Taiping International Marathon: A Marathon of Disappointments

It's an event to forget, but unfortunately it will stick in my mind for a very long time.

What I thought to have the makings and potential to be a great event turned out to be the most disappointing of the year so far. After completing 6 runs so far in 2012 (Mizuno 10km, Brooks 10km, Borneo International 10km, PJ Dawn 12km, Standard Chartered 21km, Adidas KOTR 16.8km), I was really looking forward to the 2012 Taiping International Marathon held in Taiping, Perak. It's the second time Taiping held a marathon and the potential was all there. A well known heritage town, beautiful countryside scenery, the famous Taiping Zoo, nature, and one of the wettest town in Malaysia (in terms of rainfall).The stage was all set. We just had to go there and enjoy the run (so I thought).

We (Teh Tarik Drinker and I) started our journey from Kuala Lumpur to Taiping after 3pm the day before the run. The journey itself was a sign of things to come. A quarter into the journey our car engine started heating up. We were literally going in hybrid the whole journey (revving uphill and freeing the gear downhill).

[Fill'er up!]

[Teh Tarik Drinker analyzing the situation]

We finally reached Taiping town after 6pm after a careful drive. Our first priority was of course to pick up the running kit at Dewan Majlis Perbandaran Taiping, where the race would start and end. Upon reaching, we could see that the finish line was in the middle of a field (something I had not seen since my high school days). But I took it as something a little different from the normal runs. Then we could tell from the way people were picking up their kits, that it was a little disorganized. For one, we were handed a name list by one of the other runners who asked us to search for our names and check our bib number. Then she (the participant who handed us the name list) went to check for our kits and hand to us. All this time, several organizers who were at the table seemed like they did not know what they were doing. But it's alright I thought. After all, i got my running kit and all excited for the 21km. 

Next, I went to pick up a running kit for a friend who would be running in the 10km category. This was where I could really see the disorganization. I was wondering why it was taking so long to line up to pick up the 10km kits (there were only 2 people in front of me), until I realized that the two in front of me were just signing up and making payments! Come my turn, I gave my friend's name and... they only assign you a bib number when you pick up your kit. And the bib is one of those cloth bibs that you use during high school sports day.At this point I just find it all too funny, remembering the sports days during my younger days.

[The finishing line in the middle of the field... Really??]

[This was where we picked up our kit]

[Me with my running kit... D0579]

[Teh Tarik Drinker posing with his kit]

After picking up our kits we checked into our hotel and joined several friends for dinner. We then watched one half of English Premier League football before calling it a night.

Next morning we drove out early to get to the starting area of the race. Along the way, I was telling Teh Tarik Drinker how I find it weird that none of the roads are closed off. We ended up parking our car 30m from the starting line.

As usual, the full marathon runners would start first. There were confusion as to where the starting point was.

[And this was NOT the starting line]

When the 21km runners were called to get ready, we were told to go to the hall and get a registration tag. And if you are wondering what it is, have a look....

[Registration tag??? What are we.... shopping bags?]

Not enough with making us put on the "registration tag", the organizers locked the 21km runners within the hall compound. I do not see the logic of all this. Seriously...

[Locked up and not enough space for many to stretch and warm up]

We were finally led to the starting line to start the race. And when the race started, I thought that everything would be fine. Oh did I mention that they used a starting gun?

It was after we started that I realized they never closed any roads. We were running in the dark in the countryside with cars passing by every now and then. And to be honest, there were several near accidents. There were hardly any organizers manning the routes. This would later affect runners as participants became confused when 10km, 21km, and 42km runners crossed paths. I saw a 42km runner making a u-turn after earlier making a wrong turn (there were simply no organizers on the route except at water stations and check points). I'm not surprised if there were runners who got lost.

4km into the 21km race, we reached the first water station... except that there were no water. How was that possible? I found out later, it seemed that none of the 21km runners got any water (not sure about the front runners). Calm down I thought (after all, what can I do.. just keep running). But when the lady at the water station confidently said "takpe, depan ade air" (no worries, there are drinks ahead), as though it was nothing and making it sound like drinks are a couple of hundred metres ahead, that annoyed me. The next station was about 5km later! By the 5th kilometre I stopped at a Petronas petrol station and drank water from the tap. Along the route there were simply not enough drinks!!! And Teh Tarik Drinker told me that they were even giving out carbonated/soda water!?!

16km in, I started to feel cramps as my body was losing salt, but I knew I had to go on. When I first crossed the finish line, I felt relieved.... but then... I joined a host of other 21km runners who became frustrated with the organizers... they said the "medals habis" (medals finished)... finished? how did you manage to finish the medals? Ate it? Our complaints were not being taken seriously by the organizers and they started pointing fingers at each other. Nobody wanted to admit fault. One of the organizer even said "I know how you all feel. If I run 21km and didn't get anything I will also be disappointed but we cannot do anything. It's not our fault". You dared to say it's not your fault??? They were pushing the blame to each other and yet have no solution. One female finisher who finished in the top 30 did not get a medal, several foreign participants (including some Americans) did not get any medals. A fellow who sounded like a Sabahan crossed the finish line only to learn that the medals have finished, only had one word, sarcastically yelling "congratulations!!!" while clapping his hands in the face of one of the organizers (I don't blame him at all). We were all frustrated.

It came to a point where the organizers even started to offer the 10km medals to the 21km finishers. How much more degrading and insulting can these people be. The only thing they had in their mind was to get these people to stop complaining. Well these people had the right. They were promised medals. Why would we want a 10km medal after enduring 21km of pain, without enough water. That is an insult!!

This event had the potential. The route was beautiful, we passed by some of the towns great attractions. It had the making to grow into a huge event, but sadly after how the organizers, Rotary Club of Bukit Larut Centennial, poorly managed the event, it has the potential to go downhill. Poor handling of traffic, route management, lack of water on the route and most importantly no finishers medal for 21km runners!! Most of us run for the medals (I know I do)....

This was my first Taiping International Marathon... and it seems like it was my last, unless the organization is taken over by a more credible party.