Standard Chartered KL Marathon: Runners left thirsty and frustrated

Marathon winners Julius Kilimo Kipkorir (centre), Nelson Kirwa Rotich Armon Kipchirchir Kemei (right) pose with their mock cheques in the Standard Chartered KL Marathon at Dataran Merdeka yesterday. — Pic: ROSDAN WAHID

By Devinder Singh

CHAOS reigned at the Standard Chartered KL Marathon yesterday when the wrong runner was declared the winner while water stations ran dry leaving runners desperate to quench their thirst.

Several runners who signed up for the 5km race expressed their frustration at running a shortened route while the lack of signages along the full marathon route caused others to veer off course.

But R. Muniandy, who crossed the marathon finish line at Dataran Merdeka as the best placed Malaysian in a personal best of 2:35:52s, was justified in feeling aggrieved the most when the first prize in the local category was given to second placed finisher Shaharuddin Hashim, who came in eight minutes later.

"I really don't know what is going on. I know I finished first among the locals but my name is not registering on their (computer) screens," said Muniandy, 31.

His New Balance team manager M. Thanasekaran said he had never seen a race so badly organised before.
"First, they gave him the wrong bib number. Then the water bottles went missing from the drinks stations. They have really mismanaged this race," he said.

Adding to the confusion was the organisers' failure to furnish details of the podium placings for each event until eight hours later.

Muniandy, however, was belatedly installed as the local winner after the error was rectified, said race director Hemant Dua in a statement.

The KL Marathon, part of the global Standard Chartered Marathon series, replaced the Kuala Lumpur International Marathon which had been organised since 1984 until last year by the Federal Territory Amateur Athletic Association.

But race organiser Octagon Asia agreed to pay the Malaysian Amateur Athletic Union RM5 million over 10 years in return for the right to organise an international marathon in Kuala Lumpur.

Octagon came in for some harsh criticism from runners after drinks ran out at the water stations along the route.

"There was no water left for the last 10 kilometres where the risk of dehydration is greatest. I have run at the Standard Chartered event in Singapore three times and this event is by far the worst in comparison," said retiree Tan Guan Chye, 57.

The organisers were not spared on social networking site Facebook either, where those running the 5km vented their anger at being shortchanged with many saying they may not return next year.

The men's marathon was won by Kenyan Julius Kilimo Kipkorir, who clocked 2:17:02 to win in his first attempt at running the marathon, while Frieda Jepkite Lodepa won the women's race in 2:40:13.

Multiple Sea Games gold medallist Yuan Yufang finished as the best Malaysian among the women in 3:16:36 while national triathlete Kimbeley Yap was second to Georgina Beech in the women's 10km event.

RESULTS -- Men's marathon: 1 Julius Ndiritu Karinga (Ken) 2:17:02s, 2 Nelson Kirwa Rotich (Ken) 2:18:24, 3 Armon Kipchirchir Kemei (Ken) 2:18:56.

Local: 1 R. Muniandy 2:31:52s, 2 Shaharudin Hashim 2:39:52; 3 R. Jayakumar 2:46:19.

Women's marathon: 1 Frieda Jepkite Lodepa (Ken) 2:40:13s, 2 Doreen Kitaka (Jpn) 2:45:51.

Local: 1 Yuan Yu Fang 3:16:36s, 2 Tan Lee Chin 3:39:37, 3 Lim Miow Chin 3:41:18


Source:NST, 29/6/09

R u over or under 30??

Got this from a friend through email & I just have to upload it up my blog...enjoy!!!

THE SPOILED UNDER-30 CROWD!!!

If you are 30 or older you will think this is hilarious!!!!

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears
With their tedious diatribes about how hard things were.
When they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning. Uphill... barefoot... BOTH ways

Yadda, yadda, yadda

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up,
There was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it
And how easy they've got it!
But now that... I'm over the ripe old age of Thirty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today.
You've got it so easy!

I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia!
And I hate to say it but you kids today you don't know how good you've got it!
I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have the Internet.
If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalogue!!
There was no email!!
We had to actually write somebody a letter, with a pen!
Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox and it would take like a week to get there!
There were no MP3' s or Napsters!
You wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the damn record store and shoplift it yourself! Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ'd usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up!

We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it!
And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was!
It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your bookie, a collections agent, you just didn't know!!!
You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics!
We had the Atari 2600!
With games like 'Space Invaders' and 'asteroids'.
Your guy was a little square!
You Actually had to use your I magination!!
And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen ...Forever!
And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!

You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your butt and walk over to the TV to change the channel and there was no Cartoon Network either!
You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning.
Do you Hear what I'm saying!?!
We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little rats!

