Photo Shoot for Star

The Mount Kinabalu Climbathon group shall have a simulation training this Saturday morning, 18 September at Gunung Nuang.

The group shall run up the mountain within 3.5 hours one way. Together with early dinner after the training, it is almost a whole day event at the park.

To coincide with the training, the group shall have a photo shoot session in preparation for an article in the Star Metro newspaper later. I have spoken to a Star Sports reporter and he is most pleased to do the story.

Entrance of Gunung Nuang park... this photos shall be filled with Mt KK Climbathon runners/trekkers

According to TonyQ who is arranging the transport and accommodation in Kota Kinabalu for the group, there are 60 participants taking part in the Mount Kinabalu Climbathon on 23 October 2010.

We are glad to have Jason Lee, the friendly and pro photographer that you often see taking photos in many of those running event, to help us to take the photos. Thanks you and BRAVO !!!

In order to speed up the photo shoot session, I have informed the group of the following scenes:

Take One: Standard Pose
Front row: ladies squat
Middle row: guys half bend bodies
Back row: guys stand up

Take Two: Vibrant Pose
Same layout as Take One with a bit of action:
Front row: right side, raise right fists (same level as shoulder); left side, raise left fists (same level as shoulder)
Middle rows: all raise both fists (same level as shoulder)
Back row: right side, punch right fists into the sky; left side, left fists.

Take Three: Mt KK Climbathon Challengers and Friends
All together for a mega group photos.


Take Four: Action Shots
As to the action shots, we need to go deeper into the jungle to perform the task. So, this is the plan:

Shoot 1: We shall run pass Jason Lee, say, in normal fast pace and in serious mood. But don't run away yet, we shall re-shoot or re-take another scene. Okay, this is not a 'NG' (No Good) as in those shooting for movies.

Shoot 2: This time, look at the camera with a bit of action, smile or raising our hands.

Have fun

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written by KC

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Deuter Hydration Backpack

Finally, I decided to buy a hydration backpack (or camel/water bag) for off-road running and training. After comparing between High Sierra, Deuter, CamelBag and a few other brands, I decided to buy a Deuter brand as show below.
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Measuring 15"x7.5", the lightweight backpack fits a 2-litre rubber water bladder nicely into it. With additional two horizontal stripes, one at the chest level and another one at the stomach, the backpack hugs nicely without bouncing up and down when running.
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Deuter hydration backpack and water bladder

As described in the brochure, the water bladder can even store hot or cold drinks. The backpack has an aluminium foil inside to keep the drinks hot; the foil also insulatea the heat from dissipating to the back of a runner.

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With this bag, I do not have to worry much about lack of water at the water-stations or no water-stations at all.

I shall be using this new hydration backpack for the climathon training this Saturday 18 Sept at Gunung Nuang.
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This hydration backpack is as expansive as the New Balance 875 off-road running shoes above. These are the two new purchases in gearing up for the Mount Kinabalu Climbathon this 23 October 2010.

Click here for all postings on Mount Kinabalu Climbathon Oct'2010 (including trainings).


Posted by KC
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Mount Kinabalu Climbathon - 5th Training

The 5th climbathon training was held at Batu Caves again. Not only that it is a good ground to condition one's muscles in going the mountain, the other reason was to avoid going into jungle during the Chinese Hungry Ghost month. It may sound funy or superstitious; nevetheless, planning for group event, it is good to take note of special event and avoidance of it.
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The repeatable process of going up and down the 272 steps at Batu Caves

Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur

Front (L-R): LeongWW, Kelly Hoh, Sharon Tan, Patricia Yap, Carol, Chiew Hong

Middle: Naidu, LimFW, TeeEK, Lai Kuan, Peck Yah, KC

Back: ..., Peter Chan, SiewCH, Mak, Jason Lee, ChongYF, ChooTS
Not in the photo: Eileen Gan and Jayne Aw.

