The Magnificent Merapoh Trail 2018 | Taman Negara Sg Relau, Merapoh, Pahang | 35 KM

Event: The Magnificent Merapoh Trail 2018

Date: Friday, 10th - 11th August 2018

Flag off:

100km - 10th August 2018, 9pm

70km - 11th August 2018, 4am

35km - 11th August 2018, 7am

Venue: SMK Merapoh, Pahang

KM Category: 35KM Men Open

Running Project FB | Asia Trail Master FB

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The story;
The Magnificent Merapoh Trail (TMMT) is founded as a Trail Running event to save Merapoh Caves. It’s a 4th years now and the  main objective is to preserve national heritage and save Merapoh Caves as well as to develop local economy through an eco-tourism. To date, more than 150 caves were discovered and there are more than 200 cave yet to be discover. These national heritage includes at least 85 precious limestone hills and dozens of rare species of flora and fauna are under the threat of destruction from planned big-scale cement production project and logging.

The organiser is working closely with the local people in Merapoh to promote sport and outdoor events in supporting local eco-tourism. The next five years will be dedicated to create more events in Merapoh including trekking, trail running, MTB, caving and adventure trips.


This year TMMT will involve 35km, 70km and 100km categories. Participants will run through the beautiful trail of Merapoh, caves and wade through rivers. This race is a fast course with less technical sections and caters for beginner/ intermediate trail runners. Cut off time is 20 hours for 100km, 13 hours for 70km and 10 hours for 35km category.

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Event Poster

Promo poster

Event Tees

Race guide

And, the official results are as follows:

Bib No: 3-288

Post: 40/226 (Men Open 35KM Category)
46/367 Overall

Distance: 35+ KM

Duration: 5:53:58

[Click here for full results]

Strava Splits

Strava Elevation

Run course mapped

My take on the Event

General Race Comments: 

TMMT was one of the most awaited event for trail runners all over Asia or probably the world. It has its own charm and regarded as one of the most beautiful in Malaysia. The event itself is one of the Asia Trail Master Championship series for ATMs ranking. By that, we could understand that the event should really be a grand event and successful at its own class. But, Im considering this an 'A-' event if not some small chatty/ rookie mistake werent fixed. Read more what I thought about the event. Organizer are from Running Project and 10senses

Event info pre-race/ pre-registration:

There are little or few info pre-race prior to the event. Participants were presented with race guide full of  final COT and elevation charts a week bfr the event, which i personally think a bit late. I could see most 70Kms runners are worried for their COT in the Running project FB. And queries on FB were left unanswered, I think the page is not well manned. 

Aside by that, the pre-registration is good. Runners were presented with details if they wanted to reg inclusive of transportation and hostel (dormitory) accommodation. The reg also inclusive of dinner for pre-race, after race meal and prizes award dinner ceremony which serve lamb!

How was the registration & REPC process:

REPC start form 11am - 6pm and continue at 10pm -12 am at Dewan SMK Merapoh. I arrive late at 6.30pm and the staff already clearing to shut down the Dewan and the REPC counter. Thank god they still OK giving out my race kit after checking out all of mandatory gear(even for 35km)

Dewan SMK Merapoh at the back

I was informed the race briefing that was held on 10th  August 2018, Friday at 4pm is MANDATORY for 100KM and 70KM. ( I arrive late so I missed this). A lil info was passed down that the start line for 70&100KM are different with 35km and there were transportation provided for 35km runners (was briefed on the race briefing. Actually know bfr hand bcs of weird starting line on race course on the race guide but didnt get the info bfrhand)

Specific mandatory pre-registration/prerequisite comments:

Same old, just a bit shocked that they really check each headlamp, hydration bag or bottles, food/ energy gels / energy bar, blinkers, mobile phone for emergency, whistle, medical Kit and personal cup for 35km runners which is I personally think very good

Race site / accommodation facilities:

Race site - Spacious Finish Arch area with emcee announcing every participant name who crossed the FL which 1st time ever in most event I go and is very nice!! 🙅. Good tent layout, got med tent, finisher items collecting tent and post race meal tent. And enough portable toilet

Accommodation - Participants were encouraged to stay at SMK Merapoh as race venue. Theres 2 option for participants either stay in dormitory(add RM15) for free camping around the school area. So I decided to camp. We shared the same toilet to wash etc. Dinner served @ hostel cantten. All is good.

