The Most Beautiful Thing

A year ago, I saw The Most Beautiful Thing in Sabah and ran 50km of its beauty. I was hooked!
This year, I did it again. No no, not the song Oops I did it again by Britney Spears!...Please, please remove Britney from your thoughts! Grrr! :P

To many, running 50km or even walking that distance is crazy. Wait till they hear about runners doing 100km. Now that can only be insanity, beautiful insanity. Obviously they have found another beautiful thing in that distance which I'm still searching for...fearing of...thinking of...
Maybe one day, I don't have a clue when, but one day, I hope to find That Beautiful Thing.

As of now, 50km has enough beauty for me :D

It is more beautiful this time, somehow, don't ask me why, cause it really is...beautiful! And again, I did another 50km trail run, which to me is The Most Beautiful Trail with the jaw-dropping backdrop, Mount Kinabalu. A living picture perfectly painted by the Almighty.

Mesmerized by the mountain backdrop? Or me? Hahaha!
Photo by Rabani Ayub is spectacular!

Let's go trail running!

14 Sept
Day1 - The calm before the storm

Journey to airport KLIA with Michelle & Jeff, 1hr delayed flight turned out to be much more comfortable using Airbus300 model (I think!) which transited in KK before heading overseas. Much wider seats, more "premium" food choices.
Afternoon happenings were registration, briefing, last minute shopping and off from KK to Rina D'Villa Hotel, 500m or so from Kinabalu park HQ.

Very detailed briefing not to miss!

Everything was smooth except for burnt rubber smell inside our bus which I alerted the driver & his assistant to do something. Stopped at Nabalu, about 7-8km from our hotel, driver checked and discovered cables of rear brake lights were scorched by exhaust heat as the exhaust pipe was practically falling apart! We waited, changed bus and arrived just before sundown. Hope we won't be scorched by the sun tomorrow!

15 Sept
Race Day
Woken up by somebody's cock! Yes, a cock crowing  Cock-a-doodle-doo !!! Not your cock. A crowing cock alarm. Ok, rooster. 

 Those who slept using their running attire sure stayed warm comfy. The rest cringed getting into their cold race gear. Bbbbrrr! Freaking cold! After morning necessities done, breaky time with the others, checked out, loaded luggage into vans and we're ready to go. Where's the mountain? Sky was cloudy.Wind was kinda strong. In an instant, the hope was NO rain.

Arriving at race site, looking at Mount Kinabalu made me frozen in time. Be Still. Overwhelmed! The beauty, the grandeur of nature made me felt so tiny, so insignificant. Truly Our Father is The Creator!

 I just can't stop admiring the awesomeness!

Flag-off
With every participants gathering in an open field, the colours captured by photographers were simply Beautiful! Unlike road races, nobody was seen doing warming up jog. Either the Beautiful aura stunned everyone or there's simply no point to warm up especially for 100km and 50km. For 25km, guess the first 2-3km downhill will suffice as warming up session.

Colorful photo by Dev Sidhu

730am sharp, Race Director, Aman, flagged us off. Whether it's 25km or 50km or 100km, first time or second, it truly was The Most Beautiful Thing. 
I started from the back, slowly inched myself through the crowd and once on downhill tarmac road, I started a slow run.

Barely a kilometer into it, what captured my my eyes was a cute little kitten. He was running with us. Little Beautiful Thing.

Little kitty joining in the fun. He sure doesn't want to miss out!

 TMBT's climb came rather early, an early challenge guaranteed to warm everyone up. Power or brisk walk automatically took over. Same goes to heavy breathing halfway up. Managed to snap a few pix and that's also when I waved bye-bye to Michelle before going on my pace once the hill flattened out.

Another Beautiful Thing

The first 10km before WS1, it was snap run snap run. The trail was undulating gravel road. Passed through a vegetable farm, reached WS1, didn't refill as I had 1litre from the start. My time 1hr11min, as planned.

