Pacesetters Events

The Great Eastern Pacesetters 30km 2007 was the second one that we did, and before the event, I was hoping that we could perhaps get the same number of participants as last year's inaugural race. What happened really surprised me! We ended up with just over 1,400 participants, as compared to last year's 900 plus.

Usually, a new road running event will kick off with a bang, and then over the years it will slowly get smaller and smaller until it just fades away. With the Club's events, happily, the reverse is true. The first event we organized was the 15km with a target of 600 participants, and every year it just grew and grew until we are looking at possibly 2,000 runners this year. Looks like the same will happen to the 30km event. There will come a time when both events will reach a stable point in which they will not grow or shrink any more. I think that point is 2,000 for the 30km and 3,000 for the 15km. I will be very happy if I am proven wrong!

The Brooks Bonding Run has seen increased participation over the years even though it's a family-oriented fun run.

Even the 4 x 3km event had increases in participation year after year. Unfortunately, we did not have it last year as the sponsor withdrew due to changes in their marketing strategy.

The main sponsors (Nike, New Balance, adidas, Brooks, Great Eastern, in historical order), took a chance with us, and I am glad to report that the Pacesetters have not disappointed them so far in terms of what was delivered. This is due to the hard work put in by the Executive Committee and the members.

Due to our successes, we have been approached by many organizations requesting that we help them organize runs. Unfortunately, we are unable to do these events as we are not an event management company and we don't have full-time staff doing this work. We can only concentrate on our existing events, and we can't even do more for the Club, as most of us are on a voluntary basis and we have our own day jobs to take care of.

The Volunteers

The Club is successful because of the members who volunteer to help out. Many of them would like to take part, and yet they willingly sacrifice their time to ensure the events ran smoothly. They are the 'unsung heroes', the ones who are in the background and do the really hard and boring work. They wake up even earlier than the runners, so that everything is in place before the event starts. A lot of them sacrifice the cost of getting to the respective locations of the event, e.g. petrol or even taxi fares.

I hope you will appreciate these members, and more importantly, do not verbally abuse them. To me it's a simple and clear matter - anything that goes wrong or is not up to expectations, you must blame the President. He is ultimately responsible for the running of the event as well as the club. Even the Race Director is under the President. So, if you have a complaint, or just want to let off steam, do it to the President, and not to the poor volunteers who are just following instructions. This reminds me of an incident I witnessed where a customer was verbally abusing the counter staff for an expensive cup of coffee. The decision to fix the cost is made by the owner of the café, not the staff. Verbal abuse doesn't help as the staff can't change the price, and it will only result in a very unhappy staff. If only complaints, which I would like to call 'feedback', could be brought to our attention in a polite and diplomatic way. Having said that, I must say a lot of our members as well as non-members taking part in our events have written nice e-mails with good, constructive feedback, which the Exco will gladly look into without getting emotional! Yes, I have received nasty ones as well. It's all part and parcel of running a club, and perhaps it's also part of life. You get the good with the bad; or is it the bad with the good …. hmmmm …..

Pacesetters Marathon

In September 2002, on a sleepless night, I wrote a paper called "The Future", in which I outlined the direction in which I thought the Club should move towards. I did not expect the last President, Wan Yew Leong, to take it seriously as to start implementing the suggestions.

Nine months later, in June 2003, I was wide awake when I wrote "The Future Part 2". By that time, almost all the suggestions were implemented and were on-going. There were two issues that were outstanding, namely, a marathon in our name and the chip timing system. At that time I wrote that the Club was not ready for such a major step forward, and that we should consolidate what we were doing first.

When I became the President in 2005, in my maiden speech, I said that I would concentrate on consolidating the Club's activities. Two years later, perhaps the time has come for us to have a marathon. On 1st February 2007, the Executive Committee unanimously decided to look into the organization of one. It is tentatively called the "Pacesetters Marathon 2008". If we can get a sponsor, then the name will change accordingly, but "Pacesetters" will hopefully be still part of the event name. I hope you will all support this new venture of the club, and help make it a success. We do not intend to compete or replace the established marathons in the country, and to that end we will pick the most suitable date, so as to give you time to recover between the marathons. We will keep it small for a start, and as usual we do not intend to have prize money. It's important that the participants have a safe and enjoyable race.

Hopefully, by this time next year, it would have been realized successfully, and what would be left for future presidents to accomplish will be the timing system.

Brooks Bonding Run 2007

Last year we had this event in Klang. This year we will be having this event in Sabak Bernam, and our area group members there are all eager to welcome our members to their small town. We also hope that by doing this run outside Kuala Lumpur, we will be promoting road running in the smaller towns. In the past, we had been accused of being too focused on KL runners, and rightly so in my opinion. This is one of the ways to overcome this issue. We should not neglect the rest of the country, as the Club's name has now got "Malaysia" attached to it.

The Future

The future looks bright for the club, and by the time you read this, a new Executive Committee would have been voted in. They have their work cut out for them, and I know they will rise to the challenge and bring more progress to the club.

Setting the Pace Together

Munning Jamaludin
ceimj@pc.jaring.my

WAN TRUE PACESETTER'S TALE
By Wan Yew Leong

Wan, What's Up?

Sometime ago in one of my communication with our Footloose editor, SH Tan, I was requested to continue writing for the Footloose, telling members what I have been doing since retiring from the Club. Actually I did not stop writing, I write my columns posted in my website, www.runnersmalaysia.com.my. I recall mentioning in my December 2005 column that I will only write for the Footloose when there is something that warrants my comments. In the March 2006 column I have also outlined some of my own plans in developing my website at my own pace. While I have not written for the Footloose for nearly a year, I never failed to read it from cover to cover and emailed SH Tan immediately when I spotted a minor error in one issue. The quality of the Footloose has improved tremendously over the last few years, from the off-set printing up to the February 2004 issue. A little bit of history here: we ventured into the present magazine format by chance. We were promised by a local isotonic drinks brand to fund our Footloose in magazine format as they liked our contents. After we made the conversion in our inaugural May 2004 issue, increasing our cost of printing by 3 to 4 folds, the sponsor backed down citing budget constraint. We could have reverted back to the cheaper off-set printing but we felt there was no turning back, we have to find the advertisers to make it sustainable. Today the Footloose has all the top shoe brands as our advertisers and the quality of our magazine would put nearly all the National Sports Associations into shame. The Club now has a legitimate KDN (printing permit) for the Footloose.

By the time you read this issue of the Footloose, I have left the Committee exactly one year, not that long considering that I was still active in the New Balance Pacesetters 15km 2006 as the Race Director in May 2006. It is a good break away from the hectic 8 years when I was actively managing the club. I disappeared for about 6 weeks, focusing on the World Cup Football during June/July 2006 till I got quite sick with football and pay the price of declining fitness till the extent that I chickened out of the Seremban Half Marathon as I did not have enough mileage. After the World Cup Football, I came back with some more routine running, 5 mornings a week and with the mandatory Sunday long run. Now that I do not have any Club duties, I just focus on my runs and took part in a few runs in the second half of 2006. After analyzing my recorded time last year, I am happy that I recorded very consistent time, ended the year with a 2hr 5mins 44secs at the 21km in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. I have managed to achieve the time that I have targeted, to slow down by 1 min each year in the 21km. In 2001, I clocked 2hr 1min for 21km and since then I
have been slowing down 1 minute each year, 2002 - 2hr 2mins, 2003 - 2hr 3mins and so on. Therefore, I aim to be able to run 2hr 20min in 2020 when I am 63! Another feat I achieved in 2006 is that the very consistent timing in my 3 half marathons (KLIM 06, Putrajaya and Singapore), the fastest and the slowest time differential of merely 50 seconds. I guess I am an excellent pacer and I don't get drawn into a race with others, I just run my own race.

