Report: Larian Bendang 04

Organized by Yayasan Sultanah Bahiyah (Sultanah’s Kedah Charity Foundation). Heard about Organized by Yayasan Sultanah Bahiyah (Sultanah’s Kedah Charity Foundation). Heard about poor organize since last year Larian Bendang 2003. Anyway my conclusion after finished, the event is well organize. Start sharp at 0700H. School cat. start at 0730H and heard 2 buses load with school children can’t join coz late. 2 water stations, think enough for me and marshal on every junction plus a policemen. The main event in Hari Penyayang is jualan lelong for datuk2 and datin to bid for Sultan’s Kedah stuffs such as watches, portraits, golf sets and etc laa…

A bit of Larian Bendang (sawah or paddy field) at Alor Setar. It’s a unique track, the route cover town, paddy field, batas bendang and kampung2.. running early morning thru paddy field fuhhh… very ra’lik (asyik). Tarik nafas pun…. Rasa clean oksigen masuk dlm lungs.. and then can see a group burung bangau (I guest..) terbang dan cuaca pun redup + hujan renyai sikit….

Run with my new partner, which baru jumpa masa starting line… he is retire army. Just register 5mins before starting time… huh! Macam ni pun ada… Anyway we were jog together & chat. Until ½ hours he slow his run… try to push him to follow my pace… but dia suruh saya pi dulu… dia nak slow jog.. so I start vroom seem only both us as I can see is running. Next runner in-front of me.. may be ½ km.. Belakang sudah tak nampak org. Speed-up my pace and able to potong 4 org…

On 15km… masih lari atas jalan tar… suddenly sampai satu simpang sorang marshal tunjuk arah bendang… What!!! Lari atas batas kaaa???… mau tanya pun mulut sudah kering…. “Air tarak ka?”… “Depan!”.. “Tarak nampak pun?”… “DEPANNN!” huh.. garang gila marshal.. Lari atas batas… waaahhhaa… lecah! tambah pulak semalam ada hujan & batu2 punya byk.. huhuuuu.. habis kasut aku… After 17km baru ada 2nd water station… depa kasi air & cap.. baru nak bagi cap ka?.. buat kacau saja… so taruk dlm seluar laaa…

Behind ada sorang untie (think she Thainese) we’re running together for 2km.. sometime she cuba potong, I ligan balik, I potong, dia ligan… at last sudah pancit loooo.. so terpaksa mengalah… kasi dia pi dulu… (lady first…).. then baru habis track batas… masuk small road dlm kampung… fuhh… lega… kaki pun sudah cramp… just slow jog. Budak2 kampung start cheering… huhahaaa… byk bagus laa… kasi moral support…

Sudah 2km slow jog.. ehhh.. bila mau sampai ni…. Then sorang villages jerit “Cepat lagi 300meter lagi” hah!!!… mana itu stadium? Tarak nampak pun…. Oo rupa2nya kampung tu sebelah stadium… Can’t see stadium coz rumah rapat2… so apa lagi Vrrrrooommmm potong 2 org… and finally dapat crossing finish line.. with 2:12:29. Waahh… so good laaa.. after my last 21km at Penang Bridge 2003… 30mins earlier

Report by AHaris Shariff
Date: 10 June 2004