Thursday 31 July 2014

FM / HM Peer Support Programme - 3rd August (Sun), 6:00am - 20km / 15km


Sunday at 6:00am
Padang Merbok in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
FM / HM Peer Support

TTDI Park - Kiara Hill - 2nd August (Sat), 6:45am - 10km



In addition to Sunday's usual Peer Support Programme LSD, this week some of us will be doing additional training on Saturday at TTDI Park - Kiara Hill. Feel free to join us. Note that this is a high intensity hilly route, not for beginners. Click on the link for further details

https://www.facebook.com/events/1457526651164209/

TTDI Park in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

By Chua Wen Kiat


Tuesday 29 July 2014

Trail hiking or running on 2nd August at Puchong Hill

Puchong Hill (or Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve) trail running or trekking this coming Saturday, 2nd August.

Meet at trail head between 7:15 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.

About the trail: From trailhead to the starting loop is 500 meters. One loop is about 3km; the trail is 90% shady. One can run/walk clockwise and anti-clockwise to experience the difference in terrain.

You need to bring your own drinking water. Nevertheless, one can just run to the Chinese coffee shop located at the trailhead and have some refreshment J


Do click here for the Google Maps showing the trailhead and car park; car park is around Jalan Wawasan 5/1. The Chinese coffee shop is somewhere located at number "5/1" of "Jalan Wawasan 5/1" of the Google Maps.


GPS coordinates:
3°01'28.9"N     101°37'47.1"E
3.024702, 101.629738
All are welcome!

Please reply to our Trekking Group Leader, KC Leong at:
kcleong3@gmail.com
or
012 266 8166



Thursday 24 July 2014

Meet your FM & HM Mentors :)

Introducing the mentors for Pacesetters Full Marathon/Half Marathon Peer Support Programme. These are your mentors during the Sunday LSD runs.

The mentors of the respective time group will be running based on the stated average pace +- 10 seconds. If you are new to the route and uncertain whether you can keep up, we suggest you follow a slower group and familiarized yourself with the route before attempting your targeted pace group. It would be good if you can introduce yourself to the mentors before the run so that they can keep an eye on you.

These are not professional mentors but they are runners with experience to share. Feel free to engage them for tips. As this is a new programme, we are still trying to find more mentors. Please let us know if you know of experienced pacing people and would like to volunteer for a certain pace.

We welcome all members of different pace to join. Feel free to bring along your friends who are non members too. Weekly announcement will be made to confirm the location, distance and time, so do check it out here before going.

By Chua Wen Kiat

For more info:-
















Monday 21 July 2014

Good Turnout at First Peer Support Training

There was a very good turnout at the first Marathon / Half Marathon Peer Support Programme at Padang Merbok yesterday. There was a water station at the 5km mark at Langgak Tunku, outside the Selangor Properties flats, which was still there for the return journey. A light breakfast was provided after the training at Padang Merbok.

This is a weekly event - every Sunday at Padang Merbok at 5am and/or 6am. Please check for updates. Full details here:



Drink station at Langgak Tunku, manned by President Wan Yew Leong and Treasurer Chong Ting Chow.



Jamie Pang giving some training tips after the run.




Sub 4 Marathon mentor, Chua Wen Kiat sharing some tips.




Refreshments and light breakfast  :)



Thursday 17 July 2014

President's Message Issue #2

100 Days and Looking Ahead
After participating and witnessing the Gold Coast Marathon on the night of 6th July 2014, seating at my apartment in Wyndham Surfers Paradise, I realized that in 10 days, on the 15th July 2014, it would be my 100th day as president of PAC. While PAC is not a political party, nevertheless, it is not unreasonable for members to ask their president what has been achieved or being planned. By coincidence, 15th July 2014 is also the opening day for registration for the Pacesetters 3030 Run 2014. This event to be scheduled on 2nd November 2014, will be the first of the three public events the club is offering to its members.

