PJ Half Marathon 30th Edition

With the tag line "Run Because You Can", the 30th edition of PJ Half Marathon last Sunday was a success. In conjunction with the anniversary, this year a special category of 30km was offered in addition to the usual 21km and 10km. Furthermore, there was a 3km non-competitive category to make the PJ Half Marathon a family-friendly running event.

A total of 11,000 participants thronged Padang Timur, some arriving as early as 4a.m. for the 30km distance with starting time at 4:45a.m.


I ran in the 10k to assess my current fitness level as I have been training for my next marathon in September (I shall reveal which marathon it is later).

I felt good throughout the race despite the pain from plantar fasciitis in the right foot. The inclines did not pose a big problem to me this time as I successfully maintained my level (by lowering my pace).

I'm glad with the speed of my run. It's time to bring the speed and pace down, and seriously commit to aerobic training. There shall be no excuse to skip the long, slow runs at the next weekend.

Enthusiastic runner on the LRT train to Taman Jaya station

Selfie before warm-up

Just before flag off

Courtesy of Action Pix

Finisher medal 

With YB Dr. Ong Kian Ming

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

Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM) 2015

This post took a little longer than usual as I had to wait until the official results of my run in the 2015 PBIM Half Marathon Men Open category were published. It was a long time coming (believe me, if you were an enthusiastic runner like me, anything more than two days is a long wait for the results) but finally, the results were available on the website http://www.penangmarathon.gov.my/portal/ today. 

The 31st edition of the PBIM was held on 22 Nov 2015

As I waited for the results to come out, it gave me time to think about what to report on this race, which I participated for the first time last year. Since this will be my final race for 2015, I reflected on my running journey for the year. So instead of the usual report, I thought it would be timely to contemplate how wonderful it is that I am able to run in race events. Or just being able to run. It may be a simple activity and most of us take it for granted. Having the ability to run is indeed a blessing and I am humbled when I see people living with disabilities run in races. 

Running has brought immeasurable joy into my life. For some, perhaps running is just running. But I beg to differ. Running is not merely putting one foot in front of the other; it's not just about clocking those miles - it's much more than that. The training, the goals, the commitment involved in achieving those goals, the challenges and rewards from the effort put in, the bond of friendship in the running community, the support of family and friends (both runners and non-runners alike) whether online or offline, and the sense of accomplishment when I achieve new milestones (in life and in running), the strength to not give up when the going gets tough - all of these have made me become a better version of myself since I took up running in past two years or more.

You can imagine my excitement for PBIM this year as I had my family join me in the race. My folks came along too! Although they didn't register to run, they were enthusiastic and happily offered to tag along to enjoy a short holiday in George Town, Penang. There were six of us in our team of runners. For those who have been following my blog, you would already know that my sister and bro-in-law have joined me in past events; this time there were additional three members in the family who joined me for the first time. How incredible is that! I registered for the HM, everyone else in the 10k. We registered back in June to enjoy the early bird rates, set up a group chat to motivate one another and planned our activities for the weekend in Penang in conjunction with the race. Duties were distributed fairly and they included registration of runners, collection of race packs, securing accommodation and coming up with an itinerary in Penang (which basically centered around tasty local food) and printing of the e-certs.

As for the race, the event overall was well organized this year and credit must be given to the organizer. This year the organizer engaged the services of Rapid Penang and it's a wise move on their part (last year the main complaints were on transportation to the starting point). My event was scheduled to start at 3 a.m. I arrived at the Komtar bus terminal just after 2 a.m. only to see the Rapid Penang shuttle bus departing from the station. Fortunately, the next bus arrived shortly after and once filled up, it was ready to go to the race village in the outdoor parking area of Queensbay Mall. I didn't mind paying the RM1 fare for the quality shuttle service. 

Participants in bright pink and green vests gathered at the corral

However, the distance from the drop-off point to the starting line was longer than I expected. I think it easily took a 20-minute walk on average pace - I did hear some runners whinge about the additional distance they were made to cover even before the race started. After bag check-in and a quick stretch, I quickly joined the crowd gathered behind the starting line and before I could drink my Gu, the gun went off sharp at 3 a.m. for the Half Marathon Men's flag-off. And off the strong crowd in excess of 5000 runners went.

I would just give a brief review on the race. This year the race was held on the old bridge, as it has always been since 1985, with the exception of last year when it was held on the newly opened second Penang bridge, namely the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge. It was my first time running on the old bridge - it needs to be pointed out that I only ran about five kilometers on the bridge as the rest of the course was off the bridge. I can only guess the organizers planned it this way so that the runners of the HM do not run into the other runners in the FM category. The course at times was challenging with slopes, and inclined planes and slanted surfaces. It was definitely different from the second bridge which was flat throughout.

The were a total of six hydration stations which was quite generous of the organizer; however, the first one came only at 6.5 km. I wished there was one earlier, say at 5 km as most people would need a sip of water after that distance. Fortunately, the weather was mostly cloudy in the wee hours of the morning on 22 November, with a temperature of 23.9 degree Celsius so I hadn't felt overly thirsty or experienced any overheating of my body when I stopped at the first water station.

