Thursday, October 25, 2018

Japan Administration


This is a short summary of what happen at the Municipal Council or Ward Office during the first week of my stay. I was given a residence card at the airport and the back side of the card was suppose to contain my official address. In order to get that done forms had to be filled. It goes like this:
1. Fill out form with the help of the staff at the house. It's all in Japanese. But the main gist is to put in address, zip code, room number and stuff like that.
2. Brought passport, residence card and it was basically all taken care of by the dorm staff.

I wanted to learn about the process but I felt that it was simplified with the presence of a Japanese citizen/speaker. I also felt like it was pre arranged since we didn't have to take a number or anything.

So, despite of all that, the main takeaway I got from all of this was that:
1) Address is important, way more important than phone number;
2) You have to sometime write you name in katagana (or was it kanji). I got mine printed at the student card so I could just copy the symbols or show them to the officer. I was lucky in that sense; and
3) Don't get your details wrong. Since the use of alphabets are different when filling out forms, so is the understanding/interpretations of information. Tip: Don't mess up the roman alphabets in the first place.

If you apply for anything, this would be them main things to watch out for. I find having someone who can speak Japanese more than helpful, it would make the process A LOT smoother.

Apart from that, I also did my commuter pass. This will save you a ton. Without it I probably would have to spend a fortune to just commute and it just doesn't make sense. I didn't have a Japanese person to help me on this but again, all I need to make sure was, the route I was going to take. So, again address is important.

To open up a bank account and get a cash card (JP post), someone from the university helped us new international students. The form was filled several time as there were a lot of misunderstanding, typos etc. So, I realized that it'll be more helpful if I can find someone who can speak the Malaysia language and Japanese.

So that was what I did when I  went to attempt to purchase a phone line. An undergrad helped and he already knew based on his experience the price range and what to look for in a phone package. I realized they use credit card a lot here. And I didn't want to use my Maybank credit card, worried about the conversion rate etc. The packages that allowed customer to pay with cash card was limited and the packages offered doesn't make economical sense. They don't call much here and a lot of the packages focus on internet data. Looking at how we spend so much time commuting, this makes perfect sense. A lot of communication nowadays is done through internet connection. So what happened was, I decided not to get this ridiculous package using my cash card and decided to apply for a Japanese credit card and  just rely on wifi connection.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Hafdzuan (@hafdzuan) on


In my head, the general administration stuff checklist looks like this.
1) Get uni, dorm admin and official admin (visa, residence card etc.) sorted - Check
2) Commuter pass - Check
3) Bank account - Check
4) Phone line - in progress
5) House - in progress
6) Dependent visa - Not started
7) Getting my family here - not started

The rest are just routine/operational stuff - food, running but the above are the major ones ..Till then.

Japan Initiation.


Let's start off with the fact that I can't commit to a weekly blogpost. So I'm going for monthly.

Here goes:

1. The day I was waiting for had finally arrived. My flight was scheduled to depart at 11:30 PM, 20 September 2018. My family member was there and it was nice having them there. It was emotional wathcing my kids dissapear from sight as I make my way to immigration.

2. At Narita Airport, we had to make a residence card at immigration. It took about an hour. But it got done and I took the bus limo to Shinjuku Station. Having been to Japan I was not that worried as I've experienced the train network there. But it was mostly subway and around town. This time I had to also take the train to Seijo Gakuen Mae which is about half an hour away. Once arrived got in a taxi and straight to dorm. I converted som RM to Yen that should conver me for about a month.

3. The single dorm room was small, as expected. I unpacked and I realized I haven't slept properly since landing. But I have planned to go check out the route to the university and I did that. I didn't want to be late on the first day. It was raining but I managed to reach the university. I thought about eating at the halal cafe but it was closed due to the midterm break. So went back and got some food at a supermarket. And sleep.

5. The entrance ceremony was really formal. A speech by the top management and a student rep also said something. It was done in English. Then the barrage of orientation. It seems I had to :
i) Register for the courses through the university system;
ii) Open up a bank account;
iii) Perform a medical check up;
iv) House/Dorm briefing;
v) Make a commuter pass/discount.
vi) Register your home address within 14 days of arriving and apply for a Certificate of Residence;
vii) Register for National Insurance;

The last two was done at the municipality. There's a lot that goes into it. A seperate post would be fitting.

6. Went running and got lost a lot. Trying to get some rhythm or routine set up. So that running and school can co exist. And also have time to connect with family back home. Got a lot of info on trail running and might try . Going to proceed with my plan to run longer and build up to 100k per week. Tokyo marathon application was rejected so I was thinking about maybe doing a marathon or 50k ultra or big day out in the mountain and a 100k race to maintain my UTMB point. Big goal is to do a 100 miler in 2 - 3 years only if I can get this 100k per week running sorted.



This post was overdue and was updated since I've arrived.

Monday, September 24, 2018

Japan Pre-Departure 2018

I have received a scholarship to pursue a PhD in Japan. I'm blessed for this opportunity but it comes with a price. I have to leave my family behind and I actually have a lot planned sporting wise back home. But it is something that I want and I know I am not the only one giving up something. On certain things, they sacrificed more than I ever will. By they, I mean, my family.

But decision was made and my application was successful. So here I am, writing about it. I want to document this as much as possible so that it'll be cool to look back someday or maybe someone would find it useful or amusing. I don't know the format I'm going to use. I'm going to let it evolve as I continue with my life here. I'll try and update every week in a chronological order. It's not a commitment, but I'll try. I also think I would start my PhD blog/journal to document my thoughts on my research and other PhD related stuff.

This is the first post about Japan and I think it should summarize pre departure. I'm not going to start from the very very beginning. I'm going to start at about a month from departure.

So ..

1. Date was set for me to arrive in Japan on the 21 September 2018. Prior to that I had a briefing at the sponsor's office. It's mostly about funding, some basic info about life in Japan and providing information on how to arrive there safely. Mostly admin stuff.

