Urgh, I can't sleep. Too nervous. Jimmy is sleeping in the room next door already, we've packed our gear for tomorrow. Nothing more that we can do now...
Just released a whole lot of suppressed thoughts and feelings just now. I'm not sure if that will help for the run tomorrow but I hope it does. Thanks for everything, Pengu :)
And just to summarise The Running List:
1) To witness something truly majestic (from The Bucket List)
2) To help a complete stranger for a common good (from The Bucket List)
3) To make a complete stranger smile
4) To run the entire 42.195km together, without stopping (well, except at water stations)
5) Enjoy the scenery along the 42km, enjoy the morning breeze, enjoy every step that you have taken, enjoy the cheers from the supporting crowds, enjoy the company of your running partner, and most importantly enjoy this very marathon that you guys have put in so much effort without any stress or worries :) (from Kai Rou)
6) To overcome all 42.195km injury free (from Eu Jhin)
7) To give free hugs to any of the runners and make 5 new friends during the run (from Shi Hoay)
8) To smack Roderick on the head and kick his ass if he stops. (from yours truly)
I guess I'll be stopping here.
This is ray mun and jimmy signing out for the last time before the marathon starts. Thank you everyone - good night and good luck.
Cheers,
jimmy and ray mun
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
T Minus - 10 hours
Just got back from Dataran Merdeka! Went there to collect our Race Packs, and the place was packed! The normal turning into Dataran Merdeka was already closed and traffic was cordoned off to the back entrance of Dataran Merdeka. And I was scammed into paying RM5 in parking fees -.-
Ish.
Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad.
To be honest, I thought that the place would have been even more packed. It was already noon and the sun was up. The field was relatively empty but my first impression of this year's organisation was good! There were simple, idiot proof signages and booths all around for the convenience of the runners.
And good news: the haze doesn't look too bad. I could see KL Tower in the distance. Hopefully the weather will be good tomorrow as well.
Whee!
One thought came across my mind as I was queuing up to collect the Race Packs - I can't help but feel in awe with respect (or rather, intimidation) for all the other runners who were collecting their Race Packs, regardless of which events they will be taking part in. Young or old, professional or amateurs, they were all there.
And at such a time, you can't help but feel unprepared for what's to come.
T minus 10 hours.
Ish.
Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad.
To be honest, I thought that the place would have been even more packed. It was already noon and the sun was up. The field was relatively empty but my first impression of this year's organisation was good! There were simple, idiot proof signages and booths all around for the convenience of the runners.
And good news: the haze doesn't look too bad. I could see KL Tower in the distance. Hopefully the weather will be good tomorrow as well.
Whee! One thought came across my mind as I was queuing up to collect the Race Packs - I can't help but feel in awe with respect (or rather, intimidation) for all the other runners who were collecting their Race Packs, regardless of which events they will be taking part in. Young or old, professional or amateurs, they were all there.
And at such a time, you can't help but feel unprepared for what's to come.
T minus 10 hours.T Minus - 24 hours
Just some last minute updates:
Jimmy has left for his hometown, Banting for the night. He has passed me his Registration Confirmation Slip, which I will use to collect our Race Pack tomorrow morning at Dataran Merdeka. I heard that there was a mad rush for the Race Pack collection on Friday. Will be going there much earlier, at about 10am, to queue up. And because of this, we gotta postpone our plans to visit SHELTER 2 and SHELTER 3 to the following weekend. I have collected some materials to pass to them (toys and clothes). Hopefully, our schedule will be more permitting next weekend.
Back to running, we have both officially started tapering down. No more running till Marathon Day. In total, we did about 20KM each this week while emphasising on another important aspect for the marathon - carbo loading! Finally, we can eat without feeling guilty...
Jimmy has gotten free supply of Power Bar Gel to be used on Marathon Day. As for Saturday night, Jimmy will be bunking over at my place before making a move to Dataran Merdeka on Sunday morning, 4am. Original plan was for us to hit the decks by 8pm Saturday night, but we're opting to sleep at 10pm instead. Dinner plans :).
On a sadder note, Jackie - my close friend and mentor who is now studying in the University of Queensland injured his Achilles tendon about a week ago. He will be taking part in the Full Marathon event for the 2009 Gold Coast Airport Marathon in Brisbane, Australia in exactly one week's time. His injury looks quite bad but he has vowed to complete the marathon, by all means possible. Jackie is running for charity as well - he and his university colleagues (about 101 of them) are running in the Full Marathon category to raise awareness on cancer. They too have raised up to AUD9000 as part of their charity event. Let's all pray that he recovers soon enough and completes the marathon well. Get well soon, Jack.
Urgh, having problems sleeping right now. Nerves.
That's about all for now.
Cheers,
ray mun
Jimmy has left for his hometown, Banting for the night. He has passed me his Registration Confirmation Slip, which I will use to collect our Race Pack tomorrow morning at Dataran Merdeka. I heard that there was a mad rush for the Race Pack collection on Friday. Will be going there much earlier, at about 10am, to queue up. And because of this, we gotta postpone our plans to visit SHELTER 2 and SHELTER 3 to the following weekend. I have collected some materials to pass to them (toys and clothes). Hopefully, our schedule will be more permitting next weekend.
Back to running, we have both officially started tapering down. No more running till Marathon Day. In total, we did about 20KM each this week while emphasising on another important aspect for the marathon - carbo loading! Finally, we can eat without feeling guilty...
Jimmy has gotten free supply of Power Bar Gel to be used on Marathon Day. As for Saturday night, Jimmy will be bunking over at my place before making a move to Dataran Merdeka on Sunday morning, 4am. Original plan was for us to hit the decks by 8pm Saturday night, but we're opting to sleep at 10pm instead. Dinner plans :).
On a sadder note, Jackie - my close friend and mentor who is now studying in the University of Queensland injured his Achilles tendon about a week ago. He will be taking part in the Full Marathon event for the 2009 Gold Coast Airport Marathon in Brisbane, Australia in exactly one week's time. His injury looks quite bad but he has vowed to complete the marathon, by all means possible. Jackie is running for charity as well - he and his university colleagues (about 101 of them) are running in the Full Marathon category to raise awareness on cancer. They too have raised up to AUD9000 as part of their charity event. Let's all pray that he recovers soon enough and completes the marathon well. Get well soon, Jack.
Urgh, having problems sleeping right now. Nerves.
That's about all for now.
Cheers,
ray mun
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The Wall
I've been watching this video ever since it was released about 3 months ago. Even by watching the video alone, I was exhausted. And now in 3 days' time, we'll be running this entire route.
Pfft, nothing much that can be done right now.
----
Have you heard of the term, "Hitting The Wall" ? It is a term used by endurance athletes when the body's glycogen levels are depleted from all that aerobic exercise, where the body has no choice but to burn fats for fuel instead. And here is where the problem starts.
The thing about the human body is that, if there's a certain body function that is not used often, the human body does not develop it. Just like us human beings, our body prefers to stay within it's comfort zone, by metabolising glucose and gylcogen, not only because it is abundant but because it's easy to be metabolised. We prefer to do things that are within our comfort zones because it gives us a sense of security. Unfortunately, whenever we bump into a crisis, most of us crumble under the pressure.
Similarly, the body crashes when the glycogen and glucose stores in the body is depleted, when it is forced to metabolise fats instead. Fat metabolism is complicated, tedious and time consuming. And because of this, the body is deprived of glucose for a certain period of time. This is when you 'hit The Wall'. According to athletes who hit The Wall, it is akin to 'having a ton of bricks dropped on your shoulders in a split second'. It comes quick and silently without you knowing it. Most athletes experience this when they hit the 35KM mark in a marathon or after about 4 hours or so of prolonged exercise. The muscles begin to cramp up and every subsequent step feels like you are trudging through knee-deep mud. Even the most well trained of professional athletes hit The Wall and when they do, they have a choice - to succumb or to fight back.
Heck, I have so much respect for The Wall that I'm typing it using upper case.
This is where all these months of training are essential. By volumising our runs and training under less than ideal conditions such as running under the afternoon sun and in the haze, we can push our bodies to the limits, in hopes that we can withstand the onset of The Wall for as long as possible. Even if we eventually hit The Wall, one's mental strength comes into play, where the notion of "Mind Over Matter" is truly put to test.
So why am I going on and on about The Wall?
The Wall does not exist only to endurance athletes, but to every single one of us. In life, we are bound to come up against difficulties, true every day difficulties in life. Endless difficulties which drags us to our knees, assaults us mentally and physically before finally telling us to give up and retreat. Difficulties which test our spirit and character as human beings.
Some of us persevere and weather the storm. They live to fight another day, growing in confidence with each passing victory. Unfortunately, many more are succumb to defeat or worse, choose to not even try.
Never. Ever. Give. Up.
Regardless of what happens this Sunday, if we ever do hit The Wall, I can assure you that Jimmy and myself will fight through it. Just like Terry Fox did every single day he ran his Marathon of Hope. Or on a lighter note, just like Simon Pegg did in Run Fatboy Run. We'll pull through, by hook or by crook.
And that is a promise.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Why Do I Run?
I have been planning this entry ever since the blog was created and I'm glad that I can finally publish it now. A little more long winded than Jimmy's, but here goes:
Why do you run?
I think this has been a question that I've been asking everyone since my Infinity Milers heydays. I think for the record, I have to say that it was Jimmy who seeded people's minds with this question, not me. I remember that it was our 3rd Infinity Milers training back in September 2007, barely a month after enrolling into the International Medical University (IMU), when we were divided into groups of 8 for our evening run. I wasn't under Jimmy for that training session, but his words remain close to my heart. Apparently, after training Jimmy took his juniors to a quiet corner of Taman Komanwel for a small debriefing session, in which he began asking his juniors individually on why they ran.
I can still remember the most memorable answer, which came from Jian Ming who said: "I run to change myself". And truth be told, I still respect him till this day for his reply.
So why do I run?
To be honest, for the better half of my 21 years of life, I was never a runner. I was never meant to run. As a kid, I was over-protected by my parents, kept indoors most of the time with fishing being my only true outdoor activity. I loved it so much that I could hardly wait for weekends, where my dad would take me out. And thus, my love for the outdoors and Nature grew.
However by 5, my parents noticed that I was clumsily tripping over my own feet whenever I ran. A check with a podiatrist confirmed that I was bowl-legged. I had to wear a set of leg brace whenever I sleep at night to correct the growth of my legs as I grew. I found it difficult to walk properly as my toes were perpetually pointing inwards. In fact, they still are as we speak, more so whenever my foot kicks off the ground with every step.
Look at my left foot. Urgh!
To make matters more complicated, I am also flat-footed. The arch on my foot is nearly non-existent and I used to get chronic foot pains whenever I run back in high school. I was running with this pain until just middle of last year, when I started using orthotics and proper Full Motion Support shoes to support my arch.
At the same time, my parents noticed that I develop breathing difficulties easily whenever I’m running around at the playground. Subsequent check ups at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital soon confirmed that I was mildly asthmatic and I had to use an inhaler in kindergarten and for the first year of my primary school life. This also meant more protection and fewer activities. Thank goodness, my asthma did not progress any further.
I can still vividly remember during one of my first visits to Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, where I was waiting for my mother who was working there. She was punching out after her full day shift together with other nurses when two fairly senior nurses approached me.
One said, "Eh, how come this boy is soooooo fat?"
The other replied, "No lah, he's not fat. He just has WORMS in his stomach!"
Ouch.
And yes, hate to say it but I was overweight during my childhood days, all the way till lower secondary. "You're not fat, you just have big bones", that was what my mom used to say. I had difficulties finding clothes for my size and in school; I could hardly excel in many sports. I loved football but hated the exertion. I joined Taekwondo to help get me in shape, but with little effect.
(So don't blame me if I keep on insisting on losing weight. Lol)
You see, you can have a million and one factors going against you but all you need is only one to keep you going. When you are truly passionate about what you do, nothing can stop you. It's the same we can say about life, right?