My second life starting at 50

Wan in full concentration at GE 30K run

Most of us would try to have some form of resolutions for the year and enjoy breaking them shortly after the start of the year. I believe I would experience a significant change in mindset this year as I am turning 50 in August 2007. Is 50 just a number or is it more to it? If it is just a number, why is there so much fuss about the nation turning 50 in August 2007 as well? In running, turning 50 means you can now compete in the Senior Veteran Category and most younger runners would give due respect to the uncles or aunties that are still fit enough to compete after 50. I am looking forward to the first event that I could run as a senior veteran. I believe turning 50 means a sense of maturity in life, hopefully having also achieved financial independence. Most of us would sort of reach the peak of our career at around this age and may be slowing down or pondering at retirement in a short time to come. I too have given considerable thought since I retired from PACM two years ago. Prior to my retirement from PACM, other than my work, my focus was very much on leading PACM. In other words I now have more brain compartment to deploy, to think about the future, how I am going to live my years to come in a meaningful manner.

Realistically, an average Malaysian would have 15 good years to do something they love to do after turning 50. Beyond 65, it would have been bonus years if you still have an able body. Therefore it is important that we make full use of this period to add meaning to our second life, life after the conclusion of your first life in your chosen career or profession. I have decided that My Second Life is very family/friends centric and I have to make full use of this period of time to guide my teenage kids into adulthood. I will also contribute back to society by sharing my experience accumulated over the last 30 years. One of the websites that I go to in my research is www.yoursecondlife.org and I have been sharing this web address with my friends who are approaching retirement. Another good website to go to is www.aarp.org, the website of American Association of Retired Persons. We need to plan in advance for our second life just like when we plan our career when we first join the workforce. While this is not a
retirement website, senior runners would agree that running still can fit in very well into our life and have lots of fun pursuing it. The secret is to pace yourself, listen to your body and don't get injured.

Pacesetters Kiwanis Charity Fun Run

I have recently taken on the role as an adviser to the Kiwanis on their charity run program with the Club. The Kiwanis is a world organization set up to support children. In Malaysia the Kiwanis is synonymous with down syndrome. In the last issue and the current issue of the Footloose, there is an advertorial on Kiwanis. This charity fun run is a run within a run, held side by side with the New Balance Pacesetters 15km 2007 on 20th May 2007. It will start at 7.30am, outside the Padang Merbuk car-park half an hour after the main run starts. The route is 5.8km, mostly along the second loop but do not go to the National Monument. The methodology of the run is along the line of the recent Terry Fox Charity Run, no competition, no bib number. Anyone interested to run could just purchase a souvenir T-shirt and come in to run wearing the T-shirt. A set of breakfast coupon will be given at the finish line to join the 15km runners for breakfast. The target is quite modest, we hope to sell 600 T-shirts and hope at least one third turn up to run. In addition to the sale of T-shirts, we are also sending out appeal letters for donations. As this is a joint project between the Club and Kiwanis, we hope members will support this event and help to get donors via the appeal letters or sale of T-shirts.

The Terry Fox Run was extremely successful last year, selling 9,000 T-shirts grossing RM441,000 and netted RM281,000 (source New Strait Times 5 January 2007) The senior members will remember that the Club used to organized charity runs, our 4th President, Col. Mustapha had done a lot in fund raising during his 8 years as the club president till1997. In 2000 when I was the president, we did a fund raising exercise in conjunction with the Kuala Lumpur International Marathon 2000. We raised RM106,348.05 via 187 members. After deducting RM2,525.29 expenses we donated the balance to the three beneficiaries as follows;

o Rumah Ozanam - RM34,642.55
o National Autistic Society of Malaysia - RM28,475.50
o Little Sisters of the Poor - RM30,693.50
(Source - Footloose Sept 2000)

Great Eastern Pacesetters 30km 2007

Last year I was the Race Director of the event, a very challenging event to organize, considering the logistics and details involved. The duration of the event is 4.5 hours on the road and safety became a prime concern. On the eve of the event, I came by to lend support to my wife, Clara who is the secretary to Kiwanis Club KL. Kiwanis was provided a tent by PACM to promote awareness to their activities. This is sort of a warm up exposure to the coming New Balance Pacesetters 15km 2007; incorporating the Pacesetters Kiwanis Charity Fun Run. The weather was rather unkind on Saturday, it rained twice, once in the afternoon and once in the evening. I could appreciate how tough it is to work under those circumstances, having brazed the rain when we did the Mizuno Wave Run in 2005 at Padang Merbok. I can see that things are very organized with many individuals carried out the same role that they used to do; example Law Lai Huat setting up the Event Backdrop and Finishers' Gate. I did feel a little left out as I was not doing anything, except getting the Kiwanis people introduced. On the other hand I can see that the management structure I started in event management is more or less intact with further improvements on certain processes like the preparation of PowerBar Endurance Drinks. I can say that the PACM can match any road event organizer in the country. Many runners actually think that we are the best, given that we always have the runners in mind in almost everything we do. The results speak for itself as we have a marked increase in the registration to over 1,400. Many of the runners are repeat customers! Well done! Munning and team, you have made it worth the while for us to compete in such a tough road event.

This year, the event gets very little pre-event publicity. Notwithstanding that, the registration went up strongly towards December 2006 and it crossed 1,400 by closing date, a marked improvement over 901 recorded in 2006. The ratio of 30km to 20km runners is 60/40. When we first started this event, we have the developmental role in mind; to increase the base of the longer distance runners to feed the local marathon. I believe we are achieving the objective and we hope the PACM will continue with their commitment and the sponsors continue to support the event.

Stay tuned for the second instalment in the June Footloose.

Wan Yew Leong
wanyewleong@gmail.com

Thank You

A Word of Thanks from the President to the Volunteers of Great Eastern - Pacesetters 30 km Run 2007

On behalf of the Club, I wish to thank each and every one of the volunteers who sacrificed their time and made the huge effort to support this Club event. It makes me proud to see so many members, and some even brought their families, working selflessly so that the participants could have an enjoyable, safe and great race.

My thanks also go to the Exco members who worked on and off for months getting this event ready.

Special mention must be made of our Vice President, Francis Toh, who spent a sleepless night at the event site making sure everything was ready.

To all of you, you made this event a huge success, thank you very much.

We serve, we sacrifice … so that others can run!

Munning Jamaludin
Club President

Ice Therapy

Free bananas for all



Cute GE Lion with medal




Hands up! It's a hold-up!



Life is Great!

Picture courtesy of Chan Weng Kai, KC Leong, Jason Lee and Lim Pueh Tian

Survey Analysis of Great Eastern Pacesetters 30km 2007
By Jagathasan Naidu

(based on survey conducted by Ligia, Cherie Fong, Wong Chee Kit and Barbara Fong)

The Great Eastern Pacesetters 30km 2007 was held on Sunday 21 January 2007. The run attracted 1,397 participants. Of the 1,397, 818 registered for 30km run and 579 for 20km run.

The data collected for this analysis is based on a survey of 120 runners at the Great Eastern Pacesetters 30km 2007 run.

