On the Bidor Half Marathon

Mum didn't really agree that I had to travel so far to join the half marathon. Furthermore, with the bad luck I'm having recently, she was not really looking forward to hearing me needing to drive or travel. I was not really expecting that I would be travelling for this as well, after all, all those downfall had been turning my smiles upside down for a month already. So naturally, the run itself too, would be something where energy is lacking. But since it was the birthday weekend, and well, let's just say I gave a damn already... I headed up north for the run anyways.

We were lucky enough to book a room in a hotel in town, just about 5 minutes walk to the starting line. A small chat with the owner revealed that the organizer had booked more than half of the rooms for the runners.

So on race day, I woke up at 6 and headed towards the starting line. It wasn't like one of those grand running events in KL, so I didn't expect a lot of runners as well. But it turned out from what I heard, there were about 1.4k runners in this run, with some coming from Spain, Germany, Japan and Singapore.

We flagged off at 7am. Ran out into the main street passing by the main row of shops, and headed further up into a village road. Problem hit when I started to feel pain on my right calf at the first 2km. I had only myself to blame for not warming up properly, apparently, stretching didn't help much. Plus, I think I start off too fast... So it was a torturous run to the next medical aid which was 2km further down. Had some painkiller spray, and pushed forth. I started off in front of the crowd because I was standing in the front during flag off. But at the 5th km turnaround, I was basically the last 5. I could actually count who else were there... 2 hours 45 minutes for the qualifying time, I was really wishing for it.

So after persevered for another half an hour or so, I finally reached the junction of a 9km point. Ran a little uphill and reached another junction that turns into the finishing line. Hundreds of the 10km runners ran in a different direction towards the finishing line. But it wasn't before long that I saw the first 21km runner, a foreigner. He was barely a quarter past one hour when we crossed path, meaning he could finish the route in such a short time! Crazy!

The last 11km was a small road that goes slightly uphill, passes some palm oil plantation and cemetery as well as a natives' village, and ends at a waterfall where we had to make another u-turn. As mentioned, I was amongst the last in my category. So when I finally reached the U-turn point located at 15km in the route at 1:50'00" minutes, I thought I could finally make it a 2:45'00'' in a 21km route. But running back was a torture. Despite the isotonic Revive drink and a generally downhill gradient, I was starting to lose it.

As I kept checking my time and calculated in my head as to whether I could make it within the qualifying time, I finally realized that it was impossible for me to run at a speed of 8kmph for the last 6km. And I slowed down to walk. I gave up.

The entire crowd of the 21km runners should have finished the race by then. There were only a few others behind me, an old grandpa, a young couple, and a couple of slow runners. But soon enough, the grandpa overtook me... One of the slow runners also slowed down and started walking.

At the final 2km before the finishing line, we were at almost the same pace. She was encouraging me now and then when we were overtaking each other, at a slow-motion that is. So finally, we broke into small talks.

"First time here?"
"Yeah... Can't make it in time for the medal..."
"Final 2km, the last hurdle... Walk in under 3hours and we can still make it."

3 hours? I thought it was stated in the registration form the qualifying time was 2:45'00".

So yeah, that piece of news was a huge encouragement. Surely 2km in 20 minutes, that, I could do, even at a slow jogging pace. And so, jogged we did, making the last metres through a row of shops where curious eyes stared at this fat piece of meat bouncing under a 10am sun...

And finally... I crossed the finishing line, and was given a tag. A 129. Never had I get such a tag before. 129th place out of 130 runners? I was pretty sure there were no more guys behind me...

And guess what was the time I clocked at the finishing line?

2:50"00.

WTH. 5 minutes I used to walk. =.="

Aaaanyways, it was a great run (though I'm aching all over as I'm typing this. Probably will need 2 to 3 days to let them lactic acid settle...)...

And I finally got my first medal this year. It says on the back, "Running is an enriching endurance, the lifestyle which i really enjoy." LOL

By the way, what I think about the event? It was great, well-organized, well-equipped medical aids and water station, very professional and no time wasting. (I saw trucks carrying the water from the water stations back to the finishing line on my way back.)