GE30K

with courtesy from Tey

STANDARD CHARTERED KL MARATHON 2009 TO BECOME BIGGEST MARATHON EVENT IN REGION

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- The inaugural Standard Chartered KL Marathon, one of eight international series, is set to become the biggest marathon event in Malaysia with an expected 12,500 participants.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri said with RM300,000 prize money guaranteed for top Malaysian finishers, the target would be achievable.

"An international race such as the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009, will develop an active, healthy and energetic lifestyle among Malaysians as well as foster the spirit of excellence among professional athletes and ordinary citizens from all walks of life," he said adding that participation would be open to all ages.

The marathon's event organiser, Octagon Asia Managing Director, Ivan Brixi said Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka) would be the flag off and finishing point for the marathon scheduled on June 28.

He said the route would be decided later, but disclosed that participants are set to run pass several famous tourism landmarks in and around Kuala Lumpur.

"Octagon's goal is to establish the Standard Chartered KL Marathon as the best in the region and to ultimately achieve the silver and gold status recognition from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)," he said.

Meanwhile, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Berhad, managing director and chief executive officer Julian Wyner said KL Marathon is one of eight marathon series sponsored by the bank, worldwide.

"We are very excited to add Kuala Lumpur to the Standard Chartered series of marathons. In all eight countries where we sponsor marathon events, each has created a real buzz among the marathon-running community globally. We know that KL Marathon will be no exception," he said.

The marathon is endorsed by the Youth and Sports Ministry and sanctioned by the Malaysia Amateur Athletic Union (MAAU), IAAF, the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS).

Adidas Promotion - Singapore

Japanese TENJI Restaurant - Chinese New Year Promotion

Additional Toll Discount in conjunction with Chinese New Year Holidays

Finesse Elegance - Wines Promotion

Training

Date : 18/1/2009
Distance : 20K
Timing : 2:15:07
Venue : GE20K

聯邦州際公路 車速減10公里

交通部宣佈，農曆新年期間實施10大道路安全措施，其中全國聯邦公路及州際公路的駕駛時速，降低每小時10公里時速。
這項減速行動，也是配合自本月19日至下月2日展開的「態度行動19」所展開。交通部長拿督斯裡翁詩傑今午推介農曆新年道路安全運動後，宣佈這項應節的返鄉減車禍措施，內容包括教育宣導、執法及工程技術層面的10大措施。
其中，工程部將執行聯邦公路及州際公路下調每小時10公里時速舉措，而陸路交通局及警方則負責展開執法。
載重型車輛禁上路
交通部也將在1月24日、25日、31日及2月1日全面禁止以運載建築材料為主的第一級別重型車輛上路，而第2級別重型車輛允許在早上6時至午夜12時行駛。
第3級別重型車輛則在特定地區，允許於早上6時至傍晚6時上路，舒緩交通阻塞及減低意外風險。至於運載藥物、食物、燃料及垃圾等特定物品，還有來往碼頭及機場的第4級別重型車輛則不受限。
翁詩傑較後表示，該部今年著重3個特定項目，分別是扣後座安全帶、摩哆騎士扣綁符合規格頭盔及成人過馬路時牽兒童的手，並提醒道路使用者注意這方面安全。
「財神爺」提醒道路安全
據悉，交通部已製作相關道路安全廣告，從即日起在電子媒體頻密播出，其中廣告皆以華人熟知的「財神爺」為主角，提醒道路使用者注意這些安全事項，也貼切配合農曆新年氣氛。
他表示，長遠而言，該部將把主軸放在道路安全教育，即通過教育部在小學開始塑造年輕一代道路安全意識，成人方面則通過不斷宣導，糾正他們的錯誤觀念。
他說，該部也設下目標，要2010年死亡車禍率達至全國每10萬車輛對2人死亡車禍人數，而目前數據是每10萬車輛3.5人死亡。

Training

Date : 15/1/2009
Distance : 3 Laps
Timing : 27:32
Venue : DJ

Training

Date : 14/1/2009
Distance : 3 Laps
Timing : 30:42
Venue : DJ

Adidas Pre-Lunar New Year Factory Outlet Sales - Singapore

Berlys Chocolates Sales

Training

Date : 12/1/2009
Distance : 3 Laps
Timing : 34:39
Venue : DJ

POWER BAR@GREAT EASTERN PACESETTERS 30KM 2009

This year event PowerBar is setting up a breakfast station for all participants.

They will be providing a half bar of the Performance Bar an hour before the race start.

Not to miss out the OFFER do check out at the PowerBar breakfast station.

Training

Date : 11/1/2009
Distance : 6laps
Timing : 57:26
Venue : TTP

Wines Warehouse Sales

The Heartstringers Charity walk

THE Heartstringers Charity Walk will be held on Jan 17 in Taman Tasik Permaisuri, KL. The Heartstringers is a pioneer charity project by the undergraduates of the Fourth Residential College of Universiti Malaya.

The project is organised in line with the United Nations Children’s Education Fund’s (Unicef) Schools for Africa Campaign, which aims to collect funds to build a school and carry out teaching programmes in Angola, Africa.

Entry fee is RM10 for adults and RM5 for students (aged seven to 17).
Submission deadline is Jan 12.