It was dark throughout the race and there were stretches where it was pitch dark. I nearly ran into people in some stretches. I regretted not bringing along my headlamp (perhaps this item should be listed as an essential in the race guide). It's handy to have a torch/headlamp when you're running as early as 1 a.m. (full marathon) and 3 a.m. (half-marathon). 

Kelvin and I posing for the camera 

At kilometer 16, my primary school friend Kelvin crossed path with me. He recognised me from behind which was indeed remarkable and shouted my name. What a pleasant surprise it was when I turned around to see Kelvin my friend whom I have to seen in ages! After a quick exchange of greetings, we ran side by side for the next few kilometers. I lost time at one of the hydration stations, but we got back together before the finish line and crossed the finish line in near synchronicity. It was an extraordinary experience! On reflection -  I have not seen Kelvin for over 20 years - we have recently been communicating on Facebook talking about race events and the like but never got the chance to meet until this day. I may never have met Kelvin if it wasn't for running. And more remarkable was the fact that we both traveled to Penang to run in this race but did not make concrete plans to meet..  But here we were in Penang on an early Sunday morning, after crossing the finish line together, catching up with each other.

More reflection:

Thanks to running and racing, I have been on an amazing journey that took me on wonderful trips in Malaysia and overseas. I have met people, every day runners who have done extraordinary things in their running journey and become friends with people who inspire be to continue running. Personally, 2015 turned out to be a fantastic year in my running, with new memories, moments and experiences to cherish. Along the way, I achieved new PR's which is deeply satisfying.

As for the results, I couldn't be happier with my performance this year in the PBIM.

My 2nd appearance in the PBIM half marathon Men Open

My sister and her hubby getting better and stronger in the 10k

My brother with his wife and father-in-law finished the race happy

Strength and beauty in number

PBIM 2014 first HM and PBIM 2015 HM

Official Result for PBIM 2015:                                 Official results PBIM 2014:
Gun time: 2:06:40                                                      Gun time: 2:08:42
Nett time: 2:05:11                                                      Nett time: 2:05:59
Rank: 189/5289                                                          Rank: 613/10654

PJ Half Marathon 2015

I ran the PJ Half Marathon last Sunday and finished in 57:38.

I was very much looking forward to this year's PJ Half Marathon in its 27th iteration; I participated in the event last year and achieved a PR in the 10k (51 mins) which stands till today. After the organizers announced a new route for this year, I did not wait any longer than necessary and registered online at www.myraceonline.com.

Unfortunately, I suffered a serious case of food poisoning a day before the race. The diarrhea episodes kept me up the whole night and I felt lethargic even before the race began the next morning. As my sister and bro-in-law had planned to run together with me in this race, I thought I would just run alongside them and not worry about finishing time. This was going to be an easy and comfortable run for me, I told myself..

Laman MBPJ

Race corral at Laman MBPJ

The race was flagged off at 5:30 a.m. (methinks it's too early for a 10k flag off - 6 a.m. is more reasonable) from Laman MBPJ area, opposite the PJ Civic Centre. We stood in the middle of the pack so that when the horn blew and the runners were off, I found myself running in a crowded lane. It was difficult to navigate my way around  the other runners - I was worried about knocking over of being knocked over by passing runners.. It was still pitch dark in some areas of the course (note to self: include headlamp in my checklist of items to carry on race day).

As my pace picked up after the first kilometer, I switched to running on the pavement along Jalan Gasing in an attempt to dodge other runners while passing them. I figured it's safer to run on the pavement than it is to run out of the coned boundaries on the road. Besides, the marshals on duty were quick to direct any overzealous runner that breached this safety rule. The 2nd kilometer was completed in 5:01! I knew that there was a real risk of me crashing if I ran too fast too soon in the race as I had lost lots of fluids due to the diarrhea. And it also dawned on me - I had lost track of my sister and bro-in-law! We did say we would meet at the finish line if we got separated in the race, so it was fine that I was running solo.

Running along the NPE Expressway was unnerving as there were cars zipping by on both sides. I watched as the marshal on duty managed the traffic and I felt an urge to give him a high five for looking after the safety of the runners. Relieved after getting off the expressway (thank goodness it was only a short distance on it), I felt severely thirsty and wondered if I had missed the hydration station.

My legs started to feel weak by the time I found the water station (it was around 4.4km into the course, a little too far I felt). I resorted to walking for a short distance before picking a comfortable pace of 5:30/km.

Running along Jalan Templer transported me back to my childhood days when my family used to live in Jalan 18, off the Old Klang Old. I remember fondly the buildings on this road, namely the Bangunan Peladang and UiTIM as I often had to sit in the family car and wait impatiently at the railroad crossing.

More nostalgia followed as I passed the former primary school of my sister's, SRK Jalan Selangor. Along Jalan Othman, I could hear the beautiful and calming sound of chanting from a nearby Hindu temple, and behold, a profound sense of serenity washed over me.

