Mesra Mall Nature Run 2010; Race Report

This is 'thee' day for my Mesra Mall Nature Run 2010.. my first true competitive run for 2010 before my first Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM) 2010.. it is a good platform for me to gauge myself compared to other average runners..

BIB NUMBER
Took my number around 9pm at the concierge.. the miss from World of Sports was around.. after a few minutes looking, we managed to find my bib.. A092 was MY ever first bib.. (see me emphasizing the word ‘my’) hehe..

FOOD
Food intake on the last day was really strict.. nothing strange was allowed into my mouth.. it was bread for breakfast and chicken rise for noon and night.. spicy or other non-familiar food inside my stomach could be disastrous on race day.. cannot imagine going into a race with a gassy gut!!

WATER
Throughout the day, I drank plain water whenever I feel like so.. this is to keep my muscle sufficiently dehydrated.. even before sleeping, I drank a few gulp.. had one small 600ml bottle bedside just in case I woke up feeling thirsty..

REST
This was the only thing I did not do.. nevertheless, I tried to sleep early and stay comfy on the bed.. the air conditioned room really did help me doze once I close my eyes..

PHOTOG
Managed to persuade a pro photog friend to shoot some pics of the race.. he tried to look for a motorcycle and was not successful.. later that night, he crashed in my place for the night (crashed= spend the nite)..

ONE HOUR BEFORE START
Arrived around 650am and parked my car somewhere far from the crowd.. I was quite amazed seeing people warming up.. since I was informed that it was usual for SHORT distance runs to have runners really warmed up before the race.. (any distance less than 15km is considered SHORT to some runners as they could sprint from start to end!!) gathered some friends before the race..bum, dzal and me pack to run this together.. zul was around to give moral support beside learning some photog tips from ‘my dear photog pro’!..

Some politician was supposed to launch us at the starting line.. hence, all of us had to wait until 750am before HIS replacement flagged us off.. (HIS here refer to the mentioned politician earlier) 50minutes later that what it was supposed.. by then, the sun is up.. now I could feel the eye shades is a wonderful invention!!

START
“toooot” goes the horn and we started running.. adrenalin pumping through my veins and could literally feel the energy flow.. yup, I was fast and others were even faster.. looking at my hr watch 170bpm!! Omg! It is aerobic zone from minute one!! So, I decided to maintain my hr at 170bpm.. never lesser than that.. if I feel fine, I would speed out and never go above 180bpm.. knowing 7km is quite far for me, I tried conserving some energy..

EMOTIONS
For the first straight run, I was constantly maintaining my stride and passing slow runners.. controlling my breathing as well.. then I over took a kid.. omg! this kid aged around 10years is running!! then I over took a skinny expatriate.. everytime I passed him, he would race back at me.. It was really annoying, so I step up my pace and distant myself from him.. gapping between him and me really stopped him getting near me.. on this straight run, 3 girl runners went past me.. oh well, they deserve all the credit for their training.. that is what I lack this few months..(lets not dwell on the past and talk more of the race yaa)

as I was running with some locals, I got annoyed yet again.. they were running zig- zag, jumping once in while, shouting to each other and other stuff I need not remember.. I got pass them when I speed off to cross the traffic light that was guarded by a traffic policeman.. this was when I saw my photog friend and zul.. yeay! Smiled for the camera! Hope that smile look good coz I am not going to look better throughout the race!!

WATER STATION
It was at the third straight run, when I reunited with bum and dzal.. paced myself with them and somehow I realize my hr was lowering.. I gave them a thumbs-up and increased my pace.. up to now my hr was hovering in the low 170s and high 175s.. this was before I drank from the first water station.. even though, I need not take any fluids during the race, I was stubborn enough to try a sip of 100plus isotonic drink.. yeah.. the first sip was really a bad choice.. it was cold.. too cold for me.. then it was gassy.. too gassy for me.. my hr rose to 179bpm from 170bpm.. I started panting.. felt like stopping.. which I rather not.. so I decided to slow my pace and recapture my breathing rhythm.. it took me one minute to gather my tempo.. fuh.. it could have been a DNF!! (did not finish) hence, I didn’t stop for any water station then onwards..

ADMIRABLE
Somehow, a makcik clad in tudung n cool black shades, graciously went passed me towards the final two straight runs..it seems she was following me all this while and over took me when I was slow.. from then on, i followed her for 8minutes until the race finish line.. hmm.. really admire her strength..

Alhamdulillah.. i finished the race.. (I wish the distance was further?!)

RACE DAY (END)
Nothing special for my post race.. did not feel really tired after the race as i could drive for 3hrs after lunch.. ate roti canai telur for recovery meal!! very typical malaysian eh! hehe..

MY TWO CENTS
Training prepares you for the real thing! knowledge keeps ur mental strong! never underestimate a makcik in tudung and cool black shades!!

STATS
Distance: 7km
Time: 51m50s (my PB 49m40s)
Average HR: 172bpm
Max HR: 182bpm

PHOTOS

(PIC1: free mizunho running t-shirt n my bib)
(PIC2: practicing my final hurrah!)
(PIC3: a cornerstone of all races to come)
(PIC4: dzal n me looking cheerful)
(PIC5: all of us at the starting line.. what about mr photog?!)
(PIC6: discussing doing the Standard Charted Run, KL next)
(PIC7: as usual, I was almost the last person to start- second from left)
(PIC8: eh, dah jalan ke bum?)
(PIC9: still energetic.. see how high I lift-up my leg)
(PIC10: is this walkaton? hehe)
(PIC11: i overtook this uncle earlier.. come on dzal.. faster faster..)
(PIC12: a truly big mistake.. almost DNF coz of you 100plus)
(PIC13: yeah, drink it.. drink it..)
(PIC14: this is what water stations are meant for.. STOPS!)
(PIC15: where did that makcik go?!!)
(PIC16: us celebrating)
(PIC17: more celebration)
(PIC18: still celebrating)
(PIC19: with the World of Sport miss.. can I have more of those 25% discount voucher? hehe..)

Note: thanks to a great friend for these wonderful pics.. you can see more of his artistic works here..