It's not easy to become easy...

The latest development--or debate--about the usage of English in teaching Maths and Science in Primary school has struck the interest of many Malaysians. Including me. I honestly believe that you have to be who you are, whatever,whenever you are. And this means that even though high your education or your social circle, you are what you are. No point of being what your're not. In short, I like to feel the earth under my feet while touching the clouds.

The Second Malay Congress for Education have decided that the move to teach Maths and Science in English should be pulled back fearing that it would threaten the sovereignty of the Malay language. An acedemic study done by the congress shows that 1/2 million Malay students will be left behind in both subjects if the programme is continued.

I think this is such a bullshit. Everyone knows that English is the universal language today. Why is it universal? Because a lot of education materials are in English. A lot of businesses are done in English. Come on folks, it is not about uplifting the English language and undermining the national language. That shouldn't be the issue. It is just a matter of taking and adapting from the best for our own betterment. We should try not to fight for a place for our language in the world . Even modern countries like Japan didn't. Yes, they go about doing their daily stuff in Japanese but to say the their scientist don't know a word of English? I think NOT!

Back in the old times, the West don't know jack about science because it was mastered by Arabs. Kahawarizmi, Al-Jabar, Ibn Sina and so on. So, the Westerners have to learn Arab and indeed, they mastered science. And even took it to them.

Lest we forget, being unable to master English is one of the main reasons for graduates unable to land a job.

So try not to make such an issue about it and learn the damn language.

"Kalau semangat kebangsaan kita terhad kepada kebolehan kita bercakap dalam bahasa kita tetapi dalam hal-hal lain kita bodoh, itu bukan sayangkan bangsa sebenarnya". - Tun Dr Mahathir. Baca lagi!

Hujan..hujan

The weather trend nowdays is like 'it looks like its gonna rain in the morning; it really rains in the evening'. So the anticipation of an evening workout, feels like macam dulu-dulu masa sekolah rendah. Back then, whenever it rains in the evening, I will wait patiently by the window to see (and wish!) whether the rain has stopped. But now, its just plain frustrating la tunggu hujan reda. So bungkus workout! Maybe sebab ni kut orang masuk gym. Or maybe I can get myself one of those waterproof jacket+cap so I can run thru the rain. Best oo main hujan! Lepas tu demam padan muka! Takleh workout seminggu. Well, kena cari la jacket ke, poncho ke, khemah pvc ke. Baru gempak sikit lari kat KLCC tu! Hah! Baca lagi!

Mizuno Gila 3 Vest. I dunno why on earth they name it 'Gila'.  Baca lagi!

Endurance

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, endurance means:

1: the ability to withstand hardship or adversity, especially : the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity.

2: the act or instance of enduring or suffering.

In other words, pain.

No wonder a lot of people shy away whenever they hear the word 'run'. Or 'walk'. Orang Malaysia pemalas apa. They park their car as near as possible to the front door of anything (complexes, offices), drive everywhere (so they can do the previous) and considers a point-to-point walk of more than 5 minutes is far. Hah! Do we have statistics on this? I bet if we have it should be shocking. The statistic for Malays (please read this!) who participates in various events during KLIM 05 was shocking enough. Oh well, I'm glad I'm not in the statistics.

Credits to Rohaizad for compiling the statistics! Baca lagi!

Duathlon

The one and only such events we have in Malaysia is, Malakoff Malaysian Duathlon Series (MMDS) which is kinda a warm-up circuit for the big thing--Powerman Malaysia. Having recently watched the event up-close and personal (nothing personal lah!), I noticed some interesting 'thing' about those who participate.

Most, I say most, of the participants are actually cyclist. The age grouper la. How can I tell? Well easily you can see from the bike set-up la. And the cleats they're wearing as well. I'm no expert in this area but in an event that requires you to get off the saddle and cleats as quickly as possible in T2 (transition 2), you cant afford to slip and fall on your ass on your way to park your bike!

