MP3 PLAYER AND NIKE ARM WALLET

Finally, I managed to retrieve my MP3 Player and Nike arm wallet ("Equipment") from Mr. Francis Toh. I did not realise that I had misplaced the Equipment at the goodies bag tent after the Great Eastern Pacesetters 30km run on 22 January 2006.

Thanks to Ms. S. H. Tan for informing me on the Equipment on 7 February 2006 at TTDI Park (in the evening) after reading my posting on my blog.

I would like to say thank you to Ms. S. H. Tan (for finding and safe keeping of my Equipment), Mr. Munning Jamaluddin (for safe keeping of my Equipment while waiting for the owner to claim it) and Mr. Francis Toh (for safe keeping of my equipment).

MT. BRINCHANG REVISITED ON 30 OCTOBER 2005 AND NATURAL WATER FROM SIMPANG PULAI TO CAMERON HIGHLANDS ROAD BY LIM FANG HAU

The last time I trekked up to the summit of Mt. Brinchang was in May 1996. Mt. Brinchang, with the height of 6,666 feet or 2,032 metres is located in Cameron Highlands. This time the run to Mt. Brinchang started at 6.00 am. I ran with my relative (Mr. Tan Chan Poh) (“TCP”). He led the way throughout the entire run and ran according to my comfortable pace.

The run to Mt. Brinchang from Brinchang town was 12 km. For the first 7 km the road was not flat as we had to face the undulating road surface with many uphill climb. This was still manageable to me. For the next 5 km, the run became tougher as we had to run up some steep slopes. This was considered the toughest run I ever encountered as it consumed most of my legs muscle strength. We managed to reach the summit in 1.5 hours. The weather along the run was cold and I had to wear sweater for the run. I only managed to feel the heat in my body after running for 0.5 hours and I found myself having difficulty to warm up before the run.

The return journey to Brinchang town for 12 km took us 1 hr 15 min+. I had to run slowly especially when descending from Mt. Brinchang to prevent my knees from getting injured. The air in the morning was quite cool and refreshing. After reaching Brinchang town, I could not run at my normal pace. I had to run at a very slow pace as my legs muscles were quite sore. I ran around the Strawberry Park for 6 km. TCP was kind enough to accompany me at running at my slow pace. I finished the run in 3 hr 46 min 45.25 sec.

One thing I was amazed was that TCP (age 48) ran with me for 30 km without drinking water. According to him, my pace was too slow for him. He could only run a half marathon as he has no patience to run a full marathon at a fast pace, i.e. he would probably hit the wall after 30 km. He ran the half marathon at quite a fast pace and his personal best was around 1 hr 45 min and below 2 hr.

Another interesting fact about the return journey from Cameron Highlands via the Simpang Pulai road is the natural water from the mountain. If you are using the Simpang Pulai road to return to Kuala Lumpur from Cameron Highland, you will notice some vehicles stopping at the road side (on your right hand side) somewhere 15 km before reaching Simpang Pulai. Those drivers were stopping at that location to collect natural mineral water from the mountain.

The water flows through the pipes and it has been filtered naturally through various layers of rocks of the mountain. Before the road from Simpang Pulai to Cameron Highland was built, the Titiwangsa mountain range forms part of the natural water catchments area. Part of the mountain range was cleared for the construction of the alternative road to Cameron Highland. As a result some concrete wall had to be constructed to prevent soil erosion. The concrete wall was built with pipes to allow water to flow into the drainage system. The cooling natural water flowing out of the pipe was considered clean and safe for drinking. I took home four bottles of natural water for drinking. The taste was nice and you don’t need to boil it before drinking. I did not have stomach problem after drinking the water. Infect, some Malays or Indians collected the water and bottled it as mineral water for sale. As compared with other the natural water from Cameron Highlands, the natural water from the Titiwangsa mountain range is much cleaner. There are some agricultural activities in Cameron Highlands and the pesticides may flow through the water system. There are no agricultural activities at all on the Titiwangsa mountain range. I did not have a camera to snap shot the picture of the location. I’ll try to get a camera the next time if I travel to Cameron Highlands again.

Some facts about the road to Cameron Highlands via Simpang Pulai are depicted below.
1. There are no street lights along the entire road from Simpang Pulai to Cameron Highlands (distance around 52 km). It is considered quite dangerous for night driving due to the foggy condition of the road. There are some sign boards on cautioning drivers on the foggy conditions at night.

2. The road is vulnerable to land slide. On my return journey, there was minor traffic congestion on the road due to the land slide. Portion of the road was covered with mud. At that time, it was a raining season.

3. If you are coming down from Cameron Highland via the Simpang Pulai road and you decided to stop (on the left side of the road) to collect natural mineral water, please take extra caution of your own safety when crossing the road (unless you decide to stop at the right side of the road). Some vehicles are speeding downwards at around 80 to 90 km/h.

4. The lanes are much wider as compared with the Tapah to Cameron Highlands road. This allows the vehicles to travel within the legal speed limit of 80 to 90 km/h.

5. Time taken to reach Cameron Highlands from Simpang Pulai is around 1 hr 15 min to 1.5 hours. The Tapah to Cameron Highlands road would take you around 1 hr 45 min to 2 hrs (60 km) depending on the traffic condition and you can only travel at around 30 to 50 km/h due to the narrow lanes.

19 FEBRUARY 2006

Running distance: 30.8 km
Timing: 3 hr 00 min 56.75 sec (New personal record)
3 hr 3 min 45.11 sec (12/2/2006)
Average pace per km: 5 min 52.49 sec
Equipment: 1 Plum Powder (600 ml, last week 500 ml)
2 water bottles (500 ml and 220 ml respectively)
Digital MP3 player
New Balance Pouch

The run today was fine and weather was cooling in the mornng. Started early at 5 something in the morning. Split time at Petronas: approximately 60 minutes + (before running the extra lap at Petronas). Split time at the next 20 km: 2 hr 2 min + (after completing the extra lap at Petronas). Completed the run in 3 hr 00 min 56.75 sec. This was the best day and timing since it was a special day for me. I was confident that I could improve my timing further (depending on how fast I want to run).

After the run, I felt much better as compared with last week (giddy). Overall, I ran in quite a consistent pace without any pressure and with the help of music from my Digital MP3 player.

Thanks to the runners for the company in the 30 km long run: Tey (pm22), Tan Khee Meng (p2), Jamie (pm5), Chong Wah, Phyllis, C C Hoo and Hoo Ching Tai.

