SaltFish 100. A New Year Run.

There is this series of long run called the SaltFish Series that is organised by a group of runners who love going the extra distance, without the frills. 

The first series was held a week ago, under the SaltFish 30 a.k.a Broga Vertical Run, which was a looping run, up the Broga Hill.

2015 edition started with the SaltFish Series 100, a run following the Putrajaya 100 miles route, but instead of the 160K route, the runners did 100K.

The route comprised of :

10K : Taman Seri Empangan - Wisma Putra - Nusa Perdana 

21K : A loop of core island

26K : Pullman - PCP

39K : PCP - Persiaran Selatan - Taman Rimba Alam

50K : Taman Canseri - Taman Wetland

56K : Putrajaya Water Recreation Park

69K : Deputy Prime Minister's House - Taman Saujana Hijau

80K : Ayer @ 8

90K : Core island

100K : Umai cafe - Taman Seri Empangan.

Zaini and I didn't join the other 10 runners who ran on the new year's day. Instead, together with lead support, Zul and bike marshall Azfar, both of us helped out as support car #2.

10 runners joined the run. 8 male runners, 2 ladies.

There was a contribution of RM50.00 per runner for support; to cover for support car fuel, drinking water, first aid and fruits. Support was given to the runners for 24-hours, the limit of this SaltFish 100 run.

There were  2 support cars available and each support car stopped at checkpoints (CP) that are designated at every 5K mark to cater for all runners.

Our first CP was at KM5, located just below Wisma Putra / at Taman Wawasan. After the runners started their run at 7:20am from Taman Seri Empangan, we immediately headed off to our first CP while the lead support car headed to the KM10 CP.

 The first group of runners arrived around 40 minutes after their start to Taman Wawasan CP.

And the second group arrived about 20 minutes afterwards.

After Arman, who was the sweeper; ran past our CP, we headed to our next CP, at KM15.

But we discounted a bit as instead of going into Taman Wawasan to park our car at KM15 mark, we parked the support car under the Putra Bridge which was at around KM14 of the route.

The first/lead group. At this point, it was obvious that the runners were split into two groups so it was easy to cater for both groups and then going over to the next allocated CP without waiting too long for each runner to arrive.

Anyway, there's safety in numbers and it is good to run with others. Right? ^^

The second group.

Everyone in high spirits.

Driving to get to Putrajaya Challenge Park (PCP), we saw the lead group almost reaching the KM21 CP. We quickly stopped on Jambatan Seri Gemilang to take some photos before driving off.

We arrived to PCP with plenty of time before the lead group's arrival and we took the opportunity to walk around and checked out the park. Plus, I took the opportunity to find a socket to charge my phone.

As the run lasted for 24-hours, I still had a long time to go and gotta be conservative about the phone's battery even though we had our backup powerbank along. The mobile data was on the whole time as both support cars updated each other on the arrival/departure of runners at each CP, and that certainly drained the battery quickly.

Updates on the runners check-in and departure from each CP was important to ensure the runners' whereabouts. Everyone must be accounted for, before each support car move on to the next CP.

The support cars also needed to ensure they arrived to the next CP before the lead runners' arrival because we certainly didn't want these runners not getting their hydration as expected.

The first group arrived our CP at PCP.

At this KM26 mark, there were some runners who experienced cramping/tight muscles and a couple of runners who overshot the CP and ran straight ahead and probably would've run and got lost. Hahaha

So it was our responsibility too, to be alert of the arrival of runners, just in case they didn't notice us and simply ran past. If we had to chase them, chase them we must. ^^

PCP was where they were supposed to u-turn and head off to Taman Selatan then run along the expressway to the next CP, at the KM32 mark.

At PCP, Renee decided to stop and follow our support car to the next CP. She was having some issue with the Achilles (if I'm not mistaken) and after doing her Twilight Trail Ultra, then with Newton Run and with Watergate 16-hour looming; she didn't want to risk an injury.

But rather than resting or heading home, she stayed behind and help us with the support car.

Her presence was invaluable to me. I gained a lot from listening and watching her that day. About running and about crewing & supporting runners. I certainly have a long way to go and lots to learn to be good in both! 

Expecting the lead runners won't be arriving so soon the next CP at Taman Rimba Alam, we first made a stop at Petronas to top-up on our ice stock.

They later arrived to Taman Rimba Alam CP about an hour after departing from PCP.

The lead group took a breather at Taman Rimba Alam, stretched, enjoyed some snacks and fruits before going off again.

After the four runners in the lead group departed, we decided to get some lunch at Presint Diplomatik. Zaini also went to Mydin to buy 100-Plus for the runners. And later, another pack of ice from 7-11.

Wefie with the second group. Photo credit : Renee Tan

The second group arrived later and most took the opportunity to cool down by taking a cold shower at the water tank behind Taman Rimba Alam's public toilet, and change to clean/dry outfit.

There was no rush this time, and this group took about half-an-hour rest at this CP.  The route from PCP to Taman Rimba Alam was actually a hard one, where first, the runner had to contend with running by the expressway that has no shade and with a loooooong climb. They later turned into the horse stable area to go into the shady but undulating (to put it mildly) path to get to our CP.

This was where both support cars got together, after the lead group had left the next CP and it was decided that one support car would follow the lead group and the other follow the second group.

So our car followed the second group, and we would stop after every 5K to wait for them to provide assistance, while Zul would follow the lead group.

The second group decided that instead of following the original (much brutal) route for the balance of their run, they would head to Taman Wetland then to Alamanda for dinner and do the balance 30K of their 100K by doing loops at the core island. 3 loops of the core island.

After the second group started again, we drove off to get to the next CP, at a surau located in Presint 14, just after the school. But we made a stop first about a KM before getting to that CP as Renee wanted to rejoin the group and continued her run. Salute!

 The next CP. Just in time for Asar prayers.

So the second group took a longer stop here.

We set-off to Taman Wetland but got news from the second group that they cancelled out stopping at Taman Wetland CP and instead just head straight to Alamanda to have dinner.

So off we went to Alamanda. 

Dinner was at Sushi King! ^^

Since everybody was stinky, we decided to eat outside. Didn't want to stink up Sushi King! LOL

 In a more jovial mood to start their run again.

This time, another runner decided to stop and follow us. She managed to do 53K that day.

After the second group set-off, we drove over to Taman Warisan Pertanian and waited for them there. A stop, some drinks and off they went again.

It was at around 9:30pm when the second group arrived to the next 5K CP, on the Putra Bridge.

I guess, by this time; the sheer number of hours and the mileage that these runners clocked had really taken a toll on them. They've been out running for 18 hours by this time and have either 30 plus kilometres to go or 6 hours of running as the cut-off was 24 hours.

The next CP for the second group was at the start/finish area at Taman Seri Empangan.

Since this will be the CP that they will be heading to, after finishing each 10K looping of core island afterwards, their belongings were transferred to their own cars from the support car.

And for Zaini and I, we had to cut short our duty as we needed to go home and catch a few hours of sleep as we needed to go to Raimie's Form 1 orientation on Friday. A full 4-hours of briefing for the Son as well as the parents!

We got news later on Friday morning that three runners did the full 100K while others managed distances ranging from 53-80K.

Congrats to all 10 runners who were braved enough to toe the line and take the challenge.

It was an honour to be a part of your adventure and be of assistance.

See you next time! Watergate 16-hours, right? ^^

Photos taken from each CP, up to Jambatan Putra can be seen here.