Penang Bridge Marathon 2008

Am back from the run . Was happy that I completed the run without much suffering. No complains about it, except for some mishaps handling of water stations by the organiser.




























This was another good experience that we had after the run, eating at a SHITTY Restaurant !!!!





















Photo courtesy from RunWitMe

As usual a major race event without a report means nothing, while a Penang Bridge International Marathon race report means nothing if not written in Der Pacemakers way. So this report will be PM centric where most PM or in fact all that are closely link to der PM group will definitely understand the vocab use. The vocab use are not vulgar, pardon me.....but just the way this group communicate.

Cinya amkan because final week to race day I kena twisted my knee ligament nia. Although still can run but still got some pain lor. Over der week, self treat myself as I kena this injury before due to high mileage and less rest. So have to put ice and oilment to rub on der pain area. Wat to do, no choice ler, just go and whack der race lor. Ask Kuan Yin Ma and Ang Kong to popee popee lor so that on race day injury wont cause leg cramp, will be cinya happy liao !!!

Nov 15, go to Penang by Aeroline bus with Frank (FC) and RunWitMe (RWM). Same gang goto Singapore Sundown with me also, and enjoy company with them. Very easy going and chin chai people. Take us 5 hours to reach Penang and along der way we found out that der bus will not stop at Queens Bay Mall, tns. Der stop is at Sg Nibong bus terminal. TNS, why advertise on email and tell us stop at QBM. Now cinya toolan about it, der bus driver said der service at QBM only start on 18 Nov. Aiyoh, so far yet so near. Missed it by 3 days. Never mind lah, Frank quickily call our fren Chee Kong to pick us up at der bus terminal when we arrive.

After arrived, we all beh tahan ler and very der kancheong want to goto QBM to collect race pack nia. On der way called Cheang and Apek Chin fr Pg. Both will meet all of us at der collection counter. Arrived at counter and cinya surprise can get our race pack very der fast. No need Q here Q there like kok compare to KL races. Der passing out of der race pack to us was good service. Maybe Pg lang work better than those in KL nia. After that we go lunch and Apek Chin suggest goto Sunrise Park, I think that is der name lah. Had our lunch there and I saw RWM ordered a pinkish drink very similar to Air Bandung. He said der name is Gu Ling Peng, and I found out its actually Air Bandung. Come on Penang lang, Why der kok change der name to Gu Ling Peng ~ anyway what does it mean in Hokkien??? Dont care lah, oredi damn thirsty, just whack it nia.

Then go check-in to Krystal Suites that we stay. Cinya value for money hotel for Rm200/nite we got a 2 room suites that is big enuf for 10 people. Next time this can be another PM certified hotel besides Anggerik Lodge for all Penang Run. Rested until 6pm before we go out for makanthon at New Lane near Sunway Hotel in the city with der gang. After dinner immediately come back and rest liao otherwise no energy and not enuf rest. Have to wake up cinya early at 1am bcos race starts at 3am.

Race day (Nov 16) arrived and I woke up cinya early at 1am. FC had oredi woke up by that time, as I heard all the kling klang kling klong sound. Wash up, do the pangzai kau kau and had breakfast. Met Luc, Kit and Anil down at the lobby at 2am and we walked to der startpoint at QBM. There we met up with all the running frenz like Tay Poh Chye (TPC), Greyhair Chin, Gege Tey, AP Tan, the Choo braders, Apek Chin etc. TPC look cinya confidence, and I told him go for sub4 and do a PR. As usual he just smile and feel shy shy. Once registered, der runners were aksed to masuk kandang in one area just for marathon runners.

At 3am sharp, all der runners who was earlier asked to line up along der road start der race. I was not kancheong at all as no set target and only hope to finsih in Sub5. Less train for this marathon and also carrying sprain knee ligament, cinya bad luck. Also pray to Ang Kong and Guan Yin Ma so that can popee popee no cramp from 25k - 30k onwards.