KOREA TRIP BY LIM FANG HAU (23 SEPTEMBER 2005 TO 25 SEPTEMBER 2005)

PRE-DEPARTURE DAY

Assembled at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (“KLIA”) at 11pm. Approximately 60 staffs went for the Korea trip (fully sponsored trip by the bank, Affin Merchant Bank Berhad) in the first batch.

DAY 1 (23 SEPTEMBER 2005)

Departed from KLIA at 1 am. Arrived at Inchon International Airport, Korea at 8.30 am. Proceeded to Kyongbok Palace in Seoul. Kyongbok Palace, built in1934 as the main palace of Joseon Dynasty (1392 – 1910) by its founder King Taejo, it is the most comprehensive and grandest of the five palaces of the Joseon Dynasty. Nothing much to describe as I could not appreciate much of the history of Korea. Lunch at Tajmahal Restaurant in Itaewon. The Indian food tastes bad and there was no desert at all. I had no choice but to follow the whole group. At 2.30 pm, proceeded to the National Folk Museum (the “Museum”) of Korea in Seoul. The Museum was located on the grounds of Kyongbok Palace, has exhibits which illustrate the history of the Korean people, the traditional lifestyle of a Korean people, and the lifestyle of a Korean from birth to death. The Museum building was built in 1972 and it is a synthesis of various traditional Korean architectural structures. It originally housed the National Museum of Korea until 1986, was then remade and the Museum reopened on 17 February 1993.

At 4 pm, proceeded to Dongdaemun Market. It is basically a silk market. The biggest items are fabrics, clothing, leather goods, women’s and children costumes, bedding, house wares, footwear, sporting goods, etc.

At 5.30 pm, proceeded to Shinchon Street. There were numerous coffee lounges, restaurants, snack bars, beauty saloons, shops for clothes, accessories and various fashion items, theatres for live performances, jazz cafes, rock cafes and nightclubs as ell as departmental stores and shopping centres, all catering to university students or to young people.

Dinner at Evergreen Restaurant at 8 pm in Itaewon. Had Indian food for dinner. The dinner was much better than lunch as there were desserts served.

Checked in to Renaissance Hotel in Seoul at 9.30 pm. Travelled to Hard Rock Café at 11 pm to see the nightlife there before returning to the hotel at 11.50 pm.

DAY 2 (24 SEPTEMBER 2005)

Woke up at 6.30 am. Had breakfast in the hotel. At 8.30 am, started the journey to MBC Drama Filming Studio in Yangiu, located by 1.5 hours drive from Seoul. This is a famous place for filing Korean drama. Toured the studio for two hours. Departed for Seoul at noon for lunch. Had lunch at a local restaurant. The Ginseng chicken soup tastes nice.

At 3 pm, visited National (duty free) ginseng outlet. Korean ginseng is recognised throughout the Orient and everywhere as the world’s best, with the greatest efficacy as an ancient tonic elixir and stamina builder. At 4.30 pm, visited amethyst factory. There were different sizes of amethyst.

At 5.30 pm, visited Myeongdong market. Myeongdong has long been the trend-making centre of Korean fashion. Every back alley has cafes and restaurants serving snacks and delicacies for moments of refreshment while shopping.

At 6.30 pm, visited Namdaemun market. Within just a few minutes’ walk from Seoul’s ancient South Gate is an open-air market of the same name. It is close to downtown area and deluxe hotels, boasting the very best selection of merchandise in the nation.

At 8.00 pm, had dinner at Asoka Restaurant in Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon. Had Indian food for dinner.

At 9.30 pm, returned to hotel for rest.

DAY 3 (25 SEPTEMBER 2005)

Woke up at 6.30 am. Had breakfast in the hotel. Departed to airport at 8.30 am. Stopped at the duty free shop near the Inchon International Airport. Shopped for one hour before continuing the journey to the airport. Checked in at the airport at 10.30 am. Flight to Kota Kinabalu departed at 11.30 am. Arrived at Kota Kinabalu at 3.30 pm Malaysian time (transit flight). Loitering around the Kota Kinabalu International Airport for an hour before taking the transit flight back to KLIA. Arrived at KLIA at 6.45 pm. Checking out and finally reached home at 9.30 pm from KLIA.

Ten (10) interesting facts about the entire journey to Korea:

1. The weather during autumn is very cooling with temperature of approximately 17 degree Celsius. Quite a suite weather to run.
2. Seoul, the capital city of Korea, has a population of approximately 11 million.
3. Some roads in Seoul have 8 lanes on each sides and this makes 16 lanes on both sides of the road.
4. Most of the Korean have it difficult to speak English and the common language spoken is Korean.
5. Due to environmental awareness, the chopsticks used by the majority of the Korean is made of stainless steel.
6. Korean ginseng is rated as the best in the world. This is followed by the Chinese and Amercian ginseng. Ginseng trade is monopolised by the government.
7. On every meal, the Korean would take Kimchi, a raw cabbage mixed with spicy ingredient, together with other dishes.
8. The currency used in Korea is Won. 1,000 won is almost equivalent to US$1, which is equivalent to RM3.70. If you are spending in Korea, you are also indirectly spending US$$ as most of the things in Korea are expensive.
9. Hyundai Sonata (2.0 litre, automatic gear) in Korea cost 17 million Won (equivalent to approximately RM65,000). In Malaysia, a Hyundai Sonata cost approximately RM130,000 due to import and excise duty and is considered a luxury car. Hyundai Sonata is affordable to ordinary Korean and is commonly used as a taxi in Korea.
10. Most of the Korean prefers local made products as their spirit of nationalism is high. This is proven by the fact that hardly any Japanese cars can be seen on the road side even though the car market is open. Infect, I only saw 2 Honda Accord in Korea and some European cars.

KLCC RUN ON 3 NOVEMBER 2005 BY LIM FANG HAU (POSTED ON PM 1 BLOG ON 5/11/2005)

Running on the first day of Eid ul-Fitr reminded me of my first 30 km run in 2004. At that time I managed to complete 30.1 km in 3 hr 40 min by using Galloway method of running with 9 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking break. From then onwards, I had the motivation to run a full marathon which I managed to complete for the first time in the KLIM 2005.

This year I intended to improve further by running a minimum of 39 km in KLCC (equivalent to 30 laps). I started the run at 9.45 am. My pace was even slower than the pace I used in Songkhla 2005 marathon. Timing was not my concern as I wanted to add on more mileage and get used to running under the hot sun for the coming Singapore marathon. I also wanted to get rid of my addiction to listening to MP3 player and adjust myself in running round the loops. I always find myself having difficulty in concentrating my run around the loops.

