May15 & 16 - Farewell Ngae & New Balance 15km 2010

May15, the day before New Balance 15km. Like usual, Keat Seong & I were packing our stuffs, getting ready for the run the next day. Then I got an sms. Our friend, Ngae had passed away. I stopped short. As I was standing, I had to take a sit to composed myself. Keat Seong was silent as well.
I got to know Ngae last year when I got back from Australia. He's not hard to missed during running events. The only guy who wears a sarong & barefooted. Something that not everyone would attempt. The guy who ran the Sahara Desert Ultra Marathon, and that is definitely not easy. I remember the group having lunch with him after a Klang run. Bakkutteh of course. We were all eating hungrily when he just couldn't stop talking. hahaha...He was contantly a cheerful athlete where there's no competition among each other. He would inspire the younger generations to become a better marathoner/triathlete.


It had taken me so long to write this entry about Ngae because I rather everyone else write about him first. Maybe it's because I'm trying to get hold of myself before the waterworks...darn..already started.

Anyway, that Saturday nite. Facebook was flooded, mourning & condolences. May Senn had suggested to run in sarong to remember him, and I agreed.

It was a silent morning at Bukit Aman carpark. Word went round. Race start was at Padang Merbok. Expression of disbelief were seen on faces. Thankfully it wasn't such a warm day. I was already wearing my running skirt plus the sarong.

My target? Maintaining at 1hr 30mins = 15km. The route? Reverse double hill. I already know that I hated the double hill. Actually, I hate hills. Full stop. The last time I ran was about 4days ago. Fresh legs, as Keat Seong called it. It was a good steady pace along the flat surfaces. I think I started off too fast, as the ladies I passed before, started passing me at 9km.

The reverse route was goooodd. There were hills, but not as steeped as the original. Water supplies were complimented as well. At 12km onwards, I started picking up my pace, passing the original girls again. As for the sarong, I received many compliments about it. Latest trend of running skirt. I had to stop at the waterstation to ask for safety pins as the sarong was attempting to fall. Slightly warm underneath though. I heard that Ngae went commando when running in sarong. hahhaha..dun wanna imagine.




In the end, I timed a 1hr 31mins. Oh well, it wasn't much of a race for me. Felt more like jogging. Yes I know, if I had only "pia" abit more, I would have gotten my sub1.5hr. Met up with a few other friends before we called it a day.







A week after NB15, a Run in Memory of Ngae Koh Hieng was held at Bukit Aman. It's not a race. Any distance you desire. We all met at 6am, with a short speech & a moment of silent. As Keat Seong & I had a late night the day before, we did a short run before heading back. Many people turned up, which shows how great this man was. Someone should organise an annual Sarong event. Ngae would be smiling down on us. Rest in Peace my dear friend. You are truly remembered.


Sahara Ultramarathon 2007
Wan's Column - Farewell to our Friend, Ngae Koh Hieng

most pics courtesy of San, Julie & other runners.

May6 - Tooth Fairy

http://www.whitezonedental.com/index.html

When I was young, I use to follow my mom to this dentist at PJ State. Alot of ppl, old doctors. As I grew older, my teeth was find, no requirement to visit dentist.

As the years gone by, many young dentist are out in the world, making money. With their methods of attracting customers. One doctor in particular caught my attention. Actually Keat Seong mentioned her. Dr Jean from ISmile, Damansara Uptown (http://www.ismile.com.my/). She puts on headphones for u so that you don't have to hear the drilling. But it's so difficult to make an appointment with her. After trying twice, I gave up. Then I found Whitezone Dental PJ state. Just a few shops down from the old dentist of my childhood.

Dr Lee Siew Geok

1year ago, my dentist said that there's a hole in my right wisdom tooth. Though it doesn't hurt, but sooner or later it would as food & cavity would grow within it. She told me if I'm not ready, I can wait for the next check-up (6 months) to see the status of it.

6 months later
After finding out about the hole, I would frequently touch my tooth with my tongue. Checking out the hole. Still there. But somehow it seemed bigger? Thankfully it still doesn't hurt yet. My dentist confirmed that the hole had grown bigger. I asked her if it's advisable to pull it out now when it doesn't hurt or later when the cavities gets to my gums? Dumb question isn't it. Just finding an escape route. U all know the answer. I wasn't mentally prepare to have my tooth yanked out from me that day.

2 days after that
The stress caught me. I took 1/2 day off, made an appointment with the dentist for an extraction. I lied down as they put their sunnies over my eyes (for the spotlight shinning down at me). I didn't know how wide I should open my mouth. She dabbed gauze on certain spots of my inner mouth & gum. After few minutes, poked it abit asked if i felt anything. I think it was to make the areas where she was gonna jab numb.