Forming the Team & Volunteers Recruitment Strategies
We have made many small initiatives that will take the club forward.  The most significant piece is that we will focus on people, recruiting the team beyond the 11 elected office bearers. We need about 35 core volunteers to manage the club’s various initiatives. In the next E-Fooloose, we will disclose all the names of those that are holding non-elected positions in the club that will help to drive the club forward.

I am an admirer of Jim Collin, the author of “Built to Last” and “From Good to Great”. I consider these two books as essential reading for leaders, not only in the business field, but across communities such as an NGO like ours.

The first lesson in the book “From Good to Great” is getting the right people on board. I have been on the lookout for individuals that can contribute to the club and have spoken to a number of them. Of course not everyone buy my story and quite a few turn down my invitation to join the Exco or be appointed in a non-elected position such as Group Leader etc.  As for those who are holding appointed positions, we reaffirm their commitment or we accept their decision to discontinue their services. 

It is not easy to recruit volunteers given the current culture in the club, with members asking “What are the benefits for me”.  While this is a fair question, at this juncture we have to be honest that we can’t offer much tangible stuff other than a set of club shirts or merchandise.  However, we would like to convey that serving the club enables one to derive invaluable benefits and memorable experiences which money cannot buy. To the working adults, it is a good break from their routine, very healthy and therapeutic, relief stress and help to recharge, makes one become more effective, enable better time management and sharpen their management skills. It's an antidote. It works better than a paid holiday and the best part is that it's free except in the time invested.

To quote the former President of Maybank, the job will be:

  1. "Professionally Enriching" - learning new and sharpen existing skills, broaden  exposure;
  2. "Socially Enlarging" - making new friends from different circles and strengthening bonds, and
  3. "Spiritually fulfilling" - contributing and giving back to society by doing good deeds.
(Source – Chong Ting Chow, Treasurer PAC)

In my research back in 2009, I read from the American Association of Retired People (AARP) website and here is their statement on volunteerism:

          People volunteer for many reasons. Some people may want to learn a new skill; others want to make new friends or contribute their time and talent to improving the well-being of others or society in general.
          Many people enjoy a sense of accomplishment and making a difference in the life of others through their volunteer activities.
          Research indicates that people who participate in their communities through activities like volunteering may lead healthier, happier and longer lives.
          AARP encourages all citizens, including older persons to consider volunteering in their communities.

We will be sending out a flier to recruit more members for various sub-committees or appointed positions. We sincerely hope more members will come forward to offer help one way or another.

Communication Sub-Committee
The first sub-committee we formed was the Communication Group as they play a critical role in this whole Strategic Plan 2014-19. We are happy to bring on board Linda Trivino, Michael Gan, Foo Sook Ying and Mahendra, with Tammy Lim our Secretary of the club as the head. The Footloose has migrated to E-Footloose with the first issue released on 28 June 2014. Prior to that, our blog was revamped with Michael Gan as the chief blogger. Mahendra, who was elected into the Exco, had to relinquish his position as he is a foreigner (Malaysian law does not permit foreigners to hold elected positions in societies). He is appointed as our administrator for the club’s new Facebook page (for members only). Sook Ying’s role is to compile the stories for the Footloose and Linda remains as the Footloose Editor. The migration of Footloose from print version to e-version has posed some challenges. While Mahendra has designed the template in WORD, the Communication Sub-committee has to learn new application skills to complete the formatting job from various articles, in particular the BC generation. In the computer era, we have 2 generations of people, the BC and the AC. BC is born before computers and AC is born after computers. I belong to the BC era but have successfully acquired new computer skills after my retirement from the bank. Likewise, Linda & team have to upgrade their computer skills and shortly they would be able to provide lessons to senior members who are now unable to keep up with the club’s new mode of communication via electronic medium. We have discontinued most paper based communication except for the AGM package and an annual print issue of the Footloose that will have a collection of all activities of the club in the past 12 months. 