For the first 16 laps, I did not encounter any problem at all. My split timing was around 2 hr 28 min +. After lap 16, I started to feel dehydrated. I had to sponge myself every lap. I took my Powergel supply at lap 20. At lap 24 my knees started to feel the cramp. I should have applied the deep heat rub at the beginning of the run and not when I start to feel the pain. I had no choice but to apply the deep heat rub on my knees. My split timing after completing 24 laps was around 3 hours 50 min +. After lap 24, my pace began to slow down and I had to jog at a slower pace. At lap 26, after running for more than 4.5 hours, my body started to feel giddy and I could not even walk. My body condition was low in salt and sugar. I had to rest on the bench for half an hour before continuing my run. When I resumed my run, I could not run at my usual slow pace. I had to walk and run for a lap before continuing for the remaining 3 laps. At lap 29 and 30, I finally found my rhythm of running and I continued my usual running pace. After lap 30, I decided to call it a day as I found no point for me to go or another 3 laps as my body condition was not that good.I finished the 30 laps in 5 hr 51 min 22.46 sec. Although my timing was not that good, I still managed to improve my distance as compared to last year (30 km at Lake Garden) and kicking off my addiction to MP3 player when running. I also managed to focus myself better when running round the loops.

Some interesting facts about the run:

1. One day before the run, I did not have much carbo loading dinner. I had my usual dinner.

2. Before the run on Thursday, I did a 30 km run at Cameron Highlands with my relative. The run started from Brinchang Town up to Mt. Brinchang and return via the same route (24 km) and running around Strawberry Park for 6 km.

3. The day after the hardcore 30 km run, I did a recovery run with my relative for 6.5 km.

4. On Tuesday, I went to Mt. Datuk in Negeri Sembilan for a mountain climbing trip with Steven Ng, friend of PM 37 (Ng Ping Loong) and Penguin 3 (Tony Quay) and Penguin 6 (Terrence Leong). The trip was well organised with 17 climbers.

5. I only had a day of rest on Wednesday (my working day) before running in KLCC on Thursday.

6. I experienced sun burn on my skin as I ran under the hot sun in KLCC.7. I lost 3 water bottles as they were stolen from the starting point after I completed 28 laps.

At the point of writing (5/11/2005) my total mileage is 93.5 km. I may consider running in KLCC again for more laps in the future but my starting time will be 5 to 6 am.

JOHOR – SINGAPORE 2ND LINK INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE RUN 2005 ON 2/10/2005 BY LIM FANG HAU (POSTED ON PM 25 BLOG ON 4/10/2005)

This was considered my average run. I managed to improve my timing as compared to previous half marathon races. I did not bother to take note of my timing split as I could not judge the distance marker accurately. I just ran according to my normal pace at the beginning and progressively increasing my pace towards the end of the race.

The started the race without any Powerbar but with 5 bananas. The race started at approximately 6.20 am, delayed by 20 minutes due to late arrival of the VIPs. I also ran this time by trying out the plum powder drink as a substitute for isotonic drink. Throughout the race, there were no isotonic drinks but only plain water provided. I lost count of the number of water and sponging station provided but in my opinion the number of stations provided was quite standard.

The race started at Tanjung Kupang toll plaza. Runners had to run pass the immigration check point before proceeding to the 2nd link bridge on the Malaysian side. On the bridge runners had to run along the bridge for about 3km + before making a u-turn somewhere halfway but before the Tuas checkpoint on the Singapore side. I really enjoyed running along the bridge. The morning scenery was scenic and the weather was fine due to rain one day before the race. After making a u-turn, runners had to run back to Tanjung Kupang toll plaza before making a u-turn towards the finishing line (for 10km only) but for the half marathon category runners had to run along the PLUS expressway from Tanjung Kupang toll plaza. The runners had to run for approximately 5km+ before making a u-turn before the Gelang Patah interchange. Then, runners had to run all the way back to the finishing line which was about 6km+. Although, I started at normal pace, I managed to increase my pace progressively. After 10km+ my pace started to increase at a faster rate. There were some runners beginning to slowdown. I managed to overtake those runners one by one until the finishing line.

I managed to finish the race in 2 hr 4 min 45.26 sec, an improvement as compared to previous races of 2:08 in PJ half (under heavy rain condition), 2:23 (under high humidity condition) and 2:07 (in Seremban Half). All the 3 races, I suffered when I came back. My legs and muscles were in pain as if it was going to cramp. Infect I really suffered muscle cramp after the Seremban half marathon after the finishing line. This race, I did not suffer when I came back. My legs could still go on further. I think this must be due to the plum powder drink I took along the race as a substitute for isotonic drink. For your information, I did an 8km easy run at Kiara Park one day before the race after 13 days of laying off from running due to company trip to Korea last weekend. I also took Powergel at the half way mark as the gel was going to expire somewhere in mid October (in fact I did not need the Powergel). I did not managed to get a medal as it was given to top 50 finisher but I came back with a certificate. Overall, I enjoyed this race without any suffering. Looks like there will be no more half marathon for me until next year Nilai half (based on my judgement on the running calendar of 2004/2005). I hope that I’ll be able to finish the Singapore marathon and make it the most memorable one in my life (Singapore marathon as per my view point will be the best ever organised race in South East Asia).

PJ HALF MARATHON – 18/9/2005 BY LIM FANG HAU (POSTED ON PM 25 BLOG ON 19/9/2005)

