A New Adventure For A New Year

I've signed up for a multi-day 100km ultra trail marathon in the remote part of Sabah next year. Hubby too.

Photo credit : SAC FB page

2015 will be the 16th year the race is held and it is South East Asia's oldest established multi-day adventure race. Interesting, right?

I'm not exactly sure why but the race, named Sabah Adventure Challenge (SAC) kinda intrigue me since the first time I learnt about it, from Tri Stupe's blog (link here). He did it three times, in 2011, 2013 and 2014. Cool factor is that he did a couple of it with his wife. ^^

I further read on SAC's experience from Kam's blog (link here) and the clincher for me to finally start thinking about doing it was Jason's experience which he blogged about here. I actually PMed him after he finished his three-parter race report to ask him about the viability of me doing it. Trust a guy who encouraged me to join Craze Ultra (which unfortunately I won't) to encourage me to do this too. Hahaha

I broached the subject of entering this to hubby earlier, back in April after the 2014 chapter ended, but not really  confident that he'll agree to my madcap suggestion. I shelved the idea for a while...

Truth be told, 100km may be a bit too much for me to handle now, with my current training. There were just a smattering of 12-16 hours races that I joined, no full marathons yet in 2014 (I've three lined up for September, October and November though), half-marathons here and there plus a bit of hiking up some trails, sometimes just the two of us, sometimes just hubby and friends, sometimes I tagged along.

It's not going to be a walk in the park for sure. The challenge is held over a three-day period, but imagine spending a bulk of the day running (trails and under the hot sun), return to the campsite, sleep then wake up the next day and spend the day running again - for three days.

Anyways, it was earlier this month that hubby (probably egged by his friends) but most definitely because he found it interesting and doable too, finally opens up to my idea to go and do this.

We've got 7 months to prepare for this as we've committed ourselves in doing it. Paid our registration fees already! 7 months but for me training probably will only start in earnest after my November marathon.  I want to train for two major marathons this year and one of them is the Standard Chartered KL Marathon which is happening on October 12th, 2014.

I'm skipping the Putrajaya 100 which will be held from Nov 22nd - 23rd (it's a 30-hour race) with regret despite really wanting to do it because I've got another 42K run scheduled on Nov 30th. As much as I would love to do Putrajaya 100, I don't think my legs are strong enough to run a full marathon the week after it! Booohoooo!!!

Trails will feature greatly in my training soon. As does running on fatigued legs, just like what I did in the first week of August - doing a 6-hour trail in the morning then finishing a 15K race at Energizer Night Race later that night. That was actually when I gauge my ability and decide on whether to sign up for SAC 2015. ^^

I know it's not gonna be easy but I certainly am not looking for an easy experience. I am looking for a different experience. Something that makes me dig within and search my soul.

I have to say, I am not doing this because it's the IN thing. I am not doing this to impress anyone either. Not even gonna do it to impress myself. Seriously, what for?

Rather I am doing it because I can. I will. I'll try. But no, I will not want to die trying.

Yeah, yeah... so I can be rather full of it, I know.

Plus, maybe quality time with hubby who will (hopefully) do this alongside me when we are there. Go dating. Maybe quarrel and pull a sour face a few times during the event but still, quality time. Hihihi

Random couple photo

If you guys and gals wanna try, either doing a 100km ultra trail marathon or the Adventure Race (3-day duo multi-sports event), hop over to SAC facebook page. The organiser has extended the early bird rate until August 31st, 2014.

Good luck US!

p.s. this post is dedicated to my fellow crazy friends who also signed-up to do SAC. See you there come April!