Performance Series (Penang) 09 July 2017

1) The Performance Series

It's all started with the Performance Series (PS) organiser contacting our group via mail, introducing the organisastion, the series and 3 free slots for the PS Penang (the first of 3 PS events in Malaysia - the 2nd in Kuching in Sep 2017 and Setia Alam in Nov 2017). At first, I thought let pass the slot to the other members and all three was taken rather quickly. But later on, when one slot available (due to last minute commitment), I claimed it with big smile - runners with a free running slot is like kids given a candy. Eventually, as the event date getting closer, another 4 AR members decided to register for the event. 5 of us (Mael, Habib, Wan, Farah and myself) planned for the travel together, while Bhuv and Hanafi decided their make their own arrangement.

2) Recovering from Injury

I was still on recovery mode post-injury at the SCKLM in May 2017. I was so relief that the injury was not that severe, no tear ligament or bone fractures, but more of inflammation issue and the common over used tears. Determined for good recovery, I abide to the Orthopedic's recommendations for MRI and XRay scanning assesssment followed by some medications and then religously committed to the rehabilitation program. Much have been focussed on slowly reactivating, strenthening and rebuilding of the specific muscles on the weaker side. At times, its so frustrating that the ITB issues hit me after each 5km slow run. The pain still not fully recovered, still come and go, but at least i am more aware of what to observe and the potential reasons for injury. I was not allowed to hit the road for the whole 2 weeks, and then no longer than 5km easy run until the final week prior to the event, and finally green light granted for 8km then 10km and then 12km. I have to admit that I was still lacking much confidence, let alone the milage, to complete a half marathon distance.

3) The journey begins

Mael generously offered to cover for transportation arrangement, making full round to fetch every single one of us, and he was very sharp on timing - on the dot as promised 2am on Sat our journey begins. He even warned us the penalty of RM2 for each minutes for his waiting time. I never like night time travelling. Mael on the wheel and Wan supposed to be the co-pilot, but really functioning well as he slept like a baby most of the time. As the trip getting quiter, Mael getting more lonely, we decided to stop for a nap at RnR Sg Perak. Habib then took over the driving seat as he is more familiar with George Town road. The plan is to reach Penang early in the morning for breakfast at the the Roti Canai Transfer Road. When we arrived, the place was already having a good crowd. So quickly we ordered a set of roti canai with chicken curry (i never ask for the chicken, but i gues that's part of the standard menu, and why not) and roti bakar with telor goyang for each. We are starving I guess, as we left nothing behind.

Done with breakfast just nice around 9plus am, and REPC only start around 11am, enough time for us to go to the Thief Market Georgetown, the UNESCO listed home to a flea market (lets not debate the name though). I was looking for a vintage lense for my A7II. In fact, I found some vintage canon, olympus, nikon, konica lenses, rather old and untested - it could be a gamble, cheap and may be really worth trying. I negotiated some but later on decided, may be some other time.

REPC - when we reached the Hotel Royal Penang, the REPC was just started, situated at one poorly lit corner at the hotel. A quick process though, simple arrangement couple with some merchandise and sponsors booth. Even the advertising stand I assumed was a creative self made product from PVC pipes, but a bit cheapo look yet effective enough. Anyway, parking is a bit of an issue in Penang. For REPC collection, we know it will be a quick one, so paying RM10 per entry at the hotel sounds too expensive. We parked on the opposite site of the hotel, at the KFC area, and after the REPC, Wan decided to take further adventure to pay a visit to the KFC's toilet. He ended up spending a good long que time, and the rest of us suffocated with so many rudiculous guessing and jokes and assumptions while waiting in the car.

The Kapitan- REPC done, but the Frame Guesthouse is not ready for us yet. So we went for a window shopping in the Perangin-KOMTAR-1Avenue and then head for lunch at the Kapitan Restaurant, Chulia Street, about 300m from the Frame. The Claypot Beef Briyani was good, so to the Chicken Briyani. Well I must say, at least this is within my recommended restaurant wihtin the area. In fact we had several meals here during our trip. It's 24 hours, acceptable cleanliness, tasty food (we also tried nan and tandoori). Also must try the Almond Milk, which only available in the evening onwards.

