ENR 2012 - Done

First run of the year done..with much pain.

Who's bright idea was it to do such a relatively long distance on our first run of the year?!

Who was it that said 5.5 km, the relatively easier option, is Too Short??

Who else...other than me and my own big mouth.

Check out the route recorded on my Runkeeper app:

This is the second year  ENR was held in here the Sepang International F1 circuit.  I did 21km last year, we had to run 2 loops (11km) on the circuit track upon returning from the outer road.  I was in a better shape last year, yet it wasn't easy then. 

This year, we started the first 5.2km (of 15.5km) on the circuit track which was humongous when you are on foot... again, which big mouth said that 5.5km is too short??

My left knee and back started to hurt even before completing the curcuit :s I had to slow down even walked abit. 

I was kind of relieved when I finally reached the exit to the outer road..hoping that it will be more enjoyable on the road.   

I was wrong :s   Check out the elevation indicator on the chart above.  In summary, what the chart says is there were hills after hills after the 5th km, along the outler loop.

If you click on HERE you'll see an interactive version that links the chart to the route with info on pace, speed, elevation at each point of the route.

Look at the Green peaks..there were about five peaks (43m, 63m, 54m, 41m, 42m) on the outer loop before we re-entered the circuit again to complete the final 3km.

It was torturous ...for me at least.

I was in pain for most part of the race.

I stopped twice to ask the medic for some pain relief..1st conversation went like this:

Me: Do you have any spray?

Medic: No.

Me: ???

2nd conversation went like this:

Me: Do you have any spray?

Medic: No

Me: Deep heat?

Medic: No..we don't provide any spray nor any of those

Me: ???????

Why are they there, I wondered.  Well..they were helpful when some runners 'collapsed' due to cramps, etc.  So.. may be I should have collapsed too.

Well, I did get sprayed one time from some personnel from an red ambulance. That's about it.  I was on my own all the way :'(  

I'd normally bring along a packet of Perskindol for emergency, didn't do so since Salonpas was one of the Main Sponsor.  There were no Salonpas spray on the scene, unfortunately.

OH well...long story cut short.  It was a much better event compared to last year. Participants were satisfied and happy based on the comments on the FB page.

We got our well deserved medals, a cool Brooks finisher T, water, certificate right after the completing the race.  Everything was well plannned and organised except for the bottle neck while entering the tunnel to the 15.5km start grid - we missed the flag off :(

I'm still very sore. Almost couldn't walk today.

And I'm still wondering why medics stopped providing deep heat/ sprays to runners??  But no one seems to be complaining though..