This was my improved race as compared to last year. Last year, I missed the certificate by 40 seconds. My timing was 2 hr 15 min 40 sec. The actual distance was 19.5km. This year, the distance is 21km based on the survey of the route done on Friday. I started the race with my brand new running vest (“SAFRA running vest”). Some of the familiar running friends were surprise to see me wearing the new running vest and thinking that I am from Singapore. I am a Malaysian. Actually, I really like the SAFRA running vest very much especially the colour of the vest which is very bright. I also like the SAFRA running club. One day, if I have a chance to work in Singapore, I’ll definitely join the SAFRA running club.My first 12km timing split was 1 hr 6 min +. Before reaching 12km mark, the runners had to run under heavy rain. The rain slowed down my pace but I managed to maintain my pace. I had to push myself harder in order to maintain the same pace. I was wearing my Adidas control shoe. I could feel the weight when running under heavy rain. My timing split for 16km was 1 hr 30 min+. Before reaching the 16km mark, at the 12 km mark, I was running an average of 5 min+ pacing per km. I was trying to overtake one of the SAFRA runners who are running quite fast. Suddenly, I started to feel something wrong on my left leg. My leg was about to cramp. I decided to run at a relaxed pace. I could have pushed my self too hard in order to maintain the same pace under the heavy rain condition. After running at a relaxed pace, everything was fine to me until the16km mark. From 16km mark onwards, I started to slow down. At 18km mark, I had to stop for sponging and walked for 10 seconds before continuing my slow run. Approximately 1 km before the finishing line, I had do walk and run. There were many runners overtaking me. Upon entering the stadium with 300 metres to go, I sprinted towards the finishing line. I finished my run in 2 hr 8 min 45.61 sec in 175th position under suffering condition. My legs were pain as I had to bear the pain from 18km mark onwards towards the finishing line. I was surprised that I could get a medal as my timing was not fast to get a medal under this race. Many top runners must have skipped this run for unknown reason. My timing was considered normal to me under the raining condition.Overall, the race was well organised with sufficient sponging and refreshment station. I enjoyed the race although my pace was slowed by the raining condition. With the presence of SAFRA runners, this race had become more exciting. I do hope that I’ll be able to improve my timing next year. On average my pacing per km as 5 min+ until 16km and 7 min+ for the last 5km. My overall pacing per km was 6 min 7 sec+. For your information, SAFRA is Singapore Armed Forces Reservist Association. For your information, SAFRA is a running club in Singapore. This club had on 11 September 2005 organised the Sheares Bridge Run and Army Half Marathon attracting more than 5,000 participants. Finally, I would like to apologise to the Pacesetters members if you are offended by my presence in SAFRA running vest. I would like to clarify that I am still a Pacesetters member although I run with SAFRA running vest. We must promote running to the Singaporeans. I do hope that there will be more SAFRA runners coming down next year to make this event more competitive.

SHEARES BRIDGE RUN & ARMY HALF MARATHON ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2005 BY LIM FANG HAU (POSTED ON PM 25 BLOG ON 12/9/2005)

This was my worst half marathon since started taking part in races. The race started at the Esplanade Bridge in Singapore, the starting point for Singapore Marathon 2004 in which I ran the half marathon category. There were more than 5,000 participants. According to Shirlyn Tay (“ST”), most of the participants were members of the Singapore Armed Forces, being compulsorily asked to participate.The race started at 5.45 am. After running for more than 6km and passing through the Benjamin Sheares Bridge with the distance of approximately 2km, I reached the East Cost Park. From there my body started to feel something different especially at 8km mark. I felt overheating in my body and the weather from the beginning was too humid with no wind blowing at all. This was totally different from my usual training and running races in other places where I could experience some cooling effect of the morning breeze before experiencing the heat from the sun. There were too many runners having the same standard like me. I found myself difficult to set a fast pace as I was running quite close with the large pack of runners. The distance was quite close to each other. The route was narrow in the East Coast Park. East Coast Park reminded me of the cycling experience in October 2003. At that time, I cycled the entire East Coast Park with a mountain bike.My body kept producing the sweat and I felt something was not right in this kind of weather of high humidity. Normally, my body will start to feel the effect of overheating if running under the sun but at this time the sun has yet to rise at 6.30 am. I just continued running until reaching the 10km mark before turning. At that point of time, the Deejay announced that 9 more km to go. I was puzzled as my watch showed 56 min+. I could not be running for 12km under this time as I was following the distance marker closely. Based on my usual pacing, I covered more than 10km. Later, I saw the marker of 11km and I was blurred weather to follow the Deejay announcement or the distance marker ? I just continued my run. Later I my mind as blurred, as I as running in an unfamiliar route under the humid weather condition. I just could not focus running properly. My 15km split time was 1 hr 33 min+ as I was not sure weather this was the correct distance marker. At 16km mark, I started to hit the wall and I had to walk and run towards the finishing line.The race was well organised with 17 refreshment stations. This was like running a full marathon. After the race, I only realised that runners need this much of water due to the humid weather condition as runners tend to lose much sweat before the sun rises. After 16km mark, my body felt quite heavy and I could not run in my usual pace. I finished the race with a timing of 2 hr 23 min 29.52 sec with a finisher medal and a certificate. The cut off time for the competitive event was 2 hr 45 min. The organiser must have known that runners will be struggling with this kind of humid weather. Although, I did badly, I did not regret for not running in Putrajaya as I will treasure it as a learning experience of running under the humid weather condition for the first time. This run serves as a preparation for my Singapore Full Marathon. Part of the route, especially the East Coast Park will be used in the full marathon in December 2005. Please do not expect me to hit sub 5 hr for the Singapore marathon. This is not Songkhla. It is going to be very tough running under the humid weather condition and under the scorching sun in December as the race will start at 6 am. I’ll be happy if I can finish the marathon under 6 hours.

SEREMBAN HALF MARATHON 2005 on 10 July 2005 by LIM FANG HAU (POSTED ON PM 1 BLOG ON 11/7/2005)

