Now on to the race. Not having felt very well for the entire week, my sore throat came back with a vengeance at the ungodly hour that one has to wake up to make it even to a local race. Thoughts of DNS immediately came to mind. However, an internal compromise was reached whereby I decided to go just to see what I am able to do with no great aim for prize money. Having collected my number from the president of the Klang area group and making up some excuse based on death from coughing for my expected poor performance, I proceeded to the bureaucrats tent to register.
Now I must admit that I have not raced very often in Malaysia and I appreciate that there are issues such as imposters etc in races. However, how many times does one need to meet the organisers before actually running? Enter the race (by post or in person), collect numbers and so-called free gifts the day before, finally register again on day of the race. Do we *really* have to register again on the morning? It's not that difficult to check the identity of the winners after the finish especially as there is still plenty of time before the prize giving. Well, at least the Klang 10k tried to be innovative. At registration you were given a white cable tie to put on. Oh yes, that's a very very useful device for some unknown purpose.
The start was slightly delayed as usual. Luckily this time there wasn't a Datuk Seri something or other who couldn't wake up on time to give a speech. Many runners were so impatient waiting that they started milling around the start line which is the obvious place to wait for the race start. For some reason or other (perhaps because they couldn't get the starting banner up because runners were in the way) the officials started asking everyone to leave the start and go round the side to stand in the kandang kerbau (the tennis courts). Well the PA system wasn't working very well so many people just generally moved about aimlessly.
Anyway, I stood near the start line and soon people were being assembled for the start. Now the people who listened to instructions earlier to go into the kandang kerbau couldn't hear the instructions to assemble for the start. From what I have heard, many got trapped and couldn't get to the start on time. I chose the right corner this time as the road bends sharply to the left some distance after the start. Why do some people want to stand in the front two rows if they are not going to be able to run fast except for the first 400m? Just gets in the way of everyone else!!
The gun eventually went and there was the normal pushing and shoving. Very good practice for getting on the LRT in the morning rush hour which I am now getting better at. Get up to some sort of cruising speed and just take it at my own pace. Past Masjid India and then under the bridge, coming up to the 1km marker and I was still breathing. A good sign as this meant I wasn't dead yet - 3'56" for km1. Not coughing too much either. First little incline of the day, a flyover. Hey isn't that pm1 just in front? "Hello Ronnie" as I went past him on the uphill section, kind of hoping that he would follow me to keep me company.
The next section wasn't the most interesting route in the world, unless you like long straight roads, shophouses, houses and fields full of long grass. For me it was a bit like fishing - see target in distance, pull string slowly so that I'm just behind them. Then put in a little spurt to get past them. Got past many people along this stretch. If I potong any more people would think I worked for "Potong". At least I don't need to be overprotected unlike "Potong", still unable to really stand on its own feet after nearly 20 years in business.
Coming up to the second flyover, I could see a fairly large group up front. Good good. More overtaking. Hit the flyover hard, got past about 2 people on the up... See Ah Toh just up front, looks like he is suffering a bit. Drinks station, Ah Toh and another runner stops for drinks. I fly straight past hoping that they wouldn't be able to catch up. At this point I felt that I had no kick in my legs. Breathing is still ok but just not 100% right. Doubts start creeping in especially as the sharp left past a petrol station signals that the hills are coming up.
Ran through the middle of two lady runners (probably the leaders of the veterans race) in their own private battle. A bit odd as it was as if I was intruding into a personal conversation, so concentrated they were at matching each other step for step. I think I upset this as one of them made a break for it after I went past, using me to pull her along for a while. Right turn up the steep MPK hill. Get arms moving, pushoff the trailing leg, overtake two runners just before the top to latch onto a young runner in a Pacesetters jersey (Yit Kiat). Brief respite past the clock tower, followed by a bit of a drag towards the Subramaniam Hall. Just hanging in behind Pacesetter, biding my time...
Long downhill towards big roundabout and left again for Jalan Istana hill. Two fast school boys from the 7km go past me. Start of the hill. Time to go. Slowly wind the pace up - no kick today, more like diesel engine. Managed to drop Yit Kiat. Now the downhill part, trying to catch runner in red jersey in front. Overtook a few 7km runners, is the gap getting smaller? No he is still holding on to his lead. Turn right into the straight leading to stadium. Check behind. Aiyo Yit Kiat running hard to try to catch me. Turn left heading into track. Breathing hard. Check behind again, switch on finishing sprint. Getting closer to runner in red jersey in front... fail to catch him... got to finish line.
Got a card without number. Ok, so not in top 20 then, no cash prize today. Also stupidly forgot to switch off stopwatch so I don't know what time I did, probably around 36'00". Cough cough cough. Sit down on the grass. Cough some more. Shake Yit Kiat's hand. Try to recover. Start jogging back to the car. I nearly lost my voice before I got to the car because I shouted encouragement at Ronnie, Chen, Ah Beh and several other people. Dumped all my running clothes in the back of the car and changed into something dry. Walked back to the stadium to do more shouting and the usual post race things...
I can't say I agree totally with runwitme that describes Klang as full of rubbish. One has to remember that MPK are paying out so much prize money that they can't afford to have enough rubbish collectors. Furthermore, the millions of crows who used to live locally and act as part time cleaners have mostly migrated somewhere else (did you see any during the race - exactly). You know, people in Klang have to pay extra taxes to support the prize money and hundreds of cheap medals (just joking!!). Anyway, it wasn't a great concern to me during the race because I couldn't really smell anything with my blocked nose. The last section of the old route is even worse - trust me, I do that route nearly every Sunday morning.
Route Profile of Klang 10km
The new route for Klang is definitely better than the old one which is totally flat and boring. The hills towards the end makes the racing more interesting. To increase the distance, they could start it on the track and make the runners do one lap of the track at the finish which would make it much closer to 10km. Organisationwise, well it's not the best in the world but perhaps it will get better. Come on, I don't really want any more cheap XL-sized T-shirts. All I want is a medal which is not so thin that it bends if you stare at it for long enough. Just a pity that I didn't push harder to get into the top 20 - needed to be about 10s faster per km, which is not impossible to do. My finishing time wasn't great but perhaps it was ok considering that I wasn't firing on all cylinders.
Location 3°N 101°E
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