Tag Archives: king of kampung kemensah

5 reasons why you should join a trail run

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After a few months taking some time off from running and exploring a new interest in crossfit, I am now back with a more consistent running schedule! Lately I’ve been more interested with trail running, and the most recent trail run that I participated was King of Kampung Kemensah in the 18km category. I had a good time running off-road, and here are 5 reasons why you participate in a trail run too:

IMG_9059My hijab is as cheerful as the race day vibes. It feels good to be back!

1)Less participants, less bottleneck and congestion

  • To avoid over-crowding the single lanes in the trail, organizers usually limit participants to less than 1000 in total
  • Parking is easy, because there are less cars too
  • Due to the small number of participants, it is easier for organizers to manage the welfare of participants, which means there is always an abundance of food!

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2)Running is more challenging

  • There are various terrains that you can expect, such as muddy, sandy, or rocky. It takes time to get used to balancing and running on uneven surfaces.
  • It is more humid in the forest. This will also attract bugs such as mosquitoes and leaches.
  • Cuts and bruises are all part of the trail run package. Just think of them as souvenirs and battle scars from the event, embrace them and be proud of them!

3)It takes you to beautiful places

  • Such as this:IMG_4112 2
  • And this:IMG_9049
  • But if this view does not convince you to join a trail run, I don’t know what will:IMG_7835

4)You will appreciate nature

  • You will never take clean air for granted again
  • Take notice of the interesting leaves, foliage, and bugs surrounding you. Everything is beautiful in their own way!
  • Sometimes you just have to accept whatever Mother Nature throws at you. The weather can be unpredictable – it’s better to be over-prepared with the right equipment.
  • Most organizers are now implementing BYOB – Bring Your Own Bottle. Trails are cleaner thanks to this new rule, and I fully support this move.

5)You will learn to respect the distance

  • Running 21km on the road is not the same as 21km in the trails. Therefore, trail running requires a different training strategy than road races.
  • Elevation is always a part of trail running. Get used to running uphill, climbing the stairs, and strengthening your quads and glutes.

King of Kampung Kemensah 18K Trail Run

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I had several experiences running in various trails, yet I have never ran in Kampung Kemensah before. So I had no idea about the condition of the trail, or the level of difficulty that I might face. The organizers did not upload any map or elevation chart in their official website, however they did write down the checkpoints yet I had no clue about the distance between those checkpoints. I could search for videos uploaded by past year’s participants, but deep down inside, I did not want to spoil the surprise. Despite my lack of knowledge about the venue, I decided to proceed anyways with the race. There was a sense of thrill going into the unknown and taking risks with the unfamiliar. Or as the Malaysians say it, “Main redah je lah!”

IMG_4112IMG_4111Ready to embrace the unknown. I can smell the fresh air!

It turns out that the route was not difficult, yet it was challenging. The inclines were steep with elevation gain of more than 300m, and most of the ground was muddy. The forest was dense, but the trail was well-groomed. I was glad that I was wearing proper trail running shoes and carrying a hydration bag. As we approached closer to the mid point of the race, I can hear the gushing sound of water. Just as I anticipated, river crossing is a part of the route. The water went only to my knees, but the rocks at the bed of the river was slippery so I had to slow down and be extra careful not to slip.

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I was silently praying that my phone does not want to go for a swim again, just like it did during Hulu Langat Trail Run

Since I was running in an unfamiliar route, I did not set any PB (personal best) target to beat as I did not know what to expect. So I took my time, absorbing my surroundings and enjoying the trees, nature, and sounds of insects. I even bumped into a few familiar faces along the way.

 

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Some familiar faces in the trail/ultra running community. I wish I had the time to snap some pictures with everyone, it was like a reunion party!

All trail runs are challenging in their own way, and Kemensah is no exception. I had no regrets diving into the unknown, while catching up with some people along the way. I would definitely come back again next year, hopefully for the 50K category.

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner.

 

P/S: I thrilled to be given a chance to contribute an article for Running Malaysia magazine about the positive impacts of being a part of a running community. Special thanks to Kyserun Krew for their support, inspiration, and motivation. Do grab the May/June issue at your nearest news stand now!

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