Back With A Vengeance, Top 30 Mission Accomplished! Milo Breakfast Day Run 2014 Race Report

A not so little bird tweeted that Milo Breakfast Day run will be held again this year on the 20th April 2014 in Putrajaya. Last year edition was a success (minus the traffic woes). Upon learning this, I refrained myself from registering King of Bukit Larut (KOBL) race. Sorry team Pacat. I wanted to run both but my ‘kage bunshin no jutsu’ was nowhere near perfect so I chose you Pikachu Milo run. I think Milo Breakfast Day run is the only run that offers prize up to top 30 placing for all categories. Not to mention the registration fee is super cheap considering the current inflation rate. With RM20, runners will get a drifit tee, medal and goodies. Don’t forget the unlimited heavenly brain popping sweet and delicious Milo van drink. Since the prizes are not in cash, I somehow believe the Kenyans will not take part. More yeay for us.

http://www.milo.com.my/breakfast/Pages/mbd_run.aspx

Prize for top 30

I took part in the last year Milo Breakfast Day Run. It was a success attempt of KL Towerthon & Milo Breakfast Day Run back to back (B2B) run. I was targeting top 30 for Milo Breakfast Day Run 2013 but it turned out to be a total disaster as my legs felt heavy due to KL Towerthon thousand stairs climb. Asking too much I guess LOL. I got 57th placing instead. I envied the last person who got the last top 30 placing and it was my friend. So I set my mind that I’m going to win those top 30 placing next year (this year). I’ll do anything in order to fulfil my vow of vengeance. I so-called it my redemption.

 

Last year 7km Men's Open result - pic from Penonton blog

Fast forward to a year later, I successfully signed up the run and urged friends doing so. Many friends including non-runners were willingly to become part of it as it was very cheap (early bird RM20, late RM30) and they have this conscience of keeping themselves fit. Since many of my friends registered, I knew I’ll have this small problem of not meeting everyone at the race site. Let’s leave it for a while as I have a bigger problem. My preparation for the race was quite good. It was not a surprise but I managed doing whole set of tempo, speedwork, hill training and long run few weeks prior to the event date. I knew that in order to book myself a slot in the top 30, I must train myself hard and have to be in a tip top condition so that I can give my 100%. Even if everything works in my favour, I’ll barely get the coveted top 30 spot. A suitable pace for top 30 would be 4:30min/km. The top runners sure fast. However, I was asked to go to the North Malaysia for work trip few days before the race. I didn’t have much time for training that week. To add more salt to the wound, I was infected with bugs as my throat became sore and body feverish. It became worse when I came back from my trip. I knew #shithappens but this was just so perfect, dang! I became ‘pasrah’ with this fate and will try my best for the run. I knew I won’t be able giving a 100% but I will fight to the teeth and bone. My colleague took the race kit for me and surprisingly I got a very nice bib number, A0066. Add one more 6 and it’ll be the devil’s number. Oppss khurafat. The perk of registering early. A day before, my health was getting better even though the feverish feeling still lingers. I attended a swimming class in Presint 11 with friends and I considered this as a cross training to make up for the losses of training time.

I'm not crazy, I'm just little unwell
 Matchbox 20 - Unwell

Dugong or duyong?

Route 666

My strategy for the race day was quite simple. Wore apparel as minimal as possible and came early for the front spot before the flag off. I chose Putrajaya Night Marathon 2011 white sleeveless vest and Salomon ¾ tights. PNM vest was chosen as I still cannot make up my mind on which category should I take part in this year PNM hihihi. The Salomon ¾ tights was chosen as part of fulfilment the obligation of membalut menutup aurat. I also equipped myself with Injinji toesock and Skechers GoRun3. I met Ridwan and we entered the pen together as early as 640am. I was standing second row from the starting line. Luckily this one kind-hearted uncle willing to swap his very front place with mine and I agreed. Flashes of camera everywhere and I felt like I was hunted by paparazzi LOL. Drama much. I was having a little discomfort as my tummy was bloated since I woke up. We sang Negaraku and at 720am we were flagged of by the officials.

Spot me! Spot me!

Okay, you got me ;)

Smile, no need to be that serious hokey!

Get set, ready, (press start on GPS watch) go! 

Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father
Run for your children and your sisters and brothers

Florence & The Machine - Dog Days Are Over

Unleash your inner kiasu cheetah!

I ran a little bit fast for the first km as I wanted to distance myself from other runners.  My running strategies was quite simple, run a little bit fast for the 1st km, recover and run at my usual event pace for the following km, ran faster for the final km and sprint when it’s about 100m to the finishing line.

Hungga hungga!

