Venue: Precinct 2, Putrajaya
Time: 7.30am

It was a last minute registration run. A friend of mine invite me to run. Its free, but u have to bring along at least 10 empty plastic water bottles.

Its a fun n enjoyable run. Not so crowded as many regular runners running at the malakoff 12km on the same day.

Clocked 37mins for the 7km run, n got myself the limited finisher’s medal

Where : Queensbay Mall, Penang
When : 20/11/2011, 2am
What : Full Marathon (42.195km)

Race pack collection

Lack of LSD (long slow distance) training, plus just did Powerman 2011 last week, fear of not enuff recovery, so i planned to just run my own pace here, as the cut-off time for full marathon is 7hrs, its doable.

It started at 2am, its like running the Singapore Sundown already. At 3-4am, started to feel sleepy & dizzy. After 4am, the dizziness went away completely.

At the 3rd km, met with Jaja, she told me that she had gastric a day before. I told her to go slow, & listen to the body. Later got to know that she decided to DNF at 4th km. Good for u Jaja to take that step. THere’s always another race. Get well soon.

Met with Aini near 10th km mark. She paced with me till the finishing line. Good run girl! Thanks for pacing with me too, helping me focus more and maintain my run. Congrats to Aini for her PB, she did 5:55 along with me. Improved 37mins! Thats a huge PB for her!!!

What has been the turn down of APBIM was, the failure of the organizer to manage the water station well. There was no water left at at least 2 water stations in a row. That’s running more than 10km without water yawww!!! They repeated their 2008 mistake again where i did my 1st full marathon here.

Desperate for water, i have to search for leftover water inside water bottles thrown beside the road, hoping to collect much water to get a full bottle. Damnnnn.. its like a rubbish collector, but we have to do it or else risking my life or get dehydrated!

The last 3km was a challenging moment for me. I have to weave through thousands of fun runners walking. Feared my calf to get cramp, have to run & weave cautiously, what an experience! Love it when i did it without any single cramp

Official time was 5:55, a PB by 7 mins. Alhamdulillah!

Finished strong this time, no more being carried by medics.. LOL

Went jalan2 at Georgetown after checked out, stumbled upon this ol skool Aliph sign board!

Click for full view

You can check the full result here.

Manjung people said, it was raining season there for the last 2-3 weeks. But it’s turned to be scorching hot on the event day!!! No rain even in the early morning before the event. The heat was as same as 2 years ago where i did my first Powerman.

the usual suspects from Chap Ayam Runners. some are Powerman 1st timers - photo by Abd Azri

With Chap Ayam frens at our homestay, moments before we left for the event - photo by Zila

Before the race, with Hadafi - photo by Zulhassan

With Hanafy & Det after setting up the transition - photo by Zila

Me posing before the starts, showed no sign of nervousness at all - photo by Zila

The race started with an 11km of run - photo by Jason Thai

The 1st loop - photo by Tan Kien Boon

yeayyy!!!! the usual jumping pose - photo by Izuan

After the 2nd lap of 11km - photo by Azri

Bike out - photo by Jason Thai

Speeding on the bike start - photo by Elaine

Approaching 2nd loop - photo by Elaine

My unofficial timing was 4:33… and it’s a PB ALhamdulillah.. that’s a bonus for me.. a big achievement for my hard work. Next year, of course will try a new PB again

The rewards, a nice medal and a Brooks finisher's t-shirt

For me, the medal & finisher’s T is secondary. The most important thing to me is the enjoyment of the gathering with my sports friends & doing what like together.

As usual, our RV place is at Kuala Kubu Bahru 7 Eleven. Pre-ride briefing was given by Kadok.

We started the trip at 8.30am. A lot of first timer doing Fraser’s Hill. Including two small girls, 11 & 12 years old. They made it to the top of Fraser’s Hill. Respect for their strength & determination!

For me, i’m doing this ride as a training for my upcoming Powerman in November. So, along the way up, i tried to use heavier gear to strengthen my legs.

Last Saturday Hulu Langat ride really helps. I had no problem conquering Fraser’s Hill this time. Did well in the last 8km of steep climb between Gap – Fraser.

With the Ultraman, Yim Heng Fatt

Our first pit stop to catch some breath

Reached Gap, but the food stall closed, while we were craving for iced milo & mee hoon soup

All this while, i'm craving for this, nasi lemak! Thanks Napi for the tasty home made nasi lemak. Indescribable feeling having nasi lemak at a cold place like Fraser after a bike ride

Group photo with the early birds to arrive

With Zulhassan & Oren

The big crowd

Me. This time, no more bike lifting photo

Riders group photo

Great cycling guys!!!

21km finisher's medal

The nite was hot n humid. Almost no wind at all. But it rained for 1hr on the afternoon before. Otherwise, it will be freakin hot :p

I did ran well n maintain my pace throughout the race. I admit, the hills seemed so easy to me to conquer

But the on last final km, my legs started to get the cramp feeling. So i take it slowly, to avoid it become worst.

Clocked 2:22, unofficial nett time.

Took my bike off my car, n cycled to the full marathon route. Accompanied my friend, cikun doing his 2nd full marathon.

He had a bad cramp on his both legs. Told him to walk n run slowly.

He finished at abt 2.30am, clocking abt 6:30. We waited for the last full marathon runners that arrived half an hour later, that happened to be my chap ayam frens, aini n irina they were escourted by all the rescue team, medic, fire dept, police n race marshals. What a dramatic finish for them!

