Running Into 2013...

By Frank

Back in year 2009, I blog about running into the next year. This time, I am going to recycle the blog title for while this is being published, I am in fact in the midst of running an event. Of course this entry was well written even before today, in fact before I flew to South Africa. Had it first drafted before slowly improving it. And yeah, it's the final day of the year again. Time for some farewell note to 2012 and say HELLO to year 2013!

And so, I am into my 5th day of running at the Year To Year Circuit Race at Pretoria, South Africa. And at time of posting this, with a busted left Achilles  I am still running clocking a distance of of 463 loops which equals to 231.5KM. It's 31 December 2012, 11.35pm here and there is still around 1.5 days to go and hopefully I will keep running! Running from the final hour or even minutes of year 2012 to the first second of year 2013. Certainly a first time for me.

The Year 2012 has been another up and down and even twisting around roller coaster ride for me. Been so tide down with work and also the establishment of a new department within the company, how do I get myself out there to run? But I managed to survive through and am now a member again at the gym where I will be running "hamster" style on the treadmill.

The highlight of the year will certainly be the Comrades Marathon 2012, my toughest, dearest and biggest accomplishment to date. Not only completing the run in a very tense finishing moment, I even ran it for charity in raising funds cancer research under CARIF (Cancer Research Initiatives Foundation) which I now champion. And a few months later, I was appointed the official Malaysia Ambassador for Comrades Marathon, a role which I am so honoured to carry.

Proudest moment of our running career with Wong and Chee Kong upon completion of the Comrades Marathon 2012...

Presentation of my Comrades Marathon 2012 to Professor Dr. Teo So Hwang, CEO of CARIF...

Then came the heartbreak event, the Craze Ultra 2012, my first attempt at the 100 miles distance. I suffered my very first "Did Not Finish" as I called it quits upon arriving at the half way point. The weather was terribly HOT and I experienced chest discomfort and breathing difficulties as I tried to tackle the distance. Sad indeed, but I managed to get over with and the positive thing is that I am still here in 1 piece.

Beside the 2 above and some other events like Twilight Ultra Challenge, Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon, The North Face 100 Singapore and Penang Bridge International Marathon, the other more important highlights of the year will be the number of new friends I made. It will always be through events like these especially ultra marathons that new friends are made whom I cherished.

So in the year 2013, I will be returning again to the Comrades Marathon and also attempting at the 100 miles distance again at the same Craze Ultra. Though I still see the following year to be a busy one in terms of my job, I hope I will be able to manage it even better compared to 2012. Am so currently out of shape now and I hope to return to my year 2009 self.

So yeah. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013 everyone! Till I get home (wish I could stay longer at South Africa), do enjoy yourselves and may the new year be a greater one than before! * Back to running now!