KLSCM 2026 Half Marathon Race Report: Digging Deep and Finding Power on the Streets of KL

Two weeks since the KL Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2026 ended. This year's build-up felt like a roller coaster of metrics and anxiety. From tracking my health biometrics over the last few months to watching the fluctuating Air Quality Index (AQI) mirror the pre-race haze, it felt like a minor miracle just standing in the start pen at Dataran Merdeka. Hands up if you, like me, was waiting for the announcement on 2nd October at 1600 hours.

With the return of the iconic Dataran Merdeka start and finish line, The full marathon flag off at 3:30 AM was electrifying. Watching the gun off brought a lot of admiration for the runners that has put in a lot of effort to be where they were on race day.

Once the last FM runner crosses Jalan Raja Laut junction, the Half Marathon runners started to fill up Dataran. The energy at the 4:45 AM half marathon flag-off was no less exciting as the FM. This year, I have the whole family bundled up to the race start as my support crews. Mighty proud of them for running their best 10k (son clocked a sub 39mins PR and Home Binister come back in a very strong timing) and 5k (debut for my daughter) the day before.

As for me, being the data person I am, was armed with a Garmin on one wrist, a COROS setup on the other, and a Stryd pod securely laced into the shoes, I set out with a definitive data-driven plan to conquer the city roads. This was meant to be my "A" race and a recalibration post my health and recovery episodes has been marked as a "fun run".

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The Pre-Race & Fuelling Execution

This race wasn't just won over the 21.1 kilometers on Sunday; it was built on recovery and a well executed lockdown on my nutrition strategy. After tweaking my health parameters earlier in the training block and removing unnecessary stress indicators from my mind (the need to break my Personal Record), the primary goal was execution and pacing efficiency, and to finish injury free so I can continue to recover for the next season (2027).

My fuelling strategy was timed to prevent any late-stage bonking or drop-offs in performance. Pre-race, I downed one Amino Vital Red gel to prime my muscles with essential amino acids and glucose before the gun fired. Once out on the course, I kept the engine topped up by taking subsequent energy gels (I was using Endurance gels) exactly at KM 8 and KM 15. These gels are designed for both fuelling and hydration, there were very little need for additional hydration. 

We all believes we can fly. Thank you Wan Mahazir PotongTangKona

Water/hydration intake were kept to minimal sips at every water station where I take a cup, sip, gargle and spit out before disposing the cup into the bin. These 2-3s of slowing down actually helped to give the legs a bit of rest before continuing the hustle.

This structured intake (of gel) and hydration paid off massively, keeping my energy levels entirely linear and stable. My mouth remained moist throughout and well hydrated as required.

My baseline training data leading up to the race paid off beautifully. Stryds confirmed a massive boost right around race weekend, showing that my estimated CP has risen to 265W. What this meant is I can push a little higher than I can at 90% Critical Power (CP). Paired with a strong resting heart rate (40bpm) and stable Heart Rate Variability (HRV) (>90), I knew the engine was primed—it was just a matter of managing the pacing over KL's rollers, and recalibrating the expectation that this will not be a Personal Record attempt.

It is after all, a planned "Fun Run".

Thank you Samuel Shotby_Samuel

The Battle on the Asphalt: Pacing by Power

One of the great things about racing with a Stryd power meter is that it completely strips away the illusions of elevation changes. When you hit the grinding highway ramps (AKLEH) or the long, rolling stretches through the heart of the city (LTAT to JSI), looking at pure pace can panic you. Many would push to keep the pace as if on flat ground, only to see the their HR start drifting or the lactic acid build up much earlier, contributing to muscle fatigue. Instead, I locked onto my target wattage (90% of 265 or at my Lactate Threshold) and let the metrics guide my effort.

