Yes, I did registered myself for Cameron Ultra 30km. So you can imagine how nervous I am for these few weeks.
When I saw this race was just one week before Cultra, I was thinking to take it as final training for Cultra. Little that I know about the venue - Bukit Gasing/Taman Rimba Bkt Kerinchi, or should I say I never been to this place before. I imagined it similar like FRIM, mostly runable trail section. I have always like to join trail running especially the places that I never explore.
Pre-race
My brother has been running there a few times, and he told me that it is nothing like FRIM. So I decided to follow him once 2 weeks before the trail run. To my surprise, it was crowded! It is a popular hiking place it seems. It is HIKING!!! I have to walk up/power hike up most of the ascending hills!!! Instant regret!
Then a week later, heard Pacemaker people are doing test route, decided to follow and can recce the route as well. I was being told on that day it will have 6 hills (first blow), and then there's no rest time, means like up down up down no break at all (second blow), lastly 1km(tarmac) - 5km(trail) - 1km(tarmac) (K.O.)! Imagine you have to do all those 6 hills in just 5km! Instant regret x 2!
I was so worried after the test route session with all high hand fast leg! They literally speed up hill and fly down hill! Due to my "speed limit" the whole team slowed down compare to their usual speed and Teck Wai sifu was always there to make sure I am still following and give me so advice. After the session, I was so worried that I gonna over push myself on the race day! Anyway, I don't normally DNS unless force to be. So final decision is still going to run!
The updates of the route make me even more worry! Kudos to Real Ho sifu to recce the route almost everyday to make sure everything is smooth! And he did draw the route for runners to be prepare!
So details on the elevation - hard work of Real Ho
Race Pack Collection
I was planning to collect on Saturday on the Race Pack collection week, however, there's always unexpected happened. Due to an event on Sunday, I have to back to office to have final meeting with colleagues and perform final check on the materials. I couldn't make it on Saturday, and since Sunday i will be working, so I gonna miss the race pack collection! Ouch!! Luckily Teck Wai manage to contact a friend who still at the collection venue help out! Big thank you to Jason Fong and Teck Wai!!!
Race Day
The day before, saw the updates on official event FB, route got change due to huge fallen tree!! According to others, the new hill not as steep as the backbone, but it definitely longer in climbing! I am not sure whether I should be glad or panic!
Updates on the night before, can I blame my insomnia on this?
Me and my bro always show up on race day together as Siblings-duo! Feel kinda lonely whenever he is not going with me.
As usual, my race day breakie done, check gears and make a move quite early. Got myself a nice spot parking, not the space provided, but the roadside just slightly above the junction where we will running by towards finishing line. Since I arrived quite early, so I just walking around to familiar with the venue (where the toilet, medical tent, water and baggage tents, etc). Then proceed to do some light warm up before meeting with LingLyee the crazy trail girl who just did her Denai Alam Night Trail the night before!!! B2B in action!
The flag off time is 7.05am (why the 5mins?!) Then it actually delayed by 5mins (according to my watch), so the recorded flag off time is 7.10am. I would say it is punctual and the flag off is smooth with countdown. Elite runners were all fire up like rocket, just a blink of eye, they're like 500m away! Soon, we can't even smell their smoke!
From the start line to trail head, it was almost 1km of tarmac road, with slightly up n down, so it was good that spread out runners. When we reach the trail head which is just beside the famous "San Francisco Bridge", that's the real race started! The first hill is welcoming us runners!! Most of us (i would say mid-pack runner)started to hiking up rather than running up due to the insane elevation (refer to graph below). Some runners who ran in front of us started to slowed down and some even resting at the side of route. The 400m hike is like forever! Me and Linglyee overtook a few runners there and the ascending is over with no rest time, it was the descending! The downhill is challenging I would say due to the route with lots of roots. You have to be careful of every step and leave your feet high enough not to trip by those roots.
Then we reached "flat-ish" kind of route, run-able! Thought to have some sweet time and "dang!" another hill - Jialat Hill! When you try to conquer it, you will know where's the name from! Second hill, still manageable to power hike up. Try to keep the breathe not too heavy while hiking up, was encouraged by an uncle behind us. He is so energetic and still able to talk while hiking uphill! When we finally overcome it and running downhill, here comes the story!
I was stung by bees when running downhill, heard people behind me swearing as well, so might be a few of us kena. My left knee kena 2, left hamstring 1, and right ankle 1. And I also dun know why i can be so specific and remember it. T.T But I got proof to show I am actually remember and feel it correctly. Runners behind us thought someone actually fell down after we were cursing and shouting due to the pain. Since it was running down hill, we couldn't possible just stop and runner behind us might just crush on us. I just continue to run and keep shouting "BEE! BEE!" hope that runners behind us can be more aware. I was so worry that I might get serious allergic reaction as not just stung by one but a few bees! Moreover, we were running, means our blood circulation is damn fast and if it is harmful, the toxic can be spreading even faster.
No choice to continue (please do not attempt as this is solely personal responsibility) at least I have to reach to volunteer/crew/junction/exit in case I need help. I was monitoring myself while I am continue running. The pain started to wear off, so far no swollen on lips, eyelids and ears. No tightness at chest, no difficult breathing (shortness of breath due to running), no dizziness. So I decided to continue run in full gear.
When we passby a volunteer, I heard they were asking is it bee attack or something, but I could just say yes and continue to run. The thing that on my mind was just to finish it fast and monitor my condition at the same time. I kinda amaze by myself that I still able to think and "monitor my condition" while attacking all those hills! XD Bad habit, means not fast enough. <---quote by Evil trainer!