Camp site

Flag-off process:

All participants had to walk for about 1KM to Flag off/ finish site @ Merapoh market. They would later called it warmup walk. So no complain 😆. All distances cat FO were accompanied by a loud and big firecracker. Very grand! 100KM FO @ 9pm 10th August, 70Km @ 4am 11th August (firecracker big booming and startled us 35KM participants good sleeping beauty)

35KM participants were transported by Lorry and 4WD to another FO site @ Merapoh bus stand about 4km more from the FL (Luckily Ive got this info early that morning or Pian and me would be left out wondering wheres the starting line). We were FO @ 7am 11th August. Finish at Merapoh market same as 100 & 70KM later on.

Packed transport(lorry) to FO

Was the course well-marked, marshaled, and accurate: 

The course were well marked with warning red marker and some reflect marker. They even put some blinkers on earlier distance 5-10Km when Merapoh early morning heavy foggy kicks in. Even the river were marked every 50 -100m.

There were marshals at each junction and some at very technical site. But, along the 3-4km river + 1km small waterfall I didnt notice any marshal (The waterfall is very tech with very sharp rock which quite dangerous). 

Theres no distance marker but imho its OK

Waterstation/ aid-station

The pre-race guide stated theres only 3 water station for 35Kms(but the station name was confusing as the race guide stated and the actual WS) at 5km(CP2- Tepi Highway), 15km(CP3-Masjid Teluk Gunung) and 25km(CP4- Kolam Sera). But I counted 4 WS which is good (CP1- Rubber plantations). But, the WS is not exactly located at what KMs they were supposedly located. Nevertheless, every WS is good and serve cold drinks, sport drinks, cokes, breads and snacks and Moola bars. 1 WS even serve durian, chicken grill and cekodok which is very nice!

we 35kms runners need to check in at WS 3(Masjid Teluk Gunung) bfr 2pm to stayed in the race or be DQ out of cutoff.

Course-Specific Comments: 

Very runable with some nice elevation climb and finished with blazing sun & heat killing you at last 10Km.😅😅😆

We were presented with thick morning misty/ foggy at starting/ FO which is kinda cool. We starts running tarmac at the beginning then slowly to red earthen road to a big cave. A bit crowded and starting to get stuck and slow prior entering the cave. Everyone got their phone out including me LOL. We need to used the headlamp as inside the cave is very dark. I were told the cave is Gua Persik. Out of Gua Persik we entered a rubber plantations and were greeted with 1st CP(the unexpected WS). I fueled with bread as they serve as I didnt get my breakfast earlier. Our bibs were scanned for QR code here bfr we were let to pass. 

Ist stretch along red earthen road

Misty Fog just at every corner

Starts to slow as we entered the 1st cave (Gua Persik)

Its dark inside so we need to bring out our headlamp

Me and Pian

Next we need to wade through pristine clear Sungai Relau for about 100m into the forest again. The view was magically magnificent at that time with the strong and cold water on our feet. Then we meet with marshal doing his very good job assisting runners to climb up muddy and technical slope. Its a slow pace here as runners are queuing for their turn and cause an uncompromising bottleneck.

Its wet time

Sungai Relau, 1 very clear river and cold.

The next stretch we ran of earthen/gravel road and led to Gua Hantu Menari. It was seemingly symmetrical wavy interior cavern with a short and narrow passageway with a small water stream in the middle that you can run. 

Just cave left and right of the run. With very cold mist

Entering the 2nd cave (Gua Hantu Menari)

Such nice view (symetrical)

Out the cave. Pix courtesy of Action Pix

Out the cave. Pix courtesy of Action Pix

Selfies bfr hell

Then we meet CP3- Tepi Highway with timing mat. It was manned by familiar faces in the running scene, There was Mr Arman well known RD and writer by the pen name of Mr Kunchalana and K. Zet from famous Marathon Baker. The CP is grand and they sure didn’t hold back in serving refreshments to the runners. On top of assorted soft drinks, there were MB brownies, freshly made MB energy bars, gelatinous MB gummy candies, grilled chicken and freshly produced Cekodok! I take my time here fueling for my next 10KM bfr another CP.

Next we ran at a long runable course along tarmac village road near a train track, houses and villages and limestone cave. We were presented with Rambutan and durian trees all along the course which is very pleasing. Even some of the locals came out to gave us motivation to run and some local fruits as rambutans, manggis and buah salak. It was fun high fiving the local kids and some ran a bit with the runners.

Nice foggy view bfr heat kicks in

Locals farm animals greeted us along the way

Into the misty and mysterious routes

Then we meet the CP3- Masjid Teluk Gunung where our bib no. were recorded. There are sports drink and Moola bars served here and Special need bags for 100/70kms located here. We ran more into gravel road and rubber/ fruits plantations until meet with the 1st long stretch of river wading.

