The Living Years...

It is coming to the end of another year, time for some reflections. Radio botak is pleased to share with you a great song from 1989 to herald the new year - The Living Years by Mike and the Mechanics which consists of Mike Rutherford, Paul Carrack and Paul Young (died of a heart attack in 2000).

The Living Years was co-written by Rutherford and B.A. Robertson. The song combined features of each writer's relationship with their father; it dealt with Rutherford's strained relationship with his late father and the birth of Robertson's son three months after his father's death. Paul Carrack rendition was so surreal and came straight from the heart. I can relate to this song, like him my father also passed away suddenly one morning when I was 10:((

Coming from Asian culture, we were more reserve. If we can't do it with words, let do it by deeds. Call up your parent, children, sibling, friends whom you had hurt or hurt you, it is time to re-built the bridges , don't let the bitterness lasts. Don't wait until "I just wish I could have told him in the living years" Juz do it mann!

Hope the new "living" year will open your heart and touches your soul. Have a bless Christmas and Peaceful New Year.

The Living Years (LIVE )

Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

I know that I’m a prisoner
To all my father held so dear
I know that I’m a hostage
To all his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought
Stilted conversations
I’m afraid that’s all we’ve got

You say you just don’t see it
He says it’s perfect sense
You just can’t get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defence

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It’s too late when we die
To admit we don’t see eye to eye

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It’s the bitterness that lasts

So don’t yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different day
And if you don’t give up, and don’t give in
You may just be o.k.

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It’s too late when we die
To admit we don’t see eye to eye

I wasn’t there that morning
When my father passed away
I didn’t get to tell him
All the things I had to say

I think I caught his spirit
Later that same year
I’m sure I heard his echo
In my baby’s new born tears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It’s too late when we die
To admit we don’t see eye to eye

马拉松 Anthem (A Tribute to all 2009 SCSM runners)

跑马者30公里后的心声

给我一瓶正骨水(to the tune of 忘情水）

正华 唱：
啊。。。
给我一喷正骨水
还我一身不疲惫
只剩10多公里
管它脚疼风吹
也要到终点才能回















阿清唱：
给我一瓶正骨水
换我肌肉不劳累
就算我的筋抽
就算我的心碎
还是要到
终点才流泪

大家唱 ：
我们不要忘情水
给我们喷喷正骨水
就算要我排队
就算我有多累
不喷俺们就不归
唱的这莫好，就给你一车正骨水，拿去吧！！

Botak's confession at SCSM 2009

I had sin, I repent, I had let down my friends at TFB who gave me those magical bands. My sinceressssst apology especially to DO. amen...

Confession done, back to business! If you remember, at SCSM 2008 which I completed in 5:03, I lamented about "for a few minutes more". So SCSM 09 was meant to get that sub 5hr cert to hang on my wall. Due to many reasons aka excuses, on the night before SCSM 09 after another mega carbo-loading session, I tot it was a great idea to play safe and lower target time to 5.30hr. So on race day, I wore the TFM 5.30 pace band proudly on my right wrist and it turn out to be on the wrong runner. The first 35km, I was still within pace, but alas had to pay back with interests during the last 7 km and completed in SCSM 09 in 5:38:12 :((

My 5.30 pace time

05km 0:39:06/0:36:01
10km 1:18:12/1:10:07
15km 1:57:18/1:50:23
20km 2:36:24/2:23:36
25km 3:15:31/3:04:37
30km 3:54:37/3:49:37
35km 4:33:43/4:33:02
40km 5:12:49/5:22:55
42.195km 5:30:00hr/ 5:38:12 hr

With the completion of the 2009 Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon, Botak had discovered a new thoery that is greater then Newton's apple thoery. Being a selfless person, Botak gladly shared this new discovery with you. You read it here first @ run2eat blog

Who ever said Marathon is a matter of mind over body was so Wrong. This is botak's new theory; M+FT=MM2

Marathon's Finish Time is a case of Mind over Matters = If you don't Mind, It doesn't Matters!

