Road to Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009 - Part 4

Hi Yap Can Fly's fellow followers, sorry for neglecting the blog for quite some time, not because Yap Can Fly still in the marathon race but rather getting tired since coming back and also becoming lazy...

Please allow Yap Can Fly to post one last entry before updating on the SCSM 2009.

Part 4 - The Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon 2009

Since Yap Can Fly own the Adidas Shamiso, he already had the vision to join the marathon race. But since it's an important race, the first step into marathon world, a upgrade on the running shoes is needed for high mileage. Introducing the Adidas Boston... jeng jeng jeng~~~

Adidas Boston

Adidas Boston

Yap Can Fly got this running shoes for only MYR120.00 during the Adidas warehouse sale. The shoes is old yet that's the best running shoes he ever owned.

So Yap Can Fly sign up for the Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon, taking part in the full marathon race without regret, and with minimum training (3 months plus training). Yet nothing to worry about the race as there is always feeder buses around to pick up those who quit their race half way.

The night before the race day, Yap Can Fly can't sleep and he is getting over excited, rolling all over the bed. End up only sleep for 2 hours.

Came to the race day, Yap Can Fly follow his running buddy - WLeong, took the shuttle bus from Bukit Jalil to Dataran Merdeka. They were very very nervous, and everyone there looks very pro, and they do wear like a pro, with all the running gadgets attached to them.

5:00 AM sharp, Yap Can Fly don't remember he heard any gun sound, everyone just start running so both Yap Can Fly and WLeong also follow the crowd charging to the front.

At 10km mark, time just passed 1 hour 15 minutes, still feel very fresh and no cramp on legs.

At 15km mark, here where Yap Can Fly make his wrong move... ate too much bananas (2 bananas) and drink too much isotonic drink (3 cups) where the chemistry (banana 100 plus shake) doesn't works well in Yap Can Fly's stomach, started get slight stomach ache.

Reach 17km where Yap Can Fly forced to bid farewell with WLeong as his stomach really can't handle the banana 100 plus shake. From there and on WLeong's shadow is getting further and further away from Yap Can Fly, it's a sad and depressing moment.

20km to 36km where the disaster started to happen, all the water stations are out of water, and the traffic cone went missing. Is either you follow the runners in front of you or guess you way through, but luckily there are always runners in front of Yap Can Fly to follow with.

Started 33km onwards, Yap Can Fly really can't feel his legs anymore, his feet is totally numb, each step as he continuously stepping on is tremendously painful. Yet Yap Can Fly know, he should not hold back when he hit 36km mark, it's only left 6.195km, the moment of glory is just few steps ahead.

As Yap Can Fly hit 42km, there are even no reasons for him to stop and quitting the race, some runners who finished earlier cheer on him, and the finish point is on sight! Meantime Yap Can Fly was caught up with the fiersome fight with another 3 girls to determine who crosses the finisher line first! Yap Can Fly easily taking over the first 2 girls (like peanut), but as the last girl senses that some fiersome, hairy runner trying to overtake her from behind, she also started to pick up her pace but of course, the awesome Yap Can Fly crossed the finish line few seconds ahead, a sweet victory... among the losers...

The moment of "GLORY" among the losers

After the race (12:00 PM), collected the lousy pasar malam finisher T-shirt and medal. Yap Can Fly did try to take his lunch but doesn't have much appetite, went home, hit the shower then straight collapse onto the bed. Next few days, Yap Can Fly's thighs still suffering from immense pain which has to walk like a crap... I mean crab...

D-Day Minus 18 Hours

Now I'm off to Singapore for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009!

I'll be back!

D-Day Minus Eight

Counting down on the D-Day... The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009.

Now it's only left 8 Days, 8 Hours, 8 Minutes and 8 Seconds...

Lucky Number 8! The number which symbolizes prosperity to Yap Can Fly, or Yap Try To Fly, or worst Yap Cannot Fly...

Toward Our Goal

I have been absent for awhile blogging...

Because for the past few weeks have been continuously raining...

Then I have become sick due to the weather...

And exercise less because of resting...

And becoming lazy...

Then no stamina in running, no stamina in swimming (with my swimming board)...

And my running buddy told me his plan to finish the upcoming marathon within 5 hours...

Then immediately I fall back sick again...