Thank you Faizul Pixel & Pace



• The Early City Miles (KM 1 to 11): Following the official Garmin Connect Course Route loop, the initial leg of the race took us through the heart of Kuala Lumpur's urban core. Instead of the old routes that climbed into the residential hills of Bukit Tunku, the first half of the race kept us strictly on the city streets, navigating wide roads and urban turns and potholes. Pacing here required disciplined rhythm and keeping to your racing line to be as close to the next road turn as possible. Keeping an eye on the COROS screen to ensure the real time flat power output didn't spike too early during the initial crowd excitement. My Garmin reads the average power over the distance and serve as my PacePro function with elevation taking into consideration. Using both has allowed me to strategise better with data guiding me throughout.

• The AKLEH Highway Launch (KM 12 onwards): The defining tactical segment arrived just after the passing of the 11km mark, where we transitioned onto our singular major highway segment: the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH). Some was joking that AKLEH actually stands for "Ankle Knee Leg Everywhere Hurting". Not wrong but funny.
• Entering the highway at KM 12 completely changed the dynamic of the race. The long, sweeping concrete ramp tested the legs immediately. Very tempting to slow to a walk up the initial 70m at 10 degree gradient. Instead of fighting the sudden elevation climb and watching my pace drop, I maintained a strict, flat power ceiling. Overtaking runners who blasted the early city streets only to blow up on the prolonged highway incline is the ultimate validation of training with power.

• The second part of the highway post toll plaza was more rolling but pace was greatly hampered by the 6-7hours FM runners. Finding a clean spot to run was difficult without having to sidestep or run between runners. Risk of this is on muscle fatigue where a wrong sidestep may trigger cramps. The double U-turn before I headed to Jalan TAR was challenging due to the sheer numbers of runners. 
• From here onwards with Jalan Kuching in sight would meant the final 3km stretch. One more small short climb that get many cursing right at Bulatan Merdeka next to Bank Negara and Royal Selangor Club. Crowd cheering and the cheer zones were scattered along this stretch, building to the crescendo at the final 700m towards finishing line - another U-turn before the final sprint.

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Giving up? Never. Thanks Wan Mahazir PotongTangKona

The Mid-Race Splits: Official Timing Data

Looking back at the official data sync from the KLSCM platform, the consistency of the effort speaks for itself. By aligning the official timing tracking parameters with the real-time Stryd power output, the progression through each milestone shows a perfectly managed engine:

•  257W5KM Split: 22:59 | Pace: 04:35 min/km | Power: 257W |  HR : 156bpm
  • Notes: Smooth, controlled urban running. Focus was on keeping the power capped underneath threshold despite the initial congestion.
• 10KM Split: 46:43 | Pace: 04:40 min/km | Power: 254W|  HR : 156bpm
  • Notes: Approaching the back half of the city streets. Kept the effort rock-steady right before taking the second gel at KM 8.
• 15KM Split: 01:13:58 | Pace: 04:55 min/km | Power: 229W|  HR : 153bpm
  • Notes: High on the AKLEH highway expanse. The power remained firm as the highway ramp gradients kicked in, pushing through the final gel at KM 15 to power home.
• 20KM Split: 01:43:01 | Pace: 05:09 min/km | Power: 236W|  HR : 154bpm
• Official Finish Time: 01:49:30 | Average Pace: 05:11 min/km| Average Power: 244W|  HR : 154bpm

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Thank you Sir. You know who you are.

The Post-Race Analysis: What the Data Says

Crossing the finish line back at Dataran Merdeka, the validation was instant. No injury. No hobbling unlike Score Marathon and overall great feeling when compared to TwinCity.

