Mizuno Wave Run 2014: Outclassed
With the added responsibility to send and pick up Haziq to his nursery have fallen into my lap, the opportunity to do the proper preparation was scarce for the Mizuno Wave Run 2014. Plus with the overwhelming job load after the Raya, mentally I was not prepared. My only hope was somehow I may be able to magically 'wing' it this time.
Coming into this event somehow is a 'back to the root' thing for me. The first running event that I had joined back in February 2012 was the Mizuno Wave Run 2012 that had being held in UPM. I had skipped their 2013 event but since decided to join this year. All is because this year I already decided to test myself out from the comfort zone of 10km event. They have the 16km event which will be held in Putrajaya.
In the recent events, the gap of the so called competition between myself and Iqbal have widened considerably. Even though according to him, 'he barely trained and the last run was 5km during the Energizer Night Run (that was 2 weeks ago!)' , I knew that he will be first at the finishing line (even though I had clocked 24km before coming to this event).
All these years that I have been learning and practicing engineering still didn't make me understand how to grasp the physics behind all of that.....
We departed early from Iqbal's home to Putrajaya at 5.30am. We parked the car at the side of the Putrajaya Mosque and pray Suboh there. What should be an early start for us didn't turned out to be when we got at the start line just in the nick of time before the run started. It was all because I was searching for the toilet and found out there was already a long line waiting for turns.
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| The crowd already prepare to start. |
While Iqbal jump straight into the crowd, I do some stretching on my own. When I finally started to run, I found myself in the last pack of the crowd. Not that I mind though. I just hope that I will survive in this run.
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| Modern office in the background. |
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| 31 August celebration in the corner of the month. |
Remember the toilet stop that I didn't managed to do before the start? When the run get to 2km, there was a petrol station, thank God. For the first time, I stopped at a petrol station during a run. It seems that I'm not the only one that had that in mind.
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| Pit stop. |
In this run, there will be 5 drink stops which will be placed approximately every 3km. For the first 2 stops, only mineral water will be served. For the rest, there will be both isotonic drink and mineral water. Because of that, I relied on my hydration running belt supply for the first two stops and gulps everything in the rest. Nice....
This will be my second time running in Putrajaya after BSN Night Run last year. Putrajaya itself as a township is in a different league comparing to the other places in Malaysia. Started to received its residence in 1999, it have been doing really well in this past 14 years.
The scenery in Putrajaya throughout the running route makes me envying the residents living here. It is like a different place unlike Malaysia altogether. Tall trees, big roads (with no potholes), clean environment, with lakes abound makes this place the best place in Malaysia to be called home.
Running in this event I brought together two new gears. The first one is the new Reebok Zigtech Shark 360 that I had bought together with Rosman recently. Even though in the beginning the intention was only to help Rosman to get a new a pair of running shoes, eventually I also get one of those since it was sold on a cheap. I also got hooked after trying it out at the store.
The problem that I have with the shoe is that I didn't break in the shoe long enough before going into the event. I only managed to run 4 times in the shoe clocking 18km in the shoes before coming here. It still felt awkward running in these pair of shoes. I'll be writing a separate review about the shoes later.
The second new gear that I was wearing is the Sony Walkman. My previous Sony Walkman already come to its limit. After served for 7 years, even after a full charge it will only last for maximum 105 minutes. That will only last me up to 12km. Sometimes it will even die when I reached 10km.
The first generation of this type sport walkman from Sony that Iqbal first wore lasts for two years. The problem with it is that it was not waterproof. For this second generation, Sony managed to fix that problem by making their product waterproof. So why Iqbal handing it down to me? Evidently, the ear bud keeps popping out. For me it was the right side. That is why Iqbal is wearing a new earphone utilizing his iPhone. Will keep using it before writing about this later.
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| Arah Cabaran ke atas..... |
By this time I already halfway throughout the running course. The running event for the Mizuno Wave Run had been consistently being professional throughout the running series from 2012 to 2014. Every year there will be a different running course for the runners. While it had being held in UPM back in 2012, it was Putrajaya that had been the choice in 2013 and 2014. But even that, the route had been slightly changed compared to last year.
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| Hydration supply to everyone - even the cops. |
The truth is I didn't get the best out of myself in this run. The route was the best, the organizer was without fault but without proper preparation it is just doom for failure. I'm just happy that I managed to scrapped throughout this run. There were no injury or cramps along the course.
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| Serene lake |
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| A little bit more..... |
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| The finishing line is just around the corner.... |
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| Bam! Done in 2 hours and 29 mins. |
For sure it is not because of my lack of training....
or the lunches at the fast foods......
or sleeping at 11.00pm......
that caused all this. Right?
In a perspective, this run had shown me what it had first shown me back in 2012. Back then, running a 10km event is big thing considering I was only trained by running 2km at the treadmill. To run for the half marathon event will require me to rethink my preparations. The me right now just won't cut it. Totally outclassed.
And of course, Iqbal still managed to get to finishing line first.....
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| Defying the laws of physics..... |
RUN RATINGS - MIZUNO WAVE RUN 2014
Organizer - 4/5
No fault with the organizer. They had done a great job. The drink stops were adequate. The road safety were rightfully done. If only there were cheer teams along the way....
Kit & Goodies - 3/5
Nothing special in the running pack. The running vest design are great especially the back color. The medal's design are great. But it is the only thing that you will get out of the pack.
Route - 4/5
Putrajaya is perfect as a running venue. Not surprisingly, when we ran during the weekend, the residents took up biking and running during the morning.
Overall Experience - 3/5
Not fully prepared running for events more than 10km is not advisable for casual runners. You have been warned.
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