Furthermore, I saw Fallanie Ali. Alaa..the national cyclist tu. Naik Colnago kut.

I think its kinda 'their' (cyclist) hunting ground la. Unlike running, cycling events aren't that many year round. So where else to cari makan and unleash the competition in you! Man, i bet if they train really-really (say it like Shebby) good for just this event, they will excel in it. I mean come on, its 4 races a year! You should be able to train big volumes before the series starts. A good example is Heidilee and Mariana Mohamad. Heidilee beat Shahrom overall. He's an age grouper.

Who else did I see in the race? Hmm there's Wong Ah Thiam the triathlete, Dr Fiona Lim- Ironman finisher, and not forgetting the true Malaysian Powerman, Shaharom. He was first to come in T2. This guys are pros. And sponsored.

All in all, I think all the participants and the organisers (QuickRelease) have done a pretty good job. This goes to Azwar and Wendy whom I met at the race. Yeah. I'll run-bike-run against you guys, next year. Then after that boleh swim-bike-run kut. Heheh.. Baca lagi!

Why I run.

Around this time last year, I started running seriously. Well, suffice to say that I'm not living a fit life prior to that. Been smoking, eating craps (sometimes now!) no real physical activities (climbing three flights of stairs to my apartment doesnt count) and a lot of late nights.

10 days into my serious running, I still couldnt climb that hill near my house. It's a 2.4k loop with approx. 1k of gradual climb, a few hundred metres of flat and downhill to complete the loop. Usually, by the 7th minute, I'll be walking to catch my breath.

Three months after that, I completed my first race. So, in the months leading up to it, I trained for a sport. For the first time. I would do late runs, sometimes at 10pm just to make up for the weekly run quota. I didn't know about weekly mileage back then. I ran 3 times a week with distances no more than 10k each.

Now, I religously train 5 days a week without anyone telling me to do it. Mileages build up to 70k a week. Hours spent on the road. Health is always monitored so that I wont fall back on training due to sickness. Eating has changed a lot. But the most important aspect that have affected me is, time. Of course during a race, you want to cut your time down, creating personal records. But for me, I learned to manage time efficiently. If I couldnt squeeze a run in the morning, there's always the evening. Or night. I know what would happen if I slept late that night. I know that each and everyone of is awarded with 24 hours a day. I know time is, important.

Maybe I'm not far from concluding that runners dont have a fun life. A boring lot. Yeah training 5 days a week (or more!), spending countless hours on the track or doing long runs and wont resist the temptation to talk about anything running related anywhere, anytime. But, what's the fun of doing anything at all if you dont see results from your effort? If you dont quite see the result you wanted, you work on it and endure. After all, life IS an endurance sport, ain't it?

Baca lagi!

Getting a sun tan in Putrajaya

Bugger. Because of extreme heat last night, I ended up sleeping late which caused me to wake up late for my weekly LSD. Duh. Just imagine pukul 9:25 baru nak start lari? Panas Woo!! But its okay. Because today, I had an 'adventure' in Putrajaya.

The menu? Run 1 loop of Powerman bike route (not including the double backs) without really knowing where it is. Macam ni. I didnt really know where to go. So my run was based on mental notes of the course which I downloaded from the net. Hehe..boleh sesat macamni. Tapi tengok muka Grunge ok je, tak risau pun. Belasah lah!

So 9:25 start lari kat depan MOF (after warmup sikit), naik atas bridge (lawa!) then supposed we come to the junction of Lebuh Sentosa. Tapi tak nampak tanda nama jalan pulak. Ermm.."simpang satu lagi Grunge, kut", selamba je aku teka. Sampailah simpang satu lagi. Lepas tu masuk kanan. Rupa-rupanya, simpang tadi betul dah. Nasib baik simpang ni parallel dengan simpang tadi. After about 10 mins running, we crossed another bridge with PM residence (I think) overlooking us from a hill. Then, we reached Persiaran Sultan Salahudin Abd Aziz. This persiaran is in fact, the largest goddamn roundabout I've ever encountered. Phew...Got a honk from a car as well. Haha...


