Race Report - Back 2 Endurance 2016

This is not a report about how to podium a race, because there were so many things I noticed during the race, I feel like writing something down.

As usual I joined this race after the registration quite late, but I was told there will be a world class runner joining this event and I wanted to witness up close how a world class runner run an event like this and break the course record. As some may know I am haunted by Achilles Tendonitis since Feb, this really isn't going to be a race for me, I set a target of completing either 50KM or do 6 hrs then decide whether to continue depends on how my feet feel.

But somehow as I was preparing my fuel box, the message I wrote on the box for myself back in Jan reminded me that if I want to start, might as well finish it, just take it easy after 6 hours, I might even possibly reach the Gold if the 1st 6 hours go well, :P

short moments before flag off

So came event morning, woke up early, load everything into the car, reached the race site early, parked my car nicely, enjoyed my breakfast drink in the car and then spent sometime look for the right spot to place ice box and my fuel box. It was not like last year, I didn't feel unwell and I didn't have the pressure to come here to prove anything or defend my title, everything felt easy.

Met the usual faces (Siaw Hua, Hong Lan, Jerome, Frank, Rich Chai, Casey) and also the some new familiar faces to this event except the world class, later Jeff informed me that he is not coming, the game just turned boring a little. I then have a new agenda here, lake garden is always famous for having a lot of PokeStops for Pokemon-Go, I think I might have some great time to boost up my level and catches here today, :) 

Siaw Hua, did TDS (119KM trail) a week ago, came for fun run...

The race flag off on time and off we go, it didn't take long for me to move into the leading pack, technically it was not a leading pack because there was 2-3 runners doing really fast from the start. The plan was to do 1st 30KM or 13 laps under 3 hours, I know I just have to pace myself comfortably and take care of my legs not to push too fast, free and easy, free and easy I kept telling myself.

Josephine.(why do I post her photo anyway?)

It didn't take long for another 2-3 runners to over take me in the next few laps and the race standing kind of settle in without much movement on positions, except the leading guys were really fast, so fast that I got lapped once or twice in the 1st 3 hours! LOL!

Very fast guy that lead the race and sayur me on my final lap to make 5th, lol!

Must post own photo that look yeng...

This year timing chip was introduced, at each lap runners are expected to save few seconds from doing manual hole punching on the bib (well, 5 seconds a lap would be 4 mins for 45 laps, lol!). Weather was good, body felt OK and heart rate was kept relatively low, 3 hrs passed pretty fast and managed to hit the 1st distance target of 30KM, then the temptation for Pokemon-Go kicked in... 

1st 3 hrs - 13 laps

Went back to water station trying to get access to my baggage and surprised by the number of chairs placed at the resting zone, blocking  my way, but finally found a way to my bag to get my phone. I have 3 hrs to get to 50KM mark which is another 9 laps to go, plenty of time for that. I figure I can walk 2 laps and jog one lap to make that happen, that is quite a luxury actually. Having the luxury to walk gave me the opportunity to share laps with Frank who was doing his consistent pace for this event. 

Begin of Pokemon Lap

I was not the only one playing Pokemon, I guess...

Enjoying companionship with Frank

The next 3 hrs passed generally more fun with Frank's companionship and Pokemon catches, Frank always have some stories to share on his running journey and plan for the coming months. Unfortunately my phone ran out of battery pretty fast too, no choice but to put the phone in charging for the next 1-2 hours.

Need to push faster to get to the next Pokemon stop

Hi...

6 hours later, sun at its greatest and phone out of battery, LOL!

2nd 3 hrs - 9 laps

By the end of 6 hrs, I managed to clock 9 laps to make total 22 laps which was on track for my 6 hrs plan, since I was not doing a fast pace, I was not very tired but started to feel hungry, spent some time to put some fruits into my tummy and make my drinks while chit chat with friends at water station. It didn't took me long to decide on continuing the race to hit 85KM for Gold award, which is another 15 laps to go, that means I can possibly do 8 laps in next 3 hrs and another 7 laps in final 3 hrs. Knowing that I can always run faster in the final 2 laps, I can probably hit 85KM earlier than 12 hrs.

