Penang Bridge International Marathon: Monkey on the Bridge ~ Gym Monkey

This was my last run of the year and the longest road trip I had to take to go for a run. The Penang Bridge International Marathon was also my 9th run of the year (originally I thought to do 12).

We were told that this was the last time that the PBIM was going to be held on the current Penang Bridge (starting next year, it will be on the new one), so the number of participants was high. For me it was the first and last time I run on this historic bridge. Unlike Teh Tarik Drinker (who was doing 21km), I did 10km with Clenz. I was glad that I actually registered for 10km rather than the half marathon, even though earlier on I thought that I should have done the half marathon.

[Taking photo with Teh Tarik Drinker after we arrived]

I came to Penang not at my fittest (in terms of endurance) and I would later show during the run. Over the weeks leading up to the PBIM my training was more focused on strength and size rather than endurance. Coming into the race, I was at my heaviest weight of the year, which was 80.7kg. Early in the year I was closer to the 70kg mark.

[I came into the weekend on the heavier side of the scale]

Another thing that I knew would slow me down was that my shins were still hurting from a Muay Thai sparring session I had a week before the run. I couldn't put too much pressure on my legs. But I wasn't going to let these little things stop me from running my race. After all, I came all the way from KL and also missed one of my friend's wedding (Sorry Christina Yee, I know you're going to kill me).

When we arrived in Penang, we went to pick up my racekit at Queensbay Mall. This was also the start and finish for the event. We also had to get a new Bib for Teh Tarik Drinker (He had somehow managed to lose his original one. Only he can do this!).

[The collection booths. Thankfully there weren't a lot of people. I wasn't ready to line up in the hot sun]

[People picking up their race kits]

[Teh Tarik Drinker getting a new Bib number. It costs him RM30 to get it replaced]

[The shirt and my number. It's green....]

[Lot's of sponsors and others had opened up their booths... Titan Watches, Digi, Asics, Salonpas, Powerbar, etc...]

[Salonpas... These guys are probably around in almost all running events]

[Asics was around in case anyone needed new running shoes...]

After checking into our hotel, we rested for a while before going out to dinner for a little bit of carbo-loading (it is very important to fuel up before a race for maximum energy). I also had to get new shoelaces to replace the ones I destroyed after the Salomon X-Trail.

We came back early as Teh Tarik Drinker had to get an early rest. The half marathon was starting at 3am. (Clenz and I would later go out again for some "sup kambing"... we were in Penang... Food!). I ended up sleeping at around 2am.

[A round of "sup kambing"... mutton soup and a Milo Ais... aaahhh...]

Clenz and myself got to the 10km starting line at around 6.15am, just before the start [by which time, Teh Tarik Drinker already finished his run]. Unfortunately for me, just before the race began my leg accidently hit one of the metal highway dividers. I got a cut right above the knee and was bleeding. I didn't care, the race started and I just ran.

The 10km race was very slow. The number of participants was high and many of them were literally walking and covering the whole road. It was very difficult to maneuver around the slower participants. And with my injury and low fitness level, I knew this was going to be a slow race for me.

[And the race begins..............]

It was only a 10km race, but after 3km my shins were starting to feel pain (the injury from muay thai sparring). I knew I was putting too much pressure on my shins. I decided to slow down and Clenz went ahead. I tried adjusting to a few different running techniques to reduce the pressure on the shins.

[A nice sight as we entered the bridge....]

[It's a slow race... so I decided to ask someone to take a photo of me]

The 3rd to 7th kilometer was on the bridge. I managed to pick up some pace here as runners were more spread out and it was easier to maneuver. (I did see a few people turning back a few hundred meters into the bridge). Must be sea air, I do not know.

[People running on the bridge...]

[Making the U-turn on the bridge.... 5km+ gone]

There were a few peple cheering on the sides. They must be those that were cheering for the 42km runners and 21km runners and decided to stay on.

The 8th to 9th kilometer I tried to increase my pace even more but still think about saving energy for the last kilometer.

The last kilometer I pushed even faster and sprinted the last couple hundred meters (I like to sprint to the finish). When I crossed the finish line I could feel that I was not tired at all. I thought to myself, it was my shins, the cut I got, and my heavier weight than normal that slowed me down.

[Getting into the home stretch... last photo before I sprinted]

After picking up my 10km medal and meeting up with Teh Tarik Drinker, I went straight to the Medic tent to fix my cut. When I was there, I realised how minor my injury was compared to others there. There were people on stretchers and one person was being stretchered into an ambulance as I walked passed.

[Ouch... it stings!]

[After the medics fixed it up]

One scary moment happened a few minutes after I left the medics tent. An elder man collapsed at the finish line and was not breathing. Thankfully the medical team was in time to help.

[Medics did a good job. They were quick on the scene and other runners were helpful too... He was later stretchered off into an ambulance. I hope he is fine now.]

Then there was also this lovely couple I saw after the finish line.....

[The husband ran the 10km... in a wedding costume... and the wife waited at the finish line in that dress in the hot sun... Talk about dedication]

Overall, I finished in just over 1 hour and 25 minutes... not even close to what I know I am capable of, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to run hard. In fact I may have hurt my shins even more. It still hurts as I write this. So I won't be running for sometime until they heal.