2003 March - April

President's Column | Announcements | Articles

PRESIDENT'S COLUMN

Of AGM & Crisis Management
Ten days before the AGM, Chen Kok Song gave me a shocker when he told me we did not have a valid booking at the Kelab OUG and the banquet hall hasd been booked for a wedding. To cut the story short, the company we hired to organize the dinner did not place a booking fee to secure the place, although we paid them a booking fee. Our routine Exco Meeting on 6th March 2003 was turned into a crisis resolution meeting. We were offered to move the AGM and the dinner to Brisdale Hotel by the organizer. However, we decided not to move the AGM venue as it is a statutory meeting and due notice had been sent on the date and venue. In the end we decided to keep the AGM at Kelab OUG and move the dinner to Brisdale Hotel, half an hour’s drive away. We got over this as the last event of the outgoing Committee. Like in the previous year, the AGM was a tame affair with a minor change in the line up. Phoon Yoke Heng moved up as one of the two Vice Presidents, replacing David Lee. Jenny Lee took over as Secretary from Hazlinda Hashim. Jenny is not new to us as she had been in charge of our new membership cards since its implementation. Ken Chan moved up as Treasurer with Sonny Ng as Assistant Treasurer. The financial power seems to have moved over to Gasing Hill! YK Wong, the group leader of Bukit Aman is the new Committee member. The rest retained their positions. With the new Exco formed, we also made some new appointments; Cherie Foong as Deputy Group leader of Permaisuri Group, Henry Chua as Group Leader of Sabak Bernam after his group recorded their 30th member last month, Stanley Ngooi and Stanley Ho as new area representative for Kelana Jaya and Taman Bukit Jalil respectively.

ROS Approval
We are happy to inform you that we have received the approval from the Registrar of Society for the amendments to the constitution of the club approved at the AGM by the members in March 2002. To recap, the salient features are:

· Limiting the President to a maximum of 5 one-year terms
· Entry fees of RM10 for adult members over the age of 18
· Raising the Youth Members age to 18 and new annual fee to RM18.

We shall be imposing these new rates with effect from 1st June 2003, giving one month to clear up the new membership applications currently in the system.

Time Trials & Transparent Selection Process
In July 2000 at the US Open, two of the world’s top athletes, Maurice Green and Michael Johnson were expected to clash in the 200m finals. The US Open is usually used as the qualifier during the Olympic year. The US practice a transparent selection process and seldom exercise wild card entries. Fate had it that day and both runners limped out and did not make it to the team for the two 200m slots for the Sydney Olympics. Instead Michael Johnson ran just the 400m and Maurice Green the 100m. PACM may be just a local running club but for the adidas 4 x 3km, we implemented a transparent selection process with a series of weekend time trails for the whole month of March. The turnout was fairly good, considering this is the first year we are carrying out the trials. The selection was made mostly from the trials and we also exercised a few wild card entries as in certain categories we did not have adequate qualifiers. The turnout for the Men and Boys U /18 categories was rather disappointing. The selection process could have been better if the members bothered to read the Footloose and come for the trials. In future, members can expect such initiatives by the club for key events like the 4 x 3km as we no longer have a permanent Racing Team.

Ironman, Triathlon, Duathlon & Biathlon
One of the objectives of the club is to encourage other forms of out-door activities and judging from the interest shown towards multi-sports event such as triathlons, it is time the club make a commitment to develop triathlon in the club itself. Triathlon itself can be a good cross training program as we need to run, swim and cycle. It would be difficult to plunge straight into triathlon as the thought itself can be frightening. Therefore, we need to have certain entry level events to encourage members’ participation to widen the base. One such event I took part recently with about 15 others from PACM is the Chin Woo Biathlon. The event comprised an 800m swim and a 7km run. It was not too difficult and we all finished in about one hour. The main organizer is none other than our Sportsman of the Year, Don Khor. Don also won the Men Veteran for the National Category at the recent Langkawi Ironman. Quick Release has been organizing the Powerman series (Run-Bike-Run) and this year they added the Sprint events with shorter distances. These are great initiatives to widen the base of competitors. As a start I have got Don Khor, Loke Chan Chuen and Richard Tang to be listed as our contacts for members wanting to practice triathlon. It is a loose arrangement now and you just need to call up to ask the dates of the practices/races. Later, we would have certain fixed days for cycling and swimming. Towards the later part of the year when all the runs are over, we would organize a few PACM Closed Events such as biathlon, duathlon and mini triathlon to help members to get going.