Its Sungai Ulu Persik with more than 3++Kms stretch. It was long and tough and did affect my run entirely. 1by1 runner pass me and it was very uncomfortable. Usually I like water crossing as it was a break time for me. But this 3KMs stretch really slowed me down and I started to feel the pain in my hamstrings, calf and ankle. The river stones and sunken logs is very annoying at this point even the cold water didnt feel good anymore 😓

It was blazing hot after we finally get out of the Sungai. It was an open stretch and hills and here I started felling something at my legs, its starting to cramp and this will be my battle for the last stretch bfr finishing.

Again, we were served again with Lata Ulu Kumbang river. 2nd river with almost another 1Kms bfr final CPs bfr finishing. But this 2nd river was entirely different from Sg Ulu Persik. It was murky with sharp and very technical small waterfall streams. Again, my timing and legs are entirely hectic but life must go on.. LOL

Rivaarrrrr

Slowly but surely, I reached last CPs, CP4 - Kolam Sera. Our QR code again were scanned. We were served with the famous Truestart Coffee, cold drinks and even durians! After fueling for my last Kms I started to control my pace and do walk-slow run-walk worrying my buildup cramps on my leg under the scorching hot sun for the next 5+km. We ran along gravel palm plantations out to tarmac village road. We need to crossed a train track to SK Merapoh and deep to Merapoh village again. This last 3Kms under the sun was very strenuous to my leg. It started to cramps bad whenever I tried to run, even slow run And I was mentally down. I just cant run at all I walk all the way this last stretch. It was a big disappointment to myself as I cant finish this race steadily and strong enough😭 (I blame for my less training). I cried inside (LOL) when runners started to pass by me.

Train Track crossing to the SK Merapoh. Pix by Running Malaysia Magazine

I can see a photographers across the Finishing Arch. This is it! this is where I should shine!! I ran across the Arch then BAMM.. cramp got me really bad I need someone to hold me straight up 😂😆. There goes "ke laut" my finishing photo 😭At the mean time I could hear the emcee calling my name! wow thats new.. "We have 35km finisher here, KAMARUL ARIFF.. Medic, please help" LOL. Then I were brought to the medic tent to be fixed. End of my 35kms run under 6hrs. 

AES Spot camera by Checkpoint spot where I shine most 😏

The fall of the gentlemen. Pixs by Running Project

Medic!! pls help this poor guy. Pixs by Running Project

Please rate the finish line area and process: 

Great atmosphere, timer by CheckpointSpot, emcee and all, and great supporters. Finisher medal and finisher tees needed to be collected at Finisher Merch tent.

How were the post-race refreshments: 

We were served with Nasi Ayam, bananas, local fruits rambutans and cold drinks. There were cold fresh Coconut water and cordial water and sport drinks. The nasi Ayam is delicious just my taste I have to entertained my empty stomach for 2 servings while waiting for Pian to finish.

Pian Finish AES Spot camera by Checkpoint spot

#geng seret kaki.

Rate the event/ finisher merchandise: 

Nice medal, nice material and brighly event and colors finisher tee by 2nd skin asian. Simple and well designed. 

As a bonus, we need to walk again for 1Km back from the FL to venue where we camp @ SMK Merapoh, later they would called it as warm down walk 😒

Pian

Me.. back to the venue

Overall, how enjoyable was this event: 

Enjoyed the trail tremendously. Crews and organizers throughout the race are warm and friendly. Ever helpful. Despite that, IMHO, as a 35km runners i could only tell how I feel throughout the event which is; 

I strongly believe organizer need to convey properly any information regarding the race from pre to post race. Info like transport from stay venue to FO/ starting line and from Finish line to venue. 

Proper route info as the GPX given pre-race and elevation printed on bib varied from what we run. Somewhat it confuse runners what to be expected on the run. The cave location, how many river and how long, etc. And the river should have more safety features and a crew standing by to assist as there were none along the very technical river. Not to mention WS/aid station is not located at what they should be. However, good marking really did good job and me myself entirely rely to the marking. Kudos!

I guess the info/ whatever amendment were probably mention at the race briefing (which I didn’t manage to attend). However, it would have been great if this info was also published digitally on their website or on social media/fb.

I do hope the organizer would take my comments here as positively so we can carry and come back together to the main objective that is to preserve national heritage and save Merapoh Caves as well as to develop local economy through an eco-tourism by runnung this THE MAGNIFICENT MERAPOH TRAIL.

Will you attend this event next year:

Definitely! Stronger or maybe category upgrade !!

Official finish ecert

congrats to meself #gengseretkaki

Well done 👏👏👏👏👏👏

#Road to Ultra