ZONE 3 SIRKIT KEMBARA NEGARA AT GUNUNG NUANG, ULU LANGAT SELANGOR

25 NOVEMBER 2006, SATURDAY
Thanks to PM22(MR TEY) who provided me a clear map for my journey to Hutan Lipur Gunung Luang.It takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to reach my destination. I registered for the men open category for myself and for the veteran category for my friend. I was told that the journey up and down hill is about 18km for the men open category. Elite category is 20km, Veteran category is 12km and the junior category is about 7km for the whole journey up and down hill. To complete the men open category 18km it takes more than two hours according to the organizers.Gunung Luang is also said to be most toughest race compared to ZONE 1and ZONE 2 race.

26 NOVEMBER 2006, SUNDAY
I woke up at 5am in the morning and left home at about 5.30am to pick up my friend Mr David who is participating under the veteran category. We reach our destination Gunung Luang at 6.45 a.m. We changed into our running attire and do our warm up. At 7.45 am we reported ourselves at the reporting counter and was given a small bottle of mineral water by the organizers. I was told to bring back the empty mineral water bottle after the race as proof of completing the race. I was also told that there is no water station up hill. I was shock as it was difficult to run holding this bottle. Luckily before the race I met with a Klang friend who advised me to throw out all the water from the bottle and squeeze the bottle to place it inside my running vest. My friend also said that along the path there are many rivers to drink from, the water from the rivers is fresh and that I should not worry. At 15 minutes before the race all the Elite runners were quarantine for final check up and at sharp 8.30am the race begun. The next quarantine is for the men open where the race will start at 8.40 a.m. There are 87 competitors for the men open race.

In the beginning I was running at the 6th position, the route was easy until 1.5km as it was covered with tar and small stones. After 1.5km the route was covered with red mud and it was slippery all the way up hill. I became very tired and started to walk, here I can see all the other runners walking as well. At 3.5km there was a first checkpoint but it is only for the junior runners, I was told to go further up for my checkpoint. Along the way I have to pass through a river and this made me worried, as my shoes would be heavy loaded with water. At the river the water level was high up to my knees. Before reaching the second check point I had already cross four rivers and now I am feeling tired as my shoes were heavy and covered with red mud. The second check point is at 6km up hill and it is for the veteran runners. After more than an hour running I was shock to know that I still have another 3km to reach up hill. The 3km path was stiff where all the runners have to climb their way up like Spiderman using their hands. We have to depend on the stones and tree roots as support to climb up. Few times I had mistaken the thorny branches as tree roots and hurt my hands.

This was the time when I lost my 6th position placing and was over one by one competitors from the Persatuan Kembara Negara. Now I slowly become weaker as this path needs strong arms to pull myself up. I almost fell off the hill when I accidentally touch a long big giant centipede, now I fell very uncomfortable but I still continued my race. By now I was not sure of my placing in the run as other runners were still over taking me. On the way I can see the first runner running towards me, as he passes me I was inform that there is still 500m to my check point, now it was already 1 hour 45 minutes into the race. It takes 2 hours to finally reach the checkpoint where they check my empty mineral bottle and hand over the ribbon. When I asked about my position to the organizers I was told that I was at the 19th position. I was now only after the medal as there was 3 other runners behind me. I could not allow them to over take me, as my placing would be worst.

I now make my mind strong to complete the race as I go my way down hill, the hill was still slippery and I still have to depend on stones and roots all the way down. The other 3 runners behind me was now far behind and I have time to slow down and rest. Passing through the rivers, I felt thirsty and stop for a drink at the river. The journey down was the same and I reach the finishing point after 3 hours 35 minutes and 11 seconds through out the whole race. My position is still maintained at the 19th placing. I felt very happy and entitle to get a medal and a certificate.

I took a long rest and ate two packet of nasi lemak and two packet of meehun as I was very hungry. When I met the first runner he told me that his finishing time was 2 hours and 41 minutes. All the winners have to wait for all the runners to complete the race before the prize giving ceremony would be held. At 4p.m the prize giving ceremony was held and I left Gunung Nuang at 4.30 p.m. The next race for zone one at Gunung Ledang, Asahan Melaka will be held on the 11 FEB 2007, zone two at Bukit Maxwell, Larut, Taiping Perak on the 19 AUG 2007 and zone three at Gunung Nuang, Ulu Langat, Selangor on the 18 NOV 2007. I am planning to participate for the zone one and zone three competition if there is no any other race at that time. I would be well prepared for the next year race at least to improve my timing and this is my 30th medal for 2006.

Brought to you by PM37