Energizer 2010 LSD done!

Preparing for a night LSD for the first time sent me in tatters.My initial plan to catch a shuteye failed as we spent time with guests visiting baby Aiden. Hydration plan for the day was full of cold drinks and teas, and the Atrodar and Glucosamine combo that Dr. Deepak prescribed had sent me to the loos more than I wished.

I just dumped all my kits in one place, but yet to put them together. In the end, all were lugged inside the gym bag, kissed all my lovely girls at home, and headed off.

Roughly about 30 minutes before gun-off, scattered around in a very casual setting around an odd 1000 marathon runners was one of my favourite of the day. Rewind to SCKLM in June '09, I was warming up nervously alone, and Nik and Kash were the only souls I knew of. It was dark and nerve-wrecking. Now, the camaraderie extends beyond. There were the weekend warriors, Chap Ayam friends, new friends from the past races etc. It indeed shook off the nerves this time as people were pulling jokes and throwing banters. Nice, people!

With swimming around lunch hours, I have grown 'browner'. This was the calm-before-the-storm moment with Ian, Shuk, Diket, Nizam and Hailmi (pic cilok-ed from Kash's)

By the time we started, it was very hot. No rain apparently, but we started off easy, running with Kash, Diket, Shuk and Nizam, and graced by Haza, screaming Anuar Zain while running. We were sent off in an unceremoniously into the vastness of empty Cyberjaya. Apart from sending wifey once when the swan sings, Cyberjaya is foreign to me.

The first quarter of the run saw me starting with Kash, but I went off once I realised my heart rate could take slightly more push, but keeping 10metres behind Shuk, Diket and Nizam - just keeping them in view for pacing. After the 10th km, I caught up after an approval from my Polar HRM, before we stopped for our Maghrib prayers. It was really convenient and clean - as soon as we approached the WS/Surau tent, they handed us the mineral water bottles for ablution (tap water enough lah, no need to waste water like that...). Whiish whoosh, I was done in 10 mins. Would be good if they could provide a portaloo there too, and separate tent for female runners (private, lah sikit).

The guys sped off from then on, and I kept to my 165bpm throughout, and keep pacing people. By the time I reached the turnaround point (23rd km?), head, feet, breathing, guts are all in check. I was pacing Doc Hisyam then, until the Seri Puteri Cyberjaya School that I went on my own.

From then, run was solitary and quiet for me, and I lost a little faith and fun in the race. I have psyched myself ok with the long run and it's U-turns, but the lonely run was really not fun. I did OK running, but it won't hurt to talk to someone. That was why when I passed some runners, I'd talk to them, but mostly were too painful to even utter a word hahaha.

Fast forward to the final 30 mins - this was the time I caught up with many friends - Azhar mending his feet, few CARs, Carrie from AdiNation KLCC etc, it's like most of them bundled in front of the whole time. This was also some of the most memorable events, with my favorite was running past the spray courtesy of Bomba Cyberjaya, and my romantic encounters with false mobile route markers (how many 7km and 3kms daa).

Apart from that, ENR stops short of becoming a model marathon event in Malaysia. I love the route in general, but the vastness of the empty lands (with the scarcity of supporters along the way) is what I would relate to the Marathon des Sable. And hey, I can't say I was not struggling with the absence of the route markers... susah betul nak check pace, and no thanks to the overly supportive volunteers who spelt wrong distances everytime asked. Really, how many 7km and 3kms could you say, when all of you are parted kms away? Have the courtesy to tell, 'sorry, I do not know for sure". I'd take it rather than a false hope.

There were adequate WSs with plenty of water and Gatorade (first time ever I used my hydration belt as weights), and full bucket of iced water everytime and tonnes of sponges was heavenly cool. I never missed a station where I'd stop and bathe (and the unthinkable - I drank some - sedap!), so thanks Mr. Organizer!

Being a slow runner devoids me of any entertainment while approaching the finishing line - this is as opposed to the Siemens Run and its festive air. But thanks for the abundance of melons. Wouldn't hurt for some iced Milos and 100+ though. But a later TT session at the Street Mall was fun. What a way to celebrate a great day running with friends.

Great race in the making? Perhaps, not without great friends around.

This was my 3rd marathon. Now I could safely update my resume, that I am a (recreational) marathoner, and it sounded kinda cool.