Weekend Feats

Saturday
I was caught up with so many things running at the same time and at different places last week...Mother's Day promotions, juggling my time between 3 Brands and not to leave out the endless staff problems etc.etc.
My decision to participate in the Larian Bomba was very last minute as I was feeling a bit blue and fed-up with myself. I thought I needed a competition (any competiton)just to give me that little perk! John registered me in the Women's Open 10k as he felt it's been once-upon-a-time since I competed in a 10k race. I agreed. Ever since I got upgraded to the Veteran Category, I hardly ran that 10k Jalan Duta route for ages! There were 5 Kenyan ladies in the Women's Open Category, therefore it was very obvious that they will dominate the top 5 positions and indeed they did. I was placed 8th position and I was pleased with that.
But I must not deny that I was struggling to keep up during my first 2 or 3km. Everyone else I that know had all surged ahead of me right from the beginning. Although I always prefer to start slow and later, stalk those who went out too fast - I was feeling miserable for lacking that 'pick-up' pace. In other words, I lack speed! However, soon after 3km I was relieved that I finally regained my rhythm...I managed to sneak on some ladies when they began to look over their shoulders. Ha! Ha! I felt like a wolf, and they were my preys and when I passed them, I pretended not be tired and never looked back (naughty! naughty!). Yeah, I arrived at Dataran Merdeka feeling energised and good. Good in knowing that I am still competition-fit for a 10k race again!
I won some cash prizes too! John and I headed for breakfast immediately after the prize presentation - went home for a quick shower - rushed to work - then, attended a wedding dinner that night.

Sunday
As expected, there were not many Pacesetters at the Bukit Aman carpark that Sunday. A group of them went for the Asthma Run at Padang Merbok, while another group (my John included) went to do the Triathlon Relay at A'Farmosa. Initiated by Tony, about 75 Pacesetters gathered at Putrajaya since midnight to train and get themselves equipped for the Sundown Marathon that will take place in Singapore end of this month.
However, I was fortunate I still had my running buddies who agreed to run Hartamas with me. That morning, my feet were extremely heavy due to that 10k race the day before. Well, I guessed as one aged - the recovery rate tends to slow down - at least for me. Anyway, we were running at such a snail-pace that even Siew Cheng overtook us! After crossing the Duta road, I decided to move ahead irregardless and abandoned my buddies. Upon reaching the Petronas station, there was still no sight of anyone at all - so, I ran all the way back to Bukit Aman alone.
I realized that at times, it's good to run alone. The solitude appealed to me. I cleared my head, renewed my soul, pushed on down the road and embraced the quiet, out-of-breath feeling of exhilaration when I'm done!
Elsewhere at the A'Farmosa Triathlon, John and his team (comprising Dr. Raymond and a lady named Yit Thing) emerged 2nd Runner-Up in the mixed relay.

The Mad Rush

The whole of last week could only be described with one word : Rush! Yes, I have been rushing...Rushing for my Che Che stocks to come in. Rushing to fulfil April's target. Rushing to Bidor, run and rush back on the same day.
I was thankful for Labour Day cos' I was able to squeeze in sometime that morning for a double hill run. But soon after that, we need to rush to Temerloh Hospital to visit my sister-in-law who's been admitted for acute pneumonia (so said the doctor). Then rush home the same day.
Yesterday, I was supposed to run the New Balance 15k route with my buddies : Gary, Ho, Wah Chai and their friends but as I was not paying much attention to the route direction, I took them to a shorter distance instead and got lectured by John. We had our usual long table breakfast at Tung Shin to chat and catch up. Then rushed home again to finish up some household chores before my next appointment for acupuncture.
Then more crazy rushes..
Rushed to EYS for acupuncture..
Rushed to visit my mom and my sister June..
Rushed to a Secret Recipe to get a cake for Ray Broughton's birthday..
Rushed to Teresa's mansion at Bukit Jelutong for a mini pacesetters do..

However, I had a ball of a time at Teresa's place. She has always been a good host. Good food and fine wine aside, there were so much merriment, laughter and happy chi circulating amongst us. We also celebrated Ray Broughton's (who is back for a short break from NZ) birthday but then decided to celebrate all the May birthdays since we had an extra cake from Young Ooi. Then we were happy to have that witty Richard Tan to entertain and amuse us with his creative jokes and I laughed unitl my jaw almost drop!
Both John and I were extremely weary, sleepy and drained as we had such a long day, almost everyday. As we were on our way home, I reflected and realized that despite all that rush, I was most relaxed that evening because I had laughed much. I then recalled a quote from George Gordon which said, "Always laugh when you can; it is a cheap medicine. Merriment is a philosophy not well understood. It is the sunny side of existence."
The habit of being happy enables one to be freed.

