Blur sotong me! Mistaken the date of Safari Zoo Run, I thought it’s supposed to be on Sunday! ? On that Saturday, I even woke up early and roll on bed, watched a few episodes of Drama of the Empress Wei Zi Fu on YouTube, happily go buy lunch then nua till afternoon, then I was scrolling Instagram and I almost heart attack when I saw people posting photos of medals and photos of them at zoo run. Limbu missed a sibeh memorable run! ? It’s a run where Limbu first met my stead leh and I missed it just like this! ? (Limbu eh engleash standlerd is wers dan Premium Lian lah ?)

At least I got this Marina Run but anything more than 10km is very scary to me currently ? I just want to rest rest, run short and happy distance for a few months so this 10km category is just nice for me. For this run they also offered the 5km, 21km and 30km distance and the 30km is a new category.

Race fee is subjective I think, to me this race fee not cheap ? When signing up for race actually many considerations, such as brand of the race singlet, organise by which organiser, got finisher tee or medal bo or race site at where etc. But all these factors can don’t matter at all too. You happy, you want to run you will just register for the run. Though I kept complaining the race fee in Singapore sibeh expensive, but then hor the Blacksmore Sydney Marathon slot I register recently cost me USD180! ? But I know kennot lidat compare la.

(Photo Credits: Red Dots 123)

On race day, I need to collect my Prosperity Walk Entry Pack at Marina Square so after that I meet my friend then we walked to the race site. I was craving for milk tea with pearls and we even detour to Marina Bay Sand’s Liho just to get it ? I was actually also dreading to run ? The Sun still sibeh bright, my eyes kennot open, and I can feel the heat. I rarely run before 7pm because of the heat and wish I can have fair skin like Snow White which is Misssion Impossible. I was wishing that there’s no cut off time to the flag off as we’re already super late but I’m still dilly dallying and determined to get my Liho.

When we reached Marina Barrage, it was just nice 5.30pm, and off goes the 10km runners running towards Bay East. By the time we went for toilet, deposited our bags, pinned our bibs, wore our shoes the last wave, wave 3 of 10km was already flagged off. It was 5.49pm when I started my Garmin, my first time ever so late for a race ? At least I turned up ?

Quite happy with my unofficial timing for this 10km as it’s my longest run after SCHKM and I’ve gained weight, not easy to carry extra kilos and run hor ? Recently just eat and eat but run very little. I’m just optimistic, convincing myself that I can lose it easily when I start preparing in a month or two for my next marathon ? Maybe that’s how I got my BMI to 29 in the past and became obese ?

I’m not a fast runner but it’s nice to be overtaking instead of being overtaken. But not always have the luxury to be overtaking in all the race and run with ease without weaving in and out unless the lanes is wide enough and without bottlenecks. I didn’t stop at any hydration points as I can feel the Liho bouncing around in my stomach ? At 5km point I noticed there’s a hydration point at the opposite direction but runners were cutting across which is pretty messy and jammed as I think it’s for runners who came back from the opposite at their 9km.

When I returned to barrage, finishing my run, the 5km runners were at the start pen waiting for their flag offs. Collected my finisher tee which was printed “10km.21km.30km” which I heard from some of my running friends complaining that it’s not “special” to the runners who put in their effort to run the extra distance. And there’s no bottled water given and we only get a small cup of water upon completion of the run ? Where got enough to drink? Erm, on one of their latest post in Facebook they asked runners to bring own bottle of reduce wastage. But not many people are used to running with bottles eh.

After finishing I saw many familiar runners and chit chat a little wishing them the best for their 21km and 30km before I went to collect my baggage. Although when I deposited my bag there’s no queue as the 10km runnners were already flagged off but when I went to collect my baggage it’s about a 20 minutes queue, with maybe just 20 runners ahead. When I was leaving, the queue was at least 100m long and I was like wish them good luck ?