Thinking of changing our team name from team run2eat to team run2fatbird , but that will be another story:)))))

click for pixs of team run2eat gasoline station@26.5km 6.50am - 10.15am
to be continue.....

SCSM09 Last minute 抱佛腿

Are you ready for SCSM 09? I am not (o_o)

To enable our volunteers to identify you, please get a yellow stickers from Ernest/me to stick on your bib

This will entitle you to a extra pack of ICY COLD energy jelly at our support station@26km.

It is optional to put on the yellow sticker if you are wearing our run2eat singlet.

Wanna some last minutes grab Buddha’s legs? I recommend resources from team fatbird http://teamfatbird.blogspot.com/.

TFB is also the official pacer for SCSM 09. If you need helps to achieve your target, following a pacer is a good idea.

TFB has full marathon pacer in the 3:45 – 6:00 time slot. My strategies are to tag on to the purple balloons (5hr) if possible. If not, then down to orange to white….in the worse scenario joins the yellow (6 hr). Higher then 6 will be 2012... God save botak.

Look out for these cheerful TFB pacers with their respective pace timing at the back. Follow their pace and win your race.

SCSM 09 Jia -You station FAQs

FAQs for run2eat gasoline station@ 26km

When is SCSM 2009?
Sunday, 6 Dec 2009, 42.195 start at 5.30am

Where is run2eat Gasoline station located and the operating hours?
There will only be 1 support station and it is located at the running track opposite ECP Car Park C4.(about 26km mark)
It will open from 7.15am – 10.00am

Who are the station masters?
Doris Lim
Philip Kho

Who are the volunteers so far?
Doris Lim
Chloe Sim
Shirley +3
Eugene Lim
Sam Foong
Cheer leaders (Li Bin task)
I need camera man, more volunteers and supporters.

Where and when to meet?
Car park C4, station masters - 6.30am. Others by 6.45am. Look for Doris Lim

How to get to Car Park C4?
The whole East Coast Park Service Road will be closed to traffic on race day. East Coast Parkway is open, if you need to alight there, please be extra careful of traffics. Best way to get there is to use the over head bridge beside Blk 2 Marine Terrace which led to CP C4. For those who drive, parking is available at blk 1 and blk 2. Click to enlarge map.

Where are the support logistics?
They will be inside a van which we will park at CP C4 on Saturday night. (Doris please gets the key from me)

What will be inside the van?
Tables, chairs, umbrellas, run2eat signage
2 cooler boxes
ICE (buy on race day from 7/11, 700m away from station, Doris to rent a bike for this purpose)
6 cartons @ of water, 100 plus and red bull
6 cartons of Energy Jelly
Bananas, fruits??
Chocolate bar, biscuits, foods?
Vaseline , Deep Heat Spray, Micro pore Blister tape, Handyplas

Where to set up the Gasoline station?
Preferred location is directly opposite CP C4, near the running track opposite the public toilet or the bicycle kiosk beside it. Click to enlarge Map.
When must station be ready?
Station must be up and ready by 7.20 am

When and Who will be our first runner to arrive?
Freddy Yeoh, ETA 7.30 am

When will yours humbly arrive?
Botak’s ETA 8.30am . will try very hard for 8.15am(o_o)

When and who will be the last to arrive at support station?
Wow lau, this also want to ask? pie say leh :))

How many runners are there?
Team run2eat@ has 35....
Team Creative has 118!!!
SCSM has 15,000 ;))

team run2eat 42.195 at SCSM 2009
Andrew Yong, William Tay, Jennifer Foo, Calvin Chia, Ah Hoo, Ah Wa, Ng Kah Long, Chan Ming Tat, Freddy Yeoh, Ernest Sim, Sim Li Bin, Tan Cheng Keat, Lee Teck Seng, Lee Teck Khing, Fung Chan Hua, Ng Chun Chuan, Tan Heng Yee, Toby Lim, Alvin Wong, Allan Kwek, Bay Eng Seng, Billy Phua, Huang Zhao Ming, Vincent Teo, Mag Yong, Lim Jew Tim, Roger Lim, Ang Eng Yeow, Daniel Ong, Lau Shen Lian, Yap Shui Huat, Patrick Peng, Hazel Goh, Mohan, Botak Sim......

