Male on the left; Female, right 
This is how my corporate sponsored dri-fit vest for the coming Singapore Marathon going to look like. The company logo will be embroidered on the left side of the chest. I hope they place the embroidery slightly higher. Don't want to end up with a chaffed nipple. (Insert Ouch here!)
I Want A Bite Too....
Sex sells and Shakira knows it. On her latest Oral Fixation Vol.2 CD cover, she plays first lady, Eve, complete with the red apple and stragtegically places leaves. (BTW, where is the serpent? And why is Adam reduced to a tiny tot?). I don’t think this hot and spicy CD cover will make it to our Malaysian music stores. We might just get a “clean” version with her face shot instead. Remember what they did to Christina Aguilera’s Stripped album cover?
Anyway, I hope this album will be available in Singapore during the marathon weekend. I shall give in to the temptation.
Track listing 1. "How Do You Do" 2. "Don't Bother" 3. "Illegal" (featuring Carlos Santana) 4. "The Day and the Time" (featuring Gustavo Cerati) 5. "Animal City" 6. "Dreams for Plans" 7. "Hey You" 8. "Your Embrace" 9. "Costume Makes the Clown" 10. "Something" 11. "Timor"
Yoga keeps my body very flexible
“Every little thing that you say or do, I’m hung up; I’m hung up on you.”
Who could believe that this picture belongs to a 47 year-old mother of two? Madonna is looking absolutely fabuloso in the Halasana or the Plough Pose in yoga while holding a disco mirror ball with her well-heeled feet. (Hmmmm…looking very “ploughable” indeed. Hahah!…) I absolutely love her latest single from her Confession on A Dance Floor CD. I can’t say the same for the album though.
Out of the 12 songs in the CD, only Hung Up is deemed suitable for running. I tested out the whole album while doing the double hill route a couple of weeks ago. Her other songs are simply too friggin’ slow for my pace. A grandma’s heart would have a faster bpm than the rest of the songs. She had better come up with better thumpa thumpa remixes for them.
I am in the midst of compiling some songs for my Sony Network Walkman for the coming Singapore Marathon. Obviously, the Hung Up remixes will be in it.
Hung Up – Album Version
Hung Up - Tracy Young Get Up And Dance Groove Mix
Hung Up - SDP Extended Vocal Mix
Here are some of my favorite running songs in the list.
Smack My Bitch Up – The Prodigy
Don’t Cha (More Booty/ Dirty Version) – PussyCat Dolls Feat. Busta Rhymes
Are You Gonna Go My Way – Lenny Kravitz
King of My Castle (Armin Van Buuren Club Mix) – Warmdue Project
Ready Steady Go (Remix) – Paul Oakenfold (from Collateral Original Soundtrack)
Shake Your Monkey (Non LP Main Mix) - Black Eye Peas
Don’t Fuck With My Heart (Chicago House Remix) – Black Eye Peas
Beautiful Day – U2
Have A Nice Day – Bon Jovi
It’s My Life – Bon Jovi
Come As You Are – Nirvana
Wishing You Were Here – Incubus
Bring Me Back To Life (Bliss Mix) – Evanescence
I Don’t Wanna Be – Bo Bice
Welcome To The Jungle – Gun & Roses
Freak On a Leash (Remix) – Korn
Throb – Janet Jackson
Jump Around – House of Pain
Feels Just Like It Should – Jamiroquai
Praise You – FatBoy Slim
Bounce (Kayrob Vs Gold Kind Remix) – Sarah Connor
Butterfly – Crazytown
Mimpi – Daniel (Malaysian Idol)
Lose My Breath – Destiny’s Child (Can you keep up?)
Tak Tahan Lagi – Melly Goeslow
Hella Good – No Doubt
Everybody Wants To Rule The World – Tears For Fear
Roam – B 52’s
Come Undone – Duran Duran
He Wasn’t Man Enough (Peter Rauhofer NYC Club Mix) – Toni Braxton
Left Outside Alone (Jason Nevin Global Club Mix) – Anastacia
I’m A Slave 4U (Thunderpuss Club Mix) – Britney Spears
Rapture (Taste So Sweet) (Riva Club Mix) – IIO
Ray Of Light (Sasha Ultra Violet Mix) – Madonna
All I Wanna Do – Mrs Lance Armstrong (Sheryl Crow)
and many more…..
