Penang Run 2013 - 2014 1st Series - Race Recap

The first piece of the puzzle medal. 

A half marathon three weeks after the Langkawi marathon. I noticed my motivation for running is down the dumps after my Langkawi marathon. The lack of motivation is really bad when I was doing my usual runs for the past 2 weeks. My mind and body is screaming for a rest. But this is start of the 1st  series and it is the first piece of puzzle medal so no chickening out. Or should I say no DNS (did not start).

The Penang Run 2013 - 2014 series are all point to point course which means it doesn't loop back to the starting point. The organiser has arrange for transport from the finishing point, SMK Telok Kumbar, to the the starting point, Esplanade. We have to arrive at the finishing point before 4am, 1.5 hours before the start of the race which means I have to wake up at 2am and drive to the place before 3am. Reaching SMK Telok Kumbar, I noticed that they are already a lot of runners waiting at the school. The bus transport was not too much of a problem and we arrived at Esplanade quite early. Then it is waiting for the race to start. Most people who took the bus transport really is lack of sleep.

Runners waiting to be transported to Esplanade

The start of race at 5:30am and I always thought that the race will running on the new highway towards  the Jelutong expressway. Until we start we running through Beach Street and subsequently towards Jelutong Road, then I realised we will be running the old route towards Teluk Kumbar. This old route is actually quite historic as we run across the heritage zone of Georgetown and running past one of the famous mural (where the sister and brother were on a bicycle) and then the older houses along Jelutong Road. An interesting road to run on. Then after we past RECSAM, the route gets a bit boring  where we will be running along the route to USM and towards Bayan Baru. The most inconvenient part of the route is running past the big Bayan Baru roundabout. The traffic was heavy at that time. And we have to run pass the factories at the Bayan Lepas area and also the airport. The fumes from the factory buses are a bit choking.

The famous mural at the Heritage zone of Penang

Heritage Buildings along Beach Street

The hilly part of the course comes in the last 2km after reaching the Teluk Kumbar town. The road at the town is pretty narrow and slightly heavier traffic. You have to really be cautious running across this area. After that we finally get to the hilly area of the route which is shady at certain stretch and I really enjoy this part of the route. The highest slope comes in the last km of the route and a lot of runners actually walk at this slope. This is properly due to lack of hill running. I finally try to pick up my speed at the last km of the route and I don't have problem running up these hilly slopes which is not that difficult comparing the rolling hills at Langkawi.

At the finishing of the race

But it is a race that my body and mind are complaining due to inadequate recovery after Langkawi marathon. I have never entered a race where my mind is already complaining at 4km of the race. Fortunately, it gets better after 6km and the last 5 km is also tougher than usual. Couldn't make it in less than 2:30 but finished at 2:33 according to chip time.

It is still a well organised race except for some traffic controls at certain parts and the distance markers which I don't remember seeing any.  The first piece of the puzzle medal is in the bag. Time to really give my legs and body a rest and looking forward to have a more enjoyable race at the 2nd series on 7 July 2013 which is on Georgetown Day, a public holiday in Penang.