Run #654 - Silent Gorilla @ Penchala Link (16th Aug 2011)

Silent Gorilla

Date: 16th Aug 2011

Time: 6:00pm sharp

Run Site: Penchala Link

Attendance: 50 runners

Silent said, "18 members went to Vietnam and did not come, I bring in 19 guests and we still have 50 runners ... so don't play, play with me ya!"

Run rating by Chili-padi Karen: 7.5/10

Distance: 6.5km

Run site elevation: 90 meters above sea level

Highest elevation reached: 299 meters at the 2.6km mark

Lowest elevation: 52m at the 6km mark

Front runners came back in 1 hr 25 mins

Sweepers Baby Crocodile, Cartoon and a few lady guests were back in 2 hrs 10 mins.

The Run (+ story of Jason's accident)

With Phang Joe as the master mind, we would expect a challenging run with tricky checks. True to form, the trail started off with a steep climb immediately as we entered the jungle. It continued uphill for almost 1 km until a height of 273m. It was steep!

We then came upon a wide footpath and gradually descended for a distance of 500meters where the front runners found the 1st check at "Simpang Lima" (Junction with 5 roads).  For a good 8 minutes, the front runners scattered all over looking for the next paper. One hit a falsie before Bak-kut-teh Heng finally broke the check. This was a good check, as by then the back-runners had caught up. 

Silent Gorilla's run @ Penchala Link at EveryTrail

The paper trail led us northwards towards Penchala link highway, then turned westwards and subsequently ascending up the summit. Terrain was very steep and slippery. It was hard work for the next 400 meters until we arrived at the 299meter summit of this hill. We continued northwards crossing over the Penchala link tunnel. At the 3km mark, the downhill track became very steep and dangerous. Here disaster struck.

Thorny ass Jason slipped and badly injured his left knee. He couldn't walk, but eventually struggled (with help from our comrades) to reach an illegal indon settlement at the 4km mark. We asked for help to ferry Jason out on a motorbike. Fortunately, a kind  Indon gentleman with a bike obliged and we left Jason to continue our run.

Following the paper trail, it was gonna be another 2.5km before we reached run site. The bike went the other way out towards Kiara Mas.

Where is Jason?

When we reached run site, Jason was still not back yet! We feared for the worst. We waited and waited and then news came (Jason's wife called Peter) that both Jason and the Indon guy had an accident while on their way out .... apparently, Jason had borrowed a mobile to call her.  

We could not contact Jason as he did not carry his handphone, neither does his wife knew what went wrong except that Jason is still alive!


Our sweepers came out at 8:10pm but there was still no sign of Jason!! Everyone tried to speculate what went wrong .... from Hungry Ghost month to .........

[to be cunt-tinued ....]

20-Aug-2011: The story continues here....

Eventually Jason came back to run-site about 8:20pm. According to him,the jungle track was very narrow and uneven ... it was dark and the ride was very bumpy. Then probably the motorbike must have been too near the edge of the hill and the Indon guy lost control. Both he and Jason dropped into the ravine. Men and bike were flung downhill for at least 20 ft. Jason was in great pain and eventually the Indon guy helped him climbed up, back to the jungle path. He limped all the way, with help from the Indon guy, to Kiara Mas condo. There, he borrowed a mobile from one of the security guards to call his friend living nearby. He later called his wife. His friend came and took him back to run-site while the poor Indon guy went back to the jungle searching for his bike. Ah, .. have you heard of Murphy's Law?? Also this is run number 654. In cantonese it means "Lok Um Sei"

This is really very unfortunate but luckily both survived the fall. Jason told the Indon guy he'll visit him when his knees are better ...

____________________________