My legs continued to take a beating and I slowed down at the second and final water station at 8km, by which time my legs were shaky and were not listening to me! I wanted to resume running but they only made tiny steps so I walked for a good 30-second break before I ambled along the tail-end of the course..

Unfortunately, my rubbery legs were not able to keep up upon entering Jalan Selangor after the roundabout where Assunta Hospital is located. The hospital looked magnificent in the early hours of the morning and certainly brought back some fond memories of the birth of some of my younger relatives. Memories of my visits to the emergency room due to asthma in my childhood came back to me with astonishing clarity. I remember how my mom would watch over me by the bedside throughout the night when I stayed in the children's ward several times in my school days due to asthma.

Back to running: The incline along Jalan Selangor was the toughest one on the course to tackle. My strategy of lifting my knee high when running on inclines did not work this time so I gave up and walked for the rest of the incline. Many runners passed me by at this point and I was glad for them that they would be reaching the finish line soon. I was beginning to feel the abdominal cramps from the diarrhea and more weakness in my legs. I started to have doubts if I could finish the race as my body was giving me more signals that it was on the verge of a meltdown, but my mind was telling me to climb over the proverbial runners' wall. So I trudged on, gained a little distance and kept my focus for the final kilometer..

After turning into Jalan Sultan and feeling a little better, I resumed running at a conservative pace, my one and only goal: to cross the finish line.

And cross the finish line I did at 57:36.

I felt severely tested in this race but I'm glad that willpower coupled with a clear focus pulled me through..

Standing up once again, after falling on crossing the finish line

One for the album.. PJ Half Marathon is special to the Yeoh's

Love this year's running tee from Ultron

Results:
Official time: 59:02
Net time: 57:26
Rank: 106/759

Sundown Marathon, Singapore

My first international race for 2015 was none other than the Sundown Marathon in neighbouring Singapore. A popular night run (the organizers claim that it is the biggest night race in Asia), the Sundown was held at the popular F1 Pit building. Surrounding the building was a hive of activity - various sponsor tents, F&B stalls, floats,  stage with live gigs, information signage and runners stretching out and warming up before the race generated an electrifying atmosphere.

After the sun set that day, the strong 26,000 participants were raring to go! This year there were four categories offered - 5km, (a new category this year to encourage more people to take up running as a healthy lifestyle) 10km, 21km and 42km. It was going to be an exciting night and the F1 Pit set ablaze by the fervent runners from near and far.

I participated in the 10km Men's Open category, which was flagged off at 10pm. Due to the high number of runners, we were flagged off in waves. I was in the fourth group (or "tribe" as the vivacious announcers referred us) that was flagged off around 10:12 p.m. That 12-minute wait felt like the longest wait in recent memory. Once I crossed the starting line, I quickly picked up pace to make up for lost time. I soon became the leader of the pack. I looked ahead and saw a huge number of runners ahead of me. Great! I love the feeling of passing other runners. Some of the runners in the earlier group I noticed had slowed down, a few even started walking. I checked my Garmin - it's not even 1km yet. Reminder to myself: don't start too fast and risk crashing out.

I weaved my way through the slower runners but there were just too many of them. Without a clear path ahead for me it was difficult to accelerate so I picked up my pace gradually and did what I read in the guide book: "On your right!" - I called out in a shaky, yet audible voice to the runners in front of me just before passing them. Some of them moved to their left as I closed in on them, but mostly they did not know what to do. I lost out of the number of runners I passed by 2km and but noted that there were two runners who passed me. So far so good.

Having participated in the Marina Run 2014, I was familiar with the Marina Bay Loop route. The terrain was mostly made up of pavements, pounding of which didn't give too much problem to my problem knee.  I continued to catch up with the runners ahead of me and there was hardly any pain in my left knee even when I quickened my pace. As there were other runners coming in the opposite direction (those in the second loop), I risked running into them whenever I attempted to pass the runners in front of me. Try as I might, I inadvertently crossed the boundary to the opposite lane. Traffic cones were placed as reminder to runners to stay within the set boundaries. I also noticed there were volunteers who directed those of us who went off-course to get back in the dedicated path. I was forced to slow down because some runners were obstructing me and I had to wait until a space was available to overtake them.  That may have affected my overall time.

Spectacular Singapore Flyer in the background

The race markers were clear despite the fact that we were running in the night. The signage for turns were clearly displayed. As the race wore on, I settled into a comfortable pace of 5:30km/min. There were three hydration stations and all of them were all manned. Perhaps because there were well manned (and I felt I wasn't in the way of the runners behind me) I took longer breaks than I should have. At the third and final hydration station with 100 Plus on offer in addition to water, I was ready to pick up speed again. I quickened my pace from 8km onward. As soon as I crossed the Helix Bridge at 9km,  with the finishing line in view and beckoning, I accelerated to it. Crossing the finish line felt incredibly good as I knew that I have accomplished my goal of the trip and was ready to go back to the hotel for a good night's sleep.

Finishing time: 1:09:07
Nett time: 56:22

Rank: 590
Participants in Category: 6811