Well, what can I say about the Hash Challenge? It is nearly two weeks since the run and I have only just recovered enough to put pen to paper and pass on my thoughts. My blisters underfoot have nearly healed over and the stiffness in my legs has subsided so that I no longer look like an old man staggering around with an invisible zimma frame.
The last time I completed an endurance event, it was an 80 mile hike over 5 days carrying most of my kit in a rucksack. But that was over 25 years ago when I was a strapping young lad without the surplus baggage around my waist accumulated over many years from indulging in a comfortable lifestyle. It was therefore with some trepidation that I approached the event; I made sure my will is up-to-date, placed my life assurance policy 'in view', and decided that a few extra runs would not go amiss in an attempt to step up my training schedule in preparation for the day.
Before the event, I had three goals;
1. to complete the challenge,
2. to finish it alive, and
3. to come in together as a team.
Our squad - The Headhunters - comprised Weather Cock, Chicken Head, Spanking Machine, and Sir Pository..........the names remaining the same to protect the guilty! We made a decision at the outset to stick together throughout the whole event feeling this would be in all our best interests for the day, and I noticed many other teams doing the same to provide motivation and support to each other along the way.
Thirty-six teams of four gathered at Templer Park for the starting gun, although this was delayed by half an hour as we awaited the arrival of two late coaches from downtown KL. The weather was perfect for the occasion, clear skies and a pleasantly cool temperature, although I hoped that it would cloud over later fearing that there would inevitably be some open terrain later in the day.
The first section (set by Rambo) started along tarmac where we made the mistake of 'taking it easy to warm up first' by walking behind the main pack. This proved to be a costly time mistake as we soon ended up single-filing along a rocky river section. The inevitable delays occurred waiting for the runners ahead to proceed along narrow pathways with little opportunity to pass by, and so we settled down to a steady pace.
Chicken Head then disappeared into the jungle to sort out a Turtle Head and rejoined us 10 minutes later bearing a satisfied grin. Whilst we had all sorts of advice the previous evening at the Welcome Party in Carnegie's regarding power gels/bars, drinking sufficient water, greasing toes, nipples and crotches, this was not included in the agenda. However, his smile disappeared quickly when he saw the steepness of the slope ahead............a notorious Rambo manoeuvre to sort the men from the boys. The run started at 136ft above sea level, but this first hill took us up over 1600ft! Every time we saw a summit, Rambo's course diverted us down another mini valley before forcing us back up the other side to yet another higher false summit. By the time we reached the ultimate top, we were too knackered to appreciate the views. The trip down the other side of this hill proved just as harsh on the knees as the trip up. The pathway moved out of the jungle and onto a track which followed the contour of the hill downwards. Eventually, and with much relief, we reached the first Check Point where we were greeted by Terry Gardener and the gang only to find that the front runners were at least an hour ahead.
After topping up our fluid levels and munching a banana or two, we posed for the obligatory photo before proceeding onto the second section. This was, for all intents and purposes, a repetition of the first. More aching thighs climbing a huge second hill followed by grinding kneecaps descending the other side to Check Point 2 where we were greeted by Jimmy Leggett and his gang urging us on and telling us we only had 20 minutes before they closed this Check Point! Being near the rear has it's advantages in that we only needed to break one check all day - thank you to all those front runners who kindly filled in the checks. However, now that time was against us and we decided to step up the pace a bit.
Onto the third section we ventured; passing a local waterfall full of day-trippers having a picnic, crossing a bridge over the river, passing a fish farm, and then guess what........another bloody big hill at least the same size as the first two! Was I ever going to do any running today? At least we were out of the jungle for now, but my earlier prayers for cloud cover had fallen on deaf ears and most of this section was out in the open under a blazing sun - talk about mad dogs and Englishmen in the noon day sun! At this point the teams were now quite spread out, but there were approx. 5 teams walking together which kept everyone going. Once we were over the top again it was down the other side along a track eventually reaching the shady glen of Check Point 3 to be welcomed by Graham Woods and his helpers. Chicken Head and I suddenly developed cramp in our thighs whereupon we summoned the help of the on-site nurse who slapped on some brown Chinese medicine. I cannot read Chinese (and I wasn't about to ask for the ingredients), but thankfully Opera did explain at Carnegie's the previous evening that this was a rub only, otherwise we would gladly have been drinking it down! Boy, did it provide much needed instant relief and we were all able to start off on section 4 together. At this point the front-runners had not reached the next CP and we felt pretty good about ourselves considering what we had just been through.