I first took up running seriously once I enrolled into the IMU in late 2007. Or rather, once I joined Infinity Milers. Jimmy, who was the then President, was a true inspiration. He taught me how to run and more importantly, he taught me why to run. From those who know me well, you know how much I like to relate with you about stories of life, on how running is so much similar to life in general and on selflessness, the ability to put aside one’s needs for the sake of others. I learnt all this from Jimmy and he set a real benchmark for us when he eventually stepped down from the club. In fact, I still do approach him for advice and opinions, whenever in doubt because of his sheer wealth of knowledge and experience.
As an individual, I have so much respect for Jimmy that I don’t think I can run against him, in let’s say IMUCUP. It’s unthinkable; to compete with an athlete of his level and to go against your ‘teacher’. And that is why I have decided to run with him for the Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon. I felt the need to return to my grassroots, and to run 42.195km, something which I thought was sheer impossible when I first started running, with the person who has taught and inspired me so much.
Lately though, I feel that he’s been under a lot of pressure. It’s not easy dealing with family responsibilities, MAPCU and volleyball training, his research and his boyfriend duties, while juggling the prospect of running an entire Full Marathon come June 28th. His commitment to his responsibilities has further strengthened my resolve to run the race, and to run the race well.
Do I have any idols when it comes to running? No, I don’t. But I do have role models and they are Jimmy and Roderick. As much as Roderick drives you up the wall at times, you gotta love his enthusiasm, intensity and mental discipline when it comes to running and mountain climbing. If there’s one person who’ll go to the ends of the world to achieve something, no matter how impossible it sounds, that person would be Roderick. With one exception, so long he sees the purpose in it. He was the first person to seed the idea of running a Full Marathon into me back in February 2009 and we’ve never looked back ever since. It’s refreshing to have someone who is as passionate as you are when it comes to running and climbing as a best friend and also as a fierce competitor. For the better part of my time in IMU, I see Roderick as the standard I should achieve, if not better. Always have and always will be.
Kung Fu Cantum Badan!
I run for many reasons, and with time I find that no two reasons are the same.
Last year’s Relay For Life organized by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia on May 31st 2008 was probably my biggest breakthrough. I find it necessary for emotions to be part of running, and it was certainly present that day. It doesn’t help…when a close family member and one of your closest college friends were both stricken with cancer. I made a pledge with my fellow university mates that at all times, at least one of us would be running on the track. On a more personal note, I wanted to do it for them. And for the next 16 hours it happened, the 10 of us taking turns running around the racing track with a baton which we pass on to the next runner whenever we got tired. We did the same at this year’s Relay For Life without me running, and I hope that this can be an IMU tradition in subsequent years.
I run to discipline myself, mentally and physically. The human body is weak, but the mind – even weaker. I enjoy most of my runs but not runs or training sessions when I have to pace a faster runner. But I find the exertion and competition necessary. That is because most of the time, we run within our capabilities and that is why we don’t excel. As I run more often and at more competitive speeds, I find it easier to discipline the body when the mind is up for it. Same when it comes to concentrating on your studies, upholding a promise or climbing a mountain with endless uphills – your mind calls the shots, not your body. But before the body can answer unconditionally to the mind, discipline of the mind needs to be built and that is why I run.
On hindsight, I would say that I ran to live up to the expectations that others have on me. It’s something that I absolutely dislike but was necessary considering the circumstances. To be more specific, I’m talking about my Infinity Milers days. To be honest, I was intimidated by the prospect of taking over the club from Jimmy. I only started serious running when I joined the club and to take over the reins of the club really stacked a lot of pressure on me. Or rather, I pressurized myself. As president, the need to lead by example is important and that means becoming a better runner without losing the spirit of Infinity Milers within me. I was often embarrassed when faster runners turn up for training and I end up trailing them. If the leader is incapable of setting an example to the rest, the integrity of the club and everything we preach will be under fire. However, with timely advice given by Jimmy and Roderick, I began to accept myself for who I am. I started believing that the only expectations that I had to live up to were the expectations that were set by my committee and me. And with that, running became enjoyable once again. Looking back at things, I can’t stress any more the importance of loving what you’re doing and to do them without any form of outside pressure to perform.
On a more serious note, I run (and climb) to find peace within. Be it whether memories of my past arise or present matters trouble me, I run. My past is something I’m not too proud of and often enough, I find it catching up with me. I run not to escape from it or to deny what has happened but to recollect my thoughts and to put things into perspective once again. I normally don’t enjoy these kind of runs – they’re long, quiet and I often do it alone. However, it offers me the peace of mind to come up with a solution to my troubles.
Not always, but often enough.
Sometime, the only thing you need is Hope.
Preparing for the marathon has been tedious, with months of training and countless hours of running. This is where motivation is necessary. All great runners, from Haile Gebrselassie to Sebastian Coe, share a common trait – they are all highly motivated. What distinguishes them from lesser runners like yours truly is that they are highly motivated to win. Winning isn’t something I think of at all. In fact, I nearly lost my love for running in July 2008, in preparation for the MAPCU Road Relay and Track and Field events because winning was so important. Too important for it’s own good, that I was so disillusioned on why I ran. It was all or nothing – if you didn’t win your event, everything else is meaningless.
But safe to say, my motivation for the marathon was clear and has been clear ever since I signed up with Jimmy. I wanted to Run For A Cause. You see, I could spare the hassles of raising funds, setting up this blog and managing the Facebook group for the past 3 months or so by just paying the RM50 participation fees to run in the Full Marathon event. However, I knew that to get through the entire 42.195km, I can never run the race for myself. I had to run it for a purpose higher than myself. You can never be selfish when you run. And that is why I decided to run on behalf of SHELTER Home For Children.
Before every extended run, I will always spare some time for myself, to remind myself why I’m running today. I think of the children at SHELTER, even more vividly ever since I visited SHELTER 1. People always tell me that I’m heaping up too much pressure on myself, especially during the 3 weeks which I was out injured, but how can you not feel so when pulling out or not performing at your best means disappointing the children at SHELTER? Maybe it’s wrong or selfish for me to feel that the entire SHELTER is banking on me to complete the race, in which failure to do so would mean failure for them as well but this is what keeps me going and it sure will not change.
My other motivation? It has been the real driving force behind my endeavors and I keep it very closely to my heart, something so secret that no one knows about it. I intend to keep it that way till the time is right.
So yes, that is my story. And I believe everyone out there have a story of their own. And because of this, you are special. If there is something you truly love, anything and everything is possible. Pour your heart and soul into it and you will never be disappointed with what you can achieve. When the odds are against you, don’t back off. Just rise to the occasion.
With that all said and done, let me truly ask you now – Why Do You Run?
Why do you run?
I think this has been a question that I've been asking everyone since my Infinity Milers heydays. I think for the record, I have to say that it was Jimmy who seeded people's minds with this question, not me. I remember that it was our 3rd Infinity Milers training back in September 2007, barely a month after enrolling into the International Medical University (IMU), when we were divided into groups of 8 for our evening run. I wasn't under Jimmy for that training session, but his words remain close to my heart. Apparently, after training Jimmy took his juniors to a quiet corner of Taman Komanwel for a small debriefing session, in which he began asking his juniors individually on why they ran.
I can still remember the most memorable answer, which came from Jian Ming who said: "I run to change myself". And truth be told, I still respect him till this day for his reply.
So why do I run?
To be honest, for the better half of my 21 years of life, I was never a runner. I was never meant to run. As a kid, I was over-protected by my parents, kept indoors most of the time with fishing being my only true outdoor activity. I loved it so much that I could hardly wait for weekends, where my dad would take me out. And thus, my love for the outdoors and Nature grew.
However by 5, my parents noticed that I was clumsily tripping over my own feet whenever I ran. A check with a podiatrist confirmed that I was bowl-legged. I had to wear a set of leg brace whenever I sleep at night to correct the growth of my legs as I grew. I found it difficult to walk properly as my toes were perpetually pointing inwards. In fact, they still are as we speak, more so whenever my foot kicks off the ground with every step.
Look at my left foot. Urgh! To make matters more complicated, I am also flat-footed. The arch on my foot is nearly non-existent and I used to get chronic foot pains whenever I run back in high school. I was running with this pain until just middle of last year, when I started using orthotics and proper Full Motion Support shoes to support my arch.
At the same time, my parents noticed that I develop breathing difficulties easily whenever I’m running around at the playground. Subsequent check ups at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital soon confirmed that I was mildly asthmatic and I had to use an inhaler in kindergarten and for the first year of my primary school life. This also meant more protection and fewer activities. Thank goodness, my asthma did not progress any further.
I can still vividly remember during one of my first visits to Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, where I was waiting for my mother who was working there. She was punching out after her full day shift together with other nurses when two fairly senior nurses approached me.
One said, "Eh, how come this boy is soooooo fat?"
The other replied, "No lah, he's not fat. He just has WORMS in his stomach!"
Ouch.
And yes, hate to say it but I was overweight during my childhood days, all the way till lower secondary. "You're not fat, you just have big bones", that was what my mom used to say. I had difficulties finding clothes for my size and in school; I could hardly excel in many sports. I loved football but hated the exertion. I joined Taekwondo to help get me in shape, but with little effect.
(So don't blame me if I keep on insisting on losing weight. Lol)
You see, you can have a million and one factors going against you but all you need is only one to keep you going. When you are truly passionate about what you do, nothing can stop you. It's the same we can say about life, right?
I first took up running seriously once I enrolled into the IMU in late 2007. Or rather, once I joined Infinity Milers. Jimmy, who was the then President, was a true inspiration. He taught me how to run and more importantly, he taught me why to run. From those who know me well, you know how much I like to relate with you about stories of life, on how running is so much similar to life in general and on selflessness, the ability to put aside one’s needs for the sake of others. I learnt all this from Jimmy and he set a real benchmark for us when he eventually stepped down from the club. In fact, I still do approach him for advice and opinions, whenever in doubt because of his sheer wealth of knowledge and experience.
As an individual, I have so much respect for Jimmy that I don’t think I can run against him, in let’s say IMUCUP. It’s unthinkable; to compete with an athlete of his level and to go against your ‘teacher’. And that is why I have decided to run with him for the Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon. I felt the need to return to my grassroots, and to run 42.195km, something which I thought was sheer impossible when I first started running, with the person who has taught and inspired me so much.
Lately though, I feel that he’s been under a lot of pressure. It’s not easy dealing with family responsibilities, MAPCU and volleyball training, his research and his boyfriend duties, while juggling the prospect of running an entire Full Marathon come June 28th. His commitment to his responsibilities has further strengthened my resolve to run the race, and to run the race well.
Do I have any idols when it comes to running? No, I don’t. But I do have role models and they are Jimmy and Roderick. As much as Roderick drives you up the wall at times, you gotta love his enthusiasm, intensity and mental discipline when it comes to running and mountain climbing. If there’s one person who’ll go to the ends of the world to achieve something, no matter how impossible it sounds, that person would be Roderick. With one exception, so long he sees the purpose in it. He was the first person to seed the idea of running a Full Marathon into me back in February 2009 and we’ve never looked back ever since. It’s refreshing to have someone who is as passionate as you are when it comes to running and climbing as a best friend and also as a fierce competitor. For the better part of my time in IMU, I see Roderick as the standard I should achieve, if not better. Always have and always will be.
Kung Fu Cantum Badan!------
I run for many reasons, and with time I find that no two reasons are the same.
Last year’s Relay For Life organized by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia on May 31st 2008 was probably my biggest breakthrough. I find it necessary for emotions to be part of running, and it was certainly present that day. It doesn’t help…when a close family member and one of your closest college friends were both stricken with cancer. I made a pledge with my fellow university mates that at all times, at least one of us would be running on the track. On a more personal note, I wanted to do it for them. And for the next 16 hours it happened, the 10 of us taking turns running around the racing track with a baton which we pass on to the next runner whenever we got tired. We did the same at this year’s Relay For Life without me running, and I hope that this can be an IMU tradition in subsequent years.
I run to discipline myself, mentally and physically. The human body is weak, but the mind – even weaker. I enjoy most of my runs but not runs or training sessions when I have to pace a faster runner. But I find the exertion and competition necessary. That is because most of the time, we run within our capabilities and that is why we don’t excel. As I run more often and at more competitive speeds, I find it easier to discipline the body when the mind is up for it. Same when it comes to concentrating on your studies, upholding a promise or climbing a mountain with endless uphills – your mind calls the shots, not your body. But before the body can answer unconditionally to the mind, discipline of the mind needs to be built and that is why I run.