2. In that session I was also given a letter/notice to bring to embassy along with my visa application document. I went to apply for my visa the same day since it should be ready overnight. But mine was on hold for few days because my name was not in the system. They finally got the clearance from Ministry of Foreign Affair Japan and few days later I got my Visa. Basically you need a Certificate of Eligibility obtained from your sponsor, fill out a form and submit along with your passport.

Tip: Japan got really weird visa photo dimension. I made mine at a photo shop near the temple. It's inside a mall with an open mamak shop with lots of motorcycle parked outside it.

3. Made my visa and I had to sell my car, motorcycle and settle other commitments in Malaysia. Luckily my wife will be joining me in few months time so any outstanding issues was looked out after by her.

4.  And I also had a baby 1 week before I flew off to Japan. I'm glad that I was able to witness the birth of my 4th child. I also try and spend a lot of time with my family and not join any races or have this mad running binge in the middle of the jungle.

5. As far as work is concerned, I was still in the office a week before flying off. Had a nice farewell and I'm sure being in the Government, we will see each other again.

There's a lot going on in between but that is probably the bulk of it. Getting the admin stuff over the line, family, work and committment here in Malaysia. Now I'm here and there's more stuff to sort out.

Till then,





Wednesday, August 15, 2018

The Magnificent Merapoh Trail (TMMT) 2018 100km Race Notes

Image may contain: text
The 4th edition of The Magnificent Merapoh Trail (TMMT) was held from 10th to 11th August in Kg. Merapoh, Pahang. The 2018 race saw some 800 participants from 25 countries in the three race categories - 35km, 70km and 100km. (Cut and Paste from Running Project FB).



More info here

https://www.facebook.com/runningproject/
http://www.asiatrailmaster.com/the-magnificent-merapoh-trail/
https://www.ticket2u.com.my/event/10699/the-magnificent-merapoh-trail-2018-(-tmmt-2018-)

Pre-Race

1. 3rd 100k since I switched from Triathlon to Ultras. Walked the last 50k to the finish in TMBT (1st 100k), DNFed the 2nd - Penang Eco, with less than 10k left with no real physical issues. Probably more mental than anything else really. Between all these 100k race though, I sub-4ed SCKLM which has been a goal of mine (probably gonna be my lifetime PR) and did some   less than 100k trail races including TMMT 65k last year which I finished 5th in my age (or was it gender?) group. Not bad. I knew I wanted to do a 100k here including at cultra. The latter was sold out early though.

2. I always thought sleep was a real issue. All the race I entered this year were done mostly at night to sort of see how it felt running sleep deprived - Penang Eco, 2PM start (~24hr duration) and Fraser Hill, 1 AM start (~14 hr duration). I think night running is an issue but the last night race/start (Fraser Hill) provided a glimpse of hope as mentally I was pretty positive. No major cramps etc. Slowed down a lot due to nutrition perhaps, but still, no major meltdown.

3. With that, for this race the goals were (according to priorities):
      i) Finish
     ii) Run all the runnables for the 1st 50k at whatever pace that is comfortable - A LIAR pace (*As Long I Am Running) which is essentially borderline walking.
     iii) No major cramps
     iv) At least run/shuffle/move quicker the majority of the remaining 50k to finish.
     v) Pay close attention to nutritional/body needs.

4. I was suppose to wake up, pack my stuff and head to Merapoh early Friday morning but decided to chill while catching up on some netflix. At around 10.30AM, panic a bit and rushed to Merapoh. Long story short, stopped to eat, Friday prayer, picked up kit, chat with some buddies, stroll through the expo, got dinner, packed gear, maghrib/isyak prayer and got ready for the start.



Race


5. I started at the back. Tried to be the last person. I didn't want to get caught up in someone's pace early in the race. So I imagined I had cramps and walked. I also imagined my legs were roasted and shuffle. The visualizations was so I consciously slow down and honestly it was really hard. The temptation to just run was there especially at gentle downhills and flats but I kept telling myself it was an investment for the 2nd half of the race.

6. I hiked the uphills at the Palm Oil plantation section towards CP1 like I always do except this time I took it easy. In previous races I would power hike the hills and realized later in the race that it actually took a lot of energy. Uphill was never my strong point and I accepted it, so I casually walk up the hills. At that point of the race I know I'm doing it right because people were passing me.

7. After CP1, I didn't do much except Refilled and Refueled (R&R) with a banana. I wasn't that thirsty or hungry. Kept on moving towards CP2. There were some road sections and I ran where I can at A LIAR* pace. Then I needed to poop. I did that, twice within a span of like 5 minutes. Felt better afterwards.


8. Towards CP3 and CP4, couldn't remember much what was happening maybe because it was at night and you can't see much. I remembered the sky was so full of stars and I was alone during most of the run. There were some river crossing and caves. I was trading places with the 1 and 2 female. They were just so bad ass. Just seeing them grind away and just run through what's in front of them was inspiring. I also thought about how cool it was to be able to run in a cave and crossing beautiful rivers. I was really grateful to be able to experience stuff like that. It's a pity visibility was limited cause the hidden garden caves were nice.

9. At CP4 heading to CP5, changed shirt and socks, R&R. My feet was full of sand, rocks and pebbles. This was going to be the hardest part of the course according to the profile so got my shit together. I went in feeling suprisingly good. There were some pretty steep climbs and downhills. Kept with A LIAR pace, hiked easy up hills. Destroyed my toe nails. Normal ultra stuff lol. Marking were ok eventhough I went offcourse inside a sewer and one of the marshall chased and pointed me to the right way. I was about to blame the marker only to realize the marker was there all along with the overgrown bushes but everything was monochrome and fuzzy. I could only see a few feet in front. The importance of a good lamp can't be stressed enough in this situation.

