Run Halfway Back To My Hometown?

Now that's an idea, right?

Hahaha

Anyways, it takes about 100km to drive from Kuala Lumpur to Raub.

Now, how about running almost halfway there? Catch is, we had to u-turn back lah, instead of continuing onwards.

What am I yapping about?

There's this run called Route 68 Challenge in May 2015 that will see runners start running from Dewan Serbaguna Orang Asli at KM24 in Gombak to Bentong Hot Spring before making a u-turn and run back to Gombak for a total of 68km. 

And we have to run at this route with the total elevation gain of 1900m and finish in 12 hours. Those who opts to do the 50K category has 9 hours to finish.

Bentong is the town before Raub. You pass Bentong (and some durian orchards) before you reach my hometown, Raub. ^^

Interesting?

More interesting that this run/challenge will see you running in two different states. Selangor and Pahang. Way cool!

Hop over to Route 68 Challenge page for more info (click here) or their Facebook page (click here). 

Registration for the challenge will open soon but you can check the route map and finisher tee at their page.

Truthfully, unlike plenty of runners out there, I've never run the Genting Sempah route before. 

But this route; from Gombak to Genting Sempah and using Jalan Bentong Lama is a road my family used plenty of time to avoid the jam at Karak Highway when we return to my hometown.

It's scenic, got plenty of monkeys, tight at certain stretches, shady, hilly and all-in-all, quite an interesting route even (or especially) when one is driving. And oh, got plenty of sampah by the roadside at certain stretches, as some sampah people just dumped their trash along this route. 

Anyways, at the u-turn for the 68km category, perhaps tired runners can dip in the hot spring there. There are waterfalls too, for runners to enjoy a dip in. ^^

Runners will also be running along a river for a few KMs, if am not mistaken. 

There is another race that I hope to join for 2015.

I'm also hoping to do Watergate 16-hour and improve my distance and timing next year. 

Registration for Watergate 16hr is already open and can be done at this link. More info about it can be found here.

It's a contrast from Route 68 Challenge as Watergate 16 hour is in Putrajaya. The route will be Taman Seri Empangan to Palace of Justice and back. Make as many 5km loops as possible in 16 hours. 

2015 CHALLENGE! :-)