This was my toughest half marathon I ever participated and I ran in Seremban for the first time. The race started at approximately 7 am. As usual I ran with my MP3 player and pouch. There were distance markers for every km after the 4 km mark.I started my run at a fast pace aiming to break the sub 2 hr barrier. I knew that this was going to be tough with hills along the way. I just told myself to go all out until the end. After running 4 km my timing split was 21 min +. By 5 km mark, I clocked 26 min +. This was quite encouraging as I need to maintain this pace in order to break the sub 2 hr barrier. At 8 km mark, there was a hill for runners to run and this reduced my pace. By 10 km mark, my timing split was 57 min +, 4 min off my Ipoh 10 km timing split. I knew that this was going to be tough for me to break the sub 2 hr barrier unless I increase my speed and pace. By 11 km mark, my timing spit was 1 hr 2 min +. I tried to increase my pace and I managed to reduce my split time per km slightly but this could not last long as there was another hill somewhere after the 12 km mark. This reduced my speed. After running 15 km, my timing split was 1 hr 28 min. I knew that the sub 2 hr barrier was almost impossible as my legs were beginning to feel tired. I tried to maintain my pace.By 19 km mark, my timing split was 1 hr 52 min. At that time my speed was reduced due to tiredness on my leg muscles. My timing split after 20 km was 1 hr 57 min. At that point of time I was totally dehydrated and there was no water station at 20 km mark. The weather was hot with blazing sun coming out. The sub 2 hr timing was totally impossible for me. My pace was reduced drastically due to tiredness on my legs and dehydration. This forced me to do walk and run technique until the finishing line. Before the finishing line, there was a killer hill of 300 metres. This hill really forced me to walk as I could not run anymore. I did not want to risk myself getting cramp before the finishing line. It was really embarrassing for me as a full marathoner to walk in the half marathon race. With 200 metres before the finishing line, my legs were beginning to cramp. I just did not bother as I want to finish this tough and miserable half marathon quickly. I decided to push myself towards the finishing line. As I was approaching the finishing line I was running like a handicap person with my right legs having a minor cramp.Finally, I crossed the finishing line in 2 hr 7 min 24.64 sec with 125th position. At the finishing line, I was totally dehydrated and I nearly fainted while walking to collect my finishing medal and certificate. I had to be assisted by the St. John Ambulance helpers to be rested at the tent. At that time, while being escorted to the tent I was yelling for water as I could not bear the dehydration and I was given a bottle of mineral water to drink. At the tent, I was still dehydrated after drinking the mineral water. Luckily, Shine (Teh Yee-Chuan), the sub 4 hr marathoner was around at the tent to provide me a can of isotonic I really needed. I rested for approximately 5 minutes.After that, I began to do some warming down exercise but I forgot to do the important stretching on my legs as was I went on to chat with other runners. Unexpectedly, I collapsed in front of C C Hoo, Kenny Choo and his friends (Tey’s friends). I was screaming as I had a cramp on my right leg muscle. I had to be carried on a stretcher to the tent by the St. John Ambulance helpers. My right legs were iced and pain killer was applied to prevent the cramp from getting severe. Later I asked one of the helper to apply the pain killer on my left leg to prevent me from getting muscle cramp as I knew that my left leg was beginning to cramp. I rested for approximately 20 minutes at the tent before moving around the field.Base on my observation, the race was organisation as not up to the reasonable level of expectation. There were insufficient isotonic drink stations. There were 2 water stations, 1 isotonic drink station and 3 sponging station. There was no refreshment station at the 20 km mark. Infect, I survived in the Ipoh International Run 2005 as there was a water station at the 20 km mark. The organiser should emulate the PJ half marathon organiser by providing 3 water station, 3 isotonic drink station and 3 sponging stations. Other categories were flagged off at an inappropriate time. The half marathon runners had to clash with the school children categories. This slowed down the pace of the half marathoners. Perhaps the organiser should plan a different running route to avoid the half marathoners clashing with the school children categories.At the time of writing this report, I had recovered from the muscle cramp on my right calf. I still feel a little soreness on my legs muscles. I would like to thank those who had helped me when I suffered calf muscle cramp on my right leg.

MEMO TO ANONYMOUS

Anonymous,

I may not know you but you know me. I am not sure whether you are the same person who gossiped or posted some unpleasant remarks on Ronnie (PM 1) blog some time ago. I know maybe you have been spying on me for quite some time. It does not matter.

We as runners should help each other within our limit and time. It is not good to say something bad or gossip about another person. To me, I do not like people to gossip about me. As a matter of principle, I am willing to offer some advice or help other runners regardless of sex, race or religion within my limit or time. Whenever there is a need I'll post some message on the runners' blog. Whatever I do is non of your business!!!!!

I do not wish to see this kind of gossip in other runners' blog in future. Please respect other runners sensitiveness or feelings.

If you want to post some message on my blog, please introduce yourself or else I'll ban you from posting in future (i.e. only Blogspot member can post the message). I do not like people posting some message on my blog without identifying themselves. Please watch out your words!!!!!

12 FEBRUARY 2006

13 November 2005 = Happy (PR for 30 km run) and sad day for me (got involved in car accident)

12 February 2006 = Happy and suffering day for me (PR for 30 km run)

Distance = 30.3 km

Timing = 3 hr 3 min 45.11 sec

3 hr 8 min 29.66 sec (13/11/2005)

3 hr 39 min + (somewhere in January or February 2005)

Average pace per km = 6 min 3.87 sec

This was quite an enjoyable, happy and suffering day for me. I did not expect to create a PR. My intention was to run at an enjoyable and relaxed pace. For the first 10 km, I was running behind Chui Miew at a relaxed pace (and arriving at Petronas station in 61 minutes). The second 10 km, I did realised that Chui Miew was running at a pace faster than the first 10 km. I just followed her pace and it was quite a enjoyable for me as at the same time, the love musics from my new MP3 player motivated me to run faster. After running more than 26 km (at that time my timing split was approximately 2 hr 34 min +), my legs could not sustain the pace and I had to slow down to prevent cramps from creeping into my legs muscles. Finally, I finished the run in 3 hr 3 min 45.11 sec. I did some stretching to cool down myself. After a few minutes of steching and cooling down, I started to feel giddy and at that time I was dehydrated. There was not any sign of cramp on my legs but I had to sit down on the parking area in Bukit Aman to prevent myself from fainting. All I wanted that time was an isotonic drink or some Coke. As the stall selling drinks was closed, I was lucky as Tey had some Endurox. After drinking some Endurox, I felt slightly better and I was able to stand up and cool myself down. The main reason for this situation could be my low sugar or salt level ?

This was not the first time, I suffered this situation. I also encountered this situation somewhere in Janaury or February 2005 in the Pacesetters 30 km practice run prior to the KLIM 2005.

This suffering reminded me of my worst suffering and painful condition in running, i.e. I ended up in the ambulance. At that time (on 4/7/2004), I was running my first half marathon in Ipoh International Run 2004 (from 10 km run to half marathon and no training at all) without proper training and running shoe (running with lousy trekking shoe). I did not finish the race. I collapsed at 19 km mark in front of Greentown Mall due to severe cramp on both my calves muscle. I was screaming loudly as the pain was quite severe. I had to be carried by ambulance to the finishing line for further treatment. I encountered some pain when walking after returning from Ipoh to PJ. It took me five days to recover from this kind of cramp.

Anyway, thanks to Chui Miew for setting a wonderful and fantastic pace (up to 26 km) for me to improve my personal record (unexpected PR) . I would also like to thank Tey for providing me some Endurox drink.

