34 years of endurance sports. Endured a heart attack and major surgeries, but I'm still at it. Only Open Water Swimming now. Very ably supported by my Thai wife, Tip. We are living in Malaysia and I swim to stay healthy.
I just love this photo of our Bukit Aman Car Park running buddies enjoying their Hong Kong Marathon effort. Everyone did a PB as far as I know. Well done.
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Then (don't look) and now. Then, it wasn't that long ago
Now (with Yip). Wan't to know how its done?
Easy sunday: 20 km run, 12 minutes slower than last week. A large crowd with the Marathoners back from Hong Kong. Ran with AJ who did very well. Had breakfast, a nap then an easy one hour swim. Looking forward to March 6th's LSD.
I would have to say our National Track cyclist (Azizul), is my national sporting hero. See the splinter that's pierced his calf, it won't happen in badminton or squash.
I have never met him in real life, the National Cycling coach speaks volumes of this guy as an athlete and as a person too. The way he squeezed through two cyclists (Commonwealth Games at Delhi) at breakneck speed is firmly etched in my memory.
Other Heroes - my running buddies at the Hong Kong Marathon.
I jokingly tell them, "not to return unless they get a PB". Well that's what all of them got:
They said the temp. was 13 C, cloudy, good aid stations etc. Well done.
Heroes going for the Cairns Challenge (IM distance):
We wish them the best (5 June 2011)
Heroes going for IM China (29 May 2011):
And, Sam Pritchard is doing IM New Zealand (first week March 2011)
My Sunday Run (20 Feb 2011):
First usual 20km was a PB (1 hr 55min) by a whopping two or three mins. I couldn't keep it up for the subsequent 10.8km double hill. Total time was 3hr 11 min, one min off my PB for the 31km route.
Have a nice day.
Date: 24 April 2011
Swim: 4 km
Bike: 127 km
Run: 30 kmFlight: Firefly (leaving Friday, back Monday). About RM 750 per pax return. Bike bag is RM50 (sports equipment). Refreshments provided. The flight is the key. The fare is already going up.
Entry Fee: 6,000 baht + 2,000 baht (license / insurance) + 600 baht deposit for chip
Latest : Accomodation done on 23 Feb 2011. We have booked Ibis Hotel (1,600 Baht per night). This hotel was specifically recommended by the organiser when we called them. It's right at the race start and highly rated by people that have stayed there. The special race price is about 1,000 Baht less than the normal rate.
First man prize: 800,000 baht
First woman prize: 500,000 baht
Contact person: Frederick (speaks English). +6689742360
It is a big budget international race. Many professionals have already been invited, all paid for.
Koh Samui we all hear is a magical location. I have never been there. I am so so excited.
People I know almost certain of doing the Race:
Malaysian residents we have 11 persons.
Thank you so much Jocelyn Wong.
First of all we apologise, we only made 48 pieces of the pineapple cake. It went like hot cakes and was snapped up so fast. For Yin Yin Boey's mum, Tip has already said she will do something special for her (the next PAC LSD is on 6 March 2011). We have decided for the next get together, we will give away a few hundred pieces of baked stuff.
I was pleasantly surprised by the look of happiness on everyone's faces as they gobbled down the cakes. What an ice breaker and whats wrong with spreading happiness and love in this world (which is actually the Bukit Aman car park). So next LSD (6 March 2011), it will be a few hundred pieces.
this lady too
this bloke too and Juliana Ali
Siok Bee
TSB, Yin Yin, AP, Doc etc.
My own run that Sunday was a total disaster. Did two shortcuts and 31 km became 27 km. I thank my run buddy, Hoo Ching Cheong who stayed beside me the whole way. Hats off to the people that did the Putrajaya Twilight Run.
One week later. Sunday 6 Feb 2011. 31 km a PB, 3 hrs 10 mins. I guess now with experience I sort of know what training works and what doesn't. So one week down the road, a debacle has turned into a PB.