I felt a slight twitch as the needle went it. Better than being jab on the arms/butt. Another few more minutes, my right jaw was numb. Then I was ready for the yanking. She took some sort of pliers, started wiggling the tooth around on the left side, after a few unsuccessful wiggle, she turn my head towards the right, then wiggle somemore. Next thing I knew, it was out. I didn't even feel it come out. Though I could start tasting blood.

That was it. Gauze in my mouth for oozing blood. I thought that when we bite the gauze, its putting pressure to stop the blood. Too bad to say, by end of the day, it was still bleeding coz my gums were too sensitive against the pressure. Anyway, partial of my wisdom went out with the tooth (blek). And now, being paranoid, I feel a hole on the left wisdom tooth. NO!!!

May6 - Welcome to our family, Tara

Just last month during dinner, my mom asked if we wanted to adopt a dog. Every one looked at my dad. Have to ask permission from the man of the house first mah. He said ok woh... wow!!

It had been nearly 10years since we had a dog. I remember our first dog, Jason. Loyal to the family from the SS1 house till our current place at Sec14. He died of old age. But my family comes from a typical Chinese family. Dog is to look after the house. Food is our non-finished food. Always chained up. One day when I got back from school, I went to the back of the house where Jason is usually found. He was lying on the ground with his tongue hanging out. I just squatted there & cried. He was buried outside my house, at a corner plot.

A few years later, we adopted another mongrel & named him Junior. He would initially know how to find his way out of the house at night. But when he returns in the morning, he's covered with cuts & bruises all over. It seemed like this young Casanova was able to capture the heart of the only bitch in the neighborhood, that made the other dogs jealous. One day, he came back with a cut on his arm, deep down to the bone. We suspected it was made by grass cutters. No way a dog's bite would be such a straight through cut. We took him to the vet for stitches. But this went on until my dad said enuff. To our regret, my parents took him to SPCA. That's was the last I heard from him.


Back to the current time, my mom asked if we should adopt a male or female dog. I opt for female instead after the last experience. And she has to be sprayed. I'm sorry for being cruel but it's better than have a "surprise" litter. The story was my mom's friend (Mrs Chan)'s daughter goes round pounds to adopt strays, heal them & find them homes.

That was how Tara joined our family. She's mongrel with partial German Shepherd bloodline. Too well-behave so definitely previously owned.

purchase form for RM2

Doggie license for RM10

Copy of vaccination cert

I went to MBPJ to get her a license. Didn't want her suddenly appearing at the dog pound. It was pretty simple. Purchase the form for RM2 (WTF!!) then submit form with a picture of dog with a copy of her vaccination cert. Cost RM10. It only took about 15mins then the tag is urs. Took her sometime to get use to the metal ring around her neck.

Now Tara is officially a part of our family

KS trying to train her to sit & paw. I think he more tired than her :p

Sit was a success. Takes time for the paw though

He feed her goreng pisang. Even sapu the crumbs as well.
I didn't quite agree with the strange food for her.
But he said "if we ate chicken rice everyday, then suddenly decided to have Fried Kuew Tiew, we'll surely appreciate it". So same goes with Tara, everyday dog food, suddenly goreng pisang.
But I think she kinda eats everything. That's what making me worried.

Story about Tara :-
Apr19 - Tara is adopted
http://www.myanimalcare.org/2010/04/tara-is-adopted.html

Dec31 - Sick Tara
http://www.myanimalcare.org/2009/12/tara-tara-tara.html

Dec21 - Bentong Pound
http://www.myanimalcare.org/2009/12/vaccination-for-males-klang-rescue.html

May6 - Cut cut snip snip

Last year, Keat seong & I partnered for The North Face 50km Duo at Singapore. We were provided black event t-shirt. As usual it was quite big so modification time. Plus i didn't feel bad at cutting it up since it was cotton.

original shirt taken last year 2009

Actually at the start all I did was take off the sleeves & trim the waist abit.

Then I realised that the neckline was rather tight. so I thought of giving it an edge look and snipping a straight down neckline. To my horror...I accidentally cut the back of the shirt as well. Now I've got a hole at the back top of my shirt.

And no I did not do it on purpose just to modify somemore. :p So the next step of trying to cover up my accident, I decided to snip somemore. I turned a t-shirt to halter neck top.

Rather than having an empty back, I sewed a silver plastic chain connecting the neckline to the back. Something to distract eyes away from my acne back.

It turned out ok, but I feel rather exposed :p