Gunung Angsi Climbathon – Prelude

Quite a number of the Mount Kinabalu Climbathon (23 Oct 2010) team members are participating in this Gunung Angsi Climbathon scheduled on Saturday, 8 May 2010. This is an excellent event for testing one’s fitness level leading to the mother-of-all Climbathon challenges in Malaysia.
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Prelude to Mount Kinabalu Climbathon 2010: click here2 and here1

TonyQ, the Mountain Sifu, cautioned that last year, there was no water station for the same Gunung Angsi Climbathon.
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Filepix - obstacle course en route to the peak of Gunung Angsi

According to Michelle Looi, one of the team members, 500cc of water might not be enough and suggest a participant to load 250cc before the start of the Climbathon.

Anyway, looking for toilets in the jungle is much easier compare to running on busy streets as one can easily blend in or camouflage with the bushes.

After talking to TonyQ, I realized that it is not easy for the organizer to carry so much water to the peak to set up a water station for some warm welcome to the participants who would successfully make it to the peak. That, they would have to engage those tough EBC (Everest Base Camp) porters to do the job, or airlift by helicopter if there is no constraints with budget.

So, if one bottle of 500cc of water is not enough, I would suggest each participant is to bring two bottles and carry them in our small backpack.

Alternatively, tie each bottle with a plastic raffia string long enough to sling over our shoulders in X formation. This is somewhat similar to Indiana Jones when he slings his bag over his shoulder. Most of the time, we hold the two bottles to run. But when we need the free hands to hold on something, we just let go of the bottles. When done, grab the bottles again (still hanging from our shoulders) and continue running. In case we are chased by animals, we can use the two water-loaded bottles for self-defense instead of our bare hands.

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Filepix - having a dip in the cold stream after completing the trekking trip at Gunung Angsi
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Though it is quite amusing to look at holding two bottles to run, much like Clint Eastwood cowboy movies carrying two guns for the showdown; but when one is thirsty and there is no water station, guess who will have the last laugh … :-)

Then Raymond Ng (click here) has a bright suggestion: hope it rains and we will have plenty of water....hahahaha.

Hmmm… the participants are getting into a tricky situation: no rain, no drinking water; with rain but it would be wet. If that is the case, I would suggest to bring along a plastic funnel and an empty plastic bottle also other than a light, disposable raincoat in our backpacks. While we run, we just hold the funnel upright to collect water for drinking. Of course, we can also demonstrate the sifu stunt (to other participants) to run with the funnel in our mouth for fast, direct and uninterrupted channeling of fluid.

Click here for official website of Gunung Angsi Climbathon.
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Click here for all previous postings of trekking trips at Gunung Angsi.

Have a good run

See you there

cheers... KC
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