7.7.2025 Monday - running rings around the roof

 

30.1.2025 Thursday - steroids or natural recovery?

socks from Japan via Lionel, and slippers from Taiwan

 I start the day early, (for the Second day of the Lunar New Year) at 6 a.m. slow run round the block to the gym for a stretch and a bit of strength training. I know it would a difficult start, and I know that I would feel good for the day having started ahead of everyone else.  

4.2km slow run but HR is 120 when it should be 100-110 (but mine was 120) - so this is still a bit of a strain on me. I feel good, maybe it is the steroids or maybe this pace is more sustainable.

.

9.11.2024 Saturday - running free

It is Saturday, so I run downtown for breakfast with Si Yong (it is his birthday) and our new Taiwanese friends. Only the family of 4 show up, the other one is a bit of a loner he does not join us. 

It is a good run, several hills and along the way, I meet Patrick and Yanti waiting for their girls to complete a school road race. During breakfast, I get a call reminding me that squash is ON, so I play squash for an hour. After which, my energy quota for the whole is depleted. It is a good feeling.

 

6.10.2024 Sunday - new watch, new plans?

Quite a milestone today, running 5K into town at a fair pace to meet Lance and Yasmin. All 5 kilometres are under 7 min pace - so I am happy with myself. Furthermore, Sam has bought a new watch with GPS, and it can sync with my phone which gives a print out like this one above.

She has blossomed (again) and we talk about her plans to return to Kuching in the future.

Later that evening, we get a full house at No. 40 - dining with Eric and newcomer, Na-na who is a lecturer from China teaching Art Management at UNIMAS. Eric talks about the future of his collaborations in Kuching, about some people he would rather not work with any longer. I have not seen him so agitated, I think it affects him mostly when he feels that his assistants/students are taken advantage of.


 

24 July 2022 Sunday - Sean Chew

Sean in blue, with cap

Sean was the catalyst for an invite to a bike ride from Mingi on Sunday morning. I suggested breakfast and chose to run to meet them instead. 

It was a nice experience for several reasons - I hadn't run into town for breakfast in a while, it had been loops since I started running solo. I hadn't met up with Mingi and Suh Chee over a meal in a long time, surprising since we share many common interests; architecture, travel, food, their children. We were directors in the same company before. And thirdly, it was good to see Sean Chew again, to hear how he is settling down in Singapore. It was especially nice to have Freddie join the breakfast, he and Sean completed 3 generations of architects from DNA.

26 June 2022 Sunday - long run

It's amazing how a day can be defined by one event; unplanned, on my own and almost 90 minutes long, the first 10K in years and in Xero shoes. 

It made my day, and whatever else happens for the rest of the day - I'll be fine. 

run, swim, work

It was a rainy start to the day. But one that reminded me to be grateful for my health, my waterproof backpack and the relatively short 6km to work. And grateful that we are in Kuching, because this would have been quite impossible in KL, for example. I stopped over at the Sarawak Club for a short swim and shower, it was 7:15 a.m. when I started to walk the rest of the way to Carpenter Street for my morning coffee.

The advantage of getting the daily exercise out of the way in the morning is that you can concentrate on the other things at hand, such as work. The thing I enjoy most about my work is the drawing. Drawing takes several forms in our line of work - this is a detailed section through a temporary show unit for a condominium development. It is essentially a large steel structure with one of the units dressed up and fitted out for sales and display. We introduced a skylight to bring natural lighting deep into the building, and made all the steel connections de-mountable, so that we can re-use the building's structure elsewhere after one year.

Feet

This photo was taken in March last year. I recently realised that my achilles tendon does not hurt anymore when I run. It gradually went away, I think because of the stretching and self massage after runs.

18.11.17 Birthday Run

While the others slept, I took a long winding route down to town. 14 kilometres followed by a few laps in the pool. It's good for the muscles and the mind. On a day like this, there's very little else that I want.

 I turn 53 today.

January 2016

After setting out to run 2016 KM in 2016. http://min-linesonpaper.blogspot.my/2016/01/2016.html

This is for my own record, really - but here is my progress so far..

I only managed 134.5km in January - way short of my target of 160km per month. In February, I have re-adjusted my target to 140km and will increase my mileage gradually.

2016

I read about some runners who have taken up the challenge of running 2016 miles in 2016 - interesting idea but the distance is beyond my reach. So, I am changing the miles to kilometres and making it my own challenge. I worked out that if I allow one rest day every week; that's 365 - 52 = 313 days which works out to about 6.5 km each day. Since that's the distance from home to work - it is an achievable target. 39km per week.

I am not calling this a resolution for 2016 - I am simply curious to see how this will change me physically.

In the meantime, here's a record of a good run I did with Louis in Casablanca.

Happy Feet

Michelle rang while I was stretching my legs after a run, 

she wanted to know how I was, so I showed her. 

 'Even your feet have wrinkles...,' she said

'Those are not wrinkles,' I replied,

'they are laugh-lines.'
 'Because I have happy feet.'

Running Happy

On a windy night in July, three thousand people gathered at the Kuching city hall to run distances from 5 to 25K to raise money for local charities. Some of us used the 25K as train for the Kuching Marathon in August - I joined them for one loop of the two loop run and enjoyed myself overtaking runners who normally race past me.

