Some of the Dutamas Runners attended the event which was held at Desa Park City last Sunday. As the organizers informed the crowd that the flag off was postponed to 8am. Lynn and I did a 2km warm up to kill some time before the start of the race. One of the VIPs was late.
We were probably the rowdiest group there, to the amusement and horror to the crowd. We took SO many photos (because we had too many photographers around), laughed so loud and we didn’t know how else to kill time besides being clowns.
Come 8am and it was race time.
The route was pretty easy with a flat terrain. I was worried about starting too fast, and tried to slow down by keeping Paul withinin sight. I think he was keeping a 5min pace whereas I wanted to maintain a 5:10 - 5:15 min pace.
As I was running towards the first checkpoint for a ribbon, I saw Melvin, the Captain, Jeff and Sue pretty much leading the pack when they made a u-turn back. When I was going up, I saw Yin Yin, her mum, Lynn and Geoff making their way down.
We were giving each other the thumbs up sign to encourage each other to keep going.
With 3km into the race, I think I did pretty well in keeping my pace consistent but it was time to speed up. I ran past so many photographers and tried to smile but to be honest, I didn’t want to slow down to pose because, er, I’ve got a time to beat. So yeah, I always end up looking like crap in candid running photos.
Nearing the start line, I saw Melvin gesturing madly at me, and I tried my bestt o understand what he was saying. I saw the finish line ahead on the left and I gestured to him whether I had to go straight ahead first before turning back to the finish line. He kept pointing to the finish line furiously and it dawned to me that the race was at its end!
I sped up like mad, probably sprinting my way through whoever else was ahead of me. Thankfully, no little kiddies were harmed in the process. =)
Upon crossing the finish line, they gave me a card for the number 1 position for my category. Gosh!
Cool.
Awesome.
Wow.
Photo credit goes to Tey Eng Tiong.
Not really sure why in the second pic we looked like we were doing a choreographed dance.
Not really sure why in the second pic we looked like we were doing a choreographed dance.
We were probably the rowdiest group there, to the amusement and horror to the crowd. We took SO many photos (because we had too many photographers around), laughed so loud and we didn’t know how else to kill time besides being clowns.
Come 8am and it was race time.
The route was pretty easy with a flat terrain. I was worried about starting too fast, and tried to slow down by keeping Paul withinin sight. I think he was keeping a 5min pace whereas I wanted to maintain a 5:10 - 5:15 min pace.
As I was running towards the first checkpoint for a ribbon, I saw Melvin, the Captain, Jeff and Sue pretty much leading the pack when they made a u-turn back. When I was going up, I saw Yin Yin, her mum, Lynn and Geoff making their way down.
We were giving each other the thumbs up sign to encourage each other to keep going.
With 3km into the race, I think I did pretty well in keeping my pace consistent but it was time to speed up. I ran past so many photographers and tried to smile but to be honest, I didn’t want to slow down to pose because, er, I’ve got a time to beat. So yeah, I always end up looking like crap in candid running photos.
Photo credit to Andrew Choa.
Nearing the start line, I saw Melvin gesturing madly at me, and I tried my bestt o understand what he was saying. I saw the finish line ahead on the left and I gestured to him whether I had to go straight ahead first before turning back to the finish line. He kept pointing to the finish line furiously and it dawned to me that the race was at its end!
I sped up like mad, probably sprinting my way through whoever else was ahead of me. Thankfully, no little kiddies were harmed in the process. =)
Upon crossing the finish line, they gave me a card for the number 1 position for my category. Gosh!
Cool.
Awesome.
Wow.
WOW.
I was too stunned for words as I was only aiming for the top 10 position. None of the elite runners where there, I suppose, or I wouldn’t have had a chance in hell. ;)
The Captain was 1st runner up for his category, Lynn came in behind me 3 minutes later. Yin Yin was 6th for the women’s veteran category and as expected, Sue was 1st.
And you know what? According to our Garmin, we only ran 3.7km and not the 5.5km as informed.
All of us were horrified, as we were pacing for a 5km run. Had we known, we would have paced properly! Ack! We were really frustrated.
“What? Why is it 3.7km?”
“I could have ran faster!”
I know all of us didn’t do our homework and that was our biggest mistake. But were we really supposed to be so concerned for a 5.5km race when it was supposed to be an easy run anyway? Should we have bothered? Wasn’t it enough that I told myself that I was going to run a 5 min pace, at my fastest?
*huffs*
In keeping up with the spirits, we cheered all our members who got on stage for their medals and prizes. The crowd must have hated us, or something, because we were seriously rowdy!
