Asics Penang Bridge International Marathon 2016

The Asics Penang Bridge International Marathon 2016 was the last race I ran for this year. As PBIM is one of my favourite events, I registered and secured a place back in April. With the experience of running 21km on both the Penang Bridge and the Second Bridge in the past two years, I signed up for the 10km this year as most of my running teammates preferred the distance (blog post of PBIM 2015) Looking back at my running journey thus far this year, I noticed that the individual 10km distance is missing in logs (the only other time I ran a 10k was in the Asics Relay the Night.)

One may be tempted to ask, "Is 10k a downgrade from the FM, HM and 12k?"

Not. At. All.

In fact, I like doing the 10km distance for these reasons:

-  it holds a special place in my heart as my first race back in  January 2014 was the 10km in the Marina Run, Singapore

- training for the 10k is less demanding compared to the HM or FM (let's face it - there are times when one doesn't train as hard due to circumstances or lack of motivation)

- I can run faster!!!

- I would not need to wake up at ungodly hours for the race (FM flag off at 1:30 a.m.)

- I can recover quicker after the race

- it is more social and less competitive for the average runner

Driving to Penang from Kuala Lumpur on the evening before the race was a nightmare. There was standstill traffic along the Tapah-Gopeng stretch for two hours which I found out was due to a major accident. The weather didn't help either as there were intermittent showers along the way.  Setting off my journey at 6 pm, the journey took eight hours to complete. The Penang Bridge was closed at midnight (which I was aware of but did not think I would not arrive in Penang by then) so I used the Second Bridge, namely the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge.

On arriving on the island city, I was unable to get on the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway as it was closed for the race. Soon I learned that I was haplessly going around in circles as Waze kept re-directing me to use the closed roads, not offering any alternate routes. Exhausted and losing the will to carry on, I pulled over at the Lim Chong Eu expressway and asked the traffic police officer to direct me to the city centre. The man in uniform was polite and he gave me clear instructions to get to the hotel. Surprisingly it was as simple as following the signs to Pusat Bandaraya (City Centre).

I arrived at the hotel at 3:10 a.m only to find out that the hotel car park was full to the brim. I maneuvered my car around the choc-a-bloc with vehicles parked in front of, behind and around the designated lots. It was a total chaos. I drove out of the parking lot disappointed, but was greeted by an attendant who asked if I was a guest at the hotel. I answered in the affirmative and he said he would take care of my parking problem if I just left my car key with him. I duly complied.  

I woke up at 4:10 a.m fuzzy headed and made my way to Komtar by foot. I was lucky that there was a bus already waiting when I arrived so swiftly boarded the bus and off I went with the other enthusiastic runners to get to the race village. 

I don't remember much about the what happened before the race flag off due to the brain fog I was experiencing. Breakfast came in the form of a banana and a bun, though I can't tell you what filling was is it. I faintly recall a friend saying hi to me and I greeted him in return. He later reported that I came across to him and his teammates as cold and somewhat standoffish. Well, all I hope this post explains why I gave a less-than-enthusiastic peer recognition to his friends. Runners aren't immune to bad days.

The announcer praised the weather. The rain earlier had subsided and the cool weather set the perfect conditions for 14,000 runners gathered at the race corral in the 10k event. At 6:30 a.m. the race began.

Race:

I ran a comfortable pace for most of the course. The course was mostly flat except for the incline on the pathway to get on the bridge. Around 7 a.m., I was greeted with a beautiful sunrise view from the bridge and I slowed down to take it in. Many runners around me whipped out their camera phones to catch selfies. At the half-way point U-turn, I started to feel a strain in my legs and was worried with the knowledge that I would struggle to maintain my pace of 5:30. Nonetheless, I pushed myself further in spite of niggles in my legs. At a water stations later, I received a much needed break and a boost when a young male volunteer when collecting my paper cup into the bin he was carrying said "Thank you, 加 油！" That was the fuel I needed to get back on track to the finish line.

This shot does not do justice to the beautiful scenery I witnessed

Not long after I approached the Queensbay Mall area and I was excited in the knowledge that the finish line was within reach. Spurred on by the sight of many happy finishers around me, I pushed myself for one last time to counter my gradually decreasing pace. I ran, putting one foot in front of the other. And ran... It was a long, hard slog.. and finally, I crossed the finish line in under one hour. I was both happy and relieved that I completed the race.

Cheng Yee back in action

Team Amos, Danny, CY and CK

A hard fought victory for this year's PBIM

Official results:
Clock time: 1:02:11
Nett time: 59:17
5km point: 32:50
Category Rank: 181/3975

Allianz Pacesetter 4x3km Relay

Last Saturday saw a huge turnout of runners at Padang Merbok for the Allianz Pacesetters 4x3km relay. According to the organizer, the number of participants this year was unprecedented with a surge in the mixed category.