10. At CP5, heading to 6, prayed and took my time. Had some porridge. Felt ok, not that great, but everything was somewhat according to plan. 1st low point of the race because going to CP6 felt so long. The profile indicated 9km but it felt more. Had a chat with a local Merapoh runner along the way. We kept trading places but I was left eating dust afterwards. Kept grinding and made it to CP6 for R&R. My garmin also went into this infinite restart loop after I pressed the lap button. I have had this issue before and all I can say was RIP garmin.

11. Ran a bit and then suddenly CP7. CP6 and 7 was so close together and I was shocked. Didn't have my 2nd dropbag and my bottle was full. So I decided to go ahead to CP8 for nasik ayam. I was getting hungry.

12. Towards CP8, things started to slow down considerably. I was slowly getting passed by people who I've passed earlier in the race. What ever gap I had built by going through aid station ASAP meant nothing now. Mentally I hit a 2nd low. I remember like more than 20 runners from various category passed me going towards CP8. Including those who ended up on the podium. At the river section, I was also paranoid about slipping on the rocks and hurting myself. That slowed me down even more. But during these "slow" times, I had a nice chat with fellow 35k runners just having fun,feeling miserable but always with a smile. That exchange of small talks and smiles were nice, kept everything in perspective and enjoyable at least.

13. At CP8, no nasi ayam but I had durian first followed by R&R. Then I did a check up on my condition. I was still capable of A LIAR pace and walking. The hurt/numb pain still felt the same whether I was running or not. So I decided to pick it up. I had never experience this before. So far, I was always walking and feeling crappy at the end of all my 100k races. I guess the slow river wading and meeting runners helped in picking up my spirit and also my legs. So, I regrouped and ran the last 10k to CP8 faster than A LIAR pace and just hope for no major blow up. It was in a way an experiment to see how I would respond to running late in a 100k race. I even ran the gentle uphills.

14. At the finish, I was so happy with the fact I ran the majority of the last 10k faster than A LIAR pace and met all my objectives. A friend who didn't race but was there at the finish took pictures and sent them to my wife to inform her I have finished. Felt so relieved I've finished my 3rd 100k.

15. Got some nasi ayam and coconut water at race village. Went to SMK Merapoh to rinse/clean up gear. Then went to masjid merapoh near the KTM station for a quick bath and prayer. Drove back home and on the way had a quick nap at a gas station somewhere and some meals.


Race Comments


16. Finally a good end to a 100k. This was exactly how I wanted to finish a race. Enjoying the finish and not feeling sorry for myself. BUT, I didn't maintain the intensity/drive from the 1st half. Kind of slowly fading a bit towards the end. I felt like I could do better in hindsight but, I'll reserve that for the next race. A positive take away was I still have it in the end to run and probably shouldn't overthink the consequences so much. I also shouldn't have not let myself drift too comfortably into the suffering. Towards the end, suffering in an ultra is a given at any pace. Might as well run to get it overwith.  Also, you have to pay your dues in training and I haven't done so. So in fairness, the outcome pretty much reflects the training.


17. Course was good. I've written about it last year and this year, the new course was even better.  I believe it was the opposite direction from previous year. Previous runners said it was more challenging. I don't know, since I have no point of reference to confirm it.There were some road section but the majority was on trail. Runnable trail. The river section was challenging and something that kind of hard to train for. U just have to trust your shoes and get on with it. Shoes/socks are gonna get wet and an extra dry socks can come in handy.

18. What I like about this race was:

a) The aid station was well stocked with various food and liquids. No complaint here.

b) In general, marking was good. Marshalling was great as well.

c) Organization overall was good.
d) Same day REPC and race.

e) ICE COLD COKE, 100 PLUS and WATER. Even at night. Salute!
f) I don't really pay attention to the Tshirt, but their finisher Ts was nice. That ITRA point tho.

g) Finish line photo.
h) Fireworks at the start.

i) Good meal at finish.

19. There wasn't much wrong about the race. Room for improvement:

a) Profile and actual distance/elevation varies. CP6 and CP7 for instance.
b) There were part of the river section that went up chest high. At these part, a signage would be great so people could waterproof their belongings, take their packs off or whatever.

c) Maybe, there were too much food? I hope there wasn't any wastages. I don't know. Hope not.
d) Felt like the guide book could provide more info.

20. I was also inspired by the female top runners having ran some part of the course with them and witness their willpower. They were really something. They're no stereotype women. They're the kind of role model that my own lil gals could look up too. Humble, grit, perseverance. And enjoying it all at the same time. Girl power!. The male top runners were inspiring as well. But they have more exposure and I already knew they're beasts by default.

21. Speaking of inspiration, how about the mid/back of the pack runners?. One uncle dip himslef in the river and just chilled. Living and enjoying the moment. I need more of that. Run because of the joy of running not because training for a race. Also special mention to this local Merapoh guy who was running with road shoes, no fancy gears, even hand held a 1.5L mineral water and whooped my ass. Best of luck to this guy on future ultras.

22. Volunteers - was so great. Very helpful. Couldn't thank them enough. MC was cool as well. Photographers and everyone else involved in making TMMT a success. Finally, my family, wife especially, for picking up the slack with regards to day to day domestic stuff while I was training or racing.

The Race

23. Entry Fee: Early Bird, RM400.14

24. Result: 16:09:33, h:m:s

25. POsition: 20/134 overall, 18/113 gender/category

http://results.checkpointspot.asia/results.aspx?CId=17036&RId=216&EId=1

Final Note

26. This race looks to become a regular on runners calendar. Kind of like Cultra. But hopefully not too much like Cultra. Cultra's becoming a bit Ironman-ish. Cultrarian? Mugs and merchandise?. I'm cool with it, but I think it's a bit too much marketing/branding for my liking. As far as organization and race/course is concerned, Cultra (and Ironman) is great tho.

27. Keep TMMT like this, local fruits, local people involvement, ICE!, great food, unique course - it felt authentic. I got goosebumps the first time I saw the starting area. The metal bridge before the finish brings back 2017 memories. Merapoh and this race is so iconic.

