Going To The Run: May 2016

The first-ever night relay marathon was held in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday and it’s none other than the ASICS City Relay Kuala Lumpur 2016. Organised by Spectrum Worldwide, the event transformed Dataran Merdeka into a spectacular and electrifying capital in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

I procrastinated in registering for the event until it was too late to do so. Partly it was my fault for dragging my feet but the truth was I had difficulty forming a team because my would-be teammates were unsure of participating in a relay format. I was disappointed to say the least at the prospect of missing out on the opportunity to be part of this monumental event where road races are concerned. So when my friend called to inform that one of his team members had bailed, I was ecstatic that he offered the place to me! I was given the responsiblity of runner #2 in our team named Bega Putra 2 for the Half Marathon race.

There were two categories in the offering: the Marathon and Half Marathon. Each runner from a team of four would run either 10.5 km (Marathon) or 5.25 km (Half Marathon) . The teams were sub-categorized into male, female or mixed gender. Up for grabs: prizes in the form of ASICS apparel for the top three teams and the winning team for all sub-categories (male, female and mixed) in the Marathon and Half Marathon respectively.

Route

The flag off was at historic Dataran Merdeka just after 8:00 p.m. I noticed the race logo appeared on the majestic Sultan Abdul Samad building. Created from beams of lights which came from not one particular source but many, this logo provided a perfect backdrop to get the adrenaline pumping for the participants. The atmosphere was truly electrifying!

Captivating light show leading up to flag-off

The route covered iconic landmarks in the heart of Kuala Lumpur including the Sultan Abdul Samad building, Parliament House, National Mosque, Tun Razak Memorial, Islamic Arts Museum, KL Butterfly Sanctuary and the Perdana Botanical Gardens enclave. The course was challenging – with steep hills along Jalan Chenderasari and Jalan Lembah. A number of runners had difficulty tackling those slopes and had to resort to walking.

Info on the relay format and the all-important transition process

There were two aid stations along the way at 1 km and 3 km. Both offered water and 100 Plus and were manned by friendly volunteers who cheered the runners on. Interestingly, I was greeted by a group of drummers at kilometer 4 and I felt re-energized running to the beats of their drums. Music without a doubt has synergistic effects on runners. For safety reasons, I don’t run with earphones in races anymore so this live performance was a welcome mood elevator for me and I dare say, for all the runners on that night.

Roads along the entire route were closed to traffic and I have to commend the PDRM traffic police for doing a great job with it. I have in the past run in races with cars passing me dangerously close by. For this race, there was no such issue. Safety always comes first, all the more in a night run. I felt safe throughout the course and I'm glad to note that there were no reports of accidents..

Live tracking

There was not a boring moment while runners waited for their teammates to run as there were street performers and live DJ on hand to entertain the crowd. Another noteworthy feature of this race was the availability of live tracking for participants to access online and live updates on a huge LED screen displaying messages from social media with the hashtag #relaythenight. After the first loop, the live tracking page showed that Bega Putra 2 was in a respectable position 54 in a field of 178 teams in the Half Marathon category. This tracking feature added much-needed excitement for team members and spectators who were waiting for runners on the course to complete their run.

This towering performer enjoyed posing for the camera

All three of us in the team gathered at the finish line to cheer our captain and last runner, Fendi. He ran at sub-5 pace all the way. He crossed the finish line, exchanged high-fives with us three and proceeded to collect medals for the team from the friendly volunteers. It was certainly a night to remember for Bega Putra 2 and we commemorated it with a group photo with all of us wearing our finisher medal.

As there was a lot of waiting time, I indulged in my hobby of people-watching and I could see that the event attracted runners of all abilities from the elite to the everyday runner, even total beginners. It was touching to see one team member helping out a total newbie to running (she wasn’t wearing running gear but was determined to do her part in the relay). This male runner helped his slightly befuddled female teammate put on the arm slap band and they were at it for a good 10 seconds. Once the arm band was in place, she was off. I was heartened by the spectacle which demonstrated that running builds bridges and transcends barriers! It also reaffirmed my belief that together as a team and armed with the right attitude we can outrun ordinary and achieve extraordinary.

Passing the arm slap band to Noah
(photo courtesy of Running Malaysia)

Our captain Fendi about to make a home run
(photo courtesy of Running Malaysia)

And then there was a young man who wasn’t running but came to spectate. He told me that he was there to support his friends. Naturally, I was curious as to why he wasn’t running - he explained that he had sustained a knee injury not too ago and his doctor advised him against running. He was quick to add that he did other forms of exercise - cycling and swimming to keep fit. It was humbling for me to hear that he could not run on that night as much as he would have liked to. I am ever grateful that I am be able to run and I do not take that for granted, ever.

In summary, the Asics City Relay was well-organized and it’s refreshing to see a new race format finally come to our shores. Kudos to the organizers for coming up with an innovative way in promoting healthy and active lifestyle for the community. I’m sure there will be more in store from ASICS and Spectrum Worldwide. Watch this space.