It’s one of the race that I looked forward to this year to join after I had a good time last year. Last year I ran after recovering from my injury, so this year I was aiming to give my best shot for this run. But my training didn’t go well for the past few weeks before due to haze, work and cancellation of few other runs, so I was quite worried with my speed and race tempo.
I reached around 6:40pm, parked my bike and went to the mall to change. I met Cerava Running Crew coming down to KL to take part for Puma Night Run and 2XU, if you are in Sarawak and looking for running crew to run along, you can engage with them. Somehow time flies so fast and it becomes 7:15pm and I rushed the baggage deposit tent and saw Emr Zakwan, Zubir and Saad. FYI, Saad is a friendly running enthusiastic from Penang and you can see him on running at KL almost every weekend. Although Saad has some special disabilities but it doesn’t stop him from running and having fun by running back to back( run 2XU in the next morning).So next time you saw Saad, make sure you say hi because he really likes talk with other runners. While I was depositing my bag(which was wet after my run), I saw two Kenyans depositing their bag so there goes first and second spot of the podium.
So while heading towards the starting line the rain pours lightly, and the MC announced the race will be slightly delayed so I went to the tent nearby the parking and wait with other runners. After a while the rain stops, and all the runners went to the starting line to be flagged off. To make the night more exciting, YB KJ also lined up to run that night so crowd got excited.
The race flagged off, Soh Wai Ching(SWC), Venugopal, and Yassahan lead the pack and the Kenyans came from behind and blazed off straight away. Knowing our capabilities we just stick along and the first KM was clocked at 3:17 which is quite fast for me. I kept reminding myself two things that I’m working which is my cadence and inhaling deep breath whenever I feel like to have side stitch. SWC and Venugopal took the lead alternatively and after 2km the rain starts to pour heavily, along with strong winds. Since I’m not sure what I’m capable of, after not racing for some time, I maintained my position behind them and followed closely. Yaashan was running along with us, and this boy is only 17 or 18 years old and he got some talents that can be polished for our future track and field development.
After a while SWC dropped and Venu took the lead followed by me and Yaashan, the rain kept on pouring followed with thunder strike. The lightning kept on striking so that made me a bit worried if it struck me and my GPS watch. I think venu wasn’t at his best condition as I could follow him till the 7.5km mark, he managed to put some before reaching the U turn at 8km. I guess the hunger of me not racing for sometime pushed me to follow him till that mark, and I told myself I’m not gonna let him go easily so I kept on pushing myself. At 9.5km we supposed to take the junction and go on our left, but the marshal wasn’t there, so Venu went straight and I followed him and we took the junction near Convention Center. While we were reaching the finishing line, I pushed harder to close our gap. Both of us slowed down while crossing the finishing, both of us crossed the empty finishing line and the Puma arch has collapsed, all the crowds were at the tent.
Looking at split, seems like my first KM was too fast and 2nd was slow. Strategically I should clock around 3:30 in the first KM and maintain around that the same in the following KM, but its normal to have a fast split in the first KM. I have to maintain 3:30 all the way if I’m about to clock 35:00. Personally I’m satisfied with myself and I think I’m gonna set 35 flat as a target to be broken by end of this year.
I don’t have much comment for the organizer, but I think they could have handle it better. Below is the email from the organizer this morning regarding finisher’s entitlement.
There’s many running event is being organized at the moment, but they don’t seem to have a proper HSE management system. It seems like there’s no authority regulating these events. At least when an event is participated by big amount of people they should be having some set of emergency evacuation plan etc. And they need to bear in mind, as long as the runners are on the road they should have the some sense of accountability towards the runner safety, although legally the organizer don’t have take responsibility since we have signed our indemnity form etc.
And for runners, you can consider to bring a poncho along if the skies doesn’t seems to be on your side and a proper sealed plastics cover for your gadgets.
Anyway congrats to all those have braved through the rain to finish their run and clocking their PB. Lets take this is part of your learning process and be alert next time. Thanks to Coach Din and Lau for the guidance, friends & KyserunKrew for the support.
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