Newton “Fun Run”

Latest: Official Result Newton Challenge KL 2010

Placing 87 out of 392 in Men Open 12km Category.
Official time 1:17:39
Split: 38:50.52
Gun time: 1:17:43.36
Net Time: 1:17:39.35

Pre-Race

Newton 12km Challenge is my second race after Ramadan, i arrived at Masjid Kinrara around 5:40 am and parked my car between Ziff's and Shuk's. I saw Ziff and said hello, then Zaki came few minutes after that and the three of us made our way to the mosque for the Subuh prayers. The mosque’s parking space was jammed pack that lovely Sunday morning, i estimated that majority of the morning prayer attendance comprised of us runners. I met Shuk, Nik and Ijam in prayer hall later on.

After completing our solat, we headed to our cars and changed into running gears, we had few minutes chatting and gossiping before the 25 km flag off at 6:30 am. All of them registered for 25 km except 12 km Fun run category for me, I figured when i registered few months back that i might not logged enough training mileage during Ramadan to attempt the 25 km! Ijam texted me the nite before "apa barang 12km?" and Zaki Ultraman Cosmos (soon to be) added the lambong that morning "mana aci 12 je"..he he.

After 25km runners flagged off at 6:30 am, the 12km runners took their place at the starting line. A few minutes of warming up, i then headed for the starting arch, i decided to placed myself at the front the pack but stopped short at the third row, not like i’m gonna go fast with these hills but common sense to avoid “traffic jam” later on when they release the runners. I was feeling nervous like it was very first race, i prefer pre-race jitters, coz normally i wouldn’t do fine if i was calm.

The Race

The race started on time, and some of the front runners started with blistering pace, i was trying hard not to succumb to the speedy temptation, forced my pace to start slow but it was still fast than my normal pace, i guess the excitement and the atmosphere got the better of me. After the 1st km, i was starting to slow down due to strange hot sensations on my right leg, oh come’on don’t cramp now, the race is just started. The pace was getting slower after that with many runners (young and veterans, mostly veterans) overtook me. This slow ass pace lasted about 5km into race, when i was introduced to the Ammah hills, all i could said was “Ammah!”. The damn rolling hills was visible from the bottom, but i kept my slow pace never once stopped and walk. There were water stations, but i ignored them as i was carrying my own water bottle for hydration, i guess i wanna saved valuable time stopping at the water stations, with my slow arse pace..it does not made any significant difference i guess.

Well i made it through two rolling hills and i though it was over (the hills), then i started cursing when i saw the third hill and the U-turn for the 12km runners. This definitely the toughest race so far for me, by this time the numbness and pains of my right leg was gone, time to start the race, from here on i gained back my normal pace, thank god..finally:)

I met and shouted “names” and “hi” to the familiar faces on the other side of the road, the first one was Syed with his lucky green shirt, then Syanaz, KK, Ijam and Yim? Ijam was pointing to his side, i could not recognise the feller at first, clad in Baju Melayu complete with Songkok and Sampin, then it struck me, it was Yimster…woot woot way to go Yim, and he was fast even in that attire. Met Nik (took my photo, wonder what evil/funny caption he will put on his blog), Shuk and then Robi after that, from the look on their faces this was definitely a chores route, you gotta work it or it will worked you. I missed Ian, Syah, Ziff and Zaki from the other side, maybe they already passed me? Wow that was fast…..

After the 12km U-turn at Jalan Impian Indah, the sun was shining and blinding my sight, damn i forgot to bring the shades. I ran blindly for a while until reached back the second hill, here i met the Ultra Runner Doc Pui San with her friend - KD, i said hi and she paparazied me..he he sorry Ijam. She urged me to run faster “Engkau ni apsal lari slow, cepat-cepat lari..”. Erkk doc, i was running my ass-off but other peeps made me looked slow… he he. The downhill was a welcome sight, where i quickly pushed the NoS and left doc running her race.

Photo courtesy of Doc Pui San.

The route was 90 percents hills and 10 percent flat, next year i’m gonna do 5km (if there was one) or the Olympic day run. The CAR blog described the race route and runners feeling perfectly. I made it back to Jalan Kinrara 6 thankfully, still i could maintained my normal pace and started to quicken my pace after the last hill, it’s not exactly flat 3 km to the finish line but it not a hill. I pushed all the way 2 km to the finish line as it was getting hotter and thankfully completed my run with unofficial time of 1:18 hrs. The official time will be published later on the www.triathlonmalaysia.com

Strong finish (Photo courtesy of McIjam)

Post-race

Got my medal at the finishing line and a bottle of drinking water, went to the 100 plus stall and drank few cups. Remembered about Milo van and made a bee line towards it, found it to be vacant, drank few cold milos and lepakking at the van chit-chatting with Brader Milo. Where are all the runners i wondered? This is the downpoint of completing earlier, no gang to gossiping about. I decided to wait for other runners at starting/finish line, met Azri from CAR who was busy taking photos of his friends, he wasn’t running though.

I then decided to change my shoes into sandals and took off the compression sock, i like the compression sock but felt it was too tight, or is just me not adjusting 100 percent wearing the socks. Went back to the finishing line and few 25km runners started to arrived. Among the recognisable RBUs, Ian was first to arrived followed by Shah completing the race with good timing, then the DM runners, Syed and Syannaz, Ijam made it few minutes after that. Found out much later that McIjam passed-out after completing the race, he made it to the medic tent before collapsing, he later recovered but too weak to kepochi or took pictures like his usual self. 25km run was definitely too taxing to many runners, met the Kassim sister near finishing line, as always with finishers medal around their necks, congrats. Forgot to asked how many water bottle they planning to bring back home.

I met a lot of familiar faces, Amar, Azza, Saiful Azam and others. The crowd was larger at this time with many runners now completed their run and there was a long line at the Milo van with 100plus stall was completely out of water. Deja Vu just like Putrajaya Night Marathon, not enough water for runners especially those completed later. It was getting hotter as i waited for Yim, Zaki and Ziff to arrived, had to leave early for weekend errands. Congrats to all runners, especially those completed the 25km, it was gruesome race, definitely not a mere race more of a challenge, the Newton Challenge. See you at the next race, the Nike City Run 101010:)