A typical race day routine of a runner

A typical race day routine of a runner:

You wake up before subuh while everybody is still soundly asleep in the weekend; get a quick bite, a cup of nescafe perhaps, put on the running jersey -- could be your own lucky charm running suit, or the one given by the race organizer.

You are ready to go. You kiss your loved one on her forehead, almost walking on your toe towards the door, cuz' you don't wanna wake anyone up. Their dreams must be the sweetest at the moment, you think.

You hit the road to the race venue. The road is dark, quiet and rather, lonely.

You send out a few text messages to your running buddy, shout out some anticipations, though in that moment, you're only surrounded by a quietness and silence.

Radio is all about pre-recorded tracks. Maybe one or two soft feeling songs will just hit right on the mood of being perfect lonely. You imagine how your car fly through the thick dark ink of chill air, while keeping an eye on the sign board before every junctions.

You drop by a masjid or surau nearby the race venue to perform your subuh prayer. Meet some other runners who are in the same race event tee you're in. Your prayer for subuh this time is a bit different. You pray for a good run, a safe run. You pray for the strength and health to complete the race course. You also pray that your loved ones would stay safe and blessed.

You reach the race venue. The crowd clears the loneliness, replaced by some kind of sense of belonging. These people whom you hardly know, are the same kind of enthusiast you are. You belong to this clan -- a clan of people who left their bed at 4 or 5am, just to run.

Flag off. You run, together with the hundreds or maybe thousands of runners. The thundering sound made by the runners' steps reminds you of the drum beats in an ancient war.

You start talking to yourself -- regardless of what distance you're running for, there's always a point where you start doing this. You imagine how your legs push you through every meters ahead, how your heart pumps doses of adrenaline into your body that perhaps making you feel a bit pain, while locking your focus to not let yourself give in to the laziness.  

You finish your run, finally. You cross the finishing line, grab the finisher medal, the drink you are dying for, and maybe one or two banana. Your body is all drained out, but the satisfaction is maximum.

You feel happy, not really because of the medal or the bananas. Some said it's because of the hormones that your heart pumped into your vein. Whatever.

You share the moment with your running buddies, or with whoever reading your twitter or Facebook wall.

You send an text message to your loved one, a lil bit of wakey-wakey and promise her a heart-warming breakfast is on the way.

You head back.  It's about 8-9am. It's weekend.

While some of your friends are still on the bed, you've already started it with a great feeling.

And you're going to repeat the same routine, again and again.

-- I dedicate this whoever went through the routine and will repeat the routine over and over again in 2012.

PS: Congratulations and many thanks to all runners around me. MMU Puma Run and KL Malakoff last weekend marked the final leg of the running event in 2011 -- I hope you conclude the year well. 


On your mark on 2012, get set -- just to run.  

Instagram: ".. and worse, Jack doesn't hv a year-end leave.."

First of all I think I'm having a drained soul in a cold body. Like a disease. It happens every end of a year. Like snow. 

..and the random screen-saver on my double-screened workstation pop up a random message -- I might take it as a prescription, or a cynicism -- depending on the current condition of my year-en disease. 

Jack needs a break. 

Hello Aiman from Spider -- A letter from Tahan..

Dear Aiman,

Hello, and congratulation, for the journey -- yup, the journey... the journey that you've promised and you've dreamed for.

Remember the unrecorded resolution for 2009 you told me at the beginning of the year? Well it's unrecorded because it's 'unconventional'. :) .. so can I reveal, for the sake of a record, now?

You did not resolve for any oversea trips this year -- which was not a typical you; you did not resolve 'to read such and such books by the end of the year'; you did not resolve to do anything for your photography hobby ...

-- instead, your new year resolution was a simple, yet heavy, in your case.

"It is a journey," you said, when we sat down face to face at the start of year 2009. And I smiled, and asked, "a journey far, far away?" then we immediately let silence conquered our conversation. It was the silence of sigh - both of us have no idea on how to get there by then, but deep inside I had trust on you -- I knew you'll embark on the journey one day, I just knew.

.. and look, here you are, with a sack on your back -- packed with lots of love and blessings from your brothers and sisters, packed with all your determinations and sacrifices, and most importantly, packed with the responsibilities, the obligations, the belief and the faith -- you are standing on the beginning of the journey.

Yup, the journey.

... and dear Aiman,

I believe you too witnessed the same thing I observed, about how The Almighty Him lays the

route of your journey. Yes -- it was you and the gang of KOMA planned the Gunung Tahan Expedition, but did you expect anything that God's given to you during your almost 1-week stay in the heart of Tahan Mountain Range?

The scenery, the people, the ambience, the 'untold' stories, and those little miracles you witnessed here and there during trekking -- praise to God, I somehow see this expedition as an real induction for you to enter the whole new world of Him.

Tell me more about the miracles you saw in Gunung Tahan, please. I know you did see something, and you've problem expressing it to others, so sometimes you chose to weep quietly when you were walking alone in the troop.