But what is a compilation without Mimi? So, Mimi’s in as well.
We Belong Together – Atlantic Soul Radio Edit
We Belong Together – Reconstruction Radio Edit
We Belong Together – TMC’s Heartbroken Club Mix
Through The Rain – Full Intention Club Mix
Through The Rain – Maurice Joshua Radio Edit
Tempted to put “Chariot of Fire” at the end of my selection. Maybe not. It will be too corny. Heheh! I think Tina Turner’s “Simply The Best” will do just fine.
Cool down songs
Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper feat Sarah McLachlan (From Cyndi’s Body Acoustic CD! You must get this!)
Landslide (Sheryl Crow Remix) – Dixie Chicks
Je Ne Vous Oblie Pas – Celine Dion
All By Myself – Latoya London
Inside Your Heaven – Carrie Underwood
Cater 2U (Griz To The Club Mix)– Destiny’s Child
Heroe - Il Divo
Don't Forget About Us (Radio Edit) - Mariah Carey
Every runner who loves running with music should have his/her own running playlists.
Click below for Ultra-runner Dean Karnazes' song selection.
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,5033,s6-51-0-0-8500,00.html
Places to Be in Singapore Dec 3-4.
11 Days more to go for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. I am all excited for this event and had started packing my essential running stuff in my bags. This year, I will be wearing my company corporate vest, as our Singapore office’s Sport Club will sponsor my run. Free advertising for the company. Free registration fee and vest for me. It is a win-win situation. Heheh!
I have worked out a so-called itinerary for my trip this year.
Friday 2 Dec 2005
Night
Bye Bye KL Sentral
Saturday 3 Dec 2005
Morning
Hello Tanjong Pagar! Hello Singapore! Hello Kitty!(eh?)
Go To Suntec City To Collect running kit and check out Sport & Fitness Expo @ Suntec.
Note: For those kiasu ones, there will be 500 goodies bag to be distributed to those come with cutout ads everyday. According to Janice, the organizer, the ads will be running on Singapore news papers from 30 Nov. I guess I have to head straight to Suntec City immediately upon arrival for the goodie bag.
I have downloaded coupons for various try out services and demo sessions (From Pasta cooking demo to Bollywood dance to Artistic Yoga....Yes! All runners should know how to whip up a wicked plate of pasta in various yoga asanas in Bollywood tunes).
Reminder: Must also visit the Fountain of Wealth to “Feng Shui” my run on the next day. Must wish for a safe and fun run (and World Peace too) while circling the great fountain at Suntec City!
Afternoon
Go Art of Star Wars Exhibition @ Singapore Science Centre . Will look for the StarWars Fridge Magnets and check out some light sabers. (Insert Imperial March Anthem here)
The Art of Star Wars Exhibition will run at the Singapore Science Centre from 19 November 2005 to 3 April 2006.For more information on the exhibition, please visit http://www.science.edu.sg/starwars
Night
Free and Easy. (Do not insert naughty thoughts here!)
Sunday 4 Dec 2005
Morning
Run….. Hooh! Hah! Hooh! Hah…!
Afternoon
CDs & DVDs shopping at HMV and Gramophone and probably catch a movie or two. SAW 2 is scheduled to open on Dec 1. I love the first part. (It was banned in Malaysia for the violence). I hope the second one has more blood, gore and creatively killed dead bodies. (Insert blood-curdling scream here). Perhaps I will go watch another movie - Aeon Flux starring the ever yummy-licious Charlize Theron in sci-fi flick.
Night
Free and Easy Too.
Monday 5 Dec 2005
Bye Bye Singapore.
Low Key. Low Hype. Low Sodium Event.