 Gravel road changed into tarmac, uphill this time, but not for long. The route changed back to gravel with pine trees on both side. It was here I stood still. Stunned. Not cramps. Not menacing dogs blocking the way. No, not that. I was amazed by the view...The Most Beautiful Thing. Once you see what I mean, you'll understand why it's named as such.

Allan Lee, 100km runner caught up with me just right after we came out from the pine tree section. Both of us ran together for a bit, chatting, took a couple of shots before he went ahead on his pace.
The route started cutting into vegetable farms and altitude kept rising. Reached WS2 on 2hr26min. This time refilled water bladder with two 500ml bottles. Downed a packet of gel. This run my plan was either gel or ORS at every hour and food every 2hrs. Usually I'm not very disciplined following the nutrition intake schedule but this time I wanted to avoid cramps and out of fuel situation.

Just before approaching WS3, Shahran caught up with me. Great to have a friend to chat with when nobody seems to be around.
After refueling, we ran together for a km or two before he continued on with his faster pace. I have slowed down from 30km onwards even though it's downhill.Quads getting tired and started twitching as if asking me to slow down or else they will give me the cramps. From then on, it's slow jog mixed with brisk walk all the way to finish line for the 25km runners. WS4.
The journey to that point was brutally long. Descending hill on gravel was not fun! And from far away, a white line snaking down a hill was the road we had to climb, about 2km, before reaching WS4. So you can imagine how runners felt upon reaching it. :D

I took 5hr30min to cover 38km with12km remaining. Saw a beautiful finish banner...for 25km runners. How I wished it was for me! Hahaha!

After reporting and getting equipment checked, I stuffed my self with bananas, hydrated with 100plus and rested about 10min, which did much help. Before heading off, I drenched my cap in cold water. That was refreshing.


Just before I was about to continue on, Jeff Ooi, doing the 100km, arrived. Told him I'm heading off and he suggested both of us accompany each other to 50km finish line. He didn't needed any rest. 100km runners...ultraman!
Brilliant!

5min into the route, passing a village, Jeff looked for cold Coca Cola to buy cos WS4 ran out of cold 100plus when he got in. Magic! Found a small sundry shop. Both of us were smiling from ear to ear!

The last 12km for me was brisk walk all the way. Few km away from WS4 village, finally the road became more like a trail. Trees on both sides...natural shade...no more tar or gravel road. A small river where we cooled down our heads and caps. That was more like it!
 However, it's uphill all the way to WS5! Well, you can't have them all, right?

WS5, final checkpoint with 4km to go, turned out to be a gathering spot. Yee Choi arrived not long after the two of us. He told me Michelle was not far behind and I must wait for her. Hehehe!
Yup, she appeared a couple of minutes later. And the final 4km for two of us was together with Yee Choi and Jeff, the 100km ultramen.

 Yee Choi kindly shared his hiking & mountaineering experience as we brisk walked our way. That made it so much pleasant.

Agnes caught up with us about 2km to the finish line. It became a group finish for us.

For Yee Choi & Jeff, it's WS6 pit stop.

To many, running 50km is crazy. Wait till they hear from 100km ultramen. Now that can only be insanity, beautiful insanity. Obviously they have found another beautiful thing in that distance where I'm still searching for...fearing of...thinking of...
Maybe one day, I don't have a clue when, but one day, I hope to find That Beautiful Thing.

As of now, 50km has enough beauty for me :D


Photos courtesy of : Rabani Ayub, Dev Sidhu,

Condo for Rent

Ehsan Ria Condominium

Located right in the heart of PJ : https://maps.google.com.my/maps?q=condo+ehsan+ria&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF-8&ei=U9-tUKrwJYizrAeC_4DgDg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAA
 
A quiet and peaceful neighborhood PJ Section 11, with low density occupancy, it ensures a harmonious lifestyle with room for comfort.