The profile of these 120 runners consists of the following:

• Seventy three percent of the respondents are male runners.
• The majority of the respondents, 67.5 percent, are from Klang Valley.
• Forty-six percent of the respondents are Executives and Managers.
• Fifty-six percent of the respondents are non-members.
• Seventy percent of the non-club members respondents came to know of the run from their friends and club website.
• Sixty percent of the respondents registered for 20km run.
• The majority of the respondents, 73 percent did not run this race last year.
• Forty four percent of the respondents participated in this run because of good organization while 40 percent because running is their hobby.
  
  
  

• Registration Process: 97.5 percent of respondents were generally very satisfied and satisfied with the registration process.
• Distribution of vests and bibs: 95.8 percent of respondents very satisfied and satisfied with the distribution of vests and bib number.
• Water Station: 86.7 percent of respondents very satisfied and satisfied with the water station.
• Safety on running route: 42.5 percent of respondents were satisfied with safety of running route while 35 percent were very satisfied with safety.
• Running route: 49.2 of respondents were satisfied with the running route compared to 41.7 percent were very satisfied.
• Food and beverage: 93.4 percent of respondents were very satisfied and satisfied with the food and beverage.
• Toilets: 43.3 percent of respondents were satisfied with the toilet facilities. 30.8 percent were fairly satisfied with the toilet.
• Medical/Emergency Assistance: 48.3 percent of respondents were satisfied with the medical/emergency assistance. 25 percent were very satisfied and 17.5 percent were fairly satisfied with it.
• Announcement and sound system: 84.1 percent of respondents were either very satisfied or satisfied with announcement and sound system.
• Overall event: 95.8 percent of respondents were either very satisfied or satisfied with the overall event.

Feedback and comments from participants:

A Christmas Marathon in Chiang Mai
By John Tan

As 2006 came to an end, my wife Wai Mun insisted that we went for our annual holiday. When I suggested Chiang Mai, she welcomed it without hesitation.

It has been 6 years since we last incorporated our holidays with a marathon, so we took the opportunity to do it with our Chiang Mai trip and spend Christmas in Chiang Mai. One of the pleasures of running outside Malaysia is that you will not feel the pressure even if you under-perform because you are on vacation anyway! Another pleasant thing about running overseas is that we are bound to meet a Pacesetter somewhere during the race. It is as if we have that Pacesetter chop stamped on our foreheads!

Silent Night

As our hotel was less than 50 metres from the starting point, I had the privilege to sleep until the alarm woke me up one hour before the start of the race at 4.00am local time.
It was a chilly Christmas morning. I believe it was around 10 degree Celsius but thank goodness there was no strong breeze to compound the cold. I put on my gloves and my Santa Claus cap before walking in the dark and deserted street with my ever supportive wife to the starting point at Thaphae Gate.
The crowd was extremely small. I think it was less than 200 participants running the full distance. Anyway, the race was flagged off at 4.00am sharp signaling the start of my Santa Claus journey.

Here comes Santa Claus

I started very slowly. In fact it was so slow that my watch showed 6'55" at the first km. Gingerly, I increased my pace and tried to break away from the slow group. Then to my amusement, at the 4km mark, there was one lonely guy playing his harmonica to entertain the runners in the cold! We really salute his spirit! It reminds me of Wan Yew Leong and his harmonica!

The first 5km reminded me of running in the streets of Seremban town where I was surrounded with shops and market. However, unlike running in Malaysia, the organizer made an effort to make sure the runners' safety comes first by putting up red cones along the route. Kudos to Jog & Joy, a running club similar to our own PACM!

As we moved out of the town, it felt much cooler. This was not good as my results in Florida and Sydney showed I did not perform well in cold weather. Nevertheless, I tried to stay focus and kept telling myself to enjoy the weather and be thankful as I will never get a chance to run under such cold weather in Malaysia. I reached 10km mark in 54'54", almost 2 minutes off target!

At my 15km mark, the leading pack was already returning back. Wow! They were fast! I guessed they must now be 8km ahead of me. Checked my watch and it showed 1:20:50 which meant I am running at a quicker pace of 25'56".

From 15km onwards, I stopped checking on my split time as the markers were getting confusing. I just ran according to how I felt. Not long after that, we were required to turn left to a housing area where there were no street lights at all! In total darkness, I was careful not to bump into someone in front of me. We had to make a u-turn at a big tree in front of an ancient temple. It reminded me of a Hindustani movie!

I started overtaking a lot of runners. Motivated, I speeded up and ended up where there wasn't a single runner in front of me. All of a sudden I wasn't sure which direction I was supposed to head next as I could see so many arrow signs in Thai. Apparently, they were just signs to the hotels or restaurants! Fortunately, a Thai runner caught up with me, so I just followed him closely and into a beautiful park where the Royal Flora Expo is being held. Wow! What a pretty scenery and landscape! After another u-turn inside the park, I knew I was heading back to Chiang Mai town and was on the right track.

Jingle all the way

I increased my tempo with confidence and quickly grabbed a drink and a banana at the 30km mark. Then I saw the 32km marker and checked on my timing - 2:45! I did some mental calculations and knew I would be able to complete the route between 3:35 to 3:45. With a personal best in sight, I pushed myself during the last 10km.
With another 500 metres to go, I changed to top gear and finished in 3:33:08 (Official time: 3:33:17). I managed to cut down another 10 minutes from the previous personal best achieved in Putrajaya. I was more than happy when I realized that while I did 55 minutes in my first 10km, my last 10km was a superb 48 minutes! Now, I can look forward to achieving my ultimate target of 3:30 before I can really feel satisfied and proud of myself!

Oh What Fun…

I would say the race was fairly organized and we do not have any complaints. I would recommend it to anyone who needs a short break or value-for-money holiday. We enjoyed the run, the company of friends, the Thai massages, good food, shopping and sightseeing. After all, running is not all about winning the prize money. For us, it is important to give our best, it's about running a good race, making friends and to be able to keep another happy memory in our album… Sawadee!

Pacesetters' Results:

42km - Tan John Yam 3:33:17 (Position 7)
21.1km - Yap Wai Mun 1:53:47 (Position 1)
10km - Agnes Tee 42:27 (Position 3)

Marathon Revisited
By John Lee

The first time I ran a marathon was at the age of 22. I weighed 65 kg then, and now I am 72 kg. To prepare myself for my second marathon at the Standard Chartered International Marathon, I actually had reduced 3 kg just to aid my run. I was doubtful whether I could perform again after 16 years since my first full marathon.
The whole week before the marathon was hectic with work in Kuala Lumpur and I thought my chance of participating in this much awaited event was very slim. I wanted to run but if I could not collect the bib number, I might as well give up. To my amazement, the event officials extended their opening hours for the collection of bibs, enabling me to collect my bib. I did not have much time to practise in the past few months. I knew that I was under- prepared for the run. I decided to rest early that night, at about 10pm, hoping that sufficient rest would do me a great favour.

What a crowd!

I arrived at the starting line at 5.30am. Of course, there was a massive crowd at the esplanade, the durian-shaped landmark of Singapore. I was told that there were about 30,000 participants, of which 10,000 were full marathons runners. Most Singaporean runners were physically fit. I suppose it was their military training plus their healthy lifestyle and loads of exercise.

Just do it!