The monkeys here are clever ... know how to drink milk from bottles

Patricia Yap who is consistent in her training in preparing for the Mount Kinabalu Climbathon on 23 October 2010

Going for breakfast (after the steps training) at the nearby stalls within the compound of Batu Caves. L-R: KC, Tan, Naidu, Wendy, Patricia, TeeEK

ChongYF, SC Yong, Lai Kuan, ChooTS, Sharon Tan
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Photos by courtesy of Chiew Hong
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6th Climbathon Training:

Date: Saturday, 18 September 2010

Venue: Gunung Nuang, Ulu Langat
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Mission: Running up the mountain for 3.5 hours one way simulating the qualifying time of Mount Kinabalu Climbathon.
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Posted by KC
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Mt Kinabalu Climbathon - 3rd Training

The group (part of the main team of 40 runners) went for the third climbathon training at Gunung Nuang on Saturday 7 August 2010 by running up to Camp Pacat that take about 2 hours 15 minutes (including of waiting time while crossing the four streams).

L-R: Naido, ChooTS, Chiew Hong, SC Yong, Gilbert Tan, Tan, TeeEK, Jean and KC

On that morning, the park was full of trekkers and campers. According to the Ranger who was manning the registration desk, there were almost 300 people there trekking up Gunung Nuang.

One of the reasons is that the puasa month would start four days from that day (11 August). Another reason is that the Chinese Hungry Ghost month would start on 10 August. Today will be the last day of the hungry ghost month.

KC (left) is giving a short briefing on the direction of crossing the four streams in order to arrive at Camp Pacat while SC Yong, ChooTS, TeeEK and Tan look on.

Looks a bit like movement of snake in the river ?

Just before crossing the first stream ... the signature pose

At Camp Lolo (which is below Camp Pacat)

Still at Camp Lolo

At Camp Pacat before the group return to base. It takes 2 hours to return to base. The descent is 15 minutes faster..

All photos are by courtesy of Chiew Hong
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Do click here for all postings (including trainings) related to Mount Kinabalu Climbathon October 2010. Click Older Posts for more pages.

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Posted by KC

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Mt KK Climbathon - 4th Training

In preparation for the Mount Kinabalu Climbathon on 23 October 2010, the group went for steps training session at Batu Caves. Previously, the group has been to FRIM and Gunung Nuang for the trainings.
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According to TonyQ who is arranging for the transport, accommodation and food, so far, there are about 40 members participating in this mother-of-all climbation events in Malaysia.

Front (L-R): Peter Chan, Peck Yah, Leong WW, AB Tan, Naido, ChongYF

Middle: ChooTS, Tan, Patricia Yap, Chiew Hong, TeeEK, PK Chan

Back: KC, KhooLK, Carol, Mak, LimFW, Aileen.

ChooTS is going up the 272 steps while KhooLK looks on

Girl and guy models proudly showing the latest gear with the supporting casts standing behind?

KhooLK standing in front of the famous statue of Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur

Part of the group went for a after-workout breakfast at the stall within Batu Caves.

KhooLK, Aileen, ChongYF, ChooTS, KC, Mak and Carol.
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All photos by courtesy of Chiew Hong
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posted by KC
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Journey to the East - Part 3

Mount Fuji Trekking (10)

Written by Jayne Aw

Day 7 – Tokyo Sightseeing 3.

Over the few days in Tokyo, Captain Fujisan had been constantly looking out for hotto kohi (hot coffee) to drink. It must have been an extremely stressful task for him to take the 11 Ah Lians and Ah Bengs from Malaysia crisscrossing through the crowded streets and train stations in Tokyo. Luckily with the convenience of the many 24x7 sundry shops and vending machines, hotto kohi is available anywhere and anytime.

A vending machine in Tokyo showing the various types of coffee for dispensing

Today we went to Tokyo Imperial Palace which is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It contains various buildings such as the main palace and the private residences of the imperial family overlooking the gardens and lakes. The total area including the gardens is 7.41 square kilometers.

Ginza (銀座) is Tokyo's most famous up market shopping, dining and entertainment district, featuring numerous department stores, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, night clubs and cafes. It is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world. Many upscale fashion clothing flagship stores are located here. A visit to the Ginza is most pleasant on a weekend afternoon, when the central Chuo Dori is closed to traffic and become a large pedestrian zone.