Who do we support?
team run2eat and team Creative will wear a bright yellow sticker (Ernest task)
We also support all other runners who come to our station. (especially for deep heat spray)

When can gasoline station “soh tong”
By 10 am, you are welcome to come to the finish line to celebrate with us.

The Human Brain

The Human Brain





Interesting: Read the entire paragraph

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt!

虾米东东 Part 5 : Now we are talking...

Wow! c-peh swee leh

Now we are talking...

" we really hope that the egg the ZiiLabs is about to lay will actually turn out to be a new Zii Android smartphone."
http://www.letsgomobile.org/en/5714/android-smartphones/

Wednesday, November 18th 2009 - 12:10 CET

Google has found yet another goose that lays the golden eggs, or at least it is starting to look like that for Android. Manufactures are more than eager to jump on the Android train in order to not miss out. During the last few weeks, quite a number of Android smartphones have either been introduced or leaked through non-official channels, and it looks like we are about to see another one. ZiiLabs, part of the renowned Creative Technology, and designer of the striking ZiiEgg, is now going to use the Android platform to dive into mobile telephony and with that thought in mind, it seems only a matter of time before we will get to see a Zii Android smartphone or a ZiiEgg smartphone.

> Lowest retail prices for Android Smartphones

Mail your friend

Your name:
Your friend's name:
Your friend's email:

Zii Android smartphone

During the Zii Summit 2009,

the company announced that several new products are in the pipeline. They are said to be a tablet PC, a net book, a portable e-reader and a mobile phone with full Android functionality. It's the latter in particular that we are interested in. According to the latest information, the Zii Android smartphone will feature a so-called ZMS-08 processor, a competitor of the Snapdragon and NVIDIA's Tegra processor.

New Android Smartphone

In addition, the Android smartphone of ZiiLabs is said to feature an ARM Cortex A8 CPU including a clock frequency of 1Ghz and encryption and decryption support of 1080p H.264 video, support for various codecs and 720p H.264 video conference. The specifications mentioned do look impressive at first glance, and we really hope that the egg the ZiiLabs is about to lay will actually turn out to be a new Zii Android smartphone. We will continue to follow the developments around this new Android smartphone!

credit to www.letsgomobile.org/en/5714/android-smartphones/

RSVP Zii summit籽亿高科峰会(籽 pronounce as Zai(3voice))

Jia-You Station@ Singapore Marathon

18 days to Singapore Marathon. Are you ready?

For our friends who are doing their first 42.195 - relax! 42.195 is just a number but the mental is huge ! If you think you're bad and cannot make it, you will be. Stay positive, embrace the distance and flash your big smile at the finish line.



team run2eat 42.195 at SCSM 2009
Andrew Yong, William Tay, Calvin Chia, Ah Hoo, Ah Wa, Ng Kah Long, Chan Ming Tat, Freddy Yeoh, Ernest Sim, Sim Libin, Tan Cheng Keat, Lee Teck Seng, Lee Teck Khing, Fung Chan Hua, Ng Chun Chuan, Tan Heng Yee, Toby Lim, Alvin Wong, Allan Kwek, Bay Eng Seng, Billy Phua, Huang Zhao Ming, Vincent Teo, Mag Yong, Lim Jew Tim, Roger Lim, Ang Eng Yeow, Daniel Ong, Shane Lau Shen Lian, Jeffrey Yap Shui Huat, Hazel Goh, Mohan, Botak Sim......

As usual team run2eat will have a Jia-You station to support/encourage YOU.
After recce of ECP, for the convenient of our volunteers and logistics movement, our jia-you station will be at Area C, running track opposite Car Park C4 (just after ECP Chalet toward Macdonald direction). This will be at about 25.5km mark. (Red G on Map below)


Run2eat Jia-You Station @ approx. 25.5km/ Area C
(after ECP Chalet toward Mac)
Sunday, 6 Dec 2009
Operating hour : 7.30am – 10 am

Doris Lim , our station master and her team of volunteers will be there to pamper us. Family and friends do come to our jia-you station to support and share the joys of your love one as they slog it out. I promise it will be a Sunday morning well spent. We will appreciate your presence, your cheering will be our best inspiration. Our station is also open to all SCSM runners who need extra fuel for the race. Oh come oh ye tiring feet.

