Race Report: Newton Challenge 2012 (30-Dec-2012)

Date: 30/12/2012 5:30 AM

Type: Run (Race)

Distance: 25 km (24.06 on my GPS)

Time:  1 hr  52 min  xx secs (Recorded from watch. Awaiting official results.)

Average pace: 4:39 min/km

Route: Newton Challenge 2012

Route Link: http://connect.garmin.com/course/2607723

Shoes: Brooks Green Silence

The decision to run in this time Newton couldn't be made until evening before the race day.
I wrote here about my concern and worries to run in this. The heart said "go", the brain said "hey, step back.". In the end I've settle with myself, I'll just do my best, the rest is not mine.

Race Pack Collection
Venue of this time's race pack collection situated at their 2XU Store at The Gardens. As compared to New Year Newton early this year, this venue is much easier accessible by public transport (although I went with a my friend's car  this time). When I arrived there's only a small queue and in about 5 minutes I got my race pack. T-shirt this year is suitable to me (last year was undersize). There's also a Newton socks, just in time as I've spoiled the Nike.

By setting the collection at their store, of course there were promotions running around the store. Saw compression short selling (which I will one day stock up one for cold weather run) at marked down price. Alluring but I didn't have a look as the budget just gone to Garmin Forerunner

At Mid Valley saw Dan Low and called him. He looked at me as if "who is this guy greet to me in KL" and I knew he couldn't recognize me. (Later on found out we was on the same train on Friday night and he was sleeping next coach to mine)

Race Day
2:15 a.m. - Wake up. Toilet. Breakfast. (I pack Milo, 5 breads)
3.30 a.m. - Nap
4.45 a.m. - Warm-up run to Race Venue
5.30 a.m. - Flag-off

At the starting point, the crowd seemed less than New Year Newton, probably due to a other races happening on the same day. According to the emcee there's 3800 participants this year. At about 10 minutes before the flag-off, I have no problem to squeeze in at about 3-4 lines before the starting line.

Counted down to 10, and go!

Here I go, among everyone, back to the same place, in the morning breeze, heading to up and down hills that waiting ahead.

Having the New Year Newton experience, a running watch for real time pace, and a worrisome leg, I started the with a comfortable pace avg 4:20/km - 4:38/km. I took the mild declination for the first few km to gain much of the speed too. After 5 km the rolling started. After an uphill the pace show the first drop to 4:48/km at 6th km, although gain back at 7th km at 4:29/km for the downhill. The good thing of knowing the profile before hand was I expect what to expect, and I can catch up a bit of speed within limit at the downhill.

The pace kept fluctuating in relation to up and down hill. However a few KM went by and the overall pace still unable to hit less than 4:30/km, and I think I might need to give up the target to hit 1h 50m at the end point. And this is without any sign of knee pain, who knows what will come after.

Saw Fabio at around 7-8km and he said “加油”。There's some dark area at this section of road, totally dark. At some point of road there were no divider con on the road, not knowing which side to run so the runners occupied the whole road, which is dangerous as anytime there'll be car come by. The motor marshal shouted to the participant to clear the road. At one point we were crossing from left to right of the road and a car sped from the rare and came to a fast stop after not knowing which way to go. The experience was somehow different as compared to New Year as I remember the experience was good.

At the incline 11-12 km the pace drop to 4:57/km, and I was expecting "Ammah" Hill. In the dark I could sense Michael was in the front. At the decline after 12 km  I could see the high roll hill, excited and nervous. Pace with Michael at the downhill and said hi to him. Hee that I met at Macau Marathon came to join although without running bib. He was already in front with a group of people running up hill.

At around 13 km and the climb started. From eye view it's not a steep road, but giving the name on it, I should take it seriously. From 13-14km, the GPS recorded a 37m elevation gain with no elevation drop. That will equivalent to 3.7 % grade of elevation. I have no idea how to relate this with other elevation profile, but this will be my basic data for future reference. Perhaps in trail run will meet more hill that steeper and longer than this.

After "Ammah" Hill the psychology burden was released. I took a stroll down the decline and saw Hee. Knowing I might slow down or met with other incline, I tried to gain as much of speed as I can. The free run was not long as another hill came by from 15th and 16th km, and a drop at 17th and up again at 18th km.

My outer left knee started to complain at the drop of 17th km which was all the way down, with elevation gain of only 2 m but with total drop of 34 m within 1 km. I couldn't turn the leg fast enough to hold the drop, and the breaking effect brought up the pain, the same situation I had at the end of bridge at Macau Marathon. At 8 more km to finish and the drop, it's best to gain back some speed, but I could only manage at pace about 4:31/km, and even have to use right leg to sustain most of the drop.

That was not good. I tried my best to reduce the impact on the left leg. At 18th km was the last serious incline but it was a killer to me. Ran over this stretch of road mainly on right leg and watched a few runners past me by. Hee ran past and couldn't see him. This was the slowest section with pace 5:28/km.

"5 km to go," I told myself but the there were sound began to fight within me. Tried to console myself at the same time encourage myself. Started to see 12 km category runners at the opposite of the route and Sunday sun started to shine. Fast runners for 12 km past fast. I saw a sign "2 km to go" but the GPS said 3 more. It's either wrong location or short distance.

"1 km to go", another sign by the road side. After a while I recognized that junction to turn left that lead to finishing point. I remember very well, New Year run I made a left turn and suddenly lot of spectators and crowd appeared. The finish "end of life fight" was short. This year, I could recognize the junction, but I just couldn't increase the speed to fight for the final stretch of the route. Irony of life, ya.

Left turn, right turn, another left and there was the finishing line. There was a finishing banner that I can crossed my body over to. May be the runner before me arrived much earlier so they took up the finishing banner to let me have the feel of "crossing a line".

Finally it's over. Thanks for allowing to complete another run. I shouldn't say it's regret or no for this. Sometimes it's good to put things to blessed and thanks. Ya, I said I'll come back again earlier this year. Ya, it's more enjoyable this time (expect the expected). Ya, there's pain. But no one promise everything will be fine. I still like this route and I hope I can come back again. But most probably not after a marathon at December.

The route was short by around 1 km. My GPS logged about 24.09km. New Year Newton was about 400m longer so there's no absolute comparison of results between this two times Newton. However, knowing the profile make the run more enjoyable.

That make my last run for 2012.
Good bye 2012~

Update - 9 Jan 2013
The first official results was taken down from Triathlonmalaysia website due to wrong timing for many runners. The second update for official results was published again. No further explanation regarding the issue. There was only one results given and was written as "Time" without mention it's Gun Time, or Net Time. Not even mention the check-point time. Which matched with what I read at other blog that there were problem with timing chip.

At the second upload, my timing was 1:52:31, which is not accurate because from the picture I had photo taken that crossed the finish line at lease at 1:52:20 gun time.

May be it seemed minor to argue for a few second difference. I knew how I perform on the race day anyway. However, the extend of problem could be serious.
1) It means we pay and wore a timing chip which has no function at all.
2) No check point time?
3) What about timing of thousands other runners?

This is truly a minus mark for this event and the organizer.