For registration and details, contact
012-580 5556(Mazuin)/
012-743 2516 (Hafiz)/
info@theheartstringers.com or
visit http://www.theheartstringers.com/.

Training

Date : 09/01/09
Distance : 3 laps
Timing : 31:59
Venue : DJ

KLIM loses title sponsor

AMBANK Group will not be part of the Kuala Lumpur International Marathon (KLIM) this year.
AmBank Group, with its annual contribution of RM400,000, had been the title sponsors of the KLIM since 2004. Besides the sponsorship, AmBank Group had also initiated a series of programmes, including a three-leg running circuit, to promote the KLIM.

The KLIM, organised by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and Federal Territory Amateur Athletics Association (FTAAA), had gained international recognition and was included in the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) calendar.

However, the DBKL had informed the financial institution that they were looking at other sponsors for the 2009 edition of KLIM.

AmBank Group public affairs director Syed Anuar Syed Ali confirmed that they had received a letter from the DBKL regarding the KLIM.

“The letter stated that they had a new sponsor and would like to thank AmBank Group for the support rendered since 2004. For the past four years, as the sponsors, we have played a part in the promotion of marathon in Malaysia.

“We wish the DBKL and FTAAA all the best in organising the KLIM,’’ said Syed Anuar.

However FTAAA are still waiting for the DBKL to confirm the date for the 2009 KLIM.

FTAAA secretary S. Vegiyathuman said they had tentatively scheduled the KLIM for Feb 22.

“The date is not far away and we have yet to receive any feedback from KL City Hall. We have to work fast as we have to start the promotions,’’ said Vegiyathuman.

Tenji Japanese Buffet Restaurant @ Solaris Mont' Kiara

Tenji Japanese Buffet Restaurant

was opened only a week ago and currently running a promo lunch which is priced at RM29.90++ for 1st hour, additional RM10 for the subsequent hour or RM49.90 ++ for the entire lunch session; meaning from 11.30 a.m. till 4.00 p.m.

Tenji Japanese Buffet Restaurant is located at:

Lot L-01-01, SohoKL,

Solaris Mont ' Kiara2 Jalan Solaris,

5o480 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 1700-80-1818

Operation Hours:

Weekdays:

Lunch 11.30 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. RM77++

Dinner 5.30 p.m. - 9.30 p.m. RM88++

Supper 10.00 p.m. - 2.30 a.m. RM88++

Weekend & Public Holiday :

Lunch 11.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. RM77++

Dinner 5.30 p.m. - 9.30 p.m. RM88++

Supper 10.00 p.m. - 2.30 a.m. RM88++

with courtesy from:
Preciouspea.blogspot.com

Dong Zen Temple CNY Program

Link : http://www.fgs.org.my/cny2009/images/2009fgsdzcny.jpg

WHY IS THE WEDDING RING WORN ON THE 4TH FINGER?

Training

Date : 4/1/2009
Distance : 3 laps (I)
Time : 26:49
Venue : BTP

Training

Date : 01/01/2009
Distance : 3 Laps
Venue : BTP
Time : 21:51mins

Stephen Covey's

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

Penang Bridge International Marathon 2009

from http://penangmarathon.gov.my/portal/

Penang Bridge, at 13.5km, is the world third longest bridge. More than 100,000 vehicles plying the Penang Bridge daily. Since opened to public in Sept 1985, our Penang Bridge will closed for traffic completely once a year for only one occasion....The Penang Bridge International Marathon.

Our Penang Bridge International Marathon 2009 is scheduled to be held on the 22nd of November 2009. To the participants in our 2008 PBIM, we heard you, and we promise to improve on every aspect and every details....bag handling service, water & more water, running chips and many more.

We wish everyone a Happy New Year and will keep you inform of our progress and activities via our monthly newsletter and our web site.

Thank you for your support! Keep in touch.

Training

Date : 29-12-2008
Venue : Taman Ria Jaya
Time : 37:05
Distance : ??

Company Christmas Dinner

Date : 23 Dec 2008
Time : 7pm
Venue : Hilton Hotel, KL Sentral
Event : Company Christmas Dinner

Blue cheese coliflower soup crispy pumpernickel bread

Honey mustard roasted goose

Grand Marnier Tiramisu with caramel sauce

Taman Bukit Jalil Green Run

Event : Taman Bukit Jalil Green Run 2009
Date : 15/03/2009
Time : 7:30am
Distance : 10km,5km
Venue : Taman Bukit Jalil, Bukit Jalil ( Car Park B)


Links:

Green Run Entry Form
&
Green Run Event Details

Training

Date : 19/12/2008
Laps : 4 laps
Time : 38:10
Venue : DJ

KLAVA Open Back to Nature Relay 2009

Date : 11/1/2009
Time : 7:30am
Event : Approx. 3 x 3.9km (11.7km)
Venue : Next to Taman Metropolitan Batu, Taman Mastiara, Off Jalan Ipoh, KL
Organiser : KLAVA


