Run for a new beginnining

Last Saturday on the 17th we had a school cross country run for the girls at FRIM Kepong Botanical Garden. It was fro Primary 4 up to Sec 5 Classes. So Wajdi is spared this time round - next year handsome boy! Parents are invited to run with their children; mostly for moral support I guessed. The purpose of the run is for the school to start the new academic year with a healthy activity aka running which is not the norm for Malaysians. We'll gladly do a makan-makan (community eating) session any time of the year!

Since I already ran last year for Hasanah's 6.2 km near UIA area; I signed up mostly caused I felt challenged when Hasanah said last year most of the Indonesian students mum signed up and one even won the race. Needless to say the "kiasuism" spirit is very much still in me, I prefer to term it as positive competition hehehe. I signed up for that run without much exercise prior to that except for running around the apartment compound and swimming on Tuesday; to end up with a massive headache next day Wednesday and run the actual road run itself on Thursday. Hasanah was so sceptical about me running that she made subtle hints (more than subtle I think) for me to cancel my run intention. I think she had this vision that I'd be carried away in a ambulance during the run :)

But no worry, happy to report that I did finished the run in good health; no ambulance drama and even managed to come up on the 4th place in the parents/mum category; although I couldn't be sure whether there were only 4 mums running that day (?) I am sure it looked like 10-15 mums at that starting line or at least that is what I imagined.

Now sorry for the throwback to Hasanah's road run, returning to Afifah's and Aliyah's cross country run at Kepong Botanical Garden. Aliyah and myself was doing the 4km run for primary girls category (thanks to Allah that the school thought that we mum would be more suitable for this category) while Afifah ran the 5km for lower secondary girls. The run was done in the botanical garden around the lake; it was a nice area to run with tall trees, green grass and surrounding a nice lake. I was too worried about having enough energy to finish the race so didn't really had time to enjoy the surrounding then.

I finished the run in 25mins and managed to finish in the top 10 places ( I think as the school only counted up to first 5 runners; what a pity as I am sure we mums would have wanted to know where we stood). Aliyah finished on the 9th place and Afifah on the 3rd place for their respective categories. Good job girls.. we will do better next year insya-Allah now that we know what to expect for this place. That is if the school decides to do the run at the same place next year.

So that's our running story to start this year. As much as I HATE DETEST running, I do know that it's probably the easiest exercise for me to do apart from swimming. I hate going to gyms even more.
Thus this year, we would probably end up doing more of these types of runs especially aiming for those that involves the whole family like the Tropicana Golf Run we did last year. That was fun and a nice way to explore KL surrounding areas. The girls we would probably sign up for more competitive running to enrich their learning especially Hasanah as she loves to run.

So let's run whole heartedly ahead to new adventures!

Till next time, insya-Allah

Sette Cama

Last Saturday, Khedija, Ana, hubby & myself continued with our pursuance of boating captain qualificaition by making those required trips to Sette Cama. It is about  1 hour or more by boat ( I stopped looking at my watch after awhile). Each of us takes turn to drive the boat to Sette Cama although we left most of the parking stuff to my hubby. Admittedly had he not been around, I would have been tempted to try more parking work but I don't want to give him any excuse to comment on mine. It's pride being in question here.

Unfortunately nothing significant happened during the drive to and fro. Although Dave, our very kind instructor, thought he might have seen a manatee/dugong surfacing but then I guess all animals were very shy that day. Not a single crocodile, hippo or any form of wild animals cross our sights/path. We did hear some monkey sounds but it was just sound, the monkey form did not materialise. So I am still counting on a hippo encounter one day, I hope.

It was raining when we started from the Ndogo station, I was the captain and the first driver. It was very extremely difficult to drive with rain on your face. It felt like stone pebbles hitting your faces - I am sure I had scars from that day. Visibility was difficult, in fact if I were ever to drive by myself, I am pretty sure the company would have to launch a search & rescue operation to locate where my boat is. I cannot read a map , or a GPS or a compass even if my life depended on it.

We also had the opportunity to climb the treehouse where BBC did there filming on Gabon. Although I couldn't imagine what they'd saw. We saw only trees, lakes and more trees while we were up there. So I don't think I can have a career with National Geographic. Not imaginative enough.

We arrived safely and soundly back home in Yenzi by 5pm. Alhamdulillah. After this, I still have to another 2 more trips to Sette Cama before I can be qualified as aye aye Captain my Captain. Oh dear, wish me success, insya-Allah.

Till then, life continues on.