Race Review PJ Half Marathon

EVENT. PJ Half Marathon.

Petaling Jaya

21 Aug 2016 Time 05:00 [05:01]

Headline Event Owners: Race Director: Undisclosed

Event Organising Company:

Timing company: Championchip via My Laps

Registration company: MYraceonline

Race Review SCORE CARD

PRE RACE.

Entry and information:

Entry into the event was as efficient as MYraceonline always is. The event information, including the prize money restrictions placed on foreigners, was extensive. Updates of information were very good.

Contact was only via Facebook and the Web-site, Phone and E-mail addresses were not available. I posted questions on FB that were never answered. 0/3

* The value of entry, priced at RM 65 [70], makes this one of the best value events in Malaysia for Malaysian citizens. However, at RM 165 [170] for us foreigners it is far too expensive, even more so as there were also prize winning restrictions [no more than three prizes in any category], which those of us who entered knew about and accepted, even if we did not agree with it. You pay the price to run or you stay away, you have the choice. But, when, to ensure that their agenda was met the organisers disqualified any foreigner, from forth to tenth place that would have qualified for a prize. No runner, for any reason what so ever deserves to have their result removed unless they were guilty of an infringement. The organisers were totally out of order and owe a full and public apology to each and every runner that they did this to. 0/5

Race registration and kit collection: The collection point was within the area that the event took place and the collection dates were the three days prior to the event. A postal service was offered, which of course I took up so I am unable to comment on how the actual collection process was organised. 15/20

Race site Facilities:

Space at the venue was ample with closed roads being adjacent to the starting area and a good green space for static stretching, and cooling down after the event. Toilets numbers were good, even though some were still being delivered just thirty minutes before the start time, but again unlit. It would seem that a torch is a prerequisite for porta-loos here in Malaysia. 3/4 The availability of pre-race water seems not to be an item that is ever considered. 0/3

Staffing, with an designated information booth, at the starting area was good.

Parking: There were plenty of car parking areas around the start/finish which were promoted on the Web-site and Facebook.

Care of Competitors:

No organised group warm up, which to many of us is a blessing but, it does encourage the newbies to warm up and stretch themselves before they run. 0/1 The starting time was almost spot on, but, no attempt to have any control of the starting chute was made. The timing company did a pretty good job except that they hung the timing clocks the wrong way around so that you could not see your time on finishing. 2/3

Medical facilities were highly visible at the start/finish area. 19/25

RACE.

Organisation:

Course management:

Traffic control, space, signage and the course enjoyment factor were all top rate. A tough test but most enjoyable.

Marshalling and policing, quantity and quality, were first rate. Although the event was run largely on open roads they were well coned and policed. At no time did I feel pressured by the traffic.

I have read a few posts suggesting that there were insufficient water stations, I however felt that there were a good number and well placed. The sponge troughs were very welcome on the very hot and humid morning. I have seen no reports of water shortages.

One minor item, a few porta-loos along the course would have been a good improvement.

Medical facilities on course, if there were any they were not at all visible. 0/5

The finish line was really well organised, medals, shirts, food and fluids were all easily obtained whilst participants were being led back to the cooling down area. 25/30

POST RACE.

There was no choice of food, just limited to a banana and a sweet bread roll. Drinks however were free flowing, water and isotonic. 4/6

The medics were just beyond the finishing line, but, after the refreshments turn off point for the half marathon participants. Anyone requiring medical attention had first to talk themselves past the marshals who were trying to guide them away from where the medics were situated. Medics at the finish line would be a major improvement. 4/5

L to R: four Mont Kiara RC members and their event mascot.

Top placings were posted quite promptly, however, I have to mark this section down due to the organisers disqualifying legitimate finishers who would have interfered with their positive discrimination of Malaysian runners over foreign runners. 0/3

The prize ceremony, I am told, was timely. I refused to stay as I did not want my presence there to be construed as my support of the organisers discriminatory prize policy. 14/20

AFTER EVENT

The almost full results were very timely; I cannot mark down this section as I am sure that the exclusion of the foreigners that would have upset the organisers was not of the time-keepers doing, rather more likely it was at the insistence of the organisers.

Post event communication on Facebook has only been from Championchip.

The question I posted on the Facebook page, regarding the disqualification of foreign runners, has not only gone unanswered, it has also been deleted from their page, no surprise there. 0/2 3/5

*Based on price s of other similar events as advertised.

My overall score for this event is 76.0%, the discrimination of foreign competitors cost this event 10% in my scoring. 86% would have made this event probably the highest scoring Malaysian event I have attended. I cannot commend the organisers more highly on the quality of this event but for the very life of me I cannot understand their policy of discrimination.

If the organisers want to keep out those who just run for the prize money, then remove the prize money, after all this is an amateur sport, and ninety-nine percent of the runners join knowing they have no chance of winning a prize. This action would ensure those that do enter the event in 2017 will be running for the love of our sport, not for monetary gain.

Overall I think the Race Director and all who have been involved can be very proud of a well-managed, enjoyable and safe event. But, they need to address their discrimination of foreign runners.

Will I return to this event? NEVER. Not while the organisers adopt their policy of discrimination, should they drop all the elements of discrimination I would be amongst the first to register.

Happy Running

When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

My personal race.

1:58:18 [21.6 kms] 43rd. of 610 Veteran 40 plus. 124th. of 1914 Male, 134th. of 2470 overall. Age graded performance 70.95%

The course was a little more testing than I had anticipated but I still had a great run on a very enjoyable course. Plus I got to meet some new running buddies, mainly as they slowed down to chat to me before passing me by.

Congratulations to our Champions:

Mens Open JOSEPH MWANGI NGARE 01:12:01

Womens Open ONG EE LING 01:46:29

Mens Veteran….JONAH KIPSEREM TARUS 01:13:15

Womens Veteran….JULIE FOREMAN 01:42:00