Crossing the bridge by feet!

Race: Penang Bridge International Marathon
Category: Half Marathon
Date: 16th November 2008, Sunday, 5.00am
Venue: Queensbay Mall
Distance: 25km
Official website: http://www.penangmarathon.gov.my/
Why this Race:
Running across the longest bridge in the country!

I am sorry that I have procrastinated again, if I do not write the race report on the same day the event is held, I will only write it just before the next race... paiseh!

Even though it is a half marathon, the distance is 25km, this is because going to and fro the bridge itself is already about 22km. I joined a group of runners and triathletes, we departed separately from Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, travelled north to Penang to spend a night. There were more than 10 of us shared a double storey terrace house.

Usually when KL-ian travel outstation, the main purpose is to EAT along the way, we are no exception. A typical less than 4 hours journey eventually became more than 6 hours as we stopped at Ipoh and a-place-I-forgot-the-name for food.

We collected the bib and goodie bag at Queensbay Mall. There were 2 flavors of the bag, the environment bag from Toursim Penang, and the paper bag from Digi. Which one is more preferred? The environment bag of course! Luckily I questioned them to protect my rights when I was offered the paper bag. In many runners' opinion, the paper bag should be given to the fun run category, while the environment bag should be given to marathon and half marathon categories. By the way, I found that Queensbay Mall was very huge and decent!


I had other purpose when coming to Penang. I wanted to meet my ex-colleague who I have lost in touch for more than 6 years, I felt great to meet her again. We had dinner together, and you know what, Penang is very famous for food! I used to travel very frequently to Penang due to work (that's why I knew this friend very well), and even stayed here for more than 3 months, I terribly missed the food here! In this dinner, I had one bowl of Hokkian mee, 1/2 plate of char kuey teow, grilled fish and prawn, and... 2 glasses of "ambelak sheng mui", my favourite! With so much and diversified food in the dinner before the race, yes, I had to pay the consequences.. read on..


This was the earliest race I had started so far, the marathon even started at 3am. Those who took the half marathon woke up around 2am so that we could depart at around 2.30am. At the starting point we could spot a lot of familiar faces, it seemed like the whole gang of KL runners had moved to Penang this day. I saw a lot of half marathon participants who didn't look like a runner (I know... I know I didn't look like I would run too). I am NOT looking down at them, in fact I truly understand running or even walking a distance of 20km is not easy, moreover this is 25km! They didn't even wear proper shoes!

I had a PowerBar Performance as breakfast, I find it is my perfect food before the race, it is easily digested and give long lasting energy. The only issue is the price is not cheap, selling at RM8. Sometimes I wonder running is not a cheap sports, huh. I couldn't understand why the race started 7 min earlier before the official time, some were still lining up for last drop in the toilet. Bear in mind that there was no timing chip. Anyway, the start was quite fun because of lion dance performance.

I had been seriously under training these days. I just considered this another long run practice and hopefully I could finish in the stipulated time in order to get a medal. To make things worse, I twisted my right ankle 2 days ago when doing a short run in early moring at Lake Garden. I wore an ankle guard, hoping that it could help me to protect fragile ankle especially I am very much overweight.


To my suprise I was doing very well in first 12K. Although it took a little extra effort to beat the wind, but the coolness prevented from sweating too much, and I loved the feeling! The problem was there was no water until the 54th minutes. The big pack of half marathon guys who started 1/2 hour earlier than ladies finished the drinks. You could never imagine how dissappointed each time to see empty cups and used sponge on the road side but the counter had closed due to lack of supply. Hey Organizer, although I am slow, I deserve to drink too!

After the 12K, the payoff from dinner came. I suddenly felt my stomach was not too alright, I felt like purging... I was so regret that I didn't go to the toilet at the building near the bridge U-turn, there should be no queue since very less female participants for full/half marathon. This was the first time I had this "lau sai" experience in the race...

Another problem was I am very demotivated these days. Moreover I saw so many guys stopped running (seemed like they came for sightseeing at the Penang Bridge instead), this made the situation worse. When I saw the sea of 10K runners who mostly wore the official orange color-T (white for full/half marathon, orange for fun run), I was not exaggerated, they were like orange color military troops when I saw them from far at the highest point of Penang Bridge, making u-turn at the early part of the bridge to head back to the finishing point, my heart sank. They were like human road blocks, stopped and sit on bridge side, making phone calls, even picnicked?

I gave up and walked. Well, I didn't blame them entirely because I knew mostly it was my own emotion problem. Also, even though my right ankle was fine so far, but once I stopped completely and then resumed running, the pain came. I walked/ran the last 3K, finally clocked 3:08:10 with squareeight together. I was still entitled for a medal (the cut off time was 3 hr 30 min), but I was a bit dissappointed that I might have made it sub-3 if I could strengthen my spirit.

Anyway, running the bridge was an unique experience. I thought it would be very boring, but I didn't feel that way at all... probably I was too focused to avoid "lau sai" (LOL). I had to admit that I really love the first 12K, I felt like I was really like a runner! This was also the first time I stayed until the lucky draw time because the grand prize was a new Proton Saga!

*p.s. There were many shortcomings in the event, but my opinion is it was a good try from the new state government. The event was almost canceled (probably due to political reasons), many thanks to the Organizer to make it happen. Please always remember that we runners just want to run and we love peace, please do not mix sports and politics together.


The goodie bag


Thanks Tey again for snapping such a memorial photo for me!


Too bad I am not the new owner of this car! :(