On the way to go back to visit my family to Indonesia, one of my friend from high school give me a call. Mico, another Orangemud user, probably the first one from Indonesia, ask me if I wanted to run for a charity when I was in Jakarta. I supposed to be on the break from running due to my injury, and I had not been running since October, except for NY marathon which was awfully done. But on the other hand, I thought why not, if I ran the 33k instead of 64, I should be fine. It was a fun run for charity and also the cut off time was so loose that I had the whole time in the world.
The fun run was organized by Canirunners, which was a running club from my high-school back in Jakarta. They accommodated 4 different distance from 64K, 33K, 16K, and the most popular 6K distance. The goal of this charity run was collecting 1 million Indonesian rupiah (around 70k USD), that benefit a school in Semarang – Central Java.
64 K – Starting Line
This longest distance was started from our high-school parking lot around 9pm. I went there to cheered up the brave souls who put their life on the line. 64K distance was not that crazy distance, I think. But 64 K run around Jakarta, probably equal to running around in the Jurassic Park. The hot temperature was not like in Death Valley stinking burning sun on our back, but the combination of 35ish C with 80% humidity, it feel like running on the treadmill inside a sauna. As an addition, Jakarta did not have a good infrastructure for runner, so any second a runner could be slammed by a drunk driver or crazy bus driver. That also meant the runners would have an oxygen mask straight from those ugly muffler, we did have a pretty bad pollution issue. Any way, these 26 runners or so were lined up, they were pretty cheerful and eager to run around Jakarta. And they did started, they ran in waves based on their group pace. Since this was a fun run, so there was no actual course mark. Every runner needed to be prepared with their own navigation system, head light, and fueling plan. The organizer supported with a limited source course marshal and pit stop, but it was not guarantee that they would accommodate everyone needs.
33k – Pit Stop and My Starting Line
I arrived at the starting line, which was another school’s parking lot. This starting line was a half way point for the 64K peeps. Based on the Canirunners website, there were 42 runners for this distance. It was dark, but it was kinda weird that I was nervous, but the good news was I did not feel sleepy. After we divided the runners into waves, we started to line up. Just after the first runner from 64K arrived (Sitor), we started to send the first wave out to the wild.
I started with the 10 min pace group, but soon after the first bridge, this monkey could not hold the excitement. I started to pass the group in front of me a little by a little. At one point, caused the street was busy with motorcycles and the other runners, I ended up running in between the light poles and accidentally hit the electric box on the street with my shoulder. Great, one down. Then I joined with the first group at the front. When we got into the first pit stop, Mc Donald, I saw more 64K runners, which most of them missed the first pit stop. It was kind of bizarre that some of the runners take a break, I meant cigarette break.
I continued the journey again with 3 other runners. I did not want to wait to long and get cold. The run from McDonald parking lot to the next starting point for 16K at another school parking lot was pretty fun. It was pretty much flat with a few bridges, but we passed a few different neighborhood from different region, which I had never done it by foot before. At one point, we passed a cafe, club, and “fun stuff” strip. It was bizarre when people drunk and finishing with party, we were running next to their cars. Though, they were cheering at us and I was surprised how they were very supportive. At one point we were close to make a wrong turn because my Garmin watch showed a wrong direction. Luckily the other runners knew how to navigate in the city. We did make a quick stop at the street vendor to refill our waters.
16K – Bracing The Sunrise
We arrive at the Gonzaga parking lot an hour early that the schedule, so I guessed we overdid ourselves. Like in the 64K and 33K starting point, I started to see familiar faces from my high school era. It was kinda cool that we were reunited after a couple of decades in a running events. Everything was coming back to me, the memory from years ago. The bad inappropriate jokes, our unique bantering, and how we “greet” each other, it was a good flash back.
I was waiting too long where I started to get cold, my clothing were drenched, and I started to feel sleepy.
Finally we started, there were another 121 16K runners. Since I felt cold, and all my muscle a little stiff from the prolong stop, I and the other runner from previous section took a lead. After we turned left and got into the big street, the course became a “fake flat”. And was kinda sucky because we were running next of the busses with a black smoke from their muffler. After a few miles, the other runner had to slow down since his hips and quads were started to burning up. So again, me my self and this time on the road. After a while, the sun was starting to setting up. I had never experience a sunrise in Jakarta when I was younger, not on my feet and sober. So that was cool.
By the time I was running on the bigger street by the freeway, it was already in the early am. I knew I was probably a 30 minutes away from the last check point the 6K starting line. After I turned left, went into the finance complex, I was starting to slow down. I had a problem with keeping up my cardio, I guessed the black smoke from the muffler had filled up my lungs. I let 4 of the 16K runners ahead of me, and encourage them. After the next turn, somehow I lost the sight of those runners and the course marshal. I ended up, running around the complex for a while until I saw some runners in the junctions. And I found out I started where I was before, after I got into the finance area. Classic monkey run, get lost and made a wrong turn. From this point actually was easy, I just followed the other runners, and made it to the FX mall parking lot, the next starting point.
6K – Last Slow Section
When I got into the 6K starting point, I was in a bad shape. I might had another electrolyte deficiency again. My body was kinda shivering. So I popped two of my salt tablet and eat a banana. I met more of my high school friends, but I was kinda out of it. I ended take a seat for a few minutes to calming down myself.
There were another 234 runners who would run the 6K and joined us to the finish line. The course were running on the car free day street. Every Sunday, the main business street in the central Jakarta, which runs across the central Jakarta, was closed for car, motorcycle, bus and what not, except the Trans Jakarta bus. And the residence could walk, run, bike, skate, or any exercises on the street. So this section was packed, and it was really hard to maintained my pace from swirling around through this mass of people. Specially when we got into the big fountain, there was a parade around it, so I was literally walk.
Just about a mile from the finish-line, which was my high-school parking lot where the 64k started last night, I just decided to walk it. I felt strained on my old injury over my right pelvis, and I thought it was not worth the cost to push it harder. I met my former head master when I walked, and we chatted a little bit. Then I just realize when I saw the mosque, I knew it was probably only a few hundreds meters away. So I started to run again, till I hit the finish-line.
I found out that we had met the fund way over the organizer target. And also it had been a really fun run, caught up with friends and well my first time tour in Jakarta by foot. It was a good way to finish my 2015 season.
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