This post is way overdue… this run happened way back in November the year before last (that’s more than a year ago!), but I have been so busy that I have not been able to upload the post or the photos until now!

The R3vRun, organised by Revive, was quite an interesting event that was different from others. Piped as the first team-based run in Asia, runners were required to register in teams of three because there were three routes to take – Road, Environment, and Viper, hence called RevRun.

The teams would run the first 3km together, and then split into their respective routes for 4km before meeting again and finishing the last 3km together.

The planned team routes, as per www.revrun.my
The planned team routes, as per www.revrun.my
The map of the routes
The map of the routes

OUR TEAM

Andrew, Oppy and I formed a team to run in the RevRun, as we were eager to try this unique team run.

Initially, because I had an event that very night and a half-marathon the next day, I wanted to do the Road run, so Andrew was supposed to do Viper and Oppy was to do the Environment.

However, because I was planning to try Viper soon, I decided to volunteer for the Viper route so that I could get a taste of what it would be like. Andrew generously let me take on the Viper route, and even lent me his elbow and knee guards to help me get through the Viper obstacles.

RevRun was organised on two days – Saturday 14th November and Sunday 15th November. We opted for Saturday because Andrew and I had already signed up for another run on Sunday.

A little graphic edited by Oppy to represent our team!

RUN DAY 14TH NOVEMBER 2015

We met up at the Sepang International Circuit at about 6am where we collected our wristbands, which were the entry tickets into the run.

Our wristbands which were our entries into the event
Andrew, Oppy, and I posing in front of the RevRun backdrop

At 7am, we were flagged off into the circuit.

There were not as many people as we had expected that morning, but then it was a Saturday morning and we were the first wave in. From photos and videos uploaded by the organiser later, the next day (Sunday) had a lot more participants. Saturday was a working day for many people as well, which would explain why Sunday was the preferred day.

The wave of participants waiting to be flagged in

We walked the first 3km which was partly road and partly trail. We were so not prepared for that, as we were expecting road!

We reached the point where the routes would be split up, and the organisers had done up the divisions very nicely and clearly.

Here’s the split! Road, Environment, and Viper.

Oppy hadn’t wanted to run on the road with her trail shoes, so she brought them with her in a bag. She quickly changed her road shoes for the trail shoes, and then we split up into our respective routes.

We kind of fell behind the other teams because of the time taken, but it didn’t really matter because it isn’t a competitive race. And we still weren’t last!

Anyway, we split into our respective routes.

Getting pumped up to go into the Viper Run trail!

THE VIPER ROUTE

Because I was nearly at the end, there was almost no one else with me as I approached the first hurdle – tyres. It wasn’t difficult, really. And since I was alone, I had no one blocking me and wasn’t blocking anyone as I just walked my way through.

The short tyre stretch
Gotta pose when there’s a chance to, right? Photo taken by one of the marshals.

The next hurdle was literally a hurdle. We were to jump over elevated logs. I wasn’t strong enough to jump, so I just climbed over them.

Yeah… I’m not jumping over those. I don’t have the leg strength =.=”
This short vertical wall set was between the logs and the barbed wire crawl. I suppose this counts as an obstacle too – it’s just whether we were supposed to climb over, crawl under, or – and this is the best way to get past them – go around!!!

There was actually quite a long walk to the next obstacle. The route was not monitored, and I could have easily cut across and skipped some of the obstacles to join some of the other participants (the route was windy and had some U-turns), but where would the challenge be if I did that?

The next obstacle required us to crawl on a muddy ground (which was not that muddy) beneath barbed wire. I managed to scuttle along quite quickly thanks to the elbow and knee guards, and the barbed wire was not placed that low.

It was here that I met Juliana, and we were happy to accompany each other on the long walks between the upcoming obstacles.

The barbed wire crawl

Here are some of the obstacles we – err – attempted to overcome.

No, these aren’t part of the obstacles; but they ARE part of the trail. Long dreary walk between obstacles in the sun.
The zigzag balance beam. It’s actually easier than you may think – because you only need to balance yourself on the short straight stretch, and you can catch your balance quickly at the next bend.
Climbing over an even taller wooden vertical wall! Okay truth be told… I didn’t make it over the wall. Juliana took a photo of my vain attempt.
The final obstacle – crawling through long pipes in muddy water!
And we made it!!!!
… barely!
Obstacles in the Viper trail are thanks to Viper Challenge team!

Andrew was waiting for me at the point where we were supposed to reconvene, and we met up with Oppy.We walked back the same way we came, to go back to the Finish line (which was the same as the Start line).

Andrew was waiting for met at the reconvening point
Heading back to the Start! That’s Oppy jumping in the background.
Our team at the Finish! (which is also the Start)

This was quite an interesting run, although to be honest, it would have been more fun if we got to do all three routes as a team. Splitting up to go the separate routes did not really feel like teamwork.

Still, thank you to the organisers for organising such a unique event!

Our team after the Finish! Here are our medals – the three different medals (Road, Environment, Viper), and what they look like combined.

BY THE WAY…

Here is the video promoting the following year’s RevRun 2016. And if you look almost at the beginning at 0:02, and again at 0:48… you can see Andrew, Oppy, and myself running through the woods! I am the one in the white top.

How did we get ourselves into the video, even though it was for a grand total of maybe 2 seconds? Well… read about our experience here!

//

REVRUN 2016REVIVE ISOTONIC #REVRUN IS BACK! Check out the video on what you can expect from this unique Road/Environment/Viper run that’s powered by #ReviveIsotonic. Registrations are open now at www.revrun.my

Posted by Viper Challenge on Wednesday, 6 April 2016

Oh, and we didn’t join RevRun 2016. One experience is enough, actually. But if you haven’t tried it, you should go for the next one!