Lepas tu, I'm a bit kantoi. Because of this BIG roundabout ada banyak exit, I didnt know which one is it. So slowly (memang dah slow dah pun) we tread the road, with me playing a guessing game. Sekali, a sign that reads: KEDIAMAN TIMBALAN PERDANA MENTERI. "Haaa! Betullah ni!". Grunge pun ikut je la. Aku risau mamat ni kering kontang jer (dehydration) sebab tak bawak air and there's no water source along the road. Nasib baik aku ada bawak air. Woi! Beli CamelBak la! We passed the hour mark.


Bila dah lepas rumah DPM, melintas satu jambatan lagi. Lepas tu, rasa macam sesat. Bukan sesat actually. Just dont know where to go. Then there's a sign 'Taman Wawasan'. Taman Wawasan ni terletak sebelah MOF. So kalau ikut logiknya, by following this route, we will be back at our starting point lah. So ikut lah kami dengan penuh taat nya. Sekali sampai depan Wisma Putra. And there's no other road that we can see leading to Taman Wawasan. Tapi ada satu lorong yang ditutup for kenderaan kecuali 'kenderaan servis' (servis apa ye?). Mesti jalan ni. Dengan penuh yakin-boleh nyer, kitaorang redah. Jumpalah satu ampitheatre. Sempat gak melalak kat situ nyanyi. Takde orang tengok boleh nyanyi. Kalau ada orang suara tak keluar la.. Then..

Nampak the main road depan MOF!! Tapi macammana nak pegi sana? Tak nampak direct route pun? Kenalah kami turun zig-zagging tepi bukit tu. Hahah...sebenarnya, kalau ikut peta yg betul, tak jumpa ampitheatre tu. Tak jumpa pun Wisma Putra. Nanti dia akan tembus somewhere kat KDNHEP. Lawak..lawak. Bila dah jumpa main road tu, semangat la lari balik ke kereta park kat masjid tu. Strong finish la kunun. Tima masa tu pukul 11:05.

Sampai kat kereta kat depan entrance Souq, semua orang ushar semacam jer. Tak pernah tgk orang lari tgh panas ke? Then after yam seng 100plus, urut kaki sikit, decided to mandi lah. Where? At the mosque. Ada bathroom! Bestlah! Jadilah buat segarkan badan. Lepas tu pegi makan kat Nando's Souq. Nampak a few people pakai baju Powerman dok makan kat San Fransisco. Aku pakai baju Ironman. Lagi besh! hahah.... (Baju je best. Orangnye tak.)
Kesimpulannya? Memang bes lari kat Putrajaya tapi kalau tau jalan betul lagi best la kut. Takpe, there's always next week. And I got my tan, thank you.

Baca lagi!

A newbie first race report!

A race report by a friend of mine, Linz that courageously took the step to the starting line, and determined to cross the finish line. She just took up running recently, and hopefully she will run more races in the future! :)

Kuala Lumpur International Marathon – 6th March 2005

Promised a friend to write about my adventure in the recent KLIM- last Sunday. So here it goes:I was wide awake even before my alarm clock rang at 4 AM! Today is the day that I’ve been waiting for. The day that will test my determination and physical strength. Been practicing for this event for the last 8 weeks. I’m nervous but yet excited to join the run today. Boleh ker aku nih??? How did I ever get myself involved in this 10km run at the first place? But what the heck, it’s too late to change my mind now. No turning back.

Took the LRT from Ampang Park to Masjid Jamek. Found out that each train was 11 minutes apart. Lucky enough my train was two minutes away. If not, I’ll be very2 late and might ended up being the spectator for the event. Arrived 5 minutes before 7.00 am. Jogged from Masjid Jamek station to the starting line, a quick warm up. Lucky I did my stretching before I left home.

