Comments on: Brunei Marathon 2006

By: Ex-Brunei Expat

Ex-Brunei Expat — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:41:50 +0000

I lived in Brunei for about 3 years and participated in 2006 Half Marathon. It was a shambles. I knew the route very well, driving and running around it many times in the course of my daily life, and of course, in training.

There were two turn around points for 10k and 21k that were within a few hundred metres of each other. At both, all that was at the turn around was a whiteboard with a u-turn arrow. Given it had been raining all morning, these were practically washed out. There was no indication that they were for the 10k or 21k (I stopped and looked hard at 21k!! I didn’t want to run the ‘Mabohai Hill’ just beyond u-turn.)

There were no officials at either post. What eventually made me decide to keep going, despite knowing that it was the point listed, was that there were no timing mats. At the other two turn around points, there were ChampionChip timing mats: to avoid DQ, then, onwards we ran. 2km down the road, an official was placed, yelling abuse at the half-mara’s for being ‘off-course’.

The organisation is typical Brunei. All showy promotion, lots of promises (including prizemoney – another story!!) but ultimately rubbish organisation on the day.

Pluses – it rained, so cool. Lots of water (in fact, 600ml bottles – so too much water at any one time. Don’t know if it lasted for the end of packers. Can’t remember any 100Plus etc). Close to home (walked home). Interesting route, variety of topography, interesting Brunei tour.

Negatives – How can you not get the route clearly marked? Km markers barely visible (too far off the side of the road and too low. Only saw many of them while walking home!) Despite running the 25k route, a friend came 6th in women’s, but given the 10th prizemoney because she was behind the other four runners at 12k timing mat. So her great finishing few k, which she had trained hard for, was for nothing as the women she passed on the Foreign Affairs hill at 19k were still given the prizemoney in front of her. If you are offering considerable prizemoney for Half Mara, maybe timing mats should be placed at all turn arounds?

Do not make a special trip to Brunei for any purpose organised by local/Government organisations, business or leisure. You are bound to be disappointed. Sorry, lah. Inshallah.

Try elsewhere – Singapore was the same weekend and Angkor Wat Half is generally at a similar time. There’s also one in KK (Kota Kinabalu) in October, so plenty of options near by for that time of year.

Good running!

By: UKWUAGU CHUWKUDI EMMANUEL

UKWUAGU CHUWKUDI EMMANUEL — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 15:26:06 +0000

Sir,
My Name is UKWUAGU CHUKWUDI EMMANUEL from Imo State Nigeria,
I’m a MARATHONER, I have been participating only in my country ( Nigeria ) and i think competeing only here in my country will not help me, so i need to be participating in other countries that is why i’m writing this, Please Sir, if there is any Marathon Race that is going on in your country or in your Club, Sir, i will like to be Invited, you can contact me. I’m doing very well in Marathon Races Here in Nigeria . So for your proofs Here is my website http://www.marathoner.gq.nu just visit it and is what i’m talking about.
Thanks.
Hope to hear from you soon.

Ukwuagu Chukwudi

By: Maurina H

Maurina H — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 12:29:13 +0000

That is bad Andrew. I’m sorry you had to go through that.

By: runwitme

runwitme — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 08:38:07 +0000

Yikes! I was contemplating to join Brunei Marathon last year, thank God I didn’t and went for Angkor Wat 1/2 Marathon a week after, instead. I hope things will improve in 2007, if there still is a Brunei Marathon…

By: Andrew Sang

Andrew Sang — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 09:45:29 +0000

Hey guys,
As you can see since i ended up here, I have been trawling the net from Kenya checking out local reaction to the Brunei Marathon.
I am the Agent (check out nano) for most of the Kenyan athletes that took part (1st, 2nd and 4th males; 2nd and 3rd females).
I have been doing this for fa while and I must say I was thoroughly shocked at the organisation in Brunei.
I decided to personally travel to Brunei this year as we had problems last year and I figured I could help smooth things over but as would happen, the race organiser Shariffudin basically managed to hide for a whole week.
Everything went wrong even before the race day. Athlete’s flying in from around the world could not get into Brunei as the race office had neglected to process their on arrival ‘visa’s’ and notify the RBA ports (singapore and Kuala lumpur).
I personally had to take over making sure athletes got in, sending faxes to RBA and Malaysia and liasing with the immigration at the airport. A lot of the elite athletes did not even get a complementary meet at the airport and had to find their own way to hotels and face a further shock when the official hotel (Orchid Garden) told them they had to provide for their meals and personally pay for accomodation (Even when the organiser, as is tradition for elite athletes had promised that all was arranged and taken care of by the race).
Man, I could rant for a whole month as I have not even gotten into the half marathon yet!!!
Later
Andrew Sang

By: Brunei-related « Turquoise and Roses

Brunei-related « Turquoise and Roses — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 14:34:48 +0000

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