After that was just hills, hills and hills! From power hike, to slow hike, to push myself hike, to nearly crawling on the ground hike. Just do whatever that can make myself to go upwards! Another runner was joking that all these suffers were the karma! LOL!! So true! We literally registered ourselves to this and we some sort of punishing ourselves. Anyway, we could only move forward, or rather upward. Trail run is always suffering yet fun! Even we have slight little river trekking on the route. Runners separate even more and some route just have to run alone. We were lucky to have all these volunteers/crew to station inside the trail and giving us direction and motivation. Since this trail is popular hiking place for public, so we were not that alone after all. Uncles and aunties were so friendly to give way to runners and try to encourage us when we were slow at ascending.
The rest of the journey was purely myself and myself, have to prep talk to myself that I can do it. It is just total 7km (ignore the insane elevation), just like the daily training mileage! Before heading out the trail, a river crossing with just trunk/papan bridge. I am worry bit about my balancing, what if I lost balance and fell? Lol~ And finally, come out from the trail, and have to detour around the bridge and perform a jump cross tiny stream (or is it a longkang?!). There it is, the infamous hanging bridge! The bridge was the first sign of finishing and we still have another 1km to go! "I'm coming home~ coming home~" The song that played in my mind!
Small stream jump cross! Jumping is the signature in trail run! [Photo credit: Inspired Trail Runners]
After small stream jump crossing, the bridge is so near yet so far! [Photo credit: David Lau]
The flat tarmac road to home! [Photo credit: Teck Wai]
The last bit of sprinting...ei, running... [Photo credit: Teck Wai]
100m to finishing line - Sprint!! Game face on, with pressure from Champion chasing behind me! [Photo credit: Cik Arnab & En Kura-kura]
The last bit was just pure joy and relieve that I manage to conquer it injure free (bees was just accident beyond my control). Honestly, I was kinda disappointed when I did not get a tag after I cross the finishing line as I did actually overtook quite some number of runners. Anyway, it was still a wonderful trail run! Proceed to collect medal and re-hydrate with isotonic drinks while waiting for Linglyee. Here comes the aftermath of bees stung! I think after I finished the run and my body started to cool down, as well as my Adrenaline level. Probably when I am running inside, Adrenaline level still high so it actually compressed the whole reaction. (Epi-pen for severe allergic patients contains the same hormones) And when it wore off, that the timing for all systemic reaction to flare up badly. My inner elbow started to swollen, my wrist, my neck and my ear as well. Went to medic tent tried to get helps, but they could only offer me ice pack and some cream (not sure what is that).
Post race
Partly was my own fault as I always carry my own medic pack (some panadols, antihistamine, plaster etc) with me or kept in car. But since I have been to trail run so many times and nothing happen, I just took it out from my bag. The first time I skipped this, and something happened. Judging the condition, I would need an injection to make it subside or the condition might get worsen. I decided to leave to visit clinic and when I was leaving the venue only realise the race podium was based on net time. Linglyee was back at the time and she suggested I can check with the race organiser before I leave. Luckily I did that and found out that I ranked 7th.
Passed my bib to Teck Wai and Audrey to collect prize on behalf as I really have to leave and visit doctor. Driving around that area and manage to spot a 24hrs clinic - Clinic Qualitas. Went in and register myself, the nurse did asked me that whether I am experiencing any discomfort such as tightness of chest or difficult breathing when I told her I stung by bees. My condition was not that serious but I did become like monkey, scratching here and there. I know it will worsen but I tried really hard to control myself. The first thing doctor said was :"you need injection" when he sees me. LOL~ follow by:"stop scratching, or I will ask the nurse to tie your hand" Immediately he get me some icy cold water, told me to just gentle rub with ice water if I really cannot tahan while he is getting the injection medicine.
He was curious that how come I got stung by bees so I told him that I was running a trail race nearby. The doctor laughed at me and joke that being too healthy is also a problem. He did patiently explained to me about the medicine and possible side effect of drowsiness after the injection. He then asked me:"Do you drink?" I totally don't get the question and then he explained:"If you drink then I believe you can handle the drowsiness." LOL!! I am seriously suspecting he was drinking yesterday night but he did brighten up my day even I am suffering the itchiness. The nurses were so nice help to to apply some "anti-itchiness" cream on all swollen spots.
When I reached home, congratulated and teased by my bro at the same time. My mother even comment that might be because of the bees stung and I ran faster to get out from jungle that caused me the ranking. This could possibly be one of the reason, I think.
The "toxic" spreading
Crazy elevations and heart rate!
Private prize ceremony - Thank you Teck Wai so so much!
The hard earned trophy! Love the design and quality!
Overall this was a very quality trail run organised by CentriSoh MY and technical supported by Pacemaker. Both of these name already can put a guarantee on the race! I really surprised to see so many volunteers stationed on the route, and the markings were so details! I hope I didn't skipped to thank any volunteer during the run, even thought my face was not smiling but deep in my heart is truly appreciating all these. Still have to learn/practice how to smile brightly during a run! Lol~
Both Champion and first runner up were from second wave!!! Scary!
Imagine they have dash thru the crowd of first wave and finished even so much faster than us!!
No idea why from the announcement ranked No7, to trophy of No6 and then cert ranked No5
*Please do not be like me when sting by bees (I know this sounded so not convincing) as it could have be a severe consequences.
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