Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM) - 27/11/2016
Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM) - 27/11/2016
#PBIM2016 #AnonymousRunners #ForgetThePaceJustRun #NoMEMORunners #42K #Penang #BestofRunning #Marathon #Marathoner #RunHappy #RespectTheDistance
This is my 4th and final marathon for 2016, my first at PBIM. For many of us, registration was done many months ago, ample time for traveling and accommodation arrangement. Furthermore its the beginning of long school holiday. Being one of the top running event in the country, its like everybody is going to the food-heaven Penang, from cendol to beryani to rojak u name it, the name is just so synonymous - Penang means makanthon. Ehh we are suppose to talk about running ..😜😜😜😜.
But ample time for planning is not neccessarily good though. Initially I was planning for a family trip. But the opposite decision was finally made a week before the event (thanks to my "forever-understanding other half" Rismawati Syafrizal), a solo back-pack travelling for me. Return-flight booked minus hotel comfort, my plan is for a quick 2-day trip, straight to the event site, finish the run and then back to KL, just like my short trip for the MHWHNR back in April. Upon touched down at the Penang International Airport, I knew exactly where to get the bus ride to QB and I was so excited to find out if the fierce rapidpenang kakak still there. Instead this time the experience was much better, the guy manning the booth was very polite, helpful and funny too. I overheard him explaining a route to a mat salleh couple "1 person RM2.70, 2 person RM5.50" then they all laugh together. Anyway, the distance from the Airport to QB is only about 8+km. But the bus route takes about an hour, which make me wonder if it is better to just run instead.
Arrived QB ard 7:30pm, still 6 hrs before FO. After prayer at the nice n spacious surau at the 5th floor, its time to fill up some carbo. At this time, most of our AR guys already settled down at their respective homestay and hotel. Mohd Habib Fadhullah and Diana Syahmie coincidently were at QB to tapau dinner and kind enough to offer me to join them. Similarly, Ismail Razali, though felt cheated with the homestay arrangement, also offered the same but I decided to spend a bit more time at the mall. Mental preparation!!
After dinner, made a short visit to the event site but they are still busy making final preparation. Then went back to QB and decided to lepak at the Coffee Bean until the FO. Around 10:30pm, Mael and Don RB (FMV) arrived and joined me, then followed by Amir Syahmi and then Habib and Syahmie Hassan (FMV). By that time QB already filled up with runners. Its nice to see the presence of international participants around, getting us even more excited for the race. 30 minutes before FO, we went for warm up and bumped with fellow runners - Laksamana Tantari, Md Faizul Md Ismail (FMV), Azrizal HussinNicx Ryme.
About 6k participants running for FM this year. FO was punctual, but as usual the first few km is really a slow walking pace, more of pacing for some space among the crowd. I have set 2 targets for this PBIM: to finish the race injury free and to improve the last 2weeks PNM timing of 5+ hrs. But that target was not supported by a good training or training plan, which proven to be a plan to fail. For SCKLM I used to run 190- 240km a month for abt 4 months, but after that milage drop a lot, was only about half of it, only run whenin the mood that i feel like running, quickly opt for reason not to run, a really poor decision. My 5yo 2nd son used to comment "Acap rasa ayah patut rehat sebulan jgn lari lagi sebab ayah selalu sakit kaki". In contrast, Mohd Yusnisan has improved a lot with good milage and his timing has also improved. So that's a sure reminder - NEVER TAKE TRAINING FOR GRANTED.
So how was my performance?
Honestly, I just glad to finish the run, avoid cramping (with help of salt stick) but still with lots of pain on both feet (sole) especially from Km30 onwards. The first HM was not bad actually, running comfortably with av pace of 5:45-6. The plan was to preserve some energy for the rest of the race. The 2nd half was really a struggle, pace drop to 7-9, and eventually on walking pace on both bridge climb and decline. But i knew that i was not alone, in fact its more like a walkathon event. We (the strugglers) would stop and rest at the ws, along the way stop and re-strecth those painful leg and feet, while some even just lie down or taking a nap probably on the road shoulder. I was scared if they fell down the bridge for whatever reason. Also worried that I got some kind of illusionation of bridge collapsing, so i ran on the middle lane and not anywhere closer to the edge of the bridge.