No publicity. No breakfast. No DJs. No games. No Fun. Thank God we still got the ever-faithful Milo van for some cool and full-bodied drink at the end of the run. Having run some very well-organised Terry Fox Runs for the past few years in KL and a very good one in Bangkok last month, I can't help but to feel a bit let down. I suspect the departure of Regent Hotel as the main sponsor had something to do with the lackluster event.
Humpty Dumpty Had A Great Fall (Hahahaha!)
Padan Muka. Tai Sei. Serve them right!
During the run, I was startled when two boys skated passed me and other unsuspecting runners inconsiderately. Later I found them romancing the coat of tarmac down the slope they sped down (Red arrow pointing where they made their great fall). There is justice in the world after all. (Insert Dr. Evil's laughter here...Huuahahahahah!)
A note to the organizer - Please ban all sort of wheel contraptions next year. The hilly and uneven route poses serious hazards to the skaters and other innocent runners. Anyway, it is a Terry Fox RUN and not Terry Fox Skate or Terry Fox Wheelies....
Going for the Malaysian Most Autographed Banner?
It was meant to be the 25th Anniversary of Terry Fox The Marathon of Hope and all we get was a non-event. The Canadian Hicom should have put some muscles to get sponsors and volunteers for the event.
Anyway, a charity is still a charity. My support for Terry Fox should not be influenced by how many puff pastries they served after the run. I still completed the run with gusto even though my legs were still shaking after I ran the Double Hills route earlier. Unlike last year, I didn't hang around at the venue after the run as there was basically nothing to do after signing on a big banner. I went straight home and got lost in the LOST Season 1 DVD boxset I bought last week. Great show this is.
All we can do is to hope for a better one next year. But, if things don't get better, we can always go to our neighbouring countries like Singapore or Thailand for the TERRY FOX RUN. Their t-shirts are nicer too.
Note: Spoilers ahead.
I received this Korean DVD, Running Boy (Marathon) as my birthday present in advance . Thank you Carrie Anne for this special gift. I absolutely love it!
The story is about Cho-won (Cho Seung-woo), our running boy. Cho-won was a special kid who liked chocolate cookies and sweet and sour pork noodles. He had a special interest in zebra. He could recite word by word the commentary from a zebra documentary like a pro. He liked to get his hands onto anything zebra too. Once he snatched a zebra print bag from an unsuspecting lady. He even groped a lady’s behind just because she was wearing a zebra print skirt! That was how special he was. He also shamelessly walked around in a public swimming pool showing off his very own zebra tool. Heheh!
But this special fler sure could run. Ran as fast as a zebra, he did. Like any zebra in the African soil, he had no sense of pacing and the importance of hydration during heavy physical activities. He just kept the speed frenzy till he literally dropped to the ground due to extreme exhaustion. Mom initially was very enthusiastic about Cho-won and encouraged him non-stop with cookie bribe and even got him an ex Boston Marathon winner to be his coach. However, after a series of unfortunate incidents (like Mom encounters with death in a swimming pool and a hole in the stomach), Mom decided running was not meant for Cho-won. So, she sent him to vocational training and forbade him from running forever (Insert gasp here!)
But like we all know, there is nothing in this world that can keep a passionate runner from running. (Swollen ankle is not it, I know). So, on the day of Chuncheon International Marathon, Cho-won disappeared with his race kit from Yangjaechon Marathon Club.
Where did Cho-won go? To feed zebras at the zoo? To grope more ladies in zebra print skirts? Obviously, he went to run the marathon of his life. But the ultimate question is - Did he make mommy proud by finishing in 2:57:33 in chip time or sheepishly take the sweeper bus back home?
It is a heart-warming movie. At the end, it was revealed that the story is actually based on an autistic boy, Bae Hyung-jin. At the age of 19 in 2001, he finished Chuncheon International Marathon at 2 hr 57 min. A year later he completed a triathlon 15 hours 6 min for 228,195 km. This is Korea’s National Record set by the youngest person, let alone by a handicapped person.
The verdict – a very enjoyable movie with lots of beautiful running shots, lots of tears, lots of drama, lots of laughers and lots of farts (Cho-won had a flatulence problem!!!) and lot of product placement by New Balance (Heheh!) It made me wanna go out and run like a zebra and grab some zebra print tight @sses! Down boy!