Registration Form

Magazine picks adidas for two awards

ADIDAS Running has been internationally recognised by the world’s leading running magazine Runner’s World, winning two awards at the magazine’s yearend summit in New York.
The Supernova Cushion 7 took the Best Update award after winning over the Runner’s World editorial team with its comfort driven design, breathable ClimaCool upper and the ForMotion heel unit.
Adidas Running will build on this success next year with the introduction of the Supernova Glide.
With specific cushioning properties, the new Supernova Glide will also feature a more flexible sole thanks to material reduction around the Torsion System.
The Response Cushion 17 won the Reader’s Choice: Best Looking Shoe award after receiving over 4,200 votes from Runner’s World readers worldwide.
The stylish silver and white upper with the classic black three stripes caught the eye of Runner’s World readers while the adiPRENE cushioning ensured a comfortable as well as a fashionable run.
Its adiWEAR outsole and ground-adapting heel unit make this the ultimate shoe for dynamic runners.
Next Year, the Response Cushion 18 is destined to also make waves in the running design world. Entering retail in FW, the Response Cushion 18 will feature even smoother transition properties and a lock down overlay for the closest possible fit.
They are available in stores nationwide with the price range from RM329.90 to RM369.90 per pair.

Reader’s pick: The Response Cushion 17 was a favourite.

Training

Date - 17/12/2008
Venue - DJ
Laps - 3
Timing - 25:36

'When I Run I Am in a Peaceful Place'

Japanese author Haruki Murakami, 59, also runs marathons. His memoir about jogging has been translated into German, and he talked to SPIEGEL about the loneliness of the writer and the runner.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Murakami, which is tougher: writing a novel, or running a marathon?

Murakami: Writing is fun -- at least mostly. I write for four hours every day. After that I go running. As a rule, 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). That’s easy to manage. But running 42.195 kilometers (26 miles) all at once is tough; however it’s a toughness I seek out. It is an inevitable torment which I deliberately take upon myself. For me that is the most important aspect of running a marathon.

SPIEGEL: And which is nicer: completing a book or crossing the finishing line of a marathon?

Murakami: Putting the final full stop at the end of a story is like giving birth to a child, an incomparable moment. A fortunate author can write maybe twelve novels in his lifetime. I don’t know how many good books I still have in me; I hope there are another four or five. When I am running I don’t feel that kind of limit. I publish a thick novel every four years, but I run a 10-kilometer race, a half-marathon and a marathon every year. I have run 27 marathon races so far, the last was in January, and numbers 28, 29 and 30 will follow quite naturally.

SPIEGEL: In your latest book, the German translation of which is to be released next Monday, you describe your career as a runner and discuss the importance of running for your work as a writer. Why did you write this autobiographical work?

Murakami: Ever since I went running for the first time, 25 years ago in the autumn of 1982, I have been asking myself for why I decided on this particular sport. Why don’t I play football? Why did my real existence as a serious writer begin on the day that I first went jogging? I tend to understand things only if I record my thoughts. I found that when I write about running I write about myself.

SPIEGEL: Why did you start running?

Murakami: I wanted to lose weight. During my first years as an author I smoked a lot, about 60 cigarettes a day, in order to be able to concentrate better. I had yellow teeth, yellow fingernails. When I decided to stop smoking, at the age of 33, I sprouted rolls of fat on my hips. So I ran; running seemed to me to be most practicable.

SPIEGEL: Why?

Murakami: Team sports aren’t my thing. I find it easier to pick something up if I can do it at my own speed. And you don’t need a partner to go running, you don’t need a particular place, like in tennis, just a pair of trainers. Judo doesn’t suit me either; I’m not a fighter. Long-distance running is not a matter of winning against others. Your only opponent is yourself, no one else is involved, but you are engaged in an inner conflict: Am I better than I was last time? Exerting yourself to the limit over and over again, that is the essence of running. Running is painful, but the pain doesn’t leave me, I can take care of it. That agrees with my mentality.

SPIEGEL: What kind of shape were you in at the time?

Murakami: After 20 minutes I was out of breath, my heart was hammering, my legs were trembling. At first I was uncomfortable when other people saw me jogging. But I integrated running into my day like brushing my teeth. So I made rapid progress. After just under a year I ran my first, though unofficial, marathon.

SPIEGEL: You ran from Athens to Marathon on your own. What appealed to you about that?

Murakami: Well, it’s the original marathon, it’s the historic route -- though in the opposite direction, because I didn’t want to arrive in Athens during the rush hour. I had never run more than 35 kilometers; my legs and my upper body were not particularly strong yet; I didn’t know what to expect. It was like running in terra incognita.

SPIEGEL: How did you get along?

Murakami: It was July; it was hot. So hot, even in the early morning. I had never been to Greece before; I was surprised. After half an hour I took off my shirt. Later I dreamt of an ice-cold beer and counted the dead dogs and cats lying along the roadside. I was furious with the sun; it burnt down on me so angrily, small blisters formed on my skin. It took me 3:51 hours, a passable time. When I arrived at the finish I hosed myself down at a petrol station and drank the beer I had dreamt of. When the petrol pump attendant heard what I had done, he presented me with a bunch of flowers.

SPIEGEL: What is your best time for a marathon?

Murakami: 3:27 hours by my watch, in New York, in 1991. That’s five minutes per kilometer. I am very proud of that because the last stretch of the course, which leads through Central Park, is really hard. I have tried a few times to improve on that time, but I’m getting older. In the meantime I’m no longer interested in my best personal time. For me it’s a matter of being satisfied with myself.

SPIEGEL: Is there some mantra that you recite while running?