At the earlier stage i was with the 4hrs pacer, then 4:30 (meet with bro Khairy Md Din following these pacers. Also bumped with another TBs Azuan Wera but dunnot which km), and then 5:00 and by then i know it will be a long day. I almost give up when realising that i cant keep up with the struggling 5:30 pacers ( i gues they were struggling as three of them seperated by some distance). Every step was a pain at that point. I tried ice everywhere - thigh, hamstring, calf, feet, the head and etc, without sucess. The word DNF keep playing in my mind. Mentally it was a torture - neither plain water nor isotonic could ease my throat and I skipped the last 3-4 WS as all those liquid suddenly taste bitter. The sound of music became so annoying to my ear. MC Hammers' 2Legit2Quit doesnt help, Queens' WeRTheChampion sound more like WeRMorons...
At km35, bumped with bro MrFive Zal and we walkeld together n chatted for the next 2km. I was really impressed with his progress. For the month he had already ran 2++km, finished with podium in 2 ultras of 50k and 78k and completing 2 FMs. Wow... Keep it going bro.. He then left me and continue running, and didnt have a chance to meet him at the FL.
Moments later, its a mixed of all categories HM and 10k and realising its only about 3km to go, i made that final push. Keep telling myself "no pain no gain", i want that medal and I have paid for that red fintee. I want it! Pushing for the final 1km and the last roundabout to the FL was like forever. At FL felt a bit disaapointed - no photoks for the victory. More dissapointment as we have to walk a bit more to collect our winnings... but I DID IT... PBIM2016 is history. My F3 recorded 5:05, dunno why la. Official time not out yet but i think it should be somewhere nearer to 6 hrs.
All in all the route was okay, enough road lights in much area, ws at about every 4km (about), with scout boys and medics here n there, road condition was good with elevation up to 60m. (But still wondering why do they have the first U-turn without timing detector/sensor (is that what they call it) as runner may actually just made much earlier turn if they knew). No rain during the race, but it was raining before, so some underground heat make it tougher for the day. FO for FM started 1:30am so throughout the race no sightseeing but the view of the bridge. I have no complaint with regards to the management or organiser, though i heard a bit of issues here and there. PBIM for sure is in my running list.
Congratulations to many FMVs: Don, Remy, ARashid Ellizza Ain MdZin and who else pls raise yr hand... 😜😜😜. Congratulations also to Fyrus Azim on podium PuchIntMarahTong...😜😜 Congratulation to Razman Shah for matching the Kenyans timing, though running less than half the distance, and rewarded with mini medal....
Congratulations also to all runners from Anonymous Runners participating in PBIM (forget the distance, just register) Abdul Halim Ahmad, HazraniHanafiah YanAleim, Syakir Isa, Fafan CantoNa, Tharmendren Mahadevan, Saya Wanie, Sefiyyah Rajimin, Raihana Habib (self-appointed Team Manager) and the rest ... u guys are awesome. Marzuki Khalid successfully trained a protege of Intan on how to select best ambulance to drama with. We had great makan time at Restaurant Hameediyah, enjoyed the long-que for the nice nasi beriyani and kambing. Unfortunately the plan for ais kacang after such a long drive, was terminated due to the very the very very longer que, so we gave up and proceed for my final send off to the airport.
At the airport i almost burst to laughter having seen many "turtles" walking around. That 42k sweet pain is very addictive and we'll be back for more. Earlier, I overheard PakJat Growoldlivefit was saying that this will be his last marathon, no more... but i am more convinced that he will be already registered a couple more FMs in the coming months... lol