We sped off at 6am. The flat lands along the route actually helped us to perform. The regular drinks stations, some of which were stationed as close as 1 to 2 km apart, enabled us to quench our thirst as well as save us from dehydration. In other words, we were pampered with drinks, Power Gel and bananas. There were many inspirating quotes written on big signboards along the route, I must say I was encouraged and inspired. One of the quotes was "A champion is someone who pushes himself even when no one is watching". After reading this, I ran faster.
Surprisingly, my body was in top form that morning, so I hardly stopped or walked for the whole route. I am someone who runs with passion so my focus was always on the finishing line. I looked out for my fellow teammates in Pacesetters as well as my Singapore friends while I was running, just to greet each other and spur each other on. When I reached the 30km mark, my legs began to experience extreme pain. I could see many runners struggling with leg cramps too. I learned to relax myself by imagining that I was under the waterfalls with its cool water splashing all over my body. I transformed my physical pains into mental perseverance and strong will. I also practised countdown for the last 10 km.

Final sprint

A cycling team of 3 cyclists cheered us on at the last 5 km. Their cheers really made a difference at my most painful time. They spurred me on from my last lap to the finishing line. I continued to push myself and finally reached the finishing line at a timing of 5 hours and 30 minutes. Frankly, I was surprised at my performance at this marathon. I guess it must be the huge turn-out, the rain, the cheering teams, my determination and the combination of those small factors that made my second marathon a success for me.

Memorable Angkor Wat Outing
By Pauline Mulroy

During my last visit to Cambodia in 2002, while driving around the roads which link the temple sites of Angkor I noticed painted kilometer markings on the roads indicating some kind of race took place here at the end of the year. Some investigating uncovered the fact that a Japanese NGO organized a half marathon and a 10km run to raise money for landmine victims and education projects in HIV/AIDS prevention in Cambodia. For several years I had hoped to take part in this event but the proximity of the Singapore marathon in the first week of December had prevented me from doing so. In 2006, I was determined to participate.

Inevitably, things "change" over time. However I was not prepared for the changes that had occurred in Siem Reap, the satellite town closest to the temples of Angkor Wat. From a small town with a few hotels and guesthouses, it has become unrecognizable as a result of development linked to the increase in numbers of tourists visiting the temple sites. The increased traffic and pollution and simply the urban development have not, in my opinion, necessarily been a good thing.

Arriving from Singapore into the new Siem Reap airport at 7am on 15th December 2006 , I quickly checked into the Red Piano guesthouse in downtown Siem Reap and hired a moped driver to take me for a day's sight seeing around a few of the temples I wanted to re-visit and photograph. [Non-resident foreigners are no longer permitted to hire and drive motorbikes on their own]. Thankfully the town of Siem Reap may have undergone development, but the actual temple sites - despite some necessary restoration work - remain untouched. However the busloads of tourists mean it is no longer possible to wander in peace among the ruins. The beauty of travelling independently is you can at least move on if one site is especially overrun with tourists.

Sight-seeing

Banteay Kdei, Ta Som, Preah Khan and Ta Prohm were visited in the space of several hours. Towards the end of a very hot day I clambered around the Bayon as the sun set, taking photos of the 4-sided faces and just thanking my lucky stars I was able to see these stunning sites once again. The temples are still a photographer's dream.

It was apparent poverty remains a major problem. Limbless hawkers site their book stalls outside the restaurant frontages and you are constantly asked by street children to buy postcards, books or trinkets. Out of necessity, many of the children prefer to work the streets in this way than to attend school. Women and children make a living from begging on the sidewalks. I ventured up one alleyway adjacent to some high end retail shops to be appalled at the shacks and living conditions some transitees from the countryside endure. One limbless elderly man in a makeshift wheelchair and his elderly grey haired wife lived on wooden boards with some matting acting as a frontage in a space no more than 6ft by 4ft.

Saturday was spent wandering around Siem Reap, and simply attempting to "rest" before Sunday's 21km event. Having satisfied my appetite for temples the day before, I was happy enough to sit and watch the world go by, especially as I seemed to have developed "tummy trouble". I'm fortunate to have visited Siem Reap several years ago - and can look back on that visit to recall how much simpler (and quieter) life here then was.

The run begins

Pauline in action

I was up at 5.20am. A moped driver dropped me at the start line on the road outside the temple of Angkor Wat, a stunning backdrop. I was glad of a jumper, kraama scarf and trousers as it was a chilly 15 minute drive to the start. The event was really well organized and full credit to the charities that set up and run the various road races. 2,153 runners from 36 countries participated this year including approx 350 taking part in the 21km event, including a number of local wheelchair competitors. There is also a 10km run, 5km for women and 4km family run. Many Cambodians with prosthetics participate in the 10km event. We raced around the Angkor Wat moat and then passed
through several of the imposing gates which permit entry
into Angkor Thom, running under the 4 sided faces staring down at you. The following website details the course we took and the history and ethos of the event - http://www.angkorwatmarathon.org. The all tarmac course was fast, flat and scenic. It was simply awesome to race around such a historical and beautiful place and the temperature was perfect. All along the route locals living in the countryside lined the road to clap and cheer and it was fun to "High 5" the children as I ran past, much to their delight. Their excited laughter echoed along the tree lined route; the sound and their faces are clearly lodged in my memory.

My finishing time was 1:33:22 (4th female). I was happy enough with that as a benchmark of my preparations for the Tokyo marathon. Friends from ANZA cycling club in Singapore were out on their bikes on the run course and their support was really appreciated. They had taken part in a newly initiated event introduced this year (initiated by Village Focus International partnered with the charity Hearts of Gold) - a bike race of one or two loops (40 or 80km) around the ancient temple complex staged the previous day to raise money for land mine survivors and child protection projects in Cambodia.

Indomitable spirit

During the 21km I was overtaken by Cambodian competitors taking part in the wheelchair event (victims of landmines) and they were not hanging around! As we neared the 21km finish, we started to pass participants of the 10km. This event included many locals who had lost limbs as the result of stepping on landmines and had been fitted with prosthetics. It was gut wrenching to witness this. It brings home how lucky we are to have four major limbs and to live without this danger in our everyday lives. It left a deep impression - that these resilient people refuse to let their injuries stop them taking part in a normal, active life.

On completing the race, I ran back a couple of times to support and run back in with some of the disabled local participants, including a wonderful lady in a makeshift wheelchair comprising of wooden boards and operated by hand using pedals turning a bicycle chain (not hi-tech!). She had lost both legs to a landmine but was neatly dressed in a kilt and a furry pink hat, and was beaming all over her face. It was hard to hold back the tears whilst witnessing her delight as she approached the finish line. The resilience of these people is incredible. The whole event has left a deep impression within me and as with everyone else I spoke to, my intention is to return next year to participate.

Helping hands

The following day I visited a Physical Rehabilitation Centre in Siem Reap run by the NGO - Handicap International Belgium. I had seen their logo on some of the race wheelchairs and on the banners at the finish. This small but well-run Centre provides a home and environment where people with disabilities can receive treatment such as fitting a prosthesis or orthosis device, physiotherapy sessions and follow-up visits in the patient's village. This is all provided free of charge with the intention of allowing people to regain some semblance of a normal life, independence, dignity and to be re-integrated back into their community and social surroundings.