The Frame Guesthouse - After lunch, its time for the very needed rest at the guesthouse. This is my first time staying in a sharing based guesthouse, and I am surprise that it was a good experience, good for a group travelling for a short trip. It's not that costly also. We were sharing for RM150 for 4, much better comfort for rest and shower compared to backpacking at the event site that I used to do.

4) The Event - Wow.... finally its about the event, the run, the half marathon. The event site loacted at the Fort Corwallis, about 1km away for the Frame. FLag Offf scheduled at 6am, Sunday morning. We had good rest, but its SUNDAY early morning..... so heavy to be up. Alarm set at 4am, good warm up and stretching intended, but 4:00 snooze, 4:15 snooze, 4:30 snooze, 4:45 s*#%t we are late. Lucky that we all already prepare for our gears, so a quick shower and we are already on our way to the site. Not much signage relaing to the event along the way, which was also a bit dark, until we reached the Fort area. Its diffficult to find any sign indicating the event site, until we saw one of the crew waving a kind of torch light directing us to the entrance of the fort. Not much crowd even at 5:45am. The MC was trying to stimulate the runners mood and repeating call of "Are you ready?", but receiving more of a sleepy less interested yaaaa... I am not very sure how many total participants, but by the look of it, it may be around 2k or the most 5k overall. Indeed it was a small event afterall, but not to say it was poorly organised. It was ok and fit for the size actually, of course not comparable to major events.

Earlier I was looking for surau as the Subuh prayer started around 5:50am, a mere 10 minutes gap before flag off. Hanafi still have his wuduk so he proceeded with prayer while I was struggling to find water for wuduk. The toilet was small and already too crowded and long ques. Trying to get some mineral water from the crew but they abide to their duties and commandment, not authorised to give away any. Just about 2 minutes before flag off, I was told that there is a surau near the toilet... phewww it was my fault, i did not search properly. So, i decided to perform Subuh later on along the route.

I am still in recovery mode, so I am not too keen to start from the front line. Habib and Hanafi was further at the front row, probably they were aimng for PB. I was with Mael and Wan taking the tail end, just following the crowded runners walking through the gate. Running is impossible until we reach the main road. I guess we lost couple of minutes from the gun time. Mael has been having this lost soul for running and he kept saying "malas betul nak run". Lucky that Wan is will to accompany him throughout the route, making fun along the way just to be sure both of them completed within the COT.

My first benchmark was passing the first 5km. I was worried if I cannot run more than the 5km without the pain. I was also paying much attention to the GCT Balance, not thinking much about pace. Little that i realised, I was running at average pace 5 for the first 5km, and then maintaining to the 10km, running comforatbly without pain. At 11km, i was behind both Hanafi and Habib, but i need that stop for Subuh at the Shell Station. Stop Watch! After Subuh, I knew I was at least 1km behind both of them. Dare not to risk injury with increasin pace too fast, I was just aiming to finished sub-2 at best and injury free. At 18km, again I met Habib, seems struggling and he was alone. Hanafi surely had move faster ahead. I have to leave Habib too with 3km to go, then pushing a bit more at the final km. At FL, it was 1:52 at my F5. Target achieved, full satisfaction managed to finish the HM injury free and considerably a good time. Its a huge relief, I am back! The first thing I had in mind was the physiotherapist that help me to rebuild and restart the advanture to be running again. Thank you Jia Chee!.

The official result was out later in the evening and it was 2:04, i knew the difference was due to the time wasted walking after the gun time, and also the time I stopped at Shell. No regrets and I am still very happy with the result.

Closing the trip, we went for food hunting but miserably dissapointed:

Walking so long after the run only to find Hameediyah still closed and only started at 10:30am the ealiest
Stopped for lunch at Kassim Mustafa - very poor service, not that clean, food was so so.
Went to Laksa at Gama - CLOSED
Went to Mee Sotong and Rojak Pasembor at Padang Kota Lama - CLOSED
Went to Deen Maju - CLOSED
Went back to Hameediyah to find endless que, so we settled for Muratabak before heading back to KL.