Race Review Inov8 Trail Run
EVENT. Inov8 15 km Trail/Road Run.
Paya Indah Wetlands, Dengkil, Malaysia
27 March 2016 Time 7:30 [7:38]
Headline Event Owners: UInov8 Race Director Undisclosed
Event Organising Company: Cyclic Sports
Race Review
SCORE CARD
PRE RACE.
Entry and information:
The usual easy entry through Howei with all the relevant event information and although there was little in the way of updates or use of social media anything that was relevant was sent out by e-mail to each participant. It is very frustrating when organisers ignore messages posted on their pages e.g. Cairo Klein on Face Book: No replies from you guys although I've asked twice. If you guys do not wish to post the results or have yet to post the results, is it so difficult to reply my simple message? Just simple and clear message. Whether you guys are simply busy or just plain ignorant although my message was seen, I am just dissapointed.
I have need to e-mail the organisers and although some replies were a little slow they dealt very professionally with my questions and requests.
At RM90 the event value was very middle of the road especially as all the prizes were vouchers for the sponsor’s products. However the event overall was well worth the cost
Race registration and kit collection:
This is one of my very few negatives for this event, kit collection was arranged in a Kuala Lumpur city centre venue two weeks prior to the event with no postal or on site collections. I personally would not have joined this event if I had to collect the kit as advised because I was running in another event on one of the collection dates and was not prepared to travel to KL, passing the event site on the way, wasting fuel and around four to five hours to collect kit. However, I e-mailed the organisers and they agreed to mail my kit. I know I say it on almost all my reviews but why do organisers put the kit collection venue before the participants? Postal delivery has got to be better for participants, the environment and ultimately the organisers
Race site Facilities:
The race venue was excellent with plenty of green open spaces to warm-up and cool-down in but there was also plenty of shaded areas to get out of the hot sun.
My second mini moan was the lack of toilet facilities, just the park toilet block at the start/finish area. I have been advised that there were porta-potties situated near the area but if there were they were not signposted nor visible.
It was good to see water being provided pre-race, I know it is really our, the runners, responsibility to hydrate before a run but it is so important that providing water for those who forget or just don’t know is a must.
Staffing and the free flow of information was very refreshing, I am not sure I had to ask anything at all.
Parking: At last not just that the car park was large but the organisers had people actually making sure that the parking areas were used and used correctly.
I believe that, if shuttle buses had been available to and from KL there would have been many people who would have taken that option.
Care of Competitors:
The warm up was, at the very least, a little make-shift but it did serve it’s purpose and there were a good number enjoying it. Overall I doubt there was anything anyone could have found to complain about, we were very well catered for. The St. John’s Ambulance crews posted at the start/finish area and at strategic points around the course was very comforting.
My one real complaint: Starting time, not so much because the start was late, but, the reasons why it was late. It was announced that the start was being delayed due to late comers! There will never be any improvement in the timeliness of some people if they are pandered to, until event organisers begin to start events ON TIME and stop late comers from joining then there will be no improvement. I have heard it said that late comers often say “I have paid so I can run”, I would answer you paid to run at ?o’clock and that has gone! Additionally, those that were late were not encouraged by the announcer to move their butts as they ambled across the greens.
However, for those of us near to the front it was quite evident that the actual reason for the delay was the late arrival, at the start point at least, of the VIP, that is Very Inconsiderate Person, as when he arrived the start began still leaving other late comers ambling towards the start line.
I once had a dream – The starters were being addressed by a prominent member of parliament and as the designated start time arrived the flag was dropped and the whole field took off leaving the MP in mid-speech.
RACE.
Organisation:
Course management:
There isn’t much to say about the course management other than it was exactly as had been advised and was controlled with the utmost professionalism.
Marshalling quantity and quality was beyond reproach, it seemed that just every opportunity for a wrong turn was manned by a marshal the vast majority of whom were cheerful and encouraging.
The feed stations were sufficient and really well spaced and the staffing and stocking was just as good.
Medals were given at the end of the finishing chute. Food and drinks was immediately available.
POST RACE.
Choice of food was interesting with apples, ice-cream and tofu available along with as much water and isotonic you could manage to drink.
Top placings were only announced at the prize giving and there was no posting board to check on the front runners. The prize ceremony was timely and not over the top with speeches etc.
AFTER EVENT
It is very early to give a proper opinion but there cannot be any full results as there was no timing at all for the event and the recording of individual’s placings stopped at number ten. Being that the results are therefore only forty names and times it is fair to say that the posting of results is not at all efficient or timely.
I do feel, and reading many social media posts others agree, that chip timing would vastly improve the overall running experience. There are not many individuals that are able to win an event but there are many of us who like to know how we compare with our peers, our friends and even our rivals. The small additional cost of entry would be far outweighed by the benefits of proper timing. And, to make it even better, age grouping results would not just improve the information to the participants it would also increase the attendance of us older runners who never get to know how we did in our own age group.
My overall score for this event is 84.0% there are a few areas that could be improved on to make this event a real year on year attraction but overall I can only say well done and thank you to the organisers, sponsors and volunteers for a great event.
Overall I think the Race Director and all who have been involved can be very proud of a well-managed, enjoyable and safe event. High Five’s all round.
Happy Running
When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
Photographs thanks to Rany Tan, Distance Force, Barkley Wong and Roberto El Gringo.
My personal race.
My race was a mixture of sheer joy and the very, very slight frustration of the second week-end in a row missing out on a top ten finish by just one place.
Although the course was flat and generally hard packed, there has been no rain to speak of for quite a while locally, it was as described so absolutely no complaints. The plan was to settle into a smooth rhythm, no time or paces set, and try to maintain it throughout – FAILED but only marginally as you can see. A few more years and I’ll be able to run negative splits, probably half the pace but never the less negative.
It was so good to see some good Malaysian young-guns mixing it up, and beating, the more experienced 'usual suspects'.
Thanks for a great event to all involved organisers, volunteers and participants.
1:15:05 26th. overall, 11th. veteran forty plus. 72.26% Age-Graded.
NOTE TO SELF: If you want to finish in the top ten RUN FASTER!
Congratulations to our Champions:
Mens Open..... Mohamad Affindi bin Nudin..... 0:55:38
Womens Open..... Yip Mei Yee..... 1:17:52
Mens Veteran…. Jeffrey Ross…. 0:57:41
Womens Veteran…. Lorna Wong.… 1:19:09