Residents enjoy beautiful landscapes including koi pond, pool side BBQ pit and rest areas. Ehsan Ria Condominium is located 5 minutes from University Malaya and only 10 minutes away from Midvalley Mega Mall. A wide variety of local delicacies at the nearby coffee shops including Khadijah's Kitchen.

Easy access to LRT stations of Taman Jaya or Asia Jaya, Federal Highway, the Lebuhraya Damansara Puchong (LDP) and the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE).

Other conveniences also includes nearby primary and secondary schools, colleges, private and general hospitals.

The condominium also offers an abundance of facilities and utilities to create a complete and comfortable living. The facilities includes: -

- tennis and squash courts
- beautifully designed swimming pool
- a launderette
 - a grocery store
- a cafeteria over looking the swimming pool
- a children's playground for the energetic children.

Unit is located on a high floor.

Size: 766 sqft with 1 huge bedroom

Fully furnished

Rental RM1,350 per month

For those who are interested, please contact 0123923737 or email ray75ng@gmail.com

MOTHER

A touching story... EIGHT LIES OF A MOTHER

This story begins when I was a child: I was born poor. Often we hadn't enough to eat. Whenever we had some food, Mother often gave me her portion of rice. While she was transferring her rice into my bowl, she would say .. "Eat this rice, son! I'm not hungry."


This was Mother's First Lie.

As I grew, Mother gave up her spare time to fish in a river near our house; she hoped that from the fish she caught, she could give me a little bit more nutritious food for my growth. Once she had caught just two fish, she would make fish soup. While I was eating the soup, mother would sit beside me and eat the what was still left on the bone of the fish I had eaten. My heart was touched when I saw it. Once I gave the other fish to her on my chopstick but she immediately refused it and said, "Eat this fish, son! I don't really like fish."

This was Mother's Second Lie.

Then, in order to fund my education, Mother went to a Match Factory to bring home some used matchboxes which she filled with fresh matchsticks. This helped her get some money to cover our needs. One wintry night I awoke to find Mother filling the matchboxes by candlelight. So I said, "Mother, go to sleep; it's late: you can continue working tomorrow morning." Mother smiled and said
"Go to sleep, son! I'm not tired"
This was Mother's Third Lie.

When I had to sit my Final Examination, Mother accompanied me. After dawn, Mother waited for me for hours in the heat of the sun. When the bell rang, I ran to meet her. Mother embraced me and poured me a glass of tea that she had prepared in a thermos. The tea was not as strong as my Mother's love, Seeing Mother covered with perspiration, I at once gave her my glass and asked her to drink too. Mother said .. "Drink, son! I'm not thirsty!".

This was Mother's Fourth Lie.

After Father's death, Mother had to play the role of a single parent. She held on to her former job; she had to fund our needs alone. Our family's life was more complicated. We suffered from starvation. Seeing our family's condition worsening, my kind Uncle who lived near my house came to help us solve our problems big and small. Our other neighbors saw that we were poverty stricken so they often advised my mother to marry again. But Mother refused to remarry saying.. "I don't need love!"

This was Mother's Fifth Lie .

After I had finished my studies and gotten a job, it was time for my old Mother to retire but she carried on going to the market every morning just to sell a few vegetables. I kept sending her money but she was steadfast and even sent the money back to me. She said, "I have enough money!"

That was Mother's Sixth Lie.

I continued my part-time studies for my Master's Degree. Funded by the American Corporation for which I worked, I succeeded in my studies. With a big jump in my salary, I decided to bring Mother to enjoy life in America but Mother didn't want to bother her son; she said to me .. "I'm not used to high living!"

That was Mother's Seventh Lie.

In her dotage, Mother was attacked by cancer and had to be hospitalized. Now living far across the ocean, I went home to visit Mother who was bedridden after an operation. Mother tried to smile but I was heartbroken because she was so thin and feeble but Mother said, "Don't cry, son! I'm not in pain!"

