The registration fee is RM50 for the 10k category and 10 ringgit less for the 5k. You get a cheap-looking, lousy sleeveless shirt, running bib with timing chip and some snacks, that's it. And of course medals for everybody. But seriously the least they could do is give out a standard dry-fit t-shirt like most other races, not the thin, fluorescent green singlet which I guess shouldn't cost more than 5 ringgit to make in volume.
Anyway back to the race, I didn't have much practice compared to my previous run. Partly because of work and also I was not feeling so well earlier in the week. An hour before the race we had burgers for breakfast which was not really a good idea cause we need at least 2 hours for the food to be digested and burgers was quite heavy for a pre-running meal. Should have had something lighter like bananas or buns or something.
The race starts exactly at 6:30 AM for the 10k category and we got there just in time. Lucky for us Cyberjaya Lake Club is pretty easy to find although we did have to walk a few hundred meters from where we park. After a quick stretching I started the race with a few hundred others. We run along the roads of Cyberjaya, snaking through corporate buildings, shoplots, offices and MMU Cyberjaya. We were promised 3 water stations for the 10k category but there was only one and that's only after the 7k mark. I later learnt there was none for the 5k category. Totally unacceptable.
As expected my result was about 3 minutes later than my previous time. I'd blame it on my breakfast and also lack of training the week before. Instead of a proper post-running meal, we were only given a banana each and a tiny cup of cereal by one of the sponsor apart from a bottle of water. There were more trouble from the organiser when there's not enough medals for the 21k category. Fancy paying over 60 ringgit for the run and not even getting any medals to show for it.
This NM Galaxy Run was a near shamble compared to the 30 ringgit TM Fan Run that I joined earlier. Honestly I suspected the organisers were cutting corners to make maximum profit from the participants. Needless to say that'll be my last involvement with any NM Galaxy Run series and I'll be choosing my race very carefully in the future.
Horrible organiser aside, I still had a good time running together with my wife for the first time. I met a few of my hiking friends as well after the race. Naturally my wife is very eager to join another race soon but since these race don't come cheap, it'll be some time before we join another one.
Final words - NM Galaxy Run sucks.
This NM Galaxy Run was a near shamble compared to the 30 ringgit TM Fan Run that I joined earlier. Honestly I suspected the organisers were cutting corners to make maximum profit from the participants. Needless to say that'll be my last involvement with any NM Galaxy Run series and I'll be choosing my race very carefully in the future.
Horrible organiser aside, I still had a good time running together with my wife for the first time. I met a few of my hiking friends as well after the race. Naturally my wife is very eager to join another race soon but since these race don't come cheap, it'll be some time before we join another one.
Final words - NM Galaxy Run sucks.