The full running crowd is still not back from their holidays, but a number of the regulars were there. Each running group seem to have their parking spot. The National Marathon Champion (Shaharuddin) is there every Sunday, the Moroccan, Richard Hadebeya, Goh ...well thats the fast runners. Terence and his ultra run group ----Doc Pui San, Dannie etc (whom I think the world off), Nik & Jaja & Shah, Karen Loh, Don Khor (just flying, he often does 42 km in 3 hrs 18 mins whilst training).
My run partner for the 31 km was Hoo Ching Tai (2nd from left in pic above). He is (sorry), fat but must have waited for me a hundred times. He and his brother have got the Hong Kong Marathon in February, then the Seoul Marathon in March.
Sunday 23 Jan 2011
Had my best run since 5 Dec 2010. 31 km (Petronas loop + double hill) taking 3 hrs 20 mins including two stops. Ran with Hoo Ching Cheong the whole way. The crowd was not as large as last week, but all the regulars were there.
I actually have only taken two days off training since IMWA as I didn't want to put the weight back on. But I started getting injuries and the run times were slower than before IMWA. This morning was a nice surprise. Put the SKINS suit on, plus 2XU calf guards for my injury. They worked a treat. No injury pain.
Got to balance the regular training, weight and injury management properly.
I have been a regular paying member (more or less) of Pacesetters Athletic Club (PAC) since they formed in 1984. Whilst I am not an active member, I totally believed in what they stood for. Its basically an avenue for runners to get together and build camaraderie. Since I've been running in 1984, I find that runners have the most camaraderie compared to say cyclists or even triathletes.
There's something about running, its a natural activity, no pretensions, it brings everyone down to earth and runners just love each other. Specifically the members of PAC are a simple lot. They organised a no frills Family Day at Padang Merbuk not too long ago, but everyone was happy to take part in its activities irrespective of who they were.
A committee member was bashed up this morning just a few meters from the car park. Terence made the announcement and within 5 minutes of passing the hat (which was actually a plastic bag), RM 500 was collected. This is just another example of how PAC members very very quickly rally around when someone needs help.
Being a Committee member of PAC is no easy matter, this morning many of their Committee members manned aid stations for the "Long Slow Distance" run that they organised. I wouldn't sacrifice my morning run.
The Bukit Aman Car Park was full this morning. It was a sea of runners to Sri Hartamas, the most I have seen.
A simple breakfast was provided after the run. Former President, Wan Yew Leong made the "teh tarik" again. Aparently he was passing the baton for overseeing a group of runners to Terence. I like Terence a lot actually. He has no qualms about standing on a chair to make an announcement. He will be brilliant, whatever it is he is supposed to do.
TIP'S PINEAPPLE CAKES. Tip (my wife) spent hours on Saturday making pineapple cakes for the runners, but on sunday morning announced that she didn't had a good sleep and couldn't go (its not the first time she's made cakes for PAC and then did not turn up).
There were 64 pieces. I distributed them like "hot cakes", no problem. I have made a lot of friends thanks to her baking abilities. Apart from the normal "thank you", "delicious" comments, there was also the "you have the best wife"......."has she got a sister". Yes I know I have a magic wife.
The morning was also the birthday for Doc Pui San (she and her friends have caught the running bug like nobody's business) and Malaysia's marathon legend Jenny Lim Kui Eng.
Mohan Marathon Maniac (117 marathons now) was also in town. I made a few new female friends too hooo hooo.
A brilliant morning, a brilliant get together, I love it.
Triathlon wise, the year 2010 was a very very good year for me, I won't get another year like it.
We managed to finish three Ironmans, two of them were just two weeks apart and of course the big icing on the cake was to get a lifetime Personal Best at IMWA.
I have done 13 Ironmans prior to IMWA, the previous best time was the first IM I did, which was in 1994 at Kona (those days, a Malaysian could take part just by writing in). However instead of improving after 1994, my times just got slower and slower. Nine of my IM times are more than 16 hours. In 2006, I was dead last at Langkawi. I figured I was not the Ironman type. But I loved what I was doing, I still don't know of a better feeling in my life, than the feeling I get, when I cross the finish line.