Murakami: No. I just tell myself once in a while: Haruki, you’ll make it. But in fact I don’t think of anything while I’m running.

SPIEGEL: Is that possible, to think of nothing?

Murakami: When I am running my mind empties itself. Everything I think while running is subordinate to the process. The thoughts that impose themselves on me while running are like light gusts of wind -- they appear all of a sudden, disappear again and change nothing.

SPIEGEL: Do you listen to music while running?

Murakami: Only when I’m training. And then rock music. At the moment my favorite is the Manic Street Preachers. When I go jogging in the morning, which is the exception, I load Creedence Clearwater Revival into the minidisk player. Their songs have a simple, natural rhythm.

SPIEGEL: How do you manage to motivate yourself again every day?

Murakami: Sometimes I find it too hot to run, and sometimes too cold. Or too cloudy. But I still go running. I know that if I didn’t go running, I wouldn’t go the next day either. It’s not in human nature to take unnecessary burdens upon oneself, so one’s body soon becomes disaccustomed. It mustn’t do that. It’s the same with writing. I write every day so that my mind doesn’t become disaccustomed. So that I can gradually set the literary yardstick higher and higher, just as running regularly makes your muscles stronger and stronger.

SPIEGEL: You grew up as an only child; writing is a lonely business, and you always run alone. Is there some connection between these things?

Murakami: Definitely. I am used to being alone. And I enjoy being alone. Unlike my wife, I don’t like company. I have been married for 37 years, and often it is a battle. In my previous job I often worked until dawn, now I'm in bed by nine or ten.

SPIEGEL: Before you became a writer and a runner, you owned a jazz club in Tokyo. A change in life could hardly be more radical.

Murakami: When I had the club I stood behind the bar, and it was my job to engage in conversation. I did that for seven years, but I’m not a talkative person. I swore to myself: Once I’ve finished here I will only ever talk to those people I really want to talk to.

SPIEGEL: When did you notice it was time for a fresh start?

Murakami: In April 1978, I was watching a baseball game in the Jingu Stadium in Tokyo, the sun was shining, I was drinking a beer. And when Dave Hilton of the Yakult Swallows made a perfect hit, at that instant I knew I was going to write a novel. It was a warm sensation. I can still feel it in my heart. Now I am compensating for the old, open life through my new, closed life. I have never appeared on television, I have never been heard on the radio, I hardly ever give readings, I am extremely reluctant to have my photograph taken, I rarely give interviews. I’m a loner.

SPIEGEL: Do you know the novel “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner” by Alan Sillitoe?

Murakami: I wasn’t impressed by the book. It’s boring. You can tell that Sillitoe wasn’t a runner himself. But I find the idea itself fitting: running allows the hero to access his own identity. In running he discovers the only state in which he feels free. I can identify with that.

SPIEGEL: And what did running teach you?

Murakami: The certainty that I will make it to the finishing line. Running taught me to have faith in my skills as a writer. I learned how much I can demand of myself, when I need a break, and when the break starts to get too long. I known how hard I am allowed to push myself.

SPIEGEL: Are you a better writer because you run?

Murakami: Definitely. The stronger my muscles got, the clearer my mind became. I am convinced that artists who lead an unhealthy life burn out more quickly. Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin were the heroes of my youth -- all of them died young, even though they didn’t deserve to. Only geniuses like Mozart or Pushkin deserve an early death. Jimi Hendrix was good, but not so smart because he took drugs. Working artistically is unhealthy; an artist should lead a healthy life to make up for it. Finding a story is a dangerous thing for an author; running helps me to avert that danger.

SPIEGEL: Could you explain that?

Murakami: When a writer develops a story, he is confronted with a poison that is inside him. If you don’t have that poison, your story will be boring and uninspired. It’s like fugu: The flesh of the pufferfish is extremely tasty, but the roe, the liver, the heart can be lethally toxic. My stories are located in a dark, dangerous part of my consciousness, I feel the poison in my mind, but I can fend off a high dose of it because I have a strong body. When you are young, you are strong; so you can usually conquer the poison even without being in training. But beyond the age of 40 your strength wanes, you can no longer cope with the poison if you lead an unhealthy life.

SPIEGEL: J.D. Salinger wrote his only novel, “Catcher in the Rye” when he was 32. Was he too weak for his poison?

Murakami: I translated the book into Japanese. It is quite good, but incomplete. The story becomes darker and darker, and the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, doesn’t find his way out of the dark world. I think Salinger himself didn’t find it either. Would sport have saved him too? I don’t know.

SPIEGEL: Does running give you the inspiration for stories?

Murakami: No, because I’m not the kind of writer who reaches the source of a story playfully. I have to dig for the source. I have to dig very deep to reach the dark places in my soul where the story lies hidden. For that, too, you have to be physically strong. Since I started running, I have been able to concentrate for longer, and I have to concentrate for hours on my way into the darkness. On the way there you find everything: the images, the characters, the metaphors. If you are physically too weak, you miss them; you lack the strength to hold on to them and bring them back up to the surface of your consciousness. When you are writing, the main thing isn’t digging down to the source, but the way back out of the darkness. It’s the same with running. There is a finishing line that you have to cross, whatever the cost may be.

SPIEGEL: Are you in a similarly dark place when you are running?