Rich uncles and aunties who wanted to support in kind - deep heat, vaseline, sun block, water, red bull, isotonic, energy bar, fruits, foods, chocolate, durian, massage, complimentary spa sessions, Maldives holiday, round the world trip etc… are most welcome:)) It's Christmas time...

The difference between a nut and coconut

Dear Runners,

The Nature Society is protesting that we are running through the wildlife reserve. (Please refer to ST forum today http://www.straitsti...ory_448530.html) As you know, Singapore is so small that the only trails belong either to the military or to the National Parks. If they stop us from running through Bukit Timah Reserve, the TNF100 may end up being 10 loops around MacRitchie!!!

An open letter to President of NS Society

yoz Mr. President,

Do you know the difference between a coconut and a nut?...

I am asking because it seems like you don't know what the fruits you were talking? NorthFace is not a mass event like SCSM where you had 50,000 runners roaming your beloved back garden, don't worry that will not happens until hell freeze over or Armageddon which ever comes first. The number of day visitors to BT Nature Reserve are far more then NF, so are they on your hit list too?

Dun be so selfish lah, the nature reserve are for all lovers of nature, if you keep petitioning and have powderful friends up there. Then BT will become a sacred garden for only members of your prestige society!! Better don't let you know that there is another bigger, lagi beautiful garden call MacRitche Park, if not, you petition again, we really must go ho-lan to run trails:))

For your info, we trail runners may like to torture our-self, but event like NF is only a once a year affair. ... OK lah, there is another super "siow" ultra at MR held every last Sunday of December. (MR runners, don't throw stones at me, we run, fly, float or sink together ^_^)

As much as you love the nature, most trail runners if not all also love and respect the nature, of course there will be some who litters along the path indiscriminately, but I think with more trails and education this can be minimized.

Like you say Singapore is small country, lets share whatever limited resources we had, you do your nature study, we run our trails. If one day we ever cross path, we wave and say hello and if you don't mind, you can hug my sweaty body. Peace no War (o_o)

C'est la vie

regards
yours humbly

botaksim

PS : We trial runners are not 神！
we are 神。经。病。
We enjoyed the pain and we respect the terrains

讲耶稣

Radio botak today is playing Chinese classic plus teach you how to play guitar.

这是一首罗大佑早期的作品，只用木吉伴奏曲风简单，歌词语浅译深。偶就喜欢这种风格！

（如今我才真正明白星期天的教堂为谁开，上帝住的天堂门外平凡的魔鬼在等待 阿门）经典罗大佑！

耶稣的另一个名字 ...
词曲、编曲：罗大佑 １＝Ｅ　４／４拍

E　　　　 #Gm A E
耶稣有另个名字 叫做你也叫做我
A 　　　　　E F#m B7
我们都有他的圣灵 还有魔鬼的本性

E 　　　　#Gm A 　　　　　E
撒旦有另个名字 叫做你也叫做我
A 　　　　　E #Fm B7
他在梦中将我惊醒 笑我平凡的人性

E 　　　　#Gm A 　　　　　E
平凡有另个名字 叫做你也叫做我
A 　　　　 　E #Fm 　　　　B7
我们都在白天犯罪 就像夜晚的忏悔

A 　　　　　E A 　　　　　　　B7
如此我才真正明白 星期天的教堂为谁开

A 　　　　 　E A 　　 B7　　 E A　E
上帝住的天堂门外 平凡的魔鬼在等待 阿 门

We are not 神，we are 神。经。病。

6 days after Bejing ma, we were insane to do NF100, Singapore’s toughest and longest run.

















