Message from The Organiser

Don't Cha Want This? I received this email from the Standard Chartered Run, Bangkok organiser today. Hmmm….I’m packed and ready for Bangkok….I can see myself pigging out at the ice-cream buffet already and admiring the gorgeous medal.…(Insert delightful squeal here) October 25, 2005 Standard Chartered Run Athlete Newsletter Dear Runners, Thank you for your support of the Standard Chartered Run. The response has been outstanding and we are anticipating a full field of runners come Saturday. In fact, we are about to close entries for the 3KM event as we have just about sold out. This is especially exciting as 100% of your entry fee will go towards eye restorations for those that need our help most.In addition to thanking you for your support, we wanted to update and remind you of a number of race related issues. Distance Markers There will be distance markers at 500 meter intervals (every half KM) on the run. The aid stations and medical points are as per the map on the website and entry form. Note that the aid station at Benjakiti is a double aid station meaning that you may obtain aid (including iced sponges) as you enter and leave the Park. Pls. help us to drop sponges in the vicinity of the aid station so that these can be re-cycled for runners behind you. Energy Gels - 11KM We will be providing iced energy gels at the last two aid stations on the 11Km run. For those runners in need of a little energy and who are not familiar with energy gels, pls. remember to consume the product with at least one cup of water and preferably two. This will provide you with approximately 30 minutes of energy. Pls. remember not to litter. A maximum of one gel per runner per aid station will be allowed. Race Rules Please take time to read and study the official race rules which can be found on the official event website, www.standardcharteredrun.com In particular for the 3KM run, please remember that the eye-mask must be worn so that it fully covers your eyes and remember that it must be worn by the same runner for the entire race (cannot be exchanged). We will have spotters on the course monitoring adherence to this and other rules. For the 11KM run, please take particular care on the road parts of the course (as you know, we cannot completely close roads in Bangkok) and also please take extreme care on the steep green steps (please no running down the centre) on the bridge leading towards Lumpini Park. Goody Bag Collection Please remember that your goody bag can be collected at Lumpini Park from Friday. Please try and come down to the Park on Friday (8am - 7pm) to collect your bag early. This will prevent long lines on Saturday morning. The bag collection area will still be open on Saturday morning from 4:30am - 5:30am. On Saturday morning, it will be possible to leave personal belongings at the race Concierge area but please remember to leave any valuables at home as the race will not be responsible for the loss of any items. Race Results & Race Pictures Tentative race results will be posted on the event website later on Saturday. Note that we will have two photographers on the course and the best pictures will be posted on the event website by early next week. You are free to download these pictures for your personal use (Yippie!! FREE pictures!!!). Ice Cream Breakfast (Insert dripping saliva here) We hope that you will enjoy the Ice Cream Breakfast in the park that we have planned for you along with our big drum band and other entertainment. Please remember that you must wear the race provided wrist band (found in your goody bag) AND your race number to gain entry into the catering area. Race Day Drinks Please remember that it is very important to stay well hydrated the day before the race and during the race given Bangkok's high humidity and heat. The longer that you plan to be on the course, the more important this becomes. Please enjoy the unlimited supply of drinks that we provide, in addition to the iced sponges.We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, happy training and thank you again for your support of the Standard Chartered Run. BEST The Standard Chartered Run Team

Running With Numa Numa

Walking with Passion Dragostea Din Tei was a big hit in Europe by a Romanian boy band called O-zone. Already infected the internet like Chicken Flu. It was spreaded by a hilarious fat kid who sing along with this song. If you want to know more, please Google "Numa Numa". I get to know about this song when I saw the trailer for Disney's Chicken Little. It is cheesy, catchy and it will stick to inside of your head like superglue. Not a bad song for running or driving your neighbour crazy when you put it on repeat on your HiFi, with the bass set to the max. I have uploaded this song to my Sony NW and go absolutely crazy... Sing along with this. (Don't ask me what it means...hehe..I don't speak Romanian. Oh! Remember to roll your tongue too like Dracula heheh!) x4 Ma-I-A Hi, Ma-I-A Hu Ma-I-A Ho, Ma-I-A Ha-Ha Alo, Salut... Sunt Eu Un.....Haiduc Si Te Rog, Iubirea Mea Primeste Fericirea Alo.....Alo..... Sunt Eu, Picasso Ti-Am Dat Beep Si Sunt Voinic Dar Sa Stii, Nu-Ti Cer Nimic Vrei Sa Pleci Dar Nu Ma, Nu Ma Iei Nu Ma, Nu Ma Iei Nu Ma, Nu Ma, Nu Ma Iei Chipul Tau Si Dragostea Din Tei, Imi Amintesc De Ochii Tai etc..etc... To watch the Chicken Little Trailer Click Here

