home. I drove John back to Woodlands and crossed the JB border just after 11 p.m. From JB, CS drove all the way to KL. He was the most alert amongst the 3 of us. I tried to keep CS company but when Jamie started snoring, I started to fall asleep as well. We stopped at the Ayer Keroh Rest area around 1:30a.m for teh tarik and had a quick preview of the photos. Although it was just a few hours ago, we still had fond memories of the event and the friendship made.

Power Run 2004

After completing KLIM 2004, the regular jogs became less time-orientated and more of a leisure. The push to run within the 80-minute qualifying mark was no longer a benchmark. Surprisingly, by running relaxingly, the endurance improved and it was less agonizing to maintain a continuous run.

Back in office, my colleague, CS dropped me a registration form to participate the Power Run on March 14. There was also the Hong Leong Charity Run originally scheduled on March 21. I was interested in the Charity Run. The Power Run was similar to the KLIM and participating one after another would be overdoing it (Just Do It....but Don't Over Do It?) according to my loved ones. I contemplated about it and finally decided to join both as another office colleague told me to "Just treat it like a normal Sunday jog".

So, it is back to "training" again but really I was merely following the exercise 4-times a week regime. I notice my running lacks power especially when approaching a hill. I practice running a little faster at the beginning rather than the opposite. This is to give myself a psychological edge that I was clocking faster times in the first few kilometers hence fooling the brain into believing that the body had actually adapted to a faster pace. Will it last? The Power (running with the theme?) Run is the test.

5:00 am again

Since it was the same run again, I did not encourage Mee Peng to accompany me to the Power Run but she opted to go (check out the guys??!!). Woke up at 5 am and by 6:45 am we were already at Dataran. The first thing I wanted to do was to look for the loo. I went to the Dataran car-park basement, the toilets were all locked. From a distance I saw there were mobile toilets near the Gombak River and gladly walk towards it and to my despair it was also locked. Damn! I started asking around including a policeman, and was directed to another Dataran basement, which to my disappointment was completely locked and smelled of urine! Finally, the Power Shoes sales booth personnel showed me the correct location to unleash the "warm-up" (10-min searching) session.

Sound System

The organizers have installed full concert-sized loudspeakers to keep the participants informed. No more lackluster loudhailer, which was hardly audible in KLIM. This is a major improvement! 10 km-ers were allowed into the barricade at 7 am but I choose to sit for a while because of my weak back and also to keep Mee Peng company.

I notice this time the barricade was somewhat, 250 meters behind the startup of KLIM which means it could be an additional 800 meters (Note: After the run, I estimated the distance is very likely >11kms, probably 11.4 kms).

7:15 am I entered the "Kandang Kerbau" and was looking for the CitiRunners (Jamie, Newton, CS and William). Found them and had a photo taken for the first time without the "wet look".

Over-Powered Run?

With the high-powered speakers, this time I could hear the countdown, 5....4...3...2...1...Bang! I immediately ran to the right side of the road to position myself for the video recording (can't blame an avid photographer!). I avoided running into a crowd and tried to find space between runners. I looked behind and saw Newton's distinctive yellow-striped singlet.

After the Bank Negara turn-off, I was slowing down at the Jln Ismail gradual uphill. Newton caught up with me and we had a short conversation. At last, I was having company! However, he had to slow down because of a muscle pull and told me to carry on. Just before the Tennis court, Newton was back and I was glad his muscle pull was nothing serious. I skipped the 100 Plus drinking station as since the 2km mark, I felt an urge to attend to nature's call (prostate gland enlargement?). There was an opportunity to do it at the Jln Duta road, as there was a nice high fence to go behind but choose not to (shy) and thought it was just another 30+ minutes to finish.

Tongkat Ali

In the midst of challenging the Duta hill, Newton and I begun to chat about the shapey and steady lady runners (take the mind off the hill). One of them was wearing an orange singlet with a "Tongkat Ali" advertisement. I wanted to use her as a marker since she had a very consistent and graceful pace. After trading leads, Newton and I overtook her. Newton pointed to me there is another nice yellow clad lady runner about 50 meters in front. We were at the steepest point of the hill. We ran up with full gusto to catch her but the moment we caught up with her, she accelerated away.

