FRIM jin wan Trail Run

Gong Xi Gong Xi ... A vibrant, fun and auspicious jin wan (energizing luck) trail run at FRIM on chor 6 of Chinese New Year (Saturday, 13 Feb 2016).

Do CLICK HERE to view photos courtesy of yours truly (KC Leong).

 Gong Xi Gong Xi at the FRIM Clubhouse

 All ladies pose ... en route to Pacat trail

 At orang asli hut area

 With bikers near to Steroid hill area

 Prosperity Gong Xi jumping pose

 Before the start of the jin wan trail run area with RHB ang pow

 At Salem Hill area

 At the peak of Salem Hill with the sign post relocated to a better area

 At the rock area

After jin wan trail run, we meet this good looking monkey king – looking strong and confident – to bid us goodbye  :-) 

 Even running also in Gong Xi pose :-) ... Lana, Ivy and Adelyn

 Running back to FRIM Clubhouse

 Adjourn for some teh tarik and iso-tonic drink

Complete with a prosperity loh sang and a sumptuous lunch

Posted by KC Leong

FRIM Trail Running

Trail running at FRIM Kepong with a group of RHB Bank colleagues and friends on Saturday 5 Sep 2015 ... after the early morning rain, the ground was wet, and the air was fresh devoid of haze that engulfed Kuala Lumpur for the past few days. 

With the wet ground, though it was nice to run, the trails were infested with leeches; almost all the runners were attacked by leeches. One “inquisitive” leech even tried to go through the shoelace hole of Yana. Not able to advance nor retract, it was stuck there with half the body violently trying to backtrack.

Nevertheless, it was a fun run traversing from Rover track to Pacat trail, passing by the orang alsi hut; then to Steroid hill, Salem high country and returned via Mountain Bike track. A journey that took almost 3 hours 15 minutes.

Do CLICK HERE to view the photos.

 At Canopy Walkway

(left): Wilson, LimHY, Lana, Yana, Dphany, Bruno, Yoke Leng, KC 

 At orang asli hut area

 Run through the jungle (only hills in FRIM)

 A good and gracious jump

 Yana

 Lana

Dphany

 At Salem High Country

Posted by KC Leong

FRIM Chor 3 Jin Wan Outing

Gong Xi Gong Xi ... a joyous Chor 3 Jin Wan outing at FRIM Kepong on Saturday, 21 February 2015.

Jin Wan in Cantonese means to energize one’s luck in the Lunar New Year. Many years ago during Chinese New Year, I was running around Salem High Country (in FRIM) with a few trail runner friends. After exchanging auspicious greetings to two uncles there who were doing their morning walk, they suggested to me that it is good to “jin” (go one round the foothill of Salem High Country), signifying Jin Wan. When I was small, jin wan means my mother would bring me along to a temple to pray during Chinese New Year. So for trekkers and trail runners, we have to sweat it out to Jin Wan.

To make things more challenging, we have the trekking and trail running groups both started at the same time but from different locations. Led by Lee Wai Yin, the trekking group started from Taman Botani Kepong. The trail running group was led by ChongYF and yours truly from the FRIM Clubhouse. The two groups eventually met at the foothill of Salem High Country before we Jin Wan together.

Do CLICK HERE to view 51 photos courtesy of yours truly (KC Leong).

 The trail runners from FRIM Clubhouse

(left) … KC Leong, LimHY, Rothman, Mun Yi, Wai Ming, Miko Leea, Ann Chua, Gan, Elsie Liew, Karen Wu, ChongYF.

 Passing by the Orang Asli hut

 At Steroid Hill area … with Mr U.CH

 Flying quite high … Girls power

 Guys power

 Gong Xi Gong Xi … wishing all good heath, great wealth and happiness in the Lunar New Year. Trekkers and trail runners together.

 At the peak of Salem High Country

Showing the power ... Elsie and Karen :-) 

Posted by KC Leong

FRIM Kepong Time Trial

FRIM Kepong Trail Running and trekking time trial on Saturday 14 February 2015 and Saturday 7 February 2015 in preparing for CNY chor 3 "jeen wan" run/walk.

Do click here to view trail running photos courtesy of yours truly (KC Leong).

Do click here to view trekking photos.