28. This was my last race for the year and hopefully not the last for TMMT. I really hope, the state government/authority preserve/conserve the area. I mean not just for the sake of ultra runners, but for the people in general. I would love to one day bring my family and just chill at the river, hike and bring them caving there one day. And tell them about how I did it all in a day.

29. Gonna be a busy September. New adventure awaits! Till then.

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Fraser Hill Tristate Ultra 50km 2018 Race Notes.

Fraser's Hill Tristate Ultra Trail Run 2018

https://event.howei.com/event/frasers-hill-tristate-ultra-trail-2018

Distance: 50km
Elevation Gain: 2,303 m
Cut Off Times: 17 hrs
Organizer: Kow Kow Sport



1. After Penang Eco 100k, I decided to take it easy. Recover, run a bit, be healthy for Ramadhan. Goal was to avoid a 2nd straight DNF while experimenting some stuff. Leading up to the race, organizer sent a PDF race info kit/guide. Pretty insightful but there wasn't much info on the course. You sort of have to estimate the gain by looking at the profile image.

2. So I did some google research on the course and turned out the route was basically a famous out and back hike to Gunung Semangkok (GS) and some trails around town. Due to the mysterious "land slide", the route was altered to cater for the missing section after GS. So it's basically a duo-state ultra.

3. As I dig deeper, I realized that it's going to be tough but since the distance was only for about 50k, I assume it was going to be ok. My assessment has never been off.



Pre-race

4. I did the REPC at KL so I was in no rush to get to race site. Arrived and parked at the nearby mosque and went straight to the expo. Nothing interesting and new. I asked the organizers for some basic stuff which wasn't in the guide like baggage drop but they thought I meant drop bag. So they say there's no baggage drop (turned out there was). Tried to sleep at around 9PM and woke up at 11PM to get the gears ready.

5. Did the mandatory check and listened to the briefing. Race starts at 1 AM and started with the poles in hand.

Race

6. The first 10k was basically a rolling road run around the town area. There were some short trail section before going up to pine tree hill peak.

7. Suprisingly, I didn' realize we have passed pine tree hill peak and was on our way to GS. By the time I was at CP3, I was glad to hear that there are about 5k (climb) to go to GS.

8. I didn't refill as I assumed that 1L would be enough. However, I used most of it to perform ablution for subuh prayer by the side of the trail. At the top of GS (CP4) there were just guys taking our number. No water or food so, I consumed my supplies and had to save whatever water I have left before heading down. I also stowed the poles and tried to go down as quickly as possible. It was also already daylight by then.

9. Back at CP5/CP2, refilled my water and swiftly made my way to Jeriau (CP7). It turned out to be quite a downhill/hike. I hit my head from an overhanging branch and immediately stopped. It felt like I was hit by a metal pipe. I stopped and found that my eyebrow were bleeding but not gushing or anything. I walked it off and realized it's not that (relatively) serious. At the Pine tree hill peak - I can finally see the amazing view.

10. I also ran out of water and luckily these 2 guys who decided to DNF gave me some of theirs. That probably saved my race and I am grateful for that and why I love this community of trail runners!. Out from Jeriau/CP7, we had to endure this uphill road section back to town. Once in town, one of the crew in a car pulled up and told me to turn right at the roundabout to finish. He even said it's close and semi-congratulated me. This makes sense since I've already covered 50k+. Upon reaching the roundabout though, I saw a sign that says "50k go straight". I followed that sign which lead to Bishop trail.

11. In Bishop trail, I was alone and doubt started to creep in whether I should've turned right at the round about and finish the damn thing. The race was pretty disorganized so they might have decided to cut it short. I arrived at a junction in the trail that leads to more trail and to town. I decided to head to town even though the marking indicates to continue straight down the trail (I tought marking was ok). En route, saw the 2nd runner up in his car and was encouraging me to keep going (more reason to love the community). He quickly pointed out I was off course which meant that I was given the wrong advice by the crew in the car. I was probably assumed to be a 25k finisher or DNFer.

12. I was not that dissapointed though since I was not competing. Having lost about maybe half an hour, timing didn't matter much and I just want to finish the race since I'm nearing the end anyway. There were other runners/spectators encouraging (did I already mention how cool the community was?) which really makes my day.

13. So I continued on, hiked the remaining trail in town, Bishop, Rompin etc. before arriving at the finish. I enjoyed the last bit as I felt like I was sight seeing Fraser Hill in one day!. I had to somehow alert the organizer upon finishing as they were busy doing I don't know what.

Post-race

14. If there was food, I wasn't directed to it. Got the customary shirt/medal. Went back to the car, shower, prayed, got some food and drove back home.

Race comments

15. My race was pretty good. The reason to run this race was because it starts at 1 am. I seldom (never?) train in the middle of the night and this run provide the experience to run with inadequate sleep and test my cheap headlamp. I did 2 ultra that involves running through the night (TMBT/PenangEco) and I didn't do too good. In those races, I lost motivation towards the end and I contributed it to lack of sleep. In this race however, I was positive throughout and rarely screaming "F**k this s**t!" inside. Those negative moments was probably down to nutrition because after I got some calories in, my head/thinking felt better. In TMBT/PenangEco my head was so fuzzy and negative.

16. I also ran with the poles for the 1st half and found that it's pretty useful at the steep road section but quite a hassle at technical section and at downhills because you need to use your hands a lot. I wouldn't rule them out and will practice more with them.

17. Nutrition was something I also tested out. I mainly consume tailwind/water, 1 tesco chocolote chip granola bar, 1 cocopie, some watermelon and banana (at Jeriau). So the fact that I can recall the quantity of stuff I consumed was pretty cool. No major cramps and still ran some parts towards the end. In my previous race I consumed too much, countless gels and hanging around aid station eating.

18. I have mixed feeling for the overall race experience though. The course was challenging and beautiful and I believe most runners truly enjoyed the course (up to a certain point) but from a consumer point of view I have to question the value of doing this race.