⚡ OFFICIAL RACE METRICS ⚡
==========================================
Distance: 21.1 km (Garmin recorded 21.7km and Coros 21.5km)
Net Finisher Time: 01:49:30
Average Pace: 05:11 min/km
Overall Rank: 571st / 13,942
Men's Category Rank: 524th / 9,163
Men's Veteran Rank: 108th/1,911
Estimated CP (Stryd): 265 Watts
Recovery Status: Optimized (23hours on Garmin)

The data syncing to my training platform highlighted exactly what went right: a sustained, highly controlled power curve across the entire duration. Granted that the power dipped post KM11, which was expected due to lack of mileage, I sustained and kept at 90% of my CP to bring it home. The strategy of dialling in my recovery, incorporating targeted, measured dosing of a cocktail of supplements (magnesium glycinate, coenzyme Q10, fish oil, and a robust B-complex) routine, not just kept the late-stage cramping entirely at bay, but ensured I had no injury. I was back running at easy Zone 1-2 effort the day after.

The biggest attribute to this year's racing was by simply "showing up". My base fitness saved in again and again. This 1:49:33 timing for a HM wasn't a challenge a year ago, but considering all that things that has taken place, it is a bloody good timing for this challenging course.

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Run Happy. Thank you sir!

The Verdict

KLSCM 2026 proved that numbers don't lie. When you have enough data, honest enough in reporting, good understanding what it meant for you, accept and realised your limits, many things can happen in a good way.

Yes, I was on the mend (rehab and bloodwork), but that doesn't meant I can't do my very best. When you respect your biometrics, train your power zones diligently, and execute according to what your data tells you rather than raw emotion (which includes a lot of convincing 4 weeks pre-race), the execution falls right into place; 100mins is bonus, anything under 110mins is great.

It’s a wrap on a brilliant weekend of racing in Kuala Lumpur, with starting and finishing line back to familiar ground. Time to rest the legs, enjoy a proper recovery phase, and start planning out on what I will want to achieve in 2027. Comeback as they say, may take time, but it will be a comeback nevertheless. 

Planning the next block of performance goals on the horizon, don't wait up too long, I will run beside you soon enough again.

See you on the roads for the next one.

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Beginner Friendly - Basic Bike Fitting

Boardman AiR 9.8 in Fluid Platinum - collector's edition

Over the years, I have done fitting on myself and my friends. Armed with knowledge (read: mistakes) and observing pros and elites on how they setup their bicycle. Specialised bike fitting is expensive affair. It can cost anything from RM600 to well over a thousand ringgit. Some fitter allow for 2 bikes, typically a road bike and a triathlon or TT bike. For those asking, a TT and Triathlon bike is "same-same but different". A TT bike rides more aggressively with aerodynamic being the main purpose while a triathlon bike strikes a balance between comfort and aerodynamic. A Triathlon bike has a raised extension arm rest and a TT bike are often slammed all the way down unforgivingly.

Today, I will share what I know about fitting for a a basic road bike and TT fit you can do yourself. This is assuming you has procure a bike that fit your height.

Let's start with this sequence. The aim is a neutral position that is comfortable, stable and lets you produce power without rocking your hips or overreaching. Being comfortable meant you will be able to enjoy the experience better.

1. Set saddle height first

A practical starting point:

• Sit on the saddle with the bike supported.
• Put your heel on the pedal.
• At the bottom of the pedal stroke, your knee should be almost completely straight, without your hip dropping to reach the pedal.
• When you place the ball of your foot over the pedal axle, this should leave roughly 25–35° of knee flexion at the bottom of the stroke.

Signs saddle is too high: hips rocking, pointing your toes excessively, hamstring discomfort, feeling like you're reaching for the bottom of the stroke.

Too low: excessive knee bend, cramped feeling, burning quads, sometimes pain around the front of the knee.

Protip: Inseam method

If you want to get a bit more technical, you can measure your inseam (in cm) and multiply by 0.883 factor.

• Stand against a wall barefoot with your feet roughly 15cm apart.
• Use a book (hardcover) and press it against your groin. Book because it's 90 degree angle between you and the wall, versus using a ruler which may tilt. 
• Measure the distance between the floor and the top of the book. Easier to get another person to help instead of doing it alone.
• Calculate inseam x 0.883. Measure from centre of bottom bracket to the top of the saddle, following the line of the seat tube.
• Adjust from here onwards, dropping or raising 5mm until you get a nice fit.

