LKL-DMT 2023 Chiang Mai

This race took part in Chiang Mai towards Chiang Rai area.  Nature is in great abundance in these places and it brought me back to the days where I was travelling in this region very frequently.  I always loved the weather of Chiang Mai, not too overly cold yet the sunny daylight bring some warmth to you.

The race took place on the second week of Jan 2023, and this was when I know that it usually takes place in January.   I tumbled upon this race when I was researching on another race in Petchabun.  But unfortunately, the Petchabun one did not take place.

Website: LKL-DMT 2023

More like a boutique race.  Most of the participants are from Chiang Mai or around the area.  If not they are just Thai.  I heard that there were some Taiwanese but I did not see other nationalities compared to the Khao Mai Kheo race that I did last year.

Race pack collection

Took a Friday flight into the city of Chiang Mai and I was welcomed with cooling weather yet a nice sunny day.  This time round my plan was to take the bus shuttle to go race point and then back.  Not doing a drive as the start point in Khun Chae National Park is pretty far from the city.  I seriously have no idea whether I be good enough to end it earlier than 22hours because the elevation it self is a terror, standing at 4.7 plus K.  I guess I overestimated myself again.  But back of my mind was that as long as there were roads ( which I assumed most Thai races have roads which were possible for running), I would keep running to save the time.

Organiser with the shop Base Camp Trail Provisions, were all very helpful with this foreigner here.  Travelling alone again and taking part in the race alone.  I begin to wonder if I am an odd ball!  The Base Camp Trail Provisions paid for the rest half of my race fees first and allowed me to collect the bib from their shop near to the Chiang Mai zoo and Chiang Mai University.  That saved a lot of my transportation woes and planning to go Khun Chae National Park which is about 40 plus KM away from the city.

After slurping up the Khao Soi Noodles, which is a must eat at the region, I took a song taew and went to pick up the race bib.  Simple set up outside the stall, it was also the race bib collection and mandatory gear check area.  Thinking that I had all my gear up, I realise that I forgot to bring the reusable cup ! Luckily they were on sale there at the shop at 150 Baht.  Alas, I am getting very sloppy in my equipment check.

The night went away with me trying to load more tom yum mama noodles and packing up for the second day.  Not sure of what I was going to face, I only know that I have 2 return to Chiang Mai shuttle timing available.  One is 20:30hrs on the race day itself , the other is 07:30hrs on the second day.  Inside my heart I was hoping I could be fast enough to meet the first.

Race Day

LKL stands for Langka Luang while DMT is Doi Mot Mountain.  Both side have different categories of the race, LKL served the 42km and 20 km whole DMT is for the 69km and 37km.  111km which is the longest category will go through both sides of the race.  Making it the most scenic and also the most brutal.  I was glad that I did not sign up for the 111km, I guess I still know I have limitations when it comes to mountains.  I chose the 69Km to test myself first.  But into the race, I begin to think, I should have done the 42 instead !

Shuttle bus picked us up from the front of Maya Mall in Chiang Mai, it was an easy spot to find.  The return ticket is 700 baht.  Glad I chose this method over driving myself.  The mini van was nice and large.  There were about 6 of us on board.  But only 2 of us were doing the longer distance which starts at 6am.  By the time we reached the mountains it was already 5:25 am .  Time was tight, it was cold.  Race site was very well stocked, there was a big canteen and water point.  Toilet area and also some were already camping there.  But I find it too cold for me to camp at the place.

The start line was already counting down when I made my way down after dropping the drop bag and a quick toilet.  Was already shivering through as I started to run and warm up.

Brutal starts

The first part was all roads till a turn into the forest, and the climbing starts all the way.  We were greeted by the beautiful sunrise and amazing view as we reached the ridge line and the top.  It was really fantastic, then comes the arm power challenge where we need to climb up the mountain using the railings.  This race has many of such “bottlenecks” which for a slow snail like me, is no stopper.  There were also many dangerous descending with railing holding.  One of the challenge was the loose soil as it was a bit of a dry season and the soil were dried up, making them very sandy and loose, easy to loose grip.

Going down can be a bit dangerous if you go fast ( but not for seasoned runners) because of the loose soil, and also all the steep slopes.  I suddenly have the de ja vu of Gede Pangrango but I told myself to just try my best and keep going.

Another challenging part which I had failed to recognise before hand, was the long grass, being in the wilderness , of course there were no Nparks services like our Singapore government, cleaning up the way and path for nature hikers.  The grass were so long and sharp, and I chose to wear the T8 shorts instead.  Was glad that I wore long socks instead of the short KMK time.  As a result I did suffer quite a bit of cuts.  Guess I had to be more careful in future to prevent unnecessary grass cuts.

