GOLD COAST MARATHON 2010 - 42KM - MY FOURTH MARATHON

Glad to be back in Malaysia!
My internet modem burst into balls of flame so, i will keep quiet for a while.

My last training was in SCKLM 21KM and that's it!! No running 1 week prior to this marathon due to neck injury. Luckily the pain subside 3 days before marathon.

With lack of training and lack of carbo load (halal food), all i can do is ...pray...hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

This is my journey to foreign land.

this is your captain speaking, prepare for landing

At the Australian airport, my 3-1 milo and Nescafe had been confiscated. No dairy product will enter Australia. But my meggi and nestum are saved.

touch down..

Did I mentioned that time in Australia is 2 hours in front of us? (i.e Malaysia 2.00pm = Australia 4.00pm). So, we did lost these 2 hours when we landed.

pack with malaysian runners

Arriving at the hotel about 8.00am on the 3rd of July (the flight took about 8 hours (imagine, 8 hours doing nothing, you can’t sleep properly, I mean can you sleep sitting down for 8 hours?) .

the hotel

chow kit, chow kit...

At 10.00am we board our bus to Gold Coast Exhibition Centre located at Surfers Paradise (it is a paradise!).

our bus

the race kit scene of a crime

Reminder guys, registering at oversea you only get a bib number and if you lucky, you will get a bag containing your bib number. The fee for full marathon is AUS130-00 (times RM2.85) Imagine in Malaysia if the registration fee is RM40-00 and we still making noise – expensive lah, no goodie bag? What la..

with En Rustam

The whole process collect our bib took about 10 minutes. Fast!.

be patient

err...this doesn't mean anything...

i finish first..yahoo...

promoting the bulletin

the exhibition area

We then headed for the exhibition arena. Unlike Malaysia, we will get the running vest upon registration, but here, they sell it for AUS40-00!!! (gila!). But it’s very nice vest though. We mingled about 20 minutes at the arena and headed back to our bus, where the driver patiently waited for us (no sour face).

the waiting bus

On race day (4th July 2010) woke up at 3.00 am. Having light breakfast at the hotel cafeteria. Met with fellow runners, whole bunch of them tucking in bread, cereals and some fruits.

breakfast at 3.30am.

The temperature is too cold to bare (7 degree). Luckily I was clad in jackets, long pants and glove (RM1.00 je). Unlucky for few fellow runners who have to deal with the cold, they tried to dress up early and not to bring too many items.

Our bus was ready to depart at 4.45am to the race site. The journey took us about 30 minutes (I think..who’s counting?). As the major roads are closed for the race, the bus dropped us somewhere near to the race site and we have to walk for 10 minutes to get in.

It’s still dark, my watch indicated 5.15am (that 3.00am in Malaysia). After looking for the starting point, we headed for Australian Fair building just across the street, and it will be our shelter from the blistering cold.

barricade area

En Rustam talking to the official on where is the actual starting point.

Azizi and mimie : sejuk gila!!

The 'loo' factory

We make our way through the crowd to the starting point. It's dark, we can't see properly

My camera keep on snapping baby...

Toilet and shower...but you have to wait for it

Beautifully organized...

It’s time to empty your bladder, the toilet here not much crowded compared to the race site. No queue. Because of the cold, I pee 2 times here (talking about productivity).

The guns off for the 21km runners at exactly 6.00am, but we just stood still inside the building and don’t dare to come out (too cold!!). Having a chat with pacesetters president pertaining to the organizer matter is much privilege to us.

The baggage area...too soon to deposit our bag. The guys still clad in their jackets, if they deposit the bags now, they will freeze to death...

taking picture before the race...me, rustam and azizi

By 6.30am we’re ready to make our move. Get out of the building and suddenly a breeze of cold wind struck you deep inside your brain. It’s freezing cold. With no choice, we walk to the luggage area and you can hear shivering sounds everywhere especially me.

The surrounding is getting brighter but no sign of the sun rising yet. But still the cold…ah…it gets me…

After depositing our bags, we headed to starting point. We group at back of the pack. Here, the 4.45 hours – 5.00 hours is the maximum time limit indication to complete the marathon, but the balloon pacers are only at 4.30 hours max…! huhu… The ‘Mat Salleh’ are really fast!!

ah...its getting brighter...

The surrounding area...more people are showing up

more surrounding..

The japanese gang

Not into marathon...but we can cheer u up

The sun is rising..

All Geared up...

We met with mohan the marathon maniacs, Kak J, Amelia, Azran (CEO of Air asia) and other Malaysian runners as well. The surrounding atmosphere is filled with anxiety to run immediately because it’s too damn cold!.

The foreign runners were eagerly dressed up in costumes, I can’t imagine how they run in that attire. But still some of them managed to clock a sub 5!! So, the morale, improve your timing first then only wear costumes, if not, malu woo…

At 7.00am sharp, the full marathon race started. En Rustam (the president) is making his move by running fast, followed by Azizi, mimi, kak j, uncle mohan (must I mentioned every names?). But for me, it’s slow, slow and slow. I have running nose once I take off my jacket and pants. I can’t go any faster. I don’t’ even warm up just now. So, my strategy is too warm up by jog slow pace (7.50 minutes per KM).