Marina Barrage is not a really easy accessible place, though there’s shuttle bus service but we just Grab out. It’s still a better location than Bay East at least. I remembered last year at Bay East my shoes were all muddy. The 30km purple medal looks super nice and the 10km medal looks just nice red red and auspicious just like the Chinese New Year mood but can’t help relate the color combination the red and green of the 10km finishers medal with the Chinese tombstones I saw when I went tomb sweeping in Malaysia (Its the similar same shade of green and red some more) ?

Ever since I came back from Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon I’ve become a potato ? I’m just like low battery, need to recharge as I’m lazy and unmotivated to run. Happily nua-ing in my room munching Pineapple tarts. The thoughts of wanting to retire from full marathon comes up, which was supposed to be my “once in a lifetime” bucket list item to do but I’ve done it for six times already ? Really salute those runners who can easily run a marathon and even ultra marathon so frequently machiam its just a piece of cake. Anyway, I honestly had the less sore and tired legs than the rest of the marathons I had ever completed. Wonder was it because I walked a lot during the marathon or it’s the foot massage I had before and after the marathon. Quite tough to find a massage shop at ground floor along the streets as most have signboards that indicates that it’s at level 2 onwards, which I don’t want to try my luck ? The masseur has muscular arms and looks like he’s in his 40s but is already 60 years old and he told me he transferred me his 內功 (internal energy) which kept me wondering was he serious or he’s just joking ? I was screaming because he uses so much strength but he assured me it will be fine, I won’t break a bone(although I heard a few cracks) and both my foot will be very relax after that. It’s a good massage place and after the marathon, I went back immediately. ? Anyway, a few days later my itchy hands were on my phone and taaadaaaa, I’ve registered for another 42.195km to run in September in Sydney, another marathon after Gold Coast marathon in July ?

Many would choose to relax and enjoy the holiday season as the year comes to an end. After all, what better way to sit back and reflect on the fruits of hard labour throughout the year?

NOPE, according to a group of runners who decided that running a relay throughout Penang Island is the very definition of ending a year with a bang!

The Annual Round the Island Relay, organised by the Penang Amateur Athletics Association (PAAA), is typically held in Penang in the second week of December, with the exception of 2017, where it was pushed all the way to 31 December 2017. From a humble participation of just a few teams all the way in 1977, the relay now boasts a participation of 58 teams in 2017. Teams can choose to join any or all of the following three categories, depending on the age and gender of participating runners: Men Open, Men Veteran Open, and Mixed Team. Each team, composed of 12 runners and three substitutes, are required to run the relay through 12 checkpoints of various distances and elevations while holding a baton. The longest and shortest routes of the relay are 7.79 km (Checkpoint 1) and 3.73 km (Checkpoint 5) respectively, with the total mileage of the race set at 72.63 km.

The relay is especially exciting as it involves a great deal of strategy and teamwork, traits that are absent in the usual races. Runners are placed in their respective legs by team managers based on their capability and speed. A wrong move could cost the entire team their timing and placement.

The relay now begins at 4 am, with completion times ranging from about five hours to nine hours, depending on the overall speed of participating teams. Runners for the first leg are flagged off right in front of the City Hall Building at the Esplanade. Runners for the second and third legs are shuttled to their locations by buses prepared specially by the PAAA for the occasion. The rest of the crew are typically ferried to their checkpoints by their team managers and support system. However, runners usually end up gate-crashing all checkpoints to support their teammates and friends, turning the whole area into a cacophonous fiesta.

This time around, I joined team ActifeStyle Happy New Year, a Mixed-category team managed by Andrew Loh. I was designated to run the fifth leg near Balik Pulau, the shortest route of the relay. The route encompassed a few hundred metres of gentle uphill section, followed by a downhill section all the way up to the sixth checkpoint. However, I had the opportunity of visiting every checkpoint before and after my leg as Andrew drove my team mates to all the checkpoints. It was great fun witnessing the exchange of batons among all runners.

