Kuching Marathon 2016- Race Review

The trip to Kuching, Sarawak had been quick but it was jam packed full of amazing experiences and fun that will last a lifetime.

As with every adventure there is so much I want to share the race details needed to up while still fresh in my mind! I don’t know where to start this recap, So I guess I’ll start on the plane. We flew AirAsia, and almost 70% were runners in the same flight, the crew was amazing! When we landed at Kuching International Airport, a banner welcome all runners to the Kuching Marathon 2016.

We stood at the taxi counter to grab a cab to our hotel and there, we met Mia and her dad. They were a ray of sunshine. Just so awesome! We shared a cab to the hotel and instantly, our friendship bloomed. Mia will be running the 21km half marathon and her dad was with her to give her the extra push and moral support! Awwwwwww….

After we picked up our racekits from Plaza Merdeka, my hubby and I went for a quick dinner, made a quick stop to buy some bread and biscuits for breakie the next morning before the race. When we reached the hotel room, I started all my pre-race rituals. My clothes were laid out, my shoes and socks and everything was ready for the next morning. I crawled into bed and attempted sleep. It certainly wasn’t the best nights sleep, but it was far from the worst. I will take it. Just going into deep deep sleep and slumber land and into beautiful sweet dreams of running and reaching the finish line with my best PR…..suddenly I could hear sounds of horns and countdown…..10, 9, 8, 7……at 2am (Lesson learnt….Do not book a hotel just a stone’s throw’s away)

The Flagged off for 42km was at 2am and then followed by the flagged off for the 21km which was on time at 5.00am. Then, at 5.30am I lined up with the rest of the runners and propelled into motion at the race director’s command. It was a perfect day, light breeze. As the race participants made their way to the starting line, I began my routine surveying of the crowd. Most of the race goers for 10km included smiling families with young children, couples and a couple of silly ladies in tutus (hahahahah! Love these fun people!)

This year, I was told there were 8000 registered runners, which appears to be a huge increase over previous years. As usual things were well organised, but for some reason this year….what perhaps wasn’t so positive (but ultimately maybe out of the hands of the organisers) is the condition of the course. There are always potholes on the course-small, but still there-and this year the conditions of the road seemed worse and I did see people stumble into them particularly early on when jostling for position.

Off we set, and after a few KM I was surprised at how well I was feeling. The route was the same as last year. However, there were no crowd support. There’s a bit of an incline up at the bridge, but as that’s an out and back section you get the benefit of it going downhil on the other side.

After running down through the bridge, the majority of this race is on the highway, which isn’t the most beautiful, but at least it’s not hilly (just some slight up and down). Then, we double back the same way, so I had fun cheering for the really fast poeple once they started heading back past us. I was also totally impressed by the guy with a stroller ( and his toddler-aged kid sitting in it) who breezed past me, looking like he was out for a casual jog! Fuhhhhh Yoh!

Ok, then I started to focus all my thoughts to positive thinking and geared towards moving this machine of a body forward. Do you know that comes a point in a run where you’re no longer running, and you start to feel yourself gliding over the surface over the earth? Somehow everything seems to come together within your mind and body and everything operates fully in sync.Sure, you are pushing hard and you are talking to yourself with a focused, stern voice, “keep moving forward….Three more km, PUSH! PUSH! 2 more km! 2 KM! catch girl in pink shoes! Catch her…..Push! You can breathe at the finish…..PUSH!

A proud moment with Maggie Goh

Down the home stretch, I note a lack of signages and many runners complaint that aid stations such as the water stations for the 42KM Full Marathon ran out of water!! And as for the 10 km route, the organisers ran out of cups and we were given 1 litre bottles of water and Revive bottles to drink directly from it. It was crazy! Total madness!Sharing a bottle…eeewwww…As for the baggage/luggage counter, it is true?? Runners had to pay RM5 for luggage/baggage service?

NO WATER??

The super Hero for the day!

Hmmm…….We have all had those races:-

You go for a run/marathon and expect to do well. Hopefully everything goes your way. You plan everything, your training is excellent, your medals/food is exactly what you need and everything just seems awesome and perfect…..BUT……then the unforeseen things/circumstances happens. Much like life, there’s always something that you cannot plan for, nor expect. Everything happens for a reason! How you deal with that disappointment can help you succeed in the future and assist you overcome new challenges and obstacles. Whether I am running a 10 km and getting all geared up for my first 21 km half marathon, my goal has always been to enjoy the experience!

“But remember, for every journey there is a start point and an end destination!