Memorable Quotes from Running Boy.
Teacher: Why a Marathon? It’s so hard.
Mom: Well, I don’t think he wants to be a lawyer.
Teacher: Does he like running?
Mom: Moms can read their children’s faces and just know how they feel
He looks different when running. Like…
He could not look any happier when he runs
Teacher: 36 mins for 10km? Is that your son’s record?
A sub 3 might be possible then.
(Mom looks puzzled)
Teacher: Sub-3. Finishing a marathon in 3 hours or less, a dream for amateurs.
Mom: You asked me if I had a wish. I wish Cho-won dies a day before me.
Coach: Marathon seems cool, huh?
True human victory. Think again, lady.
It’s more like running away from reality
Mom: Why do you run?
To run from reality?
Or did your Mom damn you around?
Cho-won:
My heart is racing. Chow won heart is going pitter-patter
Coach:
Pounding is more like it
It’s pounding like hell
How does it feel with your heart pounding?
Cho-won: Good!
Coach to Mom :
You wish he dies a day before you?
No wonder. You know why?
You can’t survive a day without Cho Won
He doesn’t need you
It is you who needs him!
Mom: Your legs are?
Cho-won: Million dollar legs
Mom: Your body?
Cho-won: A Killer
Mom: Can you do it?
Chow-won: Yes!!!!
Terry Fox Run 2005
The wait is over. Terry Fox Run finally made it to our Malaysian running calendar this year. This year is the 25th anniversary of Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope in 1980.
The Regent Hotel will not be able to organize this event this year (insert Boo! here), but 5 International Schools accepted to take on the challenge: the French Lycée, ISKL, MontKiara, Australian and Alice Smith. (Insert applause here). The annual Family Run is set to raise money for CARIF-the Malaysian Cancer Research Foundation.
TERRY FOX RUN
Sunday, November 20th
7.30a.m Lake Gardens
How to join the Terry Fox Run?
You don't need to sign-up for the race; the purchase of the t-shirt is your only entrance ticket. Children sizes will be 32, 34, and 36 (RM20). Adult sizes will be S, M, L, XL and XXL (RM30). T-shirt can be purchased at the concierge of The Regent Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Canadian High Commission at Menara Tan & Tan, any participating international schools and on the day itself at Lake Gardens.
Based on experience, the Terry Fox Run is fun, non-competitive and full of Mat Sallehs. You will get the feeling like running in a foreign country. Heheh!
This will be my second Terry Fox Run this year. I did the Bangkok one a couple of weeks ago. Please scroll down further for the run report.
Hot & Spicy..Fingers Lickin' Good?
Mariah is back with a new single - Don't Forget About Us from her reissue of Emancipation of Mimi; repackaged as The Platinum Edition. Being a hardcore fan, I would probably rush to the store and grab a yet another copy of Mimi.
It is a great song to listen to when cooling down after a long run. So mellow yet heart-breaking.
The repackage CD contains 4 "bonus" tracks - DON'T FORGET ABOUT US, SO LONELY (ONE & ONLY PART 2) FEATURING TWISTA, WE BELONG TOGETHER (FEATURING JADAKISS & STYLES P) (REMIX) and WHAT IT LOOK LIKE. Why call it bonus tracks when we have to pay for it? (Insert constipated feeling here).
Don't forget About Us also features a video inspired by Marilyn Monroe's unfinished last movie Something's Got To Give. We see a very-scantily-clad Mariah writhing on the floor and getting hot and spicy with a mystery hunk in a swimming pool. The video got our Malaysian censors' specs so steamed up that they banned it. (Insert a cry of outrage here!)
What's In The Goodie Bag?
I felt relieved instantly after I passed the Singapore custom "safely" on Friday afternoon. I had to “smuggle” a few packs of ciggies and pirated DVDs for my friend, Jennie as a return favour. I made her dashed to the other end of Orchard road during her lunch hour on the last day for the early bird Vertical Marathon registration that day. I was told that each person could only bring in one pack of cancer sticks to Singapore. Pirated goods are a big no no.
