Part 1 mostly about the before and during of the race, some personal experience sharing during the course. People who know me, I kinda data geek, so i will be having fun after race by looking at all kinds of data from my GPS watch - Garmin Fenix 3.
So, please bear with me if I go a bit too far for the data.
Post-race
My bro normally is the one who always can sleep like just in 3 seconds, he couldn't sleep too despite his body is exhausted. Literally we just laying on the bed, let the body resting on bed, but the mind keeps run wild. We rested like 2 hours and finally decided to get up and walk around as "active recovery"...? Anyway, he need to collect his special need bag and we need to go out and hunt for food.
His ankle still swollen and sore, my knee still pain when bending it, both of us walk like crab and zombie especially going down stairs! Our original plan was to drive around to cari makan, but just two of us, seems like too little people to eat steamboat. Since we wanted to have some "active recovery", we just decided to walk across the road and have our dinner in one of the cafe. So, before race we "carb load" after race we need "card load" too!
Just like my previous FM, I feel like eating something because I knew I have burned up a lot, but I do not feel hungry at all. The feeling is like constantly hungry but constantly no appetite. We just happily talk about our run today, comparing the data from Garmin Connect, and also wonder about the result ranking. Our ranking is like roller coaster up and down. He suddenly become No9 in the result page whereas I have become No11 from No13.
While we were having dinner, it started to rain. We feel chilly even though we were wearing jacket then we thought of those 100km runners who still on the route running. I can't imagine myself running out there, in the dark at night and raining! Guess that's why I am not ready to go for ultra distance yet.
Finally the rain stopped and we can get our car go search for pharmacy. Why? We did not really apply proper sunscreen or sun protection, and our face feel like get burnt. So we decided to get some mask, for cooling, soothing and re-hydrating our pretty face. After that we headed to the race village to verify my bro's ranking and collect his special need bag. Yeah, i know, sounds so kiasu, but it was his first ultra, and it was ultra trail, he was very concern about the results.
Volunteers and crew were on their duty around the race village despite the rain and cool weather. Kudos for all of them! Especially those who were on duty at the CPs! The officer told my bro that one of the runner infront of him got DQ-ed due to no timing recorded at certain CP, thats why he got up 1 rank become no9. And then we witness the return of first runner up for Men Open 100km! We cheered for him, congratulate and high 5 with him. He still looks fresh when he cross the finish line, perhaps it was the rain just now got the runners freshen up.
Didn't manage to take photo with this official backdrop after race, so we come back at night!
Finish line was too crowded when I came back, so night was the good timing to get it done!
Mask before sleep, so tomorrow can have fresher look!
Prize Giving Ceremony
Woke up early morning as we still so excited, went for a quite breakie and check out from hotel. When we reached the race village, it was so crowded with runners and supporters. Everyone was there like a carnival, congratulated each other, sharing the moment with podium winners.
Got to know that the DQ-ed guy got his timing back into system and my bro remain as No10 (as long as not drop out from top10 LOL!!). And for Women Open 30km, No2 was also accidentally DQ-ed, no wonder LingLyee become No9 and I got up to No11 (Amkan?!!). I did not know it was Eunice get DQ-ed, I was so occupied to wait for my bro glory moment and to get a good spot to take photo. Luckily her result and ranking got re-instate after investigation by the crew. The update was released on FB official site after few days of the event. I feel better to be No12 than No11 now.
So proud of my bro! #MakeTeamProud
The 2 podium winners repping #TeamRealSteel
Let's do the Spartan way! Lol~ #OnceASpartanForeverASpartan
Congratulation to Ang Kee Sim too for placing Women Veteran No6!
Met the Wonder Women Deborah Chinn - The champion of 100km Women Veteran!
Incredible energy! Glad to have short chat with her and learn from her! [Photo credit: Ang Kee Sim]
We leave and on our journey back home shortly after the prize giving ceremony. Home sweet home!
Some of the important gears that fight with me to earn the medal!
No joke on the roomy toebox of Merrell Agility Peakflex, I got no blacktoe for this long distance and lots of downhill running!
After Race Reflection
This is not my first long distance trail run (I consider it as long distance for any trail run more than 10km), but definitely the highest elevation gain. My first long distance was the SMFT 25km, the difficult for that run was the heat, but was rather flat and runable route.
For Cultra, I felt it was like the ascending of Nuang (yes! that two big peaks were almost vertical all the way up) with longer distance that SMFT. Since I have no other long distance trail run experience, only these 2 route I can think of.
The peaks that we conquered!
We did run like a pro, all CPs we stopped just for refilled, drink up some isotonic and grab so fruits then continue. We spent less than or around like 5mins at each CP, spent the longest time at CP4 uturn point it was still around 10mins... i guess. The longer I rest/stay "unmove", the more difficult to get going.
When we were attacking the peaks, felt out of breath, heart was pumping fast, but when i check my Garmin Connect data, it seems I was most time on Zone 3, not even hitting zone 5!!! @.@ But my watch did show battery low alert for HRM. Not sure is it affected due to low battery or I am just have to work more on my stamina and explosive workout.
Really?! All the way zone 2 & 3?! Lol!!!
I have a rough calculation after the results were finalize and certificate was released. The completion rate for 30km actually is the lowest among 30, 55 and 100 category. The completion (within COT) rate (omitted the DNS) was 54.7%, 74.6% and 60.5% respectively. Perhaps more amateur or first timer like us on 30km compare to other distance category. The calculate alerted me that one must train and be very prepared for this course as what the slogan said.
Thought that I can do Sub5 (too optimistic!) atleast I achieved Sub7!
Thank you organizer for this amazing race, the committees, not to miss those volunteers, crew member and rela who stations along the route, CPs, junctions, some even camp there! Thank you very much if I missed to say hi or thank you along the route! Lol~ I got nothing to complaint other than some part we did confuse which way to go and there's this junction near the river (more like swamp) we almost went into wrong path and go Holland. Overall the race was a very successful one, atleast I did not encounter any problem throughout the whole race, pre -> post.
Even though during the race I was telling myself to only come back for leisure hike, but the words faded when I crossed the finish line. This run, this course is so challenging yet addicting I would say. It has the magic that get you addicted to it and feel like coming back. Am I psyco? Lol~ maybe... I was so fully ON after the race, start looking for the next one! Runners are not trust-able, or just me?
Till next time! Or next race...? Coming soon... real soon...! Lol!!!
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