Save Bukit Kiara : Awesome Night Trail Run

On July 3, 2012, i went into Bukit Kiara twice. First one was with a friend and wifey to recce the trail for a relay event. It was a short "getaway" for me and wifey with some recent busy time with the family sorting out some issues. So, a breathe of fresh air we could both use.

Entrance to Magic Carpet

Pond that you will pass towards the end of Magic Carpet

Part of 2K Loop before night fall

Being chased by babes. Can get used to this

Park Connector all cleaned and ready for KLMTB Carnival (July 7 and 8)

 Later at 8pm, i returned to the Park again as we celebrated Kenny Kwan's birthday in the forest of Kiara. The trails, that will be soon be replaced with tarmac all around, makes you wonder WHY one would want to cut down the Bukit Kiara only to "replant trees" and "pave the road".

Early Birds

Almost all here except Jeff Ooi

It was a dirty dozen that went into Kiara to celebrate with King Kenny (he is in his 40's with fitness of one in his teen) leading the trail run. King Kenny started the run with no mercy with a Reverse Carnival towards Cardiac Arrest that got everyone going from resting heart-rate to top of the lung in a couple of minutes. The short 1km from the car park to the exit near the entrance of 4K loop took about 11minutes to complete with everyone working up a good sweat. Here is HD video of the run, guided by the MJ808 LED lights.

Despite it being full moon on that evening, the trail was dark and uncertain for those not used to run in the dark. One might think they know Kiara well enough (in daylight) will be in for a surprise.

Running on existing Tarmac, won't be the same if this is in the trail, isn't it? So, WHY the need to pave the trails???

Fresh out from the first section, we were led into 4K loop for a funtastic 1km run on part of the 4K. The short 800m was awesome as the numbers of switchbacks and elevation gain was simply superb.

Due to time limitation, i left after 4k loop. The group of 11 went down the 2K loop and i was later informed that they finish their run only at 10pm! That should be almost a 15km run in the jungle that night! Going down to the park, i was torn between using the tarmac and take the Haji Openg road (boring) or take the reverse cardiac/lung buster (oo...dark and exciting).
The choice, as they say, was pretty obvious. It is safer in the jungle than on the road.

Again, if you think you know Kiara well, being alone and running down a path i "thought i knew", almost send me running an extra KM - and it did. I ended up at the other end of Park Connector and regained my bearing to return to the park. It was good stuff.
Total distanced covered for both runs - 3.84km+3.49=7.33km.
Total time elapsed for both runs - 42:11+34:51=1:12 :02
Again, why would anyone wants to take these away? A paved trail? Like seriously? If you hate to see what Bukit Kiara has in the three videos above succumb to development, support the Causes here.
Update: Plan C, the entrance to Bukit Kiara from Hartamas, is officially destroyed as of July 3, 2012. The bunch of 11 runners above ran there only to find the trail missing and replaced with bulldozed...road....sigh.