After checking to our hotel in Orchard Road, we went straight to the Swissotel to collect the running kit.
What are the goodies?
1) A cool black with red trimming – VM shoe bag
2) A VM T-Shirt
3) A copy of November Men’s Health magazine
4) A bottle of Cusson Baby Powder
5) 3 sachets of Shower Gel (Lime, Lavender and Lime)
6) A bar of gentle soap
7) A S$10 spa voucher
8) A S$10 Running Lab voucher
9) A Fitness First 1 day Complementary Pass (worth S$40)
10) A white face towel
I think the organizer should look into the registration process. First of all, they did not issue a receipt upon accepting the registration fees. I was a bit worried, as we do not have a proof that we have pass them the money. What if the person who accepted the cash ran off with our money?
We were told that to wait for an email confirmation, which did not arrive at all. I had to ask my colleague to call the organizer to make sure that our name was on the participant list. So troublesome!
My friend, Miss T came all the way from Genting Highland only to find out that her name was not in the list. The organizer claimed that they had to refuse her entry because the entries had exceeded the number of participants allowed. Well, if this is the case, why didn’t they inform the participants early in advance before traveling plan was made. They didn’t even return the bank check. Anyway, we do not believe the organizer’s BS as Miss T had sent her entry using a well known courier service months before the closing date.
After kicking up some fuss, they finally allowed Miss T to join the race and collect her goodie bag. It was not her fault if the organizer was SLOPPY and did not send confirmatory emails.
We went separate ways after the collection of running kit. I was more interested in going to the CDs shops while Amy and the gang wanted to go to Chinatown to shop herb and spices.
On Saturday, I went to watch two movies and did more CDs and DVDs shopping. Amy and the gang went to Sentosa. First movie that I caught was Dreamship Surprise, a German movie. I had never watch a German fare before and it was hilarious!! A must watch spoof of Star Wars, Star Trek, Men in Black, Back to The Future III and others sci-fi action movies.
Synopsis: Story: In the year 2304 humans settled Mars. 300 years later return the descendants of the first settlers, in order to conquer the earth. Under guidance of the dark Mars 'Regulator' Rogul (re: Dark Lord of Sith) and his son Jens Maul (re: Darth Vader with asthma problem) the invasion on earth, mankind is under tremendous threat. Head of state queen Metaphor (re: Queen Amidala) and their Ministers know only a way out – to engage the “happy”crew in a time machine back to correct the history. Captain Juergen Thorsten Kork (re: Captain Kirk), Mr. Spuck (Re: Mr. Spock) and first engineer Schrotty are busy preparing for “Miss Waikiki Pageant”. Can they save the world and come back in time for the pageant in one piece?
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is more a courtroom drama than a supernatural horror show that I thought it would be. The acting was great but if you want shock-out-of your-socks kind of horror, out bring out you’re the original, The Exorcist DVD instead.
Raided HMV and Gramophone. Bought among others The Prodigy Greatest Hits CD (wicked songs with slamming drumbeats for running and dancing), LaToya London’s debut album, Love & Life (American Idol 3 Finalist), Initial D VCD (Special package – in a deluxe tin can plus magnets), Shawshank Redemption 2-Disc DVD, Electra VCD, Mariah Carey – Shake it Off/ Get Your Number CD single and many many more. I love CD shopping in Singapore.
Tall Erection
Step Up…Race Up….Challenge yourself to the top of Southeast Asia’s tallest hotel, in a grueling 73-storey climb (1,336 steps). Only the toughest will emerged top and the champion fly to New York for the prestigious Empire State Run-Up.
Venue: Swissotel the Stamford, Singapore.
Date: 6 Nov 2005. (Sunday)
Time: 7:30am.
Making an Entrance
The Race Day
We walked to Sommerset Station and took the MRT to City Hall. It was drizzling and cold. Rainy Days on Sundays (not Monday..ok? Heheh!) always get me down. Sigh! Sundays are when all the running events take place. Rain spells a cold and uncomfortable run, not to mention the risk of being zapped by lightning.