(left: ChongYF, Karen Wu, LimHY, KC Leong, Josephine, Kelvin)

Photos below are taken on Saturday, 7 February 2015 with Lee Wai Yin, Lana and SuWF:

Posted by KC Leong

FRIM Trail Running

The group went for a trail running at FRIM Kepong on Saturday, 3 May organized by yours truly. This trail running was different as they were two special guests as part of the group. 

Started from Dream Trail, we ran (and ran) and connected to Canopy Walkway, continue the journey via Rover Track to Pacat Trail, en route to Salem High Country by running up Steroid Hill. 

While we re-grouped at Rover Track, a few of the runners decided that it was quite a challenge to continue and decided to backtrack to return to car park.  

After a group photo at the peak, we descended the hill and returned via Mountain Bike Track. The group clocked in a total distance of 16km in 3 hr 26 min with intermittent rest in between while waiting for slower runners and also for group photos shoot.

Do click here to view photos in bigger displays.

 A group photo before the start of the trail running

The Various Trails/Tracks:

Dream Trail – meandering trail with less bikers and trekkers using this trail.

Canopy Walkway - the uphill and downhill trails leading to the Canopy Walkway are newly created trails. With the proper steps, they are very visitors friendly in order to arrive there. It is also good for training uphill trail running.

 At Canopy Walkway

Steroid Hill – this is a straight uphill run where trail runners are able to outrun mountain bikers here.

Salem High Country – Another uphill run all the way to peak. We were told that long time ago, a TV advertisement was having the location shoot there.

Mountain Bike Track – a wide and shady track connecting the far end of Taman Botani with FRIM Clubhouse, where we parked our cars.

  Somewhere near to Steroid Hill   

 At the peak of Salem High Country … the group photo was taken with the help of the owner of this mountain bike  :-)

Sachi descending the hill

Total distance: 16km; time taken: 3 hr 26 min. 

The trail map is charted by using a Garmin FR610, a GPS-enable watch.

Posted by KC Leong

FRIM hoi kung Trail Running

Gong Xi Fa Cai ... As planned, the trail runner groups went for a "hoi kung" (start work in Lunar New Year) trail running at FRIM Kepong and "jin wan" (energizing one's luck) at Salem High Country Hill on 2 February 2014, chor 3 (3rd day) of Chinese New Year. 

Do click here to view photos courtesy of yours truly (KC Leong).

 A group photo at the FRIM Clubhouse before the start of the run

Led by yours truly and Chong YF, we ran and ran and ran starting from Rover Track. We have two contrasting groups: the fast runners such as Robert Holmes, Rothman Fong and WaiChing Soh; and the barefoot trail runners from Tan Wah Seng's group that is slightly slower. So WaiChing led the fast runners and run extra loops while waiting for the slower runners to reach the checkpoints. 

 Part of the team at the Canopy Walkway

At certain stretches that were filled with stones, the barefoot trail runners could not run fast as they have to avoid stepping on those stones with sharp edges. I was very impressed with the barefoot trail runners that they completed the 15km distance without wearing any footwear. 

I was wearing the new Salomon XR Crossmax 2 trail running shoes. One of the Malay girls (that I met at Canopy Walkway trail) commented that my shoes were very colourful; so I quipped that it is good for Chinese New Year - very ONG. 

 A unique hands and legs Gong Xi pose by Jing Lee and Kah Wai

It has been almost more than one week without rain; so the ground was very dry, devoid of any leeches. I still prefer the rainy days where the air was cool and fresh, and the ground was soft; never mind the leeches as one would be motivated to run faster to avoid letting the leeches to cling to the feet.

When arriving at Salem High Country Hill, we continue to run one round at the foothill and then spiral up to the peak. Going one round in Cantonese mean "jin" and "jin wan" is an auspicious activity during the first 15 days of the Lunar New Year.  

 Wishing all good luck in the 2014 Lunar New Year ... May the Year of the Horse bring you good luck, good health, happiness, and prosperity. 

(back, left) KC Leong, Rothman, Robert Holmes, Chong YF, Ya Hooy, Cheah YF, Siaw Hua, Jing Lee, Angeline Thean; (front) WaiChing, Leong Siew Shen, Kah Wai, Tan Wah Sing Jason Thai, Leong CH

 Angeline Thean giving an ang pow to one of the children of orang asli

 Nice pose

 At the peak of Salem High Country Hill after successfully run one round at the foothill

Gong Xi Gong Xi

Posted by KC Leong