With Kak J..tiap2 kali jumpa mesti dia tanya..'eh..u siapa eh?'

Mohan maniac, rustam and amelia (behind rustam)

with Mr Mohan himself

Our Malaysian group with a bit of japanese....En Azran (CEO of Air Asia) on the right

En Azran, Kak J and Catherine (sponsored by Air Asia)

Already started

Running Dog...seriously...

gambate..!!!...

Lovely couple...

They're faster than me...can u believe it...?...

a little bit blur...going backward...Mr Tony from Taiwan...all the way to 42km..(what next? sideways?..)

supporters...

First water station

The plain water is too cold!!

Imagine the supporters like these in Malaysia...all the way...

more supporters cum musician...

Supporters cum music band...Mr Mohan is cheering the music band with his 'bai roti' horn

'A little of vaseline mate?' - quite a long table for a bottle of vaseline.. 

huurah...supporters...'all the waiy mate..."

Child supporters

Elvis presly in action with a big hat band....

10km...in 1 hour? hm...

Balkony Supporters

There are more voluntary supporters compared to paid one (in Malaysia).

My god..!..i just reached 10km just now...!! The Kenyans are coming...

Mistaken identity women supporter

another music band to cheer u up

For 5 km it is just slow jog for me. And endless action of wiping my nose! I have no choice but to bare with the cold condition. After 10km I still can’t find my pacing tune but I know it’s 7 minutes plus per KM. I talked to my self, ‘just relax ijam, nothing to chase, no hurry’…but the aussie lady in front of me is very tempting…

After passing the 15km U-Turn mark (I think), I try to give a chase Azizi which we bump each other just a moment ago. Got him!. Take photos and I’m off speeding!! Wohoo…

Azizi and mimi in tights

Lari, lari jugak...tinggallah di sini...

hey...myself with running nose...hoorayy for gold coast

Kak J and his apprentice...going slow...she ran 10km a day before...

En Rustam and one of malaysian runner

kacau la...don't block the time la wei...we're only half way...

isotonic drink has been served

red vietcong - air asia made us like this

23rd km...going strong...ni sapa punya kerja lekat nama kat KM mark ni..?

beautiful aussie...

'err...what ya doing mate?' It's not what you think...(the squatting guy)

personalized number....err...im still running...

Relax and enjoy...lagu ramlah ram satu...

30km...hooray...no cramp..!!

31km...gel distribution , nice kids

dont know what you are...but thanks for posing...

36km...approaching...

7-11 cum petrol station

nice scenery...

plus the cold wind...more running nose...!!

40km..hah...going strong..no cramp...

41km..nearly there...push it!!

Finally...the finishing. The lane is for us only...no other humans allowed...talking about privacy...

post run recovery fruits...orange, banana...where's kiwi?

Tak malu...my post run happy face..or terkejut face..

Returning the timing chip...my old shoes...

the finishing back area, only runners...yang lain-lain tak boleh masuk ye..

Pacing at 6 minutes plus per KM, I know I will give chase to the Kenyans somewhere now…haha…not in a million years..

To cut the story short, I managed to overtake our Mr President, few Australian, Japanese or korean or taiwan (can’t tell the difference). Oo yeah…did I mentioned a runner who is running backwards? According to Cik haza (the karipap seller) he’s tony from Taiwan (and not Tony Fernandez of Air Asia).

There are plenty of water stations every 2km, they even have a table with a vaseline just in case your chaffing is getting worst. There are not much sweat produce due to the cold condition. The supporters…my god!! They were awesome!! The whole stretch of gold coast there’s a supporter mainly because it’s a housing area. Not like us, running through Kenny hills, bungalows, mansions – they not even bothered to show up…kutuk lagi ada la…That is why Malaysian organizer have to pay…repeat…to pay for supporters…

The finishing point is different from the starting point, so you might wanna asked your family/supporters to meet you at the other side. The finishing is remarkably well organized, they barricade the whole area with steel bars and the spectators only can cheer you at the side of the road and not in the middle where we run (like SCKLM recently)…

If you plan to take part next year, remember to bring your camera along and keep on smiling at each check point i.e 5km, 10km, 15km, 21km, 30km, 35km, 40km and finishing) because they will put a camera there and email you your video at every check points for purchase (beside your embarrassing moment of photos). You may find my embarassing moment here.

Watching these videos, reminiscence the pain and glory I went through and not to mentioned, the 8 hours of sitting in the plane (can’t feel my butt!!), the pain seems to go away..

I wish I could go back there next year…start saving money from now…
And guys.., I highly recommend the gold coast marathon!!

See you in Seremban Half Marathon...prepare for Sub 2 hours mission....