OCM Conference & Grass Root Development
I was invited by the Olympic Council of Malaysia to speak at their annual conference on 29th March 2003 with the theme “Back to Grass-Roots”. My topic was “ The basics of running an athletic club” YAM Tunku Imran’s keynote address was very enlightening and especially the definition of “grass roots”. I have obtained permission from the OCM to publish the address in this issue of the Footloose. Based on the definition, I have come to the conclusion that PACM is practicing athletics at grass roots level. Read the article and you will understand what I mean. This conference was an honor for me as it was the first time I did a public presentation on sports. In that conference we introduced PACM to more than 80 representatives from 40 sports associations from the country.

adidas FTAAA Pacesetters 4 x 3km & Nike Pacesetters 15km
These two back-to-back events 6 weeks apart are taxing my management skills to a new level, having to juggle my lunch time and evenings to get things moving. Of the two events, I still feel the 4 x 3km is more challenging to organize as the event is very technical and getting teams to participate is a real challenge. We had two meetings with FTAAA and the FTAAA had another meeting on their own to ensure no hitches in the smooth running of the event. The eventual 132 teams participation was a pleasant surprise especially we were very concerned about the low registration of only 49 teams up to the closing date, two weeks from the event. The event saw some of the best runners in the country taking part; including Yuan Yu Fang the current marathon record holder, Ramachandran the current 5,000m and 10,000m record holder, Baskaran the current marathon record holder and the consistent Malaysian King of the Road, Arul Telvar. We also witnessed the emergence of the sports brands competing for the glory of having the fastest team in the country. adidas as the title sponsor spared no efforts in roping in the best runners in the men, men veteran, boys and girls categories and won all 4 categories. Power, Power Bar and Nike also fielded very strong teams. In the sixties/seventies, athletics were dominated by the Jets & Lights rivalry. The eighties saw the banks locking horns in the local meets. Is this event the beginning of a very fierce rivalry between the super sports brands? Are New Balance, Brooks, Fila, Reebok and Saucony the next in forming their own racing teams? Time will tell but I have a hunch there will be more interesting developments in this area.

The Nike 15km gave a different excitement from the moment we started distributing the forms during the KL International Marathon. Despite the higher registration fees, it sold like hot cakes and by the launch on 9th April 2003, 446 registrations were received. Within 4 days of the launch, more than 150 entries were received and the 600 entries limit was met by 13th April 2003, exactly 6 weeks before the event. We believe we have found the right formula and have met the country’s needs for an up-market run. What is left to do now is to deliver what we have promised, …………..nothing less!

Wan Yew Leong – 15th April 2003 | wanyl@alliancebg.com.my

Back to top

Purchase of New Balance Products
Stream Enterprise (M) Sdn Bhd via their New Balance specialist shop at Bukit Bintang would continue to extend their 40% discount on New Balance products at their outlet in Bukit Bintang Plaza (LGF 007, Lower Ground Floor, Tel: 03-21489671) until further notice. A new batch of stock has arrived; NB 716 and 831. Please produce your membership card for identification.

Purchase of Brooks’ Products
We have arranged for Brooks to issue Loyalty Cards to all our members. The Loyalty Cards holders shall be entitled to 30% discount for Brooks’ products in designated outlets. The first batch of 707 Loyalty cards was issued to members with expiry date June 2003 and later at the Brooks’ Pacesetters Bonding Breakfast Run on 23rd February 2003. Thereafter the next batch would be issued as and when members renew their subscriptions.

Purchase of adidas Products
adidas is offering 40% discount on their products, except sunglasses and watches at their outlet at;

· adidas Active Arena, Lot 310, 3rd Floor, KLCC (Manager : Djal, Tel 03-21623475) and
· adidas Active Arena KL Sentral, Unit 8, Level 1, KL Sentral Station (Manager : Marina, Tel – 03-22732775). Please produce your membership card for identification.

Clark Hatch Fitness Centre
Clark Hatch Fitness Centre is offering PACM members a discounted package signing up from 1st May to 30th June.

· Mont Kiara & PJ Hilton – Registration rate at RM399 (Normal registration rate : RM1,500)
· Other Centres in Klang Valley – Registration RM199 (Normal registration rate : RM1,200)

Call Budreen Malik for further details (Tel: 03-62016010) or Clark Hatch Center nearest to you for details. See advertisement in this issue also.

Sale of Power Bar & Gel
The club has been appointed an official stockist for Power Bars. We are selling at 15% discount from the approved retail price (Protein Plus Bar at RM7.60, Energy Bar at RM6.00 and Gel at RM4.60) As these are items with expiry dates, only Jimmy Tong, Phoon YH and Wan are keeping them. We would normally bring them to sell after our Sunday runs. Area Groups may order them via Phoon, Jimmy or Wan.