19. A typical consumer would compare goods and services to try and get the best value for money. I value a race according to these main item:

i)  location (course uniqueness/challenge/training effect)
ii) services (from pre race info, UTMB points to race day organization);and
iii) goods (REPC goodies, t shirt, medals, aid station content).

I think for item i) there's no doubt it that it was well worth it. But for item ii) and iii) there's a lot that can be improved when compared to other races at around the same price point.

20. Goods and Services - I don't know but it felt a bit disorganized. From the beginning there were a lot of anomaly. For example, the statement "PLEASE NOTE AID STATION POSITIONS ARE BASED ON VOLUNTEER AVAILABILITY" in the guide was a red flag. The profile on the guide/website doesn't show elevation gained between station which I would normally use in training to determine point to point climb/descent difficulty. The correct GPX file was uploaded the day before the race (less than 24 hours actually). The baggage drop looks like a last minute kind of thing with the masking tape, the finishing line snub/lack of hospitality etc.

21. Granted, this probably sounds a bit entitled. I mean ultra runner are suppose to be bad ass right?. But there are things from a paying consumer/runner point of view that should be prioritized. For instance, aid station distance (time wise) was probably a bit far especially when you have steep climbs. At Jeriau (last CP) I saw tons of energy drinks, bananas etc. and felt like supplies could probably be better distributed among CPs. Apart from the tough course conditions, this too probably contributed to the amount of DNFers. DNFers had to hike back out so it's not as if they get to ride in a car (except at last CP - better access to road). So the general effort to preserve the well being of runners and evacuation of DNFers/injured runners feels like an afterthought.

22. I also think that some safety aspect was overlooked. Safety concerns can't be stressed enough especially after what happened at PD tri. This course is tough and at some point dangerous. A crew or two at critical sections (i.e. wall/rock climbing section at night!) in case anything happen can mean a lot. A medic would be better but feels like I'm asking too much.

Image result for pine tree hill
Rock climbing - fun, but a bit dangerous (pic: fraserhill.info)
23. To be fair, I understand that it is difficult to get to some of these check points let alone while hauling supplies. It could also create unncessary waste/garbage. Maybe the location of the aid station can be placed strategically when the route was designed. Or, they can provide estimated hike time or in my case CP to CP elevation gain so runners are better prepared. Some pictures/videos of the course especially on these dangerous sections can also help.

24. Speaking of course design, I also feel like I can cheat the course since the race didn't have proper tracking electronically or manually towards the end of the race. I literally saw no crew after Jeriau except by chance - the guy in the car that gave me the wrong direction.

25. I have to qualify some of the statements made though. The guide did show no water/food at GS and there could probably be some food at the finish (I didn't check). But generally runners, myself included, didn't pay enough attention to the guide given, assumed the CPs are like other races and was too tired to think hoping for the crews to (correctly) assist during these times.

26. Upon checking their FB page, the reviews sort of validated my observations of this race. The common theme of safety and aid stations are prevalent. Generally people felt like they were ripped-off. It is also regretful to see some trail runners scoffing at the comments/reviews. I feel like there's a clique forming. I hate that participants are arguing among themselves. The fact that participants chose to pay to run this race (yes, self inflicted) does not take away the fact that the organizers didn't do their job properly. This to me is a threat to this sport because any mishaps would involve the authority and could effect other races. This threat is real based on actual accounts of injured/DNF runners.

26. The review section is also interesting because you can observe range of runners in terms of ability and understanding. It's the responsibility of the organizers/crew to ensure that their services cover all spectrum of runners.

27. And for heaven's sake, RDs out there, can we stop with this finishing medal/Ts BS. Let's just call it a participant medal and be done with it.

The Race

28. Entry Fee: Early Bird, RM265.90

29. Result: 14:02:04, h:m:s, 25/97 overall, 24/80 gender, 14/41 category

30. Finisher rate:
97/144 - 67.4% (50km)
85/220 - 38.6% (25km)
196/223 - 87.9% (15km)

http://runnersunite.racetecresults.com/Results.aspx?CId=16634&RId=1064

*My garmin didn't properly record and was unable to download the data. What a tragedy.

Final Note

31. The trail were amazing and some sections were runnable. I truly enjoyed the running part. It is also challenging and I love that too. I was happy with the way I ran it and manage again to discover and experience something new with my running.

32. However, as a noob/mid pack runner, I consider things like safety and aid stations as a basic standard feature in any race. Heck, for the elites, the risk is even greater especially when descending at high speed. IMHO, having measures to minimize risks gives you more confidence and a peace of mind to finish the race even when you are f**cked up.

33. Also, when you pay almost the same as other races, you expect comparable goods/services. When an organizer do something because it makes their job easier instead of the paying customer/runners you know something is off. For this tough race, the lack of crew and basic organization (to me at least) was a clear symptom of this. Some I can live without but some are just basic and is commonly practiced by other races/RDs.

34. In general, the whole community is involved in producing a good race experience:


  • Runners/praticipants in general - Train for the race, be informed of the risks, provide feedback;
  • Organizers - Provide clear information, assist runners to finish and enjoy the race as much as possible regardless of their ability pre race/race/post race;
  • MURA/MUL or whatever association - They are doing good job voluntarily reviewing races. But maybe they can take it a bit further by imposing or at least providing some minimum standard requirement guide for RD/runners. It could be a blog post for all I care. At least we can make more informed decisions;
  • Seasoned runners - Their voices are heard and I feel like they could make a big difference in making races better instead of scoffing (not all tho) at how soft new runners are;
  • Authorities - Generally, they have been helpful. The BOMBA, police, JPAM etc. I'm more worried when bad things happens and they take the easy way out by stopping any future races because it is deemed dangerous/fatal.

35. I hope organizers use this race to learn and improve for their sake. Consumers (in this case runners), will ultimately choose based on the value they can get with their hard earned money and not just how good the trail and tshirt/medal design are. I don't wish to see runners arguing among each other in socmed. As in any endurance endevour there are risks involved but it can be managed with better information/prevention measures. It's a niche sport with awesome community and we don't want to build a perception that trail running is a wreckless sport ran/organized by wreckless people.