I have been fortunate to have run for 27 years and intend that my final competitive marathon will be in Tokyo, Japan on 18 February 2007. After the Angkor event and having visited the Rehabilitation Centre in Siem Reap, I have decided to use the Japan marathon to raise as much money as I can to help support this specific charity. One of the aims of Handicap International Belgium is to re-integrate Cambodian individuals whose lives have been destroyed by UXO and landmines through sport - "Handisport: positive rehabilitation" - and I clearly saw that in action during
the Angkor Wat races. Sport has given me so much over the years. This is a way for me to help others who are far less fortunate, to enjoy and in many instances to fight their way back to life and to have a purpose to their daily existence, through sport.

If you have never visited Cambodia or had the opportunity to visit Angkor Wat, I would highly recommend you combine a visit to coincide with this race weekend. It has been one of the most memorable and enjoyable sporting events I have ever participated in and witnessed.

The A to Z of Ocean 2 Ocean Relay 2007
By Lim Pueh Tian

Acknowledgement - Thank you to Jeffrey Kok and Richard Tan for taking care of our registration and logistic needs. Kop khun krub (Thank you in Thai) to the Thai organizers, sponsors and the wonderful Thai people who supported us, one way or another, all the way to finish line.

Baton - What's a relay without the baton? The batons were in different colours for different categories and beautifully crafted. One end was printed with Pacific Ocean, Songkhla and the other end, India (sic) Ocean, Satun. At the start we dipped the Songkhla end of the baton into the ocean and later at the finish, we did the same with the Satun end.


Checkpoints - There were 24 changeovers of baton at the checkpoints. There was a 1km marker placed before the changeover stop. Many complained that the distance was always more than 1 km.

Distance - The relay covered a 136.6 km stretch, from the beach in Songkhla to the beach in Satun, from East to West. Our very own version of Journey to the West. Heheh!

Entertainment - The Thai sure know how to inject "sanuk" or fun into races. The night before the relay, we were entertained by beautiful Thai cultural dances and songs while stuffing our faces at the banquet. Along the route, the villagers staged cultural dances with live musicians. For the closing, there were pyrotechnic display and more cultural shows. Most memorable was the hot air lanterns being released into the sky at night. Stunning!

Food - You will never run hungry in Thailand. Runners were treated to scrumptious meals before and after the relay. BBQ prawns, chicken, som tam (young papaya sald) and other mouthwatering treats were freshly prepared in front of your eyes. During the run, bananas, oranges and watermelon were served at the changeover stations.

Great reception - by the villagers. Villagers came in throngs to welcome us. There were cheers, applause, hi-fives, flag-waving and there were SMILES!

Heat - Hot! Hot! Hot! Especially in the afternoon, hitting a high of 40+ degrees C. Thank God we had plenty of water to keep us hydrated.


Icebox - Each team was provided with an icebox to put drinks into. I was told 12,000kg of ice was ordered for the whole event. I wrapped ice cubes with my handkerchief and rub it on my head, face and neck to keep cool as the heat was unbearable.

Jacket - an attractive water-resistant jacket embroidered with the team's name awaited each runner at the finish line.

Kingdom -The Thai Kingdom has been organizing this amazing event for the past 3 years. Judging by the response, many more relays will be held.

Lights - The first runner started the run in the wee hours of the morning. It was so dark that certain stretches were lit with kerosene lights made of used drink bottles. Very surreal.

Medal - Elegant, silver square (2" x 2") medal painted with two colours - red in front and black behind.

New Balance - A bouquet of thanks to New Balance for sponsoring T-shirts to all Pacesetters Teams, in addition to discounts for purchase of shoes.

Oceans - We started from one ocean (Gulf of Thailand, Pacific Ocean) and ended in another (Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean).


Pacesetters - Three teams represented PACM. Pacesetters A: Dr Lyou, Hooi Siew Weng, Lian, Lynn Toh, Lim Chin Kuan, Francis Cheng, Richard Tan, Bala. Pacesetters B: Garry Goh, Felix Kan, Yap, Wai Mun, Carol Low, John Tan, Peter Lim, Ho. Pacesetters C: Lim Pueh Tian, Boey Kwong Wah, Gurdip, Ng Chooi Lin, Amelia Ang, Jeffrey Kok, Nigel, Thong Phiam Seng.

Queen's Cup - The winner would take this cup home.

Runners - A total of 8 runners per team. The relay route was divided into 3 sectors with runners having to complete about 4 to 6 km per sector, depending on how hilly the sectors are.

Sceneries - Beautiful rural sceneries along the way with rubber plantations, lush rice field, fruit orchards and small villages. To top it all, the setting sun at the last 1 km of the relay was simply breathtaking!

Teamwork - The essence of the relay. Nobody could have done it alone.

Unique - One of its kinds in Asia. Ocean to Ocean, Sunrise to Sunset, AM to PM relay!

Van - We chartered a van with a driver per team for the relay. Pick-up trucks, buses and lorries were used too.

Water - Ice-cold water was provided at changeover station. No isotonic drink though.

XXL - I had to exchange my vest for an XXL sized vest as the M size provided was too small. The vest is striking and colourful.
Yucks! - We were in dire need of a shower by the end of the relay. The stink from the sweat! We had to endure our smelly feet, sticky bodies and stinking clothes the whole journey. Thank God it was only for one day.

ZZZ… Some of the teammates even managed to catch some ZZZ during the run. Our driver strategically stopped at "sala" (small sheds for rest) along the road to get some shade while waiting for our runner to turn up.

Letter from Cambridge

Hello Pacesetters,

When I joined Pacesetters in 2002, running was only about health. Now, there are more reasons for me to run than just keeping fit. Running creates the opportunity to make new friends and share the same passion of running regardless of race, religion or age. And that is one very unique feature of the Pacesetters group that I proudly share with my running friends in Cambridge. [I am currently doing an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development at the University of Cambridge (Wolfson College) under the Shell Centenary and British Chevening Scholarship.]


Here, the people who share the same passion of running are not only from different race, religion or age, but also nationality. And that is a great experience that I want to share with you.

I have been running with my college mates who are from South Africa, US and Canada. In college leagues, runners are from all over the world! The international exposure and level of competition here is very high. Take for example, our recent 10.1km run had a finishing time band of 32 to 39 minutes as the majority and the rest 40-50minutes. I certainly did not fall into the majority!


I will be running in this year's London Marathon on 22 April. My successful entry is attributed to the Cambridge University Hare & Hounds (CUH&H). As many of you marathoners may already know, the London Marathon was founded by Chris Brasher. Chris studied in St John's College, University of Cambridge. In memory of him, Cambridge gets 10 guaranteed entries every year. My successful entry was through this channel.

After the news of my successful entry into the London Marathon, my motivation level to run shot up. I started on my 18-week training regime. I have long runs on weekends, interspersed with races organized by the club. The most recent race was the Fen Ditton Run.

Bates Bite Lock - the last stop in my additional run (Alden Yap)

The Fen Ditton Run

After a hectic week of chasing after assignments, readings, group meetings and bugging Compaq repairmen, I told myself to 'let it all out' on the roads in the weekend. So I went for the Fen Ditton Dash/Run.
Fen Ditton is one of the parts of Cambridge that I have not ventured and am I glad that I did today, because this place must have been the true side of Cambridge at its best! River Cam, scenic view, local folks, local activities, behind-the-scenes of colleges' boat club trainings and most of all, away from tourists!

Cambridge was supposed to snow on the morning of the run, but the weather turned out to be great. It was cold at about 5 deg C, but there was sun. I was in my usual pair of Nike shorts to match my all black attire, (no) thanks to the 2005 Singapore Marathon finisher T-shirt. Cold, very cold. My gloves
helped a lot.