On hindsight, I would say that I ran to live up to the expectations that others have on me. It’s something that I absolutely dislike but was necessary considering the circumstances. To be more specific, I’m talking about my Infinity Milers days. To be honest, I was intimidated by the prospect of taking over the club from Jimmy. I only started serious running when I joined the club and to take over the reins of the club really stacked a lot of pressure on me. Or rather, I pressurized myself. As president, the need to lead by example is important and that means becoming a better runner without losing the spirit of Infinity Milers within me. I was often embarrassed when faster runners turn up for training and I end up trailing them. If the leader is incapable of setting an example to the rest, the integrity of the club and everything we preach will be under fire. However, with timely advice given by Jimmy and Roderick, I began to accept myself for who I am. I started believing that the only expectations that I had to live up to were the expectations that were set by my committee and me. And with that, running became enjoyable once again. Looking back at things, I can’t stress any more the importance of loving what you’re doing and to do them without any form of outside pressure to perform.
On a more serious note, I run (and climb) to find peace within. Be it whether memories of my past arise or present matters trouble me, I run. My past is something I’m not too proud of and often enough, I find it catching up with me. I run not to escape from it or to deny what has happened but to recollect my thoughts and to put things into perspective once again. I normally don’t enjoy these kind of runs – they’re long, quiet and I often do it alone. However, it offers me the peace of mind to come up with a solution to my troubles.
Not always, but often enough.
Sometime, the only thing you need is Hope.Preparing for the marathon has been tedious, with months of training and countless hours of running. This is where motivation is necessary. All great runners, from Haile Gebrselassie to Sebastian Coe, share a common trait – they are all highly motivated. What distinguishes them from lesser runners like yours truly is that they are highly motivated to win. Winning isn’t something I think of at all. In fact, I nearly lost my love for running in July 2008, in preparation for the MAPCU Road Relay and Track and Field events because winning was so important. Too important for it’s own good, that I was so disillusioned on why I ran. It was all or nothing – if you didn’t win your event, everything else is meaningless.
But safe to say, my motivation for the marathon was clear and has been clear ever since I signed up with Jimmy. I wanted to Run For A Cause. You see, I could spare the hassles of raising funds, setting up this blog and managing the Facebook group for the past 3 months or so by just paying the RM50 participation fees to run in the Full Marathon event. However, I knew that to get through the entire 42.195km, I can never run the race for myself. I had to run it for a purpose higher than myself. You can never be selfish when you run. And that is why I decided to run on behalf of SHELTER Home For Children.
Before every extended run, I will always spare some time for myself, to remind myself why I’m running today. I think of the children at SHELTER, even more vividly ever since I visited SHELTER 1. People always tell me that I’m heaping up too much pressure on myself, especially during the 3 weeks which I was out injured, but how can you not feel so when pulling out or not performing at your best means disappointing the children at SHELTER? Maybe it’s wrong or selfish for me to feel that the entire SHELTER is banking on me to complete the race, in which failure to do so would mean failure for them as well but this is what keeps me going and it sure will not change.
My other motivation? It has been the real driving force behind my endeavors and I keep it very closely to my heart, something so secret that no one knows about it. I intend to keep it that way till the time is right.
So yes, that is my story. And I believe everyone out there have a story of their own. And because of this, you are special. If there is something you truly love, anything and everything is possible. Pour your heart and soul into it and you will never be disappointed with what you can achieve. When the odds are against you, don’t back off. Just rise to the occasion.
With that all said and done, let me truly ask you now – Why Do You Run?
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Running List
Have you watched this movie called The Bucket List?
It tells of two elderly men of either ends of the social hierarchy - Edward Cole (played by Jack Nicholson), a billionaire who made his fortune of America's costly health services and Carter Chambers (played by Morgan Freeman) who is a middle class mechanic from New York. Their similarities? Both of them have been diagnosed with end stage cancer, leaving them with little under a year to live.
After ending up in the same hospital room, undergoing their respective treatments, they decided to set up a Bucket List - a list of things to be done together before they literally 'kick the bucket'. And so, began a story of self rediscovery. From skydiving to going for a lion safari to climbing the Great Pyramid, their bucket list sounds as absurd as it can be.
In time, as both Cole and Chambers began fulfilling the tasks on their Bucket List, they began to reflect on life - their decisions, their mistakes and their hopes to set things right. Their pursuit to finish the Bucket List comes to a grinding halt when Chambers discovers that the cancer has spread to his brain, leaving him with no choice but to undergo a brain surgery which eventually led to his death. Cole enters remission and duly fulfills the final few tasks of their Bucket List.
-----
I have to say, this movie is certainly worth watching. The combination of an interesting concept plus the Freeman and Nicholson tag team, two of Hollywood's most seasoned actors make this movie highly thought provoking and inspiring.
And that is why we are bringing you..."The Running List"!
Taddaaaaa~~!
Instead of a list of things to be done before one passes on to the Afterworld, this is a list of things to be achieved before and on June 28th 2009 - the Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon 2009. With plenty of time to think, to act and to witness, the entire 42.195km and the days prior to it is akin to one's 'journey' through 'life'. In this sense, this is why The Running List will be just like The Bucket List.
Okay, I have not spoken to Jimmy about The Running List yet, but I'm sure he's sporting and enthusiastic enough to take part in our little project. So, to kick things off, I shall start The Running List by listing down a few tasks that were listed on The Bucket List:
The Running List:
1) To witness something truly majestic (from The Bucket List)
2) To help a complete stranger for a common good (from The Bucket List)
3) To make a complete stranger smile
4) To run the entire 42.195km without stopping (well, except at water stations)
5) ....
I'm running out of ideas! Any suggestions guys? :)
It tells of two elderly men of either ends of the social hierarchy - Edward Cole (played by Jack Nicholson), a billionaire who made his fortune of America's costly health services and Carter Chambers (played by Morgan Freeman) who is a middle class mechanic from New York. Their similarities? Both of them have been diagnosed with end stage cancer, leaving them with little under a year to live.
After ending up in the same hospital room, undergoing their respective treatments, they decided to set up a Bucket List - a list of things to be done together before they literally 'kick the bucket'. And so, began a story of self rediscovery. From skydiving to going for a lion safari to climbing the Great Pyramid, their bucket list sounds as absurd as it can be.
In time, as both Cole and Chambers began fulfilling the tasks on their Bucket List, they began to reflect on life - their decisions, their mistakes and their hopes to set things right. Their pursuit to finish the Bucket List comes to a grinding halt when Chambers discovers that the cancer has spread to his brain, leaving him with no choice but to undergo a brain surgery which eventually led to his death. Cole enters remission and duly fulfills the final few tasks of their Bucket List.
-----
I have to say, this movie is certainly worth watching. The combination of an interesting concept plus the Freeman and Nicholson tag team, two of Hollywood's most seasoned actors make this movie highly thought provoking and inspiring.
And that is why we are bringing you..."The Running List"!
Taddaaaaa~~!
Instead of a list of things to be done before one passes on to the Afterworld, this is a list of things to be achieved before and on June 28th 2009 - the Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon 2009. With plenty of time to think, to act and to witness, the entire 42.195km and the days prior to it is akin to one's 'journey' through 'life'. In this sense, this is why The Running List will be just like The Bucket List.
Okay, I have not spoken to Jimmy about The Running List yet, but I'm sure he's sporting and enthusiastic enough to take part in our little project. So, to kick things off, I shall start The Running List by listing down a few tasks that were listed on The Bucket List:
The Running List:
1) To witness something truly majestic (from The Bucket List)
2) To help a complete stranger for a common good (from The Bucket List)
3) To make a complete stranger smile
4) To run the entire 42.195km without stopping (well, except at water stations)
5) ....
I'm running out of ideas! Any suggestions guys? :)
Friday, June 5, 2009
Down but not Out.
The past 3 weeks have been a real daze. It all started out on May 17th when Jimmy, Roderick and myself did a 20km well-paced run from Bukit Aman to Sri Hartamas and back. The overall mood at the camp was good - our pacing and breathing was good and we finished it well within 2 hours. That was what we call as an 'extended run' - a run of substantial distance conducted once a week, aside from one's normal daily training.
Among runners, the general idea is that after every weekly extended run, one must rest and recuperate the following day, with little or no strenuous activities done. The problem was the little issue of the New Balance Pacesetters 15KM Run, which was held on the following day at Lake Gardens.
I guess, here's where my immaturity as a runner kicked in. I totally attacked the road race, hitting the infamous Double Hills of Bukit Tunku as I tried to score a better timing, ignoring the fact that I already did 20KM the previous day.
Only after the race ended, it hit me. The pain started off from the sole of the foot, which radiates to the ankle with gradual exertion. It became even worst the following day as I ended up limping my way around university. The pain eventually disappeared, but resurfaced the following Sunday after a light run. I only did 8KM. And that was the nature of the pain - just like a mouse which reappears and disappears every now and then.
I think for a sportsperson, getting injured is one of, if not THE MOST frustrating aspects in life. Everything grinds to a halt - weeks of training goes down the drain while the task of restarting training is arduous to even think about. Mentally, you are always occupied with questions of doubt and hope. You become so occupied with the questions, that I felt that it was even worst than the injury itself!
When will I recover? Or will you even recover?
I don't feel any pain now. Should I try running? But what if I aggravate it?
And worse: What if I have to pull out from the marathon?
I admit, I sunk rock bottom 2 weekends after I got the injury, as I limped around the MSN Track in Bukit Jalil. It was the National Cancer Society of Malaysia's Relay For Life and all I was doing was resting while the other runners zoomed by. I should be hitting 30KM this week but I am INJURED! Sigh. I admit, I was this close to deciding on taking painkillers to last me through training and the marathon itself. I even considered...taking steroid shots?
I was losing the plot, seriously.
I think this is where support is impervious. From Miss T's constant persuasion throughout the night and Miss C's supportive SMSes to my batch mate's emphatic queries, their mere pressence helped drill some sense into this thick skull of mine.
But what struck me the most was Kelvin. He was there during Relay For Life, who constantly offered me priceless advice and words of persuasion. His approach was simple - always look at the bigger picture. It was something I claim to preach but yet, in the context of the marathon, it was something I failed so miserably in.
Forget about 4 hours and 45 minutes. Just take your time to finish it, it is your FIRST marathon!
Rest your leg, no use aggravating it and end up not being able to run for the rest of your life!
And you're putting pressure on yourself. Just enjoy the run!
Knowing Kelvin is a real blessing. Without his advices and words of support, who knows what I would have gotten myself into. He provided me what I always aspire to achieve - wisdom and experience. Not bad for a complete stranger you met by chance at a public toilet in Sungai Buloh barely 2 months ago.
Thank you so much Kelvin :)
Eventually, I visited Dr. Aston's Sports Clinic, as sports clinic recommended to be by Chanel. By the end of my 1 hour appointment with Dr. Aston, he found out that one of the peroneal tendons in my left foot is now loosely attached and is rubbing against the ankle bone, which was the source of the pain and discomfort.
Ouch.
I was taught to tape my left foot, to maintain the arch without impeding it's action plus use orthotics in my shoes to relieve the pain. And contrary to what everyone else has been telling me, Dr. Aston actually advised me to run that very evening itself. :D
As days go by, I could feel the self confidence returning. I started off with a slow 5KM jog, picking up the pace the following day with a 8KM run before finally revisiting the Double Hills of Bukit Tunku today in a 16KM extended run. Everything seems fine once again. Let's keep it that way!
Food for thought, though. A friend of mine sprained her ankle just yesterday in preparation for this weekend's Setia Alam Klang Pacers Half Marathon. It's going to be her first Half Marathon, she has been training consistently for it and more importantly, she promised to run the race with her close friends. She's so determined to run it, that she's even gotten painkillers from the pharmacist in case the pain gets any worse during race day.
As a close friend, I can't help but warn her AGAINST running. But then again, I was (or am still partially) in her position. I was all ready to do what she's going to do, if ever the pain returns before June 28th arrives.
So do I even have a right to tell her what to do?
