Mount KK Climbathon - 23/10/2010

"Going up is difficult....going down is dangerous".

As quoted by some random running uncle walking past me as I struggle to head down the mountain without slipping on some bloody rock.

Before I start, let me explain a little regarding this race.

On Saturday, the participants are from the women's open category....and the men's veteran.

Cut-off time to reach the top is 3:30. No matter where you are, at 3 hours and 30 minutes, you have to turn around and head back down....even if you are 10 meters away from the peak!

You have to return to the finish line within 3 hours of reaching the top.

* Terence pointing to where we need to get to....

*...which is Laban Rata at km6!

On Sunday, it is the men's open category.

Cut-off time is 2:30...need I say more.

So, 7 veterans (ie running uncles!) and 3 ladies (me included) head off from LCCT, Kuala Lumpur on Thursday morning to Kota Kinabalu.

Straight away, we drove out rented car up to Kundasang.

Checked into our hotel.....and did our little tour of the region.

* Our hotel at Kundasang..

* At the registration on Friday morning...

Friday, we collected our race kit.

Despite having already registered online and just having to pay registration fee at the race site (don't ask me why payment could not be done online), we were forced to re-register by filling up forms and lining up to pay.

It was a slow and torturous experience. Total chaos.

* Morning of the race....all prep and sorta ready.

* The three ladies in the group...

* Timpohon gate.....(picture taken on Thursday evening). 800m from the start of the race.

Saturday morning, we headed off to race site.

The race, heading up to the top and back to the finish line totals 21km in distance.

"Ridiculously handsome and dashing" uncle Terence warned that it would be difficult to reach the top, which was 8.7km, (as we ladies weren't used to climbing these kinda mountains and it was my FIRST time stepping on Mount Kota Kinabalu!) but to set our sights on something realistic, like reaching Laban Rata (6.0km) within stipulated time.

* And we're OFF!!!!

* Trying to trail behind Winnie but fell back eventually...

The night before our race, it rained.

Dreaded rain!

Rain would normally be welcome....but not when you're trying to get yourself up to the top in as little time as possible and not wanting to slip on slippery rocks and uneven surfaces!!!

Nor would you want to dirty your expensive trail shoes by stepping into mud and what-nots due to rain....(although I didn't have that problem as I raced in my regular running shoes....I know, I'm "smart" as always!)

The weather that morning was lovely.

It was cool but not too cold.

The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement!

That or its the caffeine in my system speaking.

I personally was both excited and shit-scared.

I don't know what is in front of me or what to expect.

I've never been up this mountain before.

Dannie has been scaring the hell outta me for the past few weeks prior after he found out I agreed to go for the climbathon....and even more so after my TNF experience.

And I know I suck at hills.

But of course with youth *ahem*, comes stupidity and throwing all cares into the wind...(described my attitude to racing to a T)

Anyway, race starts at 7am....about 800m from the Timpohon Gate to the start of the trails.

I was trying to follow Maybel and Winnie.

Please focus on the word TRYING.....coz after about 10 minutes, I could no longer keep up.

At the start of the route, it was all stairs (the uneven, and of differing heights sort) and all going upwards (exponentially off the charts sort!).

I could feel my heart rate zooming up really high. My legs could take the uphills but my heart felt like it was gonna beat right through my thorax!

I slowed down my pace. And within minutes, Winnie and Maybel were out of sight.

Luckily found Terence and he paced me the entire way.

He became my personal coach, nutritionist (with the hydration and gels) and cheerleader!!

I also found myself stopping rather often to catch my breath and let my heart rate calm down a bit to comfortably tachycardic.

The stairs were never ending.

I had to consciously tell myself to stop whining!!!

When the stairs ceased, the real "almost-vertical" climb began.

It was rocks, rocks and more rocks.....

I could not find my footing.

I soon found myself on all fours trying to get myself up the mountain!!!

At least I'd be giving my arms a workout instead of just my legs.

Soon I found a pace that I could climb at without giving my heart a possibility of a ventricle fibrillation.

My breathing was more "in control" (although still laboured).

However, with the higher altitude, I soon found myself with a pounding headache and lightheadedness.

At some points, I felt like I was gonna faint.

Not good. Not good at all.

Of course being a natural whiner like myself, I complaint to Terence about my head-case...(pun intended)

We were already at 4.0km into the race.

Already covered almost half of the distance to the top.

Terence said keep going and have a short breather at every 20 steps.

I think I took breather at every 10 steps or so....not too long. Just a quick one to reassure myself that I was not gonna faint or fall off the mountain to an unceremonious death.

4.5km.....I'm "happy happy happy". Another water station without any bottled water.