Before every race, we think we have put in the effort, surely we are going to hit the sweet spot this time. But invariably what happens, I have to keep on checking my watch during the run, to make sure I will meet the 17 hours' cut-off.
But not this time on 5 December 2010, I did hit the sweet spot, my wish did come true, I did get that Personal Best time erasing the previous best that I did at Kona in 1994. Plus I have a broken arm and all kinds of foot injuries.
27 Feb. Langkawi. I did about eight 200km rides after IMWA and ended some of those rides with 9 km runs, so I thought I was ready. But on race day I was so slow that I finished after midnight and came in last in my age group (16 hrs 28 mins).
We are blessed so many supporters came from KL, Thailand to Langkawi. Some ran with us a while, some waited at the remotest of places. There must have been more than 10,000 free pictures of us taken by them. The supporters and loved ones are the most important of people, we thank them.
As a Malaysian, I am ashamed to say that IM Langkawi is probably the worst organised IM race out of the 29 or so races on the planet. Its pathetic. Then there's the abusive kids all along the route making lunges for our water bottles etc. I saw a kid ram a cyclist with his motor bike. Late on the run, whilst I was all exhausted on the side of the road, a not so young kid came by and demanded for my "glow sticks" or was there anything else I could give him. I am surprised no one's killed them yet.
Having said that, I do hope Dato Chandran can pull a bunny from his political hat and give us a race on 14 May 2011. Anything is possible in Bolehland.
14 March, IM China. It was only my second trip to this great nation. Left on Friday and was back on Monday. It is by far the cheapest overseas IM race to do. I am very happy with the whole IM China experience. We stayed at the official hotel, so were bumping into the professional triathletes everywhere. World Champions, World record holders, legends, we took photos with all of them. Paradise for an IM junkie like me.
Police lined the whole cycling and running route. Spectators were polite and not abusive (unlike in Bolehland). The volunteers (University students) were so enthusiastic to please us.
Again I was always looking at my watch on the run to make sure I would make the cut-off. 2nd last in my age group (16 hrs 26 mins).
20 April, hosting Jocelyn Wong. This was when I resolved to change my diet. Instead of being all skin and bones after doing two Ironmans back to back, my tummy was as round as a balloon.
From this day on I only ate toast for breakfast and my wife's home made energy bars for lunch and when snacking. After so many many years of unsuccessfully trying to reduce my weight, this time it plummeted, 12 kgs worth in a few months.
Jocelyn Wong is a lovely person, very appreciative of what we did for her and I hope to see her again (won't be at IM China 2011 though as the new date is not OK for me).
Cycling mishap. On 1st May I also came the closest I have in my life to death (wow) whilst cycling. After around 200km of cycling alone, at Janda Baik, an insect bit me plus I think I got food poisoning from the mamak mee goreng at Bentong. I was so close to passing out but managed to get a lift from a luxury vehicle. Unfortunately I vomitted like a fountain in the vehicle. Anyway made it back after another lift from Joo Ngan's mechanic.
I have not been to Janda Baik since and now hardly cycle on the roads.
Train at home. Apart from the weekend runs, all my training is done at home. This is in fact why I have improved by leaps and bounds.
I only swim about 1 to 2 hours during the weekends in my little apartment pool. Its such a lovely little waveless pool. I have not been to a proper pool since April. But I was still second in my age group at PD and had the same swim splits as for previous years at IMWA. Relax during training.
My cycling is wholly spinning on the trainer at home in the mornings. I still did my best IM bike spilt at IMWA.
During weekdays, running is done around and around the apartment car park. Nothing wrong, I slashed 2.5 hours from my run splits at IM MY and IM China.
Training at home is the way to go. You are close to your loved ones, all your nutrition, gear needs are there, its cheap and you save maybe 10 hours a week in travelling time. Training at home in the still of the morning is definitely the way to go.