Murakami: There is something very familiar to me about running. When I run I am in a peaceful place.

SPIEGEL: You lived in the United States for several years. Are there differences between American and Japanese runners?

Murakami: No, but when I was in Cambridge (as a writer-in-residence at Harvard), it became clear to me that the members of an elite run differently from ordinary mortals.

SPIEGEL: How do you mean?

Murakami: My running route took me along the Charles River, and I was constantly seeing these young female students, Harvard freshmen. They jogged with long strides, their iPods in their ears, their blonde ponytails swinging to and fro on their backs. Their entire body was radiant. They were aware that they were unusual. Their self-awareness impressed me deeply. I was a better runner, but there was something provokingly positive about them. They were so different from me. I was never the member of an elite.

SPIEGEL: Can you distinguish a beginner from a veteran runner?

Murakami: A beginner runs too fast, his breathing is too shallow. The veteran is at rest. One veteran recognizes another just the way that a writer recognizes the style and language of another writer.

SPIEGEL: Your books are written in the style of magical realism, reality blends with magic. Does running have a surrealist or metaphysical dimension -- quite apart from the pure physical achievement?

Murakami: Every activity acquires something contemplative if you perform it long enough. In 1995 I took part in a 100-kilometer race; it took me 11:42 hours and in the end it was a religious experience.

SPIEGEL: A-ha.

Murakami: After 55 kilometers I broke down; my legs would no longer obey me. I felt as though two horses were pulling my body apart. After about 75 kilometers I was suddenly able to run properly again; the pain had vanished. I had reached the other side. Happiness surged through me. I reached the finishing line filled with euphoria. I could have gone on running. Nevertheless, I will never run another ultramarathon.

SPIEGEL: Why not?

Murakami: After this extreme experience I went into a state that I have called “Runner’s Blue.”

SPIEGEL: What is that?

Murakami: A sort of listlessness. I was tired of running. Running 100 kilometers is terribly boring, you are on your own for more than eleven hours, and this boredom gnawed at me. It sucked the motivation out of my soul. The positive attitude was gone. I hated running. For weeks.

SPIEGEL: How did you restore your pleasure in it?

Murakami: I tried to force myself to run, but that didn’t work. The fun had gone out of it. So I decided to try a different sport. I wanted to try a new stimulus, and so I started on the triathlon. It helped. After a while, my desire to run returned.

SPIEGEL: You are 59 years old. How long do you intend to go on taking part in marathons?

Murakami: I will go on running for as long as I can walk. You know what I would like to be written on my tombstone?

SPIEGEL: Tell us.

Murakami: "At least he never walked."

SPIEGEL: Mr. Murakami, thank you for this interview.

Haruki Murakami - I'am Run

Why do you run, when did you start?

I began running on an everyday basis after I became a writer. As being a writer requires sitting at a desk for hours a day, without getting some exercise you'd quickly get out of shape and gain weight, I figured. That was 22 years ago. I also took it as a chance to quit smoking. You see, I became rapidly healthier since the time I became a writer. You may call it rather a rare case. But because of that, I weigh now just as much as I weighed back then.

Before I became a writer, I was running a jazz bar in the center of Tokyo, which means that I worked in filthy air all the time late into the night. I was very excited when I started making a living out of my writing, and I decided, "I will live in nothing but an absolutely healthy way." Getting up at 5 a.m. every morning, doing some work first, then going off running. It was very refreshing for me.

I have always liked running, so it wasn't particularly difficult to make it a habit. All you need is a pair of running shoes and you can do it anywhere. It does not require anybody to do it with, and so I found the sport perfectly fits me as a person who tends to be independent and individualistic.

How much do you run? Do you do straight mileage or any speedwork?

My goal was always doing about 60K per week: 6 days a week, 10K a day on average. Some days I run more, some days less. It depends. If it is not before a race, I run at a moderate pace at which I feel easy and comfortable. If it's training for a race, I sometimes focus on speed. But otherwise I usually just try to enjoy myself at a casual pace.

I should add, though, that since I also enter triathlons these days, I have added biking and swimming to my workouts. As such, I am now running only 3 or 4 days a week.

You are moving to Boston soon and have run in Boston before. Where do you usually run in Boston?

I've run the Boston Marathon 6 times before. I think the best aspects of the marathon are the beautiful changes of the scenery along the route and the warmth of the people's support. I feel happier every time I enter this marathon.

As far as my experience goes, Boston is the most appealing marathon.
(Of course the New York City Marathon is also very exciting, but in a different way).

The challenge is how to set your pace. It's tricky because there are many downhill slopes in the beginning part of the course, so I never know how fast I should go. No matter how many times I challenge the same course, there has never been a time I thought to myself "Yeah, that was the way to do it!"

However, no matter how challenging the race was, crossing the finish line at the Copley Plaza, going to Legal Sea Foods restaurant, eating steamed cherry stones and drinking Samuel Adams beer is one of the happiest moments of my life.

I used to run along the Charles River when I lived in the area before. I really like the course, though it can get really cold in the winter.

Where is your favorite run anywhere in the world, and why?

My favorite run anywhere in the world? I recall when I lived on a small island in Greece. Because I was the only jogger on that island there was inevitably someone who would call out, saying "Why are you running?", "Isn't that bad for your heath?" or "Don't you want to stop for a shot of Ouzo?" It was quite amusing.

