I give credit to my mum for encouraging us to join this event. She found it through the internet, and announced that she would like run in the 3km Family Fun Run category with her friends and my sister. I agreed to it too. But after seeing how excited her group was about the event, I figured that she has plenty of support and company. Plus, I knew that she can run longer than 3km because she works out regularly. So I ‘upgraded’ myself to the 12km category instead.
Team Mama
The event was a huge turnout because it’s not everyday that one of the busiest highways in Malaysia gets blocked and closed just for a running event. Usually, the North Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) was jammed with cars and vehicles but this morning, it was full of runners. All categories and distances can safely run on the road without any traffic. Despite the high number of runners, the highway was wide with 4 lanes, so no one was knocked over and fast sprinters can easily maneuver through the crowd. There was even enough space to set up sufficient water stations, sponging stations, and portable toilets along the way.
The starting line and finishing line. Is there an express lane for slow runners like me?
Jumping for joy at the same spot when I felt miserable about being stuck in a traffic jam.
The massive turnout for the event
Running instead of driving on a road that I travel through almost everyday gave me a new sense of appreciation for the route. I have never realized that the wide, open road against the backdrop of dawn was very picturesque. We just ran and ran into the first ray of sunlight. How could I have missed that despite driving through this road almost every day? Now, I agree that sometimes all we need is to slow down, look around to discover that there is beauty around us, and how perfect God’s creations are. I have never realized the slight elevation of the highway too while driving in the comfort of my car. It was challenging, but it wasn’t a killer. We were rewarded with an equally long stretch of downhill. I just leaned my body forward, and let gravity do its work.
In the end I did not run my fastest 12km, so I did not take home a new personal best (PB) record. However, I did went home feeling grateful and energized, with a better appreciation of my surroundings.
Until next week,
The Weekend Runner.
