The Newton New Year Challenge 2012: Check!

As it turned out, the Newton New Year Challenge 2012 was a pretty fun and "cute" event. "Cute" cos unlike most other Runs, this one had a modest number of participants with very modest setup and everything else. Don't have the exact number, but there couldn't have been more than a couple of thousand runners yesterday. Which was fine with me, really.

In case you didn't know, the event was held in Bandar Kinrara, Puchong. Yup, it's literally in my own backyard. But here's the irony, I actually drove to the Start area. Haha. 500 metres also cannot walk!

Anyway, I got there around 6.10am, 20mins before the start of the 12km Run. The 25km was flagged off at 5.30am. The MC kept reminding us to "take your time, no need to rush and have fun". But that's how I approach every run mah... Haha.

I wore my new Skins compression pants, and let me tell you something; this thing really has magical powers! I usually have problems with my shins and I actually felt a bit of discomfort there during warm-up, as well as my calves. But I felt nothing after I started running. Magic, really! It's also very comfortable and yes, the promise of "better ball control" thru its new crotch design was also impressively delivered. Haha.

Back to the no-frills-run, it was also evident that there was no distance markers along the route. So we had to depend on our respective devices.

And talking about the route, we experienced our first incline at around the 2.5km point. Mengah jugak lah. But I think I did OK. Still maintaining my pace and my legs were holding up.

But that wasn't the only hilly bits along the route. It really got tougher and tougher to negotiate all the bukits. Which meant my "tactic" was just to walk the uphill bits and make up for the lost time going down. Still, I knew the pace wouldn't be the same as a typically flat run.

The first water station appeared at the 4km point. And there was PLENTY of water and not surprisingly, no queues at all.

Then it was back to more bukits and more huffing and puffing. It wasn't that scenic as well as we ran through God-forsaken parts of Bandar Kinrara.

I also bumped into a couple of people I knew and we chatted about upcoming runs. The last water station came during the last 2kms after which, we got into Lebuhraya Bukit Jalil for the home stretch.

The last 1km was pretty OK except that we weren't still done with the inclines. But soon enough I saw the Finish line and felt rather good. There were no cheering squads, but having 2,3 people clapping by the roadside was good enough.

I crossed the line at 96mins (cut off time was 120mins), so not bad lah. Especially when I am now in the VETERAN category! (bittersweet fact, this)

We all got our Finisher's medal but I could hear grumbles as the medals didn't distinguish between those who ran the 12km and the 25km. Ah well, I'm not too fussy, and besides, I was just happy the queue at the Milo van wasn't as long as it usually is at other events!

So, what did YOU do on New Year's day? : )