Race Review Cyberjaya Night Duathlon
EVENT. Cyberjaya Duathlon.
Cyberjaya
27 Aug 2016 Time 20:30 [20:31]
Headline Event Owners: KAZ Pro Athletics Race Director: Undisclosed
Event Organising Company: Team KAZ
Timing company: undisclosed via ChronoTrack B-Tag
Registration company: MYraceonline
Race Review SCORE CARD
PRE RACE.
Entry and information:
Ease of entry was its normal effortless experience through MYraceonline, and the event information was top notch. Updates on everything to do with the race were swift and to the point.
The organisers were very responsive to enquiries.
As this was my very first duathlon, or bike event of any kind, it is difficult for me to compare, but, at RM 110 I saw it as the most excellent value.
Race registration and kit collection: The race kit collection, at the event start/finish area on the day of the event could not have been easier. It was well managed and swift. There was also a small expo.
20/20
Race site Facilities:
Space at the venue was sufficient for warming up, but became a little squeezed for cooling down as much of the warm up area was on the course, and quite a good crowd had developed at the finishing area. 2/3
Toilets facilities in the start/finishing centre were first class, but longish queues were evident at times due to the small number of cubicles. 3/4
Parking: Only on road parking was available, partly because the car-parking area had been turned into the transition area. I am not sure that much could have been done other than bussing folks in from the town-centre. 3/4
Care of Competitors:
The group warm up went down very well, even people on the periphery were joining in, me included which is much of a first Starting time was almost spot-on, the timing facilities worked well with the out-station check points being well placed to stop any short cuts. However, the very narrow start structure made for a real crush, it really could have been twice the width. No attempt was made by the starters to elevate the crush as competitors were left to their own devices, entering from all angles. 1/3
No emergency number was given out, but, medical facilities were very evident at the start/finish area although nothing was seen by me on the course. 2/4 18/25
RACE.
Organisation:
Course management: Space on the course was generally good with one acceptation on the bike route where we were squeezed into a quite narrow lane beside some heavy traffic.
Route signage was good. Nothing too much in the way of steep ascents and some good fast descents made for a reasonably difficulty but enjoyable ride.
It isn’t always fair to mark down a section where the RD has made the right choices but has been let down, but, when it affects the event there is little choice. There were two traffic control problems, both of which seem, on the surface, to have been caused by the lack of control on the polices part.
I am told that the two rider crash on the bike course was caused at a policed junction where a car was allowed to feed into the coned off bike lane just as a group of riders arrived at the same point. Just two of the group, of around eight riders, actually hit the car and thankfully no one was badly hurt, but what might have been?
The second problem was that as the slower back markers were making their way back many of the police officers just disappeared, were they just supposed to be there for a certain number of hours? If so then a strict cut off time should have been enforced. 5/10
The marshalling quantity and quality was good and the single water station was sufficient for a sub-five-kilometre run. The volunteers on the station were well drilled and very cheerful. The one major problem, no water, just sweet Lucozade. Water is a pre-requisite for any event. 1/3
There were no medical facilities on the course. 1/3
Finish line ease of medal collection and the ease of food and water collection was fine.
The organisers very much impressed me pre-event with their concern for safety, and indeed they made a very late call to reduce the run distance because part of the course had become dangerous due to heavy construction traffic, kudos to them. Oh, but what a let-down, none of the mandatory items were every checked, bike-riders were on the course, parts of which were in heavy traffic and other parts were unlit, without the correct lighting, even in some cases with NO lights at all. Until organisers have the courage to DQ people who do not take note of safety requirements then events will not improve. Any and all mandatory items etc. should be properly checked and those not complying should be excluded, without exception. 0/5 16/30
POST RACE.
Choice of food was very limited but there was plenty of fluids, including water.