The Fen Ditton Run is an 8.1km run over pockets of muddy green, smooth footpaths, gravel stretches and sticky clayey silt! It promised to be a yucky run. Indeed it was....very yucky.

I did pretty ok this time. My time was 40mins 26 secs, an improvement from previously. I wasn't at the bottom 2 this time, yay! That means I have improved? I believe so. Heck, I believe I could have done better if not for my adidas shoes that kept getting stuck onto the clayey silt, with 5 occasions running back a few meters to collect it from the silt wherethey lodged. At least 7 runners overtook me for that. Yes, I was actually walking in my socks to collect the missing shoes! It was just yucky, but it was also satisfying and liberating to soak your foot into the cold, moist silt. Eeew.... I threw my socks away after the run.

This is just part of my London Marathon training regime. I am glad that I have added on to today's mileage, for even though I did an 8.1km run, I went on to cover a bit more to make up 16km altogether .

OK, the editor of Footloose only allows me one page, so I've got to sign off now. Till next time,

Alden Yap

SAHARA DESERT CHALLENGE

To all fellow Pacesetters

Our participation in Sahara Ultra Marathon (243km) to raise funds for Hospis Malaysia

We, Ngae Koh Hieng and Dr. Tan Tah Ming, are two Pacesetters who had registered to participate in the Sahara Desert Ultra Marathon ("Marathon Des Sables" in French) to be held on 25 - 31 March 2007. By the time you read this letter in Footloose March issue, both of us should be competing in this ultra marathon, unless unforeseen circumstances prevent us from doing so.

The Sahara Desert Ultra Marathon is touted by its French organizer as the toughest foot race on Earth. We reproduce below the description of the event from the official web site of the organizer at http://www.darbaroud.com: "The event is held in the Sahara Desert and it covers 243km/151 miles (made up of legs of 25, 34, 38, 82, 42, 22 km) run over 7 days - equivalent to 5 ½ regular marathons. In addition to that, competitors have to carry everything they will need for the duration (apart from a tent) on their backs in a rucksack (food, clothes, medical kit, sleeping bag etc). Water is rationed (9 litres per day) and handed out at each checkpoint over the duration of the event.

The participants will have to prepare all their own food throughout the race. They will experience mid-day temperatures of up to 120°F (49 degree C), of running or walking on uneven rocky, stony ground as well as 15 - 20% of the distance being in sand dunes. There had been sandstorms in the previous years' event.

Beside the physical endurance required, the heat, distance and the sandy condition may cause severe trauma if incorrect shoes and equipment are used. Mental stamina probably constitutes at least 50% of whether a participant will complete the distance or not. Physical fitness is
important but a great deal of mental stress need to endured.

On the 4th day, the participants will set off across the barren wilderness to complete a 82 km stage. Few people complete this before dark that evening and some will not come in till after dark the next night. This is followed by the 42 km Marathon stage!! "

To further illustrate the toughness of this event, the following is a message by the race director on the 2006 Marathon Des Sables posted on the organizers' website: "We still remember the five days of non-stop windstorm that shook our caravan during the 17th Marathon Des Sables
in 2002. Some thought we'd never relive such difficult weather conditions again! And yet four years later (in 2006), runners and organizers endured far worse with the 2006 edition. Day after day, the heat and sandstorms, along with an unusually high hygrometry levels, meant a record number of 146 competitors pulled out! 585 others managed to complete the race. When Mother Nature hands out a warning to humans trying to defy her, you scarcely need a metaphysics manual to understand mankind's place in the universe."

Due the toughness of this event, the organizer encourages participants to do it for charity rather than just doing it as a physical and mental challenge. We are encouraged to identify charity organization(s) deserving aid. We have identified Hospis Malaysia as the charity which we wish to raise fund for as our mission in participating in Marathon des Sables in the Sahara. Please look at Hospis Malaysia's website at: www.hospismalaysia.org.

This non-profit organization provides hospice or palliative care to terminally ill patients who have less than 6 months left to live. We encourage all to pay a visit to their center in Cheras (Tel:03-91333936). It is an eye-opener to see how Hospis Malaysia helps these patients and their families manage the physical pain and suffering and the mental and spiritual challenge as the patients live their final days.

We are appealing to the members of Pacesetters Atheletic Club Malaysia to contribute to Hospis Malaysia in support of our mission. As Hospis Malaysia has carried out their publicity drive and received donations, it would be great if Pacesetters can show support. Your contribution must be in cheque payable to "HOSPIS MALAYSIA". Please write "Pacesetters in support of Sahara Run" and your name address and telephone number behind the cheque and mail it directly to Hospis Malaysia at:

Hospis Malaysia2 Jln 4/96, off Jln Sekuci, Taman Sri Bahtera
Jln Cheras, 56100 Kuala Lumpur

Hospis Malaysia handles the publicity campaign in connection with our participation to get financial support from donors. Hospis Malaysia expects to receive some substantial contribution to them from the corporate sector. However as we are PACM members, we wish members of PACM to be associated with our cause and contribute to Hospis Malaysia. This would be particularly meaningful as we have comrades from the running fraternity who have fallen to cancer over the years.

We wish to point out that the two of us are funding our participation in Marathon Des Sables entirely on our own and every sen donated to Hospis Malaysia will be for the said organization only. We have agreed with Hospis Malaysia that no sum will come from donation to Hospis Malaysia to fund our participation.

Yours Sincerely,

Ngae Koh Hieng & Dr. Tan Tah Ming

Hot and humid Powerman Duathlon
By Eric Teo

I have been running since July 2004 and only took up duathlon/triathlon in January 2006 after seeing my duathlete and triathlete friends enjoying the sport. I enjoyed the sport very much and started training for a duathlon. However, I was not able to participate in the first Malakoff Malaysian Duathlon Series 1 (MMDS1) held in April 2006 due to a fractured neck sustained after a bad fall at a bicycle ride in early January 2006.

My first attempt in the MMDS2 Putrajaya (Run 10km, Bike 50km & Run 5km) in July 2006 was clearly an unprepared one. I was unable to proceed in my bicycle leg in spite of a good run in the first 10km, due to a puncture in my over-inflated front tyre which I did not know how to fix. So, it was a DNF (Did Not Finish - a term used commonly among all the Biathletes and Triathletes for not able to complete a race) for me.

After my disappointing outing at the MMDS2, I was determined to make a comeback in the Powerman Duathlon Race in Lumut, Perak on 11th November 2006.

Intensive training

After the event, I was determined to make amends and concentrated on training for the next event in Lumut. My cycling training was done together with my mentor, KH Ngae (someone who inspires me with his tenacity) from Hulu Langat to Kuala Kelawang on every weekend, accompanied by Ong Siok Bee, a very disciplined lady duathlete. We trained to cycle uphill with the help of our bike adjustable gearing which is able to reduce the amount of energy used to pedal it. We gradually built up our cycling distance from 40km to distance of 50km to 120km over almost every weekend.

Raring to go

Finally the race day, November 11, 2006, arrived. After work on Friday night, Ngae, Siok Bee and myself, with Vivian Ngok (my other half and our "unofficial Team Manager") were in my van, travelling to Bidor, Perak where we put up the night.

