Be A Part Of History At Malaysia Women Marathon

 Sunday.

7th April 2013.

i-City Shah Alam.

Nestle Fitnesse Malaysia Women Marathon 2013. Not only the First Women Marathon in Malaysia but also the first Women Marathon in South East Asia.

Mark the date. ^^
The hubby, son and I went to i-City on Friday, braving the early evening traffic for the Race Entry Pack Collection (REPC) and got to see the press conference in full swing.
Selangor Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Dato' Abdul Khalid Ibrahim was there and seen here fielding questions from reporters after the press conference.
YB Puan Nurul Izzah Anwar, who is Lembah Pantai MP (she's my MP!) was there too. She is such a lovely, gracious, sweet and warm lady. Very down-to-earth.

Politicians aside, we got to meet quite a few very respected runners there and I simply couldn't resist introducing myself (while squealing in delight) and taking photos with them. Fangirl much? hehehe
With the lady who made it all happen for runners in Malaysia, Karen Loh. 

During the press conference, she announced that there will be 1,800 runners in the inaugural Malaysia Women Marathon (MWM) with only two months of registration period. MWM 2014 registration will start early, in October so runners can be more prepred. She also mentioned about bringing in Japanese and Taiwanese runners to MWM 2014. I agree with her. I know Japanese runners are fanatics... and awesome!
The famous sarongman himself, Yim. He runs fast. And plenty of times, he runs fast while clad in a sarong. There were times when he used to run in full Baju Melayu ensemble. Respect.

Actually, it was Yim and Karen who made me think that it'll be fun running in some kind of costume. I saw them first at 2011 Putrajaya Night Marathon (PNM). That day, they did 2 marathons in one day! One marathon in the morning and then the PNM at night, and it was for a good cause. For Orang Asli cause. 

There was an Orang Asli craft stall at the REPC and I bought a few items there. Some lucky people may get lucky getting them soon! ^^
With Maggie who is a women champion in plenty of runs, and who made it possible for me to meet with Kathrine Switzer on Wednesday at the airport.
The awesome, awesome Tey was there too. If you run, you should make a point to know Tey. He's the photographer you want your photos taken by. I went up to him, squealed that I'm his fan and ask to take photos with him! *jump hyperactively* LOL

All three "sifus" imparted some advice and shared tips for me to do my first full marathon this Sunday. THANK YOU!

The icing on the cake was meeting three more special people:
Raimie being introduced to Kathrine Switzer, the Marathon Woman. She asked Raimie whether he's proud of his mom and of course the boy nodded.

Remember this homework of his, which he wrote about his Mom's hobby and was corrected by his teacher? 
He wrote : My mother loves to run.
The teacher corrected it to : My mother loves jogging. 
Yeah, Mom goes out jogging for 20km most Sundays. Hihihi
And then, there's his BM essay where he wrote "My mother is special beause she runs 21km". Well, soon he can say his mom is special because she runs marathon. ^^
A family shot with the legend. 

Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to officially enter and run the famous (and extremely hard to get into) Boston Marathon in 1967. Jock Semple, the race director of Boston Marathon was "enraged" that a woman was running his race and tried to forcibly remove her from the race. It made nationwide news and Kathrine Switzer became passionate in campaigning for sports equality for women.

Because of her, we women are able to experience the joy of running. Long distance. 
We were also able to meet with Couple-On-The-Run; Andrew and Sue O'Brien. I've followed a couple of their webinar's sessions for the MWM so I was stoked to finally meet them. 
Here's me, with a few fellow lady runners listening avidly to Sue O'Brien. 

Oh yeah, I was supposed to collect my race kit for Sunday and not only meet famous people. OK... now scoot over to race kit collection counter. 
Easy and straightforward process. I didn't bring my race confirmation slip but no problem. Just show IC will do. 
Saw a planking challenge going on. I bet Anay's Letchumi can win this challenge lah if she's there! One lady did it for 6 minutes earlier. Anyone know what's the record now?

I was more interested in taking more photos. Of ME!
 We made history!
Let's all take photo together and pretend we're at the finish line, shall we? ^^
Got somehow interested in looking at a cow's butt too. A lighted butt, if I may add. LOL

We were there for more than 4 hours! Absolutely awesome and happening race expo. The first big expo I ever experience. Usually the races here would just make do with a few of the sponsor's booth and nothing else.

MWM has talks, workshops, dialouge with Couple-on-the-run, food demo, meet-the-fan session with Kathrine Switzer and even a carbo loading session later this evening, sponsored by Ben's I believe. How cool is that?

It's a good thing I decided to go on Friday instead of Saturday because 4 hours of walking around sure is not what I want to do a day before the marathon! But, can you blame anyone? The REPC is simply super fun!

Now, I'll cross my fingers (and toes) for a somewhat fun 42km run on Sunday! :)

Comments

  1. Wowwww it sure is your lucky days, got the opportunity to meet n greet all the Sifus, Icons n Legend... Definitely a gr8 activity for the whole family... Thinking of going for Kathrine Switzer's talk at 3pm tomorrow...