After the cat and mouse run, we were descending downhill and Newton advise me to take advantage of the potential gravitational force. Newton took the lead and I followed. As I increased the pace, I suddenly felt a pain on my upper right abdomen. I wanted to walk but it would be wasteful since it was a very steep downhill. I forced myself to continue running with the hope the pain would go away. By this time, the agile "Tongkat Ali" lady had passed me with smooth rhythmic strides. I had a thought if the pain worsened; I may not even finish within the qualifying time. Was I overzealous in attacking the Duta hill or was it simply lack of stamina? I think it was both.

Newton was running at a superb blistering pace. As the vision of him and the fabulous ladies fade away, I struggled to maintain speed. After 8 mins, as I was approaching the Duta Vista Condominium, thankfully, the pain was slowly easing away. Once again, the Parliament flyover was there to intimidate the runners. I ran non-stop to subdue the hill. At the Bukit Aman traffic lights, I looked at my stopwatch, it was 1:05+. Jamie told me to try 1:10. Was it possible with 5 odd minutes left? …… GO FOR IT!

I sprinted about 20 seconds, slowed down at the roundabout as cars were crossing the junctions and were abruptly stopped by the traffic policemen. The drivers must be furious!
I saw an old man in his 70s in full running attire running slowly but surely. I commented, "Uncle, you are looking good!" and gave him a thumbs-up. He responded with a smile and a wave. I continued my dash towards Jln Raja with all there was left of me and thought this was the grand finale but was caught unaware that there was another 500 meters to cover; to the end of Dataran and U-turn back to the Padang.

As I approached the serene green grass, I saw Jamie and Newton calling me with words of encouragement and Mee Peng was again at the side with the camera. Unlike KLIM, this time, there was an official to take down the finisher's bib number. I looked at my stopwatch; it was 1:12:56. Later, CS and William join us for the now traditional "CitiRunners".

1:10?

I looked back at the race and figured doing 1:10 is an achievable target but to run it comfortably would require raising the human body endurance level. This cannot be attained overnight. It has to be nurtured. The body will try to adapt to better fitness standards, against the biological clock. I wonder where is the equilibrium? Food for thought.

How I Started Running

4 Times A Week & Beginner's 10 km

Every annual medical checkup, I am being told by the GP to exercise, “Do you exercise at least 4 times a week?” How is this possible when I am already struggling to do it once a week? After the last checkup where the Dr advised me to improve my HDL cholesterol level and the encouragement from my office comrades to join the KL Marathon, it is time to RUN (not run away).

High End Shoes

Bought a pair of Mizuno Strada shoes at 50% discount RM149 (list price RM299) at Lot 10. There wasn’t a choice as it was the only size 8.5 pair left. It is my first Mizuno shoes. I have worn Bata, Fung Keong, Power, Aliph, Ascot, Adidas, Reebok and New Sport (China brand - value for money) shoes before and all cost below RM120 perpair. Is this my first “high end” shoes?

First Impression

I always have a belief that shoes are overpriced because of their branding and design. I often wondered how good can a shoe be, just like you wear a RM10 vs a RM200+ crocodile T-shirt. The moment of truth has arrived. The shoes were so light it felt like a pair of slippers. When I walked to the main road, it didn’t appear to me as extraordinary. Finally, when I ran, the first few strides it became apparent that these are no ordinary shoes that I have worn previously. The shoes seemed to transform the bitumen road into rubber! Each step produces a bounce and a lunge forward. The level of shock absorption is wonderful. As the Chinese saying goes “One cent cost is One cent merchandize” (English: You get what you pay for).

Training

With the new armory, I was rather excited to see if the shoes made any difference in extending my jogging endurance. I was never a runner during my school days, always trailing behind others in cross-country events. In fact, I never fancied jogging because it is boring and I lack stamina. As one ages and approaches the 40s, the mindset changes. After having seen several deaths including my Dad's (god i still miss him!) and undergone a prolong period of chest pains (stress related), I decided to change my lifestyle to a healthy one.