The next morning, we took off at 7.00am to Lumut through the coastal road. The scenic journey took us about one and half hours to arrive at Lumut town where we saw many signboards indicating that the Powerman Race is on.

For outstation participants, the collection of the race kit (comprising the race bib, race t-shirt and timing chip) was at The Orient Star Lumut Hotel lobby. Klang Valley participants had already collected theirs a week earlier at Hotel Armada in Petaling Jaya.

We proceeded to assemble our bicycles, pump the tyres with the correct pressure, check on the brakes, tires, chains, etc before we rewarded ourselves with an early lunch in a Chinese coffee shop.

At 11.30am, we noticed that the participants had started to push their bicycles into the transition area, changed and did warm-up exercises to prepare for the race.

Flag-off

At 1.00pm sharp, all participants in the Olympic distance were flagged off for the first 10km run.
The weather was hot and humid. It was a tough first 10km run under the hot blazing sun. The hot and humid air made it uncomfortable to inhale and exhale. We could see most runners grabbing drinks at every water station along the route.

Upon finishing the first 10km run, I climbed on my bicycle for the 60km ride. Suddenly, my calves started to cramp but I managed to relax and stretch them while sitting on the bicycle. At the 12km mark, relief came in the form of a bout of moderate rainfall, showering the cyclists who were so grateful, for it really helped cool down our body temperature. It was 2 loops of 30km bicycle ride out from Lumut town towards the outskirt of Lumut town with many bridges to cross.

Finally, the 60km ride came to an end and I embarked on running the last 10km. It was even tougher than the first 10km due to heat and exhaustion, especially the final 5km to the finishing line. I guess insufficient training in running-cycling-running sequence really took a toll on me. Luckily, the PowerGel provided me with instant energy and drinks along the water stations helped tremendously, enabling me to complete my first Duathlon race without much problems.

Overall, the race was a satisfying duathlon for all of us, especially for a first-timer like me!


Eric, Vivian and Siok Bee

Lessons learned

From this outing I have identified some areas to improve on my training for future races:

1) To run and cycle in the late morning or afternoon to adapt to hot and humid condition instead of confining to the usual early morning runs;

2) Purchase a pair of good bicycle tyres and ensure they are pumped with pressure recommended by the manufacturer;

3) Learn to change the inner tube of a punctured tyre;

4) Train to run, cycle and run in a continuous sequence so that the calves will learn to adapt well after the cycling segment in which the thigh muscles are used instead;
5) Familiarise with changing of the gears of the racing bicycle on different terrains such as flat, uphill and downhill.

This is the end of chapter one, The Beginning of a Duathlete's Official Journey………..

Race Results

Ngae K H (Male Individual age 50-59years)
10km Run 0:53:15; 60km Bike 2:00:21; 10km Run 1:02:52
Overall timing 3:56:28; Position: No. 7

Ong Siok Bee (Ladies Individual age 30-39years)
10km Run 1:00:59; 60km Bike 2:03:23; 10km Run 1:09:36
Overall timing 4:13:58; Position: No. 8

Eric Teo Chin Hun (Male Individual age 30-39years)
10km Run 0:49:51; 60km Bike 2:09:22; 10km Run 1:03:43
Overall timing 4:02:56; Position: No.32

Kuantan Year-end Dinner
By Tan Wah Sing and William Chin

"Since we are not organizing a Pacesetters run in Kuantan this year, why don't we hold a dinner so that we can get to know the new members?", an enthusiastic member suggested during one of our regular run meets. A fantastic idea indeed, but there was some hesitation as we would need volunteers to execute it as we were running short of time and many of us were busy with work as the year came to a close.

Fortunately we had two fervent ladies who came forward to take up the mammoth task. William Chin and I were skeptical initially as time and venue were our main concerns, especially with many restaurants booked for wedding dinners during this auspicious period. Without wasting much time the ladies soon got the into action of fixing a date, deciding on the venue and menu, drafting out the programme, coaxing sponsors to come in, preparing the games, designing the souvenirs and gifts, and so on. Within three weeks four tables of tickets were out for sale solely for the members. With their excellent marketing strategy the tickets were sold out in a short span of time and that prodded them to print additional tickets for a maximum of six tables.

On 9th December 2006, the date the dinner, many of us were still in the dark about the activities being arranged. Close to the final hour, I overheard that William was still struggling to find the right size of timber for one of the mysterious game as requested by the two ladies! I was reminded to be early to avoid disappointment. As such I donned my best outfit and hastily drove my way to MS Garden at 7.00pm in order not to miss the fun. Upon arrival I was told to register and was given a bag of souvenir containing some exquisite gifts. The seats were occupied steadily and we almost attained a full turnout if not for the three members who had to attend wedding dinners. With the free flow of wine and beer even before the feast began, members were trading stories about their marathon achievements and next year's targets.

The sumptuous buffet dinner was served at 7.45pm and we were entertained by slide show of our past activities and runs participated by members. Halfway through my meal I was invited to be on stage to announce the night's programmes. The night's activities comprised games, lucky draws, election of new area group leader and assistants, presentation of souvenirs and karaoke session. Unexpectedly, William and I were urged to carry on as leaders for the Kuantan area group, with Thong Thiam Wong and Yap Aik Tong as our assistants. At the karaoke session, I was amazed that so many of our members not only sang well but also had great showmanship on stage. As the tempo of the music and singing amplified, some of the restless boisterous members began to beseech the elegant ladies to the dance floor and soon there was no one was left idle. As the clock struck twelve, the time we had to vacate the ballroom, I could see the many disappointed faces who wanted to carry on the revelry. In order not to disappoint them we resumed our session at the hotel disco, swaying in tandem with the beats of the live telecast of our Malaysian badminton pair in the final against the Indonesian pair in the Doha Asean Games. We joined the frenzied crowd and cheered them on for every point they fought until they won. Finally we ended our outing at a nearby restaurant for supper before parting reluctantly at 3.00am.

We salute the two marvelous ladies and their assistants who doggedly devoted their time and effort to organize such a grand and successful event. We would also like to express our gratitude to the sponsors such as Jack How, Ng Ah Onn, Pacesetters Athletic Club Malaysia, Jason and others who have contributed one way or another to facilitate the activities to be carried. Last but not the least a big thank you to all the participants for your support in making this year-end dinner such a wonderful and memorable one.

Preparation…. Or the lack of it!
By Moira Toh Siew Ling

Iliotibial Band syndrome! That was what happened to me during a race. Now, Iliotibal ("IT") band is not a rock band nor does it stand for Information Technology. IT band syndrome is an inflammation and pain outside of the knee where the iliotibial band (a ligament that runs along the outside of the thigh) rubs against the femur, the large leg bone.

During the Great Eastern Pacesetters 30km run on 21st January where thankfully I ran the 20km, I suffered the ITBS that caused the most numbing and excruciating pain when running downhill, making it impossible to run. At certain points where I was running downhill, the pain was so severe that my knee felt like it would collapse!! I took the wise decision to walk downhill and run (slowly) on flat surfaces.

Flashback - about 6 years ago

This was when I started to run longer runs. A few months into my running "career" I felt this numbing and sharp pain on the outside of my knee. Ignorant that injury could result in (complete) sidelining, I just continued to run and walk whenever it hurt. The final straw came when I could not even run on a flat surface. Desperate, I sought the assistance of a doctor with a diploma in sports medicine. After examining me, he said: "Well, there is nothing wrong with your legs or feet but since there is pain, you should quit running completely and do something else!"

