Energizer Night(Mare) Race 2011

One of the highly anticipated marathons of the year in Malaysia… the Energizer Night Race (ENR) 2011. The running track for this year’s ENR was one-of-a-kind… the Sepang F1 Circuit. A track that’s normally reserved for motor sports being turned into a running track for fellow runners for the first time on this event.

That's me at the pit stop before race

On your mark

This could have been a perfect night race in a perfect venue, but as many people would have heard by now… It’s a PR disaster for Energizer (the title sponsor). The event organizer, Expose Media has definitely failed to plan for the huge crowd of 10000 runners. There were alot of shortcomings which were highlighted by the participant on the Facebook page. Anyway, here’s my take of the event:

1. There’s very few sign boards to lead runners to registration (which doesn’t exist), collection of headlamps or just about anything. Everyone were just following the heard blindly towards the grandstand area.
   

   The night view while running on SIC

2. Distribution of headlamps was a mess. There’s insufficient staffs distributing and the location was just too small nor suitable (at the end of the tunnel?). The staffs were simply overwhelmed by the crowd and late comers did not get theirs.
3. There’s only one set of loud speakers at the padlock starting area. I can hardly hear clearly what was the emcee trying to announce from the other end of the pit (about 200m away). And problem (1) just made it worst.
4. The emcee was quite rude and unprofessional in the way she speaks. Maybe the emcee expected everyone to read her mind and know what to expect and do, but problem (1) and (3) just made it worst in communicating instructions to runners.
5. Lack of race marshals. Overall, I felt the race was very understaffed for a 10000 runner event and in most cases the marshals and officials are just as lost as the runners about the event. Maybe the briefing prior to the event was just bad nor properly planned.
6. Some water stations which were in the original plan were missing on the actual day. Probably problem (5) have to reduce the number of water stations on the track. I guess the organizer decided to compensate us with a can of isotonic instead of just a small cup to sip. For the more dehydrated, they even offer a huge 1.5L mineral water for runners to drink and perhaps carry the remaining water along the way. Lastly, there isn’t any water station at the end of the finishing line.
   

   The long queue

7. We were all supposed to get our finisher T-shirt, certificates, medals, and goodies bag upon completion. Here’s when problem (5) reaches the climax. Participants had to queue for about an hour for it (longer than the time it takes us to complete our 5.5km run). Its only a handful of staff packing on-the-spot to handout the goodies bag. Frustrations eventually let to a riot like situation and goodies bag were thrown towards runners like distributing goodies in a refuge camp. Eventually, the organizer decided to close the pit door and get the police to disperse the crowd.
8. The tunnel of death. The organizer actually expected thousands of runners to pass the underground tunnel to exit (which is relatively narrow for the size of the crowd) with a single door at the end of the tunnel and with limited ventilation. Luckily there aren’t any casualty or else it might just be on the headline news the following day.

(From FB) Our goodies bag being thrown

Police coming on board

So I guess, the race was more of an anti-climax at the end of the night. Headed home not just empty handed but also with a empty heart. There wasn’t a sense of accomplishment completing the run. I think I stayed up that night enjoying reading the complains and feedback of the event flooding on the Facebook page more than the actual race. It was just badly organized, period.

Having said that, Energizer Malaysia had to step-in to resolve the badly organized ENR 2011. Damage control on their brand reputation is inevitable. A full refund to all participants of the event was promised and so will the delivery of the promised goodies bag with the certificates, finisher T-shirt and medals which many runners did not receive due to the poorly organized event.

ENR 2011 Poster - Motivating!

Well, I think a full refund is just an easy way out of the mess. Most runners just wanted what they ought to get from the marathon and an enjoyable night. Now we’re like getting a free lunch out of ENR 2011 mess. Anyway, a resolution to resolve the PR disaster is better than none. Ultimately like most participants, I’ll look forward to ENR 2012 to be a 180 degree change and a success after the big flop made this year.

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