Yet I was thinking...

Maybe we can really make this happen...

Toward our goal...

Restaurant Fatty Mok Hakka Yong Tau Foo at Salak South Garden

Nowadays it seems like good chef used to be fat, why I said so? The restaurant's logo will either be some chef icon with big tummy, or the name of the restaurant starting with "Fatty".

One fine day, Yap Can Fly's colleague - Pokok (meaning: tree. A weird nickname given maybe due to his height) was kind enough to bring Yap Can Fly explore Kuala Lumpur to try out some new restaurant. Pokok introduces Restaurant Fatty Mok Hakka Yong Tau Foo which located at Salak South Garden, where he spends most of his childhood there.

As there are varieties of Yong Tau Foo to choose from the menu, so Yap Can Fly have Pokok to suggest few which he fell is the nicest of all.

Pokok suggested Yap Can Fly this

Curry Ribs Mee

Then Pokok himself ordered this (which Yap Can Fly feel it looks nicer)

Dry Fried Meat Mee

We also order some side dishes - Yong Tau Foo (our main purpose to try at this restaurant)

Steamed Tau Foo, Lady Finger and Bitter Melon

Fried Dumpling

Well since it's only lunch for us and that's considered quite a lot for just two peoples. For the Curry Ribs Mee, the curry tastes a bit diluted and the aroma just wasn't there. As for the Dry Fried Meat Mee, Yap Can Fly didn't try on that but Pokok said his mum can cook the same dishes or might taste even better... And the Yong Tau Foo which we ordered tastes like ordinary Yong Tau Foo.

Their website does shows there is much more dishes available which are more like their signature dishes instead of the noodles we had.

The overall rating just on the foods on above...

Outside view of the restaurant

Address:
AS-27, Jalan Hang Tuah 3,
Salak South Garden,
57100 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.

GPS Position:
Latitude: 3.084
Longitude: 101.694

Actrocious Journey to SCSM 2009

This coming Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) 2009 has been an unspeakable nightmare to Yap Can Fly.

On the left showing the official countdown timer taken from SCSM 2009 website. Now it's only left 48 days!

The good news is Yap Can Fly still eats well as usual, and even put on weight as good food are hard to resist. Now officially becoming Fatty Boom Boom Yap Can Fly.

Bad news is Yap Can Fly is seriously far left behind from his so called marathon training schedule. At First Yap Can Fly has high determination to jog at least 2-3 times a week... But now it turns out becoming hardly get his fat ass up and go jog once every two weeks...

The clock is tickling, and all the options left are not in favor to Yap Can Fly, besides train super duper harder :(

May the force be with Yap Can Fly...

Sushi Zanmai at 1 Utama

Last Sunday, Yap Can Fly and his personal financial consultant (PFC) had went to 1 Utama for a late dinner. While walking and unable to decide which restaurant to settle down, I purposely we accidentally bump into this Japanese restaurant - Sushi Zanmai.

This restaurant has been in 1 Utama for quite sometime and somehow never cross our mind dines in the restaurant due to the following reasons:

1) Long queue to be seated

2) The food might be expensive

3) No concrete reason for us to celebrate in this fancy restaurant

But this time, we go there to celebrate PFC on passing her exam. It's 8:45PM yet the restaurant is full house, and people still queuing out there waiting for their turn. After waited for about 15 minutes, we finally step in the restaurant.

I know PFC is extremely hungry, after placing our order, immediately I took one sushi plate from the conveyor belt as to fill up our stomach before our order arrive. But before I'm able to setup my camera to take the shot...

California Maki: "Where is my partner?!"

Yes... Cali Maki sushi's partner has been eaten by PFC, but I was able to search the picture from the menu, and this is how it should be looks like

California Maki

After 10 minutes, our food arrived. PFC has ordered this

Egg Poach Ramen (forgot it's real name): "Don't eat me :("

And Yap Can Fly have ordered this

Jo Unajyu: "I think I'll be safe with Yap Can Fly"

The Jo Unajyu tastes not much different from other Japanese restaurant. But what draw our attention most is the Ramen, the Nametake mushrooms are too cute to be eaten :p

For any readers here who would like to dine at Sushi Zanmai, do check out their website for any promotion.

