SB: When did you decide that organising a race was something you wanted to do? How did it all begin?
KW: I believe that organizing a race is the ultimate extension of any sport enthusiast. Years ago I did organize a mountain bike race series, that's when I was actively mountain biking. So same goes for trail running. Organizing an event is like having a blank canvas, and you can put whatever you want on it.
SB: Conquer the Trails appears to have established itself as THE trail run for January -- you must feel encouraged and gratified with the amount of support you've received from the running community, and perhaps a little anxious too. How have you and your crew coped with the burden of expectation? What has the preparation for this year's race been like?
KW: The reception for 2017 was a surprise as I didn't expect it to be so encouraging. It's just the 2nd edition, considered young for an event. I suppose January can be a boring month too for trail running events. Anyway, thank you so much to the participants and sponsors to make it an exciting event. And what we have in store will be commensurate with the response from the participants.
With a higher number of participants, we had to increase certain aspects of the event like water stations, medical personnel, number of crew and other safety measures.
SB: What were the main issues that you (and participants) had to deal with in 2016 and what have you done to rectify them?
KW: The 2016 event was, believe it or not, a pretty smooth one. Two problems we had, one was the traffic at the venue which is always an issue, and with such an event there it became quite a handful for the traffic police to handle. Second was the water station running out of water. Not really an issue as we managed to replenish it, but such things shouldn't happen. So for 2017, it will not happen.
SB: Are there any significant changes to this year's race other than the route?
KW: Not really. We have sponsors this time. Hopefully we meet their expectations.
SB: What's your favourite trail in Kiara and why? Will it feature in this year's race?
KW: I don't really have a favorite trail in Kiara. I just enjoy being out there. Well the event route this year is something like a regular training route for me. It’s tougher than last year, and at the same time it’s a whole lot more enjoyable that the previous one.
SB: With a network of trails as intricate as Kiara's, a route change seems a viable option for subsequent editions of the race. Is this something you hope to do every year -- just to keep things fresh and interesting? Are there any plans for a race category above 15KM?
KW: We plan to have additional new trails for subsequent years, but we have to consider the environmental impact as well. Not all the trails in there can take 700 pairs of legs at one go. A longer race category – hmmm, have to figure out a bigger loop. We'll see.
SB: Kiara is home to a huge mountain biking, hiking and running community. The passage of over 700 runners on Sunday may be cause for concern to some. What have you done or what will you do to allay such concerns?
KW: We have communicated this event to the various users of the trails over the past few months. Everyone is pretty cooperative in sharing the trails. After all we only do this once a year. The trails are reopened as fast as the last participants. We have 2 sweepers that do the clean up as the event is still ongoing so the other trail users can start using the trails.
SB: Amongst other useful pointers in your Race Guide, you suggested cheering on the Trail Marshals who are there so that participants may enjoy their race -- a nice gesture, I thought. Able and committed volunteers are the backbone of any successful event -- what are your thoughts on your crew?
KW: Our crew mostly have a background of participating in running events. They know how a participant feels and what goes on in their minds. So I'm pretty confident that the crew would know what to do when they see a participant running by. The crew are always the unsung heroes of any events. We hope to do more to bring them closer to the front and be duly recognized by everyone that their effort is very much appreciated and valued.
SB: Thanks for the Q&A and all the best for Sunday.
No comments:
Post a Comment