Pacing the distance with music

The 5.30 pacers in kampunginspired bandanas.

AFORTNIGHT ago, KL witnessed its largest running event — the ninth edition of the Standard Chartered KL Marathon. About 36,000 running enthusiasts participated in this race. Close to 1,700 were tourists from 52 countries. There were 75 nationalities and together, everyone made SCKLM a truly international event.

Months before the race, I had been busy making plans to meet up with some of these runners and also recommending hotels to them. Once again, I was signed up as an official marathon pacer — a job I have taken on since 2011.

The media event for the introduction of pacers was held three months prior to the race day. In April, we attended two compulsory training sessions with Coach Mark Williams. Both sessions, we were asked to run a few loops, 2.7km, around Bukit Jalil Park. At the second session, we were not allowed to wear our watches and had to run at our intended marathon pace. Then, our time was taken, as assessment. That is how serious the function of a pacer is.

Then dawned the marathon weekend of May 19-21. Excitement filled the air at the Race Expo in KL Convention Centre as runners collected their bibs. Queues formed at the huge hall and it took some two to three hours just to collect the bibs

On a big poster outside the hall with the letters SCKLM anyone who had signed up for the Full Marathon category cold find his or her name on it. FRIENDSHIP RUN AND BREAKFAST

I suggested the friendship run concept to the organisers in 2014. This is similar to the Breakfast Runs, Shake-out Runs and Friendship Runs I have experienced in the New York City, Paris, Tokyo, Chicago and Berlin Marathons.

This is an additional activity for the running enthusiasts from abroad on the eve of the marathon. It is a warm-up run of a short distance, usually not more 5km. Participants are meant to have fun and usually will wear their own country’s colours.

The SCKLM Friendship Run started last year and it is only opento Full Marathoners at an additional fee of RM40, which is quite a steal considering the buffet breakfast includes yogurt, pastries, fruit, roti canai, egg, juice, coffee, tea and pasta.

I was so excited that I got up at 4am on Saturday morning. It started raining at 5am. Our meet-up was at 6.45amin Dataran Merdeka. The rain was down to a drizzle by 6.30am.

We waited till 7.20am for the start and it was a 5km run through Jalan Raja Laut, Jalan Kuching, Jalan Parlimen, and turning into Lake Gardens. Then we came back via the National Mosque and Bukit Aman tunnel. We were fully escorted by the police and led by no other than our Race Director on his Vespa. Talk about being hands-on.

The 5-hour 30-minute full marathon pacer team members, of which I was one, were dressed like the villagers of Kelantan or Pattani,a a tribute to the East Coast of Malaysia and Southern Thailand.

After the run and breakfast, our team took photos in the field. As we were shirtless, it drew a lot of attention from the tourists. It was all in the name of fun and camaraderie.

This year, I met EnglishmanAndy Dukes who had ridden a bike all the way from England to Asia. He plans to run a marathon in each continent in the next few months. He chose KL to be the first leg. You can read about his adventures at his blog The Marathon Ride (https://themarathonride.com)

THE RACE

The full marathon event started at 4am the following morning. All pacers had to report at 2.45am for a briefing with Coach Mark, who also led a warm-up session. Pacers then collected their balloons, each measuring 60cm in diameter, and tied it to their waists. This can really drag a runner down. Therefore, we chose to pace at least half an hour slower than our usual marathon time.

My team gathered at the starting pen at 3.30am. The crowd cheered as we entered and we felt like rock stars. The atmosphere was electric. There were 8,000 runners, given the total number for full marathon registrants was 8,500. We took photos with the Run For Indonesia team, a contingent of 97 runners this year.

The Negaraku was played before the start and it gave us goosebumps. At 4am sharp, the marathon was flagged off with much fanfare. We started racing down Sabahan runners proudly displayed the Sabah State Flags at the finishing line.