Next race: FGV Tekam 25k

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Penang Eco 100km 2018 Race Notes



https://www.facebook.com/PenangEco100/

http://endurancenature.com.my/index.php/penangeco1002018/

Exact Distance: 104.0km
Elevation Gain: 3494m D+
Cut Off Times: 30 hours

Pre-Race

1. Trained. Went and done some hill reps. No actual long run. Kept it below 2 hrs. Hoping to carry some of the SCKLM fitness. Since the race had less elevation gain than TMBT 100k, a sub 24 hour (22-23 hour) finish seems like a reasonable target.

2. Went with mom and dad. They were visiting relatives and friends near the area.

Race

3. Strategy: stay on top of things. Run easy all day. Avoid cramps until halfway. Eat as much as possible. Run at runnable section at comfortable pace.

4. Coming into CP 1 -3 : Nothing new. Ran as slow as possible. Heat zaps some energy.
CP 4: Legs felt like crap. But still running.
CP5: Walked most of it. Didn't feel that bad, had some proper meal/solid food. Overall Ok.
CP6: Suprisingly good. The hot meal helped. Rushed at CP. Didn't fuel up well for the next section.
CP7: Horrible, the climbs and descent zaps whatever energy remained. Laid at the basketball court. Couldn't eat much.
CP8: Flat but couldn't run. Ran in worser physical condition before tho. Walked all of it questioning my participation in this race. Sleep deprived setting in. Underestimated the power of sleep.
CP9: Slow but moving. Getting sick of the whole thing. Pray and poop.
CP10: Annoyed. Impatience. Wanted to stop. Saw daylight.
CP11: Stopped. With 7km and maybe 2-3 hours to finish.

Post-race

5. Declared DNF, surrender the chip and got the drop bag. Immediately got on the car and went home. Arrived at some RnR for shower and food. Slept about 3/4 on the journey home.

Race Comments

6. DNF. I was at the last CP and volunteers were trying to convince me to continue but my mind was made up. I was tired which was expected in a race like this. But I was more mentally fatigued and I think I have passed the point of diminishing return.

7. It was fun, challenging etc. at first. Then it became borderline stupid and I started questioning the reason for doing it, feeling like it's a complete waste of time. It was compounded by the fact that I needed to finish before 12:00 PM since mom and dad had checked out of the hotel. I was also frustrated by the way I was moving. The tradeoff were not that much attractive either, a medal, finisher T. I didn't race because of that, and while contemplating about DNF I felt like the remaining time seems better invested into something useful (like going home and rest).

8. Felt slight regret because it would be nice to register a time for a 100k race like this for future reference. I think finishing a 100k, ~4000m vert within the cut off is somewhat established. The mistake I made was embedding this idea in my head that there should be some improvement from my previous TMBT 100k, time wise and experience wise. There wasn't. I wanted a good race. No pity party. Just a focused, straight forward race where I did all the things that was planned. Overcoming challenges along the way. However, near the end, I spent too much time thinking about quitting and how everything sucked. I succumbed to those feelings and at that moment, it was the easiest decision I have ever made but for probably for the weakest reason. It's not physical but purely mental.

9. The race was literally divided into two parts. By design or coincidence, not sure. 1st 50k, flat, some small climbs. Ran in palm plantations, some village road section, paddy field and trail. There were some nice part in there especially when we climbed up this hill with a house on top. That was nice.

10. The second part was done in the dark and it was really tough. It was pure trail and very technical. Steep climbs and movement was slow. Highlight of the 2nd half include running out of CP 5 going to CP 6. It was beside a dam or some huge body of water before proceeding for the climbs. I felt good and confident. Upon reaching CP 7, for some stupid reason, I decided to rush and only took in few food. Restocked and went off to CP 7. The climbs got steeper and I was slowly draining energy. There were some flat section going to CP 8 but it was then that I realized I didn't have it to run. That was the acid test and I failed. Even though I was feeling crappy, I can't help but be mesmerized at these small beaming lights coming from runner's head lamps as they made their way up the hill. I felt humbled and small.

11. At CP 9, the volunteers made coffee. It was nice. I stopped for a while to pray and poop. Didn't have the appetite for anything. It's dawn and I secretly told myself that I would finish it by 12. Upon reaching CP 10, it was around 10 am, but things didn't look good. I was moving slow. I arrived at CP11 at 12:35PM and called it a day. I needed to get back home.

10. As for the race organization, it was the best I've experienced so far. I applaud them for:

a) providing dedicated drop bags;
b) real volunteers who understand the need of fatigued/half asleep runners;
c) markers were accurate;
d) choice of food was nice - watermelon and coke ftw!;
e) Large area at halfway CP for runners to take care of things;
f) pre-race information was spot on, timely and up to date;
g) Provided hotels, transport info etc.

11. I do however have to point out that some runner didn't pick up their timing device because they were not directed (REPC at race site). They can in the future have some sort of flow when picking up the REPC. I had to ask for mine. Maybe it's different during the REPC session at the hotel.

