The Helping Hand Through Malaysia
HI. I just churned out this rough unedited posting from the comments I texted back to Ann. Sorry for the mistakes, mostly due to tapping a small keypad while trying to stay awake late at night. A big black mark in the middle of the screen doesn’t help either!
Please check comments for updates. Sorry but time has beaten me despite 5 days here in Bangkok and still no pictures.
Running out of KL was not as bad as the run in.We started where we left off on Saturday close to the twin towers the tallest towers in the world 88 floors high. Sunday I took a rest day to try and make a hole in my backlog of work but for various reasons I only got a fraction of it done. I was feeling a bit groggy for last night I was out cheering on Dublin as they scrapped a narrow one point win against Mayo in the All-Ireland Gaelic football final. I watched it in a pretty lifeless Irish pub where none of the Irish expats seemed to want to communicate, each having their own corner and all against Dublin,of course,whats new! As my American friends would say ” Dublin the new World Champions! ” My hosts Thierry and Mauiki ran the first 15km with me as far as a Buddhist temple, the BT Temple with about 250 steep steps to the top. Also with us was Tey, a local runner who just cant do enough it seems for he was up till 1am loading over 350 Facebook photos and dozens of videos of my arrival into KL. Tey is well connected with the running scene here and says he has 2 Facebook accounts as there are almost 10,000 runners in Malaysia and you can only have 5,000 on a single account. He is going to spread the word up north to get me runners to run with and help. Tey ran 35k with me and I was delighted by my progress that day finishing with 56k I made it to a Shell petrol station in Rawa where the people there let me sleep on a couch outside the staff housing. Am afraid to say I frightened the life out of an old hunch back lady there! Next day a tired 52 to finish at an hotel in Slim River followed by a very strong 47km day.I ran some very fast K’s at the end. Another hotel,I got company for a big 57km run to Ipoh tomorrow.
Had a great 56km day to finish in Ipoh. An early start with the mostly 4 lane still divided and a great shoulder most of the way. I ran fairly hard in the morning. Just Before Kampar Ray and Moses came out to run with me most of the 15km till Gopeng. It is always nice having local runners. They are both business students and graduate in May. The Kuala Lumpur marathon is on this Sunday, start time 5am, yes 5am!
Today was really hot and humid,so we made lots of short stops, funny it seems to be heating up the more I run away from the equator! In the afternoon I ran on by myself, a bit ragged by the oppressive heat, till I got my second legs. I was met by Foo Wu Chuan about 7km before the town of Ipoh. Chuan will be my host tonight. And as it was going to lash rain we ran really hard through the drizzle for about an hour till we got to his house. I have just spent a very pleasant evening with Chuang, his father and mother Choon and Leng. They are Buddhists of Chinese descent, several generations back, yet they tell me they speak Chinese more fluently than Malay. Interesting one that, even though they have lived here all their lives. Leng cooked a delicious dinner of cabbage with garlic, pork, rice and omelette. I still have not mastered chop sticks but am trying! Thanks to everyone pulling for me, all the runners making calls on my behalf, very much appreciated. 35,469km for 820 road days is my distance from memory, need to check logbook. It’s about 1,300km to Bangkok where Nirvana, my cart is waiting for me. I will need her for China. From Bangkok it,s roughly 1,000km to the Chinese border.
Malaysia is my 23rd country of the run. My current shoes are my 39th pair or a little over 900km per pair, cant think of anything else. Thanks again to to tonight’s hosts the Foo family.
Had a great day today Friday. Exactly 50km from Ipoh to Kuala Kangsar,a small kinda neat and well maintained town of about 20,000. Most restaurants in Malaysia unlike Indonesia are smoke free. The people smoke less here,nobody in my face. My dying memory of Indonesia will be my final breakfast where 10 men sat down around my large table,and none of the 9 smokers asked if I minded,actually not one person in 3 months.
Thanks to Chun I got off to a good thumping start as he ran me the first 6k as far as Ipoh’s city limits. Another 4k and I had to make a McD stop:-)
Tey,KC and others were working on a place for me tonight. Wonderful people but so many calls and texts I sometimes got to turn my phone off and answer them on my breaks.
After a rain shelter once again I was motoring on all 4 cylinders Ah! Yes I am enjoying my release from the shackles of dangerous traffic and being able to hammer out a few fast km’s. My renewed speed came back mysteriously 3 days ago. I don’t want to sound corny but after a long lay off for various reasons from Michael Gillan’s recovery techniques I started doing them again 3 days ago! Michael says he will email a manual free of charge to anyone interested. These techniques served me so well setting a trans-Australia record when he crewed for me so well. You should be able to dig out his email in the Mar,Apr,May blog. So onto the finish and a 50k with hours of daylight,a rarity for me!