Area Group Leaders & Area Representatives
I instrumented the formation of the Area Groups back in 2000 as an important strategy to expand the outreach of the club, which was partially successful. Fast forward to 2014, we are left with only one functioning area group, the Kuantan Area Group led by William Chin. The Kuantan Area Group is an excellent example of what an Area Group should be.  We did a diagnosis of the various Area Groups listed up to the most recent Footloose in March 2014. We concluded that only four area groups could be salvaged; the Bukit Aman mother group, Permaisuri, Kiara TTDI, and the Sabak Bernam. We have decided to discontinue FRIM, Gasing Hills and Bukit Jalil. As for Singapore and Penang that do not have the required membership base of at least 20 members, we have re-designated the Group Leaders there as Area Representatives. I have drafted the revised role and responsibilities of the Area Group Leaders and Area Representatives but would share them after our Strategic Plan briefing on 19 July 2014.

Strategic Plan 2014 – 19 (Teaser Only)
We had a Strategic Planning session on 14 June 2014 at the OCM Board Room and various ideas were tossed about. I have taken in all the suggestions and have given them much thought over the last 3 weeks.  As president, I have the prerogative to put in the final touches that I will share with the Exco and all the appointed position holders on 19 July 2014. Their feedback will be fodder for the refinement of, and thereafter we will disclose, our strategies in each area to all members. The Strategic Plan will not be a 100 page blue print but will be a concise booklet focusing on the WHATs. The HOW, WHO and WHEN would be thought out and executed by sub-committees appointed to the various initiatives. The Strategic Plan is just the 1% inspiration and we need the 99% perspiration to make it a success!

Managing Conflict of Interest
When I was first elected as president on 12 April 2014, I received feedback from friends that some members had asked how I was going to manage the potential conflict of interest, given that I am a run event organizer and the club is also involved in run event management. Good question and I shall take it head on. Conflict of Interest is not a legal consideration and more of a moral consideration and I shall use a few examples to properly explain the difference and the materiality involved. When Tun Daim was appointed Finance Minister, he was a successful businessman owning several businesses that was worth many millions. To avoid conflict of interest, it was reported that he put his business in a blind trust during the duration he was the Finance Minister.

My run event business is larger than that of the club but not a multi-million dollar business. It is more of a vocation for a retiree to spend his time rather than a business. We can’t discuss this on the same breath as that of Tun Daim’s business. The easiest way to resolve all this is that I do not hold the president position which is not the solution now as most of the members who voted me in were aware I have a run event management vocation. The next best solution is to figure out how to mitigate it.

Let me share a sport example; if you are a football fan like me, you would recall Pierluigi Collina, the bald headed Italian football referee for World Cup Finals between Germany and Brazil in 2002 – he is regarded as the best football referee in the world in his time. Pierluigi Collina is sponsored by Opel for various commercial activities. His contract with Opel, also sponsor for AC Milan resulted in conflict of interest as he was also the referee for Division One Italian Football League where AC Milan was playing. He was later only allowed to referee in the Division Two to avoid this conflict of interest.

In my own case, the potential conflict of interest can be managed too. The club has two broad types of events; own events like Pacesetters 3030 Run, Pacesetters 4 x 3km and Pacesetters 15km. Examples of third parties’ events are the Kuala Kangsar Run, the BHP Orange Run and the Mizuno Wave Run. These third parties’ events are owned by others and PAC acts as event manager. I have come to this understanding with the Exco that I would not get involved in third parties’ events. The organizational structure has been drawn up with Tai Kok Keong, the First Vice President in charge of third parties’ events. I would not get involved at all. Engagement with these third parties will follow the policies and guiding principles set up by the Exco. Even for those third parties’ events negotiated by the club but not taken up, I on my part have given the commitment that I would not touch those events. I can afford to do this not just to avoid this potential conflict of interest, I also have enough repeated events from my regular clients such as MPI, SCKLM, IEM, Alliance Bank and MWM. This year I got a few more in PUMA, BOH, MRCA and CENTRO. I am busy enough as a retiree and do not need to take any event from the club! I need to set aside time to travel while I still can; my annual pilgrimage to China etc. Of course as for club’s events, I will be at the driver seat to do the best to build them up to be the “best in class” events regionally.