The Race

12. DNF
22:35:48
STATION DISTANCE FROM START TIME OF DAY SPEED RACE TIME
START 0 Km Sat, 02:00:00 pm - -
CP1 9.9 Km
CP2 20.1 Km Sat, 04:24:01 pm 8.37 Km/Hr 02:24:01
CP3 29.7 Km Sat, 05:44:22 pm 7.94 Km/Hr 03:44:22
CP4 42.8 Km Sat, 07:58:22 pm 7.17 Km/Hr 05:58:22
CP5 49.9 Km Sat, 09:25:26 pm 6.72 Km/Hr 07:25:26
CP6 59.7 Km Sun, 12:15:57 am 5.82 Km/Hr 10:15:57
CP7 69.8 Km Sun, 03:46:14 am 5.07 Km/Hr 13:46:14
CP8 78.4 Km Sun, 05:58:59 am 4.91 Km/Hr 15:58:59
CP9 83.8 Km Sun, 08:30:36 am 4.53 Km/Hr 18:30:36
CP10 86.9 Km Sun, 09:53:04 am 4.37 Km/Hr 19:53:04
Cp11 95.9 Km Sun, 12:35:48 pm 4.24 Km/Hr 22:35:48
FINISH 104 Km

Race Detail

13. Time: 22:35:48
Distance: 95.9 km (3,575m+)

Final note

14. Looking back, it felt so good to DNF at that time. I was desperate for some real food and sleep. Physically I was ok to continue. There were other runners in more severe conditions and they finished. But this race was about improvement and that was my main motivation. It was about still running the flats. Moving at a good pace on the climbs etc. It didn't happen and I lost all motivation.

15. I have to manage my expectation better. Just because I trained, doesn't mean things will improve. It may suck and I've identified why it did. I think the more I race, the more mistakes/experience will be revealed. So I have to live with the fact that no matter how much I prepare, shit happens and will continue to happen. You move on and learn.

16. This race seems perfect for anyone who is going for their first 100k, 50k or 30k. Challenging and well organized. Perfect combination. For 100 miles not sure.

17. Next up, fraser tri state ultra 50k. Less than a month after Eid so I'm expecting a very tough day, but hopefully no pity party.



Friday, April 13, 2018

Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2018 Race Notes


Standard Charted Kuala Lumpur Marathon 2018
The 10th Anniversary of the SCKLM was held on 8 April 2018 and takes runner through KL. It's a new course (I think), but still retain the rolling hills which to me is the hallmark of SCKLM. Around 38,000 runner participated in various category from FM down to kids dash. I registered for the FM hoping to (again) break 4 hour.



More info:

https://www.kl-marathon.com/

Pre-Race

1. Around 4 hour into last year's race, I was upset things didn't go the way I hope it would. While nursing my cramps and jogging to the finish, I was determined to sub 4 SCKLM 2018. I was less prepared then and "hoping" things would go my way was not really a convincing strategy. After the 2017 race, I examined what went wrong, found a training plan and stuck to it. SCKLM sub 4 mission officially started early December 2017.

2. SCKLM was personal because apart from the Ironman marathon, I never ran a marathon other than SCKLM. I set a goal to go sub 4 at my first and second SCKLM and failed miserably. My 3rd last year was close but not good enough. I knew I needed to properly train and I did that this year. That was why coming into this race, I was less nervous. In fact, on Saturday, I was more excited about taking my kids to play at the KLCC playground plus having a nice dinner at KLCC than the REPC.

3. My strategy was to run 5:30/km, get to halfway for subuh prayer plus some major maintenance and see out the rest of the way around the same pace. I planned to perform ablution (wudu) before starting so that I could pray with my socks on. I also planned to take it easy on the uphills and take advantage of the downhills. There's little margin for error like pooping or cramping etc. during the race. I told my wife the day before the race that it's gonna be 3:50 to close to 4:00 hour.

Race-Day

4. Slept around 10 PM and woke up at 3 AM. Had my usual breakfast and pooped. This was a mini victory for me as far as pre race ritual is concerned as I rate pooping higher than warming up haha. By 3:30, I had showered and started warming up in front of the hotel.  It was nothing fancy, just routines/drills to mobilize the hips. 15 mins before the start, jogged to Pen 2. It was already overflowed. However, as people started filling the gaps, I squeezed in. The runners around me were mostly happy, nervous etc. Being someone who is kind of an introvert, I relish being all alone among thousand of runners. I was focused on not getting beat by the course.

5. While waiting for flag off, I saw the 4 hr pacer and 3:45 pacer with their oversized balloons. I decided to stay in between them so I could worry less about pacing. I couldn't trust the GPS signal around tall buildings. At 4 am sharp, the gun went off and I focused on hitting my cadence at >170 spm. Lots of people were in front of me but the road was wide enough. I was faster than my goal pace and slowly catching up to the 3:45 pacer. This was when the competitive side of me started giving me funny ideas. I thought that I should capitalize the great feeling I was having and stick with the 3:45 pacer and try to go sub 2:50. But the rational side of me was obviously against the idea as I was about one hour into the race, and at that rate, I'm sure to blow up and could easily go from feeling great to not so great.

6. So, I decided that it's too much of a risk to follow the 3:45 pacers. Instead, I used the buffer I had to slow down at aid stations and just taking it easy on the uphills while ensuring the 4hr pacer were still behind me. I ran sub 2 at half way, my stomach was fine, legs were good, still didn't fart or anything so all were good. I had the urge to pee though, but I needed to perform the Subuh prayer first. I had to hold it in until I reached the 27km mark to pray and then peed. Feeling good afterwards, I decided to run a little bit on the uphill, especially the short ones. It was when I reached the 30km mark that I felt a familiar sensation on my left hamstring. Hello cramps, it's been a while.

7. Before I knew it, my quads started to feel the same. It dawned on me that I needed to sort it out. I walked the aid station, put on some ice, ate some bananas and gels being distributed. Few moments later, the cramps were gone and I started running at goal pace again. The cramps would pop up now and then so I decided to carry ice with me and use the magic spray as much as I can to prevent the cramps from getting worse. I slowed down on the climbs and even walked. The buffer I had was instantly reduced.

8. But after a while, I could somewhat run and ran the last 2-3km relatively faster as I wanted to finish the race ASAP before the wheel fell off completely. I felt it was a bit reckless but I was nearing the end with minutes to spare. Right after crossing the finish, my left leg cramped up. I stretched a bit before meeting up with my family. Took some pictures and went back to the hotel. I finished in 3:53 with an average pace of 5:26/km and to me it felt like a huge win. Take that SCKLM! :)

Post-Race

9. After the race, I was in no hurry to eat, but forced myself anyway. Rehydrated and went to take the car parked at KL Sentral via LRT . On the way home, I was already thinking about the next race. Once home, I slept.