From Ginza, we went to another up market Roppongi Shopping Mall located at Roppongi (六本木,), which is home to the rich and an active nightlife with restaurants and clubs catered to the English-speaking crowd. Many foreign embassies are located in here, and the night life is known to be popular with the locals and foreigners. While we were taking the train to Harajuku, Captain Fujisan pointed to a poster of a dog and told us the story of Hachiko.

Hachiko was a dog owned by Hidesaburo Ueno, a university professor in the 20s. Everyday Hichiko would see his master off and wait for his return at the Shibuya Station. This routine continued until one evening when Professor Ueno did not return by the usual train when he died from a cerebral hemorrhage at the university. His loyal friend continued to wait for him every day at Shibuya Station at the same time for the next nine years until its death. To commemorate the love and the loyalty that Hachiko had demonstrated, a statue was installed at Shibuya Station which had become a favorite meeting place for the locals. Hollywood had adopted the story line and released a movie “Hachi” in 2009, with Richard Gere taking the lead role of the professor.

Harajuku is an area around Tokyo's Harajuku Station, one station north of Shibuya on the Yamanote Line. It is the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles. Local landmarks include the headquarters of NHK, Meiji Shrine, and Yoyogi Park.

The focal point of Harajuku's teenage culture is Takeshita Street and its side streets, which are lined by many trendy shops, fashion boutiques, used clothes stores, crepe stands and fast food outlets geared towards the fashion and trend conscious teens. A visit on a Sunday allows one to experience the teenage culture at its most extreme, when many young people gather around Harajuku Station and dressed up in crazy costumes to freely express their individual unique identity.

We returned to Ueno in the evening to do the last round of shopping, and picked up some souvenirs and tit bits to wrap up the sightseeing tour in Tokyo.

Day 8 – Sayonara

Phew! The Tokyo Walkathon was finally over. We had been walking for no less than 15 hours every day for 3 days at full speed and visited no less than 15 places, as if to make up for what we missed at Fujisan. Though it was a bit of disappointment for not being able to ascend to the summit due to bad weather condition, the journey itself was nonetheless more fulfilling than the destination with great camaraderie of the Fuji Team. There were sweats (yes, everyone was drenched in sweat under Tokyo’s sweltering hot summer), pains, eat (too much ramen), drink, gossips and laughter……..

Unlike Xu Fu who failed in his attempt to search for immortality and never got back home fearing for his death, we had no one to fear for and here we were, heading back to Malaysia. Qin Shi Huang’s legacy lives on, and so is Fujisan. As the Japanese say, a wise man climbs Fujisan once, and a fool twice. Those who had completed 33 times must be of enlightened souls. Judging from the comments of the fellow trekkers, I think there aren’t many wise persons in the team. But for me, I shall keep my 9 kg backpack out of sight for the time being…….

Sayonara Fujisan.

We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we began

And to know the place for the first time

-By T S Eliot

Jayne Aw
August 2010

P/S - My thanks go to all the team members and those who have rendered the assistance in time of need. Last but not least, Captain Fujisan, domo arigato gozaimasuta.

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A Journey to the East: Click here for Part 2 ... click here for Part 1

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Do click here to view dinner and karaoke after Mount Fuji trip:

Posted by KC

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Journey to the East - Part 2

Mount Fuji Trekking (9)

Written by Jayne Aw
Day 5 – Tokyo Sightseeing 1

We left Gotemba in the morning and proceeded to Tokyo by train. The journey took about 3 hours going through the suburbs and finally into the metropolitan district.

Rail transport is a major means of passenger transport in Japan, especially for high speed travel between major cities and for commuter transport within the metropolitan areas. I think Japan has one of the most complex rail systems in the world, with routes branching out like a spider web where one could easily get lost in a wrong move. There are 27,268 km of rail crisscrossing the country, with 70% controlled by JR (Japan Railways) and the rest by private enterprises.

