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| Penang Plaza at Burma Road, starting point |
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| The Podium for the winners |
When I registered for this event I never imagined that this run was different from the usual running event I participated. It was a run coupled with treasure hunt in the beautiful island of Penang. There are 15 KM and 30 Km categories either solo or team. Even though Seok Wan and I were taking part but we registered as solo because I did not know it was a treasure hunt. Luckily we did not register for different categories because Seok Wan did not know Penang well. As it is a treasure hunt where time will be spent looking for treasure at checkpoints, the cut-off time for 15km is 4 hours while that of 30 km doubled. Actually I was quite eager at first
to register for the 30 km category because finisher Tee will be given for those who completed the race in 8 hours. Luckily I did not want to leave Seok Wan alone prompting me to just register for the 15 km category. This allows me to check out from my hotel in time because we almost spent 3 hours just to complete the 15 km.
This run is totally a new experience because we just run on our own along busy streets of Penang. Though we were given a map to locate three stations that is Mish Mash Cafe at Muntri street, Stars Publication main office at Pitt street and Kek Lok Si temple in Air Itam. It is not easy to locate the places in heavy rain for those participants who are not familiar with Penang. The rain arrived right at the time we were to be flagged off at 7.30 am and it rained heavily for almost two hours. We were supposed to looked for 4 out of 9 wire-arts at Muntri street but we were asked to proceed to our second station due to the rain. But, I stumbled upon a beautiful wall mural which I have not seen before on newspaper. We did not mind wasting time snapping a photo with it even though it is not required in the treasure hunt. The second station was quite easily located because I had visited it before when I registered for Penang Stars walk and it is situated opposite a very old and famous temple, Kuan Yin Teng or God of Mercy temple. Furthermore, it is very near to the first station. Perhaps the organiser should spread out the first two stations.
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| Mural at Muntri street |
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| Our third checkpoint near Kek Lok Si Temple |
The third station, Kek Lok Si temple was very far from the first and second stations and we walked and ran along Chulia street into Penang road followed by Datuk Kramat road before we turned into Air Itam road to reach our third station at Kek Lok Si temple. It was a challenge running at the side of busy roads
where car drivers just sped past us and we had to cross many busy road junctions on our own. At the third station we were asked to snap a photo with the Kek Lok Si temple at the base of a distant hill as evidence. After swallowing a piece of banana and replenished my empty drinking bottle, we proceeded to our finishing point at Penang Plaza perhaps 6 km away. When we reached our destination, not many had arrived and we had plenty of food to cater to our empty stomach.
I would not give my thumb up for this event because
i) it did not state clearly in their website that it is a treasure hunt.
ii) The organiser did not change the date of the event on their website but only informed those registered about the new date.
( Luckily I did not have other function on the same date or else the fees for two registrations will be burnt.)
iii) It is too dangerous to run on the busy Penang streets without any road marshal and road closure.
iv ) a disadvantge to those participants from out station who do not know Penang well.
v) participant who sustains injuries has no paramedic nearby to turn to but have to call the organiser for help. How can a participant who ran alone and fainted make a phone call ?
In conclusion we enjoy the run but have to run at our own risk where risks are aplenty. We checked out from our hotel at 12.30 noon and came to Penang road again to try out the famous Candol and Laksa. After that we walked along Penang road to do some shopping and sightseeing. We could see 30 km participants running here and there looking for their stations even though it was near to 3 pm , the cut-off time.
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| Hainanese Ascociation temple |
