I didn't realise that BHPetrol's Orange Run, which is an annual event on BHPetrol's calendar, is already in its 12th year in 2017! Wow! It means that even before I started running seven years ago and even before the running boom in Malaysia, BHPetrol's Orange Run already existed. That's very awesome!! Kudos to BHPetrol for being so supportive of the running in Malaysia!
It's ashamed that I have not joined any previous BHPetrol's Orange Run before. It fact, the 12th BHPetrol's Orange Run held on Oct 1, 2017 at The Curve, Mutiara Damansara was my first!
For the record, I think the last time I joined any running event less than 21 km was 6 years ago! haha! I usually thought that I could have run 10-30 km on my usual Sunday LSD run. Therefore, there's no need to join any short-distance running events for medals, running tees etc.
Besides, I suck at speed running! :) And I never like the lung-bursting, fainting and vomiting feel of dashing to finish line! I feel like my heart's gonna stop anytime! Lol!
Originally, I was supposed to run the Malaysia Marathon on same day. But it was cancelled due to "unforeseen circumstances" - a popular "reason" used by some race organisers nowadays for event cancelations at last minute!
Great thanks to my running friend who managed to persuade me to join BHPetrol's Orange Run at the very last minute! So now, instead of running a pre-mature death Malaysia Marathon's 42km, here I was, showing up at The Curve for my very first 11 km run in 6 years, and my first BHPetrol's Orange Run, with friends.
With only RM5 registration, I could run a race! Oh wow! Where on earth can we find this probably the cheapest race registration in Malaysia and perhaps in the world!
The turnout was huge!! With close to 5,000 participants including many elites and several Kenyans eyeing for RM50,000 in prizes to be won, BHPetrol's Orange Run really carved itself as one of the most unique and awesome running events in Malaysia!
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| Start line. A very casual start! |
11km run and photo shoot with GoPro HERO5
For RM5 race registration, we were given a running BIB.
No running chip? No problem! It's gonna be a fun run for me anyway.
No timing sensor along the race route? No problem! 2 stations with ribbons to ensure runners completed 11 km were more than sufficient for me!
No running tee? No problem! In my wardrobe, I have many running tees which I hardly wear. :)
No finisher medal? No problem! It comes with a very nice certificate of completion, good enough for me or this 11km run. But if it were to be 42 km full marathon, definitely I would want to have a finisher medal for remembrance! haha!
With the purpose of joining this run as a catch-up with friends and for fun, I decided to bring along my GoPro HERO5 Black action camera for the whole course of 11km run.
Carrying a water bottle in one hand, and GoPro HERO5 action camera with the selfie stick in another hand, it wasn't easy to run! :)
But - it was fun!
I could test out different shots using GoPro action camera.
I ran past some running friends and I would say hello and chat with them a bit. And then I just snapped their photos!
Sometimes I just stopped and squatted down on the side to take photos of runners from a low angle for the wide-angle effect!
Sometimes I ran and saw beautiful scenery along the route (first time for me to run along this route), I then snapped, snapped, snapped with my GoPro HERO!
With two water stations providing Luzonade isotonic sport drink, I would say the race organiser BHPetrol and sponsors were very considerate and generous! I also took photos of the water stations!
And the road marshals and volunteers were all simply awesome!!
Oh yes - along the 11 km route, we ran past some nice neighbourhoods and new MRT stations. There were volunteers who passed us ribbons at two separate locations to ensure we ran the full 11km.
Below are some of the photos taken during 11 km run with my GoPro HERO5 action camera:
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| One of my running buddies at Padang Merkok every Sunday. |
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| The new MRT line against the blue sky! |
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| The sky. The MRT. The runners. |
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| picking up the ribbons. Two ribbon stations in the course of 11km run. |
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| Three of my running friends - taken from behind as I ran behind them! haha! I love this photo very much! |
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| Another angle of the neighborhood! |
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| I was caught up by my friend while busy taking photos! Glad he caught up! I could then take his photo too! |
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| Well-stocked water stations with plenty of Luzonade sports drink!! Two water stations in total! |
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| Love this too - it's a lonely journey for runners sometimes! But lots of self-reflection can be done when running alone! |
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| I love her wigs! Yohoo! awesome and beautiful |
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| Running back to the Curve. I was past by three Kenyan female runners who started off 15 minutes later then male runners |
Finish line @ the Curve
I felt so good when reaching the finish line! I even stopped right before the finish line to take photos with my GoPro HERO5. haha!
I completed in a slow time of 57 minutes at an average pace of 5:20 minutes per kilometre. This was the race that I didn't have any pressure to run fast! I didn't even look at my Garmin Vivo Active GPS watch at all. My focus was to have fun and try out my GoPro HERO and snap photos!