13 NOVEMBER 2005 (POSTED ON PM 1 BLOG ON 14 NOVEMBER 2005)

Dear all,

Yesterday (13 November 2005) was supposed to be my happy day as I managed to create a new personal record for the 30km run in 3 hr 8 min 29.66 sec. The weather was fine and cooling for me as I ran in a very relaxed pace with MP3 player (I'll not do it if the coach is around). At the end of the run I was surprise at myself with such timing as I still remember my last practice run best timing for 30 km was 3 hr 39 min+. The main factors in improvement in timing are training run by running up Mt Brinchang in Cameron Highlands, hot sun running during the past few weeks and the effect of plum powder drink. I just mix 1 big tea spoon of plum powder into the 500 ml mineral water bottle, mix with water and shake. If you are drinking the plum powder water, 1 bottle of 500 ml water can last you for 20km. It can quench your thirst and is better than other isotonic drink. It has sufficient potassium that can prevent your leg muscle from getting cramp when you are running long distance (more than 22 km). Infact, I felt great towards the fnishing, as I felt that I could still run for around 2 to 3 km more but I decided not to run as I had sufficient long run.My happy day came to an end when my car (Mitsubishi Galant 2.0, 1980 model) met an accident near my house. The car I as driving was collided by a Proton Iswara Aeroback. The bloody driver did not bother to stop at the junction. As a result, my rear door was damaged and could not be opened. I was lucky as I did not suffer any injuries. The body of my car was solid and this prevented my car from getting more damaged and myself from injury as a result of a strong collision. The bumper of the Proton Iswara was badly damaged and there was a slight damage to the radiator of the Proton Iswara.I was damn very angry at the bloody driver of the Proton Iswara but I managed to control my emotion by not doing something that can land me into further trouble (I am not a road bully). What I hated most is the attitude of the Malaysian drivers. Majority of the Malaysian drivers are immature, like to speed and do not bother to stop at the junction. This is one of the major factor that contributes to the accident.My final advice to the drivers on the road is to stop at the junction. This can help to prevent accident. If you can afford a bigger car, go for it as this is for your own safety. If you still want to drive a small car, you may consider a Myvi as the body of the car is quite solid (based on my own observation and view point).

"Take care and drive safely".

Regards,

LIM FANG HAU

KLIM CIRCUIT RUN – PART 3 (11 FEBRUARY 2006)

Timing: 2 hr 49 min 32.01 sec

Distance: 25.3 km (11 laps)

I did not have the mood to run this race after lap 4. The battery in my MP3 player "finished". I just ran at a very slow pace for 6 laps and a fast pace for the final lap. Nothing happened to my legs, i.e. no cramps and sign of soreness and tiredness.

In the past, I tried to punish myself to run without MP3 player during training. However this could not work in races.

I have to admit that I am still an MP3 player addict. I can't go for a long distance race without this equipment. I really depend on this MP3 player to boost my performance and to help me to control my pace. It's quite boring for me to run long distance without MP3 player (unless I punish myself in the training run).

Another admission is that, I find running long distance quite boring unless I listen to some love music. Although running long distance is quite boring, the fun part is when finishing the race such as half marathon, marathon and ultra marathon. I still love running as it is one of the easiest sports. I think it is time to consider other sports such as cycling.

IPOH INTERNATIONAL RUN 2005 by LIM FANG HAU @ PM 23 (Posted on PM 1 Blog on 11/7/2005)

2004 = Did not finish. Collapsed at 19 km mark in front of Greentown Mall due to severe cramp on both my calves muscle. Had to be carried by ambulance to the finishing line. (1st half marathon since running seriously in 2004)

2004 Singapore Marathon (21.5 km): 2 hr 16 min 20 sec (Gun time) / 2 hr 16 min 11 sec (Chip time)

2005 Ipoh International Run 21km: 2hr 00 min 27 sec (New PR)

This was my best half marathon so far in 2005. I managed to finish the race with a new personal record as compared to last year being a non-finisher. In fact this race I was forced to run fast to qualify for the certificate. The organiser had risen the qualifying time for the half marathon from 2 hr 30 min in 2004 to 2 hr in 2005. Initially, I was doubt whether I can qualify for the certificate.The race started at 7 am. As usual I ran with my pouch and MP3 player as this gadget provided some inspiration and motivation for me to keep on running. The route used was similar to the one used last year. I had the advantage as I knew where exactly I should pace myself.My timing split for the first 4km was 20 min +. By 10km my timing split was 53 min +. At that time, I thought I had a chance to run below sub 2 hr to qualify for the certificate. By 1 hr I managed to run more than 11 km but less than 12 km. I continued with my usual fast pace like I used in short distance races. By 15 km mark, my timing split was 1 hr 22 min +. After 17 km mark my legs were beginning to feel a little tired and this slow down my pace. I tried to run faster but could not push myself faster.Before approaching the 19 km marker, I told my self that I should be able to get passed this painful and horrible distance marker (the spot where I collapsed last year). At 19 km mark, I ran passed this distance marker. I was very confident that I could finish the race in a good timing. Closing to 20 km mark, I felt very dehydrated due to the blazing sun. Luckily, there was a final water station and I drank a cup of plain water before continuing my run. At that time, I was chasing after the time as I knew that the 2 hr qualifying mark was getting closer. My right legs were beginning to cramp. This again reduced my pace. I had no choice but to continue to fight with the time constraint until the end. As I was approaching the finishing line with 500 metres to go, I could not bear the pain and I just continued running and sprinting at my fastest pace until the end. With 100 metres before the finishing line, I could not bear the pain and I screamed like a person was being chased by a dog and continued sprinting until the finishing line and overtaking 3 runners slowing down at towards the finishing line.Finally, I managed to cross the finishing line in 2 hr 00 min 27 sec and my position was 112th out of 300+ runners. I had to stop abruptly and lied down on the ground for a while at the finishing line as I could not run anymore. Later, when I stand up and walk, I felt the pain on my buttock due to stopping abruptly at the finishing line. This pain lasted for a while.I was happy that I managed to accomplish my mission of finishing this half marathon and creating a new personal best. Overall, the run is reasonably organised. There were 4 water stations and 3 sponging station. One thing lacking in this run was the absence of isotonic drink. It would be better if the organiser could provide the isotonic drink to runners as we really need this drink in order to replenish our energy level after running certain distance.I really enjoyed running in Ipoh as the morning scenery was scenic as I could observe the scenic sunrise. One thing I have to be honest to myself is that, I should not get the medal and certificate as I took extra 27 sec to complete the race. If the organiser were really strict in imposing the regulations (like PJ Half Marathon: I missed the certificate by 40 sec), I would have come home empty handed for the second time and many runners would also suffer the same fate like me.Overall, I am not satisfied with what I had achieved in Ipoh as I considered myself failing to qualify for the certificate. I shall be back next year with my vengeance mission of running below 2 hr to qualify for the certificate.

PAR Report By Jason Lim PM23 (Posted on PM 1 Blog on 6/6/2005)

This was the race organised by a group of runners for runners. The participants comprising not only the Pacemakers but also outsiders. The events started with a group photo session and the actual race started at 7.31am. We were flagged of by our VIP, PM 7, Yaziz.This was a 8-lap run on the KLCC Park. The distance for each lap is 1.3km. At every important sections, there were race marshals taking care of the race. The attendance for the race was 100% comprising volunters and runners. I started the race with the first lap tiing of 6 min 3sec. This was considered my fastest timing per lap for the KLCC Park. Then for the other laps my timingsplit drops to approxiately 7 min per lap. After running 3 laps my timing was approximately 20 min. My timing after 4 laps was approximately 28 min. My timing for 5 laps was 36 min. By the 6th lap, my timing was 44 min. Entering the 7th lap my timing was approximately 51 min. I finished my race with a timing of 57 min 25 sec, a personal record for me. My last personal record was 1 hr 1 min 57 sec in 22nd position.Overall the race was well organised with water provided to runners after 3 laps of running. There were volunteers counting the loops runners had covered and taking the time of the runners. On average for every kilometre my timing was 5 min 31 sec. Each runners received trophies for their effort in completing the race.

