Shannon first Sarawakian to run 200 Km
KUCHING: Shannon Francis Lee is the first Sarawakian to have completed 200 Km and he won 3rd place in the Titi Ultra Hulu Langat, Selangor 2017 last weekend. Here he relates his journey to 200 Km. Some may choose to excel in music, others in art.
I chose to pursue a journey towards something that is uncommon in Sarawak; Ultra-running. Ultra-running or Ultra-marathon is distance running which exceeds the typical marathon distance of 42.195km. It can range from 50km to 250km, 12hours to 24hours endurance running or even multi-stages races. Ultra-running requires one to be self-sufficient (carry your own hydration and food) and discipline. This is not for the faint hearted, but rather for those who are willing to test their physical and mental limits.
During my school days (now I’m 41, and yes, I am that old), sports was never my forte. Don’t get me wrong, I do like to play sports. However, no matter what sports I tried, I was just never really good at it. Thus, for me to pick up running was actually very hard. I started running back in Jun 2012, 5km. Although it was just 5km, I was already gasping for air when I finished within 30mins. It was a torture.
But as months progress, I soon gained the interest (or as runners called it, “Runner’s High) to run 10km , then 21km followed by 42km. Each time when I ran a ½ marathon or a full marathon, I would be asking myself, “Why do you want to torture yourself? Can’t you just sleep-in during weekends? Or rather in hokkien, “ Lang Ho Ho Cho Mik I Ki Cho Bo Eng” (If your life is good, why do you go and make yourself busy?). But, I soon realised, that there was a certain hunger in me. A hunger to further push and challenge myself. To be more than what I could be. I started off with 3 full marathons in 2013, followed by 11 full marathons the following year.
By 2015, I had already done 26 full marathons. It was like flying almost everywhere with either my family or with my friends. We started to participate in runs in Hong Kong, Singapore, Phuket, Gold Coast, Edinburgh, Paris, Orlando and Japan. My family was thrilled, as they got to go on holidays while I go for my runs. For the fun of it, I sometimes run in costume. Spider-Man, Batman, Ultraman, you name it! The spectators were very thrilled, especially in Japan. But even then, it was not enough for me. Why? I wanted to test my limits.
Hence, for my ultra-marathon debut, I joined Penang Ultra 50km in 2014. Although, 50km was just an additional 7+km from a full marathon distance, the race concept is totally different. Runners are required to carry their own water (hydration) and food source (gels or energy bars).
There are no road closures unlike marathons. Thus, we have to be very attentive and observant when running on the road. At night, reflective vest and head lamps are mandatory to allow other vehicles and motorcyclists to see you, and also for us to look at course markers. To me, this was a totally new ball game for running. I ran in an Ultraman costume to commemorate myself as an ultra-runner and it took me 6hours20mins to complete. The satisfaction was different from completing a full marathon and it was addictive!
The ultraman in me soon registered for 78km Putrajaya ultra, which starts from 10pm and ends at 1pm on the next day. This particular race taught me more than I could have imagined. Apart from how to run and prepare myself for such event, it also showed me how friendly ultra-runners are. I met new ultra-running friends from all over Malaysia. The community and network is amazing. Everyone is willing to share their experiences and knowledge. I guess that is what happens when you have more than 10hrs of running together. Then, in 2016 for my 40th birthday in March, I decided to do something that I would consider crazy back in 2012. Running a 100km ultra race – Titi100. I recalled the first time my friend Siaw YC told me about 100km races. We were in Hong Kong for the SCHK marathon. At that time, I was only running full marathons. Can you imagine, running 42km twice and cap it off with 16km? That is nuts! It is like running from Kuching to Sematan. He told me that the typical cut off time is 18 hours and that you will need to be self-sufficient the whole time. My only reaction then was, “Crazy! Cho bo eng nia” (hokkien: Make yourself busy only). But who knew, three years later I was crazy too. Lesson learnt: Never say things that you may have to swallow later in life. Nevertheless, this race was the turning point in my life. Those who knows me well, would know what I mean. It gave me lots of time to think about life, about my family and God. When you get to spend 18 hours on the road, either by yourself or with someone, you learn that faith, determination, perseverance and strategy are what you need to get yourself through it all. It may be a lonely journey, but you are never alone. There is always God, regardless of what religion or faith you may have. It taught me that we are just human, and that whatever we have and that we want, can be given and taken away in just a snap of a finger. In short, it thought me that humility is key.