Our team began the first leg with Kho Ko King. We kept ourselves busy by cheering for all other participants while waiting for him at the second checkpoint. After passing the baton to Ricky Beh Keng Chun, we picked Kho Ko King and travelled to the third and fourth checkpoints to lend our support to Mathias Adam Maurin and Deborah Chinn. I began feeling nervous as I reached Checkpoint 5, the start of my leg. Fast male runners running in the Men Open and Men Veteran categories flitted quickly between the checkpoints as I waited for my turn to begin. The pressure to perform well increased with the knowledge that my team was ranked top three up to Checkpoint 4. The anxiety tripled when I saw Deborah approaching quickly from afar. She smiled happily as she passed the baton to me. I turned and began my quick ascent up the hill.

I was accompanied all the way by a PAAA official on a motorcycle. The route was a little narrow and dark, but I had company in the form of support cars and motorcycles of various teams who lit the way for me. Two police escorts managed the traffic locked behind me due to my humanly pace. A minor issue arose during my leg in which an impatient driver drove his car beside me and revved his machine a few times before driving away, with the police escorts hot on his heels soon after.

The downhill segment of the route was not very easy on my knees, but thankfully it was a short run. I arrived at Checkpoint 6 in 17 minutes and 11 seconds to a raucous welcome by all participants and supporters there. After passing my baton to my teammate Ewe Bee Hong, I was immediately whisked away by my team manager to follow up with the progress at the other checkpoints.

We dropped Jones Chua Wei Tiong at Checkpoint 7, a route best described as hilly, and wished him well. It was still dark as I reached Checkpoint 8, but I could hear the beautiful sounds of a waterfall in the background. As we waited with the other runners in the middle of a forest, we learnt to our dismay that a runner was accidentally dropped by his team at the wrong checkpoint. A motorcyclist who happened to pass the route at that point offered to send the runner to his correct checkpoint. As Jones arrived, we wished Ling Kee Leong good luck for the next leg, and drove to Checkpoint 9.

Checkpoint 9 was located by the Teluk Bahang dam. A light drizzle and grey skies greeted us as we parked the car to lend our support to Nur Hazimah Idris. The air was cool and the view simply breathtaking. The relay began taking a serious turn at this point as everyone realised that mere minutes separated the top four teams in our category. After wishing Hazimah well, we immediately moved to Checkpoint 10, located by the Batu Ferringhi beach.

As we waited for Kam Woei Yann’s turn to run the 10th leg, the grey skies cleared and the sun began showing itself, despite the drizzle. Wishing for the weather to remain cool, we moved to Checkpoint 11 after Hazimah passed the baton to Woei Yann. It was also revealed at this point that we were in great danger of dropping to the fourth spot. As the baton reached the hands of Gooi Heng Seong, who ran leg 11 of the course, the O2 Hiking Club Team A was proven superior as the team pushed themselves to the third spot.

We then tailgated the final runner of our team, Mayl Yeap Yuh Jiuan, at a safe distance as she tried her best to catch up to the team before us. We drove around and parked ourselves in strategic locations just to yell uplifting words to her as she made her way in the sun to the finishing point. She was greeted by hugs and kisses from team mates and supporters as she crossed the finish line at the Esplanade, tired but happy.

The atmosphere at the Esplanade was carnival-like as teams and supporters lounged around and nibbled on snacks and food generously provided by all teams as well as the PAAA, while waiting for the other teams to arrive. A Milo van was also parked nearby, attracting a long queue that lasted quite a while. Curious tourists milled among us to query about the occasion and snap photographs.

The ActifeStyle Happy New Year team managed to complete the route in 5:25:01, ranking fourth among all mixed teams. We received medals and a team trophy for our efforts. The Annual Round the Island Relay was packed with adrenaline and surprises that were worthy of an action movie. I would definitely recommend this event to runners who are seeking to end their year with a bang!

Photos courtesy of Andrew Loh.