The sketch was done in the following morning, as a part of a visual journal - showing the end of the run as we headed towards the city hall.

 

Some people have no decorum...

Patsy

Patsy from the LoV Gallery wanted the Urban Sketchers Kuching to submit our sketches for her exhibition on 'artists' in Kuching. Reluctant to cut out my sketches I promised her some new originals instead. AS usual, I ran out of time - between work and teaching, running and gardening, spending time with family and playing with my cats, so I decided to combine two of my hobbies. I fold a piece of A3 into my running pouch and bring my Artline pen before I head out for my morning run and while waiting for Sam to meet me for breakfast, I finish a quick sketch of my surroundings.

This might be the beginning of a new routine, there is an efficiency that I dearly need in my life.

My 'rides'

People around me have been buying cars; two of my business partners, two of my running friends - every time someone I know buys a new car, I buy myself a new pair of running shoes. Last month, my brother-in-law bought himself an Audi, I thought about going out to get a pair of Adidas...but I didn't, their running shoes are rubbish.

 

Mine are cheaper alternatives to cars and better for the environment, and they give me so much freedom and joy. Freedom when I run alone in the morning before the workday starts, sometimes across the river on 'Robyn's River Run' and taking the 'sampan-tambang' back to town for breakfast with Sam. One hour by myself with my favourite music.

Joy when I run with my friends or use it as an excuse to travel and run, as I did on two weekends this month - with Sara at the KL half marathon and Sean at the King of the Road (ten miles).

Larry joined Sara and I in KL

Sean appears not as willing as Sara but deep inside he enjoys doing stuff with his dad.
This photo is priceless for the guy's expression.

Kuching to Damai - 5th edition

What started four year ago as a personal challenge for Eng Hooi has become a running event; on each New Year's Day he would try to run from his house in Kuching to Damai Beach - a distance of 33Km.

On the first attempt, his run ended at the Santubong Bridge (25Km). I joined him on the second year and we stopped at the bridge again; too tired to carry on. On the third year, we ran in heavy rain and took a wrong turn ending up back in Kuching.

Last year, 7 of us joined Eng Hooi on Labour Day and arrived at Damai Beach Resort. This National Day, 70 of us joined him - some starting at the Kuching Amphitheatre at 3:30 a.m. working their way to Damai, where we were joined by the rest at the Santubong Bridge for the last 14 km.

The 'RUN FREE' group of runners after completing their Kuching to Damai run

 This event was organised almost on the spur of the moment - it took three weeks to register runners, print tee-shirts and finalise logistics - done through word of mouth and social media. There were no prizes awarded and no medals given; only drinking water and words of encouragement were offered during the run.

 In conjunction to Malaysia's National Day 31st August, the words 'RUN FREE' was printed on the tee shirts - not only to recall our freedom from colonial rule but perhaps as a call to free ourselves from personal prejudices and differences and be united by the love of running (and one's country)

scenic views were temporarily ignored as runners struggle to complete the run

Nick (12, with cap) and Kieran (10) were amongst the youngest runners that day

Running Happy again

It feels as though I might be finally free of the calf injury that had sidelined me for two long months - on Sunday I did a slow run of about 6 K from home to the waterfront. In 'celebration' the group of us went for a local breakfast of rice porridge near the temple. The recovery from this injury has taught me that while running is an important part of my life, there are other avenues to occupy the void abstinence from running created.

It also taught me that it is a battle fought and won in relative solitude.

Temple on Carpenter Street

Run for your Life

This was taken at the end of a 7 K run in Kuching for Sarawak Heart Foundation and thanks to Shein, there is finally a photo of me running (as opposed to plodding) - trying to overtake the last 20 people in the last twenty metres. Cheap thrills I know but it amuses me, hence the smile.

Kindred Spirits

by Kok Ming

by Kok Ming

The Hunting Lodge by Jules Boag

We meet people in the course of our lives; some become friends after the third or fourth meeting while others are destined to stay at the fringe as acquaintances. Then there are the times when we meet people for the first time and the mutual feeling is one of renewed friendship. Like an old school friend whose bond was cultivated over hours of homework (or detention); or favourite cousin Freddie whom despite being a relative (and therefore not strictly a friend) always shared a laugh or a cigarette after Grandma’s obligatory Sunday lunch.

This year, I had the privilege of meeting two such people – one of them is a runner (editor) and the other is a sketcher (architect). For someone who does not make friends easily - this is indeed a bonus. The bonus of having someone share the hard miles with me in the early morning runs and tell stories (during the run - she's fit this one) about our other shared interests; dogs, traveling, art, warm people and cool films.
To have someone who share discoveries about architecture; a recent favourite speaker or building, an invite to conduct a workshop, ideas about teaching architecture and striking a balance between work and family.
Their warmth and openness makes me want to try harder to be approachable and generous when I deal with others - it's a work in progress.

2:20

My Target for the KK Half marathon this Sunday 1 May 2011.

I will keep you posted.
A time of 2:35 (argghhh!) means back to more training and watching what I eat.

from left, Sam, me, Sara, Sean, Pris and Eng Hooi

Nonetheless, the company was good and the girls did well; Sara and Pris did 2:40+ in their first Half marathon and Sam improved her PB without any training whatsoever.