Life Long Learning – My Experience
During our strategic planning session, Chong Ting Chow our treasurer mooted the inclusion of “Learning” as one of our core values. This would mean the club would be forward looking in terms of skill sets that are required to propel the club forward. Two cases in point are the migration to E-Footloose and adoption of an online members system that allows members to carry out their renewals online and new members to sign on online.  Linda Trevino, our editor and Chong, my fellow BC Era members have to upgrade their skills to perform their role. Michael Gan learned to update a blog at a ripe age of 50 plus. At this juncture, I like to share my experience on what I did after I left my full time employment in 2009 at the not so ripe age of 52. I went through a transformation from a high ranking bank executive to a young retiree and now a proud self-employed professional. I managed to achieve this through a series of self-discovery processes, learned and relearned new skills. When I knew I was leaving the bank in early 2009, I was wondering what I could do with my spare time. Catching up on all my TV series and movies was one thing but that could not be totally fulfilling. At the encouragement of Datuk Sieh Kok Chi, General Secretary of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), I signed up for an 8 month Advance Sport Management Program (ASMC) at OCM. This program is entirely funded by the Olympic Solidarity, Switzerland and delivered by local program directors.  I signed up as a member of PAC and use PAC as my case study. I was very committed and diligently completed all my six assignments via six Power Points presentations and six written assignments with more than 3,000 words each. I learnt the use of Power Point the hard way with my eldest daughter Adeline as my coach. I swallowed my pride and listened to her attentively and she was unlikely to show me many times. I was unofficially regarded as the best student from my batch. I was offered to take up the master program from Olympic Solidarity twice but it did not happened due firstly to limited slots for the English medium session and secondly to some timing reasons as the course required me to travel 4 times during the year to attend the sessions in countries that are far away; Switzerland, Slovakia and Trinidad & Barbados. I just could not fit into the traveling schedule.

All was not lost. I was instead invited back as the facilitator for the ASMC  for 2010 and 2011. In late 2011, an opportunity came when one of the two incumbent program directors of ASMC decided not to continue and I was nominated to become a program director and was sent to Switzerland for a one week induction program. I have since been the program director for ASMC from 2012 to 2014. Tammy Lim, our Secretary of the club is my student for the 2014 batch. She too felt that she needs to upgrade her sport management skills to better manage the club. My training at the ASMC since 2009 has been enriching. I have enlarged my circle of contacts to beyond the running fraternity as the participants of the ASMC came from a variety of sport. I was able to learn from them during the discussion sessions that I need to participate as moderator. I am also required to mark their assignment papers and give feedbacks such that their final assignments are better crafted before we send their assignments to the Olympic Solidarity. While it is entirely up to local program directors to pass whoever they deem fit, the assignments sent to Switzerland is a form of check and balances that quality worthy of the Olympic Solidarity is maintained.

The ASMC has strengthened my sport management skills that I first acquired during my presidential term from 2000 to 2005 and now with my experience gained from the various events I operate as a run event project manager. I am well equipped to lead the club. I would encourage my fellow Exco Members and those appointed into various non-elected positions to improve their skills and it would come in handy in years to come. As for the senior members, you too have to upgrade skills to lead a more meaningful life. Air Asia was the first to push this forward when they came out with their online ticketing system and if you want to buy cheap tickets you have to go online. Sorry, there is no turning back this IT tide, you have to upgrade your IT skills to engage with modern society. On the part of the club, I wonder if we could get someone to teach the seniors better IT skills, including how to better use their smartphones that they can afford to buy but don’t know how to extract full potential from. I have one such person in mind…Uncle Sonny Ng.