That was Mother's Eighth Lie.

Telling me this, her eighth lie, she died ..

YES, MOTHER WAS AN ANGEL!

M - O - T - H - E - R

" M " is for the Million things she gave me

" O " means Only that she's growing old

" T " is for the Tears she shed to save me

" H " is for her Heart of gold

"E" is for her Eyes with love-light shining in them

" R " means Right, and right she'll always be,

Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER" a word that means the world to me. For those of you who are lucky to be still blessed with your Mom's presence on Earth, this story is beautiful. For those who aren't so blessed, this is even more beautiful.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!

My travels...

Where in the world have I been to?
Let me recap my traveling history as far as I can remember.
Born in Kuching, Sarawak, in the island of Borneo, as a child, I followed my parents on vacations to Penang, KL, Genting Highlands, Singapore, Hatyai, Phuket, Bangkok.

As a student, I came to KL before flying to Christchurch, New Zealand. Covered half of NZ's south island.

While working, I did quite a bit of driving. Into the interiors of Sarawak and every state from Perlis to Sabah. Overseas include Singapore, Bangkok, Rayong, Cebu Island.

Where did sports take me so far?
Singapore, Cambodia, Hong Kong and Macau.

Just for holiday, it was only Bali. Need more!

Where to next? Where do I intend to go? EVERYWHERE else of course! Hahaha!

Next destination for sports will be Philippines.
Nepal is a must go! Sports or vacation.
And there's Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand...again! Wish to go back to have a look at that place.
Basically, the Asia Pacific.
Hmm...the Pacific Islands too!

Europe? USA? Canada? South America? Gotta print money for these places!

Timing Is Everything

October 4, 2012 — by Cindy Hess Kasper

All things work together for good to those . . . who are the called according to His purpose. —Romans 8:28

It was quite a few months before I realized that what I thought was a coincidental meeting had been good timing on my future husband’s part.

From the balcony of the church, he had seen me, deduced which exit I might be using, raced down two flights of stairs, and arrived seconds before I did. As he casually held the door and struck up a conversation, I was oblivious to the fact that his “impromptu” dinner invitation had been premeditated. It was perfect timing.

Perfect timing is rare—at least where humans are concerned. But God has specific purposes and plans for us, and His timing is always perfect.

We see that timing in the life of these Bible characters: Abraham’s servant prayed for a wife for Isaac. God answered his prayer by bringing the young woman to him (Gen. 24). Joseph was sold as a slave, falsely accused, and thrown into prison. But eventually God used him to preserve many people’s lives during a famine (45:5-8; 50:20). And we marvel at Esther’s courage as Mordecai reminded her, “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Est. 4:14).

Are you disappointed in the pace of God’s plans? “Trust in the Lord” (Ps. 37:3). God will open doors when the timing is perfect.

Have faith in God, the sun will shine
Though dark the clouds may be today;
His heart has planned your path and mine,
Have faith in God, have faith alway. —Agnew

God’s timing is perfect—every time!

 

Source:  http://odb.org/

Kitty

I miss Kitty, the tuxedo cat.

From the day we found her...abandoned...

 Nurtured her for a while before putting her up for adoption.

 Her days in her new home with Adli.

She blossomed into a beautiful tuxedo cat!

Sad to say she was gone after a no cure feline viral infection.

Goodby Kitty! Miss you!

Video clips of Kitty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9kRzSvPTTo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9kRzSvPTTo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v6Llal-w00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRJ0cO3kmyA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Y0AzKBi-E

Post AMKAN feeling

AMKAN was a post sometime back. It was so amkan till I forgot to show beautiful pics from Chan WK, KhooYK and official photographer...hehehe!

View at the top of Intermark building was spectacular!

Those were the days......Happy Malaysia Day!

Received this in my email. Must have been written by someone of my parent's age.

