KLIM 2006

To qoute IronDoc's word " There is only 2 speed, slow and very slow".

That was what happened yesterday.

We were flagged off at 5am. The legs wasn't feeling good, perhaps it's the butterflies in the tummy that caused it. I've never ran longer than 21km. And having said that, i could count with my fingers on ONE hand how many times i even completed pass the 21km mark.

Anyway...

I ran with Doc and Steve initially. The two IronBear and IronDoc. Felt good the initial 30 minutes but i know if i were to continue with their pace, i will not be able to finish the race. Bean and Bacin were already out of sight. So was Soon and Chiah.

Chiak lat.

Then Doc spotted Adilah. Ran up to her and scared the morning shit out of her by suddenly running next to her as if some stalker that gained a few kilograms of guts.

Adilah told me she just wanted to finish the run within 6 hours. That sounded like what i wanted to do. Hence, i decided to run with her, or should i say, let her run with me.

The first 10km from Dataran towards TUDM airbase passing by Midvalley and Taman Desa seems to be pretty easy. We maintained a decent 10km/h pace and if we could maintain that, we could be very well finish in 4 hours. Yeah right.

We ran towards Bukit Petaling thereafter and passing Dewan Bahasa Pustaka before turning right towards Jalan Loke Yew. Passing by the Federal Bakery roundabout and up towards Bulatan Tun Razak was the KM18 mark. Well, i did feel sorry for causing some jam along that single lane next to UE3 shopping complex.

At the Bulatan Tun Razak, we turned left towards Menara PGRM where row and rows of buses were competing with each other on their emission of fresh carbon monoxide and soots. Running along Jalan Peel Purple suddenly ran next to me and said i didn't wait for me..Well, i thought she was like KMs upfront already. Having said that, she went on running and ran far far far...

From Jalan Peel, i knew my leg felt kinda funny by then, the outer portion of my lower knee, i suspect the tibia started hurting. Not good, less than 20km and this is happening. At that point Adilah pointed to me an advertisment that says,
"Add Maths Tuition, if you Fail : 013XXXXXXX". We laughed our heads off...does that mean if you fail, you call them? or if you fail AFTER taking tuition with them, you get a refund?

We passed the KM20 mark right at the junction to Pasar Road and we ran towards Bulatan Kampung Pandan. Traffic started to get busy and at KM21 mark was where we would register our KM20 mark. (don't ask why there is a 1km diff, maybe that 20km mark is actually 19th???)

The time is now 2H20minutes. I've setted my personal best for 21KM race. Last year i did 2H22min in KLIM for 21km. This year, in my attempt to be a marathoner, i did 2H20Min. Feeling happy we ran pass the Indonesian Embassy and took a longer than usual break at the Shell Station's water station as Adilah needs to go to the loo. I stopped and cheer the marathoners on by offering them drinks and chatting with the drink helper. Then came Shen, my newly acquired friend (friend of Anna and Adilah).

We ran towards Starhill where a sudden influx of 7km and 21m runners flood the road. Wow...not alone anymore and definately NOT last on the road! :P Then came the irritating Nike booth infront of 12SI...Hit the wall...Don't give up...Just do it...There is no finish line... err...i don't need to be reminded that i still have 20 odd KMs to go. This stretch of the road is actually the longest without any visible water station until near the Maybank infront of Maju Junction. From there we turned left towards Dataran Merdeka where a numbers of 21km runners are finishing/doing their final 1km sprint to the line.

My knee started hurting teribbly. and i resorted to fast paced walking. Turned off at the junction near Dataran and started running around the EPF building towards Pertama Complex again. At that portion, we split up between the 42 and the 21 runners. Me and Dilah ran slowly (or extra slow) from KM26 onwards...fumbling at our maths over how many more KMs to go...i told her 12, she said otherwise and we both know that at that point, it is not good as sign of fatigue started to sink in. No, we haven't hit the wall yet. There is no wall, imaginery or otherwise that i saw.

Running past the old National Library at Jalan Raja Laut towards Chow Kit, i did catch a glimpse or two of some pleasure ladies sitting on the sidewalk still hoping someone would subscribe to them at that early hour. At this point, my knee hurted so bad that i was only walking as fast as Adilah is running. Reprising our funny moments at last year's Gopeng race where she thought i was walking to wait for her only to run again when she is right behind me...we laughed it off again...and again. This time, i'm close to tears with the pain. Every water station from then on was used to bath my sorry knee with ice and more ice water.

My heartrate was doing great, barely even pushing myself but my knee was giving me a hell of a time. We touched KM30 opposite National Library in 4hours 4 mins. At this rate, we could be doing a 5h30min if we continue to run at a steady pace...well...IF.