Total there were 4 check points to accomplish the final one to the the finish line is about 6.5km.  I didn’t realise that I was taking so much time until I realise that I reach the first check point only about 4-5 hours.  The check point was stocked with good cooked food from the village.  I realise I did not have much time to spare and after a quick top up of my hydration pack, I headed out again.

This was probably the last of the proper roads which I could run, and I treasured it so much that despite my thighs were hurting from the climbing and the descending, I forced myself hard to run.

After that, most the route were trails, if you are lucky, you get something like the Singapore Macritchie type of cleaner mud tracks, if not it is mostly tall grasses with vegetation.  Of course the downhills were the more challenging ones.  I suddenly felt that if it were a rainy day and slippery, it would be better , like kinda sliding down all the way.

Fell down a couple of times, but I thank god that they were all nothing major like twisted arm or legs or bad cuts in the knee.  I was trying to hope to clear the 3rd check point before sunset.  But I didn’t make it.  I was glad I did not get kicked off by the cut off time for the check points.  However, time was still very tight.  I only had 1 hour buffer and the legs are getting stiffer and stiffer.  Somehow the chances of not able to meet cut off time started to float in my head.

I just told myself to keep pushing on and whatever it is like the Gede race, finish it!

Met New Friend

Since the start, there was this lady always around me all the time, I will over take her at the up hills and she overtake me at the down hills.  Then we started to chat, however, I realise she could only speak Thai.  So with my limited Thai language, we decided to just help each other out ( or maybe mostly she helping me out) till the end.  Forgot to introduce, her name is Thanat Porn.

It was quite funny as we both started to get very zombie from 10 pm onwards.  I knew this time I would need to really rush especially from CP 7( the second last one) to CP 8.  The check points are not in order because to facilitate the 111km runners, who are covering both sides of the race.  This was also the first time, I ate all the food at 75% of the check points, maybe because they were all fresh ration, and the home cooked soup was simply too yummy.

Swaggering and staggering, CP7 out was really brutal, the climb in the dark, it was almost vertical to my face.  Somehow, in the dark makes you braver and oblivious.  This was the point I met another runner who was kind enough to “wait” for me, but he in the end went up really fast.  The final peak seems like never going to come and finally when I reach the top it was super windy.  I was greeted by the bright stars in the sky.  It was probably the most comforting thing that greeted me.   At one point, I was all alone in the cold windy ridge line, this time I again never use the Lenser lights which were brighter.  Maybe the Army in me got better to use the Petz one which was a bit more tactical as in dimmer lights.  Searching for luminous strips after luminous strips.  The wind can be so strong that at times, I could not catch the strip and I thought I had went the wrong way.

Ending it together

So this was where Thanatporn caught up with me with her bright headlamp.  It was already the downhill portion, and I was having a hard time trying to descend properly, firstly because of fatigue and of course the darkness.  I just keep telling myself to just follow through and do the best I can.  Time was running out.  I felt that I will not be able to clear till the end in time.

We both ended up at CP 8 finally and this was the only CP which I didnt eat because it was 2 plus 3 am already.  We both ordered a coffee and the staff were very kind to make a real good one for us.  They even tried to joke and cheer us up.  After a final photo shoot at the checkpoint.  We started to stagger off.  The last part was “so called” more lenient.  There were just vegetation with mainly gentle down hills and flat ground.

Thanatporn was way ahead of me and she jetted off, I actually told her at CP8 not to wait for me. I thought she has the chance to finish this, why not.  So finally in the dark we tried our very best to finish the last 6.5KM.  I finally saw her headlamp again in front about 2km left.  The last part was a bit cruel with the river crossing.  It really chilled out the whole feet at night.  I guess if I were to finish it in the day, it wouldn’t be so cold.

The Finish

We walked back together on the Tarmac road up to the finish line.  I was already very very dead.  Not feeling anything but squeezed out a couple of ending photos together with Thanatporn!  We got our finisher tee… It was really hard earned.  I felt the real relieve after crossing the line, and I swagger off to take my drop bag.  Originally, I thought of bathing before taking the van back, but it was really too cold.  I am glad I brought some change of clothes from the sweaty and dirty set for the past 24 hours.  This time I guess I busted myself, or maybe I am just getting a bit tired of the game.  I realise the longer distances covering the same elevation was more achievable for me while shorter distance with same elevation and shorter cut off time was much much more challenging.  Guess maybe its time to train up and rethink the game.

Well, when I headed back, all I could think of was a good hot bath and the Sunday Chiang Mai City night market.  Till the next trail….REST