Revenge is a dish best served HOT like Tom Yum Goong

These Runs are Hot like Tom Yum Goong! After down and out for one month plus due to my ankle injury, I think I will be ready for some actions by end of the month. Not running is miserable and not to mention, detrimental to my waistline. Fortunately, run events in the month of October are non-existent since it is a Ramadan fasting month. So, I have my chance to recuperate in peace without having to miss any important event. (Insert sigh of relief here). I have already planned 5 important running events to make up my lost in not having to run. I am just going to do it light and easy, taking my camera along to capture the scenic runs. First stop: Standard Chartered Run, Lumpini Park, Bangkok. 29 Oct 2005 My very first run in the Bangkok in the Land of Smiles and wicked Tom Yum Gung (spicy prawn soup). This run should be interesting as it also have a 3km category where one sighted runner participates with a visually impaired or blindfolded sighted partner. I will be doing the “regular” 11km minus the blind-fold. The run will start at the famous Lumpini Park and leaving the park on a delightful course that features the lake at Benjakiti Park and other special challenges such as bridges and stairs. The entire fee collected for the run will be donated for “Seeing is Believing” charity project. I am looking forward for the Swensen Ice-cream Buffet Breakfast at the end of the run. (Insert dripping saliva here). Second stop: Terry Fox Run, Lumpini Park, Bangkok 30 Oct 2005. My very first Terry Fox Run out of Malaysia. I am not sure if there is going to be a Terry Fox Run in KL or not this year. I phoned the Canadian Embassy but they are not sure when the run will be held. So, I planned my Bangkok trip to coincide with Terry Fox Run. Tickets are 350 Baht each and include an official 2005 Terry Fox T-shirt (I collect them….and this year is the 25th Anniversary for TFR), official finishing certificate, refreshment, and the chance to win exciting prizes. All proceeds raised from TFR will go directly to the Oncological (Cancer) Society of Thailand under the Patronage of Her Majesty the Queen for cancer research. Wow…Two charity runs in a row. It feels good to do good. It feels good to run too. Third stop: Swissotel Vertical Marathon 2005, Singapore. 6 Nov 2005 My fourth vertical run. I did Towerthon - KL Tower (2056 steps), KL Int. Airport Observation Tower and highest building in Penang, KOMTAR. So, it is me against the stairs again. It should be fun to know that I will be at the top of the world when I finish with the climb up Swissotel, Singapore (1336 steps), as it is The South East Asia Tallest Hotel. Fourth stop: Singapore Marathon, where else but Singapore. 4 Dec 2005 My second time for Singapore Marathon. Great Atmosphere. Great Organizer. Great Expo. Great way to burn a hole in my pocket due to CD & DVD shopping after the run. Last Stop: Mizuno Wave Run, Dataran Merdeka, KL 18 Dec 2005. Inaugural run by shoemaker Mizuno touted as the equivalent to “Jaguar” if running shoes were cars. Not sure what to expect. I hope the finisher medal look good so as to put a cap to a year filled with memorable, dramatic running/ walking events. Can’t wait to put on my running shoes, running shorts, running socks, running wrist pouch, running vest, running bib, running chip, running MP3 player, running water bottle, running cap, running watch and running underwear. (Not necessary in that order..Heheh!). It’s revenge time….(Insert Dr. Evil’s Buahahahaha laugh here).

