Kuala Lumpur Super 2016: My First Overseas Race

Did my first Spartan Race (Singapore Sprint) in November 2015, after that I was hooked. The combination of running and obstacles was exhilarating. And thus I made a goal of achieving a Spartan Trifecta for 2016. The Spartan Trifecta is the completion of 3 race distance, the Sprint (5+km with 20+ obstacles), the Super (13+km with 30+ obstacles) and the Beast (20+km with 40+ obstacles) within a single calendar year. It's a way to encourage ordinary people to push themselves and strive to complete greater distances and tasks. Skeptics can call it a marketing tool to increase sign-up for races. I just really enjoyed the Sprint and wishes to test myself and my limits.

So I signed up for the KL Super for a total of RM179 (S$58) and made that my first race for 2016.

Firefly ATR-72

Tried asking some of my friends to join me in Kuala Lumpur, but nobody bit. Decided to just do it anyway. I'm quite used to solo trips, having done my first solo cycle tour at 19 and a solo tour of Japan after my national service. Checked another item off the bucket list when I flew to Subang from Johor Bahru on the ATR-72. Had always wanted to fly on a propeller plane and managed to fulfill it on this trip. Stayed in a budget hotel that's about 2km from the race ground. The plan was to walk to the race ground the next day if I cannot find transportation. Lucky for me, I managed to flag a cab, saving me from a 2km walk under the 35°C sun. What I could not be saved from is a 1330 starting time with the sun staring down on me as I made my way through the 13km course. 

The race was held on a pre-construction site belonging to KSL Holding (same guys who own KSL City in JB, which a lot of Singaporeans frequent). The terrain itself was flat and fast, with gravel tracks and path cutting through the lalang (long grass). This was an offroad trail, very different from the urban course in Nicoll Highway that was the Singapore Sprint. There were numerous ditches along the route, a mixture of mud and water filled ones. There was no way you will come out of this race dry. 

Now let's look at some of the obstacles.

The atlas carry was a killer. A 55kg concrete ball of pain. 55kg may not sound like much at first, but then this is a straight from the ground lift (more work done), with nothing to grab except for the ball itself. And I'm a small guy (68kg) with short arms! Give me back my Olympic bar deadlift please!

There was a horizontal rope climb, which seemed daunting at first.There was a long queue for this obstacle, as the next participant could only get on when the previous is done. You could see the pain on most of their faces, as they pulled themselves across the rope with difficulty. And that's where my long tights excelled. Most people were stuck simply because they had to overcome the friction from their legs, which serve as an anchor for them. My tights offered little friction and allowed me to slide across the rope with ease. On the other hand, when I came to the vertical rope climb, I was sliding downwards a little more than I hoped for.

My favorite climb obstacle was a tall vertical wall of consecutive bars. Each bar about 1.5m apart (who knows?). So I had to climb up one bar after another, get over the top bar and then come down. Challenging but not too difficult, and the view is pretty good, as you get to see the other participants suffering from the top.

The finish line!

The most interesting thing to happen to me on the trip was making some new friends. For some reason, along the course, I started to talk to 2 guys. Found out they traveled up from Singapore as well. Two SCDF regulars and running buddies. On finding out that they were driving their rental car straight back to the airport after the race, I shamelessly asked for a ride. They said yes! And I hitched a ride with them to the airport. Ask and you shall receive.

When they said open showers, they meant it!

At the end of the race, I felt quite fresh. I guess my training since my first Spartan Race paid off. Overall a very good first overseas race experience. Learned more about my limits, made new friends, and had good fun along the way. The 2nd race in my road to the trifecta is the Singapore Sprint/Super 2016 on 7th May. Will be doing the Sprint with my girlfriend, that would be interesting!