My second Full Marathon in Kuala Lumpur.

Should be the first to take a picture here on 28/9/19

Long queue to collect running bib at PWTC

On 28/09/2019 I completed Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Full Marathon in a Gun time of 7hours 10 minutes but a net time of exactly 7 hour. I considered this run a tough run due to the hilly track along Bukit Tunku and also the late start which made us slower runners exposed to the scorching sun for our last few hours of run. It was stated that the cut off time for full marathon is 7 hours 15 minutes but it seemed the cut of time followed the time of the digital clock at the starting line or gun off time. It is not so fair those runners at back of the pack who crossed the starting line 10 to 15 minutes after the gun off. In fact there were 2 more cut off times , one at 21 km and another at 32 km. Three bus load of runners did not make it to the 1st and 2nd cut off time and were seen sent back to the starting point. 

Landmark at starting venue

Stand behind the 6 hours pacers even though I am much slower

I did not run well in this marathon because I went to the  starting venue too early. I was at Padang merdeka around 1:15 am. Perhaps I was the first pariticipant to arrive because I could only see volunteers and no other participant at that time. The starting time for full marathon is 3:45am which meant I had to wait for 2 hours and 30 minutes. In fact I was feeling a bit hungry near to the gun off time which affected me psychologically. I went to the starting venue early because I was worried I could not get  transport from Bukit Bintang where I stayed if I started out too late. I initially thought of taking a grab but ended up taking a taxi instead who charged me RM20 for the short trip. He sure had overcharged because he was very happy when I pay him the fare because he was seen kissing the notes I passed him. It is good sometimes to be a Santa Claus to make people happy. The road in the initial part of the race was not really level even though it is in the city centre. I had to run slowly fearing that I might step on uneven ground. The big crowd and hot weather is another factor that prevent me from slower than my usual pace. . I like the part on Duke highway which stretches for more than 10 km with excellent pacement  but that was the time I was strucked with fatigue. I had to employ the technique of heavy breathing to relieve my tiredness and kept me going forward.

There are quite a few places of slope and I followed the crowds by walking up the slope but ran down the slope at slightly faster pace. Perhaps it was the slope that made me suffered slight pain in my left knee. I tried to keep running slowly in the last 10 km as I did in my previous full marathon in Borneo Marathon but fatigue just did not allow me to keep on running without walking. Even though I had consumed 6 energy gels and 2 pieces of banana but those energy enhancers just did not help to improve my performance.  

The organiser had really lived up to its reputation as a good organiser because they provided more than sufficient water and isotonic drink, cooling stations with sponges and many first aid stations. The commendable part is the provision of 2 energy gels and 2 banana at different water station. The shortfall of this marathon is despite all the precaution yet there was an accident involving 2 faster runners who were  knocked down by a lady driver high on drug. Luckily their injuries were not life threatening but it would be a big blow to them because they might not be able to run again in the very near future. 

Hard earned medal

Even though I just managed to beat the cut off time by 5 minutes but I am still happy with my achievement. What matters most to me is to complete the full marathon within cut off time and earn myself the medal and finisher's tee. While collecting my running bib at World trade centre, Taipei Standard Chartered marathon organisers were seen handing out brochures to invite runners to run in Taipei Standard Chartered marathon. I was surprised they had to come so far to invite participant because marathon in Taiwan usually sell out very fast. Perhaps it is due to the Hong Kong unrest and the prohibition of mainland visitors to Taiwan. I finally decided that I would grab this golden opportunity to run in Taipei which I had yet to visit. I would just register for half marathon which has a cut off time of 3.5 hours and within my reach. See you Taipei Standard Chartered Marathon on 19/01/2020. 

Visiting Tian Hou  temple with two Chung Ling Classmates

Third Edition of my Parit Buntar Kampung Run

Mesmerizing sunrise above the padi field

It had been a while since I ran my third Parit Buntar Kampung Run on 1/9/2019 but only  now could I force myself to make a report of my run. The run was really a run through scenic padi field and seaside in Kerian district between Tanjung Piandang and Kuala Kurau. It is a bit special this time because my former colleague , Charlie and his Son Aaron from Sarawak registered for the race inorder to experience a real village run in the remote part of Perak. Unfortunally Aaaron did not make it due to job assignment. My wife and I registered for half marathon while Charlie decided to walk in the 12 km category.

Scenic " Broken Bund"

small fishing boats at the " broken Bund"

beautiful sunrise and water ripple

There were roughly few hundreds participants for the half marathon category and we started our race in Tanjung Piandang at 6:20 am. From the starting venue we ran into a Chinese fishing village before we turned into the coastal area called the " Broken Bund". It is a straight tarred road stretches from Tanjung piandang to Kuala Kurau for almost 11 km. It is the best moment to run on this part of the route because it is the Strait of Malacca on one side while canal and wide padi field on the other side.We passed by small sandy beach, hardly surviving mangrove forest, fisherman's jetties and big fish farms. 

It seems only two of us are running

Charlie, a brisk walker 

The most exciting moment was the encounter of sunrise. The big and clear reddish sun rising above the horizon of  the padi field was just stunning and mesmerizing. Before reaching Kuala Kurau we turned into the padi field but it was just over padi harvesting season and we could only see waterlogged fields waiting for replanting. Perhaps the organiser should choose a date of race where runners will have the opportunity to see the padi field full of its golden padi grains hanging from its  bending stalks. After the padi field we turned into the trunk road from Kuala Kurau to Tanjung Piandang and this is the most unplesant part of the run. We had to share the road with other traffic and the road is quite dusty. It was getting hot too aggravated by no roadside shady trees.  Luckily it is only a few kilometers before we turned into padi field again and then onto the trunk road before we reached the finishing line. My time of 3:00 hour is not impressive considering the whole route is totally flat. Seok Wan was not too bad , only 10 minutes behind me even though she was quite slow in the beginning and spent more than 5 minutes in a toilet at the fisherman's Jetty. When I reached the finishing line Charlie was already back with a time of 2:00 hour for 12 km which is a great achievement considering that he did not run but brisk walked all the way. 

After the race we spent sometime in Kuala Kurau , a picturesque fishing village famous for its special prawn fritters, stingray noodle and seafood. We visited the salted egg factory which also sells a lot of other specialties from nearby towns before we returned to Taiping to continue our visit to Taiping spritzer ecopark and duck farm in Trong.

Charlie and wife in Kuala Kurau

  

On the pedestrian bridge of Kuala Kurau

Feeding the ducklings in Trong duck farm