Incensed by the doctor's remarks, I decided to read up on what was wrong. I finally found information in the Complete Book of Running by Runner's world and identified that I had the IT Band syndrome. Rest (absolutely no running for some weeks), a change of shoes that were too small and the way I ran (no more "inward" running which ladies are prone to doing) and a change of the terrain (no more hills).

The GE Run

The morning was beautiful and the atmosphere was cheerful. When the run started, I decided to go slow. I wanted to adopt the run-walk tactic which I had advocated but somehow I got caught up with all the runners and decided to just run.

After the half-way point, I was gingerly going up the hill. Around the 12th kilometer, the pain on the outside of my knee started. It was easy to ignore at first but I soon realized it was truly too painful to run down a hill. But there were still so many hills to conquer! From that time onwards, my mind could not really think; it just reacted to the pain. Pain - stop, no pain and flatter surfaces - run. Even running on flat surfaces caused numbing pain. I just had to soldier on. When I met with the St John ambulance staff and asked for some lotion to ease the pain, they told me they did not have any. Fortunately, friends whom I met along the way who greeted me took some pain away, albeit temporarily.

The end line

Never had I been happier to see a finish line! I half expected to crawl to the finish line but thankfully, reacting to the pain to run-walk rather than to the original run -walk plan saw me to the end. The festivities at the end and the friendly food assistants made me forget the excruciating pain felt just minutes before.

I must say that the GE Pacesetters 30km run was superb. The weather was beautiful, the organization terrific as a lot of effort was put in. The food was great, atmosphere warm and friendly.

My conclusions

Injury can happen to anyone before, during, or after a race but preparation for a run is ever so important. I had taken this race "lightly" thinking I could finish it. I did not have a plan for it as I usually do for other races and I aborted a plan (the run-walk tactic) that I originally wanted to adopt. I did not mentally prepare for this run and hoped that my previous experience would "see me through". I did not survey or ask enough questions on the running course or I would have known that it had many rolling hills. This knowledge would have warned me to stretch the IT band before the run, and run in a manner (such as in smaller steps when going downhill thereby not straining the IT band) and I could have avoided the IT Band syndrome. Enough said, painful lesson learned. And now to rest and prepare for the next run….

Taking a break from Running
By KC Leong

With a stern look and serious voice, the Indian lady doctor said out of concern: "When are you going to stop running? If you are so stubborn as to continue running, it will never heal!" I told the doctor that that I went for a 20km run on Sunday 28 January 2007 and the pain - started four months ago during a speed running race in The EDGE Kuala Lumpur Executive Rat Race 2006 - in the heel seemed to be getting worst.

The pain starts when I rise in the morning. When I walk around, the pain subsides, only to return the next morning. The scientific name for heel pain is called Plantar Fasciitis. The moment I put my weight on my right foot, the pain would immediately surface - one small step for me, an immense pain for suffering. And every morning, I am reminded of Neil Armstrong's famous quote: One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

After learning of my injury, fellow Pacesetter Eric Teo suggested that I switch to cycling to lessen the impact while Chan Wing Kai told me to stop running and take photos instead.

KC Leong running his heart (and his heel!) out at the Executive Rat Race 2006

Medical Treatment

I consulted my doctor who referred me to Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC) for treatment. I was assigned to one Dr. Chan KY, an orthopaedic doctor.

After an examination, Dr. Chan told me that the thinning of tissue/muscle at the heel was noticeable. He could feel that the right heel (the one in pain) was thinner than the left one. He prescribed only one type of medicine to reduce inflammation, to be taken once a day for three weeks. The medicine (ARCOXIA 120mg) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

I enquired about the Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) which has shown positive recovery for some runners, according to what I read. He said that the treatment is painful and I did not need it, and ultra-sound was recommended instead. He suggested that I get shoe padding for better cushioning to protect the heel. As for food, there is no restrictions.

I was then directed to the Physiotherapy section in SJMC for treatment. First, I was given ultra-sound massage; then I underwent a series of exercises to strengthen the ankle and heel area. I then proceeded to the gym where I was asked to do cycling and more exercises. I am required go back for physiotherapy treatment three times a week.

Life Ahead

Since I also play badminton every Friday evening as a form of cross-training for running, one concerned runner said that I should start playing mixed doubles with female players to lessen the intensity of the game. Otherwise, with the sudden start/stop movement, playing badminton involves as much impact on the heel as compared to running.

With the heel injury, it is also timely to implement "Lady Runner Accompaniment Service Run", as suggested by another runner. The concept is to accompany new lady runners running from Bukit Aman to Sri Hartamas. Since they could be running slowly, the pace would be ideal for my recovery run.

My plan at the gym: I will spend more time on the Stepper machine and the stationary bicycle. The only equipment that I will have to avoid like a plague is the treadmill. I used to go to the gym when I was taking part in Duathlon races. Cycling on stationary bicycle, though not the same as cycling on the road, is safer.

It requires a lot of patience and restraint to stop running. Every Sunday morning at 8:30 am, about the time I normally complete my Sunday morning 20km run, I would feel as if I have not accomplished something in life. Running is addictive; it must be the endorphin secreted by the body to make a runner feel good.

I hope the problem will be resolved soonest possible to enable me to resume my passion in running again. Meanwhile, I should monitor my weight and see if the weight will pile on at the completion of my recovery. I hope not….

Editor: I am sure all the "leng lui" will not miss you since you will be the photographer at all the races, and they will love to pose for you! On a serious note, do take consolation that all runners will experience a setback in their running career at least once. Just be patient and you will be okay in maybe 6 months' time.

Q & A on Sports Injuries
By Dr William Chan

Dear Doctor,

I enjoy reading your column in Footloose which I find very informative. Currently I am using knee braces for my
sports activities. I hope you will be able to help me with your professional advice.

I was told by my friend that wearing braces is very important to prevent old injuries from reoccurring. But is it
advisable to wear braces when you are not suffering from any form of pain or if old injury has healed?
Will wearing braces when you are not injured cause any complications to the joints or muscles?

If I am not wrong, I believe most sportspersons do not like wearing braces unless they have injuries, old or new.

I really hope that your professional opinion will help shed some light on this topic.
Alvin

ANSWER
Thank you for your email on wearing braces and your question on whether it is advisable to wear knee braces when one is not suffering from pain or if old injury has healed. It is not advisable to wear a brace when there is no injury or problem with your knee or any joint.

Knee brace is used:
o during an injury to provided support
o for compression to reduce swelling and bleeding
o to protect the joint
o to relieve pain.

Will wearing braces when you are not injured cause any complications to the joints or muscle? Well, there is no major complication or problem wearing them for short duration, but the following may happen:

o It is hot, smelly and sweaty during your run.
o Some joint problems like stiffness, weakness and reduced joint range of movement do arise when wearing for long
periods of time.
o Skin rash, itchy skin and dermatitis can also occur.
o Many runners find it uncomfortable using them.
o It does not allow full function of muscles around the joint when running or exercising.
o Some opinion claim it weakens the muscles and ligaments around the joint in long term.
o Studies found that knee brace does not prevent an old injury recurring.

However, some runners have told me they feel psychologically good using a knee brace on their injured knee.

Dr William Chan is the Consultant Sports Physician at Klinik Pakar Sukan, Subang Jaya. He is a keen runner who writes for an English daily as well as many sports-related websites. He holds several degrees and diplomas from Australian universities and institutions.