Among runners, the general idea is that after every weekly extended run, one must rest and recuperate the following day, with little or no strenuous activities done. The problem was the little issue of the New Balance Pacesetters 15KM Run, which was held on the following day at Lake Gardens.
I guess, here's where my immaturity as a runner kicked in. I totally attacked the road race, hitting the infamous Double Hills of Bukit Tunku as I tried to score a better timing, ignoring the fact that I already did 20KM the previous day.
Only after the race ended, it hit me. The pain started off from the sole of the foot, which radiates to the ankle with gradual exertion. It became even worst the following day as I ended up limping my way around university. The pain eventually disappeared, but resurfaced the following Sunday after a light run. I only did 8KM. And that was the nature of the pain - just like a mouse which reappears and disappears every now and then.
I think for a sportsperson, getting injured is one of, if not THE MOST frustrating aspects in life. Everything grinds to a halt - weeks of training goes down the drain while the task of restarting training is arduous to even think about. Mentally, you are always occupied with questions of doubt and hope. You become so occupied with the questions, that I felt that it was even worst than the injury itself!
When will I recover? Or will you even recover?
I don't feel any pain now. Should I try running? But what if I aggravate it?
And worse: What if I have to pull out from the marathon?
I admit, I sunk rock bottom 2 weekends after I got the injury, as I limped around the MSN Track in Bukit Jalil. It was the National Cancer Society of Malaysia's Relay For Life and all I was doing was resting while the other runners zoomed by. I should be hitting 30KM this week but I am INJURED! Sigh. I admit, I was this close to deciding on taking painkillers to last me through training and the marathon itself. I even considered...taking steroid shots?
I was losing the plot, seriously.
I think this is where support is impervious. From Miss T's constant persuasion throughout the night and Miss C's supportive SMSes to my batch mate's emphatic queries, their mere pressence helped drill some sense into this thick skull of mine.
But what struck me the most was Kelvin. He was there during Relay For Life, who constantly offered me priceless advice and words of persuasion. His approach was simple - always look at the bigger picture. It was something I claim to preach but yet, in the context of the marathon, it was something I failed so miserably in.
Forget about 4 hours and 45 minutes. Just take your time to finish it, it is your FIRST marathon!
Rest your leg, no use aggravating it and end up not being able to run for the rest of your life!
And you're putting pressure on yourself. Just enjoy the run!
Knowing Kelvin is a real blessing. Without his advices and words of support, who knows what I would have gotten myself into. He provided me what I always aspire to achieve - wisdom and experience. Not bad for a complete stranger you met by chance at a public toilet in Sungai Buloh barely 2 months ago.
Thank you so much Kelvin :)Eventually, I visited Dr. Aston's Sports Clinic, as sports clinic recommended to be by Chanel. By the end of my 1 hour appointment with Dr. Aston, he found out that one of the peroneal tendons in my left foot is now loosely attached and is rubbing against the ankle bone, which was the source of the pain and discomfort.
Ouch.
I was taught to tape my left foot, to maintain the arch without impeding it's action plus use orthotics in my shoes to relieve the pain. And contrary to what everyone else has been telling me, Dr. Aston actually advised me to run that very evening itself. :D
As days go by, I could feel the self confidence returning. I started off with a slow 5KM jog, picking up the pace the following day with a 8KM run before finally revisiting the Double Hills of Bukit Tunku today in a 16KM extended run. Everything seems fine once again. Let's keep it that way!
Food for thought, though. A friend of mine sprained her ankle just yesterday in preparation for this weekend's Setia Alam Klang Pacers Half Marathon. It's going to be her first Half Marathon, she has been training consistently for it and more importantly, she promised to run the race with her close friends. She's so determined to run it, that she's even gotten painkillers from the pharmacist in case the pain gets any worse during race day.
As a close friend, I can't help but warn her AGAINST running. But then again, I was (or am still partially) in her position. I was all ready to do what she's going to do, if ever the pain returns before June 28th arrives.
So do I even have a right to tell her what to do?
Monday, June 1, 2009
Keep on going..
“That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run across Greenbow County. And I figured, since I run this far, maybe I'd just run across the great state of Alabama. And that's what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going. When I got to another ocean, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going.”
- Forrest Gump
- Forrest Gump
Thank You Guys!
(As of 0100 hours, 2nd June 2009)Honestly, I don't know what to say now. You can plan and think of words of gratitude which you'd like to express but you can never truly be prepared when the time comes. Looking back at things, we have achieved something that neither Jimmy nor myself expected the very day we agreed to Run For A Cause.
With your support out there, RM1532 has been raised for SHELTER Home For Children. What more, this money has been entrusted under myself and Jimmy, something that we both saw coming, but yet once it arrived, has left the both of us pretty much stupefied.
In my eyes, because of your support, half the battle has already been won. And the other half, now lies in our hands. As I always put it, the stakes have been upped and what more, there's no turning back from it.
Thank you so very much for your support, guys. We wouldn't be here without you. And yes, you have my word that we will not disappoint you come June 28th, 2009.
Regards,
ray mun
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
I run because..
I run because it’s the simple leisure of life.
One does not always need a bombastic reason for everything.
I run because it strengthens not only the physical body;
Since I am naturally a weak person.
I run because it builds character;
that I can be a better instrument to serve the society.
I run because it can inspire people, including myself.
Running teaches people the power of perseverance;
To never give up.
I run because running can contribute to charity,
and to raise funds for the under-privileged children who are being loved so little.
I run to prepare myself for the rigours of mission life in the future;
for I know to serve in the mission field with my loved one would cost us everything.
I run because I want to experience pain and suffering.
Pain reminds me that I am a human and I’m still alive.
I run because it is therapeutic to my heart;
to the wounds and emotional baggage that I carry.
I run because I want beat the Enemy that lives within me;
who always pours out lies and tempts me to do things which I don’t want to.
I run because I want to meet God.
And in meeting Him, I know who I am.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Food For Thought
Hey guys, here's a response to a comment, made by Dragon in the post, "We Are Go!"
It goes:
"To Ray Mun & Jimmy,
Hi. I'm a student from IMU. Heard bout this run recently & seriously, I was very impressed by what you guys are doing. Combining your passion for marathon with charity is somewhat a win-win situation for both you people & the children from the Shelter. It's not easy to raise fund esp from IMU students (well, look at the IMU ball committee people... but unfortunately they did not motivate me to donate... to me such money should be channeled for a better & more meaningful use instead for sheer enjoyment & fun... well, that's what I thought & you may not agree :))
Nevertheless, from what I know, the Infinity Milers is also organizing a Climbing-Mount-Kotakinabalu trip in this coming July. Is the trip still on?
If I'm not mistaken, the original fee for the mount climbing is RM 1000+. & after subsidized by SAD(or whichever sponsers you guys get, which I didn't know), each participant still needs to pay at least RM 500-600. This does not include the fees for the food, equipments, & various accessories required for the Mount Climbing.
I'm confused.
If those of you who are joining the KK trip (if it's still on) are able & willing to pay the sum for it, I don't see why it's so hard for you people to raise a sheer RM 500.
RM 1000+ is not a small sum to certain people, & so is RM 500 you guys are trying to raise.
But it's not the sum that matters.
Hope it's just me thinking too much & you guys can help clear my doubt."
Hello Dragon,
First of all, thank you very much for your support and your comment! It's always refreshing to receive some feedback, which I feel is extremely necessary for us to improve ourselves or to clarify certain issues.
Your comments are very interesting! Before proceeding further, please allow me to comment about the Mount Kinabalu climb on July 27th. This climb is not an Infinity Milers climb, but rather an M207 batch climb. However, I am not participating in this climb but I am assisting my batch mates to organise this trip.
Yes, the total cost of the trip (3D2N), inclusive of airfare, transportation, lodging, guide fees, park fees and food will total up to about RM1000, and we are not receiving any form of sponsorship to subsidise our trip. At any one time, only a limited number of climbers are allowed up on Mount Kinabalu, hence the RM515 that has been paid is to reserve the lodgings for the climbers at Kinabalu Park and Laban Rata during the hike. The remainder of the fees such as guide fees and park fees will have to be paid, eventually.
Either than running, mountain climbing is one of my other passions in life. Although I may not agree with the price that has been charged to climb Mount Kinabalu, there's nothing that can be done as this price has already been predetermined by the company that manages the climbs up Mount Kinabalu.
Moving on to other things, I always believe that if life, charity comes in two forms - charity for others, and charity for ourselves. There is a need to care for others - the weak, the underprivileged, but it is also impossible for us to be so selfless that we sacrifice our personal goals and ambitions in life for the sake of others entirely. Aside from loving others, we must learn how to love ourselves. Hence, a balance is needed.
There is nothing wrong with what you've said. The way I look at things, IMU Ball 2009 and the upcoming Mount Kinabalu climb are forms of charity for ourselves. For IMU Ball, donations were needed in order for the event to go ahead as planned. Imagine what life in IMU would be if we graduated from IMU Bukit Jalil without any proper farewell or ending!
Similarly, although the climb up Mount Kinabalu is expensive, the rewards from it is priceless. I have done my fair share of climbs, and the friendships fostered, memories obtained and the harsh lessons that I've learned through climbing cannot be bought using cold hard cash. No two mountains I’ve climbed are the same. It's unfortunate that the cost of climbing Mount Kinabalu is exorbitant, as I feel that the mountain is becoming too commercialized for it’s own good!
Having said all that, it is up to one's personal preference on how one chooses to spend his or her money. Whether the money ends up for personal charity or charity for others, is not for us to decide. I have learnt to respect that. It is just human nature.
If we look at Run For A Cause, one can choose to support this charity event in many ways. One way is through, of course, monetary contribution. I cannot deny that without the money that has been graciously put forward to be contributed to SHELTER – Home For Children under Jimmy and myself, we cannot qualify for Run For A Cause.
However, charity does come in different forms – moral and physical support, words of encouragement and motivation – things which remind me that the effort I’m putting is worth the pain and trouble. I have received plenty of morale support from a lot of people, including my batch mates who will be climbing Mount Kinabalu. They have contributed immensely, from contributing money to pick-me-up conversations, and I consider morale support as equally as important as the monetary contribution itself!
In a nutshell, charity is not compulsory, it is a choice. We cannot force people to donate or to help, nor can we expect people to contribute selflessly whenever necessary. There is no right or wrong. However, on a personal level, I hope that our (Jimmy and myself) strivings in Run For A Cause can inspire people out there to challenge the near impossible, for a cause higher than one’s own self. That is one of the many reasons why I’m running.
Dragon, I hope this answers a lot of your questions or doubts. Please feel free to reply whenever convenient. In fact, we can talk over coffee in IMU whenever you are free. If so, please do not hesitate to email me at raymun@gmail.com.
Thank you once again for your sincere comments :)
Your humble servent,
raymun
It goes:
"To Ray Mun & Jimmy,
Hi. I'm a student from IMU. Heard bout this run recently & seriously, I was very impressed by what you guys are doing. Combining your passion for marathon with charity is somewhat a win-win situation for both you people & the children from the Shelter. It's not easy to raise fund esp from IMU students (well, look at the IMU ball committee people... but unfortunately they did not motivate me to donate... to me such money should be channeled for a better & more meaningful use instead for sheer enjoyment & fun... well, that's what I thought & you may not agree :))
Nevertheless, from what I know, the Infinity Milers is also organizing a Climbing-Mount-Kotakinabalu trip in this coming July. Is the trip still on?
If I'm not mistaken, the original fee for the mount climbing is RM 1000+. & after subsidized by SAD(or whichever sponsers you guys get, which I didn't know), each participant still needs to pay at least RM 500-600. This does not include the fees for the food, equipments, & various accessories required for the Mount Climbing.
I'm confused.
If those of you who are joining the KK trip (if it's still on) are able & willing to pay the sum for it, I don't see why it's so hard for you people to raise a sheer RM 500.
RM 1000+ is not a small sum to certain people, & so is RM 500 you guys are trying to raise.
But it's not the sum that matters.
Hope it's just me thinking too much & you guys can help clear my doubt."
Hello Dragon,
First of all, thank you very much for your support and your comment! It's always refreshing to receive some feedback, which I feel is extremely necessary for us to improve ourselves or to clarify certain issues.