The trail took us back into the jungle (and the shade, phew!) and down to a river which we followed for some time eventually coming out at a magnificent waterfall in the jungle. We didn't need to think twice about having a refreshing shower to cool down and afterwards it was an uphill haul using ropes which were strategically tied up the side of the waterfall. This was a lovely mid-way section of the Challenge which we all enjoyed. However, the river proved to be the undoing of my right knee which started to give way on me. We hit tarmac and reached CP4 where it was time for some lunchtime makan; nasi lemak washed down with teh tarik - this was all very civilised, what more could you want on a lovely stroll through the Malaysian countryside? Time for a nurse to rub some magic stuff on my knee and we were off again. Weather Cock being a fully prepared veteran of the Challenge run, had some Aspirin which he kindly offered to me. (However, given the choice, the nursey rub wins every time!)
The trail to CP5 was fairly straightforward although we lost Chicken Head again for 5 minutes when he disappeared for another constitutional visit (what was he eating the night before?). We all coincidentally hit 'Marathon Runner's Wall' along this stage and the need for some mental fitness was required to keep going. My memory is therefore a bit vague here, but it was a relatively short section and I recall some more jungle stomping before we gladly ended up at CP5.
My knee was giving me some grief now and the nurse delved deep into her medicine bag to pull out a tube of Deep Heat cream which she applied liberally to my right knee. There was nothing wrong with my left knee but she rubbed some magic stuff on this too for good measure. What she didn't tell me was that in 30 seconds time both my knees would feel like she had just set fire to them causing me more agony than the original pain in the first place! Spanking Machine also started having knee trouble around this time, but she quickly recovered when the nurse offered to sort her out and secretly took one of Weather Cocks tablets instead! Whilst all of these antics were going on and I was hopping around like a lunatic the others took time out to sit in the river and cool off. We were reassured that the worst was over and that it was only a pleasant 4-5 km stroll to the next CP followed by a 3 km walk home. Miraculously, the pain in my knee subsided and in the light of this new information I made the decision to continue to the end.
How wrong they were! Clearly these were Malaysian kilometres which when properly translated meant a 7-8km hike to CP6. Nevertheless, at the time we thought 'great' and headed off with renewed vigour up a rubber plantation and down the other side through a large oil palm plantation and past some hot springs. Our spirits started to dampen when we failed to find the next water stop so close at hand - we genuinely thought that we had missed it and that they had already gone home. Finally, it was with some relief that we made it to CP6 with Hugh Murray and his team threatening to close shop if we didn't get our skates on. Then he gave us the good(?) news that our anticipated 3km final leg had become only 8km to the finish!
...............................and then it started to rain.
We crossed a river holding onto the safety rope and then ventured back into the jungle to climb the final hill on the Challenge. It was going down the other side when things started to get interesting; first of all we panicked when most of the trail paper started floating away in the torrents of rain that threatened to wash us away too, and then it started to get dark so that we struggled to see the remaining pieces of paper. Fortunately, the Hares had stapled some paper to leaves and trees which helped us stay on track and if it wasn't for the lightning flashes to help us along the way, we may well have needed a search party to come and rescue us. As it was, the lights in the distance beckoned and we made it home after approx. 12 .5 hours. I was glad to have made it and a special thank you must go to my team mates for all their support along the way.
The evening ended with the regular Petaling H3 circle and a Hash Challenge Circle conducted by Wan King with some very entertaining jokes. And he did keep everyone together until they had ALL been awarded their T-shirts!
As any conscientious husband would do, I sent a text to my wife to say that I had completed the run, that I was OK, and that I would be home soon. I received the following reply (and I quote)........ 'How much later. Remember you have no key. Not waiting up all night as knackered from early start'. (!)
Well, you can't win 'em all.
I would like to thank all those who organised and helped with the event on the day. Everybody assisted in topping up our water supplies and ensuring we drank plenty of energy drinks. There was also ample fruit in the way of bananas and water melons, plus biscuits - all gratefully received. The 42km run included two bag stops allowing us to change vests, socks etc and although it must have been a huge logistical exercise, from the runners point of view it all ran smoothly and I would like to say well done to everyone.
Hash Challenge? - more like the most gruelling, torturous, longest, exhausting, punishing run I have ever done in my life!
Would I do it all again?...................you bet!
See you next year.
On-on
Sir Pository