I read that you ran every day while writing [i]Kafka on the Shore[/i]. Do you work out plots and dialogue while running? How does running affect your writing?

I try not to think about anything special while running. As a matter of fact, I usually run with my mind empty. However, when I run empty-minded, something naturally and abruptly crawls in sometime. That might become an idea that can help me with my writing.

However, in general, I try to get my mind relaxed and rested while running by not thinking about anything. I run to cool down my nerves that get heated up while writing.

Do you listen to jazz or any other kind of music?

I normally listen to rock while running. I found that the simpler the rhythm, the better. For example, Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Mellencamp or The Beach Boys. I record this music on MD disks so I can listen to them with my Walkman on my run. There was this one time when I tried a 100K ultramarathon, I was tempted to listen to Mozart's [i]Magic Flute[/i] from the beginning to the end, but I gave up on it in the middle of the course. It was exhausting. Since then I found opera not to be a good fit for running.

You have expressed interest in running the New York Marathon again. What was the experience of running New York like for you before? What were the best and worst parts of the New York race?

I've run the New York City Marathon 3 times so far. The great thing about the marathon is the fact that I can do sight seeing in that unique and gigantic city while running on my own two feet, taking all that time, to my heart's content.

On the course, there are truly amazing and diverse areas; each with its unique people and cultures--this scene and feel is only possible in New York. Also, I hit my best time in the New York City Marathon.

There is one problem with the marathon, though. You have to put up with the chill while waiting at the starting line, shivering, for a long time in the frigid breeze.

As someone who has run a marathon a year for over 20 years, will you continue to do so? How has the experience of running (in marathons and daily) changed for you over the years?

As long as possible, I would really like to complete one marathon per year. Though my time has been slowing down as I get older, it has become a very important part of my life.

One aspect that I have gained from running in the past 22 years that has most pleased me is that it has helped me develop respect about my own physical being.

I think to realize this is very important for all human beings.

To have such respect for your own body makes it possible to do the same for others. If more people on the earth shared this same feeling, there should be no terrorism or wars. Obviously, to our great disappointment, things are not that simple, that much I understand.

The most important qualities to be a fiction writer are probably imaginative ability, intelligence, and focus. But in order to maintain these qualities in a high and constant level, you must never neglect to keep up your physical strength.

Without a solid base of physical strength, you can't accomplish anything very intricate or demanding. That's my belief. If I did not keep running, I think my writing would be very different from what it is now.

Event aims to educate Malaysians on wine and cheese

WHILE wine and food events are becoming increasingly popular among locals, cheese and wine pairings are something relatively new to many Malaysian palates.
This is probably because wine and cheese pairing are much more tricky, as the strong flavour and aroma of cheese in general, can easily overpower most wines.
For that reason, most people prefer to have cheese cooked with meals or baked to savour a much more mellow and toned-down flavour.

However, in an effort to bring more people to savour the goodness of cheese on its own, especially when combined with specific wines, Quality Wines and Avid Food Services got together to organise a wine and cheese pairing session recently.
The event was held at the Food Hall at the Bangsar Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur, and it featured some easy to drink as well as complex wines, from reds and whites to port.
There were also an exciting range of cheese, including Mozarella, Parmesan, goat cheese and Cheddar.
Seven wines were paired with seven types of cheese by Quality Wines managing partner Rober Tan and Avid Food Services sales and marketing manager Sanm Y. Chen.
The first wine was Grand Sud unoaked Chardonnay, which was a fresh, crisp and fruity white, that paired excellently with the mild and smooth Austria Real Farmer young Mozarella.
“Similarly, other unoaked, light and refreshing wines such as the Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Albarino can also be paired with the Mozarella,” Tan said at the event.
Marbled pink and cream, the Singleton semi-aged Cheddar with Port and Stout was an instant favourite with most guests. It was paired with the French, Veuve Alban Sparkling White.
Light and heavy: Thegoat cheese was accompanied by a wooded Chardonnay.
The third cheese was also unique in colour and flavour. The Singleton semi-aged Cheddar with Whisky was attractive in brown and cream, and its flavour was neither too salty nor woody, with a pleasant, slight after-taste on the palate.
It was paired with an easy-to-drink red, which was the Chilean Los Riscos Merlot.
The Alcmaria Pure Goat Cheese probably posed too strong a flavour for most, but those with a preference for stronger flavoured cheese enjoyed it tremendously.
It went perfectly well with the Puerto Viejo wooded Chardonnay, which was full-bodied with fine, moderate acidity.
Tan said the wooded Chardon-nay was creamy and the saltiness in the goat cheese was mellowed down by it.
“So the cream in the wine matches the cheese, which cuts through the salt, giving it a balanced flavour as it brings out the best in the wine and cheese,” he said.
The fifth cheese was a Parmesan — Bella Vera Formaggio Rigatello. The semi-aged Italian cheese was not too pungent and was therefore, best for a someone who is just starting off with Parmesan cheeses. It was paired with the robust Campo Rosso Sangiovese, Superiore Riserva.
Spanish red, Conde de Valdemar was a well-rounded and smooth red, with a moderate level of acidity. It was paired with the nutty-flavoured Dutch Old Alkmaar matured cheese. It was a matured cheddar of 12 months which was salty but not over-powering.
The last wine was a port, which was a sweet finale to the event. The special Julian’s Old Tawny Port from the Barossa Valley in Australia was a limited release. It was matched with the Blue Stilton blue cheese.
The cheese was pungent without being over-powering and tasted lovely on its own. The port, on the other hand, was sweet and creamy, leaving it to the guests to decide if it was the perfect combination for them.