Your comments are very interesting! Before proceeding further, please allow me to comment about the Mount Kinabalu climb on July 27th. This climb is not an Infinity Milers climb, but rather an M207 batch climb. However, I am not participating in this climb but I am assisting my batch mates to organise this trip.
Yes, the total cost of the trip (3D2N), inclusive of airfare, transportation, lodging, guide fees, park fees and food will total up to about RM1000, and we are not receiving any form of sponsorship to subsidise our trip. At any one time, only a limited number of climbers are allowed up on Mount Kinabalu, hence the RM515 that has been paid is to reserve the lodgings for the climbers at Kinabalu Park and Laban Rata during the hike. The remainder of the fees such as guide fees and park fees will have to be paid, eventually.
Either than running, mountain climbing is one of my other passions in life. Although I may not agree with the price that has been charged to climb Mount Kinabalu, there's nothing that can be done as this price has already been predetermined by the company that manages the climbs up Mount Kinabalu.
Moving on to other things, I always believe that if life, charity comes in two forms - charity for others, and charity for ourselves. There is a need to care for others - the weak, the underprivileged, but it is also impossible for us to be so selfless that we sacrifice our personal goals and ambitions in life for the sake of others entirely. Aside from loving others, we must learn how to love ourselves. Hence, a balance is needed.
There is nothing wrong with what you've said. The way I look at things, IMU Ball 2009 and the upcoming Mount Kinabalu climb are forms of charity for ourselves. For IMU Ball, donations were needed in order for the event to go ahead as planned. Imagine what life in IMU would be if we graduated from IMU Bukit Jalil without any proper farewell or ending!
Similarly, although the climb up Mount Kinabalu is expensive, the rewards from it is priceless. I have done my fair share of climbs, and the friendships fostered, memories obtained and the harsh lessons that I've learned through climbing cannot be bought using cold hard cash. No two mountains I’ve climbed are the same. It's unfortunate that the cost of climbing Mount Kinabalu is exorbitant, as I feel that the mountain is becoming too commercialized for it’s own good!
Having said all that, it is up to one's personal preference on how one chooses to spend his or her money. Whether the money ends up for personal charity or charity for others, is not for us to decide. I have learnt to respect that. It is just human nature.
If we look at Run For A Cause, one can choose to support this charity event in many ways. One way is through, of course, monetary contribution. I cannot deny that without the money that has been graciously put forward to be contributed to SHELTER – Home For Children under Jimmy and myself, we cannot qualify for Run For A Cause.
However, charity does come in different forms – moral and physical support, words of encouragement and motivation – things which remind me that the effort I’m putting is worth the pain and trouble. I have received plenty of morale support from a lot of people, including my batch mates who will be climbing Mount Kinabalu. They have contributed immensely, from contributing money to pick-me-up conversations, and I consider morale support as equally as important as the monetary contribution itself!
In a nutshell, charity is not compulsory, it is a choice. We cannot force people to donate or to help, nor can we expect people to contribute selflessly whenever necessary. There is no right or wrong. However, on a personal level, I hope that our (Jimmy and myself) strivings in Run For A Cause can inspire people out there to challenge the near impossible, for a cause higher than one’s own self. That is one of the many reasons why I’m running.
Dragon, I hope this answers a lot of your questions or doubts. Please feel free to reply whenever convenient. In fact, we can talk over coffee in IMU whenever you are free. If so, please do not hesitate to email me at raymun@gmail.com.
Thank you once again for your sincere comments :)
Your humble servent,
raymun
Monday, May 11, 2009
We Are Go!
Hey guys,
Would just like to make a few announcements:
1) Jimmy is finally back from Indonesia! He will be sharing his thoughts with everyone one of you as soon as he pens down his articles. I shall not reveal too much of it's contents, but knowing Jimmy, anything he writes is something to look forward to!
And as the days tick down to June 28th 2009, we will start sharing with you more of our personal thoughts - on why we run, on our motivation when it comes to running and on how our other passions in life have influenced our lives. I expect Jimmy's entries to be thought provoking and well written, so please stay tuned to Why Do You Run. :)
2) Finally, after weeks and weeks of delay, Roderick, Jimmy and myself finally sat down to discuss our training regime. We came to an agreement to volumise our extended runs gradually as we have approached the 7 Week mark before Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009. Here's a rough sketch of what we've sorted out so far:
a) 16th May 2009 - 20KM
b) 17th May 2009 - New Balance Pacesetters 15KM (Lake Gardens)
c) 24th May 2009 - 25KM
d) 31st May 2009 - To Be Confirmed
e) 7th June 2009 - Klang Pacers Setia Alam Half Marathon (21KM) + 11KM Recovery Run
f) 14th June 2009 - 35KM
All extended runs will be conducted at the Bukit Aman - Sri Hartamas route, at about 0600 - 0630 hours. Anyone who's interested in joining us, please do not hesitate to contact us :). Besides, we'll be doing our own individual runs every day/other day throughout the weeks before finally tapering off 2 weeks before the marathon starts. This break would give us the opportunity to visit the other 3 homes of SHELTER - Home for Children, as promised. Things are still sketchy at the moment, but we will be updating everyone as soon as possible.
3) The "Help Jimmy and Ray Mun Run For A Cause" Facebook Group has been launched! It took some time for the contents of the group to be finalised but it is all go as we speak. To be very honest, it was quite difficult for me to set up the Facebook Group. It was a matter of ethics as I didn't feel good at all to use it as a means of raising funds for Run For A Cause, considering that we are dealing with the collection of money.
However, looking at it in a different perspective, Jimmy and I decided to go ahead with it anyway. I hope that everyone can see the Facebook Group and Run For A Cause as a means of raising awareness to the public, that anyone out there can make a difference, so long they are committed to the cause. We've been receiving plenty of supportive messages from close friends and colleagues, which has been highly encouraging. Monetary donation is one means of supporting the Run For A Cause and SHELTER - Home For Children, but so does every single message of encouragement that you send to us. Your words of encouragement will further strengthen our resolve and motivation to raise the funds and to finish the race well. So please, keep them coming :)
4) Speaking of which, the money collected from the students of the International Medical University has been counted. The official amount will be revealed shortly, together with an explanation on into who's account (Jimmy or myself) the money will be credited into. Patience, guys!
That's all for the moment, thank you once again for your support! :)
Would just like to make a few announcements:
1) Jimmy is finally back from Indonesia! He will be sharing his thoughts with everyone one of you as soon as he pens down his articles. I shall not reveal too much of it's contents, but knowing Jimmy, anything he writes is something to look forward to!
And as the days tick down to June 28th 2009, we will start sharing with you more of our personal thoughts - on why we run, on our motivation when it comes to running and on how our other passions in life have influenced our lives. I expect Jimmy's entries to be thought provoking and well written, so please stay tuned to Why Do You Run. :)
2) Finally, after weeks and weeks of delay, Roderick, Jimmy and myself finally sat down to discuss our training regime. We came to an agreement to volumise our extended runs gradually as we have approached the 7 Week mark before Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009. Here's a rough sketch of what we've sorted out so far:
a) 16th May 2009 - 20KM
b) 17th May 2009 - New Balance Pacesetters 15KM (Lake Gardens)
c) 24th May 2009 - 25KM
d) 31st May 2009 - To Be Confirmed
e) 7th June 2009 - Klang Pacers Setia Alam Half Marathon (21KM) + 11KM Recovery Run
f) 14th June 2009 - 35KM
All extended runs will be conducted at the Bukit Aman - Sri Hartamas route, at about 0600 - 0630 hours. Anyone who's interested in joining us, please do not hesitate to contact us :). Besides, we'll be doing our own individual runs every day/other day throughout the weeks before finally tapering off 2 weeks before the marathon starts. This break would give us the opportunity to visit the other 3 homes of SHELTER - Home for Children, as promised. Things are still sketchy at the moment, but we will be updating everyone as soon as possible.
3) The "Help Jimmy and Ray Mun Run For A Cause" Facebook Group has been launched! It took some time for the contents of the group to be finalised but it is all go as we speak. To be very honest, it was quite difficult for me to set up the Facebook Group. It was a matter of ethics as I didn't feel good at all to use it as a means of raising funds for Run For A Cause, considering that we are dealing with the collection of money.
However, looking at it in a different perspective, Jimmy and I decided to go ahead with it anyway. I hope that everyone can see the Facebook Group and Run For A Cause as a means of raising awareness to the public, that anyone out there can make a difference, so long they are committed to the cause. We've been receiving plenty of supportive messages from close friends and colleagues, which has been highly encouraging. Monetary donation is one means of supporting the Run For A Cause and SHELTER - Home For Children, but so does every single message of encouragement that you send to us. Your words of encouragement will further strengthen our resolve and motivation to raise the funds and to finish the race well. So please, keep them coming :)
4) Speaking of which, the money collected from the students of the International Medical University has been counted. The official amount will be revealed shortly, together with an explanation on into who's account (Jimmy or myself) the money will be credited into. Patience, guys!
That's all for the moment, thank you once again for your support! :)
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Contemplations
Today, something totally random came across my mind.
I went to the local aquarium shop, and decided to do a little 'shopping'. I bought 2 pairs of juvenile Ikan Patin, 5 juvenile Ikan Jelawat and 20 Ikan Lampam, which I wanted to release at the Taman Lembah Kiara Lake - my normal training area.
It was close to noon when I carefully lugged the plastic bags containing the fishes into the park. It was totally deserted, except for the security guards and the odd family or two. Wanting some peace, I walked to the far end of the lake where the clear mountain river meets the murkier waters of the lake. There were even other fish there, mainly the Cichlids.
Not too bad a place to release them, I thought to myself.
I released the Ikan Lampam first. They were the shining silver ones, which were quick to escape from the bag and soon enough, they darted off into the depths of the lake.
I released the Ikan Patin next. They were black in color and slightly slower to swim away. A smaller one even started swimming towards the shore. I turned it around and soon enough, all 4 swam off into the depths of the lake.
Lastly, I released the Ikan Jelawat. They were sleek and silver, with a tinge of redness on their tails. Powerful swimmers they were. Before I could even release them properly, 2 jumped out of the bag. The other 3 made their way out of the bag eventually. In a blink of an eye, all 5 swam off into the depths of the lake.
Then, silence.
I stayed at the bank, hoping to have a glimpse of the fishes that I released, wanting to know how they'd survive in the wild after being born and bred in captivity in their such short lives. At first, there was nothing.
Then, I saw them. The 4 Ikan Jelawat, which were the quickest to leave, begun swimming towards the mountain stream. They kept to the shallows. For some strange reasons, the Cichlids were swimming with them, surrounding them as they go! They made splashes as they swam against the current, but always keeping to the shallows. Their beautiful red tails were apparent even from the bank. I hope that they grow up, big and strong, and become even more beautiful as they do so.
Next, the Ikan Lampam showed up. They were chasing the smaller Cichlids in the lake! I'm not sure if they were preying on them or just teasing them, but they sure made their presence felt. Even more splashes were seen, as they darted from one side to the other, oblivious to my presence just 2 feet from the bank. There were 20 of them in the lake now. I hope that they thrive, so that a healthy population of fish will be produced, so that the visitors of the park will actually have fish to feed in the lake.
But, I never did see the Ikan Patin. They never did turn up after I released them. However, I know that they will grow up, eventually. They are hardy fish, not needing much to live on. And they're not much of a social fish, always keeping to themselves whenever possible. Occasionally, you can see their splashes on the surface of the calm lake but for the majority of the time, they're always one their own.
A lone ranger.
Sometimes, I feel just like the Ikan Patin.
Have a meaningful Wesak Day :)
I went to the local aquarium shop, and decided to do a little 'shopping'. I bought 2 pairs of juvenile Ikan Patin, 5 juvenile Ikan Jelawat and 20 Ikan Lampam, which I wanted to release at the Taman Lembah Kiara Lake - my normal training area.
It was close to noon when I carefully lugged the plastic bags containing the fishes into the park. It was totally deserted, except for the security guards and the odd family or two. Wanting some peace, I walked to the far end of the lake where the clear mountain river meets the murkier waters of the lake. There were even other fish there, mainly the Cichlids.