Coming back to training, I ran the first ever 10 km with the Mizuno shoes in 83 minutes. The second run I managed a slight improvement of 80 minutes. Subsequent runs were borderline cases that are around 78-80 minutes in exactly 10 kms.

Uphill

The most difficult part of running is the uphill portion. Thoughts of stopping, giving up and not covering the intended distance always crop up whenever I struggle on a long uphill. This was my weakness. Then I remember Jamie's advise to adopt the Galloway Running (run-walk technique). The Gallo-running was effective in the uphill. One need not run non-stop but stop to preserve the strain on the legs and even the back (I suffer backache after 15 mins of running). The 1-minute walk can extend your endurance and can be construed as a "reward" for taxing the body. Once you are rewarded the body will perform better.

Well-being

There are many health websites that would tell you the benefits of exercising. There is no denying that after a good jog, regular runners would attain the "feel good” euphoria (endorphins?) but I wish I could make jogging more interesting. My wife, Mee Peng and I always go for a "justified" good makan after a short jog. Reward oneself with good food after a workout? It is also a good reason to wake up early on a Sunday morning to meet up with old friends and relatives. Gone are the late nights get together. Probably the greatest mutual feeling is seeing yourself, your loved ones and good friends maintain fitness and good health.

PowerBar

After reading Jamie's PowerBar experience in Singapore, I decided to try it myself. This bar appears to be grain based with a concoction of multi-vitamins. Vitamin B complex is a known source of energy booster. An old friend of mine ate half a bar and said it didn’t have any effect on him. Personally, after having tested a few Performance bars, I believe it can improve performance by maybe 5%. The bar has such high-energy retention properties that even after an hour of strenuous morning run I do not have the hunger for breakfast!

Gatorade

100 Plus without the gas? Not quite. Gatorade is a non-carbonated drink with 35 years history of producing isotonic drinks. When I first drank Gatorade I was amazed by how little one need to drink to quench thirst. Initially I suspected Gatorade had the strange ability of reducing perspiration and the frequency of emptying one’s bladder. Later, when I checked the www.gatorade.com website this magical drink has indeed been researched by professors to optimize body fluid functions!

KLIM 2004

Prior to the KLIM (Kuala Lumpur International Marathon), I measured the 10 km route and was surprised to find that it is actually more than 10 kms probably in the range of 10.6 kms. My running timing is bordering the 80mins qualifying mark; any additional distance will require more time. I was also concern about the 2 uphills: Starting from the Tennis Stadium on Jln Duta and the Jln Parlimen climb. Most of my runs in Bandar Sri Damansara are on a very gradual uphill. The gradient at Jln Duta and Parlimen were much steeper.

D-Day

I was glad Mee Peng, my wife was willing to wake up at 5 a.m to witness the KLIM at Dataran. She would be the camerawoman and also the motivation to do my best in the maiden run. I picked up Kenny, my brother and an old friend, Fook Shing. Parked at Dataran basement – initially we thought it was free but later had to fork out a flat rate of RM4, which I thought, was worth the money.

The organizers of KLIM could do with a lot of improvement because some of the instructions listed on the pamphlet were inaccurate. I do not want to dwell on it, as I am sure the organizers are aware of the discrepancies.

15 mins before time, Kenny, Fook Shing, CS and I entered the 10km barricade. I drank half a bottle of Gatorade to keep myself hydrated but not to a point where I need to go to the washroom. The loudhailer was simply not loud enough – being a first timer I was naturally curious as to what the organizer was trying to address. Kenny and Fook Shing have completed half-marathons before and they were completely relaxed. Later the Treasure-Hunt Champs, William and Jamie came to greet us. We could not find Newton and Tham. Jo Ee, my cousin was also there to wish us good luck. 3 minutes before start Jamie moved forward to the starting line and commanded “Cheong, do it in qualifying time!” of which I chuckled sheepishly, “It’s a tall order”.

