RUNNING WITH PASSION

TC Run I applied banana boat sunblock. Ate a pack of power gel before I walk out from the hotel at 7:15am. Saw plenty of runners already at the starting point. Registering was a breeze. Just drop my reporting card in a box at the starting point and had my chest marked with a marker pen….Err..Not really my chest but the running bib. The run started a bit late. Not sure what was the reason. I didn’t really care. The sun was shining and I was feeling great. Did some warm up exercise – the usual hands in the air waving, hip swinging and butt swaying. See picture. Hahah! The run started from Teluk Chempedak (affectionately known as TC to the locals). We hit the first hill right after the stating point. The 10km route took us to Jalan Teluk Sisek, passing by the Royal Pahang Golf Course, the resident of Pahang Chief Minister and Taman Gelora. Then we took a turn into Jalan Kubang Buaya (literally translated as Crocodile Pit….but no crocodiles were seen here, perhaps some Buaya Darat – land crocodiles like me. Heheh!). We made another turn at Jalan Beserah. The route was not scenic, just running through some housing areas and shops. The shady areas along Jalan Tengku Muhammad provided much relieve from the hot sun. We passed by landmarks like Jabatan Ukur, JPJ and Bukit Pelindung (a challenging steep uphill running trail up the RTM broadcast station). 1 km from the finishing line, we had to face the hill that we encounter during the start point again. The sun was shining in our eyes. Great feeling when I can see the beach from the top of the hill. The pace quickened. It was an OK route but I still prefer the Kuantan Nature Run route, two years ago, where we had a beach run along miles and limes of pristine white sandy beach and then along fishermen’s villages and Malay kampungs. The beach run was more difficult but the route was beautiful. Sea breeze. Sunshine. Heaven! I hope next year they change the route to beach run. It will be a change of sceneries for the eyes and texture for the feet.