~ In memory of our Merdeka celebrations ~ 

Those fantastic good old days.....you will not see it now....

REMEMBER THOSE DAYS....Guys & Gals............................
 

Ah......those were the days.

Rose Chan was our favourite performer.

Wong Peng Soon was our favorite badminton player.

Because we reared Siamese fighting fishes, the seller was our idol.

Driving license renewal was by pasting an additional slip at the back of a small red booklet

Susu lembu was house delivered by our big  friendly and strong Bahiii ............. on his bicycle in a stainless steel container.  The container cap served as a funnel.

Kacang puteh man came a peddling , walking and balancing on his head  6 compartments of different type of murukus ...and we barter our old exercise books for a paper cone of kacang putih

F&N orange was served in wooden crates and displayed on table during Chinese New Year

M&M 's was called Treets ..

Eating chicken was a treat that happened only once on Chinese New Year and once on "Chap Goh Meh"

We always carried in our pocket a packet of fire crackers during the Chinese New Year

We always carry a one ringgit note at night in case we are stopped by mata mata for not having tail lights on our bicycles.

One noodle 'chow kway teow' cost 30 sen and we bring our own egg.

One 'roti canai' cost 15 sen and one banana for 5 sen.

We bought bangkali bread from the Indian roti man who paddled his bicycle around the neighbourhood with the familiar ringing sound.

Sometimes we bought cold storage bread wrapped in wax paper. Spread the bread with butter and kaya wrap with the wax paper and take to school.

Crop crew cut by the travelling Indian and Hockchew barber; 30 sen a haircut; all the way to the top. Reason easy to dry when curi swimming.

During weekends went swimming in the river, no swimming trucks, only birthday suit. No one laugh at you whether your "kuku" is small, crooked, etc.

On Sunday morning listen to "Kee Huat" radio facts and fancies and Saturday night "top of the pops" DJ was Patrick Teoh.

Saturday go for cheap matinee usually cowboy shows or Greek mythology like Hercules.

Father gave 70 sen for Cheap Matinee screening at 10.30am on Saturday/Sunday; 50 sen for ticket, 20 sen for return bus fare.  Nobody pays 1 ringgit for the 'reserve seat'.

5 sen for kacang putih and 10 sen for ice "angtau". Sometimes ice ball only 5 sen "pau angtau" and half red sugar the other half black sugar or sarsee.

Never, never, never talk or mixed with girls until Form 5.

Learned the waltz, cha-cha, rhumba, foxtrot and offbeat cha cha from a classmate sister.

First time dancing with a girl nearly freezed; heart went "botobom, botobom"...

We survived with mothers who had no maids. They cooked /cleaned while taking care of us at the same time.

We took aspirin, candy floss, fizzy drinks, shaved ice with syrups and diabetes were rare. Salt added to Pepsi or Coke was remedy for fever.  Tonic water was taken at the first hint of malaria.

As children, we would ride with our parents on bicycles/ motorcycles for 2 or 3. Richer ones in cars with no seat belts or air bags.

The first time I used a modern toilet I squatted on it for I only know the bucket toilet.

Our children will not know the danger of visiting the outdoor toilet at night nor jumping in fright when the man collect the bucket when you are doing your business.

Toilet paper is torn up newspaper on a hook which you have to crumble first.  White toilet paper is an unknown luxury until I left home.

Riding in the back of a taxi was a special treat. 

We went to the jungle to catch spiders without worries of Aedes mosquitoes.

The worst disease you could get as a child is 'lock jaw' which every child knows is caused by rusty nails.

With mere 7 pebbles (stones) would be a endless game. With a ball (tennis ball best) we boys would run like crazy for hours.

We caught guppies in drains / canals and when it rained,  we swam there.

We ate salty, very sweet & oily food, candies, bread and real butter and drank condensed milk coffee/ tea, ice kacang, but we weren't overweight because we ran and cycled all day.

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and we still continued the stunts.