Now come to the Yap Can Fly's Ho Jiak Meter! The overall rating for the foods on above will be...

Not bad at all, 3 Sibeh in total! Omedetou!

Outside view of the restaurant

(went home in a rush, not in time to snap a photo and this is the best drawing Yap Can Fly can come up with)

Address:

SK9a, Second Floor Highstreet,

1 Utama Shopping Center,

No 1, Lebuh Bandar Utama,

Bandar Utama Damansara,

47800 PJ.

GPS Position:

Latitude: 3.151

Longitude: 101.615

Road to Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009 - Part 3

Part 3 - The Battle of Oranges

After my 'extensive' training (3 weeks) since getting the Adidas Shamiso, there is adrenaline rush to participate in the road race to testify my training result... and then I came across this race

But Yap Can Fly can only non-stop focusing here, because that words keep shouting at me

FREE ENTRY: "OMG!!"

BHPetrol's Orange Run has been organized for the past few years, and the best thing of it, it's FREE! No registration fee required, perfectly compliance with Yap Can Fly's budgeted (kiam siap) sport criteria. On this year (2009), the race route has been slightly changed, and extended to 11km, compared with year 2008 where the distance of the race was 9km.

The race start/end point was at Piazza, The Curve shoppping mall, Mutiara Damansara, PJ. Young and old, everyone had gathered there to join the excitement of the run. From the beginning of the race, I have been keeping my pace for the first 2km, enjoying the fun of passing other runners, till then... My ass was being whooped by those secondary school boys, and even girls! And the best part of it, they run with bare foot! I was wondering how on earth these peoples can run for 11km just with bare foot, not even wearing a Kiki Lala shoes...

But in Yap Can Fly's humble opinion, it's a must to wear running shoes during any road race, because you might not aware of what you will be stepping on during the race. For example

With a doggy do here

And a cat poop there

Here a poop, there a poop

Everywhere a poop poop

Old MacDonald had a farm

Ee I Ee I O

I finished the race at 1hour 18minutes 29seconds (based on gun time), which considered ahem... 'OK' I guess... as for a noob runner like Yap Can Fly...

Pork Noodle at Taman Overseas Union Garden (OUG)

What will be your breakfast for the start of the day?

Toast bread? Cereals? Or just skip your breakfast?

Well, Yap Can Fly would like to recommend you one of his favorite breaksfasts of all time, the pork noodle at Taman OUG. Behold... the yummy pork noodle...

Pork Noodle: "Hi everyone, I'm the pork noodle."

Pork noodle soup

The way of the pork noodle presented is deceiving, it's simple and with not much decoration, yet it tastes holy delicious. They served with mee, beehun, kuey tiao, mee sua or combo. And you can have them to prepare it dry (where soup will be served separately) or with soup.

So, what are the ingrediants in the holy delicious soup? Minced pork, thinly sliced pork meat, fried pork fat, pork intestine, prawn, squids, sea clams, china chye sim and fried garlic.

You will also get the perfectly marinated minced pork in dry version of the pork noodle.

Pork noodle with the F&N authentic 3 layer tea

Above is the complete set of breakfast which gives Yap Can Fly a kicking ass start to the day, by lying down on the bed, sleeping on a full stomach...

But you all might be wonder how delicious is this pork noodle right? Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Yap Can Fly's Ho Jiak (meaning: delicious) Meter

Yap Can Fly would like to rate the pork noodle with... ... Tadaa!!!

Congratulation pork noodle, you earn 4 Sibeh (meaning: very) from Yap Can Fly, kiong hee kiong hee (meaning: congratulation)!

And to the readers here, Yap Can Fly would like to say:

"This pork noodle sibeh sibeh sibeh sibeh ho jiak ah!"

(Translate: This pork noodle is very very very very delicious ah!)

Pork Noodle: "Thank you Yap Can Fly!"

Outside view of the restaurant

Address:

Restaurant San Sea

Jalan Hujan Emas 5,

Overseas Union Garden (OUG)

GPS Position:

Latitude: 3.073

Longitude: 101.673

Road to Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009 - Part 2

Part 2 - In Love with Running

This is what I have been wearing to run for the past 2 years

Power Ham Choy (From Bata)

This shoes not that comfy and easily get blisters on the forefoot, Yap can't fly with blistered toes, so it's time to get new running shoes. There is gazillion of running shoes in the market, but which one to choose leh? And with a tight budget, which running shoes I can afford leh? By the way, Yap Can Fly's budget is MYR150 or below.

