Relatively new to running, the furthest run I have done was 15km but the recent Besraya Highway run was a whole new experience. 100% on the highway!

Girls love pink and I love the colour of the bright pink tee extremely! It’s sleeveless and was perfect for the hot weather on the highway, and most importantly, it matches perfectly with my current PureBoost X running shoes by Adidas. The shoes are comfortable and durable, and feature support for long-term running sessions – topped off with a stylish look.

On the 13km run, I had my trusty running buddy, Garmin Fenix 5 to monitor my heart rate, something I have recently learned from my running coach, Edan Syah at the Smart Athletics Club.

I started at a higher pace, and slowed down slightly in the middle as the elevation was a pain in the ‘glutes’, literally and figuratively, and I sped up in the last 3km.

I do not listen to music when running as I find that I would lose track on my form if I did. The sound of my feet hitting the ground should be all the music!

I thoroughly enjoyed the run albeit the occasional “aroma” from the rubbish dumpsites along the Besraya highway. Glad the first aids and ambulance were on full alert mode!

The road was wide enough to accommodate approximately 4,000 runners at a time on that day. With such a huge number, one could imagine the ambience – so very merry! Though the city sights with multitude of buildings was nothing to shout about, I was nostalgic as I used to live nearby when I was young.

Kudos to IJM for having provided plenty of water stations (water and 100plus) especially towards the end of the race. There were enough volunteers pouring the drinks and passing out the cups to cater for the huge crowd.

Plaza Tol Loke Yew as a backdrop was awesome for selfies. Most runners including myself, couldn’t help ourselves by standing, sitting or lying on the Touch N Go signage. I would definitely return to join races organised by IJM again and I’m already looking forward to the NPE Highway run in September. Lastly, I wished that non-Malaysians were allowed to participate and given equal opportunities to win prizes in these races too.

More about the author Isabelle Chin is an adventurous soul who is unafraid to take up challenges. She started with zero background in athletics, and has now done an aquathlon, Spartan, Viper and running races. She is determined to improve her performance because she believes the only limit is herself.