Bidor Half Marathon ...and more.

There were 3 races that took place at the same time last Sunday : Power Run at Dataran Merdeka, New Balance / Klang Half Marathon in Klang and The Bidor Half Marathon. John and I chose Bidor as it has been sometime since we visited that town and this race is associated to nature. Bidor Half Marathon was timely because we were getting weary of running in the city.

Bonding
We started our journey at 4.30am. So far, my husband's estimation of time has always been accurate - we reached Bidor at 6am sharp. Upon arrival, we were surprised to meet some 'kwai lohs' eg. Robert and Neil there. The response for the race was fairly good. Gary, Francis and friends were there the night before...for social bonding and some big feasts. He proudly showed off his protuding tummy to everyone!! The result of over-indulgence from the recent Full Moon Relay Run in Thailand and now, Bidor. Apparently, the whole gang ran only 10k and they were looking forward for a sumptuous 'Fatt Tew Cheong' (Buddha jump over the wall) lunch at Tanjung Malim that afternoon! Yes, we were there for the fun, food and friendship - weren't we?

Global Food Crisis
I gently reminded them of the Global Food Crisis...exactly what we (Gerard and I) briefly discussed over buffet at Eric Teo's last night. 'Act Now, Eat Later' Despite countless warnings in recent years about the need to address a looming energy crisis in poor countries and a looming energy crisis worldwide, world leaders failed to think ahead. The result is a global food crisis. Read more from Time mag. May 5th issue. If you are interested to make a donation and support the United Nation World Food Programme, please go to www.wfp.org
Surely, we all need to be mindful of this.

The Race
Runners were given a colorful Adidas wristband to wear upon reporting. I got mine which wrote "BELIEVE IN MIRACLES". Is Someone trying to tell me something? How come I was the only one (I think) who receive it (amongst so many of my fellow runners)? Anyway, I like this.
The race started at 7am. As usual, I took my time to warm up and ran at an easy pace until two young runners Kim and Jessica (who call me Aunty Wai Mun) came, and suggested that we run together. While I welcomed this idea, I alerted them that I was there to enjoy the beauty of nature and therefore, will not push myself crazy. They were okay and we were talking most of the time, at least for the first 12km where Jessica broke away from me to attack the hills. Kim actually left us earlier at the 5km mark.
The race course took us through some palm estates, lakes, a park, rubber estates and kampung (squatter) area which reminded me of my childhood days with my nanny and her family. The ambience was rather quiet so that I could clearly hear the cock crew and birds chirping merrily in the air. Although the hills weren't tough, there were many to tackle and it felt like a roller-coaster ride!
Soon the marker said 1km to go and I gave myself a final push to pass more than one runner to reach the finishing line. Jessica was 1st and I was third. John ran an impressive time of 1hr39m and earned 4th placing in the Men Veteran category.
Overall, we enjoyed the run as it was well-managed and runner-friendly. Unlike some more serious races, I noticed a gathering of friendly runners here because mainly they were here not to fight for the prize but for friendship, fun and of course, good food. Yes, social bonding, that is.
No need the ridiculous coupon system, no need to queue up for food and drinks..there were food and drinks aplenty for everyone. The medal and trophy designs look good - one that I would proudly want to show it off and not chuck aside after the race. Thanks and tumbs up to the organizers of Bidor Half Marathon for a simple yet well-organized event.

Food, Glorious Food..
The prize giving ceremony took awhile with lucky draws in between. After that, all the Pacesetters went separate ways for their favourite and well-deserved meals. We met a group eating at Pun Chun Restaurant, a few groups gathered at Mee Wah for wantan mee, Mr Lee and the Ho brothers went to Sungkai for fish and of course, Gary and gang headed to Tanjung Malim for their 'Fatt Tew Cheong'. Apparently, Wan Yew Leong and friends went to eat their 'Choo Sau'(Pig's arm) at god knows where? Oh well, for the sake of food...people just travel anywhere in the name of Food! Eat, drink and be merry but again, let's not forget the hungry. Let's be responsible and aware of the World Food Crisis.

Zero Limits and Ho'oponopono

It took me awhile to finally finish reading this book, albeit having an incredibly exhausted month! Although I find it refreshing and stimulating to the soul, there were a chapter or two which I left out because I find it too difficult to comprehend.