    I'm sure you are psyched up to run your 1st FM on an inaugural Women Marathon this Sunday... Gambatte kudasai... =D

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ha, nak lucky kena tengok event program & bertapa kat situ. kekeke

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  2. Good luck and have a lots of fun on Sunday :)

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    1. Thanks Neoh. See you at the WS, I hope. :)

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  3. I lupa ambik gambar kat 'finish line' tu! And I'm not going there again today (kalau rumah area shah alam, I pegi kot hehe). I also met Tey, Sue (thanks to you for reminding me), Kathrine...tapi tak sempat say hello to Karen & Maggie. It was great to get tips from them. See you tomorrow!
    *patutnya short 3km run today...hmmm*

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Yup, great to meet them & also they were very generous with their advice and tips, kan?

      Takpe, takde gambar kat faux finish line tu. Sunday kita amik gambar kat real finish line. kikiki

      I pun patut lari 3km. Yelah sangat. Hahaha

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  4. So, have you decided to wear your petai costume to your run?

    Wait.... before that, have your petai costume ready?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't believe there is somebody out there run in sarong.

      Did you post up the photo anywhere here before and I missed it?

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    2. Can I suggest you to put on horn-like-headgear (red devil, perhaps?) and not the old goodie-goodie bunny?

      And wear a long matching tail, too :)

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    3. All the best for your first full marathon, gadis! Make us (the ladies) proud!

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    4. That horn & tail good for a Halloween run lah, say 2013 Putrajaya Night Marathon.

      This one, better goody-goody. It's in Shah Alam. Nanti Pak Haji & Mak Haji tarak suka. Wakaka

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  5. Can feel from here, you are superb excited for tomorrow run. Or jogging.

    Whatever it is just have lots of fun tomorrow.

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    1. Some of us runners (no matter how slow we run), hate when people call our running "jogging". And I especially hate when the run I participated is called a "jogathon" by them. I'm such a snob. wakaka

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    2. Ya lor, understand that. Lina is a runner k, dun play play. hehehe

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  6. Spending at the Expo for 4 hrs, that's very long. Times doesn't tell when you are having a great time meeting up with those runners, photo taking here and there.

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  7. I like the photo pretending you'll were at the finished line.

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    1. It was a really fun day. So much to do, see, meet and shop too! I spent money like water there! huhuhu

      Yeah, the pretend finish line is cool. ;)

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  8. GOOD LUCK FOR TOMORROW! GANBATTE! GO GO GO! ^^

    ReplyDelete
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    1. 最善を尽くします. Hahaha Aren't I posh sounding?

      *grins*

      Hai! Ganbarimasu.

      p.s. boy and man will also run 2moro. The boy got so physced meeting all those running legends, he wanted to wait for me tomorrow instead of being stashed at home. So... Dad & So will wait for mommy at KM36 and will run together. The three of us. :)

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  9. Hi! The second and third photos from the last are very cool. I hope you will get a prize tomorrow.

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    Replies
    1. I'm ok with getting the gold pendant given to full marathon finisher. :-)

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  10. Running a marathon in a sarong!? That I got to see. Got Youtube video of him?

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    1. Videos of him running in a sarong? Not sure but I bet there are some.

      But photos of him running in a sarong... A LOT! :-)

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  11. Good luck, Lina.
    While you guys are running, I'll be in labor..haha.
    Whatever happens, don't stop running and enjoy urself!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aaaaah... Dah due ke? OMG...Time flies.

      Moga semua dipermudahkan for you Doc!

      Can't wait to see you running and podiuming soon! ;-)

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  12. Memang u have fun betol2 kat expo tu ye.. 4 hours worth it!! I'm sure we will not see each other during running nnt becox of the diff category kan.. miss to say hi to u kak lina.. apa2pun all the best tu u.. :))

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Kat Blue Mosque FM runners will probably bump into HM runners - kitaorg at KM20.5 & KM31 & half-marathoners masa tu at KM14. Mana lah tau terserempak kat situ. ;)

      All the best to you! PB!!!!!! ^^

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  13. fuyoh so happening there with this Mak Rempinator rempinating all the big shots to take photo with her, and her son!! hahaha~~

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    1. but i am not in that "running industry" lah, so i do not know anyone of them.. Katherine maybe lah because you have blogged about her in your previous post..

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    2. Hahaha

      So in a way, I "helped" make these running legends more popular here, with the non-running crowd, eh? ;P

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  14. aiyo that teacher, what's wrong with her?? i don't see any problem with "My mother loves to run.", but why she like so smart like that want to so-called corrected it as "My mother loves jogging."??

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    1. she cannot run but jog doesn't mean her student's mother cannot run!! maybe Raimie should have written "My mother loves to run in MARATHONS.".. huh, then that would shut her mouth lah~~

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    2. Dunno whether that also chaned to "jogathon" what! LOL

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    3. I think the teacher bodoh lah! Only we all know this Mak Rempit loves to run, blog and ngap!!!

      Muahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

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  15. 4 hours of camwhoring!! OMG, very happy right?? hahaha.. and Raimie ponteng sekolah following you to that event?? @_@"

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    1. No lah! We were there in the evening from 4:00 to almost 8:00 ;-)

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  16. I really respect this YB Puan Nurul Izzah Anwar. She has gone through so much sufferings during the years her father was in prison.

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  17. The frame "We Made History" is nice! At first I thought you used some templates in computer to create!!! Mana tau, you actually held the frame! Wakakaka

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