Race Comments

10. I have nothing to add from my last year post on SCKLM. It's a great race and IAAF certified. Additionally, the course was hilly. So having the sub 4 felt legit and so pleasing.

11. As I look back at the result and what I did in training, few things stood out. Among them are:

 - Strides couple times per week for economy/cadence
 - Ample recovery between quality workouts
 - Took it easy on easy days
 - consistency is king: mileage
 - specificity is queen: practiced marathon pace on long runs
 - Adding threshold workout in long runs and on tired legs

12. On race day, the decision to sit back and taking it easy in the 1st half paid off. Though I did sometime went over my head and went a bit too fast. Holding back requires as much focus as going fast. Stopping to save time is a bit counter intuitive though I considered it as an investment as the time used to take care of things proved to be a good decision. I didn't specifically train on hills so I felt it was necessary to deliberately slow down, walk or even stop to save my legs. I know I was doing it right when people passed me on the uphills.

13. 3 weeks before the race, I did a long simulation run with a 2 x 10km at marathon pace. I fell apart after 26km. I was worried that this was a sign I couldn't sustain the pace. But, come race day, I trusted my training and stuck to the pace I had trained for despite that particular "failure". I realized in hindsight that it was actually a good run considering I didn't have gels and was running in the heat. As Sebastian Kienle 2014 IM World Champ said "Never judge your life because of one bad day. Judge it because of the best day"*. That quote rang true to me.

14. I know some people can sub 4 the marathon in their sleep. But to me, it was a challenge therefore I really felt a sense of achievement. The last time I felt like this was after 2016 IM Langkawi. For this race, I poured all my effort (about 4+ months) and was at the border of my limits (the cramps was a sure sign). Last year I did KOKK a week before SCKLM and it disrupted my prepration. This year, I took the preparation and execution for this race seriously.

15. I don't race a lot because training/preparing for a race deliver a much more profound sense of accomplishement. While doing triathlon, I felt like most times I needeed to race to identify myself as being a triathlete. But after the IM, I knew that being an athlete was more than just the IM race itself. It's a long term, resource consuming effort that goes beyond what I initially perceived. Having experienced that, I've ruled out a lot of things/noise and left with the things I knew I wanted out of sports that brings the greatest satisfaction.

16. Through obervation, runners wearing some sort of finisher T at REPC and peole doing funny things (cheat/course cutting) just to get their hands on the medals/finishers T, just goes to show that, marathon/ironman/endurance sports in general is more than just a sport, it's a way for people to express their identity. It's a bit of a generalization but that's the way I see it (big sample size in SCKLM). I'm no different.

17. As for the course cutters, I think it is down to ignorance + indifference as to what running a marathon really means. The aftermath and reaction to the viral posts showed that it is personal to many (including me). Also a reminder to myself, taking social media at face value is also something that we need to be wary about. There are more behind these posts with smiles, medals etc.

19. The mundane aspect of training, juggling life + work, the lows (and chafing haha) is almost never shown. But it's not specific to running only. It's social media culture to show ourselves in the best light possible. These posts are a subtle way to show we are the best or at least belong in a certain group. Likes and comments only reinforces this idea. It's a convenient way to feel good about ourselves. Newer runners are probably "pressured" to "fit in" and/or as a socmed content to fish for likes, especially if they've announced they're running a marathon. We're all gulity of this to a certain degree. My 2 cents.

20. Whatever it is, running doesn't mean it should always be about hard work etc. Running itself is fun racing or not. There are bucket list races that I just want to finish and enjoy (mostly ultras) and trails/mountains I want to explore. On the other hand, the competition aspect of running, pushing yourself etc. can only come in races. Improvement is fun too. Besides, I just don't physically possess the ability to recover fast enough to race a lot. It also saves me loads of money.

Race Notes

21. Race itenerary kind of went like this:

Saturday
03:00 PM: Race kit collection
04:00 PM: Playground KLCC with the kids
06:00 PM: Dinner at Ben's and stocking supplies from Cold Storage
07:00 PM: Park at KL Sentral
09:00 PM: Snacking on pizza and sushi
10:00 PM: Sleep

Sunday
03:00 AM: Woke up/shower/breakfast/poop/warm up
04:00 AM: Race
07:55 AM: Finish race/pictures/stretch/eat/rehydrate/back to hotel
10:00 AM: Check out and brunch at Nu Sentral
12:00 PM: Home and sleep

22. The race:

Registration: RM90(medal, event sleveless t and finisher t, post food, 2 gels on course, bananas)
Accomodation: RM160 (Adya hotel, family room)
Traveling cost: Parking (RM 72, DO NOT PARK OVERNIGHT AT KL SENTRAL, should've parked at Nu Sentral), LRT from KL Sentral to MAsjid Jamek: RM1.20 (Bring T&G or buy tickets in advance - long que after race)
Waiting for toilet: No issue
Sorting out drop bag: No issue

23. Race Detail:

3:53:47 (Nett)
43km
~820m D+ (strava)
293/8155 overall

Result check:
https://register.kl-marathon.com/2018/scklm18/reg_scklm18/result_check

Some cool stats:
http://www.runpix.co/arace11/57/kul18/rp.php

Final Note

24. In short, I love planning, training and executing a race and this year everything clicked. There were times I doubted my self but I had faith in my training. There's some element of honesty about racing. We can say whatever we want, but in the end there's nowhere to hide if the work was not put in. I've experienced both end of the racing spectrum and it made me love the sport even more.

25. Anyway, road racing season is over. I am 1/2 in terms of 2018 goals. Time to accumulate some vert and have fun in the trails. Next race, Penang Eco 100k. A new cycle begins.

*Originally from: http://ap.ironman.com/triathlon/news/articles/2014/10/kona-week/kienle-kona.aspx#ixzz5CG7kkjLm, 
2018