Not too bad a place to release them, I thought to myself.
I released the Ikan Lampam first. They were the shining silver ones, which were quick to escape from the bag and soon enough, they darted off into the depths of the lake.
I released the Ikan Patin next. They were black in color and slightly slower to swim away. A smaller one even started swimming towards the shore. I turned it around and soon enough, all 4 swam off into the depths of the lake.
Lastly, I released the Ikan Jelawat. They were sleek and silver, with a tinge of redness on their tails. Powerful swimmers they were. Before I could even release them properly, 2 jumped out of the bag. The other 3 made their way out of the bag eventually. In a blink of an eye, all 5 swam off into the depths of the lake.
Then, silence.
I stayed at the bank, hoping to have a glimpse of the fishes that I released, wanting to know how they'd survive in the wild after being born and bred in captivity in their such short lives. At first, there was nothing.
Then, I saw them. The 4 Ikan Jelawat, which were the quickest to leave, begun swimming towards the mountain stream. They kept to the shallows. For some strange reasons, the Cichlids were swimming with them, surrounding them as they go! They made splashes as they swam against the current, but always keeping to the shallows. Their beautiful red tails were apparent even from the bank. I hope that they grow up, big and strong, and become even more beautiful as they do so.
Next, the Ikan Lampam showed up. They were chasing the smaller Cichlids in the lake! I'm not sure if they were preying on them or just teasing them, but they sure made their presence felt. Even more splashes were seen, as they darted from one side to the other, oblivious to my presence just 2 feet from the bank. There were 20 of them in the lake now. I hope that they thrive, so that a healthy population of fish will be produced, so that the visitors of the park will actually have fish to feed in the lake.
But, I never did see the Ikan Patin. They never did turn up after I released them. However, I know that they will grow up, eventually. They are hardy fish, not needing much to live on. And they're not much of a social fish, always keeping to themselves whenever possible. Occasionally, you can see their splashes on the surface of the calm lake but for the majority of the time, they're always one their own.
A lone ranger.
Sometimes, I feel just like the Ikan Patin.
Have a meaningful Wesak Day :)
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
52 Days To Go!
Argh, such a busy week! Just to keep everyone in the loop, here are some updates for the week:
1)I was invited for an extended run last Sunday by Mr. Kelvin Ng. We met at the Sungai Buloh R&R on the way back from the Bidor Half Marathon, which he took part in as well. We had a small chat and next thing I know, we exchanged numbers and I was invited for an extended run from Bukit Aman to Sri Hartamas and back. Now, that's a good 21KM! We met at 630am and began running through Bukit Tunku and the Jalan Kuching Roundabout before reaching Sri Hartamas. We made a quick water break at the Petronas at Sri Hartamas before running back again, the entire 21KM taking 2 hours and 20 minutes. The highlight of the morning wasn't the run, but Mr. Kelvin himself! He seem to know every runner whom we met along the way and miraculously, he was laughing and talking non-stop throughout the entire run! I have to say, he's one of the more eccentric runners I've met. A jovial chap who has run 18 (!!!) marathons himself, Kelvin was an excellent running partner as we exchanged thoughts about running, life and our backgrounds. Later did I find out that he's the Pacestters Vice President of the Tasik Permaisuri Area Group! He's part of a group known as DER PACEMAKERS, a running community which is a subset of Pacestters. Argh, if only I had more time..
2) YAY!
My first RM100 for my Run For A Cause Category!!! I just found out about it last Thursday as I was preparing the "Help Jimmy and Ray Mun Run For A Cause" Group on Facebook! So happy! At first, I thought it was some random stranger who...shared the same believes as I did? But only later did I find out that it was contribution from Miss T, Kah Hwee and Hamsap Mustaqim! THANKS THANKS THANKS, YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! Now just RM400 to go!
3) The Distribution Box has been circulating around University, mainly in M207 this week and ME109 and ME208 in previous weeks. I was actually quite pessimistic about raising funds from my University mates, that they wouldn't see the truth in my cause. But how glad am I to be wronged, the Contribution Box is getting fuller day by day. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT GUYS! And I always believe that support comes in all forms - be it monetary, physical or morale, of which the latter I received today:
4) It's 52 days to the event and I've yet to run this week! I had my IMS presentation today and thank goodness that it's done! I'll just have enough time to catch a breather, before clocking up another 40km later this week. Come early June, I will need to clock up at least 70km a week, inclusive of a 30KM extended run! But before that, there's this little problem called "In Course Assesment" to settle on May 29th. *grumbles*
Till then, cheers!!! :)
1)I was invited for an extended run last Sunday by Mr. Kelvin Ng. We met at the Sungai Buloh R&R on the way back from the Bidor Half Marathon, which he took part in as well. We had a small chat and next thing I know, we exchanged numbers and I was invited for an extended run from Bukit Aman to Sri Hartamas and back. Now, that's a good 21KM! We met at 630am and began running through Bukit Tunku and the Jalan Kuching Roundabout before reaching Sri Hartamas. We made a quick water break at the Petronas at Sri Hartamas before running back again, the entire 21KM taking 2 hours and 20 minutes. The highlight of the morning wasn't the run, but Mr. Kelvin himself! He seem to know every runner whom we met along the way and miraculously, he was laughing and talking non-stop throughout the entire run! I have to say, he's one of the more eccentric runners I've met. A jovial chap who has run 18 (!!!) marathons himself, Kelvin was an excellent running partner as we exchanged thoughts about running, life and our backgrounds. Later did I find out that he's the Pacestters Vice President of the Tasik Permaisuri Area Group! He's part of a group known as DER PACEMAKERS, a running community which is a subset of Pacestters. Argh, if only I had more time..
2) YAY!
My first RM100 for my Run For A Cause Category!!! I just found out about it last Thursday as I was preparing the "Help Jimmy and Ray Mun Run For A Cause" Group on Facebook! So happy! At first, I thought it was some random stranger who...shared the same believes as I did? But only later did I find out that it was contribution from Miss T, Kah Hwee and Hamsap Mustaqim! THANKS THANKS THANKS, YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! Now just RM400 to go!
3) The Distribution Box has been circulating around University, mainly in M207 this week and ME109 and ME208 in previous weeks. I was actually quite pessimistic about raising funds from my University mates, that they wouldn't see the truth in my cause. But how glad am I to be wronged, the Contribution Box is getting fuller day by day. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT GUYS! And I always believe that support comes in all forms - be it monetary, physical or morale, of which the latter I received today:
Thanks a lot for the book and well wishes, Kai Rou, Shi Hoay, Xin Ying, Ying See, Wei Sheng, Szu May, Whei Ying, Le Min, Justin, Jeannie and Roderick! :D
4) It's 52 days to the event and I've yet to run this week! I had my IMS presentation today and thank goodness that it's done! I'll just have enough time to catch a breather, before clocking up another 40km later this week. Come early June, I will need to clock up at least 70km a week, inclusive of a 30KM extended run! But before that, there's this little problem called "In Course Assesment" to settle on May 29th. *grumbles*
Till then, cheers!!! :)
Friday, May 1, 2009
SHELTER - Home For Children (Part 1/4)
HELLO!
Before I start, many thanks to Miss C for designing the blog header! RAWR! Only thing now is to get Jimmy to start blogging and the blog will be OFFICIALLY up and running. Once again, thank you Miss C! :)
Okay as mentioned above, this entry will be about My Cause in the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009's Run For A Cause - SHELTER Home for Children! I thought that there was a need to know more about SHELTER and it's cause, and at the same time, spread this information to the people around me, including - YOU!
From what I got from SHELTER's website, SHELTER is a non-government welfare organisation which provides a safe haven for abused, abandoned and neglected children, from all walks of life. When I mean safe haven, it literally means the provision of a suitable living environment for growing up, character building and spiritual nourishment. For this means, they have 4 different homes, each addressing a separate agenda of the organisation's initiatives. Each home is simply named Shelter 1, Shelter 2, Shelter 3 and Shelter 4. Besides, they aim to raise awareness among members of the public on child abuse and child protection, plus a whole lot of other causes.
Well, that is what they say. And I thought to myself, why not see it for myself!
And that is exactly what I did, on this lovely Saturday morning. From SHELTER's website, only Shelter 1's phone number was listed, which I took down and called. I was greeted by a middle-aged Indian women, who graciously invited me over to Shelter 1 to have a look at their home. Although they were already having some visitors, she said the visit of just 1 person wouldn't be a problem. After taking down their address, I was on my way.
The first thing that hit me about Shelter 1 was the house itself, just off Jalan Gasing. The home was a double-story bungalow, with ample space around it. They had a van parked in the driveway, which was probably used to ferry the children from place to place. And remarkably, the place was extremely well kept, unlike other homes which I've visited in the past.
I was met at the front door by Shelter 1's manager - Mr. Nelson. I introduced myself, careful not to mention anything about the Standard Chartered KL Marathon to him. I was, "a University student who wanted to have a look around". That was what I told him.
Mr. Nelson
Mr. Nelson was informative and helpful. He began explaining to me about the history of SHELTER, on how it first started off as a single home in 1981, with only 3 children in it. As it slowly expanded, another 3 homes were built to accommodate the increasing number of children brought in, with each home handling different age categories. Right now, Shelter 1 houses 13 children, of which all of them are below the age of 13. Shelter 2 houses teenage girls, from 13 to 18 years of age while Shelter 3 houses teenage boys of the same age group. Shelter 4 is slightly different, where the children there are nurtured full time by staff who acts as the children's 'parents'. It's almost as if they're living with foster parents.
The children at Shelter 1
Back to Shelter 1! The children here consists of both boys and girls, of which all of them are schooling in different schools around the Petaling Jaya district. Some of them attend Chinese schools, one attends home schooling while a few more attend Mission Schools. As Mr. Nelson explains this to me, he brings me around the home, showing me the kitchen, toy library, male and female dormitory and the dining area along the way.
Some of the children's drawings
The upkeep of the home was good, with most of the furniture, books and toys arranged neatly. The dormitory was very well kept as well, the beds were neat and I didn't see any clothes lying on the floor. Even their shoes were arranged orderly in the shelves provided. Moving on to a financial point of view, it costs RM2000 to maintain the home monthly. This money comes from contributions from the public, and is used to pay the water and electricity bills, monthly provisions and such. They are truly blessed, as they also receive food contributions from the neighboring churches and from Gardenia, who sponsors them with bread 3 times a week.
Their makan roster!
Mr. Nelson explains to me that every child in this home helps out with maintaining the cleanliness of the house. They take turns cleaning the garden, clearing the drains, wiping the windows and such, which provides a good means of instilling independence and discipline.
I didn't get to meet many of the children, as a group of Red Crescent Society members from, of all places SMK Damansara Utama (!) were there conducting a community outreach programme. Sheeze man, what a coincidence! However, as I was exploring the garden I met up with this little boy, Vincent.
Today, his job was to help clear the clogged drains which surrounded the home. He had two Red Crescent members to assist him with his errand and I helped in as well. At first, he was a bit shy and passive. He preferred to talk to himself as he started scrapping off the moss from the drain. I tried all sorts of things to start a conversation, from introducing myself to helping with the moss, but...he was still a bit reluctant to speak?
That's Vincent, in orange
I guess it's this field where I'm weak at. I fail to understand that Vincent, who was probably a victim of neglect or abuse, is different from most children. As what Mr. Nelson mentioned, because of their past these children are quite reclusive when it comes to trust on people, moreover a perfect stranger like me.
After a little cajoling, we started talking. Bit by bit, he introduced himself and started talking more and more about himself. He was 12 years old, and wants to be a pianist when he grows up! After cleaning up the drain, he offered to get me a drink of water and asked me to play basketball with him, which I duly agreed. And he wasn't too bad at all! This 12 year old kid duly out-shot, out-dribbled and out-played his 21 year old opponent. I feel like an uncle =p.
Vincent
I think that was the one moment that really made my day, seeing Vincent running around with the ball, trying a shot over and over again whenever he misses, to hear him laugh and see him smile. Ok la, got motivation to run already.