We arrived at the Swissotel. Registrations were staggered based on the age category. I was given a running bib and a timing chip. Walked around the Swissotel lobby. Downed a can of Red Bull. Big mistake. Went to pee about 3-4 times after that. I didn’t know that Red Bull was so diuretic.
Let's Get It Started!
The runners were set off in a group of lucky 8. I reminded myself to go easy and to pace myself. The bad experience during the KL Towerthon 2000 is still haunting me. I pushed to hard in start of the KL Towerthon (we had to run 800m uphill before the climb) and I ended throwing up what I had for breakfast to the floor. Not a very nice sight but I still managed to complete the climb.
The Start, The Finish and Everything In-between
10th floor – Semangat berkobar-kobar (Spirit is flying)
20th floor – Sweat start to breakout.
30th floor – Throat dry like Sahara Desert.
40th floor – Feeling suffocated. Lose my breath. Hoo! Hah! Hoo! Hah!
50th floor - Knees began to wobble like agar-agar.
60th floor – Semangat terkabur –kabur (Spirit is blurring)
73th floor – Finally, I saw the light. It is so beautiful. Am I in heaven?
On Top At Last
I was presented my medal once I cross the finishing line. Good! I completed the Swissotel Vertical Marathon!! And my ankle didn’t fall off in the process. Yeah!
The sky was still drizzling when I took these pictures of the surroundings. Very nice. I can only identify some buildings like the 5 fingered, palm-like building of Suntec City. I should have brought my binoculars up. Luckily it was not windy. If not, all the stick-thin runners would be blown off the roof (except me because I am always the fat one hahah!). More and more runners arrived including Miss T.
Top of The World (by The Carpenter)
Such a feelin’s comin’ over me
There is wonder in most everything I see
Not a cloud in the sky
Got the sun in my eyes
And I won’t be surprised if it’s a dream
Everything I want the world to be
Is now coming true especially for me
And the reason is clear
It’s because you are here
You’re the nearest thing to heaven that I’ve seen
(*) I’m on the top of the world lookin’ down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I’ve found ever since you’ve been around
Your love’s put me at the top of the world
Something in the wind has learned my name
And it’s tellin’ me that things are not the same
In the leaves on the trees and the touch of the breeze
There’s a pleasin’ sense of happiness for me
There is only one wish on my mind
When this day is through I hope that I will find
That tomorrow will be just the same for you and me
All I need will be mine if you are here
Repeat (*) twice
Walking Down the Swissotel - 1,336 steps
Miss T said she didn’t break a sweat running up the Swissotel and asked me to walk down with her. What? No elevator? This is insane!! But then, all runners are kinda insane…heheh. So off, I went thronging down the Swissotel from the roof to the lobby with Miss T, all 1,336 steps of it. Hmmmm….Surprisingly, it was not as tough as going up but what an experience!
Will I do the Swissotel Vertical Marathon again? Perhaps not. One time is enough for me. The registration process was such a sloppy affair. The medal is so small.
I should target other Vertical run like Sky Baiyoke and Banyan Tree Vertical Run (both in Bangkok) and maybe someday…Sydney Tower? Empire State? (Insert King Kong roar here…Auarghhhh....!)
Sawas-McDee Krub!
What a weekend! What a run! My first running trip to Bangkok was wonderful. The spicy food. The Thai massages. The shopping. And of course, the runs….
The two running events I have participated had humbled me and at the same time inspired me deeply. In Standard Chartered Run, I get to see and believe that being blind cannot stop one from running. Henry Wanyoike, a blind runner had proven that. Not only that he could still run despite his blindness, he emerged a world track champion and Olympic gold medallist. Amazing! Seeing is Believing!
Another inspiring person was Terry Fox. I believe Terry’s story has touch many hearts. His struggles with cancer and had never stopped him from running 143 days and over 3,000 miles to raise fund for cancer research. And he did it with one leg. (His right leg amputated above the knee due to cancer). Amazing!
Thank you to Henry Wanyoike and Terry Fox for showing what RUNNING WITH PASSION is all about.
