Monday, April 18, 2011

Energizer Night Race 2011 as 42km Runner

I thinks by now everyone know Energizer Night Race 2011 (ENR) were screw up and being termed as the "Worst Marathon" in Malaysia history which happened at Sepang International Formula One Circuit (SIC) on 16 April 2011 evening.
FYI, a group of us are training for Sundown Ultra 100km in coming June. So on 16 April, we have our own training!

16 April morning, we ran 15km for double hill and lake garden. While on evening, we reached SIC at 5pm and we start our "warm up run" of 13km. As any others, there's not enough direction telling where runner should go.

We follow the crowd and saw everyone is crossing the tunnel underground to padlock. We crossed the tunnel and there's no one controlling the situation. So our "warming up run" start on the SIC track!

Its was so wonderful able to run on the F1 track at 5.30pm with a very nice weather. The track is not hot and we enjoy our run cornering the circuit and we go full speed on straight line! haha... 7 of us, none of us bring camera with us. we really regret on this!For the 1st time, im so close to the track or im on the track. I can touch and run on it with my own engine! haha

From 5.30pm we run until 7.00pm, we managed to run 1 loop of 5.5km plus another 4.5km where we make U-turn. I really enjoy the run and F1 track view for the 1st time ever!

7pm, i guess where the 1st round of complains started! Where im also experience it but on the opposite direction. :)


Picture taken from Facebook, thousands are made to queue on this narrow tunnel.

We were heading back to car park for refueling and hydration. Ate some banana and drinks. To my surprise, people are lining up to collect the headlights nearby the exits, and this caused a long Q and human traffic jam in the tunnel! This is worst ! The air is not flowing and people are not moving! My 1st thought strike mind is there any alternative to cross over? i dont want to take the same route when im back! 
OMG.. God bless you. 
Since im on opposite direction, i can feel how worst it is. Worst of, the entrance to tunnel only can fit 2 people wide. If there's opposite direction people coming out, the flow have to reduced to 1 people flow! 
10,000 people were walked pass the Tunnel of Death.

Lucky, when Im coming back, the line is smooth. no more jam. 

At 7.45pm, Full marathon category were flagged off sharp. The rest never come to my knowledge until i see from facebook. 


This is nice! Photo from Runwitme. 

This run, im on the run for 5 hours 21mins...  
So what happened in 5 hours 21mins Im dont know! Thank god im running 42km. But there's people said 42km is a FUN run! Ah... i feel my training effort being throw into drains or longkang by these people! 
- waking up at 4.00am for running is fun? 
- sleep at 10pm is fun? 
- committed to run 42km is fun? 
- weekend sleep early for tomorrow morning run is fun? 

Who is this people? 

Expose Media Sdn Bhd director Josie Huang Wan Ling told The Malay Mail this morning a sanction from the Sports Commissioner was not required for the event as the race was considered only a "fun run".

The water stations for 42km on outer Sepang F1 track were good. Water is enough. 
Just that some of the distance markers were not "light up" on time! 

When im finished my 5th lap, im running entering the F1 track padlock...its was about 2am in the morning. No one, only got 1 marshal directs the runner to turn right.. its where we run out and now we were running back to track. I see no marshal on the track  but only cleaner busy collecting the rubbish for recycle. The last second water station was closed shop, no water for me. :( 

Lucky at the last 2km, there's a water station.. i crossed my finishing line at 5 hours 21 mins. As a frequent 42km marathon finisher, i would expect something on finishing line: 

1) My finishing being snapped by official photographers. 
2) Get my finisher medal on the spot 
3) Some one gives me "water" for my de-hydration. 
4) Some one to guide me where should i go next. 
5) Get my 42km finisher T-shirt as promised in the Terms & Conditions. 

All above were not meet! This is shit man! im exhausted and tired after running 42km for 5 hours plus... Im blur and suddenly my Cari Runners member Victor handed me water to me! oh thank god, i got someone with me! Lucky some of my Cari Runners member took 21km and come back early, they managed to secured water for others, for people like me who come back late. 