Ngae's passing. May was when Ngae passed away. One minute's silence please.
27 June SCKLM. 4 hrs 56 mins. For someone who regularly has amongst the slowest run split at IM MY, this performance was some doing. My run was coming back. My running (plodding) had been so poor when I got planta fasciitis in 2002. Now it was finally turning around.
25 July P.D. Triathlon. 9th in my age group (not last or second last). Things definitely turning around.
29 Aug (Perth City to Surf Marathon). 4 hrs 18 mins. Perth is a lovely place to visit. I am so fortunate that I have taken Tip to this beautiful location a number of times now. Run definitely improving.
26 Sep Newton 25 km run. 19th in category. I beat so many people that I have never beaten in my life. Of course, many people were still in front of me.
5 Dec IMWA 13 hours 25 min.
2011
Damn, the date for IM China has been changed. Not a good start.
We are all part of the Ironman family, boomed Mike Reilly during the carbo loading dinner. He was of course, spot on.
Since endurance sport became my hobby in 1984, I have only made friends with either runners, triathletes, cyclists, Ironmans and its supporters. I found talking to others to be a total waste of time. However if the other person was a runner or triathlete (no matter who), I could immediately connect with that person and have many things in common.
The camaraderie amongst the group from Malaysia was extra high this year given the way that Richard was keeping us always connected. He kept everyone engaged from before the trip started and I could sense that it was going to be a good trip.
Indeed it was a marvellous trip. Such a pity we had to return back to earth. Richard was the organiser, handyman and mechanic, plus he could switch on the kettle whilst I knew how to fill the kettle with water.
Claris and Tip were the best supporters in the world. They both got along with each other very well and with Melissa enjoyed cooking. That was the key probably, having communal meals. Kevin provided two cars for our use and he of course had "local knowledge". Miro, Senn, Ariff, Ezer and Denis joined in the merry making, so it was fun all around. I didn't do much actually or maybe did nothing was more accurate, what a life.
THE DINNER
The reunion dinner was at Fatty Crab Restaurant (they serve crabs), Taman Megah. Whilst everyone was stuck in traffic, I walked over to Tan Boon Foo's (BikePro) new shop. Its very swank looking compared to the old one. I don't think he will still be the cheapest bike shop in town now. Meeting him though is always a laugh.
We apologise for having the reunion on a weekday, which meant Miro couldn't come from Malacca. Everyone else was there though:
Ever thoughtful Richard was in his element again. Printing in colour and laminating the Finisher's Certificate for everyone. As I was the only one whose hair was exactly the same colour as the white wall, Richard gave me the honours of presenting the Certs to everyone (I am honoured Richard).
Tip (my wife), was also in her element handing out specially packed "Miang Kum" for everyone. I have been so fortunate to have married such a lovely person, that now I only know how to boil water and make toast.
The proud Finishers with our Certificates (thank you Richard)
Vynessa & Elyessa
We did it !!!!
Ariff came with his Finisher's Medal, woop woop
Ezer, his finisher's T was too small
Denis "we were there to entertain the crowd, who came to see us" (spot on Denis)
Richard, always very thoughtful
Tip explaining the Miang Kum to Senn & Ezer
Yay
A happy bloke
Denis & Senay
Kevin & Li-Ann (congratulations)
Reminder of the day - Patriotic Ezer
11 times Ironman finisher, Dr Tan Tah Ming held his 55th birthday bash over the weekend at his residence. The people that came were neighbours, Pacesetters' members, cyclists, triathletes and desert runners (his new love).
The 55th birthday is of special significance in Malaysia because that is the official retirement age for most people. You can tell what a person holds dear by the people that turn up. Dr Tan has already declared that he will use his retirement savings to participate in Desert races all over the world (good choice man).
I have been doing Triathlons, Ironmans, long rides with him for the past 20 years or so. He always, always has a smile on his face.
I am touched, when I said I had to leave his birthday bash early, he immediately called everyone around to blow the candles and made his birthday wish.
Some things about him:
Congratulations