Resting areas were only adjacent to the course and quickly filled. 1/2
Top placings were not announced and I found no evidence of a posting board. Top placed competitors were not advised at the finish line, as a consequence, not ever believing I would be in the top ten, I missed out on my top ten plaque. 0/3
The prize ceremony was quite a while after I had finished my effort and to be honest I was that knackered that I made my way back to my hotel before it all happened so I cannot comment on how it went. 1/2 16/20
AFTER EVENT
The results were timely, however, they were not full results rather just your individual time and rank within your age group. The organisers reacted to the requests and comments of participants and had new FULL results posted a few days after, what a great response.
Post event communication was at first limited to advising that the results were out but was followed up well. All questions posted were answered 5/5
My overall score for this event is 75.0%
The safety ‘errors’ in planning, but even more so in execution, stops me from giving an improved rating. I am sure that the organisers will make sure they find ways to improve in everything they do for 2017.
Overall I think the Race Director and all who have been involved can be very proud of a well-managed and enjoyable event. Aspects of the event safety policies should be looked at, and I am sure they will. All in all I would say hats off and high five’s all round.
Will I return to this event: YES, I most certainly will, it was a brilliant evening and a first rate effort for a first off.
Happy Running and Riding
When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
My personal race.
1:37:09 [1:36:50]. 9th of 64 Veteran 46 plus. 46th of 397 Male overall. ? of ? overall.
My first ever cycle race of any description was a wow.
TeamKAZ made a good fist of this, their first event, and although there were safety issues, that thankfully did not cause any major problems, nothing could detract me from just having a ball and enjoying every moment of this new experience.
Although I have never ridden a road-bike until just three weeks before the event I have, in that time, had some great coaching from a few friends in the Banting Cycle Club (BCC), for which I owe them a great deal, and a few beers.
As usual I had a plan for the race, as usual it didn’t work out quite as it should have. I planned to run the first leg at 90>95% then just do whatever I could on the bike, trying to keep to the 30kph I had been training at with the BCC and then to repeat the time of the first leg in my final run section. Transitions were to be left to the day, how difficult could they be?
As to be expected my running was by far my strongest point, but, I, if nobody else, was pleased with how I performed on the bike.
The first run went just about to plan.
Transition one, how difficult can it be, well; first I couldn’t find my bike, I was in the correct row but about twenty racks down and I was so disorientated I actually remember counting down each bike until I got to mine. Rule one: Helmet on before you do anything else, achieved. Second don’t drop your gloves and don’t let your glasses fall off when you bend down to pick up your gloves, don’t try to put your gloves on the wrong hand. But, most of all don’t forget to restart you watch for about a kilometre. Piece of cake really.
Although I did manage to finish within the 30kph I had set myself on the bike leg I did have a few minor and not to be unexpected moments.
It is quite obvious that I am not up to the standard of many of the riders that were competing as many of those that I had moved in front of on the first run were soon taking back their place, on the flat but especially on the inclines, they make it look so easy!
I did get my own back on the descents, it felt really good speeding past some of those who had just overtaken me as I hurtled down as fast as I could. I felt great when I passed a group who called out “King Kamikaze”, however my wife pointed out that I had almost certainly missed the beginning of the call “…king Kamikaze” and she is probably correct. If I am not mistaken the call-out came on the decline where I entered the left hand bend at the bottom just too fast and almost introduced myself to the central reservation and probably the staff at the local hospital, bloody scary moment!
Catching up to riders, on unlit roads, that had no lights was a bit of an unnerving experience too.
Then the bike to second run transition, a laugh a minute! Dismount, Run – pushing bike – on legs made of jelly with rubber joints. What is that all about? I must have looked a real picture trying to get my legs to move in the same direction as me and my bike.
Run two, I did drop nearly three minutes from my run one time, but, I did finish stronger than many. I managed to pick off all my ‘targets’ right to the finishing line and was only overtaken by one lad who looked to be at least half my age, I stayed with him for about twenty, very tough, metres before I locked onto my next victim who was moving at a much more realistic pace.
All in all, over the bloody moon.