I left the home a while later, as the Red Crescent members proceeded to conduct activities with the children. I thanked Mr. Nelson and bid goodbye, only to realize that I did not say my farewells to Vincent when I was on my way home!!! Argh! That sucked so badly...
But I'll be back, that's a promise!
ps: my apologies for the photos, or rather lack of them. i was advised against taking too many photos by Mr. Nelson.
ps2: this will the first out of 4 entries about SHELTER - Home For Children. i will be visiting Shelter 2, 3 and 4 in the next few weeks, as a build up to the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009.
Before I start, many thanks to Miss C for designing the blog header! RAWR! Only thing now is to get Jimmy to start blogging and the blog will be OFFICIALLY up and running. Once again, thank you Miss C! :)
Okay as mentioned above, this entry will be about My Cause in the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009's Run For A Cause - SHELTER Home for Children! I thought that there was a need to know more about SHELTER and it's cause, and at the same time, spread this information to the people around me, including - YOU!
From what I got from SHELTER's website, SHELTER is a non-government welfare organisation which provides a safe haven for abused, abandoned and neglected children, from all walks of life. When I mean safe haven, it literally means the provision of a suitable living environment for growing up, character building and spiritual nourishment. For this means, they have 4 different homes, each addressing a separate agenda of the organisation's initiatives. Each home is simply named Shelter 1, Shelter 2, Shelter 3 and Shelter 4. Besides, they aim to raise awareness among members of the public on child abuse and child protection, plus a whole lot of other causes.
Well, that is what they say. And I thought to myself, why not see it for myself!
And that is exactly what I did, on this lovely Saturday morning. From SHELTER's website, only Shelter 1's phone number was listed, which I took down and called. I was greeted by a middle-aged Indian women, who graciously invited me over to Shelter 1 to have a look at their home. Although they were already having some visitors, she said the visit of just 1 person wouldn't be a problem. After taking down their address, I was on my way.
The first thing that hit me about Shelter 1 was the house itself, just off Jalan Gasing. The home was a double-story bungalow, with ample space around it. They had a van parked in the driveway, which was probably used to ferry the children from place to place. And remarkably, the place was extremely well kept, unlike other homes which I've visited in the past.
I was met at the front door by Shelter 1's manager - Mr. Nelson. I introduced myself, careful not to mention anything about the Standard Chartered KL Marathon to him. I was, "a University student who wanted to have a look around". That was what I told him.
Mr. NelsonMr. Nelson was informative and helpful. He began explaining to me about the history of SHELTER, on how it first started off as a single home in 1981, with only 3 children in it. As it slowly expanded, another 3 homes were built to accommodate the increasing number of children brought in, with each home handling different age categories. Right now, Shelter 1 houses 13 children, of which all of them are below the age of 13. Shelter 2 houses teenage girls, from 13 to 18 years of age while Shelter 3 houses teenage boys of the same age group. Shelter 4 is slightly different, where the children there are nurtured full time by staff who acts as the children's 'parents'. It's almost as if they're living with foster parents.
The children at Shelter 1Back to Shelter 1! The children here consists of both boys and girls, of which all of them are schooling in different schools around the Petaling Jaya district. Some of them attend Chinese schools, one attends home schooling while a few more attend Mission Schools. As Mr. Nelson explains this to me, he brings me around the home, showing me the kitchen, toy library, male and female dormitory and the dining area along the way.
Some of the children's drawingsThe upkeep of the home was good, with most of the furniture, books and toys arranged neatly. The dormitory was very well kept as well, the beds were neat and I didn't see any clothes lying on the floor. Even their shoes were arranged orderly in the shelves provided. Moving on to a financial point of view, it costs RM2000 to maintain the home monthly. This money comes from contributions from the public, and is used to pay the water and electricity bills, monthly provisions and such. They are truly blessed, as they also receive food contributions from the neighboring churches and from Gardenia, who sponsors them with bread 3 times a week.
Their makan roster!Mr. Nelson explains to me that every child in this home helps out with maintaining the cleanliness of the house. They take turns cleaning the garden, clearing the drains, wiping the windows and such, which provides a good means of instilling independence and discipline.
I didn't get to meet many of the children, as a group of Red Crescent Society members from, of all places SMK Damansara Utama (!) were there conducting a community outreach programme. Sheeze man, what a coincidence! However, as I was exploring the garden I met up with this little boy, Vincent.
Today, his job was to help clear the clogged drains which surrounded the home. He had two Red Crescent members to assist him with his errand and I helped in as well. At first, he was a bit shy and passive. He preferred to talk to himself as he started scrapping off the moss from the drain. I tried all sorts of things to start a conversation, from introducing myself to helping with the moss, but...he was still a bit reluctant to speak?
That's Vincent, in orangeI guess it's this field where I'm weak at. I fail to understand that Vincent, who was probably a victim of neglect or abuse, is different from most children. As what Mr. Nelson mentioned, because of their past these children are quite reclusive when it comes to trust on people, moreover a perfect stranger like me.
After a little cajoling, we started talking. Bit by bit, he introduced himself and started talking more and more about himself. He was 12 years old, and wants to be a pianist when he grows up! After cleaning up the drain, he offered to get me a drink of water and asked me to play basketball with him, which I duly agreed. And he wasn't too bad at all! This 12 year old kid duly out-shot, out-dribbled and out-played his 21 year old opponent. I feel like an uncle =p.
VincentI think that was the one moment that really made my day, seeing Vincent running around with the ball, trying a shot over and over again whenever he misses, to hear him laugh and see him smile. Ok la, got motivation to run already.
I left the home a while later, as the Red Crescent members proceeded to conduct activities with the children. I thanked Mr. Nelson and bid goodbye, only to realize that I did not say my farewells to Vincent when I was on my way home!!! Argh! That sucked so badly...
But I'll be back, that's a promise!
ps: my apologies for the photos, or rather lack of them. i was advised against taking too many photos by Mr. Nelson.
ps2: this will the first out of 4 entries about SHELTER - Home For Children. i will be visiting Shelter 2, 3 and 4 in the next few weeks, as a build up to the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Bidor Half Marathon 2009
Greetings everyone!
Just a little update about my weekend excursion to the little known but heartwarming town known as Bidor, in south Perak. I was there with fellow running enthusiasts Le Min and Roderick for... The Bidor Half Marathon 2009!
We left from the IMU to Bidor at about 4pm. Along the way, we stopped by at a local pharmacist to purchase PowerBars and PowerBar Gels to be used tomorrow. It was out first attempt at 21.1KM and we weren't taking any chances.
Getting to Bidor wasn't too hard. As a child, my dad would make a pit-stop at Bidor during our trips up North to Penang and Ipoh. I remember eating their famous Chicken Biscuits, Herbal Duck Noodle and Wantan Mee for breakfast whenever we travelled up North in the wee hours of the morning, while we'd buy water jambu and guava on the way back to Kuala Lumpur. Fond memories, I must admit.
That's us (L-R: Le Min, Roderick and myself) at the Sungai Buloh R&R, having our customary Satay Kajang Haji Samuri and A&W Root Beer.
The drive took us about 2 hours, at my pace. It was highway all the way and the weather was good. The shadow cast by the ominous Gunung Liang East & West greeted us as we passed by Tanjung Malim and soon enough it was time to exit the North South Highway for Bidor.
Le Min, snoozing all the way while Roderick and myself tried hard to stay awake.
Once entering the town, it's amazing how much the town hasn't changed since my childhood days. The roads were busier and a KFC has popped up, but the roadside hawkers and green grocers were still around while the colonial buildings remained unchanged, albeit a new coat of paint.
Not much time to reminiscence on the past though. We entered town and proceeded to look for Tukang Jahit Mexico, who has our running numbers for tomorrow's race. While looking for the shop lot, we came across the starting line for the Bidor Half Marathon. The gateway demarcating the starting line was still being erected, using metal scaffolding and construction items. Absolutely hilarious! Yet, highly impressive.
Finally, Roderick is dwarfed by something.
After asking for directions from the locals, we found the shop tucked in a little corner off the main road. While walking along the back roads, you can really see why I still have so much fond memories of Bidor - the traditional bicycle repair shops, coffee shops thronged by locals enjoying their coffee and the Taoist prayer shops which sells paper effigies and huge jossticks. Man, I hope these places don't disappear in the future..
We registered ourselves with the owner of the shop in my broken Cantonese, of whom we found out was a seasoned runner himself! We collected our running numbers and free T Shirt, before making a move for dinner.
LODERICK KONG! Just like how a Chinaman would pronounce it! HAHAHAHA!
My ticket to tomorrow's race.
After dinner, Roderick suggested that we check out the route for tomorrow's race. On the way into town, we did see a few signages which indicated the route for the run, and we decided to see where it would bring us. We got into my car and soon drove from the starting point, following the signages along the way, knowing that this is the route we'd be running come 630am Sunday morning.
To put things into perspective, the map of the route was misleading to say the least. The first 10KM was relatively flat, albeit a few uphills and downhills. But the final 11.1KM was a real killer - it looked like the Mizuno Wave Run all over again! It was so hilly that even my car had problems going through all those windy uphills and downhills, I can't imagine running this route the following day! What made things worse was the fact that we had to run the same route twice, meaning that we had to double back on which ever way we came from, to complete the entire 21.1KM.
I can't explain how it felt like, finding out one demoralizing fact after the other as we drove on. It was like someone was conspiring against you from the very start. Whatever consolation we had proved to be false hope and that sucked. The idea of running the entire 21.1KM the following day sucked even more.
We reached town and parked the car in front of the Start-Finish line. All of us, were silent and deep in thought. Even Roderick, for once had nothing to say. The whole car was completely silent. It was then, when the feeling hit me.
Fear.
I never felt it before, the feeling was so foreign that I wasn't sure how to react to it. The 1 hour 50 minutes Jimmy took seemed impossible, while the 2 hour 30 minutes I budgeted looked even more impossible! I made the Number 1 mistake that I always told my juniors not to do so - I underestimated the route. I was expecting a flat and fast route all the way and I didn't bother training for uphills in the past, only to regret the day before the competition.
We decided to call it a night. Roderick and Le Min were fast asleep while I spent the rest of the night reflecting over Sunday's challenge. I didn't want to give up half way during the race, hell no! But then again, I have to be realistic with my chances. All those uphills seemed to have seeped every ounce of motivation from me.
Then again, it's amazing what a phone call, a few SMSes and a magical running number can do :)
Just give it a shot la, Ray Mun.
Roderick and Le Min had no problem sleeping at the Community Hall.
We woke up on 5am the following morning, with hardly enough sleep. Last night's worries were still lingering but there's little to do but to run the race. And finish it well.
Roderick and Le Min, at the Start-Finish line before the race.
Brooks. Asics. Brooks.
All warmed up and ready for the race.
I can't explain how running the entire 21.1km felt like either. Running a Half Marathon is very different from running a 10km road race. "You'll get to see more things" as Ren Yi puts it. Looking back, I felt that it was more of a mental challenge than a physical one. You gotta have the will to soldier on when the going gets tough, with such a long distance to cover and I was glad I found it that day. I was fortunate that Roderick and myself decided to pace one another too - he'd pace me on the flats while I'll push him on the uphills. We paced at about 9.5 minutes a mile (1.6km) for the first 5km, before gradually increasing our pace or slowing down whenever we hit an uphill. I still can't comprehend why he calculates his distance in Miles! Pfft. That aside, I think the most important lesson that was drilled into my head was understanding that we were running our own race, not someone elses. We overtook a few, and a few more overtook us - it didn't matter.
Running at this pace was much slower than my normal 10KM speed, which allowed me to notice more of my surroundings. The skies were clear and we could see the mountain ranges. The air was fresh and clean, our breathing rapid but clean. Some runners were deep in concentration, others huffing and puffing away, their faces writhed in agony. So much pain, so much suffering to endure but yet, they persisted - each of them were running for a cause only they themselves know.
The most worrying part of the race occured when I hit a stitch at KM11, right before the water station. It disappeared after a while but the fear persisted. The final 10KM of the race was a real test of will power - the will to finish it well, the will not to stop or slow down. It really, really needs a whole lot of mental discipline, especially whenever you feel like quitting when you hit those slopes. It was an internal battle of sorts, with the mind telling the body not to quit. And of course, all those shouting to myself helped too :).