2. Saddle fore/aft

With the cranks roughly horizontal (3 o'clock position):

• Start with the front of the knee approximately around the pedal spindle.
• Treat this as a starting point, not an absolute fitting rule.
• Then assess whether the front of your knee is over the spindle (move seat behind) or behind the spindle (move seat to front). Aim for the knee right on the spindle.

Protip: Forearm Method

Fist your hand and use the length of your arm from the elbow to fist/knuckle as a guidance distance between the nose of the saddle to the stem/headset.

For a triathlon bike, the saddle will normally be further forward than a conventional road position, expect a tighter fit between elbow-knuckle and consider fist to be on top of the steer tube/headset.

3. Saddle tilt

Most modern phone has a build in level gauge. Start essentially level (0°).

• Road: approximately 0 to -2° nose-down.
• Triathlon: often slightly more nose-down, particularly with split-nose saddles such as an ISM.

Avoid aggressively tilting the saddle down to solve discomfort. You may simply end up sliding forward and loading your arms.

4. Reach and handlebar height

On a road bike, when you're on the hoods:

• Elbows should have a slight bend.
• Shoulders should feel relaxed rather than shrugged.
• You shouldn't need to lock your elbows to reach the controls.
• You shouldn't feel as though you're constantly pushing yourself backwards with your hands.

If you're an endurance/triathlon rider, prioritize a position you can actually sustain for 2–5 hours, rather than chasing the lowest possible front end.

Protip: Sometimes the tilt of the brake hood plays a part in your overall comfort. Some bike come assembled in a way to get an aesthetically pleasing look (brake hood too flat for a clean streamlined handlebar look), so tilting the handlebar up 1 or 2° may help.

Lastly, if you are immediately planning to use a cleat (or clip).

5. Cleat position

Start conservatively:

• Place the pedal axle around the ball of the foot or slightly behind it.
• Set cleat rotation so your feet naturally point where they want rather than forcing them perfectly straight.
• Make sure left/right positions are reasonably symmetrical unless you have a reason for them not to be.

For long-distance triathlon, I generally prefer a slightly more rearward cleat position as the starting point rather than an aggressively forward one. Be warned though, that a slightly more rearward cleat position will take considerable effort to clip in due to the stiff sole that doesn't allow for flexion to clip more readily than the frontward position.

Protip: Setup a camera to record you from the back wheel, so you can see the movement of both left and right foot as you pedal down. Check to ensure your knee is tracking straight, and not flare-out. Adjust your cleat to enable a more neutral position of leg movement. 

6. The ride test is important

After initial adjustment, ride 30–60 minutes and pay attention to where discomfort appears. These discomfort however may not manifest immediately in the first ride. Do bring a bike tool for minor adjustments as you ride. Even for experience fitters, they will offer a follow up readjustment based on your feedback. Do bear in mind that some of us do have imbalance torso (leg, hands, longer body, longer legs) that may throw some of the fitting off - especially when you attempt it yourself the first time.

Symptom	First thing I'd investigate
Front of knee pain	Saddle potentially too low/forward
Back of knee pain	Saddle potentially too high
Hips rocking	Saddle potentially too high
Numb hands	Excessive reach/drop or too much forward weight
Neck/shoulder fatigue	Reach/drop
Saddle pressure	Saddle shape, position and tilt
One-sided knee pain	Cleat rotation/alignment or asymmetry
Sliding forward	Saddle tilt/reach/position
Can't comfortably stay aero	Aero reach, pad width/stack, saddle position

Don't change several things simultaneously. Measure your starting position, change one variable, typically 2–5 mm at a time, and retest.

Do try the tips above - see you on the road!