Renewal Notice
We have more than 300 Members with their membership expiring on December 2002. The renewal notices have been sent out individually in early December 2002 and you should have received them. You are requested to renew your membership with your respective group leaders or direct to the club by mail. Members with their membership expiring December 2002 would have their Footloose discontinued after March 2003 if renewal is not received by then. It is not necessary to send your existing card for renewal.

Sale of Power Bar & Gel
The club has been appointed an official stockist for Power Bars. We are selling at 15% discount from the approved retail price (Protein Plus Bar at RM7.60, Energy Bar at RM6.00 and Gel at RM4.60). As these are items with expiry date, only Jimmy Tong and Phoon YH are keeping them. We would normally bring them to sell after our Sunday runs. Area Groups may order them via Jimmy.

Renewal Notice
We have 254 Members with their membership expiring on June 2003. The renewal notices have been sent out individually in June 2003 and you should have received them. You are requested to renew your membership with your respective group leaders or direct to the club by mail. Members with their membership expiring June 2003 would have their Footloose discontinued after September 2003 if renewal is not received by then. It is not necessary to send your existing card for renewal.

Card Replacement
Members who lost their cards or want a new card during renewal instead of a renewal sticker label are required to pay RM5 for a new card.

New Membership Cards
There are several members that we have not produced their new cards because we have not received their photographs. Please send your photographs with your name and PACM number written at the back of the photograph to Jenny Lee, 3-8-1, Phase 5, Pantai HillPark, Jalan Pantai Dalam, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.

Pewter Key Chains
Pewter key chains at RM8 per piece are available for sale to members. The key chains were ordered in conjunction with the recent track meet. These are collectors’ items as we are not going to repeat orders for this design. Those interested can check with their Group Leaders or contact Sonny Ng.

Club’s Socks
We have limited stock of the club’s socks (men and women) for sale at RM6 per pair. The quality is comparable to the popular brands made from spandex material. They are available from Ken, Phoon, Jimmy and Lai Huat.

Club’s 2002 Running Vest
Limited stock of running vest, grey and orange (Ultra Man Color) are now available for sale (retail at RM38 per set). No rerun for this model and it shall be collector’s item. Stockists are Jimmy Tong, Phoon YH, Sonny Ng & Wan YL.

Club’s 2003 Yellow T-shirt
The club’s yellow T-shirt for 2003 is for sale at RM12 per piece. Limited stock left, with Sonny Ng and Jimmy. We would like to see all PACM members wearing the club yellow T-shirt after the run and during prize giving.

Advertisement in the Footloose
In order to earn some income for the club, we are soliciting advertisements for the Footloose. Our rates are;

· Cost of production plus RM160 – full page color
· RM200 – full page black and white
· RM120 – half page black & white

For advertisers who advertise a full page, they shall be given one opportunity to market their products during our functions such as breakfast runs. Interested advertisers may contact the editor. (The club reserves the right to reject any advertisement without disclosing the reasons) Those interested, please contact our Editor Munning Jamaludin (03-79828757 office) or Ms Lee Kim Ying at the same office.

Photographs for Sale
Chan Wing Kai has been taking photographs of the club’s activities and members during races. These photographs are available for sale at RM1.00 each for 4R size. Please contact Chan to view the photos and to order from him, or your Area Group Leaders if you are picking any photos from the Footloose. Chan can be contacted at 012-3990766.

Club’s CD – images of 2002
The club has produced a CD of more than 120 pictures of the various club’s activities in 2002 (Power Point) at RM10 per copy. You can actually print your pictures direct from this CD at home with a color printer. Those interested can order from Munning Jamaludin.

Back to top

ARTICLES
Ace Adventure Race | adidas 4x3K | Langkawi Ironman | Autumn in Sydney | Speech by YAM Tunku Tan Sri Imran Ibni Tuanku Ja'afar | Brooks Pacesetters Bonding Run | Surviving the Langkawi Ironman | Why Why Tell Me Why

Ace Adventure Race by Joyce Leong
Fancy finding out how much pain your body can take? Take up adventure racing. Read more about it here.

adidas FTAAA Pacesetters 4x3km Relay 2003 by Oon Lisa
It was a very hot day – scorching! However, most of the people at the track meet were so overwhelmed with excitement that they did not realize it is actually much cooler under the trees where we were. They preferred to stay close to the track to cheer their teams – where all the action was. There were very few of us on a nearby slope of the hill next to the track. This was where Jenny, Hailey and I were cheering on our friends. We had joined Chee Chung and Phoon earlier to stay away from the heat but far from the action and crowd.

