Mizuno Wave Run 2005

Mizuno Wave Run 2005 aka Desert Run

Venue: Kovan (Heartland)
Date: 4 Sept 05
Time: 7:30am
Distance: 10km
Time completed: 57:48mins

Someone them said this is my home town…yeah right. I stay around here, but I definitely did not run the area (old tampines road). It was a good day to begin with and get worsen as time goes longer.

Sgrunners meet outside Macdonald at 06:30, but I dillydally and reach there around 06:45. Meet up quite a few unfamiliar faces there. One kind runner(Sanji182) loan me his fuelbag(4 bottles) to test it out. I fill out the water in Macdonald and strapped the fuelbag up. It was body hugging piece of material throughout the run. I like it, I will get one soon…hehe…..Thanks Sanji182 !!!!

Meet up with Poh and Simon there, we start the run together as we have signed up as fun runners. Haha…why pay $15, where $10 will be sufficient and the “package” is the same. Unlike some fun runners who ran with the competitive runners, we chosen to start later with the fun runner group.

Expectation isn’t great about the run, since last year experience with Mizuno Wave Run 2004. The organizer promised to the better “organized” this time round. At the end, I am sadly to announce, YOU DID A WORST JOB THAN LAST YEAR. What a bunch of amateur running the show!

In a typical race, how many are medals prospect, how many are “also runs”, how many backpackers? Majority of us are backpackers and we need to be treat similar to those runners in front. For one simple criterion of any races, SAFETY CANNOT BE COMPROMISE. Unfortunately the organizing committee is doing a damn amateurism job. Well done.

In year 2004, I ran a few races (being my first year on the circuit), I was disappointed with 2 events (Mizuno Wave Run 2004 & Tuas 2nd Link 2004). This year, 2005, I will put down Mizuno Wave Run 2005 and let see if other races can topple or join the rank of those “not to compete events”.

I was told the Malaysian is worse at organizing this kind of event. Maybe I am lucky, but the only one I have joined so far, KL Marathon 05, prove to myself that Malaysia are street ahead in organizing such event. For those who went for KL Marathon 04, they are lots of complains, which is virtually unheard of in KL Marathon 05. The organizer promised the changes and they kept their word. Mizuno is just pure disappointing.

In today, Mizuno Run, I have to stop 3 times at the traffic light. In KL Marathon, for the entire 42km, I wasn’t stopped ONCE. For a mere 10km, I am actually stopped 3 times, almost similar to last year. Please don’t give me the excuses that there are more runners than expected. This year, they put a cap of 4,500 runners; they should have planned and anticipated. Sadly they don’t.

There are 3 water points along the route for this run. The folks mending the stations are school boys without experiences of a senior organizer, which is very disappointing. First waterpoint, when backpacker like myself reached, the team is busy opening up the carton boxes struggling with the drinks. The movement is very slowed. Anyway it’s just around 2km point, no need to drink lah. So I run, take pictures and proceed.

Under the hot sun, everyone is feeling the heat & slowly moving along. My aim is to treat this like a training run, relax, look around, take photos and enjoy. Saw the 5km soon enough. Look at the clock, 21mins+, the organizer screw up again. That cannot be 5km. Not unusual for organizer to “cheat” the distance. Reach the U-Turn and head towards the 2nd water point. This waterpoint have become a desertpoint. Wow, damn happening sia, hot weather and no water….sibei jialat leh….i am still okay. I can run 10km w/o water stop, but my concern is those runner besides and hundreds of those behind. This is serious, running without water. Very disappointed leow lah.

I doubt 3rd water point will have water too from the look of thing. Sure enough 3rd water point is out of water. I have mentally prepared for it after knowing the plight of the 2nd water point. Still quite a few grumbling here and there by various runners around. You know, I have this fuelbags(4 bottles) of water with myself….i can drink anytime I want to, but I have decided I am going to use them for weight training for this run and test out the product at the same time. I saw xuanjing with her Safra runner (golden boy), I asked them whether they need drink water or not (pointing to the water bottles), her Safra mate, gladly accepted it. I think he is really thirsty, so is the same for hundred of runners behind. For a moment, I catch a glimpse of two runners chatting on the run, one runner is pointing to the floor (littered) with half-filled water bottles, gesturing to another. What I gather is that, he is saying, maybe we can pick up their half finished water and drink it. So sad hearing their conversation.

I run slowly and reach the end at 57:48 slightly better than last year timing of 58+

Guess what…there are no water points at the ending point. Last Year there are water points at the end but not this year. WTF, this is too much. At the end of the race, after a run, there must be sufficient water. Putting a bottle of water in the goodies bag is not GOOD ENOUGH. Queue 5mins for the goodies bag and saliva dripping for 5mins is not a nice feeling. Lucky I have the water bottles and I took out 2 bottles and finish them in quick time. This is a BADLY ORGANISED RUN. This is worst than Tuas 2nd link Run 2004 by a long distance.

Meet up with the rest of the sgrunners, take pictures and chitchat. This is what is good about running in a group. When the siren/horn went off, everyone is a competitive runners. Before and after finishing, we are back as lovely and kapo uncles/aunties…haha……I left slightly before 10am….What A Day.

I dont want to make it as though the whole race is a screw up. There are a few bad points here that stink the rest of the folks that tried and have put in tremendous effort in getting it right. Some folks, be it the director of race or the senior management need to "wake" up their ideas. If you want to do a run, please put in a decent effort. Or risk losing the support of runners for your public run and your products.

I will rethink any decision to take part in anymore Mizuno Organised Run in the future.

Pictures are available as usual. Cheers.