Shape & Men's Health Run 2008...

Event: Shape & Men's Health Run 2008
Venue: Tapak A, Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur

Date: 24 August 2008
Time: 7.30am
Distance: 10KM (10.38KM by Choi's Garmin Forerunner 205)
Shoe: Nike LunarTrainer+
By Frank

The Shape Run was originally a running event made specifically for women. However, as the Men's Health magazine in Malaysia is under the same roof with the Shape magazine, The Shape & Men's Health Run 2008 is born and men is given the opportunity to run. And what an event it was! .

Healthy and "shapely" men runners...

I arrived with William at Bukit Aman at 5.15am and it was pitch dark with just a few cars around. With William taking a nap in the car, I took a walk around to get my core temperature up to allow me to perform some stretches. As time passes, more and more runners arrived and then came Andrew, Andy and Keat Seong. Then, there was this urge to visit the toilet although I have emptied my bowels twice at home. Probably due to probiotics I had the last few days. Anyhow, after emptying my bowel for the third time, we all made our way to the starting point. We jog there just to get ourselves warm and upon arriving, we were amazed by the carnival atmosphere. Bumped into others like Loke, Pueh Tian and Shih Ming where all of us were in our Nike LunarTrainer+. We can't be more amazed than our shoes and just can't resist taking a photo of it thanks to Pueh Tian who came armed with his trustworthy camera.

Sexy legs! Oops... I mean the Nike LunarTrainer+...

Now to the race. I ran a very easy pace yesterday morning with Jamie to see how my piriformis muscle is holding up and luckily there was no pain. Therefore, technically speaking I should be able to perform today but as earlier mentioned, I will go easy on this race which somehow I did and didn't. And so I was in the starting area somewhere just around the middle pack with Loke. Both of us were worried that our "very white" shoes will get step on during the start of the race as the start was really narrow. We were all packed like sardines. With the race started, I nagivated myself through the sea of runners trying to avoid getting step on which luckily I didn't. Easy pace for me at the start as I know exiting Lake Gardens will be hilly. We were taken around the lake which is 2.3KM in distance. Halway through, I can already see the first pack of runners at the opposite side. Simply amazing!

As I arrived at the top of the deer park, the route is now wider which allowed me to have some running space. As runners began to exit Lake Gardens, it was then a familiar route to run on, Jalan Parlimen towards Bukit Tungku. However, we detoured into the Padang Merbuk area which was a good choice to keep runners away from the traffic. Gave Chui Miew and Nazib both a thumbs up as I overtook them. A refreshment station was set up here but I skipped it.

Next, one of my favourite running route, Kenny Hills. Air was fresh with the greens around and I eventually completed it without even feeling any strain. However nearing Bukit Tungku, my worst fear came. I felt my right Piriformis muscle and had to slow down my already easy pace. I grab my right butt cheek and started massaging the area of area as I ran. I was struggling here and I hope my picture was not taken by anyone as it was obscene grabbing my butt and running at the same time. Came later the second refreshment station set up on a hill climb and I took a cup of water as I was already slow enough to drink from it. At the end of the hill climb, my discomfort has went away as I collected my second ribbon. I’m back into the run at this point although still easy.

With the Mahameru highway in sight, I decided to up my pace a little only to trigger off the discomfort again. I told myself to bear the pain as it is nothing compared to what I had during my treatment days. With it, I endure with the pain and continued my journey hoping that it will go away which it did shortly before entering Jalan Parlimen. And from here, to regain what I lost, I up my pace to my regular racing pace as I make my way back into Lake Gardens. As it was mostly going downwards although not much, I began using my plyometrics to propel my every stride. With 200M or so towards the finish line, I spotted a runner in the same category. I up my racing pace to sprinting pace hoping to gain a position from the numerous positions I lost earlier and eventually managed to as I cross the finish line at position 57 clocking 00:50:26, a new personal best to my suprise.

Honeslty speaking, I do not know how to explain my performance today. It all came with a big suprise for me. With my piriformis muscle problem and also a comfortable pace only to go into racing pace towards the end of the race, I was truly amazed by myself. And best yet, there was minimal fatique! Was it the Nike Lunar Trainer+, results from my training or was it just my sheer pace? I do not know. But at the end of the day, I was just so glad with my ownself. And besides, it's yet another small little step in my medal collection as I hit number 20 since I started running 18 months ago.

Front view of the finisher's medal...

Rear view of the finisher's medal...

The certificate of achievement...

Contents of the superb goodie bag...

Here's my view on the event. This have to be truly one of the better events held in the Klang Valley. Traffic control was good, directions was well given, superb refreshment station and a truly value for money event. For RM20, each runner was given a goodie bag worth around RM300! And not forgetting the carnival like atmosphere. The downside will probably be the starting area which is rather narrow but that can be excused as Lake Gardens was made this way. And so with this event, the running scene comes to a temporary close as we hit the the fasting month. But there is just one more to go for me next week. Till then...