Gimme, Gimme, Gimme Madonna

Pretty in Pink? I love my new Sony Network Walkman. Been playing with my new toy most of the time. Taking it everywhere I go - to the toilet, to my bed, to my college, to the bus stop, to the train station, to the Giant Supermart, to McD, to KFC, to the zoo..erm...perhaps not the zoo but you get the idea, right? The only place that I have not taken this baby is on my running route, be it on the road or park. (Insert prayer for the speedy healing of my ankle here). The sound is fantastic. I have heard bass that I have never heard before. It comes with a safety feature to set a limit for the volume to protect the ears. With the bass assault like that, thank God that the people at Sony include this safety measure. The battery life is excellent. It lasts me 4 days without recharge. I had to charge my iPod every other day previously. BW forwarded me a new photo of Madonna cover art for her new single - Hung Up yesterday. Hmmm...Interesting. Looks like Maddie is back to rules the dance chart with her disco mirror ball. This song samples heavily from ABBA's Gimme Gimme Gimme (a man after midnight). You can hear bits of it in the new Motorola RCKR (with iTunes) MP3 mobile phone. I think HitZ FM has also been playing snippets of it. Is this chicken feeding mummy turning to a voracious man-eater again? She does look like she is trying to be disco-pop princess, Kylie Minogue. But wait; didn't Kylie copy Madonna at the first place? Hmmm....Anyway, this will give me something fab to put into my Sony Walkman when the single is released on November 7, a week before her full studio album release. Single track listing: 1. Hung Up - Album Version 2. Hung Up - Radio Version 3. Hung Up - Tracy Young Get Up and Dance Groove Mix 4. Hung Up - Get Up and Dance Groove Mix Edit 5. Hung Up - SDP Extended Vocal Mix 6. Hung Up - SDP Vocal Mix Edit

Bye Bye iPod, Hello Sony Part 1

Tagline: Cal burned 340. Heads turned 7 I lost my iPod Shuffle a week ago. Didn’t know where I dropped it. It was as easy to loose a stick of chewing gum. I looked everywhere but no avail and I was so depressed for the whole week. The commute to work was horrible. Who want to listen to birds chirping and roosters crowing in the morning? I want to listen to my 5-octave power pipes for lungs diva – Mariah Carey. After accepting the fact that my iPod is gone forever (Note to the finder, please take good care of my baby), I started to do some research in the net to look for a replacement. Even though I like my Shuffle very much, I decide to explore my option before I get another iPod. I recalled an ad in September issue of Runner’s World. (See above picture). What small and sexy this player is. To cut the story short, I marched to the Sony dealer at Times Square on last Friday night and bought myself a Silver SONY NWE-105 MP3 player. I also bought the lanyard earphones as I heard the earphones supplied are not that good and the salesman had a free armband/ carry case thrown in as part of the deal. The main decision point to get this cute MP3 player instead of an iPod (Nano or otherwise) is the fact that this little thing can run up to 70 hours with an AAA battery. Imagine the number of marathons I can run with this baby. I can be trekking in the Amazon without having to look for an AC electric outlet if I bring enough AAA batteries. Furthermore, it is packed with features that my old Shuffle does not have – a cool blue backlit display, repeat capability, play group setting, equalizer setting, and of course, it can shuffle too. The only downside of this little shiny baby is the software that comes with it – SonicStage. It is light years behind iTunes. SonicStage only allows you to rip your CDs into Attrac3 format which is basically not playable anywhere else except on a Sony machine. That is a major downside. Others - no drag and drop function for files, the search function is tedious, no smart play list that automatically pick up songs based on the set up and the list goes on. I use my iTunes to convert my CDs into MP3 and then import it into SonicStage and then transfer them into my new player. Works great! Sounds even better. In fact, my new Sony baby sounds much better than my previous baby Shuffle. The bass is far richer (maybe due to the great new in-ears earphones) and that make me a very happy man. I love the way the bass of Mariah Carey “We Belong Together” ripples through my eardrums. Part 2 of this blog is coming soon. I have yet to test-drive, I mean test run this baby on the road. I think it should work out fine with the armband and its lightweight. My ankle is not fully healed yet. Swelling is still there even though the pain almost gone. So, until the time I am ready to whiz down the block, I will just have to walk around stylishly with this baby dangling from my neck. Sorry, no pierced belly button to dangle this baby. Hahah! To see more ads and features of my new baby click http://www.sony.com/walkman