RMAF Half Marathon 2008

Date: 25 May 2008
Time: 6.30am
Venue: TUDM Sungai Besi Air Base


IT'S not often you get to start and finish a road racein a security area. The RMAF Half Marathon 2008 heldat the TUDM Sungai Besi Air Base on the 25th of May offered that privilege to more than 1,500 runners.

On other days, the air force personnel would shoo you away if you don't have valid reasons to enter the area. On Sunday, just by wearing a bib and running attire, runners were given a warm welcome and a helping hand prior to the race.

The air force personnel directed us to the parking area and provided transportation to the starting line at the runway. The race started at 6.30am and a few strides later we were treated to a display of fireworks and flare.

We had to run more than a kilometer before exiting the air base at a gate facing the road leading to Wisma Putra.

Except crowd support, the race has everything every runner needs - ample sponging and drinking stations, adequate distance markers, traffic control and medical assistance. Powergels were also given to runners at the halfway mark at Dataran Merdeka - a rare offering for a half marathon.

The Slowmovers performed well in this race. Chan as usual led the way with a sub 2hrs finish, followed byFuzahir (2.17), myself (2.43), Hasif (2.47) and my two sisters Angah (2.56) and Along (2.57). Izzat ran in the schoolboys' category.

Along and Angah dipped below 3hrs for the first time -a result we did not expect as we were busy preparing for our youngest sister's marriage at the weekend.

For your info, both Suriati and her husband Fairul registered for the race and they assured us they would come (though it's a day after their marriage), but we had our doubts.

When they did'nt turn up eventually, with 'tiredness'and 'tak boleh bangun' as the reason, we were not theleast surprised.

Anyway, selamat pengantin baru to our sister and brother in law and semoga berkekalan hingga ke anakcucu!

One more thing, did anyone notice the word Gallantry on the medal is misspelled as Gallantzy?

By Shahrizal Sanusi