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Monday, January 14, 2013

Exclusive: Interview with M. Zulkifli on the completion of Larian 40 Taman



Larian 40 Taman concludes with final run at Taman Tasik Lembah Kiara, Tmn Tun Dr Ismail.

We almost couldn’t make it on time to the event as our taxi driver was not able to find the way to the park. Thank God, we managed to find the place after asking around while circling TTDI. We now learned that are three parts of the Kiara park in TTDI – the bukit (hill), the rimba (forest) and the tasik (lake).

It was the final leg of the run started by the MHI (Malaysia hari Ini) talk show host, M. Zulkifli (aka M. Zul) early 2012. The event was beamed live on the MHI program, featuring the two other hosts - Nadia Annuar and Ally Iskandar.



The show also featured National top marathon runner, Shaharudin Hashim, dispensing tips on our favourite topic, what else if it is not running? :)



Don't forget to warm up before your run!



3.2.1....Here we go! These guys must be real lucky because never before a running event was beamed live on national TV! Congrates! Congratulations!



M. Zul was joined by around 30 runners in his final 1km run for Larian 40 Taman around the park. Also present at the event - From left: Datuk Kamal Khalid, COO, Shared Services, Television Networks MPB; Siti Nurlisia bt Mohd Nadzri, GM Mass Market TV3; Sherina Nordin Group GM TV3 & TV9, Airin Group GM 8TV & ntv7, Idzrona Azrani, BMG TV9 and M. Zul.



Here's an exclusive interview with M. Zul for you, our loyal readers. :)

Where was the first run and where was it held?
The first run was held at Taman Bandaran Kelana Jaya, 14 Jan 2012.

How far did you manage to cover in those 40 parks?
118kms

Most memorable run? Where? Why?
At Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, we had the most participants that day, close to 60 people and we ran with another running group called TT Kuda Runners. Part of this group was our national marathoner Shaharuddin Hashim who also led our warmup session and shared with us some running tips.

Toughest run?
Toughest run was at FRIM where we did the run in conjunction with National Forestry Day. It was partly a trail run, and many of us weren't prepared for it. But it was indeed very interesting and eye-opening for everyone involved.

Most beautiful park?
A very tough one since the majority of the parks were very beautiful, but I would say KL's Taman Botani (previously Lake Gardens) is still the most beautiful with a great view, nice facilities and lots of things to explore. I also liked Kota Kinabalu's Perdana Park which is very modern with a nice running track.

What did you learn about yourself having completed this journey of 40 parks?
It was both extremely challenging and rewarding. But I found that setting clear goals would always keep us motivated and determined to fulfill our objectives. And being part of a community that shares the same passion elevates my own ability and resolve. At the halfway point, I actually thought it was almost impossible to complete the project, but I did it!

What’s next?
To be honest, I haven't really decided on the next project. I just want to keep on running and continue encouraging others who have just picked up the activity. I know how difficult it can be to remain motivated, so maybe I will do a monthly gathering of Larian40Taman runners for everyone to keep in touch and continue sharing their running experiences.

Check out M. Zul’s blog at http://www.mzulkifli.com/ and official blog for Larian 40 Taman at http://larian40taman.blogspot.com/

More photos in our FB Page. Click HERE.

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