Participants had arrived since 7am. As it was a joint adidas-PACM event, we can see many people in their famous 3-stripe attire. Helpers and volunteers came in much earlier and they could be easily identified in special grey-green T-shirts.

As a participant in the Women’s Open category, besides being part of the organizing committee, I felt that all the efforts expended by the Club paid off. Despite the heat, all went well and we had fun. I was happy at least, for that was the fastest race I had ever ran (since the Interbank Athletics 3 years ago). Although I was the slowest of the lot, I did not want to let the team down.

Somehow, winning made us feel good but that was not the only purpose for participating. Indeed, “running in the heat” was no easy task. Nice to know each of us was running at our best to avoid coming in last. It was the team spirit and team work that had pushed us to perform. Until today, participants have not stopped yapping about how fast they had run, their positions and funny little incidences that occurred during the race. Check out the photos from Chan Weng Kai and Goh Swee Kwong – many happy and smiling faces.

Much was said and done. I felt proud to have ran a different kind of race that Sunday …..the toughest and the shortest run ever! I had never panted any louder than the time I had to race up the Bukit Jalil slope. Nevertheless, my grateful thanks to all my other very fast team members for securing the 3rd position and a RM100 voucher each.

Therefore, THANK YOU to Hailey, Nancy and Susila for the good experience and the voucher too!

Oon Lisa

President’s comments:
I was at the site the evening before the run, observing how FTAAA was preparing the place. A lot of hard work goes in to ensure the run was held without hitch. This year the organizing part was excellent, having learnt from the last two years. However, the competitors were still the same, albeit faster and a larger group. Many Malaysians like to procrastinate and wait till the last minute to register. One team from Rawang called me on Saturday night wanting to run. I told them it was closed. I can see many teams were very disorganized, including our own teams, for example;

• Runners not familiar with the place did not check out the place the evening before or even take a run round the route
  
• Many teams were not punctual and reported late and missed the briefing
  
• Teams did not communicate well to agree on where to meet one another, expecting me to find their runners for them
  
• Two runners from our own team did not show up for reasons I still do not know till today
  
• Runners jumped into the next team at the 11th hour, leaving their team in the lurch
  
• Most teams come without reserves and were seen scrambling for runners when their regular team did not turn up.

Runners must recognize that athletics are usually practiced as an individual sports, but in a team event like a relay, the sportsmanship, team spirit and sense of belonging to a team should be taken above self interest. A number of runners obviously did not realize this. It happened before and it will happen again. It clearly shows the character of the runners in such a simple test as this. PACM has the base of runners and is able to withstand last minute withdrawals by two of our runners for other teams, but the smaller clubs or teams were left by the side, unable to compete. This event also tested the management skills of our team managers, especially the Youth Teams where logistics are issues to be resolved. This year I have delegated the responsibilities out to the captains and team managers well in advance.

Overall I am satisfied with the performance of the teams we fielded, even though we lost the Men Veteran and Women category that we won last year. Our Women Veteran was ever reliable making a clean sweep….well done! I was just wondering if Paul Thompson’s presence would have made a difference in the men veteran, considering we only lost by 46 seconds to Team adidas. Our Under 15 boys have done well with a very balanced team, finishing 4th. It is heart warming to see 3 Under-15 girls teams on the rostrum, although I felt that the Under-15 A Team could have finished second. Good effort all round and I left the stadium a very satisfied man, having completed another challenging project with my team. Thank you to you all!

Back to top

Ironman, An Arduous Challenge For Oneself by Richard Tang
The opportunity of able to participate in the Ironman race is every athlete’s dream. I am no exception, and I’m thankful for being able to take part in the Langkawi Ironman race this year. My ultimate goal in this event was not to compete for the prestigious Ironman title, but to push one’s physical as well as psychological limitations right to the very edge. We cannot really fight against the nature, but it will be a great joy if we can out-do our own limitations, and learn to fly with the wind and swim against all odds. This requires discipline, perseverance, and the determination in all fronts.

To my colleagues, I appear to have exceptional energy in participating in different races and competitions. In fact, I wasn’t born with my physical strength. It was slowly acquired through the years. My courage for participating in the race this year stemmed not only from myself, but comes from the enormous support from family, friends, and colleagues too numerous to mention. I hope, in these few inches of space, to share with you the big dream of this small guy, - my thoughts, and the grueling preparation towards this new challenge.

