Saturday 19 November 2011.

Day 2. 

Good morning Penang! Beautiful view from Red Rock hotel! 18 hours to Penang Bridge International Marathon.

I am ready for breakfast at the hotel and jalan-jalan at city area. I will update later.

Chinese wedding display

Easy access to any town area. Bus fare range from RM2.00.

Visit Church 

Visit Mosque

Nasi Kandar!

Bus Interchange at Komtar

New Shopping Centre near Comtar

Visit Tample

Another new Shopping Centre, 10mins walk from Komtar

After 5 hours of sightseeing and window shopping, time to go back to hotel and rest. I need to wake up by 6pm and get ready to checkout at 10pm as next day I am flying back to Singapore at noon. I will update later.

Finally at Queensbay Mall' I am sitting in the Coffee Bean and having a cup of black coffee. Meet up with runners and we share our past experience journey in marathons. Time to go and meet other runners at the tent area. The full category will be flag off by 2am. SBR SIGN OFF!

Friday 18 November 2011.

The Journey to Penang for International Marathon 2012.


Day 1.

In Singapore;

Reaching at Changi Airport 15mins before 12 noon; check in the baggage and proceed to the departure hall. I am feeling so hungry and decided to have tuna sandwiches with a cup of black coffee at O’Briens.

Boarding time will be at 1350pm and at the gate area, meet up with few friends such as Man, Arrow, Alexandra Asree and few more. All of us are so happy and excited! I was greed by two beautiful Air Stewardess and was direct to the seat at 3C. While waiting to fly off we received announce that the flight will be delayed between 30 to 1 hrs due to heavy air traffic at Changi. What a joke man! Well I took a short nap. I will update later.

Finally at 1435pm the Captain announce the traffic is clear and time to fly off! 

In Penang;

Welcome to Penang! Here SBR come…. Collected the baggage and walk around in the Airport and see what’s new. Penang Airport getting upgrading, everything chance! Now I had to look for the bus service no. 308 to QueensBay Mall and I paid RM2.00. The bus driver is so friendly and he is so inspire about me because few months back he saw my picture in the daily Malaysia papers. The best part another driver service 408 recognized me because I used to come Penang in 2010.

Reaching at the mall, I proceed to the event tent and meet up with PBIM organizer secretary Ms Peggy and her team as well. I got my race kit.  

Cool race bib no! now I need to rush back to hotel at George Town before the traffic at the road is getting heavy jam as people's here is going back home after their working at the town area. I am trying to save money and better to take bus service to the destination as I know the route to the hotel. Honestly Penang is getting change as there are new buildings and condominium are up. I like here and they are friendly!

Approx 45mins journey and slight jam, I finally reach at Komtar and walk 5 mins to Red Rock Hotel. Firstly I was greed by the door man as he recognize me well and I was direct to the reception counter and there too the staffs welcome we with cheers! 

I had a beautiful room and update all my mails; now! Time for cari makan but wait! The weather outside is wet lol! Same as last year rain at night. Near the hotel there is a mamak restaurant and I am getting something light to eat.

After makan walk around and back to hotel for a good night sleep! SBR SIGN OFF!

Thursday 17 November 2011.

Behind every successful man there is a woman. Thank you dear, I love you all!

Sunday 13 November 2011.

Wedding! Wedding! Wedding on Sunday + rewang = carbo loading. Monday SD, Tuesday lower body workout, Wednesday SD and swimming aerobics, Thursday upper body workout and bag pack, Friday morning SD, noon fly to Penang and hooray! Saturday press interview and Sunday 2am PBIM here I come! Sunday noon back home and to attend another Wedding! Wedding! Wedding!

Thursday 10 November 2011.

Today is a special day for me because I am celebrating my 43 years birthday; No celebration just I alone at Tully’s Coffee in Novena Square 2 having a small slice of black Forrest cake.

My wish is to success in future and keeps inspiring the world. This afternoon I also went for an interview and manage to get a part time job as an Admin. At least I will have extra income for the family.

Thanks to all my friends, who send their warm wishes and may God bless you all with good health always.

  

Tuesday 08 November 2011.

Outstanding achievement, thank you God for giving me the strength to complete the race.

Now back to training; This morning I went for short recovery run around the Yishun Estate and I need to lose few more weight before starting another race in couple of days time.

Firstly congrats and RESPECT to all the runners who have compete the most toughest ever Ultra Trail Marathon in Malaysia for TMBT and does not matter what category they are taking part with completed or without, all are to be given respected and salute.

I have witness it and this journey is TOUGH! I say really tough where you had to run and walk in the jungle with tough terrain, crossing over old bridges at anytime that will give way, cross river, climb up the hill and not ordinary hills such as Bt Timah (5 times tougher) narrow path (slip and fall may be fatal) cross over landslide, run in the foggy and the most beautiful thing is to view Mount Kinabalu and other small mountains. This is mental challenge and once you put the foot print there and there is NO TURNING BACK! 

This is my fourth time to Sabah in 2011 and for the first time there is no blister, pain or muscle cramp on the stump. I was carrying 6 kilo hydration bag with extra equipment, prosthetic leg, first aid kits, food and many more with race map and campus. I start off with slow pace running and God had sent me with a Malaysian runner beside me where we run and completed together to the ending point and supporters cheering at us there.

When I was at the narrow path of the mountain, I am scared and cried as I am worried that I might be fall either be alive or dead or can I celebrate my birthday in a couple of days times? All this play in my mind and I remember I had a fall in the river and was help by some runners. This is history! This is a test and training for my upcoming future trip to Mount Everest in 2015.

The funny moment my head is stuck by this rock classic group song that was sang by Band Putra Rockers "Sampai disini" oh goodness! I memory this song until completed the race lol!

The first disable athlete in Singapore and the first in the world to compete TMBT in Sabah. I am so happy with this achievement and once again congrats to all runners who put their foot print in the jungle of Sabah, thanks to my Malaysian Pacer, the organizer that was lead by Professional Race Director Aman Avtar and the team, volunteers, doctors, supporting team, all the villages that cheers us all the way, my sponsors for this trip such as The North Face Singapore, GU Energy Labs, Lynk Biotech, friends and runners. THANK YOU!

With this achievement, now I declare to run Everest Marathon in May 2012.

Guess who is with us on the run? The Apple Boss lol!

Once again I did final check on the luggage and I am ready to Sabah. I will not be in FB and update the blog till next week and early wishes to all my friends who are celebrating his or her birthday in the month of Scorpio, Happy Birthday!

To all my Muslim Brothers and Sisters, Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha, for the first time I will be celebrating in overseas and to witness korban there.

Hari Raya Haji, a festival which is celebrated on 12th month of Islamic Calender. About after 2 months of Eid ul fitra ie. Aidilfitri is also the festival / celebration day of finishing the Haj. You may send this message to people who are going on pilgrimage or on pilgrimage and give advance wishes of Hari Raya Haji.

May you be blessed by God,
May you fulfill the pilgrimage,
May you become Haji / Hajjah
And celebrate
Blessings of God the Great !!

Wednesday 02 November 2011.

All the items are pack and seal in the bag; not forget to bring along my extra prosthetic leg and equipment for TMBT 25km in the jungle of Sabah.

I and some of my friends will be flying off to Sabah on Thursday afternoon from Senai Airport in JB. I will be back home direct flight from Sabah to Singapore on Sunday evening at Changi Airport T1.

At this moment I am feeling a bit of nervous and hope I can do my very best and complete the race. I won’t be in FB and update the blog till Monday. Meanwhile have a great day ahead.