Training

Date:15/12/2008
Venue : DJ
Laps : 3 laps
Timing : 34:25min

Siem Reap Trip

Recommended Local Tour Guide : Mr Tep Sithol

HP : 855 12 758 210

SMS : 855 11 566 050

Email : tepsithol@yahoo.com

Blog : http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/angkorwat_travel/article?mid=26

Angkor Wat Half Marathon

Association to hold Walk-A-Payung event to raise money for lupus fund

PERSATUAN Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Malaysia (PSLEM) will be holding its annual Walk-A-Payung event on Sunday at Sunway Pyramid in Subang Jaya to raise RM500,000 for its Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Fund.
More than five million people worldwide mostly women are diagnosed with SLE or lupus for short, a potentially life-threatening auto-immune disease that causes the immune system to attack the body’s own healthy tissue.
The fund will be used to help poor patients pay for replacement joints and lenses for cataract surgery, body parts that become damaged with long-term use of steroids that are used to manage lupus.
According to PSLEM vice-president and consultant rheumatologist Dr Yeap Swan Sim, lupus afflicts people between the ages of 15 and 44.
The disease often goes unnoticed because its primary symptoms – joint pain, fatigue, skin rashes, and fevers – mimic many common illnesses, which could cause people to receive treatment for conditions they may not have.
“Lupus is not contagious. At the present time, lupus has no cure and can be fatal.
“It spares no organ – every part of the body can be affected by lupus, including the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys and brain.
“There have been no new drugs for lupus in over 40 years. Drugs used to control the disease are borrowed from other diseases,” she said.
The organising chairman of the event, Datin Rahmah Kassim, said walkers would be carrying umbrellas during the 2km walk as a sign of solidarity with lupus patients, who could experience a relapse with exposure to sunlight.
“We are aiming to raise RM500,000 to be used to support needy patients to buy what are known as spare parts — joint replacements and lenses among others; as well as to help patients pay for medications used for their treatment.
“The fund will also be used to increase counseling services for lupus patients and their families,” Rahmah said.
“We expect more than 1,000 walkers to take part at the event.
“There will be free health checks, games, quizzes, performances and much more that will keep the family entertained, while supporting this good cause,” she said.
Tickets priced at RM20 each are available at PSLEM’s office in Petaling Jaya and at RealRewards’ office in Subang Jaya.
Members of the public or corporations who would like to support the event can contact Chee at 03-7957 7672 or e-mail: pslem@streamyx.com or pslem@gmail.com or visit the association’s website at www.lupusmalaysia.org.

澳洲馬拉松女將麥甘癌症病逝．得年41歲

澳洲媒體今天報導，澳洲大英國協運動會兩面金牌得主麥甘（Kerryn McCann）因癌症病逝，得年41歲。
媒體引述澳洲乳癌患者互助網（Breast CancerNetwork Australia）的消息指出，麥甘昨晚病逝於雪梨南方烏隆岡附近的家中，家人隨侍在側。
麥甘是澳洲最成功的馬拉松選手之一，曾獲得2002年於英國曼徹斯特及2006年在澳洲墨爾本舉行的大英國協運動會比賽金牌。
去年她說，在發現懷了第三胎後，她已罹患乳癌，並在生了兒子古柏後，開始進行長期化療。
麥甘去年10月接受雜誌訪問時說：「外科醫生相信治療成功，且他是對的，這實在是太棒的消息。」
但今年9月，她的先生葛瑞格說，他的妻子身體「有些問題」，報導說她被肝癌所苦。
麥甘在墨爾本比賽中令人最難忘的時刻是在接近終點墨爾本板球場最後3公里處，和肯亞選手切羅諾(Hellen Cherono）一決高下獲勝的情景。

Batik Fun Walk is back!

KUALA LUMPUR: The Batik Fun Walk is back for a sixth year this Nov 16. Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia (Penyayang) chief executive officer Datuk Leela Mohd Ali said the 4.5km route will take participants down Lebuh Bandar Utama, Jalan Masjid, Persiaran Bandar Utama and Dataran Bandar Utama.
“Participants will have to come early at 6.30am for registration. The starting and finishing point is at the main entrance of 1 Utama shopping centre’s new wing,” she said at a press conference in Penyayang’s headquarters here yesterday.
Angkasawan Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor will flag off the 2,000 expected participants.
The fun walk is an annual event on the calendar of Malaysia Batik – Crafted for the World, a movement started by the Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, the late wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Penyayang chairman Nori Abdullah said her late mother Endon once said that Malaysians should take pride in wearing Malaysian batik.
“By changing the venue closer to a housing area in the suburbs, hopefully more people will come out and participate.
“Participants can help a cause while having fun as proceeds from the walk will be channelled to Penyayang Pesakit Kanser, a group that serves cancer patients,” she said.
Nori also appealed for more corporate sponsors to help with cash donations or sponsor teams for the walk.
Entry fee is RM10 per person, inclusive of a batik sarong. For groups of 10, the 10th participant will be exempted from paying while children under 12 can join for free.
The Star is the media partner for Batik Fun Walk.
For more information visit www.penyayang.org.my or call 03-8946 0222.

