Kuching Marathon - Run or Not

Registration process

Seems easy and straight forward. The website www.marathonkuching.com looks properly set up and user friendly, but I had a big problem with my payment even though they use the same system as KL Marathon (iPay88). However, no matter what and how I was trying to do it, the system would not allow the payment to go through. Even my friend in Kuching couldn't do it online and she had to pay in person, with cash, a the office.

Price

Affordable - $40 (USD)

Communication

From the unfortunate experience of not being able to pay online and contacting organisers many, many times - good! Organisers were responsive and tried to help.

Expo

Kuching Marathon Expo wasn't a big one, but still interesting and with a variety of stalls. It was held at the foyer of Plaza Merdeka shopping mall. I was a bit surprised at the beginning with the location, but in the end found it a great one, with a supermarket downstairs, food court up stairs and many beautiful local attractions around. 
The access was easy and family friendly. 
Most of the sponsors had a space or a stall with almost all having sales or special discounts for runners. Some of them were: Honda, Brooks, Garmin, High5, Salonpas, Rocktape, Rexbul, Revive.

Goodie bag and giveaways

You are getting 2 bags, one when picking up your bib - a nice bright green drawstring backpack, and then a plastic bag at the finish line. 
First one had my bib, a fluorescent yellow running vest from Brooks, Salonpas patches, sandwich crackers, High5 energy gel, Honda brochure, Runner's Booklet and 4 discount vouchers including RM160 rebate on Brooks shoes and various discounts on Garmin watches. 
Inside the second one I found my finisher's t-shirt, a banana, two energy drinks, a bottle of water, sweet buns and quite tasty noodle dish. The finisher's medal was handed down separately.

Weather conditions

Let me get it straight. Running in high humidity and temperature is hard. Do not underestimate it. It requires much more effort than running in dry and warm or cold. Unless you train here, expect being much slower. 
It helps a bit that Kuching Marathon starts at 1am and I could feel that gentle breeze from time to time. Still though... 85% humidity. 
I, personally, perceive it as as a special challenge, although I really like hot weather.

Course

You're running in the middle of the night, so don't expect a lot of sightseeing. However, the course is still quite interesting and it's one big loop so you don't have to run back and forth anywhere. 
I found it quite charming and really liked glimpses from behind the darkness; schools, stadiums, fountains, monuments, fields, forests, rivers...

Amenities on the course

Great! Enough water, fuel, watermelons, bananas, wet sponges, sprinkler tunnels and toilets for everybody! No complaints.

Post race village and facilities

Crowded, small space on the street corner next to Plaza Mardeka and tiny bit of Merdeka Square. Water, and energy drinks, bananas, some hot food, breakfast cereal, coffee, massage... not much more and almost nowhere to sit down.

Verdict

Kuching is a beautiful and relaxing place, and this marathon was one of my favourite ones.
Great place and great event to mix holidays and running.
Run if you like a challenge.
I would not recommend it as anyone's first marathon.
If not a marathon consider 21, 10 or 5km. Believe me, in this conditions it still going to be a challenge... and lots of fun.