NF100, TOUGH, Gruesome are just too mild to describe this son of a B%$#*&^% course, if the 3km loop at Bt Timah nature reserve didn’t dent you, the 9km merry-go-round at Lorong Asmara Hill 265 will guarantee to made you go nut like monkey. There were a lot of monkeys along the route and I saw one HUGE one (must have weight 60-70kg) @ 29km Lorong Asmara.
The 100km solo runners (2 laps X 50km), they are not 人! They are 神，神经病;)))))

Botak will lobby in 2010 to rename NF100 Singapore’s toughest and longest run to :

NF100, Singapore's most sadistic run :))

I survived NF100 to tell another pics’tory adeptly titled NF 100: BRAGGING Time ;)
I will like to dedicate this story to all the loonies aka 神+2 in this crazy race, see u next year??

Enjoyed the PAIN.

(photo credit to Siongsan)

Can You Endure?

Macritche Reservoir 24 October 2009, 6.30am

Run2eat: one 100km solo, five team of 100km duo =10 loonies and 1 神

Your most handsome team, run2eat team BW. William don't seem to agree. but i call the shot

(Told you I was shameless)

This is the actual most handsome team, run2eat team EL

Could we have 2nd opinion? Vote for botak… 不错leh;)

This was what they called pre-race warm up – poetry in motion

Let the race begin

Oi! no flying allowed! We were supposed to run, walk or crawl

Bt Timah 14 km, with this type of descend, used your imagination how we got up here in the first place?

Freddy Yeoh, our 100km solo 神。。, look at dat yummy long pair of legs^-^

3 young men topping up fuel at our gasoline station@Chestnut Ave (15km)

2 even younger men taking a break.

2 young cars cooling their radiators at gasoline station

More cars pulling in at gasoline station.

Yoz!, Huang Qiang our China friend doing 100km solo, 神, 膜拜。

Wow-sar, “chio bu” also do 100km solo, salute 向女神。。敬礼!

Capt Roger leaving gasoline station, now where were that 2 FAT handsome guys ?

Announcing the arrival of the FAT car…

co-driver 泥在那里ah?

"Aiyoh co-driver dat is the wrong gasoline station"

对不起，让你们久等了偶们来迟(吃)了;)))

Still had runner behind us, haha ....

(Azhar got the last laugh when he trashed us in the end)

Welcomed to 9km of hill 265…

I tot daytime was for day-dreaming, how come got nightmare one?

救命啊!!!!!!!!!

The ascend at Hill 265

Even flying fox by now “pie-kah” liow!!

Steeper and steeper …now I “sukar” airport.

those ascends were becoming *&%$#@ sadistic and yuhong was still smiling,

either he was a tough nut or the hills had made him gone NUT!!!

We saw one, when we met Mohan @ 29km inside the NF Volvo Q60 sweeper car, he was hallucinating, he was going : ” I’m test driving Volvo lah…”.Poor thing, now we knew what hill 265 can do to a strong man ;))

This was the strong n sane mohan at the start of the race ;))

Big thank you to the volunteers', the back-bone of all races

38km, even strong men were down to walking

By now, you can forget about running…you would be glad still standing

The sight that always make my adrenalin flowsThe sigh that make all runners (male species) blood flows ;))

Our team champ, TK in 7:18

Li Bin. movie star finishing ( 7:34)

Ernest, you got the winning feeling (7:37)Our friend, Azhar finished in stlye (8:33)Calvin the flying fox came in 8: 40

Chan Hua (8:48) “玩臭” got porter to carry his hydration bag at the end.

Freddy , still fresh after completing 100km in 14h19m

This also Freddy, not that "fresh" after 50km (8:50)Despite massive muscle cramps, shao chong persevered (8:53).
(Photo credit to Siongsan)

Well done junior!

This picture looks familiar? Hahahaha home sweet home

Our NF100 results
100km solo
Position 9 Freddy Yeoh 14h:19m

100km duo
Position 57 Run2eat team EL – Li Bin 07:34, Li Ern 07:37
Position 86 Run2eat team KH – Teck Khing 07:18, Chan Hwa 08:48
Position 195 Run2eat team SY – Yu Hong 07:51, Shao Chong 08:53
Run2eat team CR – Calvin 08:40, Roger retired @ 37km
Run2eat team BW – Botak 08:50, William retired @ 40km