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Rebuilding from the Inside Out: What My Blood Work Taught Me About My 2026 Races

Photo by Samuel Wee - KLSCM HM 2026 KM19

If you've been following my recent posts, you know that 2026 has been a humbling year of rebuilding. Turning the big 5-0 while working through calf and glute rehab completely rewrote my training playbook. I shifted my focus heavily toward rehabilitation sessions and deep muscle release by my Rehab Specialist which has greatly helped a lot, reducing my mileage by almost 50% even on my daily runs, cutting down interval workouts and having only 12km as my longest "LSD. Doing all these just for chasing smooth, pain-free movement.

But as any endurance athlete knows, what happens on the tarmac is only half the story. The real engine baseline is written in your biology.

After a gruelling season crossing finish lines at the Twincity Half Marathon, Score Half Marathon, the punishing Men of Steel 123, and most recently, the KLSCM Half Marathon, I noticed my pacing and recovery felt unusually heavy. To find out why, I went in for a comprehensive health and a complete blood screening. The results were eye-opening, perfectly explaining why my racing performance felt like an uphill battle. 

What started as the "never recovery" post Twincity HM, which I thought was just jetlag (I returned from US hours before gun off), triggered the year of staggering fall of fitness in all sense, to accepting that even my A-race (KLSCM HM) has to be adjusted to just a "fun run" pretty much sum it all up. 

A year where I thought turning 50 would meant a rebirth, has pretty much turned into a year of rehab. 

🔎 The Blueprint: The Numbers Behind the Kilometers

When the lab report came back, it wasn't all bad news. In fact, a massive relief was seeing completely clear, negative cancer markers across the board, great (good) cholesterol readings, and a stress test to Level 7 giving a good snapshot of no blockage in the system,  proving that the foundation is solid. 

Of course there were not too great numbers as well where the sugar marker is on the higher side and the Creatinine numbers may raise the eyebrows of some doctors not familiar with your diet and regime. Thankfully, the Family Doctor that attended to me know of my creatine dosing regime and how I take high-sugar spikes for races.  

True enough my fasting sugar level was exemplary, my historical (HbA1c) shows I am at the high side - in my doctor's friend word "you are walking to the door of pre-diabetic, not there, but a bit more". If you wonder, HbA1c is the sugar marker in your blood that stays up to 120 days - a reminder that what you take in the past 3-months pre-complete health and blood work will reflect. Thankfully This knowledge was useful to provide a full context on this "walking to the door, but not yet knocking" analogy.

However, a few critical bio-markers immediately jumped off the page, highlighting why I've been hitting a wall:

• Iron Level: 3.1 µmol/L — Crucially low and deeply deficient.
• Hemoglobin: 135 g/L — Hovering at the lower baseline for active males.
• Homocysteine: 18.5 µmol/L — Elevated well above optimal levels.

"Are you undergoing some menses or bleeding as we speak", my doctor friend asked me.  He wondered how I am still standing and not fainted with that amount of low iron or ferritin level in my system.

And this is the scary part - human body is highly adaptive, and the fact I am still functioning says a lot about how I have it all compensated - but at what cost. He went on to say since the rest of the marker is good, it is likely a sports induced anaemia. A condition where the body is even drawing iron from the bone marrow; not a great sign, but it is what it is. 

For comparison, a normal male iron level runs between 11 and 30, and a female 9-28. I was 3. 3 times lower even than a healthy woman on regular menses. 

Not a brag!

📉 Connecting the Dots: How It Impacted My 2026 Races

When you are training for half marathons and multi-sport triathlons, these aren't just minor data points—they are systemic bottlenecks. I am human, and these systemic bottlenecks usually surface itself as frustrations, demotivation and overall $hitty feelings. 

Your easy runs that you used to do at pace 5, within Zone 2 HR now shows up as pace 6-7 and Zone 3/4 HR. Any slower would meant it's a briskwalk. Swimming meant taking more breath than usual per length, and cycling meant the same hill you climbed all your riding life felt like a massive task. 

