Putrajaya 100 Miles Ultramarathon - How far can you run?

 

Malaysia's first 100 Mile Ultra

A 24-hour drive-thru McD just opened up near my place. It has a McCafe, which opens at 7am and closes at midnight. There's a 24-hour petrol station next door to it. Such convenience for the modern day human. Even if I didn't use the car it's only a 2km jog for my Big Mac, apple pie and OJ. Then a brisk walk back. Of course during a training run I see petrol stations as emergency pit stops. The same applies to 7-Elevens. Now with McDs being built further from the center of town, we have even more options. So we can even plan our training run routes around them. Come to think of it, parking our cars there would be great too. So instead of chowing down on laksa, nasi lemak, roti canai or kolo mee after our long run, we can have a big breakfast with a side order of pancakes. I know it sounds bad, but tell that to the tummy of a 95kg man who has run for a couple of hours. All I know is I want food. If I have better options than a banana and a couple of hard boiled eggs, I will grab it. That too is the reason why I will never be "Skinny Old Man Running."

All right, lets get back to the topic at hand. Just discovered that there will be a 100 miler in Putrajaya. I know there will be those who will never be satisfied with running only 42.195km. They need to go further. They want to test how far their bodies can go before it gets kaputed. I will never say anything against these sort of runner, because I too have done things which MBF and friends have considered crazy when it comes to running. I now know how it feels to have run 50km (or should I say 53km?). Now I too want to see how it feels to go even further. This year is definitely proving to be the year of the ultra. Just look at Penang. Now there have the Starlight Ultra and the Penang Ultra. These are no joke runs. You sign up to run the whole island. I have run PBIM twice already, and like many of my constant runners, have signed up to run the new bridge this year. I know my friends keep on reminding me how boring a run it is. However I like Penang. I like running there. The people are so friendly and the food is so nice. I also love the history of the place.

So if you are one of those guys who has signed up for the 84km solo at Starlight Ultra or the 100km at Penang Ultra, then am sure you will be salivating at the prospect of running 100 miles at Putrajaya. That's 160km! It used to be that only Singapore had such runs. I used to look in envy at the runs organised by the Running Guild. No distance seemed to be too long for them. Those unfamiliar with what am talking about can always click here. They have the Twilight Ultra Challenge and the Ultra Craze 100 Miles. There's even a Monster Ultra 200! However we in Malaysia need not have to get too carried away too soon. I think those who harbour dreams of running any of the desert runs can begin by testing themselves at the Putrajaya 100 Miles. I have been informed there will be 50km, 75km, 100km and the aforementioned 100 miler. All I can say is six days after PBIM, you can choose what distance you think your legs can take. So circle 22nd and 23rd November 2014 on your racing calendar. Those two days can define your entire running season for 2014.

The run is organised by Team Pacat Malaysia. Those familiar with them will know that they have experience organising trail runs and ultras. Just keep a lookout for when the run website goes online. I will of course be there to announce it to my constant runners too. Over the weekend I had the opportunity to attend a run clinic with coach Alvine Nathan, and he told me that runners who ran marathons should have no trouble doing 50km. Think about it. When you run 42km, you are actually running more, when you take into account your warm up jog and your cool down run, and on top of that walking to your car, shuttle or hotel. We constant runners do that sort of thing all the time. However when it comes to runs of 60km and longer that's an entirely different story. So those dreaming of medals and finishers that go beyond the norm need look no further than Putrajaya 100 Miles. Legs willing I am willing to give one of the shorter distance a try. I may be crazy but I am not mental when it comes to my capabilities. Am sure there are those out there who have it in them to do a 100 miler, and this is your chance to prove it. Happy running always!

Latest news! (3rd April 2014) This ultramarathon will start/finish at Taman Seri Empangan, Putrajaya. For the 100 miler, the cut-off time is 30 hours. The race starts at 7am on 22nd November 2014. It will be an out and back format race. Pacers will be allowed for the 100 miler and 100km races. Registration will open in early May.