6 Years Ago, The Day Dreamer
During a family outing to Pangkor Island, I noticed a big banner promoting the Lumut Olympic Triathlon. An Olympic triathlon consists of 1.5km swimming, 40km cycling and a 10km running. I told myself, it will be a great achievement to take part in a triathlon and I decided to sign up for the 1997 Port Dickson Triathlon.

At that time, I can could barely swim from wall to wall, that is one lap of an Olympic sized swimming pool. It was three months to race day and I started swimming three times a week. At the same time, I bought a RM 150 second hand bicycle, which is was four times heavier than my current bike.

During the competition, I was the second last to come out from the sea. The last person was a 53 year old lady. I suffered during cycling but managed to complete the race. Since then, I have taken part in more than 10 Olympic triathlons and Half Ironman races.

Three Months to Ironman Race
It was the September 2002, September Desaru Half Ironman race that gave me the thought idea of taking part in the Langkawi Ironman race. It took me a week to decide -- could I swim 3.8km? Could I sustain the long hours of the race? How could I juggle my training with my work and family?

finally, I decided to give it my best shot. My first intensive training started on Christmas Day, 25th December 2002. Luckily enough, there were many public holidays in Selangor during the first quarter of the year. Public holidays were the best time for me to concentrate on training. Since I run regularly I knew my strength was my stamina. Hence, my focus was on swimming and cycling. I drafted a 10-week training plan comprising 15-20 hours training in a week. At the same time, I played badminton and did rock climbing as cross training to improve my stamina while allowing some sets of muscles to rest.

An example of my training week:
Monday – 5am cycle from Kepong to office in Cyberjaya; continue with 30min jog. After work, cycle at the gym in my condominium
Tuesday – After work jog for 10-20km; continue with badminton
Wednesday – Cross-training
Thursday – 5am morning jog before going to work. After work, cycle from IOI to Putrajaya and back. Continue with another 30min jog until 12 midnight
Friday – Lunch time jog 10km, followed by swim after work
Saturday – 7am cycle from Kepong to Kuala Selangor and return, followed by 1 hour jog. Evening, cross training with badminton
Sunday – 5.30am jog 15-35km with Pacesetters, followed by cross training and swimming in the night.

To build up confidence for the race, I knew I had to complete the full distance at least once. For swimming, I managed to swim 100 laps (5km) in 2.5 hours. I also did my longest bike ride: from my house at Kepong – Sungai Buloh – Kuala Selangor – Sekinchan – Sungai Besar and return back to Kepong. That was a grueling 7.5 hours ride covering 185km. As for running, the maximum distance I did was 38km with Pacesetters. After a long ride, I always jogged for at least 30min to get use to the cycling-running transition.

I reached Langkawi 6 six days prior to the race and continued to train on the actual route. The greatest challenge in swimming in the jetty was jellyfish. I was stung a few times on the face and shoulders but the my greatest encounter was having a jellyfish with a diameter of 1.5 feet cruising a few inches below me while I did my freestyle strokes.

23rd February 2003, Langkawi Ironman Race Day
As a computer engineer, I was not happy with my race number, 286. As far as I can remember, AT 80286 was the first generation of 16bit computers and I hoped it was not a sign of my racing speed.

A loud siren roared at 7:15am and all participants dove in for the 3.8km swim. Swimming went well and luckily enough, a slow swimmer like me didn’t get any jellyfish stings at all. I believed the first few hundred swimmers in front of me already crushed those pests. I completed my swim in 1hr 42min, just below my target of 1hr 45min. I ran to the tent and changed into my cycling jersey.

The first loop of the 180km ride was great and cooling. The road is undulating and very hilly near the Seaview Hotel, Pantai Kok and Datai area. By 11am, it started getting hot and humid. By the time we did the second loop, many cyclists started walking with their bicyclewhen tackling up-hill. I was fortunate to have strong thigh muscles and managed to climb the entire hill with a slower cadence. I was glad to finally reach the running transition after a long 7hrs 11min ride.

The 42km full marathon consisted of three 14km loops. The first loop was horribly hot and dry. Cycling was different, because we enjoyed wind gusts due to the faster speed. My heart was still strong but my legs started to get tired by 6pm. I ran as far as I could and walked whenever I felt a discomfort in my calf to prevent muscle cramp. So it’s like a relay of run-walk-run.

