YOU'LL NEVER RUN ALONE: Mt Kinabalu Recee Trip

It wasn't a good sleep for me again. I don't know whether it is the environment? or whatver, i twisted and turned throughout the night. I think the weather looks good, since there isnt a strong wind/rain overnight.

Fatigue have crept in during the night sleep, the thighs and calfs are hurting. No choice, I just have to do what i can and see how it goes.

We proceed to leave at 5:30am and would like to start the run at 6am. Unfortunately the guides could only make it by 7am due to transportation matters.

Today i wore the long sleeves shirt(provide by Camper Corner), CWX thighs, Montrial shoe with x-trainer(tri socks), fuel belt, camera, mp3 and half a package of powerbar. I want to go light and see how far i can go.

The run for today is to do the actual route, starting 300 meters from Timpohon gate, reach the summit and finished at the yesterday "makan" place(that is another 4km from Timpohon gate). From the start, Yulan shot ahead follow by Timothy and the rest follows. I slowly jog along as i conserve energy for the climb later.

I did a decent climb after learning from yesterday experience. Reach 1st Km at 16mins. My heart rate maintain at 150bpms or slightly lower which is good as i make the ascend. Today we are early so no climbers are seem. Around 2km, one of the guide run up(literally) to catch up with the front folks. He really run/flys up. Have to seem to believe it. In fact these 2 days saw many porters, carry 30-50kg and walk up to Laban Rata guest house, really have my admiration.

I reach 4km slightly after 1hrs which is slightly faster than yesterday. I feel good and proceed forward. I overtook Yulan during this pharse and i pressed on towards 6km. I want to see what kind of timing i can get. I reached Laban Rata guesthouse at 2hr02 mins which is better than the day before. I would say, it is very good despite yesterday fatigue.

After that i proceed to the gate at 6km, along the way i meet 2 porters and they speak to myself in their native language, i told them my guide is in front and is that the way to the summit? After following the path and wondering whether i am on the right path i reached the gate at 2:09hrs. For a while i thought the gate is locked, fortunately it is only latched not locked. I proceed to move up towards Sayat-Sayat at 7km. This path onwards the slope is steeper, i find it harder to climb, it took me a long while to make it to Sayat-Sayat gate. The terrain here onwards are different from those below. There isnt anymore vegetation only hard white rocks.

There isnt any ranger at Sayat-Sayat gate as per norm(maybe the climbers have left), so i proceed to follow the white rope upwards. Timothy & the guide is somewhere infront and i followed suit. What am i heading to? I don't know, this is unchartered territory. I only knew the way is to go up.

The white rope.

I felt lost during this portion as i am not familir with climbing this kind of terrain. The guide is no where to be seem. I know i have to move upwards, i am frighten. I'm almost into tears wondering why am i risking death doing this. I need to know how to do this and nobody is around for advised. I was fustrated and scared. No choice i have to resort to clawling up in fours during certain portion of the climb. My legs are weak. Is it due to fatigue? stress? scare? I don't know, i just know that i have to climb higher and higher into a height i have never done before. The route upwards like never ending. The white rope just keep getting longer and endless. My heartrate was at 120+bpm, i am not having difficulties breathing, but i can only make about 20 steps or so before sitting down on the ground to rest. At times, i just lean forward to the ground as i am afraid i might fall backward and that is it.

Along the lines, i saw the guide in front walking upwards, looking down during the break(rest), i can see Yulan catching up fast(she is an experience trekker), walking upwards as well. From the look of things, i should be able to "walk" as well. So i slowly attempt to walk, but still within reaching of the white rope. Just in case, i need to grab on something if any mishap happens. Slowly and surely i gain confident and start to walk with more purpose. I did a walk/sit until i reach about 8.4km, where i meet Timothy coming down. He has reached the summit earlier.

I have no idea how far is to the summit, Timothy ask the guide and he say 100 meters and it takes about 30mins to reach. At that moment, i was thinking of descend. But the urge of reaching the summit within a whisker distance is too much.

So i proceed to climb that last few steps. It wasnt as difficult as it seems. The legs are weak(more like fright), but i push on slowly and with caution. Finally i reach the summit in 3hrs and 47mins.

Finally i sit on top of South-East Asia.

I don't know how to describe the feeling. The joy of reaching something that i have never thought before. Soon, i was join by Yulan at the top, We exchange pictures and take quite a few pictures for ourself.

We stay there for about 10mins with cold, strong wind blowing. We proceed to decend while the guide wait for us at the point i first met Timothy. I told Yulan to go first, while i picked up some clue how i should tackle this kind of terrain from her.

I was looking around and gaining confident as i move down faster than Yulan. The guide follow Yulan(last person). I proceed to slow jog downwards. I couldnt imagine myself doing that a while back. I stopped to take pictures while indulge in the screnary at the same time.

I can feel my thighs are abit overstrained due to the climb. I proceed slowly down to Sayat-Sayat gate. I am glad that i am back to this height and will be more happy if i can reach Laban Rata where i am comfortable with the greens.

I want to see how fast i can do the rundown to the end, so i proceed with a slight faster pace, but i realised that my "brakes" are over heated and not be able what i am capable of. Slowly i proceed to reach Laban Rata gate. The ranger have to open the gate after seeing myself. I told him, Yulan and guide is on top. also i saw some ang moh going up without guide. It took me 50mins to reach the gate.

I put on my knee guards and proceed to run down. My knee are wobbling while i put on the guard, this is a indication of fatigue which i experience yesterday after the run reached Timpohon gate. I don't have the spring like yesterday, therefore it also meant the performance should be worst compare to yesterday.

I slipped many times, hit my bottom one(ouch). My left ankle sprained twice badly( i felt sharp pain) during the incident. I know legs are weak and injury are more prone. Yulan and myself leapfrog each other a few times during decent. Finally around 1km mark left, while i hop and slow climb down, injury for the 2nd time, i decided to take it slowly and Yulan abandon myself and headed back to the end point. I developed a few blisters(big toe i think) on each leg that contribute to a much slower timing. It was like ouch, the blisters, limping along, wanna run downhill, but scare of futher injury.

It was a relief to see the end of the trail, while i make the journey upwards towards the Timpohon gate. Yussof, Carmen and Lingram is cheering me onwards towards the last 4km. I walked up to the gate and proceed to slow jog back to the end point. Despite the injury and circumstance, i glad i did managed to run/walk back to the end point in 6:57hrs. Which mean i took 3 hrs from summit to end point.

We have lunch at the makan place near the end point like yesterday. I didn't have the appetite for any food, just crave for water. Took some fruits throughout the makan session.

Reached Rose Garden around 3pm+, Alamak the cabin run out of gas and there isn't any hot water. No choice we just have to brave the cold water even though it is in mid of afternoon. Took a short nap after bath.

Have a group discussion after makan on the training sessions we have. It was a good session.

Have an early night with aching calves, thighs and sore ankles.