One Mile Dash 2009

What a way to end a year! I know it is not extravagant as in watching the fireworks from Giza or having a countdown in New York, but for a mortal me,

It was a race I almost did not make it. Firstly, I went to collect the bib at FTAAA around 5p.m., and thought of going to hang around Dataran only to realise, I do not have my shoes. I had to brave the crowded streets to go home, which in the car, my mind 'racun'ing me not to race at all. Given the low emotional threshold this past week, I was ready to grab my pillow and have a quiet New Year's Eve.

Boorrriiiiing!

However, I refused to let 2 idiot losers ruin my New Year, and no way in hell they will mess with my head and eat me up!

I dragged myself off the house, and reached PAM carpark just after 7p.m. There were few serious runners getting ready as I walked towards Dataran. Since the race starts at the Heritage Row and ends in Dataran, I brought my hydration bag with my towel, change etc in it. Met Ronnie and Ming, and we walked togeder-geder to Doraisamy, and quite different from other races on a race day, we were a minority group.

Once we arrived at Doraisamy, I could see what a small group it was that people makan-ing nasi lemak at Doraisamy pun lagi ramai. But kudos to these runners who finds time to a speedy and healthy start (ok, at least for me, lah). It was also wierd to be standing along Heritage Row with many bar patrons strolls down with beer bottles and hot pants, short skirts and silk shirts etc. There the runners were in skimpy shorts and sleeveless vest - o wait a minute - we were not different after all hahahahah.

Met many geng CAR, with Hailmi, Sharafi, Zaki and the etc, with Ronnie and his Pacemaker's geng, and some of the weary regular strangers who I have met/seen at local races standing alone and looked nervous. With a total of 300 runners, our category E & F (Men and Women Age 26 - 35) only saw about 50 male and 20 female runners (even Bukit Antarabangsa Run had more runners). I suppose they limit the numbers so scarcely to limit road closure and supervision as running at night is more dangerous with the New Year's traffic in the city. In fact, our law enforcers are indeed busier with manning the crowd that night kot.

Anyway, we were gunned at 8.30p.m. I was running from the back pack as usual leaving the CAR and Pacemaker runners blazing the streets. We quickly turned along Jalan Sultan Ismail, and passed Medan Tuanku. There were many people by the streets cheering us, some are screaming encouragement words amidst their hot roti canai by the roadside... cool jugak lah. For sure, we had more supporters compared to SCKLM.

I started with some doubts and headed easy for the first 200 metres with fear I do not have enough 'fuel' to make it through, but as soon as we reach Medan Tuanku, and I know Dataran is not that far, I opened my stride and sped off. Managed to overtake few fellow CARs, and thanks to generous spill of air-conditioning from Kamdar and the sorts, and loud Bollywood tunes, I maintained my pace and run and run and run. I have in my head the speed splits done in Adination's sessions and thought this is only a lap at KLCC and totally doable.

Passed Kamdar, Odeon,long stretch where I caught a glimpse of Ronnie, and I arrived at the traffic light, and zoomed into the gantry. Woohoo! Done! Picked my medal, and warm down with the customary many rounds of 100+s.

I know there were not many runners, and this may looked engineered, but I have got 16th placing (yay!) and got the limited medal (for 20 finishers only). OK OK, enough gloating as we all know that is only thanks to the absence of many, many talented runners hahahahah. But One Mile Dash, being my last 2009 race, saw me speeding (chewah) into 2010.

On my way back, I looked back of my 31 December 2009 day - I had my upper body workout very early morning at the gym and RPM class with buddy Azmy, off to my swim at Dutamas, office/errands etc, and ran/dashed 1.6km. It is still short of distance and endurance but suppose I have a taste of what triathlons are all about. Phew! Penat jugak ooo, and the road is still long ahead.

It has been a good year.