My host tonight is Anna who works in a studio above the Avon Cosmetics business. She letting me stay there. The studio is owned by Mdm. Ang Soh Kim.
Coward that I am I boiled up hot water for my scoop shower. Anna of Chinese origin told me to go downstairs at 8pm for dinner.So after a nice call home-a 17min landline call costs just €1.
Well,thinking I am going to her apartment I am embarrassed when she takes me shopping for my breakfast and then out to dinner and I didn’t have a penny in my pocket as I just thought I was going downstairs! I couldn’t walk either as I was wearing my shower shoes which are hardly any more than insoles with a bit of material sown on for support,incredibly lightweight and easy to pack. A delicious meal but I was only disappointed I could not treat her and her friend Mdm. Ang Soh Kim to dinner.
A bit of a sluggish start got me out of Kuala Kansgor. A big hitting 60km day with a late finish.just as I was picking up the pace a runner called NG Bak Klong texted me to say I could stay in his brother in laws place that night as the local running club NTCRC wanted to join me on the road next morning. Ong and Ng drove out to greet me into Parit Buntar,a neat looking place.
Out on the road with the club next morning at 7am no sooner did we start when a torrential,soaked to the skin we had a lovely 14km run on the highway to a small village where the club lad laid on a delicious brunch in a warung. I did an interview for a local Chinese language paper.
The north of Malaysia is more heavily populated by the Chinese. It is said that the Malaysians may control government but the Chinese the economy.
Arriving in Perai with another 50km behind me Jerry a local runner texted me to find me. After serious hassle he eventually tracks me down and I spend a pleasant night in his home. He tells me he works 6 days a week in a hardware store from 10am to 10pm. Later I realize he had to get off work to help me out. Tey back in Kuala Lumpar, master of contacts is co coordinating all this. I learn Jerry’s work place is in Kapala Batas 20km up the road on my route and ask him to take it there and I would pick it up when I run through. In my haste I forgot to take the Spot out and only realize it when I am about to restart, so there was no tracking that morning. I am barely up the road after having lunch in KFC with Jerry when Chan Kong Tiong pulls up. Chan is his family name which the Chinese put first. Kong Tiong a runner himself who doesn’t let running get in the way of having a cigarette, he told me when he broken his marathon personal best he had a couple of smokes in the race! He took time off work to crew for me today and Tomorrow.these last few days the weather has cooled off but lots of rain showers.
A few people have told me that the people are not happy with the government and its the same government since the founding of the state 50 years ago. The people cant get rid of them as they literally buy their way into power when there is an election. $50 is what I have hears from 2 different people. I am told politicians go around with suitcases of $50 bills handing them out to poor people who will vote foe them on the spot. Cant help wondering what the international community is doing..no election scrutinizing. Hong Tiong looked after me well that day with a 49km finish about 11k past Sungei Petani. I stayed in his home that night and next day we returned to my finishing location. A nice steady days running took me to the clock tower in Alor Star and another 50 under my shoes. KT came out to help crew. Thanks lads for a great time! In Alor Star we had dinner with Eugene who will crew me to the Thailand border on Thursday. We on Ireland know the name Eugene is a typical Irish name bur I am told its a typical Chinese name!
Eugene also paid for my hotel here. Am having terrible trouble getting people to take any cash from me,such generous people. Total 35,725km for 825 road days \ 846.7 marathons
Many thanks to so many people so numerous to mention all making it a great ” Ole Malay! ” Special thanks to Tey,Hong Tiong and Eugene.. All others you know who you are please take a bow.
In the past I got run out of towns,Now I get run out of countries,Singapore and now Malaysia! Eugene,Calvin and Andy took turns driving and running the last 48km of Malaysia.We were heading to the Thailand border at Sonoa. Three of their friends join in later.It was a tough but happy day,new horizons even a bit sad to be leaving Malaysia.
malaysia has 9 provinces,each has a sultan.The provinces take it in turns to be king of Malaysia for a 5 year term,that is after a 45 year wait. Andy who is well connected with the royals got a good luck message from the princess for me!
I was delighted when Eugene told me my research,stats and opinions I have gleaned from people are accurate in this blog.
Just to make sure I left Eugene and Calvin went over the border with me helping me find a Thai sim and a hotel. This border town is pretty seedy,a red light district with cheap booze. Alcohol is heavily taxed in Malaysia. Many Muslim men end up here but as the border closes at midnight they got to get a hotel.
