BSN Night Run 2014: That's Why I Run, And Keep On Running.

It was raining heavily before we got there. And we're stuck in the traffic jam.

When we arrived, it was minutes before the the runners being released. Iqbal and Azam who went to the starting line without me, barely joined the main group.

As for myself, since I want to put my bag at the bag deposit tent had to exasperatedly more than 500m back and forth. By the time I got to cross the starting line, I was left alone.

This is not the how I imagined my first half marathon would start.

For the first few hundred meters, I had ran in a panic. So much that I forgot that I'm not running for 10km anymore but for 21km. I have to converse my energy. My breathing need to be slow and stable. Thank goodness that I realized that and immediately pacing myself properly.

Running at the back

Running at the most back end of the group does pose some awkward situation. For once, I was literally running alone - in a event that being joined by more than 2000 runners. When I passed the starting line alone, I felt like there were sniggers alongside the road.

In the hindsight, I could run with my own pace even from the start. This is a great boost for me. For most of the time in the beginning of the runs, uncontentiously I had been following the crowd's pace. Only after the groups started to thin that I managed to pace myself.

Have you been so slow that even the ambulance is in front of you?

I have two targets in this run. The main one is to finish this run until the finish line. And the second one is to finish it in 3 hours.

Much to my surprise that I had been able to catch up with the end of the group when I reached 2km. At first I was quite doubtful. I thought maybe they were the 10km and 5km runners. But when I glanced up close, their running number starts with Fs and Gs.

They are the 21km runners!

Catching up!

3km. Pace 8:00min/km.

Up until now, I was just running in the slowest running pace to conserve my energy - about 8:00km/min. So when I finally catching up to them, naturally it was a pleasant surprise. Not bad, Hasnol. Not bad.

As expected, when we arrived at the 3km mark, there was a drink stop.

Compared to other runs, this time I have devised a plan. I'll stop at every drink stops that the organizer have been placing approximately at 3km, 7km, 12km and 17km. I also will replenish myself with my own hydration pack every 3km. Rest and hydration play a significant role for me to complete this run.

As I discovered towards the end, the plan didn't really panned out as smoothly as I expected it to be. But since I did have one, I didn't end up like the 44 runners that end up not completing the run.

4.5km. Pace 8:27min/km.

The route went into a U-turn. Finally the dread of seeing the upcoming runners on the opposite road can end. My pace of 8:27 is still in the range of finishing the run in 3 hours.

The elevation of the roads in this run is pretty tricky. While usually when seeing a climbing road I'll be slowing my pace (or just start walking), the road's elevation isn't as clear as it should be. It looked like a flat road, but then suddenly you felt that your running becoming difficult. Then only I realized that the elevation was climbing.

The crazy elevation

No wonder there was a lot of runners that start to walk at the end of the pack.

Support also come in small size

8km. Pace 9:02min/km.

My pace dropped considerably. By this time, finishing the run under 3 hours is already put of the picture. I just need to survive this run. Even my distance between the runners already have a big gap between each others. The runners in the end pack were also suffering.

I had done something that I have never done before in this run. Taking off my knee brace. Running up to this point, I found myself running with discomfort.

There will be more than 12km that I need to run. Stopping for a moment, I decided to take off the knee brace. Let try running without one and see the result.

10.6km. Pace 9:12min/km.

Up until the 10km distance, I was still running in my comfort zone at the sleepy roads in Putrajaya. But more than that, I'll start having problem with my energy level and also the knee started to giving in again. Taking out the knee braces didn't help to elevate the discomfort.

Luckily I was paying attention to the Hong Kong comics at school.

Mengatur pernafasan!!!

Cucuk titik akupuntur!!!

It was when I was struggling throughout controlling my breathing that suddenly it was some people in costumes were waiting in the dark.

My mind was actually very blurry at that time due to fatigue. They looked so creepy that one time I thought they were real...

Nasib baik aku tak tiba-tiba meracau sambil melancarkan kuasa 1 juta HP!!!!!