We never had birthdays parties till we were 21

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and just yelled for them! 

We don't know what is "Bumiputra"......

When parents found out we were caned in school, it's certain we would get another round. Parents always sided with the teachers.

We fly kites with string coated with pounded glass powder and horse glue and we cut our hands on the string. Happiness is winning a kite fight with a local samsing.  I forgot, we also have to make our own kites to suit our 'fighting style'.

We are the last generation to know how to use logarithm tables and slide rulers.

AND I believe this generation produces the best parents because we remember the hard times.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the government 'regulated' our lives for good !!

And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.

P/S: -The big font used is because of Long-sightedness or hyperopia at our age.

Once were weeds, now superfoods

Source: http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/once-were-weeds-now-superfoods

 

By Graham Osbourne, The Sydney Morning Herald

What makes a plant a weed? The definition is subjective and very much dependent on context but if it's of a hardy nature, invasive and nobody really likes it very much, greenery is more likely to be viewed as a pest than premium growth.

But once a weed, not always a weed. Some traditionally undesirable flora have been rebranded of late as easy-to-grow brain boosters, cancer fighters and natural antibiotics.

Dandelion - the Cancer Fighter

Commonly regarded as a pesky weed, Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is now the subject of countless scientific studies investigating its ability to fight cancer.

Dandelion is a perennial plant with jagged, bright green leaves to 30cm long, a hollow flower stem to 30cm and one terminal yellow daisy.

It's rich in vitamins A, B complex, C and D, minerals including iron, potassium and zinc, and has been used for centuries in traditional Native American and Chinese medicine.

In recent years, medical studies have found evidence that dandelion either suppresses or decreases the growth of several kinds of cancer, including leukaemia, breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Dandelion is also a key ingredient in liver cleansing formulas because it stimulates the flow of bile from the liver and helps to break down liver fats.

Young dandelion leaves and flower petals can be used in salads, steamed, or added to stir-fries. For dandelion leaf tea, add boiling water to six broad, tender dandelion leaves, let stand for 10 minutes and add a little sweetener. Dandelion roots can be roasted to make a caffeine-free coffee substitute.

Gotu Kola - the Pharmaceutical flower

Gotu kola (Centella asiatica), also known as Asian pennywort, is a perennial with small kidney-shaped leaves that is commonly found in warmer parts of Australia. It has been shown to boost brain function and is effective in treating wounds and varicose veins.

Described as "a pharmacy in one herb", gotu kola contains vitamins A, B, C and D and minerals including calcium, chromium, cobalt, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, selenium, silica and zinc.

It has been used for thousands of years in India and China to improve mental clarity, heal wounds and treat respiratory infections, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMM).

Gotu kola is commonly used today to treat varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency, a condition where blood vessels lose their elasticity, causing blood to pool in the legs, which then become swollen.

Gotu kola also contains compounds called triterpenoids, which have been shown to help heal wounds. "Some studies suggest that triterpenoids strengthen the skin, boost antioxidants in wounds and increase blood supply to the area," says UMM. "Based on these findings, gotu kola has been applied to the skin, or topically, for minor burns, psoriasis, preventing scars after surgery, and preventing or reducing stretchmarks."

Gotu kola has no equal in the treatment of general debility and decline, says Isabell Shipard in her comprehensive guidebook, 'How Can I Use Herbs In My Daily Life?'

"It is one of the most important rejuvenating herbs, particularly valued for revitalising nerve and brain cells, improving reflexes, helping digestion and promoting calmness," says Sunshine Coast-based Shipard.

"It's also a herb that students have used for renewing mental alertness and energy levels without the ‘jitteriness' some people may experience with coffee."

Shipard believes every person can benefit from taking gotu kola. "Start with eating two to three leaves 3cm in diameter, then, if desired and after several weeks, increase to five or six leaves.