I was too stunned for words as I was only aiming for the top 10 position. None of the elite runners where there, I suppose, or I wouldn’t have had a chance in hell. ;)
Photo credit to Tey Eng Tiong.
Finisher medals and goody bags for all!
Finisher medals and goody bags for all!
The Captain was 1st runner up for his category, Lynn came in behind me 3 minutes later. Yin Yin was 6th for the women’s veteran category and as expected, Sue was 1st.
Photo credit to Tey Eng Tiong.
We did a lot of jumping photos, but I just nicked these two. They are too hilarious for words!
We did a lot of jumping photos, but I just nicked these two. They are too hilarious for words!
And you know what? According to our Garmin, we only ran 3.7km and not the 5.5km as informed.
All of us were horrified, as we were pacing for a 5km run. Had we known, we would have paced properly! Ack! We were really frustrated.
Photo credit to Andrew.
The full group photo, with our photographers for the day, Seng Chor and Andrew.
The full group photo, with our photographers for the day, Seng Chor and Andrew.
“What? Why is it 3.7km?”
“I could have ran faster!”
I know all of us didn’t do our homework and that was our biggest mistake. But were we really supposed to be so concerned for a 5.5km race when it was supposed to be an easy run anyway? Should we have bothered? Wasn’t it enough that I told myself that I was going to run a 5 min pace, at my fastest?
*huffs*
Photo credits to Andrew.
The girls at the prize giving ceremony.
The girls at the prize giving ceremony.
In keeping up with the spirits, we cheered all our members who got on stage for their medals and prizes. The crowd must have hated us, or something, because we were seriously rowdy!
Photo credits to Tey Eng Tiong and Andrew.
Captain and I were "interviewed" in Mandarin by Bernama.
Captain and I were "interviewed" in Mandarin by Bernama.
Halfway through the prize giving ceremony, one of the VIPs had to leave. Come to the Women's Veteran category, they were reading only the bib numbers of the winners without announcing their names. Boo!
Photo credits to Andrew. And maybe Kenny.
Photo credit to Tey Eng Tiong.
Enough with the photo taking! Embarrassed to the max.
Enough with the photo taking! Embarrassed to the max.
Breakfast was dim sum at Bandar Menjalara.
We waited for Yin Yin, mum and Gilbert to join us as they had to rush off to pick up Gilbert's birthday cake. The cake, we all agree, was awesome. Macadamia Salter Caramel Tart, I think.
We waited quite a while for one of the waiters to bring us a knife to cut the cake. 20 minutes later, he actually came with a chopping knife and a cutting knife and asked Captain which one he wanted.
We all laughed.
~*~*~
Since it was supposed to be a LSD weekend, Paul and I went for a 11.5km run in the evening to make up for the morning’s run. It was a pretty slow run, as there were times during the run that I felt pretty lazy and I had to force my heavy legs to move.
It was a tiring weekend indeed.
I almost skipped my run on Monday but I preservered at the gym. Almost got into a fight with a foreign couple who wanted the aircon in full blast, but they chose the treadmills far from the aircon and since I was stuck with the treadmill directly underneath the treadmill, I lowered the fan and increased the temperature by just a bit. (I wanted to switch it off, honestly!)
We waited for Yin Yin, mum and Gilbert to join us as they had to rush off to pick up Gilbert's birthday cake. The cake, we all agree, was awesome. Macadamia Salter Caramel Tart, I think.
See the paparazzi at work!
We waited quite a while for one of the waiters to bring us a knife to cut the cake. 20 minutes later, he actually came with a chopping knife and a cutting knife and asked Captain which one he wanted.
We all laughed.
~*~*~
Since it was supposed to be a LSD weekend, Paul and I went for a 11.5km run in the evening to make up for the morning’s run. It was a pretty slow run, as there were times during the run that I felt pretty lazy and I had to force my heavy legs to move.
It was a tiring weekend indeed.
I almost skipped my run on Monday but I preservered at the gym. Almost got into a fight with a foreign couple who wanted the aircon in full blast, but they chose the treadmills far from the aircon and since I was stuck with the treadmill directly underneath the treadmill, I lowered the fan and increased the temperature by just a bit. (I wanted to switch it off, honestly!)
Another event coming up next weekend, so I can’t really slack off training. *big sigh*
Such is life of an aspiring runner, no?
Most FUN I've had in a while, not to mention in any run for that matter! :D Dutamas Runner's the coolest! :P Proud of y'all!
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