(Thankfully despite the pain that I was in, my sarcasm was still intact)

At least they have a tank with collected "mountain water" (although honestly at that point, I would have killed for some Mountain Dew!), where I could fill up my water bottle.

Of course I tried really hard to ignore the floating black bits in it.

I'm not in any position to argue about the drinkability of the water then.

5.0km.....Terence says we're on schedule to reach Laban Rata before the cut-off time. I'm just glad I survived another 0.5km....which felt like eternity trying to get there.

5.5km.....Terence is ecstatic! We're almost there!!!!

Unfortunately I didn't share the sentiment.

Ahead of me was a 45 degree climb and my thighs were protesting.

Thank goodness that the weather was lovely and cool.

Thank goodness for the mist and clouds to cover the surroundings so that my acrophobia would not kick into high-gear....

Thank goodness we are almost there!!!!

5.9km.....Terence says he could see the hut in Laban Rata.

Told me to block the pain mentally and give it all I've got.

All I was thinking of was that I could really die for an extra-cheese pizza right now!

All I was thinking of was.....shit, how the hell was I going to get back down?!

6.0km.....Terence congratulates me for reaching Laban Rata.

I glanced down to my watch. 3:28. Alright....I could live with that.

I was thankful that the ground beneath my feet was flat.

Dreading the hike back down. But for now, to feed the stomach.

* Finally at Laban Rata!!!

* The MOST expensive Maggi Mee I've ever eaten

I had the most expensive instant noodle I've ever had in my whole entire life, at Laban Rata.

Cost me RM15 for a packet of instant noodles.

But I'm not gonna complain.

I was hungry.

I was tired.

And I hate to admit it...I was cold.

So we lingered around Laban Rata for food, photo snapping and toilet break....for almost an hour.

Found Uncle Gary and Winnie at Laban Rata and all of us returned down together....(of course Uncle Gary felt we were taking one picture too many and he stomped off on his own)

I thought going up was bad....going down was a NIGHTMARE!!!

Firstly...I can see how steep it was right in front of me. One wrong step and I'd probably be found partially decomposed about a week later by the search and rescue team.

Secondly....I have bad knees. Running is fine with the knees but going down stairs are a killer!!!

Each step down was a step closer to my eventual total knee replacement.

Thirdly....I have bad balance. I keep tripping and losing my footing. I even slipped and fell right flat on my perky behind.

Thank goodness it was my gluteus maximus was "well-equipped" with subcutaneous tissue.

And thank goodness Terence brought along his extendable walking stick.

I was leaning on to it for dear life. And thank goodness for the presence of Terence and Winnie...

Terence would lead and held my hand through the slippery and uneven surfaces (with many near misses of slipping and falling) and Winnie would pipe in motivational/hang-in-there words on regular basis.

Yes I know...my adventurous running life is absolutely blessed with wonderful people like these.

(yes mo-mo.....this includes you as well!)

Anyway....we were the near absolute LAST three participants.

We knew there was an injured uncle somewhere back there. But after that...it was just us.

Took over 4 hours to get back down to the Timpohon gate.

And from there, another 4 km run.

There were vans waiting at the Timpohon gate.

The driver told Terence to get into the van as we were holding up the rest at the waiting line.

Terence told them to stick it up where the sun don't shine...(ok not really....he said so in a rather polite way...but it would have been cool if he did though)

Told them that the three of us were gonna run to the finish line......like it or not!

So we ran......that was the fastest 4km run I've ever done.

4km in 18 minutes!!!

And finally in front of us...the finish line!!!

Everyone was delighted to see us...(once everyone has returned, then they close shop until tomorrow's race)

More photos:

* More pictures of us goofing around....

* Me trying my darnest not to slip and fall.

* Finally reached Timpohon....and now the 4km run starts.

* Finally we're done!!! Ok...will be back next year.

Anyway.....there were 3 more uncles behind us. They came back in the van.

Glad we ran back!!!

Wasn't in as much pain as TNF.

Overall.....more enjoyable THAN TNF.

Well...at least I did NOT cry like I did post-TNF!!!!!

(sorry....it'll always be in comparison to TNF)

I'm already planning to head back next year to avenge this year's failure to reach the top.

Terence purposed that I lose 7kg to achieve that aim.

My competitive edge says that its a GREAT idea.

My stomach however, thinks otherwise.

Oh well.....maybe I can try (like persuade the stomach to comply) to lose like 3kg....and see if I can do a 4:30 marathon.....and if possible then aim for the total 7kg to reach the peak next year!!!

Erm.....I seriously prefer to achieve both the 4:30 marathon and peak next climbathon WITHOUT the weight loss.

Later!!!!