By the time I finished my the second loop, it was getting dark. The time was 8pm and I hade being racing for 12hrs and 40min. Hoping to complete in less than 14 hours, I increased my pace in the last 5km. I was getting weak but I didn’t care. My calf muscles were screaming but I wasn’t listening. In the last 100 metres, I heard many people cheering and calling out my number. I could hear the MC saying, “Here comes Ironman Richard Tang from ……… Malaysia!”.

I crossed the finishing line at 9:20pm. It’s a relief to complete my first Ironman race in 14hrs 10min 14sec. I came out 160th out of the 409 participants registered for the race. Only 55% of the participants completed the race within the stipulated cut-off time, which was 17 hours.

At the finishing line, I received my shiny Ironman medal and a certificate. An usherer directed me to the checkpoint for a rest and my weight was taken. It read 64.5kg. Prior to the race, we went through a series of medical checks and my weight was 69kg. I had lost 4.5kg in less than a day ! It truly shaped up my mind and trimmed down my weight.

Now, with the medal and certificate held closely in front of me, I am still in disbelief that I completed the race within such an encouraging timeframe. My only desire through this sharing is that you will be encouraged to out-do your own limitations. Physical strength is not a limit, rather, it takes indomitable will to succeed. I packed up all of the Ironman booklets, medal, and certificate into a folder and placed it on the bookshelf. Taking a final look around of this small storeroom, I thought of how wonderful it would be if more Pacesetters were able to take part in this kind of events in the near future. I switched off the lights and closed the door. With a pause, and a grin on my face, I began to think about my next challenge.

Richard Tang
Ironman Langkawi 2003

Back to top

Autumn in Sydney by Viviene Kartsounis
The first day of autumn arrived dead on time for the 1st of March. The temperatures dropped and the dreaded chill hit the night air, and with it came the much needed rain that so many parts of the country are desperate for. The long, warm summer evenings are over and the nighttime temperatures are hovering around the 10oC mark, with sunny days reaching into the low 20's. The leaves on the trees are starting to change colour and the autumn flowers are out in full bloom.

The cooler weather makes it increasingly difficult to get up and run during the early pre-dawn hours of the morning, and it is now that the support of a running group becomes more necessary. Knowing that other crazy people are out there waiting for you to arrive psychologically makes it easier to take that first step out of bed and into the cold. The funny thing is that for the Australian people this weather is not cold at all, but pleasant and refreshing, and it's only the people who come from the equatorial regions that seem to suffer. One way or the other, the more obstacles we face, whether mental or physical, the stronger we become. And as you all know, runners need strength, determination and perseverance to succeed, no matter the distance or the terrain. The funny thing is that we don't know that we possess all these qualities until we call upon them during times of hardship. And just in case you feel the need for one of these tough times, here are a number of the major Australian races organized over the next couple of months that you may like to consider:

11 May - Nike Women's Classic: 10 and 5km walk/run in Sydney
25 May - Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon. A limited entry run so book now
01 June - Queensland Half Marathon: 21.1 and 10km
06 July - Gold Coast Marathon: A very popular and scenic, flat run, often providing a PB
12 July - Gold Coast 100km: A 16 lap course
03 August - Bridge to Brisbane 12 km
31 August - Noosa Half Marathon
14 September - Flora Sydney Marathon: 42.2km, 21.1km and 10km. Introducing the half marathon into this event.

This is enough to keep you going for a few months as you plan your trip to Australia! Here are the websites for further details:
www.ausrun.com.au The Runner's World website.
www.coolrunning.com.au The most comprehensive and up to date information.
www.froggy.com.au/funrun
www.sydneystriders.org.au The running club website that includes training runs.

If there is any information you require that you cannot find on line, please do not hesitate to contact me and I shall do my best to help you out. And if you are over in Sydney for business or on holiday why not join me for one of the social weekly runs - there a variety to choose from. Despite the cold and dark, we persevere with our 5.30am Wednesday bush run. Last weekend we reset the clocks by one hour and now we are only 2 hours ahead of KL. With the change in time we have a little extra daylight for a few more weeks, but we will persevere with the torches and the dark until it gets too cold. Crazy, I know, but I'm not the only one. We all have to adjust our schedules around work and family.

Our weekly ladies evening running group continues on a regular basis, with a core of about 4 runners, and it was only last week that I managed to recruit two more. It's always an adjustment for the family, especially with little children, so let's see how long they last. It started out more as a social event, but now we are seriously training toward the Sydney Half Marathon in May. We have entered a team of 4, of which they take the three best times, and you never know, we may even win a T-shirt (or maybe one to share!).