Wai yoh!…a huge crowd of participants already waiting excitedly at the starting point. I knew it then that it would be quite impossible to find my friend there (yes, I’m supposed to be there earlier..sorry yek).

Registered myself and I was given a yellow ribbon. No idea what is that for-proof of registration?? Since this is my first time ever participating in such event, I was a little bit clueless. Looked funny to have the yellow ribbon around my neck. Felt like a running monk lak. So instead I tied the ribbon on my left wrist.

Joined the large crowd again after depositing my bag. I was a bit irritated by the person who manned the baggage counter. The run is about to begin and there were only one person handling the baggage and the queue was long. Why can’t they have more helpers there since they knew that the race was about to begin? But lesson learnt, next time, don’t bring any bag. Senang citer.

3…2…1..honkkkkk! The race has started! A slow start for me coz there were thousands of participants (old, young, school children) in front of and around me. There was no rush for me coz my aim was to complete the 10km course. To win? far than possible. First 20? Very unlikely..(my boss won the bet already – no RM499 nike shoes for me. Ceh!) To complete? Most likely..Within 1 hour 30 minutes? Can try…

The starting/finishing point was at Dataran Merdeka, so 10km was one big round around KL. Less than 2 minutes of running- just after Daya Bumi, I heard a guy told his friend....read more here

Baca lagi!

Go away, cold!

I woke up with a sneeze today. Then as usual, followed by a running-nose. Damn. I was the one who should be running this morning.

Bangun pukul 5:30 tapi tak boleh lari. Supposed to a hill workout today. Ces.

Guess have to bag it again la. wtf. Baca lagi!

Nak masuk duathlon!

If everything goes well, I'll be doing my first duathlon this 15th May. Just the second run leg tho. You know la, I'm still cycle-less.

Speaking of which, I went to 'usha' this bike shop in O-Utama yesterday. Turned out the shop welcomed me with a closed shutter. Tutup. Apa chain store camni pun boleh tutup kedai ka? I doubt that the shop owner or attendant went out for a meal or berak. Cis. Penat aku pergi OU. But then, something else cought my eye. A Fila Racer with 30% discount. Hehhehehe...So harga dia falls to RM 230. Murah jer rasanye.

So today, I went on my quest to find the cheapest bike around, again. I visited the main branch in Bangsar. After surviving the ever-presence jam (you know la KL after 5), sampai kedai. So kedai tu doesnt have much choice. Ada la this one 700c bike. Nothing much being put on this bike except for the Shimano gearset. Tu je la. Price? RM 999. Then another one with Shimano Sora. Price? RM 1999. Ces 3x. Takde ke basikal harga 500 ke? Hahahaa...basikal bmx pun lagi mahal dari 500. Dreaming. Kalau aku buat frame sendiri amacam? Haha...paip intercooler aku pun buat sendiri...hmm.

After that, as usual lah. Went to KLCC for my run. Aiyak! Banyaknye mak budak+bapak budak+budak-budak! Cuti sekolah sudah bermula! Tak suka betul. Penuh la parking lot kesayangan aku tu (that RM1 per entry after 6pm!). Tak kisah. Lari tetap lari. Semangat Gaban! Baca lagi!

How soothing it was...

Some regard speedwork as their favourite workout. Some like the tempo. I, like the long runs. I dont know why. Eventhough it is taxing and time consuming, I just love it because it is a day for me to...sight-seing. Yup. A chance for me to notice the things that goes unnoticed everyday. Plus, I'm not really into running in circles.

I just ran from Ampang to Jln Raja Chulan, and back. Definitely a new route for me. I got a few honks from cars passing by, a thumbs-up by a biker and a hello from a cabbie. How cool, eh? Things you dont get everyday. Well, except maybe for the honk I guess.

Now its time for me to unwind, stretch out my legs, and maybe have a quick nap. Baca lagi!

Oh mental strength, please help me!