First 10k was run at a faster pace liao. Supposed to do 60mins but end up 55mins ler. I cinya scare after will kena cramp. Hope can maintain pace later. Now try to control pace from 11k onwards. Run and run and run (like Forrest Gump ~ very der straight one), drink water kau kau so that wont get thirsty later. Der first 19k was run along der industrial area (got Intel, Agilent and Plexus) and then into der Batu Maung area. Here got der villagers cheered us a bit lah.

I reached der 20k mark with a time of 1:55 and saw sea of runners joining and running towards the bridge. Aiyoh jialat lor, dont tell me I have to run together will them all der way along der bridge. Cinya amkan and toolan, grrrr !!! How can der TNS organiser do this, and summore Powergel was given out at der point. And der half marathon runners only ran for 20mins (I was told) and got Powergel, wat a TNS, grrrr !!! Skipped der station as I dont want to push through my way just for der gell as I have mine with me.

Continued running and sponging station run out of water due to der high volume of half marathon runners. So end up throat very der dry like kok, tns what to do. Der organiser not very efficient here to control water and sponging station. Ran on till I hit der 25k mark water station. Aiyoh and another TNS situation where water no more liao. Luckily can see some water left in those 5kg bottle, so grab one and drink from there. By now my legs a little bit tired liao and shaking a bit lah. And while holding der 5kg bottle straight up to drink and continue running, I look like one "Drunken Runner". Big big TNS to der organiser, How can no enuf water for marathon runners one. Feeling damn amkan!!!! RWM called this der Penang Big Gulp.

At this point der number of runners have cleared a bit nia, but sometimes still have to run zig-zag to avoid those blocking my way. Paced with SaharaMan Ngae for a while before he pecut off. This fellar cinya fit, summore run with just rubber shoes. In no time I reached der U-turn of der bridge which is der 30k mark. Timing is around 3:02. At least now the water station got water to drink but have to drink from der small plastic cup nia. No choice lor, what to do. Dont drink kena thirsty afterwards.

Now both der legs start to feel cinya tired and summore have to run up der slope towards midspan of der bridge. Pace slow down a lot from 32k onwards, more like Master OohGwai in Kungfu Panda. Slow slow but not very der steady. Keep der determination to push on. Sing der "Move It, Move It" lagu to inspire myself not to walk nia. Now feeling cinya tired but no sign of cramp nia. Guan Yin Ma and Ang Kong really popee popee for no cramp after 30k running.

Very der slowly I reached der midspan of der bridge, and what a relief. Finally der slope is over and now its downhill all der way towards finishing nia. Still maintain slow pace bcos energy finish liao, cannot turbo anymore nia. From here I think still got another 9k to cover. So just continue run slowly without worrying much about timing. Based on current pace, I shud be able to complete der race in sub5. Taking it easy nia as no more energy to push liao.

After running for another 5k-6k I reached the tailend of der bridge (or beginning of der bridge at Penang side). Now from far can see QBM liao which is der finsihing point, and another 3k to go nia. Legs and body getting more and more tired liao and thigh muscle start to feel stiff. Leg cramp want to come nia. Cinya TNS. I pray very der hard to Guan Yin Ma and Ang Kong, please no cramp now. Very der near to finishing point liao. Keep pace and try not to run too fast, scare kena cramp then si kiaw kiaw liao. And soon I saw arrow showing left turn into QBM.

As I approached into der left turn, signboard showed 500m, 300m and 100m to finishing. And finally I saw der starting point but instead ending there have to turn left into der open area where I was diverted to der correct finishing lane. Crossed der line and give a thumbs up to der official who gave me der finishing medal. Gold in color one, cinya sui sui ler. Time complete was 4:41:44 ~ si kiaw kiaw timing nia. Another marathon under my belt although der timing had nothing to shout about. Was satisfied and happy with der result as I had less train for this race. Talk kok with all running friends, rest for a while at the tent area before going back to hotel with FC and Chee Kong.

Goodbye Penang Bridge Marathon and till we meet again next year.