I have run a couple of 10km races in the last few weeks, both on very hilly courses. The first one was completed in 45:29 and the second in 43:50, and on both occasions I was in the top 10 ladies. This may sound impressive but the big difference is that the first lady charged in at 36 minutes, and by the time we plodded over the finish line her dust had already settled.

As I sit here and write this it dawned on me that we have now been is Sydney for exactly one year. A very busy year full of change, uncertainty and surprises but the family has settled in very well, especially the children. And throughout all of this time there remains one constant factor that provides some sort of stability - running - and that it the beauty of our sport. It is so transferable and transportable that you will always find someone somewhere who loves it as much as you do.

This year has sped by and it has taken me that long to commit to joining another running club. I have been running with different group on various courses and have finally made the move and joined the Sydney Strider Running Club. It is considered a social running group, although they seem rather serious to me. It surprised me to learn that they only have just over 500 members, half that of Pacesetters, but then they do not encourage family or youth participation and it is definitely not as friendly as the Malaysian crowd.

Well, that's it for autumn. Keep up the training, remembering to vary the routine with a bit of speed, bush and endurance, and don't forget that once in a while it does the body good to have a few days rest. Think of me on the 25 May, shivering through the Sydney Half Marathon, and two weeks later on the 8th June I will think of you pounding across the Penang Bridge, too busy to watch the sun rise, and wishing with all my heart that I could be there. Life goes on and we slowly adapt and make the most of every situation, making more memories that too will stay with us forever.

Viviene Kartsounis

Editor : I believe I speak for a lot of people (especially the kids at the Kampung Pandan track) when I say that its very difficult to forget Viviene, especially when she did so much for the club. Hey, this editor never forgets, as this lady saves me a lot of stress every two months when Footloose is due!

Viviene Kartsounis (Sydney)

Back to top

Brooks’ Pacesetters Bonding Breakfast Run by Hazlinda Hashim
Date : 23rd Feb 2003 (Sunday) 7.15AM
Venue : Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong

More than 330 members of the Pacesetters Athletic Club of Malaysia gathered on the Sunday 23rd February morning, at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia for the first Breakfast Run of the year. Breakfast runs are regular fixtures of the club and it strives to hold such events 4 times a year.

This year, the run came with a special theme, that is the Brooks Pacesetters Bonding Run. As the name suggests, Brooks is the title sponsor and the participants who ran in pairs, must have a common bond between them. This bond could be in the form of parent and child, husband and wife, brother and sister, boss and subordinate or even doctor and patient.

This non-competitive 5 km run was meticulously planned by Law Lai Huat, the Area Group Leader for FRIM. The run started at 7.30 am after a quick aerobics session. The route took the runners through the lush cool forest, which is well known for its many variety of species of trees. The chirping of the birds, cool winds blowing and having someone dear running with you brought such warm feelings to the members. Before long, the runners started trickling in and they beamed with pride as for some, their buddies have never ran that far before in their lives! The run had also allowed them to strengthen the bonds that they already share with each other.

For a small fee of RM5 for adult members and RM 10 for non-members, all present were treated to scrumptious nasi lemak (kindly sponsored by the FRIM group), generous helping of MILO and 100 Plus (both were co-sponsors), with a healthy selection of bananas and kiwi fruits. Members also had a chance to mingle and interact with each other and also had the opportunity to check out Brooks merchandise available for sale that day.

The highlight of the event was the Lucky Draw, courtesy of Brooks as the title sponsor. 30 pairs of assorted prizes were up for grabs and the grand prizes were 5 sets of RM200 vouchers to be redeemed from them. The club had Datuk Sieh Kok Chi (the Honorary Secretary of the Malaysian Olympic Council), who ran with his daughter, as well as Mr Cheah Aik Keong, the Assistant General Manager of Brooks to pick the lucky numbers.

Hong Leong group representative was also present to allow Pacesetters members the opportunity to sign up for the Hong Leong Charity Foundation Run, which is scheduled on Sunday 23rd March 2003. Just like the previous year, Pacesetters members have always been keen supporters of the Run and more than 40 members signed up that day.

Look out for more details of our future Breakfast Run in the Footloose or via your group leaders.

By Hazlinda Hashim

Back to top

Surviving the Langkawi Ironman by Greg Lyons
I did it! finally I mustered up the courage to face the longest day, the ultimate challenge for a triathlete, the Ironman. I now belong to that select group of nutcases who can say that they've done what most normal humans rank alongside swimming with sharks or climbing Everest: swim, bike and run 226 kilometers. But even just two months earlier it looked unlikely that I would go through with it.