12.66km. Pace 9:25min/km.

Reaching another drink stop. This time I even refill my hydration bottle while drinking at the station.

The roads getting harder. Not helping when some of the elevation were actually quite steep.

Even an LED lion dance could cheer me up at this moment.

It was then, I bumped into one of the casualty of the BSN Night Run. A young man was sitting down with his shoes removed while clutching his calf. He was having leg cramps.

Solidarity between Malaysian runners was quite high. The first people that went to help the Malay man were two young Chinese guys. After that some runners also stops by giving out salt drinks and also cooling sprays. Since I knew that I couldn't helped much by staying there, I bid my leave and fortunately managed to seek help at the medical personnel at the next stop.

16km. Pace 10:05min/km.

While I'm myself already reduced to walking pace, it was not to noticed that there was a lot of runners that fared worse than me. Along the road there were runners that seems to have their legs given up on them.

I'm not really doing any better either after passing the 16km mark. I'm walking on empty. Every time I tried to jog, my feet hurts. I begin to notice that my pair of Brooks sneakers already wear off. Might need to get a new shoes then.

18.02km. Pace 10:23min/km.

The pain and the soreness start to creep up. If before this I still could managed to ignore them, right now I'm seeking help from the medical to the cooling spray at the next drink stop.

But, know what? They already completely wiped out of the cooling spray. I should knew that this would be happening. Every single runners wants it and I'm already at the end of the pack. Of course the sprays and the creams already finished.

And I still have 4km to go....

20.06km. Pace 10:47min/km.

And.... I finally got a dose of cooling spray when I stumble upon the medical ambulance on the way to 20km. Which was my luck since they were actually assisting another fellow runners while I'm catching up to them.

I'm definitely on the way back to the finish line. I can already recognized some of the roads leading to the end.

But it was the case of so close but still so far since it will be another 2km before I could finally rest my legs.

Sikit lagi.... The dreaded longer road to the finish line...

Sikit lagiiiiii.....

And it was finally over!!!

Habis!!!!

Ending the run at 12:45am, I only able to finish my half marathon after 4 hours 8 minutes. Imagine that. I would never thought that I had spent 4 hours just for running. Huhuhu....

Final 22.58km. Pace 10:59min/km.

First thing I done after finish the run - took out my shoes.

Finally - the finisher T

Huhu.... 21km tu....

RUN RATINGS - BSN NIGHT RUN (HALF MARATHON) 2014
Organizer - 3/5
The last time I joined BSN Night Run was last year for the 10km event. Even though I didn't really enjoyed the run - mostly because from my part, I did felt the organizer really put a lot of effort to raise the running atmosphere for the 10km event. But after running in the half marathon, I can't really felt that atmosphere anymore. I think that because this event will take longer time. By the time I had complete the run, it was already almost 1am, and all the booth almost close shop except for the main tent. This is something I need to consider when I join any half marathon.
Kit & Goodies - 3/5
The main reason why I chose the BSN Night Run because they offered finisher T for half marathon which usually being offered for full marathon events. The medals and the finisher T is as per what I was expected. The running T gradient color scheme is quite cool, but sadly the theme for this year was not very prominent like last year.
Route - 2/5
Challenging. Putrajaya roads is not for the faintest heart. I could see a lot of runners that almost have given up altogether. 27 runners in the men category for the half marathon didn't get to finish line. Running in the night didn't really help either. No view that can be seen and the air was hotter during the night.
Overall Experience - 2/5
When I start running 10km back in 2012, I met with my first wall. Only after 8 runs, I managed to feel confident running that distance. The half marathon my new wall. I didn't expect anything less for my half marathon. I did bad by finishing the run after 4 hours, at the 96% at the back of the pack, but the main point is that I got to the finish line.
To the uninitiated, they don't understand why we torture ourselves running for hours. And it is not even cheap to join these runs. It is only during running that we could be and challenge ourselves. And when running small distance didn't give anymore adrenaline rush, that is why we run for hours.

That is why I run, and keep on running.....