No matter how bad things may seem, there is always a rainbow in the end. We just need to leave the negativity behind, and look forward while staying positive. I was among a handful of Sarawakian runners who have completed such a feat (100km). Although it was an achievement for myself, I knew I can go further. I started signing up for more ultraroad races, such as Langkawi 100km Ultra and Penang 100km Ultra. It was during one of these races, I learn from other runners that there are more than just road ultra.
There are also trail ultras, where you would get the opportunity to connect with nature. Trail running is a sport which consists of running and hiking over trails. It differs from road running in that it generally takes place on hiking trails, often in mountainous terrain, where there can be much larger ascents and descents. Some of the mos t popular local trail runs would be The Most Beautiful Thing (TMBT) in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Cameron Ultra (Cultra) and Penang Eco Challenge.
These courses are recognised by International Trail Running Association (ITRA), where upon completion of these races, you will be able to accumulate ITRA points for entrant into Ultra Trail Mount Fuji (UTMF) and Ultra Trail Mont Blanc (UTMB), which both are considered holy grails of ultratrail running. Entering these races would mean, that you would be running among world elites.
This sounds exciting and great, but there are a few finely written clauses. *1.To do trail ultras, one must first enjoy hiking. I do not and that is going to be a challenge for me. These were the times I wished I was a scout when younger. *2. To join UTMF and UTMB races, will require you to accumulate points from races of 100km and beyond distances, which has a cut of time of 30 hrs and more. It is very taxing on the body and mind. It is when you either stay sane, or you go insane after the race. *3. Trail ultras are about elevation. Thus, you will need to be able to handle total elevation gain of 2000m to even 6000m. But the reward of completing is indescribable. For my first ultra-trail race, I chose TMBT in 2016 which undisputedly is the toughest trail race in Malaysia. Surprisingly to myself and others, I managed to complete 100km in below 24hours (30 hours cut-off ). Again, when you put your body, mind and soul to it, you can achieve wonders.! Upon completing TMBT in 24hours, I knew my body could endure a challenge of 1 day.
The next logical thing would be to see how it handles 30hours. 1 month later, I signed up for Putrajaya 100 miles (160km). Although Putrajaya100 miles was in its 3rd edition, there were zero finisher prior to this. Thus, for me to even complete this race would be an achievement on its own. Thankfully, I manage to complete it in 28 hours 19mins and came in 4th overall. I was the first Sarawakian to have completed 100 miles distance in a race (based on registered records by Malaysian Ultra Running Association- MURA). There were times during the race that I felt like giving up. But I told myself “There is no pleasure without pain”.
Then, last week on 17th March 2017. I set a new milestone for Sarawak and for myself, when I came in third for 200km ultra road run in Titi Ultra, Hulu Langat, Selangor. 200km is like running from Kuching to Sematan and back again! The biggest struggle for me, was sleep deprivation. But, I manage to tackle that with a 30mins power nap. Just like in life, knowing when to stop and rest is important. Through the journey, there were challenges, either it was the 37deg C weather, or the thunderstorm at night, or the multiple elevation climb, or even tummy discomfort. If we put our heart, body, mind and spirit into whatever we do, we can succeed.
According to MURA records, I am the first Sarawakian to have completed 200km distance on a single race. It was a great honour to lift the Sarawak flag as I ran to the finish line. I am proud to be a Sarawakian, and I will continue to make Sarawak proud. Maybe one day, Malaysia too. So, what’s next? Am I going to stop at 200km? UTMF and UTMB is calling and with God’s grace, I hope to achieve it in this lifetime. This achievement could not have been possible without support and prayers from my loving family and friends.