I couldn't wait to see what's in store for all the finished runners. I started to hear live performance and many laughter from runners with their smiling faces! I couldn't wait to wave at friends whom I have not seen for a while as I haven't been joining many races lately!
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| Running towards the finish line at The Curve, Mutiara Damansara |
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| I took this shot from low angle for the feel and effect of wide-angled GoPro HERO5! |
Carnival atmosphere
Just look at the atmosphere!! It was very carnival like!! Even with live performance of a live band!! Even runner was smiling, chit chatting with friends, and enjoying the festive atmosphere! It looked like one of the annual reunion for runners!!
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| Great venue to have fun after run at The Curve, Mutiara Damansara! |
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| Such a great atmosphere! Like a carnival! |
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| Live band performing to the runners and crowd!! Awesome band putting us on our dancing feet! |
Lots of goodies in goodie bag
Goodie bag can be collected at the Redemption Counter! A very well organised process for goodie bad collection! |
| Well organised redemption counter for goodie bag |
But hey - I opened up my goodie bag and I was shocked! The goodies were even more than what were given in RM80-RM90 race events!!!
Let me proudly present to you what's inside the goodie bag:
- Certification of participation
- RM3 BHPetrol's petrol voucher
- Chocolate chips and cookies
- Biore Men's facial scrub
- Mineral Water
- Carbonated soft drink
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| Look at our bright orange goodie bag!! Treasure inside!!!h haha! |
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| Yup! With RM5 - this is what we got in addition to all the free food and drink at the venue after finishing! |
And hey, that's not all! Let's move to all the yummy unlimited free flow of food and drinks area!
Free flow of food and drink
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| All the kiosks with free food and drinks!! haha! Excited! |
Oh wow! I was spoiled for food! Not cheap food, mind you!! Healthy delicious yummy food!!
What did we have?
As we finished running, we were first greeted by a station with Luzonade isotonic sport drink as if the race organiser knew were were thirsty! haha!
Moving on, there were nasi lemak and teh tarik. Wow! I started to feel hungry!! The nasi lemak was super delicious!!! Yum yum!
Then, we were greeted by smiling faces offering us fresh apples, V-soy soybean milk, milo, and corn cereals. My hands were full!! My mouth was full! What should I eat first?
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| Fresh apples!!! |
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| Milo and corn cereal!! Yummy! |
Oh wait.....
There's ICE CREAM too!! Free flow of ice cream!! yummy yummy! Look at all my friends and my exciting facial expression with the ice creams!!
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| All sub4-hour full marathon runners! What are you doing here for 11km run? For the ice cream? haha! |
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| Ok ok - besides busy taking photos, I must eat the ice cream too before it melted! haha! |
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| haha! simply can't resist to put the ice cream next to the mouth yeah! So sorry! I kept you waiting from eating your ice cream! haha! |
Here's the complete free food and drinks:
- V-soy soybean milk
- fresh apples
- Milo
- Nasi lemak
- Teh tarik
- Ice cream
- Luzonade isotonic sport drink
- Corn cereals
Did I miss anything?
Wow! I was speechless (cos my mouth was full with all the yummy food and drink! haha!)
I have not had such a feast at any running race in a long long time, except the recent one in Hatyai Marathon earlier this year!
I was so so impressed by how generous the organiser BHPetrol and sponsors were to us runners! Did I say it before? It's only RM5 for registration!! I think I easily ate and drank more than RM15 already! :)
Burp! So full!
Happy runners catching up with each other
Of course, besides all the fun and awesome run, how could it be complete without catching up with running friends and taking some photos with them? |
| Happy happy happy faces! |
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| All the Sunday Padang Merbuk running kakis! |
All runners seemed to be so so happy on that very ORANGE RUN day!
It looks like I need to make Orange Run an annual run for me already from now onwards for the cheapest race registration in Malaysia (and may be the world), the best free flow food and drinks, the generous goodie bag, and the great running route with plenty of support on water, etc.
If you are new to running, or you have not run a 10-11km run before, this is definitely a great awesome start for you!
RM5 cheap registration yet you have the most of what you would get from a running event... and more!!
Well, no running vest and finisher medal. So what?
You have great food and drinks, awesome friends to support you, wonderful running route in a carnival-like atmosphere!!
An event not to be missed!!
Kudos to BHPetrol for organising this!! I'm so happy that I have been using BHPetrol all these years and seeing you contributing to the society in such an awesome way!!
Written by: Vincent Khor on October3, 2017
All photos were taken with GoPro Hero5 Black action camera.
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