This book is written by Joe Vitale together with Dr.Ihaleakala Hew Len. Dr. Hew Len is a therapist who helped heal an entire ward of mentally ill criminals - without ever seeing any of them professionally! He used a most unusual healing method from Hawaii called Ho'oponopono.

Ho'oponopono is an ancient Hawaiian system that helps clean the unconscious, which is where the block resides. It helps dissolve the hidden programs that keep us from attaining our desires; whether health, wealth, happiness or anything else. It all happens inside us. It is to take total responsibility for our lives. It is a process of repentance, forgiveness and transmutations. It is a process of letting go of toxic energies within us and replace it with Love. Love accomplishes this by flowing through the mind, beginning with the spiritual, the superconscious. It then continues its flow through the intellectual mind, the conscious mind, freeing it of thinking energies. Finally, it moves into the emotional mind, the subconscious, voiding thoughts of toxic emotions and filling them with Love. The purpose of life is to be restored back to Love, moment to moment.

Joe Vitale puts it this way : Everone has a lens through which they view the world. Religions, philosophies, therapies, authors, speakers, gurus and candlestick makers all perceive the world through a particular mind-set. The book teaches us how to use a new lens to dissolve all other lens. Once we succeed, we'll be at a place called Zero Limits.

Zero limits talks about returning to zero state where nothing exists but anything is possible. In the zero state there are no thoughts, words, deeds, memories, programs, beliefs or anything else. Just nothing.

In the end, the entire essence of this book can be summarized in one phrase, a phrase that reveals the ultimate secret of the universe..."I'M SORRY, PLEASE FORGIVE ME, I LOVE YOU, THANK YOU."

learning from letting go

What are some types of letting go?
Letting go of Guilt
Letting go of Grief
Letting go of Dependency
Letting go of Over-Responsibility
Letting go of Resistance to Change
Letting go of Fear
Letting go of Anger
Letting go of Denial
Letting go of a Loved one to death
Letting go of Life

Last Thursday, my brother-in-law held a most impromptu memorial service for my late sister, Jennifer. As it was rather a last minute arrangement, I wasn't keen to attend. I told my sister June that since I've always kept Jennifer in my heart, a memorial means very little to me. But eventually I attended and I was glad I did. The second part of Jennifer's message was revealed to me and it has to be now while I'm in the midst of learning to let go...
I'll just share it here :

"Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints in the snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight
I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die."

Her message is to let go. Life moves on..for her and for everyone.

To Let Go Takes Love by Dr. Margaret J. Rinck

To "let go" does not mean to stop caring. It means I can't do it for someone else.

To "let go" is not to cut myself off. It's the realization that I can't control another.

To "let go" is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To "let go" is not to try to change or blame another. It's to make the most of myself.

To "let go" is not to care for, but to care about.

To "let go" is not to fix, but to be supportive.

To "let go" is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.

To "let go" is not to be in the middle, arraging all the outcomes, but to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To "let go" is not to be protective; it's to permit another to face reality.

To "let go" is not deny, but to accept.

To "let go" is not to nag, scold or argue, but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.

To "let go" is not to adjust everything to my desires, but to take each day as it comes and cherish myself in it.

To "let go" is not to regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.

To "let go" is to fear less and to love more.

Running in the rain

When I woke up at 4am this morning, there was a heavy downpour - waited until 6am, it got heavier. Is this a sign telling me to rest and get back to bed? Well, John & I decided that we should just go out anyway. I rang Francis and Gary and was told that it was drizzling at Bukit Aman. Ha, a drizzle means nothing to a runner.
John and I decided that we should just run Double Hills and not any further. We were thankful to just be able to run in this drizzle. The rest of the die-hard runners had left, some went for the Orange Run at The Curve today. John had to adjust to my pace in order to run alongside with me. We had a good run..enjoying each other's company, sharing some of my stories from yesterday's seminar. The temperature was 22 degree C so the air was cool and wet. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful, I guessed everyone else must still be asleep and it was like the whole of KL had stood still for awhile. We could even hear the birds chirp and smell the scent from fresh flowers, trees and plants as we were plodding up Kenny Hills. In between, I took time to think of all that I've accomplished and learnt from the last week. There are certainly many areas in my life where I have not healed and need to improve and work on.
After a good run, I thought I was being 'refreshed' but oh no, I accidentally entered the wrong car. There was another X-Trail with a guy seated at the driver's and I thought it was John inside. When I realized it was some else in there, I apologized immediately and walked back to our own car, embarassed. I must be hungry!!
We met with the rest for breakfast at Yut Kee.