ATTENTION

2009 calendar updated!!!


Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Seremban Half Marathon 2008



VENUE: NS Padang, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
TIME: 6.45am (21km followed by other categories)
RUNNERS: Along, Angah, Alang and Fuzahir (21km), Hamid (11km) and Izzat (9km).
MORAL SUPPORT: Chan and Haieezan

THE Sanusi Family's first running event outside the Klang Valley this year. Could have been earlier, but a few running events were held at different venues on the same day, notably the RMAF and Port Dickson (May) and Siemens and Ipoh (July).

The four of us left KL on Saturday night for Angah's apartment in Port Dickson. About 5.30 am Sunday, we left PD and arrived at the venue a little after 6am.

We met Chan, Fuzahir, Hamid and Haieezan after parking the car near the NS Padang. Chan registered for the 21km but could not run because of injury.

The 21km runners were flagged off at 6.45am. The route is almost similar to the adidas KOTR - lots of hills - but unlike the KOTR, the water and sponging stations for the Seremban Half Marathon were evenly spread out.

Vehicles of all shapes and sizes passed by us runners just inches away on the main and industrial roads at the second half of the race - too close for comfort. Traffic control or cones were sorely missed.

Nevertheless, we enjoyed ourselves despite huffing and puffing our way to the finishing line.

Me, Angah and Fuzahir got a medal. Angah pipped Along to the last medal. Angah also received a hamper as her bib number were listed among the lucky winners at the finishing line.

We'll be taking a break for puasa and will reactivate our running mode after raya. Until then, ciao!

By Shahrizal Sanusi

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Jacob's Walk of Life 2008



DATE: 17 August 2008
EVENT: Jacob's Walk Of Life 2008
VENUE: Taman Pertanian Malaysia, Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam, Shah Alam, Selangor
TIME: 8.30 am
ATTENDEES: Along, Angah, Alang dan Izzat

MY undying love for milk made me do something I have never done before during a running/walking event - visiting the toilet for the 'big' one.

At last Sunday's Jacob's Walk Of Life 2008, where milk and biscuits were served to participants, I succumbed to the temptation and gulped three packets and four cups of milk before the walk, besides nibbling several biscuits. Big mistake!

Thirty minutes into the 7km walk, I was sweating profusely for two reasons - the exercise and the pressure of trying to contain the churning feeling in my tummy.

Unable to stem the rising pressure any longer, I scrambled to the nearest toilet so as not to mess my track bottoms. As if doing the Kegel is not challenging enough, the lock of all three rooms in the toilet were broken!

Luckily I had my backpack, so I used it to block the door while hoping nobody will push it open and face the consequences!

I felt so very relieved after the bowel session and vowed not to repeat the milky mistake. Too much milk can be hazardous... to me that is.

The walk itself was pleasant, and two water stations were provided along the way. Goodiebags were given at the finishing line.

Met several running comrades - Steven, Joyce, Andrew and May - posed with the maskots and came face to face with two male macacques scavenging a dustbin for food during the walk.
Looking at their size, they were probably the dominant males.

Well, that's about it. We'll be doing the Seremban Half Marathon this Sunday.

By Shahrizal Sanusi

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Adidas King Of The Road 2008







EVENT: Shah Alam King Of The Road Run 2008
VENUE: Dataran Shah Alam
START: 6.55am for half marathon, followed by other categories
RUNNERS: The Sanusi family, Chan, Fuzahir, Javier, Estelle, the Bernama Gang (you know who you are)

I will always remember the Shah Alam Adidas King Of The Road (KOTR) 2008 last Sunday for it's WALL.E factor. Not the Pixar animated movie, but it's about:

W - water! water! water!

The lack of water almost dehydrated me. The water stations were inadequate and not spread out evenly; one at less than 5km, another at almost halfway (and that too you have to gulp from the bottle and put it back again on the table for runners behind you), and the last at less than 2km from the finishing line.

At one point I was so thirsty I readied my empty water bottle to scoop water from the basin at the sponging station, but it was dry too!So the next best thing was to suck the sponges (I think I took four) and man, was it tasty! I also placed a sponge at the back of my neck for cooling purposes, but later sucked the salty water!The organisers could learn something from the RMAF about providing adequate water and sponging stations.

A - armpit and groin area chaffed. Chaffing at the armpit area is a first for me, while the stinging pain at the groin and butt is just outside the vaseline lathed area. Next time must remember to widen the vaseline area.

L - limped and walked mostly for the last 4km because of cramps, first the left calf and then the right. Asked the volunteers at the sponging stations for ice but there were none, so I used the sponges instead.

L - learned my lesson.. train harder and watch your weight! My mileage reduced greatly after RMAF and I was also five kilograms heavier. The effects showed, especially after the halfway mark.

E - exhausted, really really exhausted! Have never felt this tired and sore since the Great Eastern 30km last January.Anyway me, my siblings and fellow Slowmovers all made it to the finishing line. I failed to repeat last year's medal winning performance, but Along and Angah (thru Along's persuasion talents) managed to get medals after the race.

Finally (as a promo!) please watch our montage taken by our cycling handycamerawoman, Suriati. Runningmom Haza, you're in it too (albeit for a few seconds).

By Shahrizal Sanusi

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Rimbathon 2008


Date: 3 August 2008
Time: Outrageously late - 9.15am
Venue: FRIM
Runners: The Sanusi's only


I think this is the first time, I'm running, angry. Apa la organiser. Ingat ni sukan sekolah ke, semua orang nak kasi ucapan... dari the pengetua to whoever la. And proudly saying that they have been organising for this particular event for the last five year. Well, guess what, you guys just wasted your five years, organising one of the worst event I've ever entered.

Where can I start? Hhmmm ... let's see, shall we:-
  1. Distributing numbers on the day..... BAD IDEA. Masa terhabis nak ambil nombor je. My sister went and picked up the t-shirt the other day, WITHOUT the number. Kata diorang, nombor tak siap lagi. What??? And you expect us to come again some other day. What laaa....

  2. Everyone in the school board PLUS the FRIM's big people give speeches, before the run..... another BAD IDEA. Please la. You can do it, when the race is over. Nak 20 orang kasi ucapan pun, go ahead.

  3. Warming up/Aerobics... do it like 5 minutes, at most 8 minutes only. Why? Most of us, the regular runners, would have done the warming up already, so no need so long la. And bila orang suruh berenti, berenti la. Boleh pulak the instructor tu refuse to stop. Kelakar, kelakar. And I heard, she actually had 4 songs. OMG!!!

  4. When you start a race, you flag off the category with the longest distance, accordingly followed by the rest of the categories. Baru la the winners sampai serentak. Ini ada pulak Angah with 3.5km only, pergi dulu. And mine yang 10km, the last one.

  5. For 10km, at least one water station is required. Ni yilek, nada, cero, takde. Dah la start lambat, bila dah start lambat dah tentu panas plus most of the route are uphill. Both of us were so dizzy towards the end, we decided to walk je. First aid pun takde kat atas tu.

Well, that's it la rasanya. Apa-apa pun, all of us survive the gruesome run. So organiser, next time, pergila masuk few events dulu, tengok cam ne orang lain organise. I think, you do not need five years to prepare for a small running event. A few months pun boleh.

Ok la. Next race - Adidas KOTR. C ya.

- Suriati Sanusi -