Again, another Saturday morning passed by. Just like that. Huh. I thought I wanted to do my run in the morning. But, you know la, sleep is sooo sedap! So terpaksalah lari in the evening. Hmm..where should I run today? Maybe Titiwangsa is a good choice. A change can do wonders can they? Kalau hari-hari lari kat KLCC, I dont know how I would feel. Or how my shoes would feel, if they can.

Titiwangsa on Saturday is not too crowded. Or maybe the place is just damn big. I dunno. A lot of people exercising: playing badminton; football; jogging; lovemaking. No. That doesnt count as exercise.

My menu was: 9k. So it should be around 2 1/2 laps around the area. According to the tri route la I guess.

Halfway into the second lap, rasa letih la pulak. Actually, i'm not really tired. Juat mentally. Huh. Mengada-ngada! But this is what you probably get when running alone. Sukaimi said that running is a lonely sport. So I tried pacing with somebody la. Too fast. Macam nak race dengan aku pun ada! How funny. Okla. I dont blame them. Maybe upon seeing me in my running vest and split shorts, the competetive beast inside of them suddenly awakens. Hahaa!

Ok back to me. But, after upon reaching 9k, I said to myself, "what the heck, lets do 10!" So 10 it is. You see, halfway into the run rasa letih, malas. After reaching the mark, I wanted to do more. Its all in the mind. I guess I have to train my mind more, or find something else to do alternatively. I always wanted to cycle.

Okay, have to sleep to get ready for LSD tomorrow! Baca lagi!

The importance to reconnect

The atmosphere was quite conspicuous: loud lounge songs coming from the loudspeakers; people talking; cars racing by. And it was 10:30. On the seat beside me, lay a cake waiting for its receiver. There was supposed to be a surprise party for my friend there. So I scoured the place for the group, but there were no signs of them. Not long after that, my friend (the one organising the party) called. It was a no show there. The party moved to another place due to her unability to coax the birthday boy to go out. Oh, well. I'm kinda sleepy. But I have to go. One thing, I'm kinda important because I have the cake. Second, its my friends. And I havent seen them for a while.

My friends, at least this group of friends, always has something to tell. News, gossips, whos with who, whos getting pregnant and stuff. During our student days, we used to hang out and do stuff. Its more about bonding. Now, as we grow out from the cocoon, its more of reconnecting I guess.

Its true that we could never relived our days that has passed. But surely we dont want the bond that once tie us together be disconnected just like that.

I went home, weary-eyed, but happy. Happy with the thought that I did reconnect today.

Oh, how life is so hectic. But nobody wants to die alone, do we? Baca lagi!

Have to bag it..

I have to bag my training today. All because of too tired from yesterday. The menu was supposed to be 10k. Tu la, panjat bukit lagi. Blearghh..

Went to IIUM to get some forms. Wahh! So ramai students sana! The place was big but even so it looked crowded. Maybe banyak sangat kereta kut. Dah la tu, insufficient signboards. Nak cari Admin Building pun susah. It was just in front of the entrance, yet I circled the whole uni to find it. Serious, there were no indication whatsoever telling me that it was the admin building. Cut cost kot. Haha. This is what Putrajaya wants to do la apparently. Let visitors blindly find thier own way around. Well, part of it was my fault as well. I didnt ask around. Until I made the circle. Silly me..

Got a boost of morale today. I passed 'the' exam. Now have to wait for the next phase.

Grunge ajak lari esok. KLCC. He wants to do a 8k. Dah start program la tu. Sab pulak ajak to Naili's ampang for a birthday. Parkson is on sale. Mizuno sale tak? haha!

How does it feels to cycle all the way to Seremban? Nak rasa la....

Baca lagi!

Develop better quads, hams and glutes

There are several ways to develop better, stronger and leaner quads, hamstrings and glutes. First, you can try running a very hilly route (a hilly stretch that should take you longer than 10 minutes to climb) and try to do 2-3 sets. Immediately, after your run, do 2 sets, 12 reps of static lunges with your body weight. Then, attempt to climb a few flight of stairs (up to level 3 of a building is good) and then descend. Do 2-3 sets.