NILAI HALF MARATHON REPORT BY LIM FANG HAU, JASON @ PM 23 (POSTED ON PM 25 BLOG ON 28/3/2005)

Started the journey in PM25’s car at 4.30 am to Bukit Aman to pick up PM1. From there, we headed to Nilai. Arrived at Nilai Toll Plaza at 5.20 am. We decided to wait for the rest of the gang to arrive and especially Ryan Teoh, the PM, who helped us to register and collect our bibs. We arrived at the starting point at 6.30 am. Did some warm up before the race and the race started at 6.50 am.This was my first race after the KLIM 2005 and it was also my first half marathon after the Singapore race (half marathon). I decided to go all out in this race. For the first 7km, I used normal pace for the race. I arrived at the first water station after 38 minutes. Everything seemed to be fine to me and the hills did not pose any problem to me at all. The journey continued until the next water station at approximately 10km mark. My timing split was 57 minutes. My condition was still fine and the undulating hills did not give me problem at all. My journey continued until the next water station at approximately 14km. My timing split was 1 hr 21 min. My condition was still fine. After the last water station, I decided to increase my pace. I felt a little dehydrated after running for 90 minutes at a faster pace. I decided to drink 100 Plus (my own isotonic drink supply) to quench my dehydration. Towards the finishing and drank some 100 Plus as I could not bear with lack of water station providing isotonic drink. With 100 metres to go, I decided to sprint all out towards the finishing line. I finished the race in 1 hr 50 min 55.89sec with a certificate and a medal. At the finishing line, I unintentionally crashed into another runner due to sprinting too fast towards the finishing line and my brake control problem!After completing the race, I felt that the distance was about 2km shorter than the actual distance of 21km. Some experienced runners also agreed with me. Based on the run, I noted the following from my observation.1. There were no distance markers along the race.2. Insufficient water station. The organiser should provide sufficient water station like the PJ Half Marathon.3. Most of the route passed through the industrial area and the air was polluted.4. The actual distance is shorter by approximately 2km from the real distance of 21km.5. There were many undulating hills (more than the normal Pacesetters training route of Sri Hartamas way). This did not pose any problems to me at all.6. My pacing per km has improved based on my Singapore timing of 2 hr 16 min based on the actual distance of 21.5 km, I took an average time of 6 min19 sec for every km I covered. My average timing per km for this race based on the actual distance of 19km is 5 min 50.31sec.7. I find this race to be an easy race for me after I had completed my full marathon in KLIM 2005. In the past 3 half marathon, I used to struggled to complete it and I had a record of DNF in my first half marathon last year in Ipoh. Finally, thanks to Ryan Teoh for his tireless effort for helping us to register and collecting our bibs.

SINGAPORE MARATHON 2004 - by LIM FANG HAU (POSTED ON PM 25 BLOG ON 12/12/2004)

This is my third half marathon. My aim for this race is to set a new PR. I actually do not have a PR for my half marathon. I could not even finish my first half marathon in Ipoh this year. I collapsed at the 19 km due to muscles cramp on my calf. The second half marathon in PJ this year, I managed to finish 40 seconds after the qualifying time of 2 hour 15 minutes but the actual distance was only 19.5 km, 1.5 km short of the actual half marathon distance.

I managed to complete it with a new PR. The half marathon started at 6.30am. with more than 2,000 runners at the Esplanade Bridge. The running route was quite new to me as this was my first time running the half marathon route. There were markers for every kilometre. There were isotonic drinks after the 4 km marker and for every 6 km isotonic drinks were available to runners. Mineral water was available after the first 4 km at 2 km interval.

Along the way during the first 10 km I met some of the full marathoners like Penguin 2 and Penguin 6. Most of the full marathoners were running back to the Esplanade Bridge via the opposite direction. Something special about this race was that cheer teams were there to motivate you to run. This is something absent in the local runs that I have participated. My 10 km split timing was 61 minutes. I was using a 6 minutes per km strategy as this was not a 10 km race. I managed to maintain this pace until 15 km marker. After that, my pacing and timing was distracted by the incident at some refreshment station. The mineral water bottle was sealed. I found it difficult to open the seal as my hands were sweating. I lost a few minutes at the refreshment station. The organiser should have provided the runners with unsealed water bottle or provide the drinks in a cup. This would be a better option.

After 15 km marker, I felt quite difficult to run under the blazing sun. My felt dehydrated faster. As I was approaching Anderson Bridge, I felt some soreness in my knees. At that time my pace started to slow down towards the finishing line. With 100 metres more to go I was motivated to run as fast as I could towards the finishing line as I was motivated by the music and huge crowd. Finally, I completed my third half marathon in 2 hours 16 minutes 20 seconds (clock time) and 2 hours 16 minutes 11 seconds (chip time). On average my pacing was 6 minutes 27 seconds per km.

This is my new PR based on the actual distance of half marathon. I would come back to Singapore next year for the full marathon if I have the time.

KLCC RUN ON 9/10/2004 - by Lim Fang Hau (Posted on PM 25 blog on 12/10/2004)

I did not go to Singapore on Saturday as I decided to go at midnight. I tried out the KLCC Park for a 4-lap run in the morning. Well, the track was softer as it is a rubberised track. I find it a little bit hard to run at a faster pace due to the soft condition of the track. My timing was 29 minutes and 37 seconds for the 5.2 km distance. On average this is 5 minutes 41 seconds per km. This is slightly faster than my usual 6 minutes per km pace or 7 minutes 24 seconds per lap (1.3km).Overall, I have nothing much to comment about the run in KLCC as I am still trying to find a suitable time and place for me to train to increase my running pace and mileage.

