KL Tower International Sunrise Towerthon Challenge 2013 and MILO Malaysia Breakfast Day Run 2013 - B2B DONE AGAIN! =P

Hi there guys! Welcome back to my humble mediocre entry. I would like to tell my recent B2B events' experience on 19 May 2013 (Sunday). At first I only signed up for the KL Sunrise Towerthon because I would like to try something different this time around. Plus, from all the race report review that I've read, it is doable within 30 - 35 minutes top. So, I said to Rashid, why don't we give it a try then. So we have to do some stairs training afterwards hehe... Super jittery mode activated coz this is my first time, my Maiden Towerthon Run...=/

My Back-2-Back Event Finisher Medals, Totally Intensely Priceless! =D

And then came his crazy idea to do a B2B since he said Afnan, his colleague aka labmate will do the two B2B events on the same day. Theoretically it is doable within the time constraint, as the Men's Open category will be flagged off at 5am, while the MILO MBD Run will start at 7am. So, both of us decided to sign up for MILO Malaysia Breakfast Day Run too. Although the stakes were high but we were confident that we would make it for the 2nd event in time... Finger crossed, hehee... =D

KL Tower International Sunrise Towerthon Challenge 2013 (5.00 am) 

We went to collect the racekit at Telekom Museum on Saturday after the morning run and my squasy session with Nizam. The racekit collection was very well well organized and we were done in a jiffy (5 minutes). The goodies bag was awesome with plenty of vouchers (Starbucks and Krispy Kreme), a magazine (Shape or Men's Health), a packet of Adabi, running vest and timing chip. After that we went to Klang to send our friend to the LCCT before we headed home to call it a day.

My super nice goodies bag, not bad at all...

I went to bed around 11.30 pm on that Saturday and had to wake up by 3 am and prepared myself by 3.30 am after I remembered that I left my MILO running bib at the office. Boy, I bet the security guard was dumbfounded to see these two runners went to the office at this ungodly hour. After that, I sped off to KL Tower to search for a decent parking space. I need to park my car somewhere near the venue area so that we could just blast off to UPM for the MILO MBD Run after we finished the Towerthon. Looks like lady luck was on our side that morning. Thank goodness... =)

Rashid, Faiz (Ratu Menara KL) and I before the torture start!

 Around 4.30 am, we were already joining the aerobic and warming up session. There were so many runners at the venue. It turns out that it was a total of 1250 participants in the Men's Open category. We were being flagged off in a batch of 300 runners alphabetically. I was in the second batch and we were being flagged off by 5.15 am, while Rashid was in the 4th batch (5.40 am). At first, I had to tackle the 800m incline towards the entrance of the KL Tower. So I decided not to sprint all the way up and maintained my steady tortoise pace albeit I was already huffing and puffing on the insane incline. Hehee...

My running pose before I entered the KL Tower, Must focus hehee... Credits to Tey, Thanx dude!!!

There were so many photographers at the main entrance of the tower. We had to run on the escalator towards the stairs. I thought it would be windy along the staircase since I was greeted with a cooling fan or aircond at the entrance of the stairs. I was wrong. It was so stuffed, crampy and I almost suffocated along the shaft. I had to take 4 breaks at some levels for a breather. Some of the runners were seen resting at the stairs and in the resting point. I did not dare to look at the signage levels as I climb the stairs up because I did not want to be mentally down. Hahaa... I noticed that I was already at the 17th floor after 2 water stations. There's 5 floors left only, I said. I could see some parts of the stairs was wet, especially after the WS and luckily I did not see any vomit on my way up... @..@

As I reached the last WS at TH00, it was already 20th floor, my legs were already felt like a jell-o and my calves and hamstring muscles were started to scream in sore. It was already 30minutes. I bumped into Faiez Buer before that WS and he encouraged me to continue tackling the flight of stairs. He said we were almost there already My heart pumped like hell at that moment. As soon as I could hear the beeping sound of the finishing mat, I quicken my pace and tried to run a little faster and finally reached the summit in 33.03.35 minutes. I was ranked 550 out of 1250. Not bad for a plumpy voluptious first timer guy like me. Hahaa...

