Energizer Nightmare Race 2011

I arrived at SIC around 6 pm with Captain FMV Deo and we started the Full Marathon Race at 7:45 pm sharp. We ran slowly at the back of the pack with many familiar faces including FMV Izuan, Deo, Che Daud and Fazly plus seasons marathoner including KA, Hailmi Chap Ayam, Zaki Otoromen. Yim and Karen were running way in front in the leading pack with Ahmed Lamchanak and the elite runners.

This is my 3rd Marathons and my 2nd FM, hopefully by now I'm more wiser with the strategy in running the perfect Marathon.

Since my Nike+ gone bonkers, i used Nokia Sports Tracker GPS to calculate the running distance, after pushing the start button, i tucked my mobile away inside my SPI belt and ran without knowing my paces, i just ran with my heart and a happy pace.

Before the race – with the “Virgins” and non-Virgin Marathoners

After passing the tunnel into outside loops, i felt better and pushed the pace a little bit but not too much at this early stage.

The FM runners need to run 5 loops outside the SIC, i knew this gonna be a tough race when i met with rolling hills on the outside loops, damn! Night race always tough on me, the need to fight the fatigue, sleepiness and the humidity.

The first 20 km was tough, especially when tackling the hills, met many friends here including several Chap Ayam runners and Adam 1 Arm Runner from Singapore, we exchanged cheers and motivated each other during the run.

I got my second wind at the 4th loops, i tried an Enaikay's trick, i stopped at the water station and took 2 cups of iced cold water and put it onto my head plus washed my face with it, i felt refreshed and the iced cold water gave me a shock treatment to my body system. After that i stopped at every water stations for the customary iced cold treatment, during loop 4 and 5 i passed many runners that were reduced to slow jogs and walks due to either cramps or they hit the marathon wall, but these brave souls just moves and soldiered on – DNF was never on their mind.

Finally i passed Adam (strong and fast runner) at 5th loop just before the 2nd water station, i was chasing him from loop 1. Then i passed Che Daud on the next hill after that, he was still on the 4th loops. I gave some encouragement to him before passed on, he was walking at that time. I was so happy passing the 30 km mark and quickly did an analysis on my body performance, i found the legs still working fine! no cramps whatsoever! yay i guess the compression tight really work wonders for me.

I was elated on completing the 5th loops and going into the SIC, quick glance at the watch and it shows me 3:59. Yay another 5.5 km and sub-5 finish is possible provided no injury or cramps after this. I was surprised running inside the SIC coz it was eerie quiet! Where was everybody? No customary music or MC’s noise greeted us like the normal Marathon event.

Now or never! As i felt i still have some energy in me, I bravely tried to chase for the 4:30 timing and pushed my pace further a bit. I felt my hands almost going numb and the energy left my body as i came nearer to the finish line. At that point i felt i’m gonna fainted, it was 200 meters from the finish line - this is where i took reprieve and walks. Then my saviour came running from nowhere, i turn around and found Deo was running strongly towards me, immediately my spirit soared and join him for power finish. At the finishing line, we asked the crowd (mostly from other categories) to cheer for us, and they sportingly responded and cheers us like mad, we crossed the finish line side by side and held together our hands and raised to the sky.

We completed the ENR FM with the timing of 4:38 (unofficial).

Met Yim and Azu right after the finish line, Aza from the FMV greeted us with iced cold Gatorade, thank you FMV! Wished the Queen FMV could be here with us at that moment.

Spoiler alert! We found out right after the finish line that the FM categories is under distance by 1.595km (according to my Nokia GPS Sports Tracker). What the feck! We ran our hearts out and its not even a Marathon distance, i guess my new PB does not count for ENR. It's still 5:20 at SCSM 2010.

Congrats to all FMV Deo, Fazly, Izuan and Che Daud, you guys did great in your first Marathon despites of timings and the fecking ENR organizations.

What left of my bib after the race