And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up we had to use the stove ... Imagine that!
That's exactly what I'm talking about!
You kids today have got it too easy.
You're spoiled.
You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980!

Regards,
The over 30 Crowd

Lose the wheels, lose the jam!

I'm glad I'm not driving to work! Yup, this is the time where you're faster on your foot rather than in your car. Seriously! But of course it's a short walk...1.2km to be exact...and not 12km...hahaha!

In fact, it will do our world a lot of good not to burn fuel if where you're heading is just a short walk away.

Maybe you're going to mamak stall for teh tarik or to post a letter at a nearby postbox... take a walk.

Go walking!

Go green!

Happy Father's Day !!!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us the “Our Father” prayer. He teaches us to praise and honour His Father, to seek His Will and to love and live in His Ways. This is a beautiful prayer that comes from the mouth of Jesus Himself. Pray this with your heart and soul.

Our Father

Who art in heaven

Holy be Your name

Your kingdom come

Your will be done

On earth as it is in Heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

Forgive us our sins

As we forgive those who sinned against us

Lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For the kingdom, power and glory are Yours

Now and forever

Amen

Gasing hill wounded!

Last month, there was a fire at Gasing hill. Took some pix of it

Terrible! Absolutely heartbreaking when you are there.

Now with the current dry spell it better not 'accidentally' be torched again. Any dumb ass caught smoking in there should be made to reforest the burnt area! And they can stuff into their lungs as much carbon as they want with all the burnt foliage.

A brilliant conversation !!!

A Professor of Philosophy was speaking to his Class on the Problem Science has With GOD ,the ALMIGHTY. ....He asked one of his New Christian Students to stand and . . .

Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir. Professor : So, you Believe in GOD ?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD Good ? Student : Sure.
Professor : Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ? Student : Yes.
Professor : My Brother died of high blood even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn't. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent )

Professor : You can't answer, can you ? Let's start again, Young Fella. Is GOD Good?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Is Satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor : Where does Satan come from ?
Student : From . . . GOD . . .
Professor : That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this World?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Evil is everywhere, isn't it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Professor : So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer)

Professor : Is there Sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the World, don't they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, who Created them ?

(Student ha d no answer)

Professor : Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and Observe the World around you. Tell me, son . . .Have you ever Seen GOD?
Student : No, sir.
Professor : Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD?
Student : No , sir.
Professor : Have you ever Felt your GOD , Tasted your GOD , Smelt your GOD ? Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor : Yet you still Believe in HIM?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?Student : Nothing. I only have my Faith.
Professor : Yes, Faith. And that is the Problem Science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?
Professor : Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as Cold?
Professor : Yes.
Student : No, sir. There isn't..

(The Lecture Theatre became very quiet with this turn of events )

Student : Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat, a Little Heat or No Heat. But we don't have anything called Cold. We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is No Heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as Cold. Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of Heat. We cannot Measure Cold. Heat is Energy. Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir, just the Absence of it.

(There was Pin-Drop Silence in the Lecture Theatre )

Student : What about Darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as Darkness?
Professor : Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the Absence of Something. You can have Low Light, Normal Light, Bright Light, Flashing Light . . . But if you have No Light constantly, you have nothing and its called Darkness, isn't it? In reality, Darkness isn't. If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness Darker, wouldn't you?
Professor : So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is flawed.
Professor : Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality. You argue there is Life and then there is Death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD. You are viewing the Concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can't even explain a Thought. It uses Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be ignorant of the fact that Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing. Death is Not the Opposite of Life: just the Absence of it Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your Students that they evolved from a Monkey?

Professor : If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes, of course, I do. Student : Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where the Argument was going )

Student : Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and Cannot even prove that this Process is an On-Going Endeavor, Are you not teaching your Opinion, sir? Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?

(The Class was in Uproar )

Student : Is there anyone in the Class who has ever seen the Professor's Brain?

(The Class broke out into Laughter )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's Brain, Felt it, touched or Smelt it? . . . No one appears to have done so. So, according to the Established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that You have No Brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then Trust your Lectures, sir?

(The Room was Silent. The Professor stared at the Student, his face unfathomable)

Professor : I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.
Student : That is it sir . . . Exactly !

The Link between Man & GOD is FAITH.

That is all that Keeps Things Alive and Moving.

That student was Albert Einstein.

Goodbye my friend...

We were classmates in school. He was the biggest guy in our class and can even pass as a teacher. Lost touch with him since then till a few years ago where we bump into each other in KL. The last I heard from him was when he got married. Yesterday I received the shocking news that he passed away due to cancer.

Class photo of Form1, St Joseph. He is on the left next to the teacher. I'm on the left next to him.