The 3km course around Padang Merbok is of a moderately high degree of difficulty. The first kilometer was hilly and some runners were caught off guard. They were defeated by the rolling hills, as they were seen walking along Jalan Tun Ismail in an effort to catch their breath.

I participated in the mixed team (Category C) event. Our team name was Relay-ist winners. The fact that all four team members + an invited runner came together early morning on a Saturday, cheered each other on and waited until the last person (that would be me) from the team to cross the finish line and complete the race - it tasted like victory for us

The realist winners: Eva, Cheng Yee, Danny, Queen and CK

Great Eastern Live Great Run 2016

I ran in the Live Great Run on Sunday, 23 October and had a blast!

Event info

Now in its fifth year, the Great Eastern LIVE GREAT Run attracts many repeat participants on a goal to beat their previous time. Title sponsor Great Eastern in collaboration with the National Heart Foundation promise a fun-filled and healthy event for runners, running enthusiasts, families and anyone wishing to the take opportunity to go out and run on this Sunday morning - to challenge themselves to go the distance and adapt a healthy lifestyle. This year a new distance was introduced to the Live Great Run - 21km. The half marathon distance is to cater to participants who are looking for a greater challenge.

The new route for the 12km this year - starting and finishing in Dataran Merdeka was exciting. According to the organiser, runners would experience a specially designed course that aims to test their physical and mental strength while they experience the sights and sounds of the city.

The fun run namely the 5km Bubble Dash attracted many participants this year following its successful launch last year. The Bubble Dash in Penang held a month ago received generally positive reviews by participants.

The 12km course is mostly flat except for a 10m elevation in kilometer 3 (Jalan Sultan Ismail towards Jalan Bukit Bintang).

How did the race go?

The race went according to the program in the runners' guide which was downloadable for all registered runners. The Half Marathon was flagged off at 5:30 am and the 12km at 7:00 am sharp.

My training went fairly well for this race as I have been injury-free since SCKLM. After having achieved a new Half Marathon PB in the Great North Run,  I took a (IMHO deserved) break from running. When I resumed training after two weeks, I did it with the same regularity as my previous training program but with less intensity.

The weather was glorious on race day, fairly cool around 27 degree Celsius which was perfect for running in the morning.  I managed to hold myself back and not make the mistake of going out too fast too soon. Starting with a modest  pace of 5'32" in the first kilometer, I got progressively faster and stronger. It was a pleasure running in the heart of the city on the normally busy roads which were closed to traffic today.

I took only one energy gel at the start. There were water/isotonic drink stations at kilometer 3, 6 and 9 all of which had adequate supply of mineral water and Lucozade Sport in paper cups.

Was it well organised?

This was a big event with the competitive 21km and 12km and 5km fun run. The turnout was incredible with a total number of 16,000 participants on that day. Traffic control was well executed by the friendly marshals, water stations were sufficient and there was support along the way. Support in the finishing area was remarkable. I was handed a bottle of mineral water, a bottle of Lucozade Sport and a banana, all of which I gratefully received from the volunteers. With no free hand available to take the finisher medal, the friendly volunteer helped me the wear the disc. I burst with pride because it felt as if I was a top finisher and the volunteer presented me with my medal and prize. Oh well.. I have a fertile imagination despite the fatigue immediately after the run...

Would I do it again?

Absolutely. I contacted two of my friends who also ran in the race and both reported that they felt the event was well organised and fun!

I received an email from the organiser today to thank the participants for their support and for feedback to help them improve runners' experience in future events. Now, that's what I call a true professionals. Well done! And yes, I would do it again.

How did I do?

I was very impressed that the results were published in the evening on race day. A new PB for me in the 12km category - I couldn't ask for a better result.

Summary of results:

Finish time: 1:05:50

Net Time: 1:03:45
Average pace: 5'18"

Overall ranking: 92/1897

Took the train to Masjid Jamek from Taman Bahagia station

Lively pre-race atmosphere in race village, Dataran Merdeka

All set now after bag drop-off

Selfie time!

Sea of blue at the start gantry

A handful of finisher entitlement

A winning smile for this pose

Great North Run 2016

Intro 

The Great North Run is the greatest half marathon in the world.

Following my unsuccessful ballot entry in the London Marathon 2016, I found out from my research about the Great North Run in Newcastle Upon Tyne in September and thought I'd give it a try.

To my great surprise, I received an email notification back in March that my ballot entry for 2016 GNR was successful. I couldn't be more excited to run in this event which is known generally as everyone's favorite half marathon.

The Great North Run was first staged in 1981 as a local run with 12,000 participants. By 2011, the number of participants had risen to 54,000. This year the number of participants was a staggering 57,000! Furthermore, the GNR went global in this edition with aim of having participants from every country in the United Nations. I think the organisers were slightly short of the 193 representatives from each and every country, but nonetheless GNR has stamped its mark on the world running events as a truly global race that attracts runners from all over the world (including yours truly from Malaysia).

