Running Kuala Lumpur: A 4:30 Second Marathon

The first personalized race bib for The Scientist Runner.

My recent marathon in Kuala Lumpur (KL) which in Malay literally means 'muddy city', was special because, though it was my second, it provided me with a number of firsts: (a) first marathon in Malaysia; (b) first 42K race abroad; (c) first time to run two marathons back to back - barely 5 weeks apart; (d) first time to start a run in heavy rain, with shoes eventually soaked by the puddles of rainwater dotting the route; (e) first time to don a personalized race bib, distinct yet still anonymous; and, finally, (f) first time to run the full marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers in 4 hours (hr) and 30 minutes (min) - a personal record (PR). But this would be getting ahead of my story so let me backtrack.

Race packet distribution at Stadium Titiwangsa.

With the theme 'Run As One', the second staging of the The Standard Chartered KL Marathon (SCKLM) last June 27 had about 17,500 runners in the 42K, 21K, 10K, and 5K race categories.  Billed as Malaysia's premier racing event, the SCKLM attracted over a thousand non-Malaysian participants, the elite runners no doubt enticed by the USD100,000 in total prize money, including $17.5K for the open category winner and $2.5K for the fastest local marathoner. With a growing international reputation, the organizers hope for the SCKLM to become the best in the region, and to achieve silver and gold recognition from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) within five years.

SCKLM 42K race route as logged on Daily Mile/Google Map.

The 42K race route started and ended at the Dataran Merdeka, Malaysia's Independence Square which bore witness to the first hoisting of the country's flag in 1957. It weaved through the streets of KL, passing through some of country's historical landmarks and tourist attractions.  These included the National Mosque (Masjid Negara) and the National Museum (Muzium Negara) at 1K, KL Sentral at 2K, National Palace (Istana Negara) at 10K, Berjaya Times Square, Putra World Trade Centre, Petronas Twin Towers at 23K, Sungei Wang Plaza, Petaling Street, Merdeka Stadium, Parliament Building, and the KL Tower.  Though the route featured several elevated stretches, notably in the 4K and 36K marks, it was mostly flat and suited for PR-setting.  If not  for the heavy rain that drenched runners and complicated things at the very beginning.

I arrived in KL less than two days before the marathon via Singapore.  Booked in a hotel very near Dataran Merdeka, I claimed the race packet at Stadium Titiwangsa and visited the race start area Saturday morning. Time was not enough to reconnoiter the race route so one had to be content with the route familiarization video provided by the organizers.  On race day itself- Sunday, the weather was fine.  Thirty minutes before gun time, I could see runners, of mixed race composition - a diverse array of Asians, Caucasians, and Africans - but with only a few women, already warming up and setting their sports watches.  The air was heavy with anticipation.  Then about 15 minutes before the 42K gun sounded, the rain started, slowly at first, then without let-up for the next 20 minutes or so.  To the now-drenched 42K runners, there was no longer a need to seek shelter nor a desire to postpone the race start.  At exactly 5 AM, they began crossing the starting line.  Twenty-six seconds after actual gun start, I too crossed that line.  My second marathon, 36 days after my first, had begun.

Run log based on a Garmin FR405.

My plan was to run a constant pace, by following the 4:00 or 4:30 pacers, whichever target pace was going to be more doable as I listened to my body during race day itself.  I was to make sure not to lag behind the 5:00 pacers. Five weeks earlier, I had run my maiden marathon in 4:55:53. Running faster than this was a non-negotiable goal.  After all, I had trained hard for this second marathon, including doing some runs at high altitude.  But no matter how good the preparations, there always is the proverbial fly in the ointment. This time, it was going to be my race bib which snapped from its holder barely 1K into the race. I had to stop to fasten it with a safety pin, losing time in the process. During the first 10K, I contented myself with viewing the alien surroundings.  Runners were still tightly packed, guided by race marshals and volunteers, and egged on by several cheer leading groups at key stations - all part of a cheer leading competition.  The rain had begun  to ease.  In the darkness, I was happy that, unlike in my maiden marathon, at this juncture, I was completely pain-free.

The SC Cool Zone; a welcome race innovation.

The 10K to 21K run, from the National Palace to the city's Golden Triangle - a fashion haven with many high-end shopping centers-, was mainly in flat terrain and in the main highways. At 16K I spotted the 4:30 pacer with a while balloon and decided to keep him within my sight all the way.  At 21K, dawn had broken, and a race clock showed my time to be 2:05:03.  Not bad, but still 10 min off my PR for the distance.  At 22K, I was sprayed with cool mist in the race's only but no doubt welcome Cool Zone. The KL Tower and, further on near 23K, the famous Petronas Twin Towers loomed in the horizon.

The KL Tower.

One of the famed Petronas Twin Towers.

Minutes after a 4:30 marathon finish.

The run from then on was a matter of listening to my body.  I had a goal, yes, but I also had to remind myself that four weeks later, I will be running another full marathon - in San Francisco.  Being injured unnecessarily due to reckless acceleration was not part of the race agenda.  So taking a bit of time to soak in the sights and take a snapshot or two here and there, I ran the second half of the race at a rather comfortable pace.  At the 25K, 29K, and 31K, I inserted a minute of walking into the running routine and ingested salt and Sports Beans to avoid the onset of impending cramps in my left leg.  The Gu and Powerbar energy gels taken at the 9K, 16K, 21K, and 26K marks, plus constant hydration every 2K, ruined whatever plans the dreaded marathon wall had for me at its territory- the 30K to 32K.  Knowing there was an aid station every 4K and a hydration station every 2K was comforting. As I reached the 35K marker, took the last of the energy gels, and did the last one-minute walking routine, I knew I was certain to finish the KL marathon.

With Newton Philippines' Renze Rovie Banawa (left) and
one of the stars of 2010 SCKLM - 21K 2nd Place Finisher
Mary Grace de los Santos (center)

The final seven kilometers brought us through a winding and uphill road inside a botanical garden-like setting.  It would have been just as equally nice to have stopped, breathed the fresh air, and relaxed but the finish line's beacon was stronger.  At the 39K mark, I overtook the 4:30 pacer who told me I was doing just fine. I hydrated for the last time at 40K and braced myself for a final push.  There were more cheerers at this point.  I noticed that a fellow 42K runner I was about to overtake was running barefoot. For a split second, the thought of doing the same back home crossed my mind.  First things first.  As we made a final turn to the Dataran Merdeka, my Garmin FR405 beeped, signalling that I had already covered 42.2K.  I glanced at my watch and noted the time to to be a few seconds past 4:28. Wow, a sub-Oprah finish, I smiled.  But then I still could not see the finish line arch!  Using the last energy reserves, I dashed another 200 meters to find the finish line.  In the final 10 meters, the 4:30 pacer overtook me.  No matter.  I had run KL.  And I knew I had run it injury-free and well.

My Garmin FR405 recorded a run distance of 42.48K, covered in 4 hr 30 min 21 sec, for an average pace of 6 min 22 sec per K.  The 13th K was ran the fastest- in 5 min 9 sec, while the 33rd K was traversed the slowest- in 8 min 30 sec. 

My official race time, based on the single-use D-tag timing device, was 4:30:29. This was a full 25 min and 24 sec faster than my previous personal best for the full marathon distance.  Compared to others, I was ranked 372 out of 1,697 42K runners who crossed the finish line, including 196 (or 12%) women. I finished in the top 22% .

Terima kasih!