Nasturtium - the Fast-Acting Natural antibiotoic

Nasturtium (Tropaelum majus), once a scorned weed but these days described as a "vigorous ground sprawler" is a hardy flowering plant from the mustard family and a fast-acting natural antibiotic.

Nasturtium’s peppery-tasting, saucer-shaped leaves and its brightly-coloured, trumpet-shaped flowers are both high in vitamin C and also contain vitamins B1, B2 and B3, as well as iron, calcium, phosphorus and manganese.

The oils of the nasturtium plant contain carotenoids and flavionoids - compounds that have been shown to boost the immune system and protect against carcinogens.

A combination of extracts from nasturtium and horseradish root was found to be effective in treating urinary tract infection (UTI), according to a 2006 study published in the Arzneimittel-Forschung journal. The study found that volatile mustard oils from the two plants killed or inhibited the growth of microorganisms like bacteria and were an effective treatment for both UTI and upper respiratory infections.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/once-were-weeds--now-superfoods-20120823-24om9.html

Bikers, Riders or wachamacallit...

Browsing through some photos, and I just have to post these up my blog. Taken some years back when we were actively riding...yes, we were everywhere...Bentong, Ulu Langat, Genting Sempah, KKB-Fraser, Port Dickson, Sepang coast, Putrajaya.

Here are some funny shots from one of our Putrajaya rides.


What happened?!?!?!

Punctured bike tube.

But replacing it turned into lotsa fun for these 2. hahahahah!
Syok man! Pusing sini sana...

Things riders do when they are not on their bikes...trying their new pumps!

Use your imagination and it can get....funny.....or....err....hahahahaha!!

I better dig out more photos from our rides and blog about it.

AMKAN!

No.4...boo hoo hoo!  (AMKAN means cursing inside)

The closest to a podium finish...so close yet so far...sob...sob...

This was the Intermark Towerthon, a climb of 59 storeys.

Before the climb began, I saw Ronnie....then...Casey...then...Cecil...that's when I knew my chances of podium finish went blowing with the wind. They were far better than me.

 From the results, it's clear. I'm not a podium quality...yet. Hahaha...sob...sob...
I was still 1min behind 3rd place.

 And as usual, Michelle will be in top5. This time, she's the champion! Wow!!!

 The podium finishers of Intermark Towerthon

Thought for Merdeka day

We are both monkeys and assholes....hahahhaa!!!

On the podium!

 Something different for Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon 2012

No long distance, no long hours

A change to

Fast

and

Furious!!!

Second time for me in an Ekiden Relay. Years ago I ran in Putrajaya and now, SCKLM2012 included this category into their big event.

Being assigned as the last runner,the pressure was to the max! Young and fast last legs were around me waiting anxiously for their team member to appear.

1st team....

2nd team...

wait...

anxious...

When Ronnie, 4th team runner appeared, immediately my heart rate went up the roof. Michelle was on her bike behind him. I felt a little consolation with no other 4th runners in sight. Taking over the sash, I zoomed off like being chased by a pack of dogs. Every minute my head would automatically turned to check if there's anyone chasing.

Km1...safe....but still ran like hell. Being on 3rd position, I couldn't let my team mates down.

Km2...still safe...but no way I slowed down. Just never know. Michelle paddled behind. Must be funny seeing me running my ass off...hahahaha!

Indeed...as leading 21km  Kenyans zoomed pass me as if I was standing still. They were sprinting! And I was...well...running...very slow compared to them. My pace was around 4:05-4:10 and theirs, 3min pace.

Km3...met 10km runners...yes, at least I have "pacers"

Reaching 100m to finish line, relief! Still I was turning to check, double check no other teams were going to overtake me at the last second.

Yes, a podium finish for Team Pacemaker! Woohoo!

Many thanks to Jothipal, Bee Hoon, Sue Ling and Captain Ronnie!

Running jersey sponsored by Adidas.

Pix courtesy of Chan WK, Michelle