Sigh. I have not been running uphill (or even downhill!) for quite sometime. So the above is my frustration after an attempt of 6k of hill running. My legs kills! Terasa nak terkeluar lutut! Have to work more on hills. Maybe boleh pinjam bukit Azwar. Boleh kan??

Saw Ronnie (again!) yesterday at KLCC, if I'm not mistaken. This time, it was really from afar. I was in the mosque la! I was there for my night run. Biasala, tak tahan panas! Later, after I finished my run, saw Fadzli. Haha! Still gleaming with his joy of breaking his PR. Aiyah, so what's next? Nilai half? Nope. Hong Leong? Charity la, go laa. MMDS? If have team members (Wendy!) then can la. Pacesetters 15k? Consider as long run. PJ Half? Go. Singapore? Definitely. Baca lagi!

Sounds very familiar isn't it?

I got this from marathonguide.com . It was last year's comment of KLIM from a Canadian dude.
Here goes:

Everything sucks but the people and weather! (2001)
KL International Marathon, March 4, 2001 -
Registration: location impossible to find for a stranger to KL; unfriendly staff, not helpful, unknowledgeable (on water/replenishment stops, aid stations, route map, etc.); race number printed on cloth bib (was it a kids' race?); too much bureaucracy.
- Official 'Guidelines': printed on 4 flimsy pages which disintegrated in the rain; route map was illegible and useless (the Web-map was just as bad); some instructions were laughable: 'must wear official t-shirt', 'drinking at unofficial stations will not be entertained'
- Check-In: Given a 'report card' to hand in at starting area - don't know the purpose when running no. bib would do; another bureaucratic fumble.
- Check-Out: 'Luggage cards' were issued for checked-in belongings - don't know the purpose when running no. bib would do; would have had to carry it for 26 miles! I threw mine away. - Check Points: marathoners were supposed to be given two tokens on the course for hand-in at finish; this didn't happen, instead a piece of string/banner was tied round one's neck and collected at the finish...strange, maybe I could have hung myself if I didn't finish!
- Transport: to use LRT, pay only 75% fare with running bib - where in hell am I to carry my Ringgits for the fare?
- Replenishment Drink: I choked on the CARBONATED drink provided on the course; I think it was called Isotonic 100 and should be BANNED from races - get me some Gatorade!
- Course: It was pitch-black on part of the course on Jalan Lapangan Terbang (near the old airport) and I tripped twice in potholes! Worse, the downtown traffic jams near Jalan Raja Laut and Jalan Raja Muda with fumes spewing out of cars, buses and trucks into the face of runners - I had seriously considered abandoning the race at this point - it was too dangerous.
- Finish Area: couldn't find any replenishment drink which I needed in my dehydrated state; luckily, I had a bottle of saline solution in my checked-in baggage (when I found it). - Baggage Pick-up: had trouble finding it; when I did, it was unattended and I could have walked away with some nice stuff!

Most of the things said did happen again this year. Maybe it's just the way Malaysian organisers say, "Welcome to the Malaysian way of organising. If you're not tough enough, go back you sissy ass!" Baca lagi!

Few people that I met (or saw!)

I forgot to mention a few people that I met or saw at KLIM.
Here they are:

• Azwar-made a new PR at 1:37:32. Nak cam dia senang je. Ada nama dia besar kat bontot.
• Rohaizad-got a medal for his half.
• Ronnie-could only see his back! Laju tu!
• Sukaimi-I saw him la at the finish line.
• Wendy-I think I saw her...

and also a number of people who go to Fitness First KLCC. Nice meeting y'all!

Baca lagi!