YJ, did it consistently

With phone still on charging mode, I need to find something to keep me entertained, luckily I saw Fujii Loh and she was quite free, she looked like she needed some walking so I allowed her to walk with me. Sun was hot, I decided to santai a bit with a cold towel from my ice box (thanks to Renee who brought ice and coconut drinks!)

Need to pretend suffer a bit, notice the stalker behind me...

As Frank went for lunch after 6 hrs, in fact, most runners went eating at noon time, the route became relatively empty with less people. I was not very hungry plus I was not a good eater during race, so I continued on for the next 3 hours with some running in between. Soreness kicked in and too much of walking also put some stress on the ankle and top of the feet, having some running in between helped to transfer the stress to other muscles.

Water station that has both official supply and personal bottles station, spot my fuel box

By the end of the 9 hrs, more runners had come back to join the running/walking, I managed to clock another 9 laps to total of 71KM, that means another 6 laps to get to 85KM, 2 laps/hour for the final 3 hours!

I took a glimpse on the result chart and realised I was not too far off from top 5 with current rank of 7th position.

3rd 3 hrs - 9 laps

Final 3 hours was the real fun of the event, I had the privilege of running along with Shine (if u don't know who he is, that is because legend like this only stays in the mountain and joins races you never heard of). And because he took off his shirt, I also wanna-be like him, may be it was really more cooling this way. The truth is, it was cooling when I was running, if I walk, then it was not, a wet shirt would probably help more, but it definitely LOOKED more COOL-ing. LOL!

Photo with Ah Pii coz she asked for it

Unfortunately the show only lasted 2-3 laps before we got complaint and had to put on clothes and too bad Shine needed to catch a bus back home, so he left the game early with 1.5 hrs to go. And out of pity, KK Yum and Uncle Kelvin Ng volunteered to cheer me on and pace me for the remaining laps (actually they joined even before Shine left..).

Naked running

With their support, some fun jokes and story telling, the next 1 hr+ was fun, they even made me run more during the laps! As soon as I hit 85KM at 11:05 hrs, their duty was accomplished, with 55 mins to spare, I decided to go for another 2 laps to get to 89KM. It turned out to be a good decision as I managed to catch up with Frank on final lap and we crossed the finishing line together. With 19 mins to spare, I could have done another lap but that would be meaningless, so I called it a day. :)

My pacer or my escort?

I just feel like running at the end of each lap

Sharing my final lap with Frank again

4th 3 hrs - 8 laps

Shared some photo time with Yum KK, Rosaline and Wai Yee

Ended my run before end of 12 hrs

This year I observed more runners remained on the race after 9 hrs but unfortunately the race ended with less people make it to the Gold, may be the weather was generally hotter than last year with no rain. I was expecting at least the top 3 to hit 100KM mark but only the champion made it beyond 100KM. The men champion had high chance of shattering my last year's 108KM record but like any long distance race, thing can turn south anytime, his suffered the 12th hour and only made it 105KM, which is one lap less. 

On one hand I was happy I get to keep the record for another year, on the other hand I also find it a pity coz he did relatively better than me in the 1st 11 hours (after comparing my splits last year). But I have high hope that next year someone would raise the bar higher, :)

Gold qualifier list

B2E 2016 champion, 105KM !!! 

Woman Champion

Men 3rd, only found out in the last 30 mins or so..

This race completed without much stress on the body, tested the new anti-blister plaster DuoDerm which cost RM17 a piece (cut into 6 pieces) to cover my usual spot that develop blister (since beginning of this year), it is a gel foam that worked very well, I will be testing it again during Penang Ultra 2 weeks later.

Could I have made it to the top 3? possible, but I wasn't paying attention to the ranking chart and difference with the runners ahead much, at the back of my mind I was having impression of behind by few laps.

I am happy with 89KM (and a confidently potential 92KM finishing) finishing, I noticed I have developed a lazy running form which may cause more damage than running fast, in the final 3 hours I did a few loops engaging different muscles for faster lap and it worked well.