Monday 28 July 2014

Selamat Hari Raya Aidikll Fitri




To all my Muslim friends, I would like to say: May happiness be at your door. May it knock early. Stay late and leave the gift of Allah's peace,love, joy and good health behind. Ramadan mubarak! Shabaan mubarak!  Eid mubarak! May you remain happy always. To all my friends who aren't celebrating this most joyous of occasion, enjoy this long holiday to the max! Hope to meet up with you all at a run somewhere soon.

Thursday 17 July 2014

Great Eastern Live Great Run 2014




A Run for Everyone

The Great Eastern Live Great Run is back. The event will be held on 9th November 2014 at Menara MATRADE, Kuala Lumpur.  The Live Great Run offers three exciting race categories: 3km Buddy Run - team of two, 3km Family Run - team of two to a maximum of eight, and 12km Run - individual.  The cut-off time for the 3km runs is one hour from flag-off time, while the cut-off time for the 12km run is 2.5 hours from the flag-off time.  Please note that there will be hurdles placed along the route for the 12km runners. All 12km runners who finish within the stipulated time will get a medal. Those who want to know more can visit the official website here.  Please note that early bird registration ends on 31st July 2014. Those who want to register can immediately click here.







Wednesday 16 July 2014

Pacesetters 3030 Run 2014 - Open for registration




Pacesetters 30th Anniversary Run

The Pacesetters 3030 Run 2014 opens for registration today (16 July 2014). Please go to www.myraceonline.com to register. This is the only 30km run event in the country. Other than 30km, there will also be 20km and 10km runs. Register quickly to take advantage of the early bird rates that end on 15th August 2014. The event will be held on 2nd November 2014 at Padang Merbuk, Jalan Parlimen, Kuala Lumpur. This event is organized by the Pacesetters Athletic Club. The closing date for entries is 1st October 2014 or when the targeted number of entries have been reached - 2,000 for 30km, 1,000 each for 20km and 10km. Cut-off times vary according to gender and age. For more information click here.

Maju S'wak Run 2014




5km Night Run in Bintulu

It's hard to believe that I have lived in Bintulu for two years yet I have never run in Bintulu. Well I did play golf, but that was me walking, and I did dash madly around the tennis court... Last year Bintulu had a half marathon. Now they have come up with the "biggest night run in Borneo." I won't comment on that tagline, but those wanting to know about night runs in Borneo can click here. However such an event in Bintulu is a tremendous sign that the running culture is growing there too. So come 5th September 2014 at 7.30pm along the Esplanade in Bintulu there will be a 5km run. Those interested can click here to directly access the registration form. From there you will know what to do. Let's hope this is the start of many more running events in Bintulu and that other towns in Sarawak follow their example.

Rock to Rock Run 2014




Running in the Name of Rock

Rock to Rock Run is back! Come 7am on 26th October 2014 at the Hard Rock Hotel Penang everyone will be rocking yet again.  This is the type of run where participants can dress up and run along a scenic coast, and party with a rockin' band right on stage. Excitement aside, this has a noble side to it as all profits from the run will be donated to charity – The Rock to Rock Run had in the previous years benefited five non-profit organizations in Penang, living up to its motto of "Running in the Name of Rock". This time a helping hand will go out to SJK (C) Yok Eng, located at a small fishing village in Sungai Udang, Nibong Tebal. It started in 1932 by the villagers with only 11 students and 1 teacher at that time. In 1941, the school was forced to stop during the Japanese occupation and only back in operations in 1945. Since then the school has been expanding and today the school consists of 2 school blocks with 347 students in total. There are 25 Malay students studying in the school from the nearby Malay villages. Due to limited land, the school fully utilised every inch of land they could find for their sport activities such as 100 meter run practice at the back lane of the school and long jump practice on a small field that next to the basketball court. The basketball court is their one and only "recreation club" that is utilized by the students and also the villagers.  The school's desire is to build a zinc roof to house over their basketball court so that they could convert the area into a multipurpose hall for different activities. Those running this event will go a long way towards helping them achieve their goal. Registration fee is RM70 for the 3.8km fun run or the 10.2km competitive run. Runners entitlement includes: a Rock To Rock Run 2014 t-shirt, a certificate of participation, a finisher medal, a car sticker, and Lucky Draw participation. Those wanting to register can visit their website by clicking here. Registration ends on 31st August 2014 or when 2500 runners sign up, whichever is earlier (Fun Run - 1000 participants, Competitive Run - 1500 participants).



    Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2014 - Registration is open!




    12 Record Breaking Years...

    Yes, the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore has been around that long. Registration is now open for those who wish to run a marathon come 7th December 2014. Those who want to go right to it can click here. Those wishing to keep track of all relevant SCMS run-related activities can visit their Facebook page.

    City Jogger's Club Kuching Thursday Night Run #13 (Kuching)


     

    Run 5km or 10km

    I know of many runners in Kuching who don't even know this Thursday night run exists. Thanks to the City Jogger's Club, every Thursday night for the past 12 weeks there has been a run. It almost always starts at 7pm. The start/finish point is in front of the MBKS building. Those wanting to join must pay RM2. This is partly for drinks and fruits. Also the entire run will be monitored by CJC runners to make sure of road safety. Those wishing to join must sign in and upon completing the run they must sign out. Last Thursday, during CJC's Full Moon Run, some 180 runners turned up. Since I was there I can safely say that even kids and runners fatter than me participated. The newbies are encouraged to run the shorter 5km route, while the veterans will run the 10km. Please wear bright coloured clothing and also use strobe lights for your safety. The route changes every week so it is advisable to visit CJC's Facebook page to know more. Those who participate in five night runs can sign up as CJC members and purchase those wonderful orange coloured run t-shirts with the cat logo on them. This Thursday I will be joining them for my third time and I hope to see you there. Come lets make this Kuching's most happening night training run event.


    CJC Thursday Night Run #13 Route



    CJC Club Running T-shirt

    Tuesday 15 July 2014

    Momentum Run Series 4 (25km) - Report




    Four runs, four medals, four run t-shirts and a finisher t-shirt

    300 Strong


    We in Kuching are so lucky to have had the four Momentum Runs. The distance being 15km, 18km, 21km and 25km. No such collective run event has ever happened before in our city. This is all in preparation for the upcoming Kuching Marathon on 17th August 2014. Three hundred runners braved the night and ran into the kampung not once, but twice, since it was a 12.5km loop. Since it was the fasting month the village was filled with people going to and from the suraus and also eating at the roadside warungs. In fact the eating never seemed to stop. Everything from burgers to sotong bakar were sold along the route. Kids would dash out to high five runners and ask for our glow-in-the-dark bracelets. One even asked me for my strobe light to which I had to literally put my foot down. The old folks looked at us in amusement, since am sure no such event has been staged in the kampung at night. Come August our runners will run part of that route again for the 42.195km.

    Was not 100% fit for this run as was still recovering from my injuries sustained during a training run accident. However my left foot was fully taped and I had taken a painkiller just in case. Started at a walking pace with Anthony Lau, who had only planned to do one loop, as he too lacked training. So off we went very briskly. Nasa Zaidul was with us to make sure I didn't do something stupid and re-injure myself. We reached the first half of the loop in good time. That was when I felt that I could go faster and Nasa and I pulled away from Anthony who had linked up with Eileen Kong along the route. Nasa and I did a run, walk, run routine. Some stretches were darker. However the road was extremely good, having been re-surfaced recently. Only through the main kampung road at Jalan Ajibah Abol was it slightly tough going due to the many cars. We saw the faster runners past and it was great that we could support them.

    We reached the second loop in good time too. Stickers were put on our bib when we we made the loops. There would be four check points. My foot seemed to be responding very well. We caught up with Donna Shui, one of several runners who made the trip from Kota Kinabalu, to run with us. I thought this was really a true show of One Borneo spirit. Her hubby Jason Ku did great on the run. All of them will be back to run in the Kuching Marathon. Donna had problems a foot sprain. That slowed us down a bit since we wanted to make sure she was all right. Some 100 Plus from the 21-hour store helped. So we ran ahead but always kept an eye out for her. She would later meet up with another Sabahan lady and keep pace with her. My left foot started acting up a bit. Luckily at the halfway point of the second loop was able to get it sprayed good. This helped me a lot. Since we were at the tail end of the runners it became a rather lonely run for us. 