SINGAPORE – JOHOR SECOND LINK BRIDGE RUN 2004 - By Lim Fang Hau (POSTED ON PM 25 BLOG ON 14/10/2004)

Recently on 10/10/2004 I participated in the Second Link Bridge Run. This was I first overseas run after taking part in 7 local runs this year. I participated in the 10km competitive category but I ended running 15km instead of 10km. Want to know why, here is the story.I took a midnight bus from KL and arrived at JB at around 4.20am. Then I took a cab to CIQ complex in Tanjung Kupang, near the Second Link. I arrived there at about 4.50 am. It was still early so I decided to walk across the Second Link rather than waiting for a bus to arrive at 6 am. I took a leisure walk across the Second Link. The distance was about 5.4km and I arrived at Tuas checkpoint at about 5.45am. When I arrived, I tried to check in at the arrival hall but I was barred from checking in. I was told by the officer from the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) that they cannot allow any visitors to arrived at the checkpoint without a vehicle (a strict procedure they had to observe). I arrived there by walking. So I was ordered to walk back to the CIQ in Johor. It was around 6.10am and with very limited time left I was forced to run 5.4km back to the CIQ in Johor with my bag. I arrived at the Johor CIQ at around 6.50am and I waited for a bus there. According to the schedule, there should be a free shuttle service to the starting point in Tuas West Road from 6 to 7am. Unfortunately there was not any bus service until 7.20am. I was considered lucky as this was the last shuttle service before 7.30am (race starting time). I took the bus and arrived at the starting point at 7.44 am. Oh! Shit!! The race had already started for the 10km competitive category. Without much delay I sprint to the starting point and I was allowed to start the run. At the same time the 10km fun run category was about to start. I started at 7.46am (16 minutes late). I had to push myself very hard to catch up with the rest of the competitive runners. I ran at a faster pace for the first 5km. I managed to overtake some of the slow pacers in the competitive category (10km , Men’s Open, Ladies Open, Men’s Veteran, Ladies Veteran, Boys and Girls ) which started at 7.30 am. The view on the Second Link bridge was magnificent and this was the first time for me running on the bridge run event. It took me 27 minutes to reach the 5km split off point. There was a refreshment station serving 100 Plus and plain water at the 5km split off point but there was not any sponging station. Something different from our local race like the Johor Marathon 10km and Addidas King of The Road 10km. After taking some refreshment at the station, my pace started to slow down. I found myself difficult to push harder. This could be due to the earlier incident at the Tuas checkpoint I encountered. At the same time some of the fun run category fast pacers started to overtake me. I kept on running at a slower pace as I found it difficult to push myself harder.The turnout for the event was around 7,000 participants for all the categories. Overall, the route was 90% flat with some uphill slope on the bridge. I finished my race in 56 minutes 7.64 seconds (my own timing). The official timing was 1 hour 12 minutes. I was almost 16 minutes late from the starting point. I managed to get a certificate and finished within the cut off time of 90 minutes (no medal, only for top 50s and no printed certificate with timing, only for top 50s). One thing I noticed from this race was the absent of distance marker. So I used the turning point at half way of the bridge as 5km distance marker. There was also some goodies to be collected after the race and I got a free 100 Plus, kitchen utensils and picnic mat.After the race I heard some of the experience runners complaining that the actual distance was shorter than 10km, actually 9.5km. Most of them had a superb timing. I knew one of the open category Men’s 10km placing for 11th position timing was around 31 minutes. I was wondering why there was no distance marker during the race. I also felt that the distance was actually shorter than 10km as I ran at a much slower pace after the split off point but I still managed to clock 56 minutes (I was expecting to clock around 65 minutes due to my slower pace after the split off point).I was glad that I managed to complete my run in the Second Link Bridge Run although I encountered some difficulties when trying to check in at Tuas checkpoint. On average my pacing per km was 5 minutes 54.48 seconds (based on the actual 9.5km distance). An improvement from my usual 6 minutes plus pacing per km. Next year, it is Malaysia turn to host the event and there will be half marathon category. I’ll be running for next year event.

INTRODUCTION - POSTED ON PM1 BLOG ON 17/12/2004

My name is Lim Fang Hau (Jason). I started to take up running seriously since June 2004. Before that I was just a casual jogger. During my school days, I was not good in any sports and I did not have the speed in running. I did not have the strength to run more than 1.5km. I did not run much during my college day. Until one day, I decided to challenge myself to complete in a 10km run. My first run was the Penchala Tunnel Fun Run in June this year. I managed to complete the run in 65 minutes. My worst experience in running was in Ipoh International Run 2004. I participated in the half marathon category for the first time. I did not manage to complete the run as I collapsed at the 19km mark due to muscle cramp on both of my calf. At that time I did not have proper training for the run. From then onwards, I got to know that my college mate , Petalingrunner, also shares the same interest with me. I was informed that the Pacesetters runners use the Bukit Tunku area as part of the training for the long run. I decided to use the area as my training base since July 2004. From June 2004 until now I have participated in 10 races (3 half marathon, 1 7km run, 6 10km run) with 1 race DNF. I really enjoy running now as it keeps me healthy and fit. One of my goal for running is to complete a full marathon in KLIM 2005. Since training in Bukit Tunku area I managed to improve my timing. I actually do not have the speed as my aim of running is for fun and to complete a race within a qualifying time. My best timing for half marathon is 2 hr 16 min 20 sec, set in Singapore recently. Many thanks to the Pacesetters website that links me to other useful running sites like Jamiepang.com, der_pacemaker#1, KL Penguins, Pipot.com and others. It helps me in planning my long run and training based on the race report by the runners.

ROAD TO KLIM

From now onwards, I'll post some past articles posted in other runners' blog as I did not have much time in the past to post it.

RUN FOR TERENCE ON 4 FEBRUARY 2006

More than 40 runners took part in this run. I ran 5 laps (6.5 km) in 40 minutes just to sweat out as I did not want to push too hard for tomorrow's long run.

Enclosed is the photos during the run, courtesy of Tey.

ON TRAINING FOR TWO (2) MONTHS

With effect from 6 February 2006 to 7 April 2006, I’ll be based in Rating Agency Malaysia Berhad (RAM) in Mid-Valley City for training attachment with RAM. This means I won’t be based in Menara Boustead, Jalan Raja Chulan. Although internet access is available, I can only surf the website relevant to the RAM training. Some of you may have known my working mail address which I do not encourage incoming mails not related to works. I would appreciate if you could direct all correspondence to my private mail at jasonlfh@gmail.com Some of you may have my office telephone number. I would appreciate if you do not try to call my office telephone number as I do not wish the voice mail box to be jammed up. If there is anything urgent, kindly SMS me or call my mobile number after 5 p.m.

Thanks and regards,
LIM FANG HAU
012-2478525

Note: I won't be taking part in the Saberkas Marathon 2006 although I had booked the Air Asia flight in December 2005. I have no choice but I have to sacrifice the marathon and focus on my training modules.