On a personal note, the most inspiring part of the run was pushing pass the 17KM mark and seeing the signage which went "4KM To Go!". 17KM was my personal best and surpassing that mark was a real morale booster, it gave me a good shot of adrenaline when I needed it. Then again, the most mentally torturing part of the race was the final 3KM. Seeing the signages slowly count down from 3Km to 2KM and finally 1KM was a real torture, the harder and faster you run, the slower the distances seem to tick down!
With all that said and done, nothing felt better like tearing down the final 100M. For a moment, the entire 21KM I ran didn't seem to matter. There's something special having the finishing line in sight, with your arms swinging in full motion and you holding your breath as you take that final sprint. Everything that you ever thought of doing as your approach the finishing line, from promises to poses, all go out the window. All that pain and agony seems so far away. It's something that can't be explained, only experienced.
The finishing line, something I thought I would never see.
And when you finally cross that finishing line, it feels like a burden being lifted off your chest. Just like that. You inhale deeply as you reach and rest your arms on your knees. You can finally sit, resting your aching feet and letting all that blood rush back to your arms which have been stone cold for the past 2 hours or so. You start to regain your senses once again, one by one - feelings like the abrasion on your thighs, the soaking wet running shorts clinging to your skin.
The feeling is surreal.
That's when reality checks back in. What made my day was my timing - 1 hour and 55 minutes, something which I doubted from the very beginning. My positioning - 90th. Not bad at all! It was my first shot at a Half Marathon, and a damn hard one I would say. I guess I proved to myself that boundaries are always meant to be broken, and these boundaries are set by no one else but ourselves.
Woohoo!
I was met at the finishing line by Ren Yi, who completed his 10KM run in 46 minutes, his personal best. He came in 13th position, just 3 places of a Top 10 trophy. Roderick came in soon after, finishing 98th with a timing of 1 hour and 58 minutes.
Roderick and Ren Yi.
Sharing a lighter moment after the race.
Soon after, Le Min made her way across the finishing line. It was her first attempt at 21.1KM as well, and she did it in an impressive 2 hour and 15 minutes. Not bad at all!
Le Min.
36th position overall. Good job, Le Min!
YOSH! Roderick, Ren Yi, Le Min and yours truly (with his truly magical running number :) )
After rehydrating ourselves and taking a few photos, we chose to warm down at the Community Hall, far from the presence of the crowd. It was the sort of peace that I needed, to reflect on a day's running which I thought was impossible, even before the race started. The aches from my joints were more apparent, which reminded me of my journey this morning. A journey of self discovery, and more importantly, a journey of rising to a challenge when the tough gets going.
Posing for the cameras.
After that, we changed back into clean clothings and had a quick brunch at a local coffee shop before heading back for KL. Roderick and I were excited at the prospect of running the entire 42.195KM in the upcoming Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009 that we began discussing future training regimes during the drive back to KL while Le Min had her customary snooze along the way.
Till next time, cheers!
Yes, that's Le Min sleeping in the background =p
Just a little update about my weekend excursion to the little known but heartwarming town known as Bidor, in south Perak. I was there with fellow running enthusiasts Le Min and Roderick for... The Bidor Half Marathon 2009!
We left from the IMU to Bidor at about 4pm. Along the way, we stopped by at a local pharmacist to purchase PowerBars and PowerBar Gels to be used tomorrow. It was out first attempt at 21.1KM and we weren't taking any chances.
Getting to Bidor wasn't too hard. As a child, my dad would make a pit-stop at Bidor during our trips up North to Penang and Ipoh. I remember eating their famous Chicken Biscuits, Herbal Duck Noodle and Wantan Mee for breakfast whenever we travelled up North in the wee hours of the morning, while we'd buy water jambu and guava on the way back to Kuala Lumpur. Fond memories, I must admit.
That's us (L-R: Le Min, Roderick and myself) at the Sungai Buloh R&R, having our customary Satay Kajang Haji Samuri and A&W Root Beer.
The drive took us about 2 hours, at my pace. It was highway all the way and the weather was good. The shadow cast by the ominous Gunung Liang East & West greeted us as we passed by Tanjung Malim and soon enough it was time to exit the North South Highway for Bidor.
Le Min, snoozing all the way while Roderick and myself tried hard to stay awake.
Once entering the town, it's amazing how much the town hasn't changed since my childhood days. The roads were busier and a KFC has popped up, but the roadside hawkers and green grocers were still around while the colonial buildings remained unchanged, albeit a new coat of paint.
Not much time to reminiscence on the past though. We entered town and proceeded to look for Tukang Jahit Mexico, who has our running numbers for tomorrow's race. While looking for the shop lot, we came across the starting line for the Bidor Half Marathon. The gateway demarcating the starting line was still being erected, using metal scaffolding and construction items. Absolutely hilarious! Yet, highly impressive.
Finally, Roderick is dwarfed by something.
After asking for directions from the locals, we found the shop tucked in a little corner off the main road. While walking along the back roads, you can really see why I still have so much fond memories of Bidor - the traditional bicycle repair shops, coffee shops thronged by locals enjoying their coffee and the Taoist prayer shops which sells paper effigies and huge jossticks. Man, I hope these places don't disappear in the future..
We registered ourselves with the owner of the shop in my broken Cantonese, of whom we found out was a seasoned runner himself! We collected our running numbers and free T Shirt, before making a move for dinner.
LODERICK KONG! Just like how a Chinaman would pronounce it! HAHAHAHA!
My ticket to tomorrow's race.
After dinner, Roderick suggested that we check out the route for tomorrow's race. On the way into town, we did see a few signages which indicated the route for the run, and we decided to see where it would bring us. We got into my car and soon drove from the starting point, following the signages along the way, knowing that this is the route we'd be running come 630am Sunday morning.
To put things into perspective, the map of the route was misleading to say the least. The first 10KM was relatively flat, albeit a few uphills and downhills. But the final 11.1KM was a real killer - it looked like the Mizuno Wave Run all over again! It was so hilly that even my car had problems going through all those windy uphills and downhills, I can't imagine running this route the following day! What made things worse was the fact that we had to run the same route twice, meaning that we had to double back on which ever way we came from, to complete the entire 21.1KM.
I can't explain how it felt like, finding out one demoralizing fact after the other as we drove on. It was like someone was conspiring against you from the very start. Whatever consolation we had proved to be false hope and that sucked. The idea of running the entire 21.1KM the following day sucked even more.
We reached town and parked the car in front of the Start-Finish line. All of us, were silent and deep in thought. Even Roderick, for once had nothing to say. The whole car was completely silent. It was then, when the feeling hit me.
Fear.
I never felt it before, the feeling was so foreign that I wasn't sure how to react to it. The 1 hour 50 minutes Jimmy took seemed impossible, while the 2 hour 30 minutes I budgeted looked even more impossible! I made the Number 1 mistake that I always told my juniors not to do so - I underestimated the route. I was expecting a flat and fast route all the way and I didn't bother training for uphills in the past, only to regret the day before the competition.
We decided to call it a night. Roderick and Le Min were fast asleep while I spent the rest of the night reflecting over Sunday's challenge. I didn't want to give up half way during the race, hell no! But then again, I have to be realistic with my chances. All those uphills seemed to have seeped every ounce of motivation from me.
Then again, it's amazing what a phone call, a few SMSes and a magical running number can do :)
Just give it a shot la, Ray Mun.
Roderick and Le Min had no problem sleeping at the Community Hall.
We woke up on 5am the following morning, with hardly enough sleep. Last night's worries were still lingering but there's little to do but to run the race. And finish it well.
Roderick and Le Min, at the Start-Finish line before the race.
Brooks. Asics. Brooks.
All warmed up and ready for the race.
I can't explain how running the entire 21.1km felt like either. Running a Half Marathon is very different from running a 10km road race. "You'll get to see more things" as Ren Yi puts it. Looking back, I felt that it was more of a mental challenge than a physical one. You gotta have the will to soldier on when the going gets tough, with such a long distance to cover and I was glad I found it that day. I was fortunate that Roderick and myself decided to pace one another too - he'd pace me on the flats while I'll push him on the uphills. We paced at about 9.5 minutes a mile (1.6km) for the first 5km, before gradually increasing our pace or slowing down whenever we hit an uphill. I still can't comprehend why he calculates his distance in Miles! Pfft. That aside, I think the most important lesson that was drilled into my head was understanding that we were running our own race, not someone elses. We overtook a few, and a few more overtook us - it didn't matter.
Running at this pace was much slower than my normal 10KM speed, which allowed me to notice more of my surroundings. The skies were clear and we could see the mountain ranges. The air was fresh and clean, our breathing rapid but clean. Some runners were deep in concentration, others huffing and puffing away, their faces writhed in agony. So much pain, so much suffering to endure but yet, they persisted - each of them were running for a cause only they themselves know.
The most worrying part of the race occured when I hit a stitch at KM11, right before the water station. It disappeared after a while but the fear persisted. The final 10KM of the race was a real test of will power - the will to finish it well, the will not to stop or slow down. It really, really needs a whole lot of mental discipline, especially whenever you feel like quitting when you hit those slopes. It was an internal battle of sorts, with the mind telling the body not to quit. And of course, all those shouting to myself helped too :).
On a personal note, the most inspiring part of the run was pushing pass the 17KM mark and seeing the signage which went "4KM To Go!". 17KM was my personal best and surpassing that mark was a real morale booster, it gave me a good shot of adrenaline when I needed it. Then again, the most mentally torturing part of the race was the final 3KM. Seeing the signages slowly count down from 3Km to 2KM and finally 1KM was a real torture, the harder and faster you run, the slower the distances seem to tick down!
With all that said and done, nothing felt better like tearing down the final 100M. For a moment, the entire 21KM I ran didn't seem to matter. There's something special having the finishing line in sight, with your arms swinging in full motion and you holding your breath as you take that final sprint. Everything that you ever thought of doing as your approach the finishing line, from promises to poses, all go out the window. All that pain and agony seems so far away. It's something that can't be explained, only experienced.
The finishing line, something I thought I would never see.
And when you finally cross that finishing line, it feels like a burden being lifted off your chest. Just like that. You inhale deeply as you reach and rest your arms on your knees. You can finally sit, resting your aching feet and letting all that blood rush back to your arms which have been stone cold for the past 2 hours or so. You start to regain your senses once again, one by one - feelings like the abrasion on your thighs, the soaking wet running shorts clinging to your skin.
The feeling is surreal.
That's when reality checks back in. What made my day was my timing - 1 hour and 55 minutes, something which I doubted from the very beginning. My positioning - 90th. Not bad at all! It was my first shot at a Half Marathon, and a damn hard one I would say. I guess I proved to myself that boundaries are always meant to be broken, and these boundaries are set by no one else but ourselves.
Woohoo!
I was met at the finishing line by Ren Yi, who completed his 10KM run in 46 minutes, his personal best. He came in 13th position, just 3 places of a Top 10 trophy. Roderick came in soon after, finishing 98th with a timing of 1 hour and 58 minutes.
Roderick and Ren Yi.
Sharing a lighter moment after the race.
Soon after, Le Min made her way across the finishing line. It was her first attempt at 21.1KM as well, and she did it in an impressive 2 hour and 15 minutes. Not bad at all!
Le Min.
36th position overall. Good job, Le Min!
YOSH! Roderick, Ren Yi, Le Min and yours truly (with his truly magical running number :) )
After rehydrating ourselves and taking a few photos, we chose to warm down at the Community Hall, far from the presence of the crowd. It was the sort of peace that I needed, to reflect on a day's running which I thought was impossible, even before the race started. The aches from my joints were more apparent, which reminded me of my journey this morning. A journey of self discovery, and more importantly, a journey of rising to a challenge when the tough gets going.
Posing for the cameras.
After that, we changed back into clean clothings and had a quick brunch at a local coffee shop before heading back for KL. Roderick and I were excited at the prospect of running the entire 42.195KM in the upcoming Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009 that we began discussing future training regimes during the drive back to KL while Le Min had her customary snooze along the way.
Till next time, cheers!
Yes, that's Le Min sleeping in the background =p
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