Seremban Half Marathon - my first sub-2 hour :)

Will definitely run next year. Hopefully with my cousins!

What do you know? Malaysia's biggest marathon SCKLM was postponed last weekend due to improving haze condition in the country. Bummer to all overseas participants and local participants outside Selangor who had made flight bookings and train for this event. Well for me, good thing I got a back up plan! I went to Kuang for Bash#225. So, KLMBH 1 - 0 SCKLM


Last run before Ramadhan. Destination Negeri Sembilan, for the 26th Seremban Half Marathon. Would have taken the bus but I was too lazy to go and buy the bus ticket because I didn't want to fix myself on when to leave for Seremban. Took the KTM instead from Shah Alam at 8.30pm and arrived at 11pm. One advantage you can take from taking the train is that you can read a book. Eat and Run by Scott Jurek was my companion. Stayed at my Aunt's place in the city and by 12am I'd already hit the sack. 

Got my aunt to drop me off at N.S padang with a couple of minutes to spare before the flag-off. There were no baggage counter to leave your belongings, so I went up to one of the organizers' booth and asked them if I could leave my stuff (only dry clothes) there. They were reluctant at first but I was willing to leave it at my own risk anyway. 

With that covered, camera in one hand and my water bottle strapped around my waist, I headed straight to the starting line. No steel barriers, so it was easy to get to the front of the starting line. Then I thought to myself that I got a good chance to be in the top 200 finishers (later found out that 21km men's open only had 152 participants) with a cut off time of 2:30' to receive the finisher medal, being able to be in such a good position to start from (second row from the starting line).  

0630. When the gunshot was fired, my hope of collecting the finisher medal went out the window. Everybody was running on 5th gear! My body had not yet warmed up and was still on neutral. Everybody ran passed me and it took me around 30 minutes into the run before I could run passed someone, and the dude was walking.

The route lead the runners straight out of the city and into Senawang. I have to say, I really enjoy the run which was mostly on 1 lane of 2 way roads. It was very cooling with lots of trees. No major climbs. I only stopped at water station that provided Gatorade and soaked sponges which was at the latter stage on the run. 

Somewhere in Senawang.

Around KM15, I looked at my watch and realised that there was a possibility of finishing a PB and record a sub 2-hour finish which was greater than any finisher medal in my opinion. Legs still feel good and only need to keep a 6:00 pace. KM19, heading back to the city from Lake Garden and we bummed into a little traffic. Here's where the  21k runners converged with the 10k runners which consists mostly of school kids. They were running, walking, laughing, and talking about their homework and there I was, who just wants his sub-2 hour half marathon and had to cut through every one of them.

As I was running back to N.S padang, I couldn't see where the finish line was at. No sight of 21k runners in front of me. Only groups of school kids in their white tees. Should I follow them? I had to ask one of the spectators on the side where the finish line was. He pointed at the N.S padang along with the rest of the school kids and I think I lost a good few seconds there because my watch stopped at 2:00'14". Nevertheless, I was elated! PB baby!

Only 1 second to spare!

Then the official results came out, I was delighted that I made the sub-2 hour with 1:59'59". I have this goal where if I can run a sub-1 hour 10k, then I'm ready for a half marathon. If I can run a sub-2 hour half marathon, then I'm ready for a full marathon. If I can run a sub-4 hour marathon, perhaps ultra or triathlon?! Okay, let's take it one step at a time.

What's the point of a finisher medal without a lanyard?! I can't it show off. Bummer!