It was a Sunday morning when I awaken early at five thirty to get ready for a ten kilometre run. As I drove out to the starting point which was near the clock tower, I could see that the organisers were ready with their people at the checkpoints. Near the clock tower was the registration of the runners which comprises of various age groups. At the age of sixty-five, I found myself in the veteran men's group, that is made up of all men aged forty and above. 

My aim of going for the run was to gauge my capability in a running race. I have not entered into any running race or long distance jogging for more than twenty years although I consider myself very fit and healthy. Yes, I must be healthy to trek up and down the Semarak Hill every morning with short distance jogging at the level ground at the top. But then, I also understand that running ten kilometres is hardly the same as jogging that short level path at Semarak Hill. 

I ate some food, two slices of whole-meal bread and two bananas about one and a half hours before the race. I added a little salt to my isotonic drink, gave my legs a good rub and massage before setting out. Of course, since I had jumped onto a stone a few days back before this and suffered pain in the left heel, I had to put on three pairs of socks to cushion the impact of the ground on my heel and made the pain more bearable. .

Among those who turned up for the run were two young Kenyans, a man and a woman, as well as a Siamese man. All of them did very well, coming in first in their categories. So each of them received a certificate, a medal and a cheque for RM500. Those who came in second and third received the same things except that the value of the cheques were different. For second place, it was RM300 while a third place got RM100.

The oldest male participant was seventy-two years old while the third oldest female participant was fifty-eight years old. The two oldest women were not around to receive their prizes and so the award has to be given to the third oldest. See! We can still have an active life at seventy-two.

Below are some of the photographs I managed to take when I returned from my run. The only photograph before the run must, of course, be the one in which dawn has yet to arrive.

It was still dark at 6am. when I reported to confirm my participation.

And here I am after my run, muscles overstrained but still standing tall.

And here are some of the participants who have successfully completed the run.

The finishing point with S.P. Plaza in the background.

 

And a runner reaches the finishing point.

Next is the runner who is awarded the oldest woman participant in the event.

And below are the first, second and third winners of the various categories.

Well, did you recognise which of the winners were the Kenyan runners? They both got first prize in their grouping, a handsome young man and a beautiful young woman.