Towards the end of 2002, things were not going smoothly. After missing my main, pre-ironman race at the end of the season due to a really bad case of flu, I decided to go for the Singapore Marathon at the beginning of December, after which my body decided it had had enough for the moment and wouldn't let me get back into training for the rest of the month. Bearing in mind that even an experienced triathlete needs to build up some serious mileage before tackling an Ironman, I had decided to put off my maiden attempt to the following year. I didn't want to face the challenge without complete preparation.

Having accepted this postponement with reluctance but a certain amount of relief, it took me completely by surprise when one day in early January, June (my Wife) called me from work and suggested that I do this year’s race anyway, "just to finish". This was quite a turnaround for her as watching videos of Ironman finishers crawling across the line and being whisked off to the medical tent had made her initially a little apprehensive about my intended challenge. Her new reasoning was based on the talk among KL triathletes at the time, that the race would only last the initial 5-year lease from WTC, due to low participation (generally 300 or so whereas most races can easily attract a field of 1000+), which meant that 2004 would be the last. Given this thought and the recent experience of missing my main race of the season due to illness, it didn't take me too long to decide that if all went well with my training over the following 6 weeks, I would go for it this year and just cruise through the race to finish. It may be my last chance to race the Ironman in Langkawi.

I had started training again the first week of January. My body seemed recovered and was responding well to the increase in distance that I was doing, though I was careful not to push my per-run mileage up too fast, as any distance above 10k would provoke soreness in the soles of my feet. I decided to keep distances relatively small but run more consecutive days, which seemed to go well. My swimming was all just technique work and cycling was again a question of increasing weekly mileage rather than hammer my legs on 6-hour rides.

Race Day. Very little sleep. At 4.30am I ate, stretched, and made my way down to the race start to prepare for the day's adventure. Everyone's nervous. Standing around waiting for the light of dawn and gazing out at dark, possibly jellyfish infested waters, I found myself surprisingly confident and tried to encourage friends to relax and enjoy the race.

Swim start. We're in the water. The gun goes off and the water turns white with churning limbs. OK. Just find your pace and cruise. A bit annoying trying to navigate through swimmers who keep veering off-course, but soon I passed the 1500m buoy and I'm on my own. Nice - relax and focus on form. Turned at 1900 and headed back towards a rather distant and indistinct swim finish. Just follow the yellow flags and I'll get there in the end.

Out of the water in 1:14 - not a bad time for me. No point in running. Relax, have a shower, collect transition bag, into change tent where somebody smothers me with sunblock as I put on shoes and sunglasses. Out to the bike, drinking and eating as I go, helmet on and I'm away. Feeling good, watching my heart-rate to keep me from pushing too hard on the hills on the first 90k lap, and to stop me from losing momentum on the second. Aid stations good. Eating and drinking enough - I think. Lap 1 goes OK though my lower back and butt started to get sore towards the end - still on a sub 6-hour pace, that's good. Second lap started to get really sore. I came into transition 2 with a bike time of 6:21, feeling sore and stiff in my lower back.

Transition 2 took a while. Feet didn't feel like running - a bit cramped, and I'm stretching my back and getting more sunblock applied for about 12 minutes. No hurry. Got to make sure I'm ready. I emerged from the tent and walked, eating and drinking, past the supporters who seemed to be a lot more concerned with speed than me. No hurry, I'll run when I'm ready. After about 500m I started to jog and gradually got into the flow. It's HOT. Not a cloud in the sky so far today. I ran to the first aid station, ate, drank, poured water on my back and face, ice in my hat, and walked till I feel like running again.

This was the pattern for the whole 42.2km, three-lap course. Take each 1.5km as an energy focus. Sometimes it would take me a while to run, or I'd struggle to reach an aid stop; other times it would feel better and my pace would quicken. On my third lap the light started to fade, temperatures dropped, and as I made the last turn back towards the town I started to feel good. My cadence was good and I tried to just focus on the rhythm. I think I missed the last 3 aid stations, not wanting to lose momentum, and ran across the finish line in 12:36:23. Pretty good for a first-timer!

I think a large part of my success was in not being aware of what I was capable of, and consequently not expecting too much. My swim had improved despite little distance training and that discovery at the start of the day was quite a psychological boost. Though I hadn't done enough in terms of distance, I had done the right type of training in preparation - all at an "all-day" intensity - and never allowed myself to be drawn into racing anyone else. The Ironman is an intensely personal challenge and to survive it we need to develop, more than anything else, the ability to block out all distractions and focus on our own energy. See you at the start line next year?

Greg Lyons

Back to top