Multi-Purpose Insurance Berhad Run 2013 – 12km

Date: 6 January 2013

Venue: Padang Merbuk, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Distance: 12km (Garmin: 11.41km although Jothpal had 12km on his; Calvin had 11.78km on his)

Timing: 1:02:58 (Gun); 1:02:43 (Chip); 1:02:44 (Garmin)

Pace: 5:29 min/km (Garmin)

Result: 12th (AG) (all results here)

Website: www.mpibrun.com.my

Previous year’s recap here.

The second edition of the event with the same start/finish point and route as the inaugural event although they’ve tagged on a 2 more categories. As with previously, this is a loop course route from Padang Merbuk and took us through the reverse of the runners’-iconic-usual-training-ground of “Double Hills” (DH). To encourage participants, especially newer runners, they introduced the 5km Run and the 3km Fun Run/Walk and retained the 12km and 8km (believe it was 6km in 2012).

The turnout this year was bigger and most of the speedsters were there – evident from the results.

Aid/hydration stations were 3km apart and there were 2 timing chip checkpoints (only for the 12km and 8km) – first one in front of Selangor Prop and the second, after coming downhill from Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), after the u-turn heading to Jabatan Pertanian (?).

As the route is basically the same as the previous year, am intending to keep the review short on sights etc but peppering it with thoughts, convos I had with runners along the route.

Up until 5 minutes before the flag off (yes, it was that close a call!), I was still tossing the coin on toeing the line. The hip flexor, though without pain, was not allowing me to have the full range of movement and reminded me of this on the warm up. I did the next best thing – offered the bib to Michelle but she urged me to go for it; as did Geannie, Maybel and Corrine.

Km1-2

Nothing like a 500m uphill to jumpstart the engine, eh? Some weaving here but since I wasn’t planning or can even go fast (limited range, remember?), it was ok. Shoutout from LikSng coming downhill towards Lebuhraya Mahameru just after km1.

Km3-4

Km3 was the entrance to the Bukit Tunku hills and let me tell you this, DH in reverse is probably twice as hard. Oh yeah, did I mention that I ran the DH on Saturday morning? Yes, nothing beats “farking” myself like that…or maybe I needed an excuse to bail out on the event.

Km5-7

Back on the long straight never-ending road of Jalan Bukit Tunku and the first male runner passed me around km6, on the uphill heading towards the overhead bridge! Soon it was Jothpal (upturn before the snaky downhill) followed by Ronnie’s turn (he did the 8km) and Raymond (in front of the newer BNM building). How’s that for ego boosting?!?!

Km8-9

Coming downhill from BNM with a u-turn heading towards Jabatan Pertanian. Oh boy, this was one never ending climb that never stopped (does it read oxymoron when I use "never ending" with "never stopped"???) until we got to the entrance of the second hill (DH), maybe about 1++ km? It was also here I got a boost from shoutouts from Uncle Sonny and Kah Wai even though the pic don’t look like it.

Photo credits to Marlina Ibrahim

Km9-12

Km9-10 was the second hill; the rest of the way was wheezing down past Tugu Negara and Jalan Parlimen heading back to Padang Merbuk.

Photo credits to Aron, Vincent Khor

Pros:

a) Well put up event. Kudos to Runners Malaysia, Jamie and Mr Wan.

b) Great post-race traffic management – cross the finish line, get your medal and goodie bag with breakfast (water and a bun) and then mingle around the open space.

c) Aid and hydration stations every 3km apart.

d) Volunteers! The best of the bunch!

e) Time chipped which is still very rare in these parts of the woods with results made available within 24 hours.

f) Distance markers every 3(?) km although I was slightly confused with the ones after the BNM u-turn because of the route merging. I would suggest they have 1 distance marker for all the categories in 1 spot because I saw “6km” after the u-turn and then “8km or 9km” about 300m after that.

Cons:

a) Cars. Cars. Cars. Indiscriminately parked along the Padang Merbuk route heading towards the finishing point. This made the road narrower and when you’re sprinting to finish (if you can!) risk banging yourself into one of the cars or difficult to pass any runner.

b) Verification of winners could have been better done. See this post on the controversy.

c) The perennial no or partial road closure - sure there were marshals and traffic police but nothing beats having a full closure or barricades/railings (for partial closure) vs plastic cones. 

Photo log:

Swag

Finisher’s Medal