road 2 irongirl: viper 24

viper 24, synonymous with enjoyable mental and physical exhaustion. basically, it is a 10km loop, with 15-ish obstacles, whereby u run the loop as many times as possible in 24 hours. i mean i love obstacle courses. but i'm not sure i love it that much to be running it for 24 hours. well i was about to find out wasn't i?

but seriously, what an experience! it was really, dirt, mud, swear, blood and tears. and the souvenirs i got - bruises, cuts, bites.

viper challenge

1. most disliked obstacle:

- now this one is tough. but the winner has got to be the electric shock obstacle. the first round, it took me so long to get through it. i came out of it crying. and that was not the last time i cried. i cried on every lap, so much so, the marshall had to say, please don't cry this time. the worst time i cried, was after the torrential rain. the water level was so high, that every single wire would have been impossible to dodge. i started crying for a good 15 minutes before attempting it, to find out, it was switched off. definitely least favourite obbstale.

-of course that was not the only obstacle that made me cry. the leaping frog obstacle is basically one whereby you scale a wall, which is pretty high, and jump off it. yes you heard me right, jump! you should have seen my reaction! i sat up there for so long with tears streaming down my cheeks. it took me so long to muster the courage. i hung off the ledge. the marshalls counted 1, 2, 3, and i was supposed to let go. except i didn't. for so many times. that the marshall had to say, i think you're too strong to be hanging there for so long. but after 3 laps, i got the hang of it. i was still scared, but i no longer cried.

-i didn't like the first obstacle that much either. it's actually an easy obstacle. you just scale a tube. except that it was so muddy and slippery after the first lap. on the first lap, this obstacle was a breeze through. but after, it was so difficult for me.

-i like walls because i can scale them quite well. but on my 5th or was it 6th lap, someone gave me a boost. unfortunately, before i caught the upper ledge, he let go, so i fell on my lower back. so i kind of have a phobia now. when i fell, it was also the time i wanted to give up. i completed my loop, and went to the medic tent in tears. my thoughts were if i have a placing i would continue. if not, i would give up.

but just because i don't like them doesn't mean they aren't good obstacles. i would probably have enjoyed all of them, if i had to go through the course only once.

2. favourite part of the race:

the company/ my favourite part of the race has definitely got to be the support and encouragement, without which i probably would have given up half way. thanks to all the people who helped me out in the zone, and even on the course.from a small cheer asking me to go on, to a boost over the walls, to checking on how i am everytime i enter the zone, to making sure i go back out on the course as soon as possible, i appreciate every gesture.

faisal was the star of the 24 hours, really the man that made it all happen. thanks for taking such great care of us. thanks for dropping by sinyee. thanks for the support. it really means alot. thanks for driving me back too. probably would have just slept at the rest stop if not. thanks dar for driving me there in the morning. thanks amir, guzzy and coach's brother for dropping by. thanks sunil and raj for the support as well. you guys were always the first person i saw upon entering the zone. major thanks to coach who despite my constant urges to just leave me behind, decided to pace me after my fall from the wall. and of course, thanks to every single person who helped me along the course, boosting me over the wall, reassuring me i could do the obstacles, mucho gracias.

the company definitely made the race and i am sure it is for everyone.

3. would i do this again?

come 11pm, i was so sleepy. i actually closed my eyes walking up the road sections. i did think to myself, i am not made out for 24 hour events. i wanted to give up. but for the people back in the tent who pushed me to go on, i would have gone to sleep. i told myself, i'm going to retire from endurance events, nothing more than 12 hours. i felt so exhausted both physically and mentally, that i told myself, never again.

but after the entire event, i cannot deny, i did enjoy the event. i enjoyed making new friends, meeting up with old friends, i really enjoyed the whole camaraderie atmosphere. so, just maybe, just maybe.

but i think everyone should do an obstacle course race. its very different from say running a 10km or a 42km. you really get the leave no-one behind feel.

well i managed to come in 2nd, managing a distance of 90km. could have hit 100, but i really could not be bothered, i was exhausted, physically and mentally. i really didnt want to go in for another loop. maybe next time, when i actually train fro a 100km hehe.

big congratulations to all the winners and finishers of viper 24. to complete this is a great accomplishment. good job everyone for giving it all they have during this event.