The First Run Of The Year

and I did it at Multi Purpose Insurans Run 2013. On Jan 6th. First week of January. What an awesome start to the new year, right? ^^

Male runners waiting to be flagged-off. Female runners had already been flagged off earlier. Women started at 7.00am and Men started at 7.10am.

Then you see this female runner pushing her way through the male runners and started alone. I could hear male runners muttering how come there are still female runners that had yet to start. Because I'm tardy lah! I started 6min after flag-off last year. I think I did better this year, and was "only" 5 minutes late! Bwahaha

I have no problem with starting late or last but with this route, it can be a challenge. One - you know male runners will soon pass you. Two -  you immediately face inclines within the first 3km! Up, flat, Up the first 3K. Imagine facing a climb without proper warm-up. *dies*

I didn't switched on my Timex watch and GPS. I also didn't check the time I started running so I was just second guessing my time while running this time. By the time I reached the third kilometer distance marker (the race organiser was awesome. They put distance markers at every km! Not all race organiser in Malaysia do this), it was 7.22am. By my calculation, I probably did 17min for the first 3K. Way too fast. No wonder my right calf was cramping up. Decided to slow down significantly and the cramp went away although then, I felt like I needed to "pangsai" pulak! huhuhu

Another thumbs up to race organiser - they had portable toilets stationed at every water station! *two thumbs up*

It was at the first 3K that Erma, a runner and reader of this blog said hi to me. Hi Erma! Thanks for saying hi. *super like super happy* Got a few random female runners and race volunteers cheering me on with "go Bunny go" Sorry if I didn't acknowledge you... But thank you!  ^^

Then another hi from a familiar face, from Bet. A couple of guys from the 24Running "kaki" also said hi, at around KM8. Nick passed me around there too.

Water stations were placed at every 3km and no unnecessary time wastage there as the volunteers were awesome and the three-tier water system worked great! I was greedy and made sure I stopped at every single water station and drank at least a cup of plain water and "chase" it down with a cup of isotonic. 

We merged with the 8K runners near Bank Negara/Bank Rakyat and the road got more congested there. So congested that I saw no point of running and walked instead until we passed the KM9 water station. The last couple of KM was easy as we were pretty much going downhill. I can run with no brakes on downhill but then, gotta curb my speed (however slow that is) because there were too many runners in front of me. Never mind lah, run saja and take the opportunity to smile, wave and V-signed at every single photographer that I saw! Hahaha

Happy lah. Here at this spot, "manyak" photographer. Zaini was there too, of course. ^^ Run straight for all 12K runners and 8K runners, turn left.

Maintain "happiness" cos more photograpers around. This is about 200m to finish line? Got a bit annoyed with some 8K runners who simply cut in front of 12K runners a few metres before the finish line, to get to their allocated finish line. Haiz. Earlier didn't see kah? Finish line sign so BIG! Don't simply cut in front of people. We might collide into each other.

After finished, then queue pulak. For snack pack, banana and drinks. Queue moved fast due to super duper efficient volunteers. So efficient, the auntie who gave me the snack pack shoved me forward as I was moving too slowly! Hahaha

The isotonic sponsor - Yeo's was giving out their isotonic drinks; H-Two-O generously (by 500ml bottles) and I was greedy and got 4! Got two cups of cereal to eat too and ice-cream!

Anyone (even non-runners i.e. supporters) also can join in and makan free! *super like*

Then, camwhore time.

To all race volunteers, abang traffic, race marshalls, race organiser and Jamie : Awesome job! Thank you for a great morning. I had fun. See you next year!