MMDS Results

Ran the Malakoff Duathlon yesterday and came out alive.

After weeks of not feeling good and under tremendous pressure and stress, sorta pulled myself together to do this duathlon, which is my first, for the first time (duh!)

The initial 10km run was relatively easy, bringing us running past Dataran Merdeka towards Jalan Sultan Salahuddin tthrough Bukit Tunku(Kenny Hill) to Jalan Duta towards Parlimen Negara and back to Dataran again. Me and the gang ran together and started right from the very back and start calculating how many runners we overtook by the end of the run. We finished the run in roughly 1Hr 1Min. That is fast, considering that there is two other things to do after this run.

The biking was initially thought to be easy, as we could rest and recuperate from the initial 10km run. We started from Dataran again and ehaded towards Jalan Kuching-Bulatan Segambut-Jalan Duta-Parlimen-Jalan Sultan Sallehudiin-Bank Negara-Lake Garden-and back to Dataran again. This is 15km. We need to do 3 loops to complete the 45km.

Cycling from Dataran until past the hill crest where the National Archive is an ardous task. It was all the way an increasing gradient, with the highest elevation near where the Lembaga Peperiksaan is. The road condition is not excatly at it's best since Jalan Segambut is at it's upgrading process, still.

Nevertheless, the joy of overtaking road bikes costing somewhere like 3 times my monthly salary(minimum) was a joy. My pass-me-down-bike-which-i-bought-at-a-bargain did it's purpose more than i think it should have. Eventhough it was creaking and protesting at some point of the race, i managed to lose count of how many roadies i've overtaken, esp those in the time trial bikes and those with wheels/rims so high tech i swore it came out from star trek's series.

i finished the biking section in 1H 40mins, that is very fast as well, considering that it will take me about 2H 10mins to finish 40km distance in putrajaya.

But the gamble took it's toll, as soon as i dismounted, there were sharp agonising pain in the outer portion of my knees. I grabbed a quick squirt of the muscle pain killer. It doens't help. Walking was a pain. last 5km would be ardous to tackle. Especially so that it is a 50% of uphill through the goverment offices behind Bank Negara.

I ran, and i tumbled, cramps sets in, with the knee buckling like it just went through some tetonic plate shift in the Sunda plate. Luckily i took a graceful tumble, which appears to be me, as if, doing it on purpose. It was embarassing and at the same time, painful.

I picked myself up and ran again. First water station, ok, that is 2km done. I got 3 more to go. The pain in the knee was so bad. So very bad.

i was pushing myself through the last 3km when i saw Dr. Amir shouting my name. It was a relief! I slowed down to almost a crawl, unable to buck my foot another step. i stood there, tensing my quads to flush out those lactate build up in my knees and joints.

As if Amir was an angel sent from behind the race, i find new courage and new spirit to complete the last 1km. I ran, but it looked more like someone limping and powerwalking at the same time.

I crossed the line, with the announcer/organiser telling everyone my number, and my name. I did it in 3H and 30 minutes, or so i think. My first duathlon, my first time that i wanted to give up, in anything. my first time, that i almost wanted to cry, not because of the pain, but because i did not believe that i wanted to quit.

i went home, limping for the rest of the day.

Am feeling better now, ego bruised, but at least the knee ain't painful anymore.

a check at the MMDS website has not ahve the official results out yet. will update from time to time.

the rest of the gang finished the race in 3Hrs, with me coming in last amongst them in 3h 30mins.

Update:

Official Results: MMDS 1

I'm in position 54 out of 82 in my age group and there was 17 that did not finish or start the race. FInished the race in the official time of: 3:31:24