Terry Fox Run T-Shirt

12-hour Walk in Putrajaya

FOR the first time in five years, the 12-hour walk, organised by the Race Walkers Association of Malaysia (RWAM), will be held in Putrajaya on Dec 13 and 14.

The last four editions of the 12-hour walk was held in Penang. But this year, for a change, the RWAM has opted to stage the event, the Putrajaya International 12-Hour Walk, in Putrajaya.
RWAM president Datuk Eddy Chen said the last four editions of the event were successful.
“Now we are keen to promote the event in other states as well. We felt Putrajaya will be an interesting venue for the 12-Hour Walk. We have received encouraging response from our partners Putrajaya Holdings and the Federal Territory Amateur Athletics Association.
“We have also got in touch with our overseas contacts to promote the event,’’ said Chen.
The organisers are expecting about 300 participants to be part of the event. They have already received confirmation from participants in Hong Kong, Singapore, Spain, the Philippines and Belgium.
Chen said they were expecting about 85% of participants to be locals.
The 12-Hour Walk will have two categories - men and women - and there will be cash prizes for the top 30 who finish in each category.
The organisers have also included a 50km event for both men and women in the 12-Hour Walk.
Chen said the 50km walk for men was to prepare Malaysian walkers for the 2010 Common-wealth Games in New Delhi.
“Our initial plan was to have the 50km walk for men only. But several women were also game for the challenge. Our main aim is to provide a platform for Malaysian walkers to prepare for the Commonwealth Games,’’ said Chen.
In the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia won the gold medal in the 50km walk through G. Saravanan.
Chen said Saravanan had proved that Malaysians had the talent to match their rivals in the Commonwealth Games.
“We did not have any representatives in the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games. We hope to see a Malaysian starting the event in New Delhi,’’ added Chen.
For more information visit racewalkermalaysia.synthasite.com/ or e-mail whyap@metrok.com.my.

Alumni group pledges support

THE High School Bukit Mertajam Alumni Malaysia (HSBM) has come forward to support the annual charity jog/wheel-a-thon for the disabled at Dataran Merdeka on Nov 9.

Organising seceretary S. Vegiya-thuman said the partnership was an opportunity for the HSBM members to show that they were a caring bunch.

“The members will have the chance to either jog or walk with the disabled participants. We expect the HSBM members to come out in full force to give their support for the event,’’ Vegiyathuman said.

The event has garnered support from McDonald’s, Power, Telekom Malaysia, Milo and 100Plus.
Vegiyathuman said there were eight age categories for participants.

“We welcome participants from 13 years old onwards. Each participant will have to cover a distance of 4km,’’ he said.

The organising committee will be giving away medals to the top 10 finishers in each category.
The charity jog/wheel-a-thon with the disabled is also a recreational and fund raising event to provide opportunities for all welfare-based NGOs to work for a common cause.

Each year about 1,500 participants, including about 500 disabled on wheelchairs, rollators and crutches, attend the event.

Entry forms are available at the FTAAA (03-27152843).

Terry Fox Run 2008

The Terry Fox Run KL 2008 will take place on 2 November 2008 (Flag off 9.00 am) at Taman Tasik Perdana (Lake Gardens).

Participants are to be at the assembly area by 8.45 am.

All participants must run on the designated route.

To participate, you can purchase a limited edition Terry Fox 2008 T-Shirt from the following locations:

T-shirts can be purchased at

1) Ms Chan Siew Wan / Ms Lee Siew Bee

at the Canadian High Commission, 17th Floor, Menara Tan & Tan, Jln Tun Razak (6th October onwards)

2) Ms Yoon / Mr Peter Kang

at the Cancer Research Initiatives Foundation (CARIF), 2nd Floor, Outpatient Centre, Subang Jaya Medical Centre (6th October onwards)

3) Ms Tila

at the Foyer, Ground Floor, Menara Citibank, Jalan Ampang (12.00 to 2.00pm, 20th October until 24th October)4

) At the Lake Garden on Run Day (2nd November 2008)

Would you like to be a volunteer?

Please contact Ms Jo Tan or Ms Yoon at organizer@terryfoxrunkl.org

If you have any question, please send your email to organizer@terryfxorunkl.org

瞄準世界新紀錄．杜拜重金有請馬拉松之王

主辦者今天表示，衣索比亞籍世界紀錄保持人吉布塞拉西將參加明年一月十六日舉行的杜拜馬拉松。這項比賽的最高獎金可達三百萬美元。
卡瑪里在記者會上說，吉布塞拉西今年一月贏得杜拜馬拉松冠軍之後，杜拜方面就跟他一直保持聯繫。他當時差點刷新世界紀錄。
這項比賽獎金兩百萬美元，如果創下新的紀錄，將再發給一百萬美元。
吉布塞拉西九月二十六日在柏林締造兩小時三分五十九秒的新紀錄，這不僅是他第二十六次締造新的或最佳的世界紀錄，也使他成為第一個打破兩小時四分障礙的馬拉松跑者。