Once I was given the finisher medal, I did not waste the time to rest at the summit (TH01) and went straight away to the lift. I did not have to queue long for the lift and the lift was not crampy at all. Maybe because it was still early in the morning. After I took my nasi lemak and water bottle, I rushed towards my car to change into my MILO running tee and shorts before 6 am. Several minutes later Rashid arrived at the car park and I wasted no time and off we went to UPM. Made a pit stop at Serdang Rest Area for my no. 2 business. Rashid told me that some of our friends were stuck in the serious traffic congestion at UPM Toll exit. Therefore we decided to take the Kajang exit and park the car in MARDI. 

MILO Malaysia Breakfast Day Run 2013 (7.00 am)

So many runners even at 500 metres from the starting arch! Gosh... 

Me and Sazmie gave our cheerful face before the run

Rashid, I and Izwan at the back before we took off

We had to run frantically towards the starting point as it was already 6.45 am. I could see there were soooo many people in the starting pen already and the queue was soooo long so I decided to wait at the sideline first. We were being honked off by 7.06 am. The route around UPM was semi hilly and bearable.At first I had to zig zag my way through the oceans of MILO Runners. I noticed that I could not run any faster during the first 2 KM as I felt a bit exhausted and struggled to keep up with my pace. Looks like the Towerthon thingy really zapped half of my energy. To make things worse, my hamstring muscle was started to get a bit crampy too but still manageable. 

Keep on running no matter what, never walk yaa... That mantra I got from Kak Rom really work like a charm! 

There was 2 water stations along the route. I love the second WS as they provided me with the Power Bar orange drink. I could only muster some of energy left after the 5 KM distance marker and convinced myself that only 2 KM to go before I hit the finishing line. Hehee... I tried to overtake some of the walkers and made my way through the route. I realised that the running path was very narrow towards the end and somebody might get hit. I saw the ambulance passed me by too. Hopefully nothing serious happened on that day, I said.  

Almost there, almost at the finishing line... I ran like a Zombie already... Lethargic much! 

After the tormenting 7.5 KM run, I had to be satisfied with my shabby timing of 52.10.81 minutes. I was at the 638th position out of  2548 runners in the Men's Open. Hmm, I should have see this coming actually. I guessed that these two B2B events really took a huge toll on me. There's no win-win situation for me although I was crazy enough to be able to run these two simulatenously hehe... Oklah tuh as long as I so much fun during my MILO MBD Run. Hiks!

After the run, I went to take my goodie bag and dashed to the nearest MILO Van for the super sinfully delicious and  irresistable icy cold MILO drinks. Hehee, actually I drank a lot of them, lost count already. Hahaa! I even poured the MILO into the drinking bottle and brought home. Met with the rest of the runners for a photo session before we headed to the Nasi Lemak stall with our coupons. Felt like buying food on a Canteen Day just like in my primary school years. We had to wait long for our breakfast meal because the caterers did not prepare the food in advance. However it was worth the long queue as the nasi lemak was super yummy! Hands down. 

Picture of the day with Aafong in the background,. She finished in 28th place. Super LIKE!

Now comes the photo session while having our breakfast. Met so many familiar faces despite I did not see some of my running friends from #GengKakiLari and Pacemakan since there sooo many runners on that day, almost 7590 runners to be exact. My verdict, both of the events were very well organized, plenty of water stations with isotonic and plain water. I got 2 packets of nasi lemak from these 2 events. Looking forward to climb the merciless KL Tower next year to seek for my PB. Hahaa... I had so much fun from both events.. 

Rashid, Kak Lina and I... You looked stunning in your chili red GCAM vest, Sis! =P

WARs happy happy face... (Walaupon I`m the slowest bunch.. hahaha! Like I care...)

Met Mohd Ridwan Mustafa, my Twittermate, Congratz on your Top40 finishing dude... RESPECTO!  

Papa Padel and Baby Ayra posed with the finisher medal. Hopefully she'll be bitten by the running bug soon, just like her parents. =)

Wish me luck for my 3rd FM this coming Sunday's Hat Yai International Marathon 2013. Still under mileage even during this tapering week. Hopefully I'll hit a PB this time around with my old knee injuries at bay. Like they say, third time's the charm? Insya Allah... =D

Wish Me Luck Guys! Fat Guy Can Run Fast Too... Ngeh2!!!

Ciao!