    Not once did I plan to give up. It was nice having marshals asking how we were. With Nasa for company the going was never really bad. We did however notice several runners taking short cuts, which was sad, since this race was more of a training race, than anything else. We were later told that some runners chose to board the sweeper van  after check point 3 and then disembark before check point 4, and then run to the finish. If they want to cheat than they are only cheating themselves. However they cannot hope to do the same during the Kuching Marathon as there will be timing chips and timing mats. Hopefully they will train harder so that they do not feel the need to take anymore short cuts. However to all those who finished long after the cut off, I salute you for your grit and determination. Know how hard it is to run during the fasting month, and to see Muslim ladies make it back still running was a wonderful sight.

    Know for many this was their first time running event beyond 21km. So what they all did was a big achievement indeed. Now they have the medals and the finisher t-shirt to remember it by. For many too this would be their first finisher t-shirt. I don't as a rule run with my finisher t-shirt on. I store them away to be used whenever the mood strikes me. My first one, which I gained at the Penang Bridge International Marathon in 2012, is seldom used. They are all hanging on a rack covered in plastic. So this could just be the start of other runners' collections, with the Kuching Marathon finisher t-shirt coming up next. I so look forward to that one, since I never expected to run a full marathon in the city I was born in.  The fact that our local runners joined the four Momentum Runs showed how much the running culture in Kuching is growing. Hopefully this will spur others to organize runs that go beyond the fun run distances of 5km or even 10km.

    CJC Charity Night Run

    What so impressed me that night was the fact that the City Jogger's Club had also organized a Charity Night Run. This was to help amputees who needed prosthetic limbs. Since the times clashed, I wasn't able join in that 5km run, though I did sign up for it. However many of my friends did. Some also came from as far as Sabah! All told 2,000 runners supported the run so that amputees might be able to walk like you and me. Know we have seen shining examples of amputees with special blades complete a full marathon. We have a great example in Singapore, who I am proud to know, and to have run with. Am sure a lot of good will come from this sort of runs. Prosthetic legs wear out too like shoes and need to be replaced. Have heard of cases where they have had trouble getting replacements. Now hopefully the new limbs will find a deserved home, all thanks to those runners who supported this night run. The fact that a small running club could organize such an event impressed me so much.

    Runners gathering for Thursday Night Run

    Loading up on bananas

    Agu taking pics

    Bananas and watermelon

    Iced cordials

    Ready to sign up?

    Desmond, our CJC run photographer

    Looking at the run route

    Even a cute Afghan wanted to join in!

    CJC running t-shirt

    A couple running together during the Thursday night run

    Thursday Night Run treats

    Pics taken by Kerrilee Barrett during CJC Charity Run warm up...






    I am a keen supporter of the City Jogger's Club having participated in their Thursday night runs three times. This weekly training event is to encourage those who don't normally run in a group to do so. The event starts at 7pm in front of the MBKS building. Runners pay a fee of RM2 to join. They will be given refreshments of water and cordial drinks, and fruits, bubur, cakes and even noodles upon finishing. For the Full Moon Run last week they had the usual bananas and huge slices of watermelon. Plus at the finish there were paper cups filled with green bean bubur and paper bowls filled with vegetarian mee hoon goreng. Who doesn't want to make it to the finish line for such treats? Plus I noticed that the runners would get together with their running buddies to chat up a storm. Anyone who participates in the night run five times can become a CJC member and wear their bright orange running t-shirts with pride. The running spirit is alive and well in Kuching.

    Jason Ku from Sabah

    Yours truly flanked by cuties from Sabah

    Me and Banu Taz

    Erin doing the zumba

    Donna getting into the groove

    Jenny warming up to the beat

    Nasa Zaidul and Elizabeth Eng

    Nasa with the Sabah contingent



    These ladies look hot!

    Kerrilee Barrett and Karen MacLeod, teachers based in Sabah


    More hotties!


    Post run recovery chat

    Just realized the camera was on them

    Eldon Chuo

    Icing my foot


    The Sabah contingent with their medals

    Reuben Su with Adrienne Liaw


    These two never gave up

    Anthony and Eileen happy to finish

    My favourite Kong Sisters sandwiched

    Truly One Borneo

    My friends from Sabah: Donna, Jason and Erin wearing their finisher t-shirts
     ***

    Pics below are all from the camera of Shamsuri Sahari (012-8897708). Those wanting better quality pics can contact him























    My swag!