Kiri kanan kiri kanan hayun langkahmu

Tolong tepi sikit
Tolong tepi sikit
Sleeq feat. Joe Flizzow - Tepi Sikit

Everything worked well for the 1st 5km but all hell breaks loose afterwards. Side stitches came and failed to subside no matter what I did. My bloated tummy became apparent and caused discomfort. Fever was catching up at the fifth km and I was experiencing shortness of breath. Whole set of disaster worked in combo in attempt stopping me from running. I failed to keep up with my event/tempo pace. My pace went down to 5:05min/km. The thought of stopping and walking instead came to my mind. I was suffering much. I even burped and felt like wanna throw up. Luckily only air went out. People will understand that I tried my best but my health didn’t permit me from going all out. No luck for top 30. Shit happens. Manusia punya asa, Tuhan punya kuasa. However, the never give up attitude plus the kiasu-ness in me were still there. I tried hard to maintain my form and stride. I didn’t dare to glance at my Garmin FR610 for my current pace. Pace was not the main issue as the most important thing was making sure my body keep moving even at its genkai/limit. At final KM I saw Izman was busy snapshotting runners. The sight of friend (with a camera hihihi) has elevated my mood and kinda boosting my will of running. However, due to the tiredness, I cannot put a happy, friendly or photogenic pace LOL. I realized Maman was taking few shots of me running and it’ll surely not the best pose of me. I quickened my pace and I saw few runners including Ridwan in front of me. It was an impossible task to catch up to them. I heard laud footsteps near me and I didn’t bother to look back. At final 100m, I dashed and sprinted to the finishing line. This is what I normally do in any race and it’s a habit, a sign that I won’t easily go down without a fight. It was my last resort, squeezing every ounce of strength I had left. I didn’t know my current placing and I already ‘pasrah’ with my fate. If got ‘rezeki’ I’ll get the top 30 and if I don’t get it I’ll try again next time. Crowds were cheering and many snapshots were taken by photographers. Again, no cute pose as the mission was to finish this run asap. 

100% concentration, no play play!

Ok, no harm to play lil bit ;) Put your paws up.
Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
Rama-ramama-ah
GaGa-ooh-la-la!
Want your bad romance
Lady Gaga - Bad Romance

Apa pandang-pandang? I know I'm not that fast T_T

Knife hand, chopping my way to the pursuit of happyness

I arrived at the finishing line panting, huffing and puffing for air and I was given a tag. Felt like fainting. I read the label on the tag, it was written with ‘A30 potential winner’. OMG OMG, I made it to the top 30! The last spot! I felt like crying T_T huhuhuhu. All the efforts, the sacrifice, the suffering, the drama, the support, the failure, the revenge, the envy have made this feat possible. I congratulated Ridwan and another person who arrived before me. Ridwan got 28th placing with 11s difference with my spot. A moment later the 32th guy congratulated us and said he missed the top 30 spot. My Garmin showed 7.28km with 4:37min/km pace! Such pace is needed to get the top 30 spot. So super competitive! It turned out the timing difference from 27th to 32nd was all in second! 31st 7s and 32nd 10s behind me! No 28 14s and 15s in front of me. So near. No wonder the footsteps were loud and clear. I was saved by the bell last sprint. This wasn’t my first time getting top 30 spots in a big event but this was surely my 1st time winning prize for being in top 30 spot.

Top 30 potential winner! Woohoo! Grinning from ear to ear ;)

Few friends were successfully getting top 30 spot for themselves. Epito got 19th and Khairul Izwan got 23th spot. Both of them normally run faster than me. Khai and Ariff got 30+ spot. Good luck mates next time. I know both of you will come back stronger next time.

Love this pic! We are the underdogs. From left, Kh ai, me, Ridwan, Epito, Krul Izwan & Ariff Syafiq

I was having trouble contacting friends. Internet and call line were too busy. Too many people. However, after trying many times, I successfully met and took photo with most of my friends. Met workmates, WARS friends, Totisthoners, Santai pace runners and other friends as well. They congratulated me for being in top 30. I also congratulated them for being able to finish this 7km run especially for the first timer and non-regular runner. A special shoutout to my housemate, Mohd Azlimi and ex-housemate Cikgu Sam Raymi for completing 7km run for the first time. Both of them are single mingle hohoho.

Single & ready to mingle. Meet Limi & Cikgu Sam Raymi (from left)

Me & UMBIans

Totisthoners + Dayat. Thanks Totis for the moral support, really appreciate it.

Santaians

From left, Izman (the superb photographer), Abg Shah (thanks for the tips & training) & Izwah (thanks for the support)

Rakan satu tempat kerja

Labmates

With Shyamala (barefoot runner), Aizultamir (pose kembar siam LOL), Fard  Jill & Ain Havi

With Romzy Liu & Ridwan

Haslam Shah & Nazlan WT, they run faster than me, seriously.

Secret weapon (drug) hohoho. No lah, my prescribed (fever) medicine actually

I took my prize from the committee tent and this was contrary to popular belief. People call my placing as podium but I beg to differ. Podium placing is when you are given your prize while standing on the podium. Or at least you took it from the stage. I told my friends that I was willing not taking the prize as long as I can keep the 30th placing tag. Luckily they gave the prize and I can keep the tag. The verification was thorough. I showed them my bib, my tag and IC. They checked it with their printed result and we were asked to fill in our details in 2 similar forms. They gave one of the forms to us. This process was new to me as this was my first time winning something. Verification was very important to exclude any foul play.

The Tent

Form to fill

Prize - few months stock. Jimat belanja.

Honestly, I didn’t care much about the prize as the most important thing to me was the placing. I’m still relatively new in this running field and I started out as a slow runner. This 30th placing marked my training is working and I’m progressing well. Look forward to a better timing and placing next time. Perhaps a podium placing if possible ;)

My FB post! Thanks y'll

Another FB post with my 'sederhana' timing

Top 30 Men's Open result, taken from blog femes Penonton

Last but not least, photo of me having a simple 3-0 celebration. I won top 30 only lah, no need for a big celebration. But then winning this top 30 make me feel like I've won a great podium placing LOL. Thanks for reading ;)

All mine! Muahahaha