And there is the indicator that your VO2max starts to drop point-by-point even when you are putting in the work. I lost 8 VO2max points in up until Score Marathon - a short 6-months post Twincity! My Resting HR went from 40 to 52 upon waking up. HRV were all over the place, rest was never restful.

The Oxygen Bottleneck (Twincity & Score Half Marathons)
My iron levels sitting at a severe 3.1 µmol/L meant my body's iron stores were heavily depleted. Iron is the foundational core of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen directly to working muscles. With a hemoglobin reading of 135 g/L, my oxygen-carrying capacity was highly restricted. During the uptempo stretches of the Twincity and Score Half Marathons, my aerobic ceiling felt artificially capped. I was working significantly harder just to maintain baseline cruising paces.

The Heavy Legs Syndrome (Men of Steel 123)
Moving into the grueling volume of the Men of Steel 123 triathlon, the combination of low iron and an elevated homocysteine level of 18.5 became fully apparent. High homocysteine is often a cellular warning flag for suboptimal B-vitamin methylation, which drastically impairs tissue repair and cardiovascular efficiency. It explains the intense, chronic fatigue and why my recovery between the swim, bike, and run legs felt drastically slowed down.

The Rebuild Phase (KLSCM Half Marathon)
By the time I stood on the start line at the KLSCM Half Marathon, in 1 hour and 49 minutes for the 21km course, I had already begun adjusting my focus. Knowing my internal engine was running on low cellular fuel, I relied entirely on structural efficiency and pacing via power metrics rather than forcing empty anaerobic adaptation. Calibrating my expectation from A to Fun Run helped a lot. But that also meant I had to let my aim of breaking PR to another year, and for the first time in the past 5 KLSCM HM, not running a sub 100minutes HM.

Looking at the data post-race, my Stryd power metrics showed that my structural efficiency paid off, bumping my estimated FTP up to 265W. Despite the low internal fuel tank, my resting heart rate (RHR) at 52 bpm post race and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) at 68 ms tracking stayed within stable, safe parameters, proving that my pacing strategy kept me from completely redlining the engine. It was a race about survival and smart execution rather than chasing raw PRs. Those rehab sessions and exercises has further strengthened my glutes, quads and calves to the extend I did not have cramps - the limiting factor was my lack of mileage and muscle fatigue resistance to continue to push past 11km at pace 4:30. 

🛠 The Game Plan: The Recovery & Dosing Strategy

You can't fix a cellular deficit with sheer willpower. Since the bloodwork and consultation with my doctor friend,  my recovery and performance strategy is shifting focus to a targeted nutritional and supplemental protocol to bring down my homocysteine level from 18.5 and restore my iron reserves.

Homocysteine is an amino acid. It need to be broken down to other chemicals the body need. It is a marker of vitamin deficiency - in this case Vitamin B-complex (basically all the Bs). Elevated homocysteine increases the risk of blood clot, heart disease and stroke. This one was the biggest revelation to me, and honestly, scared me a little more than my low iron.

Here is the nutritional and supplemental approach integrated into the daily routine to build the engine back up:

• Sangobion: Utilized to target iron deficiency and support red blood cell production.
• Vitamin B Complex: Included to support methylation and help manage homocysteine levels.
• Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): Incorporated to support cellular energy production and cardiovascular stamina.
• Fish Oil: Utilized to help address inflammation associated with heavy training loads.
• Probiotics: Included to support gut health and nutrient absorption.
• Magnesium Glycinate: Taken to assist with muscle relaxation and sleep quality.

🗒 The Verdict: Listen to Your Body

Data doesn't lie. Whether it's the power numbers flashing on your Stryd pod or the biochemical data printed on a lab report, your body always tells you exactly where it stands. This blood work wasn't a setback; it was the missing piece of the puzzle. It gave me the precise blueprint needed to fix my foundational health so I can return to the tarmac stronger, healthier, and fully energized.

Until the next run—keep showing up!

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