The race has started and I didn’t even hear the gunfire! As we walked towards the starting line, Kenny cautioned us to watch our step, do not push and avoid being pushed. Fook Shing told Kenny to follow the leader. I asked him who is the leader and he said it was me. We laughed; knowingly none of us are good runners. As we approached the roundabout, a few runners stumbled upon the kerb and had a rather bad fall. Kenny asked them if they were ok. Apparently, when the runners leaped from the road and onto the kerbs, the sardine-packed runners behind thought it was a flat road hence the miss footing.

At the 1 km mark i.e. after Bank Negara I was losing sight of Fook Shing and Kenny. Each time I turn my head back I couldn’t see them, instead scores of runners ran past me at a rather fast pace. I was alone. I look in front to see if there were any familiar bib numbers but couldn’t see any. Just as I entered Jln Ismail, for no reason I started coughing uncontrollably. I could hear there were 2 or maybe 3 runners coughing as well. Was there something in the air? I do not know. Fortunately, the coughing stopped after I passed that area.

At the 4 km mark, Jln Langgak Tunku, runners were rushing to grab drinks at the drinking station. I remembered the pamphlet says White Cloth = Water, Red Cloth = 100 Plus. I saw no cloth. All were serving 100 Plus. I bypass this stall completely and focused on the start of the Jln Duta slope. Just before the Tennis Stadium/Duta Roundabout, I adopted a short burst of momentum run to overcome the hill. Once at Jln Duta, the entire 3-lane road was cordoned off for the runners. I observed the runners were on the left most side of the road; maybe they were afraid of cars. I decided to run at the center of the road as this gives me better ventilation and more fresh air.

The most dreaded stretch the ascending Jln Duta hill had majority of runners walking. I decided to walk for 50 seconds to rest my legs. For the second time, I again deployed the gain momentum run to overcome this steep hill only to be defeated 60 seconds later. By this time I was almost reaching the peak and decided to limp run slowly and catch up on the downhill stretch. There was this Thai runner who took the hill effortlessly only to stop halfway to take photos with his digital camera! I wish I had that kind of stamina – Marathoner-cum-Photographer!

As I past the Indian Embassy, had a glimpse of the Elites -The Full Marathoners were already making their U-turn back to Dataran. From about 15 meters, I could see a few ladies who were trading leads with me in the entire run. I decided to “accelerate” (can do it once or twice only). I was not out to overtake them but merely psyching myself up to run faster! I ran past a number of runners who where approaching the Jln Parlimen slope. At this point, I used the momentum run the third time and slowed to a walk of 50 seconds and then ran again. Despite being the last 2 kms, I observed almost half the runners were walking up the slope, probably conserving their energy for the final leg.

I crossed the Bukit Aman traffic lights and looked at my stopwatch. It was 1:08. I had 12 minutes to cover about 1-1.4 kms. A number of runners were sprinting downhill. I tried to run fast too but was held back by a mild stomach cramp. It crossed my mind what the F1 drivers had commented, “The Last Lap is the Longest Lap”. Towards the roundabout, I closed my thoughts of exhaustion and ran towards the Padang finish line with long strides (last and final “Acceleration”). I saw Mee Peng at the corner of my eye as I collected the certificate of completion from the official. Honestly, I couldn’t see where exactly is the official finishing LINE! There was no timer display at the end of the race or finisher’s placing. I looked at my stopwatch it was 1:14:49.

Kenny and Fook Shing were running without a watch hence no precise timing recorded but I think they were within the Junior Veteran’s qualifying time. Kenny was just a few minutes behind me. Met up with Newton, William, CS and Jamie later for a group photo. That was it; I have completed my first Quarter Marathon.

Conclusion

With the end of this event, I hope my jogging efforts would continue, not so much to improve my timings but more importantly to strive and maintain an excellent health. I hope by end of this year; the HDL cholesterol would show improvement, which would be my ultimate goal and Medal of Honor!

Footnote: Mee Peng video recorded the startup. Later she relayed to me the 7km batch of runners in the process of relocating from the 2nd barricade to the starting grid, those located at the back thought it was the start of the race or wanted to get in front and started pressing forward. In the confusion, a few runners trip and fell. I suspect the runners situated at the rear end may not have heard the megaphone instructions clearly.