We ran/walked along Jalan Tun Razak passing General Hospital and towards Bulatan Pahang and the blocks of public housing that is being demolished. Jalan Ipoh was just upfront and we ran passed the MIC HQ where there was so many people we thought they were actually cheering for us. Passing PWTC, it was a relief to see KM32. Adilah told me that she will run for it from KM34 onwards. I know i would be alone from then.

With more Ice Knee bath at KM34, Adilah ran and occasionally looked behind to see if i'm still in sight. I walked and i limped and i tried various running postion to ease/lessen the pain on the tibia/knee. Found out that if i run with my right leg pointing outwards to the right the pain was bareable...and so that was what i did, running like some crab.

Nearing Parliment, i suddenly saw runners on the flyover above...secretly hoping that i don't need to be running up there as Lake Garden was actually just 200meters up front...i was dead wrong. at KM 35, the race official told me i'm doing 5h3mins. Good. 7 more to go. I guess this was what Doc told me last year about the daunting run along Jalan Duta. I ran towards Jalan Duta and i saw Azmar on his bike. He accompanied me from there on, giving me encouragement which i greatly need. Knee was hurting really badly that even walking was a pain, had to resort to pointing-toes-outward-walk-like-crab from meter to meter. By then, i have 5 more KMs to go. I still have a good 40 minutes. Which i was starting to afraid that i might not be able to make the cut off.

Made the U-turn after the flyover to Jalan Damansara and saw Adilah on the other side of the road. i began ti run whenever i could, gritting my teeth and blocking my pain sensor off. it doesn't work of course. At that point, i was just telling myself that not going for Ironman this year was perhaps the wisest choice as i don't think i could get passed the 180km cycling to run a marathon like these.

At KM 38, i literally soaked my knee in the ice water. The Evil sweeper bus was there too. I ignored it, almost wanting to punture it's tyres to immobilise it, just in case they ride up behind me and ask me to give up.

the next 2km from the Duta Vista to Wisma Pertanian was a real big pain. Running/walking uphill like a crab and the sun was already shining and cooking my head and my back. I know most people would had already completed this run without any problem at all. And there i am, struggling with my own incompetency.

I reached the final 2km soon after. It was downhill from there on along Jalan Jaafar Onn near the Work Ministry and towards Bank Negara Back Entrance. Bank Rakyat was in sight and i know i'm THAT near to complete the run.

Bandit waited for me at KM 41.5 and cheered me on. Found out this dumbass buddy of mine did his first 21km in 3hours 59mins and 10 seconds. 50 seconds from cut off time. Well Done!

i know i touched 42km as i reached the Bentend Dataran. Marathon, being such decieving is actually a 42.195km distance...and that was my last 195meters to go. My watch showed my heartrate to be pumping at 130bpm and i have a comfortable 10 more minutes to go. My final dash, which i believe was a jog bordering on a slow walk took me to my final 100meters...where host of ambulance were waiting. Then on my left, i saw my loyal Light and Easy buddies cheering me on. With Doc having in his hand what looked like my camera..snapping me running away. Then i saw Shine and he gave me a spank on my butt. I saw faces that were familiar near the line.

I felt estatic. Nevermind the pain.

Nevermind that i almost made myself DQ by possibly running a more than 6 hours marathon.

I smiled, posed for the camera doc was holding and duly crossed the line in 5hours 53 minutes. I posed for Anna and the all her climbing buddies were there to cheer me on. I did it. I stopped my watch after i passed the second chip detector at 5hours 55minutes and 3 seconds.

Doc was there to help me. I can still hack it, i'm not tired. Just my knee were hurting.

And so, i did it within the cut off time of 6 hours. My first marathon. And this is for you, My friend, Terence Leong Kwok Onn. This is for you.


The early runner - Purp, Bacin, Bean, Chiah and Me



My unofficial running partner -Adilah going for the final 100 meters


Adilah sprinting for it...5H 41min


Almost there...where everyone?


Oh there you are Doc!!!


Got hensem enough or not?


Finished the whole 42KM and chatting with a few fans...hahaha..i meant Soon KT and gang which breeze through the 42km, unlike me.


Britney Stupe - Thanks Anna for the pic and Thanks for being there to cheer me on!


The Light & Easy Gang that has now turned into Long & Endurance people...


The two sluts in making... Bandit and Bacin, Lovely couple ala Brokeback Mountain.


Let this serves as an inspiration to all of us...This uncle is 73 years YOUNG. Seen posing with IronDoc. And yes, Uncle finished the race before the 30 years OLD me.


My watch's time. I burned close to 7000 kcal, but i didn't use it as an excuse to down 10 Big macs...thugh i wish i could. Was nursing my knee after the race

Unofficial timing:
Ashley : 4:11
Bean - 4:14
Azman - 4:30
Doc - 4:50
Steve - 4:55
Bacin - 5:10
Purp - 5:15
Adilah - 5:41
Stupe - 5:55
Shen - 6:08

Official Results HERE