Water got my water and doing some post run cooling down, we went to collect our goodies... Finisher medal and finisher T-shirt! We were told, the goodies "out of stock and its on the way coming" OMG... 

I feel so tired of waiting and im just left with empty hand, empty heart. Completing 42km should be feel happy and proud but not this Energizer Night Race 2011. 

On the next day, only found out there's almost RIOT happened for 5.5km, 11km & 21km which im still running. Thank god, im being lucky no need go through such emotional treatment from ENR organizer. 



There's also suddenly people took a great passion to create a fan page for boycott Energizer Night Race. 
ENR sad to be falls into and be the victim! 
Last time SCKLM worst marathon back in year 2009 also never got online protest.. and some other run. They're lucky!  

Starting from today onward, a poor organized event company will have to think twice whenever they opt for secure a contract for running event! 
Voices of runners will be spread W.W.W 

Do not mess with runner!  


Support: 

The Two online protest in the making! 

THIS IS NOT A FUN RUN ! 

ENR is part of my Sundown Ultraman100km training! 
ENR is part of my marathon life. 
ENR is my 9th marathon! 

ENR is not a FUN RUN! 

6 comments:

missyblurkit said...

it was so disheartening the way they ran the event. the organisers compromised our safety!

fae said...

they should be a runner first, then only become the organizer..
gud luck for your ultra marathon..

Bandit said...

Hi Vin,

I tried to post the reply below to MM, am not sure if I was successful..

"I beg to differ on Josie Huang's explanation that the event was a FUN RUN, hence it does not fall under the Act.

What is the difference between fun run and competition? It's the thing called PLACING and PRIZE, and in the OFFICIAL WEBSITE it stated:

"# ALL PRIZE MONEY IS IN MALAYSIAN RINGGIT ONLY.
# ALL WINNERS MUST BRING THE IDENTIFICATION CARD TO VERIFY YOUR GOODSELF AS THE PARTICIPANT AS REGISTERED IN THE ENERGIZER NIGHT RACE, IF NOT THE ORGANIZER HAS THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE AND LET THE NEXT IN LINE TO BE ANNOUNCE AS THE WINNING POSITION."

http://www.energizernightrace.com.my/EventDetails.aspx"

missyblurkit said...

Bandit: don't see your reply on MM's page. I also have difficulty in posting my comment as follows too.

"I find it unbelievable that Sports Commissioner Datuk Yasin Salleh or the Commission was unaware of the Energizer Night Race. It was advertised a fair bit.

The organizers cannot blame the runners. There was no proper planning in the collection of the headlights - it was placed at the top of the staircase that led from the tunnel that was cramped with runners.

As for the collection of goodie bags, there was again no clear signages. And when the shutters were closed, no announcement or explanation came until almost 10 minutes later. And who were they to throw the goodie bags at the runners? There are video and photo evidence to prove what the organisers did.

The fact that there was no proper watering points (only 1 point inside the circuit) at the finish line obviously drew the ire of the runners. And to couple it with officials who sent us all over the place to line up for the goodie bags. The finishing line was also not limited to officials and runners. it was hazardous for the spectator and supporters to be even at the line. I finished my 11km run at 1 hour 20 minutes and I ran into the 11km lane but was asked by the official(s) to go into the 22km lane. Hmmm...blur officials?

i urge that stern action be taken against the organisers. Let this be a good lesson to all future sporting organisers. A clause saying that a participant takes part at his own risk is not a good valid disclaimer. And perhaps the Malaysian Book of Records should withdraw the record for this event even if the event fulfilled the headcount."

ahlost said...

I did took pic of the 7 of you doing the warm up. LOL.

Wow. So you actually finished your run at 2sth in the morning. Oh my. O.o

But glad that your cari runners still there waiting for the rest of you guys.

vin_ann said...

Thank you everyone for commenting.

@Ahlost: really? got share your photo on the facebook? pls tag me. Thank you.

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