Training

As I had trained hard for my first full marathon last month, I just continued with the training only this time I ran shorter distances on my long, slow distance runs. I also bought a new pair of shoes (a size bigger) to avoid aggravating the toe-nail injury which I sustained in the marathon. The black toe nail is a foreboding reminder of how things may go wrong when you wear ill-fitting shoes for long distance runs. (Read about my first marathon attempt here)

Overseas Filming for 2016 Great North Run

On Aug 4, I received an email from the organiser asking if I would be interested to take part in their filming project for a chance to be featured on BBC Television on race day. I thought why not? What have I got to lose? After all, I've been blogging about my runs and sharing my running journey with my readers. So I shot a selfie of me running in front of Palace of Justice in Putrajaya on one of my training days.

Race Day

So I ran in the Great North Run last Sunday, 11 September.

I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere throughout the entire route of the race. Form the Red Arrows show above as I crossed the Tyne Bridge, to the live band performances - 13 of them in total that provided entertainment at set locations of the course - I was captivated from the start. The atmosphere was simply electrifying and I soaked it all in! The streets were lined with supporters - young and old - kids enjoying themselves giving high-fives to the runners. The local residents came out in droves with the women folk offering water, sweets, orange slices, lollipop, and other goodies to us runners. I helped myself to some sweets and thanked the lady who was holding a tray with those sweet treats.  I also took an orange slice from another lady in a black dress.  The generosity of the people and perhaps the tiny orange slice were a  great source of energy and there was no need for me to rip open my energy gels.

In this race, I realised the uplifting experience of running to the cheers of the various charity teams who were beneficiaries of funds raised by the thousands of runners on that day. To give an idea of what I mean by a large cheering team: they can fit into a bus. Those open top buses at the cheering points were fascinating and I was spellbound by the parade-like atmosphere. What a sight to behold! I would have liked to stop and take a picture of those cheerleaders but there were runners everywhere around me and you just have to keep moving in a situation like this...

There were six drink stations which were efficiently managed by volunteers who handed out bottled Aqua Pura water ceaselessly. Runners were asked to move along after receiving their water to avoid crowding of the water stations. I had no excuse to stop at the stations since it was not possible to do The weather was beautiful that day with temperatures around 16 degree Celsius. I didn't feel overheated or dehydrated at all and I felt good to run with a bottle in my hand and take sips of the Aqua Pura when I needed it. There were two Lucozade Sports stations. Again, bottles here handed out to the runners. Hydration was definitely adequate for me in this race (yes I peed, just don't ask me where and checked the color of my urine - it was clear). Another interesting feature about the course was the availability of run through showers to cool down the runners. There were a three of them in the course. I had a go at one and enjoyed it a little too much because I slowed down to almost a complete stop. Oh well.. running is supposed to be fun and I was proof!

Along the pavement from start to finish, there were excited supporters willing on the runners, cheering and encouraging them. As I went along the course, the number of supporters increased. Balloons and placards bearing the names of the runners they were supporting were spotted at roundabouts and the road dividers where the runners would not miss seeing them.

I felt good throughout the run as the lively atmosphere had lighted a fire in my soul. I ran without stopping and was doing sub-6 min/km pace all along the way except for kilometer 6 where there was an elevation. On the last mile along Prince Edward Road, the cheers got even louder. I responded to the cheers by  upping my pace and made a sprint to the finishing gantry.

I crossed the finish line feeling on top of the world!

Registered participants signing on the billboard in front of the expo

Tyne Bridge all set for the big day (taken on 10 Sep)

Great City Games were held a day before the GNR

Free pasta for all registered participants on pre-race day

This information points has a sack full of safety pins

Runners making their way to their starting pens 

That's where I'm heading - White bib in Gate G, about a mile from the start line!

Selfie time

Many runners in fancy dress were spotted.  Marge Simpson was in the same start pen

Bottled Aqua Pura Water after crossing the finish line

Finishers had to keep moving to make way for other runners

I did it... What a beautiful day it is!

Feeling awesome in finishing tee

Photo spots for happy runners

I couldn't stop smiling after the run

I ran in the same race as Mo Farah. It''s unbelievable! 

I'm on BBC1 live
While waiting for the race to kickoff.,  participants were entertained by feeds on a huge screen above the starting gantry.
And there it was... a video clip of me training in Putrajaya!
What? Me? On BBC? Watched by millions around the world!
Thanks Great North Run and BBC. I'm famous now!

 
Video courtesy of http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk

Stats:


I achieved a new PB for half marathon in this race. I couldn't have asked for a better run!
Thank you to the Great Run company, the BBC, the volunteers, the people of Newcastle for the support (you guys rock), the cheerleaders, the entertainers, fellow runners and my relatives in the UK for helping me realise this dream..It's surreal to me.