Japanese trains are among the most punctual in the world. When train is delayed, the conductor makes an announcement apologizing for the delay and a “delay certificate” will be provided to the passengers as a proof.

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Jayne Aw posing next to a train in Tokyo

We stopped at the Ikebukuro Station and walked a short distance to Sakura Hotel where we would stay for the next 3 nights. This is a budget hotel with dormitories that can accommodate up to 6 to 8 persons. Since there were only 4 ladies, we had to share room with 2 other female travelers.

After checking into Sakura Hotel, at the request by ChooTS, who is a bonsai enthusiast, Captain Fujisan took us to the Bonsai Village which covers approximately 33 hectares in the north side of Omiya Park in Tokyo, and also visited the recently opened Omiya Bonsai Art Museum.

Japanese bonsai trees are indigenous to Japan and could be seen in many gardens, temples and homes. Cultivation of bonsai trees first began around 1200 AD during the Kamakura period by way of Zen Buddhism from China. Over the years, the Japanese refined the art of cultivating bonsai trees to an unprecedented level and view them as a blend of Eastern philosophy and the expression of nature, spirit and mankind.

Kawagoe (川越), is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, which is about a 30-minute train ride from Ikebukuro Station. A former castle town with nostalgic atmosphere of the early Showa period, Kawagoe is affectionately called Little Edo, the ancient name for Tokyo.

The center of Kawagoe is filled with a well-preserved collection of century-old kura, or warehouses, that still double as stores, workshops and homes. The cluster of kura around an old wooden clock tower and a jumble of old buildings exude the feel of an ancient town with a charm missing in many metropolitan cities. Captain Fujisan mentioned that the late John Lennon had graciously given his piano to the people of Kawagoe which is now placed inside the wooden clock tower.

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Taking a respite from the hassle and bustle of Tokyo city life, we slowdown our pace and took a stroll along the main street that is flanked with a dozen stores selling old-fashioned sweets and snacks to reminisce the old charm of Kawagoe……….

Due to the crowded condition of the trains especially during peak hours, the railway companies have provided a designated “Women Only” compartment during rush hours and late night for the female passengers as a means to prevent groping. Typically the victim is female and the perpetrator male.

While taking the train from Kawagoe back to Tokyo, our fellow male trekkers accidentally wandered into the “Women Only” compartment and deliriously happy to remain there as our “Ji Mui“ (sisters) till the next stop at Shinjuku Station.

WongFK, ChooTS, PKChan and Weng

Shinjuku (新宿) is a central ward of Tokyo. The area surrounding Shinjuku Station is a huge business, commercial, and entertainment center located atop the world's busiest railway station complex.

Kagurazaka remains as one of Tokyo's last hanamachi (geisha districts), while Kabukicho as Japan's largest red light district features countless restaurants, bars, pachinko parlors, love hotels and a wide variety of red light establishments. It was indeed an eye-opener for us.

Day 6 – Tokyo Sightseeing 2

Today we had to catch the earliest train at 5am to Tsukiji Market to witness the auction of tuna fish. Everyone needed to walk at full speed in order to reach the market on time for the auction. Captain Fujisan was nevertheless walking at his usual pace, but for most of us, every 10 steps or so, we had to run to catch up with him. The muscle pain from previous trekking was slowly taking its toll on some trekkers. Fat Wong was walking like a duck, one that is too old to be displayed at Shinjuku, while others had problem squatting down for a photo pose.

Something just happened at the wrong time; PK Chan had gone missing at the train station. Everyone was panic and wondered where he had gone to. Perhaps he was too engrossed with the types of exotic merchandise that he could trade at the vending machines. Fortunately he managed to find his way back to us after a frantic search by some of the guys, or else he would have to spend his day sleeping at the hotel.

KC dispensing drink from a vending machine

Talking about the vending machine, Japan has the highest number per capital with about one machine for every 23 people. The high population density, high cost of labour, limited space, low rate of vandalism and crime provide a feasible environment for vending machines which are normally stocked with drinks, snacks, ice creams and more. Even at the summit of Fujisan, climbers could find vending machines installed for their convenience.

