PUMA NIGHT RUN 2016

August 20, 2016 , 8.00PM

Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam
Selangor D.E.

10KM
Competitive & Cruise




The 1st and 2nd editions of PUMA Night Run were held at Setia Alam with approximately 3,000 runners. The 2016 edition is by far the biggest race with 10,000 runners signing up for the event in a new venue. And I personally think that is not a very wise choice especially on a busy Saturday evening running in the middle of the town with many residential area without an alternative route for motorists.

At 5.00pm, I took a cab to Subang Jaya to picked up my race kit from my friend and have an early dinner with my godson and his family. Then at 6.30pm I asked his uncle to drop me at the race site. Upon arrival, the place was crowded and I made my way to the Info counter to enquire about the media counter or secretariat counter but the crews  seem to be clueless.

Then I decided to just changed into my running shoes and put on that race bib and head towards the baggage counter. And I just realised something don't seem to be 'normal'

The Race Site

• There were 3 Food Trucks smacked right in front of a row of canopies that housed the Redemption Counter, Info Counter, Winners' Tent and Baggage Counter which cramp up the already congested area due to space constraint.
• Perhaps due to lack of experience and without a supervisor, (tho' the crews do their best to serve) were too slow to disperse the crowd
• The baggage counter were just too small and should have been located away from the main area. A
  20ft x 20ft canopy definitely not sufficient to cater for such a huge crowd. And it was so unnecessary to create another baggage number (when runners can be identified by their running bib) which made retrieving the baggage another snail process.
• Lack of drinking water after the race.

The crews struggled to retrieve the bags

The Route

The road is definitely (a little) too narrow to accommodate 10,000 runners.

First 2km - the street was ill lighted and the safety cones place in the middle of the road were a hazard to runners with quite a handful tripped over as it was almost impossible to notice the presence of the cones.

After KM3, runners were sharing the road and running alongside with motorists.

Runners' Safety

• There wasn't sufficient road marshals on ground to man the road especially at the many junctions.
• All water stations couldn't cope with the large turnout where some runners have to resort to taking the bottle and start pouring and a few just took the bottle and walked away leaving it down the road for another runner picking up to get a few sips.
• Ambulance was hardly seen on the ground patrolling. A casualty at KM5 waited for almost 15 minutes before an ambulance was despatched to the scene.

Race Organisers should strive to put forward a 'Quality over Quantity' road race. I would just as happy participating in a run without all the prom and fancy so long the very basic safety care is in place.

You may read more about the run at  Lina's Blog 

Should the organiser intend to keep the numbers, maybe they should reconsider the venue. Shah Alam is surely not THE place for a night run with such a huge crowd.

After this night run, I think I'll just keep to my makanthon instead.