This race is so special, it will have to skip all the others.
A bit of background (and maybe some spoiler).
1st HM was a good one on its own. sub 2:15. Back in 2013. Nothing can be sweeter than that. 2nd HM, at 2:09 in the same year, it was a superbly pleasant surprise. After that, things has been tough. It was not all bad, but nothing is very significant. I thought Ipoh 7 Bridges 2017 can be the year. But it was not as well. After that, I knew full well that this target was not an easy one to crack.
2018's training though, has been quite well. With the recovery from the anemic condition, training has been ramped up. That has costed me few injuries though, but that issue aside, training has been great and taking its progressive curve. Only 1 year and a half after, that it started to give this very meaningful outcome, for this very ordinary runner.
1st sub 2 for a half marathon
4 mins plus PB improvement
Very comfortable effort finish, with enough energy buffer to spare.
1st runner up, 3rd ladies to finish, bagged RM350 home. The highest prize money received so far.
I broke the finish line tape.
Just to put it into enough context. The prize money is the same as that of Score Run 2019 Run the Day. Score Run of course, has more competition. But still, money wise, it's comparable. In fact the prize for the 2nd runner up for Score Run is lesser by RM50 #justsaying.
I especially am proud with the execution. I used the same plan that I had for MWM 2019: slight sub 6 first 3 kms, 5:45 pace below onwards until 5km. 5:40 pace from 5km to 10km and 5:38 below 10km onwards. Maintaining a low pace was VERY HARD. Everyone stormed off right from the get go. They were goind 5:15 pace right from the start, and I didn't think they were capable of such pace
The run itself was very professionally managed which is a big surprise. The only downside was it may have lacked enough airtime, that it didn't give the event enough credit than it should. Distance marker was superbly well marked. This is one of the main distinct feature where they have done surprisingly well compared to other more highly publicised event. Water station was very sufficient. Banana was served just after 10km. Sponge was there as well. Isotonic was also served. The distance as well, was very professionally measured. it was not under distance, and may even be accurately measured at 21.1 (my watch registered it as 21.13). And the best of it all was letting me break the finish line tape.
The only downside was prize giving was much later. Which is understandable and professionally decided as well, since it should coincide with other categories which happened much later. And I had to miss the stage prize giving due to that, and had to settle just a simple handover of the prize by hand and had my own version of ceremony with the kids.
Ultron PIIACUF Half Marathon 2019
Date: 27 July 2019
Venue: Dataran Putrajaya
Distance: 21.1 km
Position: 2
Official Time: 1:57:01
Personal Time: 1:57:03
Pace: 5:32
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