Tsukiji Market, located in Tsukiji in central Tokyo, is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind. The market opens at 3.00 am with the arrival of the products by ship, truck and plane from all over the world. The auctions start around 5.20 am and usually end around 7.00 am. Thereafter, the transacted tuna would be loaded onto the forklifts to be shipped to the next destination or moved to the many shops inside the market..

Alas, we were late for the auction. It was over when we reached the market. To make up for it, PK bought a box of raw tuna meat for us to savor the freshness of sashimi right from the spot. I did try a piece but was struggling to finish it.

Captain Fujisan took us to a famous ramen stall outside the market. Alongside, there are two other very famous sushi stalls that were packed with customers. One would need to wait for hours to get a seat. Though we would like to try out but in view of the limited time, we settled for ramen.

While eating the ramen, I realized that was my 5th bowl of ramen over 5 days in Japan. Gosh, that was more than I could chew. So for the rest of the remaining days, Pie Ling and I would put up our Ultraman hand sign for ramen and pork.

We spent the rest of the morning visiting the Great Buddha and Hase Kannon Temple. Great Buddha of Kamakura is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha, which stands on the grounds of Kotokuin Temple. Standing at a height of 13.35 meters, it is the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan.

The statue was cast in 1252 and originally located inside a large temple hall. However, the temple buildings were destroyed multiple times by typhoons and a tidal wave in the 14th and 15th centuries. So, since 1495, the Buddha has been standing in the open air.

From the Great Buddha we walked a short distance to the Hase Kannon Temple which is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy “Kuan Yin”. It sits atop a hill with a great view of the surrounding area. Inside the main building is a 30 feet high wooden statue of an eleven headed goddess.

By noon time, we proceeded to Yokohama Chinatown (横浜中華街), which is the largest Chinatown in Japan and also one of the largest in the world. Besides Yokohama Chinatown, two other Chinatowns are located in Kobe and Nagasaki respectively. Yokohama Chinatown is surrounded by four main gates: Enpei-mon gate, Seiyo-mon Gate, Zenrin-mon Gate, and Choyo-mon Gate. In total, there are ten gates which were built based on the Chinese horoscopes.

Walking around the streets, one could feel the vibrant and warm atmosphere of a typical Chinatown that is flanked with hundreds of restaurants offering a wide variety of Chinese cuisines such as Cantonese, Beijing, Shanghai, and Sichuan. One might have to wait in a line to enter a popular restaurant. Of course we took the opportunity to savor some of the local specialties.

Tokyo Tower, standing at 332m as the second tallest structure in Japan, is a communications and observation tower located in Shiba Park. The structure was built in 1958 as an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and orange to comply with air safety regulations. It currently functions as a radio and television broadcasting antenna, and also as a tourist attraction. But I thought our very own KL Tower looks better in shape and structure. We didn’t go up to the top as there was a long queue of visitors on a Saturday afternoon.

From Tokyo Tower, we went to Akihabara (秋葉原) ("Field of Autumn Leaves") which is known as Akihabara Electric Town, ,located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. It is a major shopping area for electronic and computer items including new and used. Most items sold here proudly display the “Made in Japan” sign in gaining customer confidence as opposed to made in other countries. However, as most of the items sold here are limited to local warranty, it doesn’t make sense for oversea tourists to purchase from here unless warranty is not a priority, coupled with price advantage. Akihabara gained some fame through being home to one of the first stores devoted to personal robots and robotics.

Akihabara Electric Town

When darkness fell and neon lights reined over the city skyline, we made our way to Ueno (上野) which is home to some of Tokyo's finest cultural sites, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, and the National Science Museum, as well as a major public concert hall.

Ueno is a working class area packed with shopping bazaars and stalls selling almost anything you can imagine. It runs from the south of Ueno Station along the inside of the JR Yamanote line tracks to Okachimachi Station. It is a good place for souvenirs hunting and bargaining, where friendly vendors are trying to out-sell each other.

Do click here for Part 3 ... (part 3 of 3)

Click here for Part 1.

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Written by Jayne Aw

Posted by KC

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