May your soul rest in peace, Jeetender Singh.

Let's cherish all our friends around us and let's live life to the fullest for we never know what's in store tomorrow...

57km/h!!!

Brown bears can outrun us anytime...even when we are cycling!! Die lah like that....

Generosity

In today’s Gospel, Jesus praises the poor widow for giving all she had.

How much of our time, talents, wealth, health are being used generously for God’s people?

Do we only serve after we have retired, give when we have spare change, boast when we are doing some good?

How is God challenging you to be more generous?

Penang Malakoff 26km

Penang Malakoff 26km run can be considered as Penang tour on foot, except this time it's running, not walking. The route took us from Tanjung Bungah to Gurney Drive before zig zagging pass colonial heritage buildings downtown and back to beautiful Youth Park. Flagged off at 530am, I paced with Kenny and a few local speedy gonzales. They were busy talking as their pace was more like jogging to them but both Kenny & I were panting like fish out of water! 2km into it & the gentle slope began. With moonlight illuminating the eerie graveyards and dogs howling away, going up that long hill resembled one of those zombie movies.

As we approached an hour into the race, my pace dropped slightly and the sight of the two speedy gonzales became smaller and smaller. Rats! It always happen! Somehow or rather my legs dropped a gear as if to recharge 15-20minutes before resuming to race pace again. Maybe my body is too used to the Sri Hartamas Petronas pit stop on the usual Sunday long runs.

Gurney Drive was different. Quiet...no cars...no hawker stalls...and where's everyone? Eh, it was early morning! Oh sorry, my brain only remembered how Gurney Drive is at night. 3rd water station at the end of Gurney Drive meant 15km has been completed. Had my much needed Power Gel, downed with cups & cups of water, I hoped to maintain the pace all the way to the finish line. 11km to go...oh boy!

Heading to the 3rd check point, I saw a lonely Kenyan coming back the opposite direction. He was the last of the eight and being the slowest among them, he was in way in front of the fastest Malaysian and was at least 5km ahead of me! Depressing to think about it...hahaha!

The final 5km was a lot of turns. Left, right, left, right and my calves were screaming in pain. Saw the 22km signage, checked my time...my target went up in smoke. No more sub2. :(

But at least I had someone to "sayur" although I should be ashamed cos that runner was a veteran!

The final km was a long and winding road into Youth Park. Sprinted the last 100m and crossed the finish line with a 2min too late time of 2.02

But I must say it was a good run. Kudos to Quick Release!

5th June 2009 is World Environment Day

http://www.unep.org/wed/2009/english/

Heal The World
by Michael Jackson

spoken: Think about the generations and to say we want to make it a better world for our children and our children's children. So that they know it's a better world for them; and think if they can make it a better place.

There's a place in your heart

And I know that it is love

And this place could be much

Brighter than tomorrow.

And if you really try

You'll find there's no need to cry

In this place you'll feel

There's no hurt or sorrow.

There are ways to get there

If you care enough for the living

Make a little space, make a better place.

Chorus:

Heal the world

Make it a better place

For you and for me and the entire human race

There are people dying

If you care enough for the living

Make a better place for

You and for me.

If you want to know why

There's a love that cannot lie

Love is strong

It only cares for joyful giving.

If we try we shall see

In this bliss we cannot feel

Fear or dread

We stop existing and start living

Then it feels that always

Love's enough for us growing

Make a better world, make a better world.

Chorus:

Heal the world

Make it a better place

For you and for me and the entire human race.

There are people dying

If you care enough for the living

Make a better place for You and for me.

Bridge:

And the dream we would conceived in

Will reveal a joyful face

And the world we once believed in

Will shine again in grace

Then why do we keep strangling life

Wound this earth, crucify it's soul

Though it's plain to see, this world is heavenly

Be God's glow.

We could fly so high

Let our spirits never die

In my heart I feel

You are all my brothers

Create a world with no fear

Together we'll cry happy tears

See the nations turn

Their swords into plowshares

We could really get there

If you cared enough for the living

Make a little space to make a better place.

Chorus:

Heal the world

Make it a better place

For you and for me and the entire human race

There are people dying

If you care enough for the living

Make a better place for

You and for me.

Refrain (2x)

There are people dying if you care enough for the living

Make a better place for you and for me.

There are people dying if you care enough for the living

Make a better place for you and for me.

You and for me / Make a better place

You and for me / Make a better place

You and for me / Make a better place

You and for me / Heal the world we live in

You and for me / Save it for our children

You and for me / Heal the world we live in

You and for me / Save it for our children

You and for me / Heal the world we live in

You and for me / Save it for our children

You and for me / Heal the world we live in

You and for me / Save it for our children