Wan Marlin Run

I was urgently reminded by a fellow DM-er Fiki regarding the impending LSD on Saturday. I earlier blooged about the plan to go to Kinrara again, and completely misplaced the intention somewhere between the piling paperworks.

Thanks to Fiki, we quickly agreed on the venue at Bukit Aman instead. I figured I'd take him out on few new routes in KL to spark his running perspectives. An hour later, he texted that another DM-er, Marlin will join us. And later, not without surprise, he relayed that Azhar would join us. I shuddered.

If you know Azhar in Dailymile, this guy runs a 40mins 10k and a 1:30 half marathons. Need I say more?

Anyway, I arrive at the RV in Bukit Aman before 6a.m., had my solat etc, and warmed up to the empty carpark next to the gerai makan pakcik Adam. The guys were late. Chances are, they are lost. Fiki turned up first, overshot Jalan Tanglin. After he hurried for his solat, Azhar came in, passed by me, and left (I had to call him to turn back), and Marlin. We prepped while waiting for Fiki, and left as a group towards Hartamas around 6.40a.m.

Nothing much being talked at the first quarter, except the usual ice breaking with Azhar - who we have never met before, and Fiki throwing his antics similar to our KLCC runs. The first km into our run, it started drizzling, and by the time we passed Dannie and Carrie at the International Arabic School, the sky opened and it was pouring. Serious pouring, we were caught in it with no shelter in sight. The leaves smaller than my palms offers a little smug, even disgust, on our way, so we hobbled on after the crews gave me a thumbs up to run. After all, we were already soaking.

Their very first time (for all three) running Bukit Aman route, all were forced to 'mandi bunga' - such solemnisation of them into KL runner's holy grail.

We passed many runners under bus stops, them looking, no, gawking at us. I remembered what Ronnie told me in one of our runs - to keep running even if it rains as the actual runs will be full of adventures, so go ahead and do not falter. So we took on the rain, open our mouth and left our bottles secured to our belts.

We arrived Hartamas, rest a little, and headed back. By now I was running in front with Fiki, him testing few sets of pace; and Azhar gossip-running with Marlin some 50m behind. We call todaya Wan Marlin run, because if it wasn't for her, me and Fiki would just sit by the roadside, sulking... as Azhar smoke us into smithereen... Marlin subtled him, and Fiki had no pressure to catch up.

Thanks Marlin!

We arrived back at the carpark after the first ever 20k, the longest run for Marlin. Few attempts to cross into Matrade and Double Hills earlier all was foiled by Marlin, so perhaps next time. And sitting at the gerai with our drinks, talking about shoes, our histories, and our aspirations etc, led to more LSDs planned. Aiyyo!

Having said that, the plan to wash my car was shelved indefinitely. It has been raining all day constantly for the last 4 days in this part of Setapak area. I could only view the mist and thick fog towards Genting on my way to work, and today was a testament of a nasty Genting Trailblazer, so beware. Nasty, I tell you!

And I am convinced if the trails are dry and squeeky clean, the organisers would export tonnes of water to simulate a nasty run come tomorrow morning. Oh, I can't wait!

Will log off now. Done my packing except for the drinks in the fridge. The weekend always ends too soon, and always not without another adventure. o by the way, I heard tomorrow will be war!