MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES: Liew (third left) hands over T-shirts to See Hua Group media personnel taking part in the race.
KUCHING: More than 1,500 runners are expected to throng the Kuching Integrated Recreational Centre (KIRC) near Kuching Civic Centre this evening for the eagerly anticipated KuchingNITES Run, the second to be organised this year.
The great response was demonstrated by the long line of people queuing up at the KIRC’s Events Stage yesterday morning and afternoon to collect their race packs comprising T-shirts and numbers for the race.
Sarawak Marathon Association (SMA) secretary Wee Guan Seng said the organising committee and volunteers were busy since the counters were open at 9am to confirm the list of participants and distribute the race packs.
To distinguish the runners of each category, he said the runner for Men’s 5km will be wearing number tags with blue background, Women’s 5km (pink background), Men’s 10km (green background) and Women’s 10km (yellow background), to be worn with the bright green T-shirts.
Among the participants included a British retiree Alan Kiff, 72, who came to collect his race pack and confirmed his participation yesterday.
Kiff has been living in Kuching under the Malaysia My Second Home programme since 2005.
“I have been participating in several runs, and the night run concept is a good idea,” added Kiff, who will run in the Men’s 5km.
Meanwhile, organising chairman Dato Patrick Liew said a total 1,517 runners were registered as of yesterday afternoon.
“We have reached our target of getting more than 1,500 runners. I would like to thank the volunteers for their help and assistance.
“I would also like to record my appreciation to main sponsor Sarawak Energy Berhad and official drink H2O,” he enthused.
The run will be flagged off at 7pm, with participants running routes around the city starting from KIRC and back to the same venue.
The first night run held last July 7 attracted 1,388 people.
Those who have yet to collect their race packs prior to the run can still do as today as the counters are open from 9am to 12 noon.