Date: 22th-24th May, 2015
Race Information
Date: 24th May 2015 (Sunday)
Venue: Hatyai, Thailand
Organiser: Hatyai Runners Club
http://hatyairunnerclub.com/
Race Information
Date: 24th May 2015 (Sunday)
Venue: Hatyai, Thailand
Organiser: Hatyai Runners Club
http://hatyairunnerclub.com/
It was finally the day that we've been waiting for. THE MARATHON! well, 'the RUN' for me since I was only running for 10km hahahaha!
Due to the long walk yesterday, we decided to take the tuktuk instead. It was already buzzing when we arrived at the Stadium. People cheering, MC talking things we couldnt understand and the marching band playing. We actually reached there 15 minutes before our flag-off at 7am.
There were 4 categories for this run - 42.2km (FM), 21.1km (HM), 10.5km and 4km fun run. The theme was Run for "Happiness" and it was indeed a happy run for me.
It was also an interesting run since the route and city were brand new to me. New people, new environment and new people. As usual, I ran with my buddy, Kak Emma. But only during the 1st quarter of the run when kak emma decided to walk and jog instead. Since I can't really walk within the 1st 10km, I left her to run with own pace.
Then I jog and jog (I dont really run, ever), passing a lot more people who started to walk. This was the 1st run that they provided watermelon at the waterstation hehe. Plenty of water and isotonic drinks. I managed to hi-bye Schu at the short u-turn; as for the rest of my friends, we met at the finishing line.
A distance away from the u-turn, I felt like it was time to start walking and jogging alternately. I was kind of forcing myself to jog as long as possible and was about to stop when a runner came from behind to my side. So I told myself to keep running. After few minutes, I noticed that we've been running at the same pace and I finally looked to him. A grandpa with a sweet smile, Tae Cha.
With limited English, we struck some conversation. He's a local, ran this marathon every year and he's 64. Hahahaha! Doubled of my age, yet he could run at the same pace as me (malu seh!). I only noticed his bib category number, 60 (mine was 30) and we're in the same 10.5km distance category.
So, unknowingly, we crossed the finishing line together :D
Thank you Tae Cha for being my running buddy! Another 10km successfully completed without stopping * proud grin *.
It was a wrap up by 8.30am for us as we need to check out at noon. Took a tuktuk back with a quick stop at a food market (dont know the name) where we borong seaweed and nuts.
After check out, we head out to our now-favorite restaurant, Salma Restaurant. Had a scrumptious lunch before leaving to the train station.
Since it was still early (we still have 2hours before departure), we people-watched and went to the nearby Robinson Mall. I actually bought a set of pots and pan there hehe.
The train arrived at 3.45pm (Hatyai local time) and departed 30mins later. We reached Padang Besar at 5.30pm for immigration and customs clearance. We had to bring everything down except food but my bag weren't really checked haha. I think the officer decided to not dig thru everything when he opened the bag and saw that shoes and damp running attire in a plastic bag were on top of everything. We bought bagpacks so there weren't a lot of space to buy unnecessary things.
6pm, we left for Butterworth and arrived safely at midnight.
In conclusion, this was the most laid back and memorable run I had so far. Worth a visit for next year!
Due to the long walk yesterday, we decided to take the tuktuk instead. It was already buzzing when we arrived at the Stadium. People cheering, MC talking things we couldnt understand and the marching band playing. We actually reached there 15 minutes before our flag-off at 7am.
There were 4 categories for this run - 42.2km (FM), 21.1km (HM), 10.5km and 4km fun run. The theme was Run for "Happiness" and it was indeed a happy run for me.
Then I jog and jog (I dont really run, ever), passing a lot more people who started to walk. This was the 1st run that they provided watermelon at the waterstation hehe. Plenty of water and isotonic drinks. I managed to hi-bye Schu at the short u-turn; as for the rest of my friends, we met at the finishing line.
A distance away from the u-turn, I felt like it was time to start walking and jogging alternately. I was kind of forcing myself to jog as long as possible and was about to stop when a runner came from behind to my side. So I told myself to keep running. After few minutes, I noticed that we've been running at the same pace and I finally looked to him. A grandpa with a sweet smile, Tae Cha.
With limited English, we struck some conversation. He's a local, ran this marathon every year and he's 64. Hahahaha! Doubled of my age, yet he could run at the same pace as me (malu seh!). I only noticed his bib category number, 60 (mine was 30) and we're in the same 10.5km distance category.
So, unknowingly, we crossed the finishing line together :D
Thank you Tae Cha for being my running buddy! Another 10km successfully completed without stopping * proud grin *.
It was a wrap up by 8.30am for us as we need to check out at noon. Took a tuktuk back with a quick stop at a food market (dont know the name) where we borong seaweed and nuts.
After check out, we head out to our now-favorite restaurant, Salma Restaurant. Had a scrumptious lunch before leaving to the train station.
6pm, we left for Butterworth and arrived safely at midnight.
In conclusion, this was the most laid back and memorable run I had so far. Worth a visit for next year!
2 comments:
Hello, my name is Mark. I am a Californian, in the United States.
A Search engine search for a topic offered results that pointed to your travel reports in recent years.
Your post was not related to my topic, but it was interesting. Thank you for sharing with your friends and family (and letting people like me read) your adventures and life as a runner. I have friends here who are devoted runners, frequently training and participating in full or partial marathons. Alongside your running and travel (e.g., to Thailand), I'm going to read carefully your travels to Korea. I will visit a friend in Daejon in the coming years, and I want to learn many things so I'm familiar with travel and such in Korea.
Additionally, it was interesting to have a glimpse into moments of a Malaysian's life. A close friend here in the States grew up in Kuala Lumpur, so while I do not know much about the country, I have a strong and good impression from my friend.
I'm sorry to babble on so long, but with the extreme polarization of some social and political voices in the States (they are minority voices now, but reported in television and news and very loudly), I'm relieved to see that alongside the many normal people I know in the States, there are many, many normal people in the rest of the Earth. So I have hope.
I wish you well in your passion for running. But don't bite on _all_ the medals you win--I would not want you or your brother to break any teeth. :-)
Bless you. Peace to you.
--Mark
Hi Mark! Glad my posts are to your liking. I pretty much just ramble randomly LOL.
Running wise, I won't call myself an avid or devoted runner, but running has been such an addictive activity to do. I started running a year ago as a mean of slimming down and exercising to climb one of the mountain in Borneo, Mt.Kinabalu. During the 1st run, I 'cursed' my friend for dragging me along (It was a 10-km run) but towards the end, I was very thankful to her.
Of course, I started the run-cation thingy with this Hatyai marathon since it's only a 3-hour train ride from where I'm staying and turned out to be a very good exposure. the 2nd run-cation was supposed to be in Kuching Intl Marathon in August but I fractured my ankle in July. I can't wait to be able to start running again. I was kind of jealous to see my running buddies joining various running events.
Korea. Unfortunately, I only posted on the accommodation reviews and car rental in Jeju. I haven't got the time to write up the actual travelling (places I visited) since there are plenty to write from the 11-day trip. But there is 1 thing I should tell you, EXPECT A LOT OF WALKING and STAIRS. My cousin went back with swollen ankle form the trip :D
I understand how people take freedom of speech extremely and how a small number of people seems to be taken as generalizing the entire population. I was fortunate enough to not experienced such treatment from the community I was at when I was in the States after 9/11. I'm a Boilermaker, Class of 2006 from Purdue :)
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