So I bring along my personal financial consultant/advisor (a.k.a girlfriend) to hunt for the running shoes. We went to few Nike/Adidas retail shops, the price tag on any running shoes can easily shoot up to at least MYR200 and above, holy cow... but of course, it's Nike/Adidas...

Ironically we end up in a Bata shop, and I found this

Adidas Shamiso

I tried on it, very bouncy and comfortable, but a little heavier than my previous Power Ham Choy. So now come to the bargain session, not with the shop's sales assistant, but my personal financial consultant.

The conversation goes like:

Yap Can Fly (YCF): This shoes not bad eh, superbly comfortable and better than the Bata one.

Personal Financial Consultant (PFC): Of course lah, Adidas leh, look at the price tag yourself, how much?

YCF: Err... MYR139.90, best buy already, still OK right? All Adidas around MYR200, this one within my budget wor...

PFC: Then you mah buy lor... (reverse psychology tactic)

At that moment, I can feel the strong aura emitted from PFC who not really agree with me getting that shoe

YCF: Cannot buy ar? (showing my sad face + watery eyes)

PFC: Haiya, why get such expensive sport shoes? Bata one cannot run meh? With this price tag you can get 2 pairs of Bata shoes leh...

YCF: Must invest abit, further more this one more comfortable, that's why it cost slightly higher, but still within my budget mah, and will prevent me from getting blister leh. You see! You see! got Impact Absorption technology on this shoe, damn powerful one... can can? (finger pointing)

PFC: ... (in silent, heart was thinking "haiz, this fella ah, die die also wanna buy!")

YCF: OK, promise you with this new shoe, I will automatically go jogging without needing you to nag me. OK?

PFC: You said one ah! (Hooking our pinkies - pinky swear!)

I finally get approval in getting that shoe, kao tim!

It's weird that somehow and someway, you will get the hype to run more when you are wearing decent running shoes. The shoes itself will make you running, and in love with running. So, get a pair of good running shoes, not only to protect your foot, but to get you run further.

Road to Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009 - Part 1

Marathon, a long distance foot race with the distance of 42.195 kilometers. Many have regards this kind of activity as “Ooi… You got nothing better to do ar?” or “get a life man..”

But for me, Yap, who wants to ‘fly’, will use this race to prove myself and claim myself some self-esteem.

Part 1 – Why Am I Running

Most people have neglected their exercise when they start working, and oh yes, I’m one of them. I’m not the athlete kind of person and I don’t go for exercise that often.

One fine day, I was taking my blood pressure measurement, and it shows 140/90mmHG, at the borderline which prone to hypertension, heart attack, diabetes and so on… I was stunned, shocked and can only say jia lat liao this time.

The blood measurement reading was high, where came the urgency within myself to start exercise! When come to exercise, I need to choose the cheapest sport which doesn’t require that much of money, or best it’s free of charge.

1)Badminton – looks good, watch badminton games since young, admired those national team player how they smash the shuttle cock with the sound piak, or Taufik’s amazing backhand smash (so yeah and so geng). But this activity needs to rent a court and also spend on the shuttle cock, not just 1 cock, but many cocks! For long term, it’s a no no.

2)Basketball – used to play basketball a lot during primary/secondary school, and with my height (188cm), I can easily slam dunk with Air Jordan’s style (just kidding, till today I still can’t reach and grab the basketball ring). This only requires a basketball, then you can be in action, but none of my friends/colleagues are into basketball, so no basketball for me.

3)Swimming – don’t know how to swim, only know how to get drown.

4)Gym – just look at the membership registration fee already feel like “wuah, need so much just to shake my muscles meh?”

5)Jogging/Running – you only need a pair of running shoes (MYR120 - 300), find a park then you can keep running till you get bored/tired/give up. You can choose to be running alone, running with friends (if there is any), or running with strangers. This looks like the best bargain ever, me hokay with it, being a typical kiam siap gwai.

Conclusion, I have chosen running to bring my life back to a healthy balance.

Chapter 1: The Birth

15th August 2009 marks the birth of this blog, Yap - who believes he can fly!