A simple race report-KLIM

My race, the 10k event, started at 7:15am. I dont really know why it started at that time. The marathon started at 5am. So why couldnt we start at 6:30 or 7am? Nah, Malaysians. And me, being Malaysian, I just love to complain. The starting was not as electric as in Singapore. No loud music blaring in the background to hype the runners. I dont see much energy in the crowd either. Maybe they're just concentrating on their race strategy or something. I dunno. But we were ushered inside the pen a tad too early I guess. We waited for almost 30 minutes doing nothing! And being in the crowded confined area, all I can do to keep myself warm is to jog in one place. Duh.

The start? As usual, a mess. I dont have the chance to be at the front of the starting line because it was too full. Yeah, sure Malaysia has a lot of 'good' athletes. My start was a game of weaving in and out to overtake runners. Heh, that made me sounds like I'm fast. At least faster then those I overtook. Well, this is what happens when you dont start according to ability. I'm not sure whether the marathon and halfies starts like this as well. Hell, it looked like a mad dash! So, off I went on a route I'm not quite familiar running before.

Then nearly halfway into the race(there were no distance markers as promised by those pricks), I felt hungry. Shit. I did not have my regular pre-race meal of bagel. Just had half a bowl of cereal. Well, hungry or not, the race must go on. As I ran along Starhill, I find its getting boring. You see, the organisers are totally dumbshits who think that making the events as competetive as it can be will make 'us' stand out from others. So, the only support we had was from the Pacestters team cheering a bit here n there and a mist tunnel sponsored by Nike. We have cheerleading competitions among schools, why not invite them to make the scene more happening? Yeah, I'm comparing to of Singapore but hey, it was a hell of a run there, right?

With little or none at all speed training, I managed to achieve it in 57:32 minutes. Not bad for a pre season race. Funny thing at the finish was, the lanes used. The Court building is on the left. So that makes Dataran on the right. When the sun is up, the 10k finishing lanes are under the shade of the court building. But the marathon and halfies are in direct sunlight. According to simple logic, the marathoners and the equally tough half would finish later than the 10k's. So they are left to finish the race with every last bit of energy they have in the hot March sun. I dont see any logic of this. One, there will be no spectators lining up the last 10 metres to cheer the runners because it damn hot. Two, Why do you want the sun for? I dont see any professional photographers at the finish line that needs such good lighting. And yeah, signboards are inadequate. At the junction where marathoners and 10k's split, only one official stand in the middle of the road directing the route. What a stupid prick. I wish i just knocked him off the road. "Black bib straight, blue bib right". I bet he was yelling that a thousand times. Why is it so hard to make a signpost out of a plywood? Argh.. the obtuse state of Malaysian organisers. money, money, money.

Well, just like I said before, this aint gonna be a spectacular event. It was, just another running event.

Baca lagi!

Flock, flock, flock

Ampang Point was once said to be another mall failure; malls that are not really pulling the crowds in. Quite often malls like that sprouts in the suburbs because the need of a mall in such area (is it so?). But if you go to Ampang Point (AP) today, you will find it differently.

All sorts of people; old, young, Malay, Chinese, Indian, expats, couples, kids, boring housewives with nothing much to do on Saturday afternoon, kids wearing sunnies with clothes that made him think he looks like Chicken in 'Young and Dangerous'--but he doesnt, cute chicks, ugly chicks, you name it, you got it. Almost the same crowd that would horde KLCC on weekends. Apparently, AP is not really a nice and cozy place to hang out. Parking is scarce, people can smoke inside with no worries and many other things that rule out AP as 'the' place to hang out.

But still people flock AP especially during weekends. To be fair, AP has a Giant outlet, a McD and KFC, a couple of sports shop, a couple of farmacies, some salons, bookstore and some decent local boutiques. And not forgetting the almost unnoticable Royel departmental store. That's about it. Just your average mall. Some come here to buy their needs, some meet with their friends over coffee, while some, just linger around.