..and don't worry Aiman, you wept not because of the toughness of the condition, but it's the miracle

s -- the instant answers of God to your prayers -- that moved you to tears.. I understand, as I understand what are you whispering about during jungle trekking, as I understand how meaningful the Tahan Expedition is for you.

(..but still, give me every details about the miracles, please... *wink wink* )

Aiman,

You received angah's welcome-back sms when 18 of you finally touched down in Kuala Tahan. I hope you still remember that kind message from him.

"You will appreciate more things from now on.."

I truly agree with him, Aiman, and in fact, I witnessed the bond of the brotherhood and sisterhood of KOMA are up-leveled. So Aiman, always -- I mean always and always and always remember the feeling of guilty you had in any moments of you letting them down, because you owe them too much, way way way too much.

I truly believe Tahan Expedition was a great beginning for your great great journey ahead, and I shall congratulate you for your Gunung Tahan expedition, and congrats again for finally embarking on the journey that was listed as your 2009's resolution --

--hey pinch yourself, it's NOT anymore a resolution, it's NOT anymore a dream -- you're stepping on the path of the journey now, the journey that you always wanted for years, the journey that bring you close to God.

Congratulations.

Love from Tahan,

Spider

World, here I come

Do we need a theme for a new year? Well I don't think so.

In fact, I don't really believe in the stuff we call 'New Year's Resolution'.. But as we're approaching to the end of year 2007, my life approaches to some endings in various perspectives -- I'm checking out Impiana Hotel tomorrow, checking out my 4-month 'expatriate lifestyle' tomorrow; I finished my thesis and hence officially ending my student life towards end of the year 2007 -- the whole situation affects me both mentally and maybe emotionally, and it made me somehow think that 2008 will be a whole new kick-start for me, and hence I'm thinking of a theme for it.

And hey guess what I managed to grab something out of my almost-invalid student identity and it opened up opportunities for me to explore the world in the year ahead by using all the privileges of being a 'student' -- Yeap, as you can see in the picture, that's my UNIESCO-endorsed International Student Identity Card (ISIC), read up the link and you'll know what are the 'opportunities' about.

My point is rather straightforward here. See how the circle works? We're getting to the end of something, and at the same time we're beginning a lot of new ventures --

Yes I'm checking out from those luxurious hotels but I'm so much looking forward to stay into a little apartment that I'm going to share with 2 buddies of mine;

Yes I'm no more a student and no more having those conveniences of quiting office hours sesuka hati, but I think I'm ready to be back to my position in the industry.. (and yet, by having ISIC, I still can enjoy the privileges of being a student, worldwide) ;

Yes year 2007 is finishing (Gosh another 23 hours to go..), but 2008 is coming, with new friendships, new families, new outdoor plans (Fariz my dearest big brother, this is for you and me!), new travel destinations, new diving trips, new hobbies (a photography studio, maybe.. *smirk*) and old pals coming back...... 2008 is so much anticipated with ALL the new buzz!

So have I thought a theme for 2008 and for myself?

Goodbye, 2007. Welcome, 2008. World, here I come. HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!!

4095.2m, the peak; 2007, the start.

The fact is, yes I did promise some of my readers to post pictures on the peak of Mt. Kinabalu, but this post was being composed, right here right now, not under any intention of hitting those promises. The fact is, C'MON, I've been to the top roof of Southeast Asia -- OF COURSE it's going to be a MUST for me to show it off!!

... but, still.., the fact is, I've nothing to say about.,, or put it in this way, the feeling of speechless when getting to the top of the mountain is still deep inside my heart -- It's the feeling of dream comes true, it's the feeling of self-assurance.

A few names to thank. Fariz, my mentor who leads me becoming 'wild' and 'cool', and for those who are interested to know, being my guarantor of my MSc. study, Fariz supposed to make sure I stay inside classroom, study and excel... ; Amir, another cool guy who has 'Adventurous' as his middle name; Emy, my companion to reach the peak of the mountain; every names under the flag of PETRONAS Sabah, they are simply the best and the coolest; Poon, 5zal, Togok, Min, Azwa, Dani and Juanne, they are the ones who gave me 'guilt-free' pass to skip classes.. hehe..; and.. erm.. .. Prof. Rudy.

Well obviously this is the last post of my Mt Kinabalu journey, but it's too another start of my journey of pursuing my further dreams. I remember well when I dreamt about reaching the peak of Mt. Kinabalu during age of 15, my friends laughed at me. And recently I told some of my friends that I sort of 'received' a 'calling' from the highland of Tibet, again, my friends laughed at me.. Hmmm.. let's see...

What's next? No, not yet for the highland which is higher than the peak of Mt Kinabalu.. After reaching Southeast Asia's highest point, I'm setting off to the world's largest cave at Mulu. :> PEACE. Next after that? I'll go diving in Similan, west coast of Thailand.. 80% planned. hehe, PEACE again... 2007, what a wonderful kick-start for an adventurous dream-catcher.. ;> PEACE, again and again. :p

Happy 2007 to y'all!!


Spider, killing time in The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Jusco, Ipoh.