Merdeka Day Run
by Raymond Lai:
It is a beautiful Saturday where Merdeka Day Run is held at Commonwealth Park (Rimba Komenwel) situated at 10th mile old Ipoh Road(KL to Ipoh trunk road).
This year Malaysia celebrates her 50th birthday, for every Malaysian hasher it's something meaningful as we realize our country has turned 50 years old.
Everyone has been waiting for this event months ago knowing there will be nice food at run site, freebies, free on-on, good run, jokes, relaxed atmosphere, etc.
Excitedly most hashers, 80%-85% of PH3 chapter turn up to give support. Not wrong to say this could be one of the highest turnout of the year.
The road from KL Jalan Kuching to run site is surprisingly smooth because it has been 90% widened especially along Templer Park's winding stretch. Hashers arrive early & more importantly not stressed up by traffic congestion.
The run starts at 4.30pm after GM (Huge Malay) gave a usual speech making sure the crowd were aware of hash rule: follow PH3 paper not people.
Run is about 90% jungle trekking & consists of three hills, two streams, thousands of leeches, five checks, plenty of thorns, muddy slopes, sliding trails, 8.9 KM in length, etc. But we love them all, don't we? That's what hashing is about.
Mike Hawkins comes in as first runner after one hour & 35 minutes of gruelling, sliding, roller-coster run(walk?) There are plenty of food & drinks waiting at run site. Thanks to Maya & Rooloff for supplying baguette(bagel), sambal, etc. Maya cooks some delicious sambal for us due to Indonesia's Independence Day on Aug 17, 07. For Rooloff, yours truly not sure what is the reason. There are also roast lamb, salad, pork's headskin(a Chinese, in particular, Hakka delicacy).
As usual, a free Merdeka Run T-shirt for everyone. It is one of the most attractive T-shirt ever given & designed by our honourable Joint GM Tommy Chin. Excellent choice of material of T-shirt as T-shirt is not only airy but also wrinkle-free. Unfortunately, free sling bag is not ready due to tight schedule. (It was supposed to be given on Sep 8, 07, but due to heavy rain it was postponed).
Guinness Khoo loses his most precious belonging, a Rolex watch during the run which causes him coming back late & made us worried. This watch meant so much to Guinness that he is determined to find it back & true enough Guinness finds it back days later with the help of a metal-detector.
Good Guinness has us all worried he would never find his watch. (On 29/08/07 at Batu Arang run, saw him wearing a Casio G-shock watch for a change. A wonderful & logical decision). Malaysia's national anthem is sung with high spirit to let our dear foreigner friends know that we are patriotic.
Tai-ko Don is not aware of the full length of the anthem and interrupted us.
On-on is a good 10-table in total at a Chinese restaurant situated at Batu 14 Jalan Ipoh about 4 KM before Rawang. Tommy Chin is very generous to donate few durians to 3 tables to savour, amazingly some Kwailohs/Mat Sallehs/White Ghosts enjoy this King of fruits.
Farewell song is given to Keith Burnly after workingout for few weeks with us. An old-timer of PH3, he will be missed & remembered for his thick eye-brows.
A virgin hasher, Geert is given a warm welcome. Returnees are Nigel, Yaso, May & Gigi. Expectedly, Abraham performs with us joining him as he sings his hilarious & action-packed number.
On-on-on is as expected to gather at Back Yard Pub, Sri Hartamas, KL.
Apologies for delaying this scribe.
On-on.
Raymond
Posted by onsec at August 25, 2007 02:32 PM