Bottom line, it was a great, well organized event. Kudos to the organizer!

Tonite (15/10/2011), i will be running half-marathon in Putrajaya Night Marathon, in tribute to a running friend, Allahyarham Kharis Idris a.k.a. Tuan Senang Besar(TSB), who passed away last Thursday 13/10/2011.

Although i dunno much abt him, but i tribute this run for him, as a fellow runner, with same hobby n passion in running. Respect for him.

Al-Fatihah…

I went there car pool with 3 other triathlete friends, Zulhassan, Azmar & Hancik. Zulhassan picked me at behind zoo negara, Azmar @ Ampang, and Hancik @ Seremban.

Fetching Hancik at Muzium Budaya, Seremban

We used the new route, the Senai(U) – Desaru expressway, that directed us straight to Desaru, faster & easier than the old road. Not quite sure abt the tol charges though.

You'll encounter this tall pillar of a long bridge when u use the new Senai(U) - Desaru expressway

Reached Lotus Resort at 2.30, collected race kits, did some shopping. Pretty good price they got there. Can get a trisuit at RM150, Fizik Tri saddle at RM200!

Our room, got stairs leading to the bedroom upside

The spacious living hall, easily can share up to 6 person comfortably to save budget Worth the RM200/nite price

A view from upstairs

Then checked in & had some rest & quick nap. At 5pm we went to the beach to do a swim test. The weather was good, but the water was choppy, felt dizzy while swimming on it. We hope tomorrow condition will be better.

Race briefing at 6pm & right after that we had dinner at Medan Selera Bandar Sri Penawar. Surprised with the cheap price tag there! Chicken chop, fish & chip & oblong burger RM5 each & a decent taste.

Race day

Swim

To kick start what is gonna be a long day today, i did a short warm-up swim. The water were less choppy than yesterday, but last year far more calm. In Desaru long distance Tri, we have to do 2 loop of swim, 2km in total.

The race started at sharp 8.30am. My usual strategy was to start at the back to avoid the chaotic kick & punch swim.

Start the swim slowly. Suddenly water become more choppy. The sea water here are clear. You can even see the sea floor, sea weeds, corals & fish if u r lucky enuff.

The choppy water made me dizzy but get used to it. Clocked 55mins for the 2km swim, wow, better timing than last year.

After the 2km swim, look serious yawww!!! - Photo by unknown photog

Bike

Hopping on the bike, i’m still catching breath from the 2k swim. Couldn’t spin fast, so i started with fast cadence in low gear.

This year’s bike part has a different route from last year. Doing 2 loops, 46km each. Lotsa hill for the first half before u turn.

Got 4 road kills! 1st 2 small wild boar side road, 3rd one a bigger wild boar on the middle of the road, then a pity small kitty, i think newly got hit by vehicle.. huhuh.. i haz sadding

The 2nd half is flat all the way before u turn. Yes its flat, seems easy, but its windy with headwind pushing me back, urghhhh…

The view was spectacular, paddy field on both side, and its hot, no tree, no shade at all, except a row of rhu trees(that’s where desaru got it’s name i think), abt 100m long thats all.

Saw the top of the mosque, yeah, thats where the u turn is.

Changed my empty water bottle with the full one, the black power bar bottle, with cold ice water.

Approaching 1st loop in bike - photo by unknown photog

Killing my boredom on the bike, i did bring my old SQNY Ericsson on the bike, playing my fav playlist loud on speaker it was loud that a friend told me he heard my music as he passed by me on the other side.

2nd loop, not much to tell, just the same route, but the day getting hotter. Completed the bike course, in 4hrs 10min!!! WTFBBQ!!!

Run

When i started running, its already 1.30pm.. just imagine the heat.. only crazy people like us do this LOL!

It started with running on sands, hot & soft sands, but i just walk on it, still recovering from the tiring bike ride.

Walked pass the power bar station, they gave me a slice of powerbar, just can take a small bite only.

The u-turn point a bit farther this time, near the end of the road.

Managed to catch-up with Zul Hassan. He thought of to quit the race, cant take it anymore. But I kept trying on encouraging him for not to go DNF. We came this far, at least we proud to at least be a finisher.

But later he asked me to continue my run n leave him sitting by the road there.

A while after doing the U-turn on the 2nd loop, I saw Zul Hassan running slowly. Felt happy seeing him continuing his run & applauded him for his strong determination!

Met with Uncle Chan, the race director at a water station near the resort while he was checking out & giving support for the remaining triathletes who is still running. Thanks uncle Chan for his dedication!

Finally, my long day has ended. I reached finish line, clocking 8:37.

I heard that many competitors DNF that day.

Thanks to my friends for making this trip possible & fun! As for now, i might not be doing it again next year the agony is enuf for now, hahhaha or maybe I can do the relay tri next year, who knows!

That’s the end of my belated very longggggg delayed Desaru Triathlon report

Woke up early to watch the Sprint Race Tri category the next morning

An age grouper winner got dehydrated badly. Lucky he did recover, thanks to the medics quick reaction

This year, it was held at Sunway Pyramid, running on the NPE highway.

Clocked 1:44 unofficial timing, planned for a relaxing recovery run but turned out to be an all out run :p

Useful tip there