Human beings are social creatures. Once in a while, they just have to escape their normality of going to work, do the dishes and everything else to just liberate themselves. A breathe of fresh air from a different surroundings. After all is done, they go back to their homes, completing the continuum of something and nothingness. Maybe just going out is filling the gap that happens during everyday life. Even if it means to go to a place as mediocre as AP.

So next time you feel a void in yourself, go find your lilberation. Quit running a day or two. Do something else. Perhaps you will bounce back a fuller person than before. And this last paragraph is a complete mockery of RunnersWorld, especially John Bingham. kah kah...LMAO. I'm nutz. Baca lagi!

The Big event

D-Day for most runners in KL will be this Sunday. As for me, I'll be joining the 'fun' group. Maybe next year I'll join the 'big boys'.

I really dont know what to expect from KLIM. I dont suppose that it will measure up to Singapore's Marathon by any chance. Not that I'm biased or anything, but from the hype and aura it gives, I think it will be just another running event in KL. Hey, I've known KLIM since 1992. My dad used to measure the race distance.

I tried to run as fast as I could up tmn tar hill. I shaved 1 minute plus off my previous time. 15'23.

Alas, my Phantom got glued. Hope it will prevail. I'll be wearing bib no. K022 for KLIM. Eidur Gudjohnsson. Baca lagi!

A bad omen?

Just three days to KLIM and the heels of my Phantom suddenly give way. Oh my. At this crucial peroid the outsole of the shoe starts to peel off. Dang. I just used 'em only a few times since I bought them. Hmm..maybe because it has been sitting on the shelves for too long. It's the old Phantom, where you can buy at half the price during Isetan's sale. Heh. I'm not capable yet to buy a RM 400 shoe. So verdict? Just glue it up and hope it can withstand my blistering (read: crawling) speed during KLIM. I hope that darn thing can last for a bit longer, at least until June.

Finally, yesterday I met Azwar. I met him at KLCC park, where he was training. So that means I was there to train as well la. But my program starts after prayers. I think it's still too hot before dark plus the hot island effect that's caused by the development surrounding the park. You see, the heat from surrounding building is channeled to a cool area--the park. Seriously I can feel certain stretch of the park is hotter than others. (Thanx to Rohaizad for the info)

So things to do tomorrow, need to buy the strongest glue available. Don't die on me, shoe!

Baca lagi!

Who got your eye?

Now which of these two heavenly athletes is hotter?



Amanda Beard (left) or Lokelani McMichael?

Cast your vote here!
I did vote for Lokelani, btw. Baca lagi!

What a loss

This came to me as shock. Randy Caddell, who had more that 30 Ironman under his belt, passed away after being hit by a car. I personally met, chatted and shared a table with him last year during Ironman. He was 37. Read more here.

Baca lagi!

Hairdo, rain and run.

Went to the laundry shop to fetch some clothes that was sent for dry cleaning. Let me tell you a bit about this shop. It is tended by an auntie (about late 30's I think) with a hairdo that you could mistake as a bird's nest. Imagine Rosie from PCK, but you put on a hairdo that's worse than that. A bit eerie aint it? I dont think it's a fashion accident or some experimental hairstyle. Well, it's her hair. It might be a wig. Who knows.

Noticed the rain lately? God is Great for letting it rain after a blazing hot weather and not forgetting the slight haze. The rain, I think, should do good to those forest fires. Most of the fires would be wiped out by now. Let's just hope that it doesnt rain during KLIM. Amin.

I passed by a neighbour. But I didnt nod, wave or say 'Hi' to him. I feel bad.

My Phantom got out of the closet today. With just 6 days before KLIM, it should be put to a few series of tests. Did a tempo run with Grunge @ KLCC after a few minutes of persuasion.
"I'm not fast enough. I'm not up to your standard" Yeah, right. Stop feeling sooo low bout yourself dude. You did caught up on me when I did the 7-ish minute lap. Hey, break a leg during KLIM man! Even better, break your PR! Well, that's Grunge. This is me. All optimistic and naive. Baca lagi!