2XU Singapore - 2/4/2017
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This is my first attempt to run outside Malaysia. Managed to complete the HM @ 2:09, injury free and i am happy with it.
Couple of challenges:
1. Registration fee is way above the fee for same distance in Malaysia. But it's indeed a disease, once u are on the running website, too much temptations that you will very likely be able to justify the click n pay.
2. Caught fever just 2 days before the run, its been a while from my last visit to the doc. Alhamdulillah. The doctor offered me water drip for faster recovery (which i declined) + the usual meds, and suggest I run slower (half slower) than my usual pace. But she still think i will complete the run (i like this doc, probably she is a runner too)😜.
3. The race day is also my son's birthday - no excuse, i just forgot abt it during registration. Need to find way to compensate him later.
4. Traveling plan was also an issue. Initially this supposed to be a couple traveling but Rismawati Syafrizal decided not to join (ah that saves a lot). Booked a cheaper bus fare, only later found that the same company has accident history before. Well while u are reading this review means i am still ok!.
5. Accommodation was another issue, so many hotels, hostels and the type, but very expensive. I have to ignore rating and reviews and booked a room @ almost Rm400. Stayed at Hotel 81 Seligi - a clean n simple one but not friendly at all. The reception keep asking me to confirm and reconfirm that i am staying alone. Oh My God.
6. I also forgot to change MYR for SGD. I really thought it will be easy to find Money Changer in the morning around Imbi, but i was perfectly wrong. They open at 10am and my departure was at 9:30am. I knew they widely accept credit card in Sg, but in mamak for food may be not. I have to call for some advance from Ris's friend in Singapore, just in case. Upon arriving Golden Mile Tower in Sg, eventually they still accept changing MYR for SGD, so now i have too much SGD.
7. Renewed my passport back in 2014, but never really use it. Well, I have been sentimental in supporting our local tourism destinations. So, I was happy with the stamping sound on the passport, its like ok this is evidence i have travelled abroad. Then at Tuas checkpoint, i takes 2 hrs to clear the imegresen. Oh My God. Whatever the reason, that was not funny at all. The same goes for the return trip. I was excited they have biometric lanes, but was also warned that it may not work with some passport. I tried and failed, so back to the manual clearance long que. To make things worst i was the last one from our bus much to irritation of the driver. Almost involved in a quarrel with the hunky driver. Not in a mood to be a scapegoat, i have no control on the imegresen procedures so why blame me!
8. REPC - No courier service for REPC, collection arranged a week b4 the race. Lucky got help from Ris's friend. Later on found out that courier can be very expensive which explained why the organiser not offering the service. Few days before race date, they announce that repc will be open in the race day itself for outstation runners. Sigh!
9. The event was well organised i think. It was rainy week in Sg especially in the morning. The organiser sent message to all participant on the possibility of cancelation. On the race day, its clear throughout. Punctual FO, and so many runner for the HM, divided into 8 pens. Participants were from many countries including Indonesia, Thailand, the UK, Malaysia and many more local Singaporean. Plenty of WS, milage marker every KM, plenty of events tents including sports massage, fnb, yoga and etc. The only thing i was not happy was the route choice especially the first 5km, passing through a park i think, with small road pavement, uneven surface with wet grass and mud. Otherwise it was a great event.
10. With my condition, the only target was to finish the race without injury. Started from mid row, the first km was a walk-together among the crowd. Picking up steady pace of 6:30 and increase to average 6:14, managed to finish at 2:09, definitely not up to my usual sub-2, but i am happy with it without injury or cramps. I was really hungry mid race having lost appetite the past 3 days. Sneakers do help, decided not to use chewing gum as it was prohibited in SG.
11. Will i join the event in the future? May be not, too expensive and tiring. Anyway it was a great running event!.