Wan Yew Leong
wanyewleong@gmail.com

7 July 2014

Pacesetters Hari Raya Breakfast Run at Taman Tasik Permaisuri

In conjunction with the Hari Raya Celebrations, we are having a Breakfast Run at Taman Tasik Permaisuri Tapak C, on Sunday, 10 August 2014 at 7.30am. This event is in line with our mission of promoting running as a healthy recreational activity for the families. This event is opened to members, their families and friends. Non-members will have to register via members. 

The details of the event are as follows:
6.30am onwards – Arrival of members and their families, meet at Tapak C (register at Registration Desk for bibs) 
7.30am – Start of Run (option of 4km and 8km) 
8.30am onwards – Breakfast / Sale of Club merchandise / Lucky Draws 
10.30am – End of Program 

Registration 
Method One - Members interested in the event are to email to our Committee Member, Chua Eng Siong at ces7lsynwa@gmail.com copy to info.pacesetters@gmail.com giving the following details; Name, PAC No, No of Paxs, HP No and email address. You are encouraged to bring along your family and friends for the event to introduce them to running as a healthy recreational activity. 

Method Two - Members also have another option to register themselves by buying a bib (RM5 per pax) from the following Group Leaders after the Sunday Runs:

 Winnie Lee of Permaisuri Group ( 019-384 6338 ) 
 Gary Goh of Bukit Aman Group ( 012-387 0008 ) 
 Francis Toh of Kiara TTDI Group ( 012-399 7738 ) 
 Jason Thiang of Subang Group ( 012-211 6280 ) 

New Member invited FOC 
As a welcoming gift to new members, they are invited for this event free of charge. All new members who join the club in 2014 with membership no 6491 to 6567 are given a free slot for this event. You have to email us (Method One) on your attendance and collect your bib from a separate “Complimentary List” from our Registration Desk. 

Direction to Taman Tasik Permaisuri 
We will give further directions via our Facebook page and Blog in due course and we encourage car-pooling to the venue. Upon reaching the meeting spot (follow direction signage), check your name against the Registration List at the Registration Desk, pay your participation fees (RM5 per pax) and collect your bibs. The bib worn is the basis of identification that you have paid for the run. Only those with bibs worn are served breakfast. Look forward to seeing you. 

Pacesetters Beginners Programme

As a leading running club in the country, it is our duty to encourage the public to take up running as a healthy recreational activity. Many individuals want to start running but do not have groups to join such that they get motivated and encouraged to sustain themselves in their quest for better fitness and health. 

The mission of the club is that in every running spot, we have a Pacesetters Group that conduct a Beginners’ Program at least once a week. To kick start this initiative, we wish to announce the commencement of our first Beginners’ Program with details as follows:

Venue - Car-park behind the National Planetarium, Jalan Perdana, Tasik Perdana Kuala Lumpur. 

Day – Every Saturday, 7.30am, starting from 19 July 2014. 
Distance – 3km to 6km. 
Mentors – Sunny Lee (019-213 6685) and Chan Kin Hou (012-2948826)

Pacesetters 3030 Run 2014 is open for registration

THE EVENT IS CLOSED


Click here to register:


Tuesday 15 July 2014

Update: Marathon / Half Marathon Peer Support Programme

Update: Many have commented that the 5am start time is too early at the beginning of this programme, when the training distances will be shorter.  As such, the first session on 20th July will start on 6am. There will be a 15km run for novices.

Lookout for 3030 RUN 2014

Lookout for 3030 RUN 2014,  our 30th anniversary run, to be held on 2nd November 2014. To be launched soon.



Monday 14 July 2014

Collect membership cards at Padang Merbok

Members, please collect your membership cards at Padang Merbok on the following Sundays - 13 July, 20 July & 27 July 2014. Help Desk is from 7.45 am to 8.45 am.

Thursday 10 July 2014

Keep a look out for these club events

10 Aug 2014, Hari Raya Breakfast Run (Permaisuri) 

31 Aug 2014, Merdeka Breakfast Run (Kiara TTDI) 

16 Sept 2014 (tbc), Malaysia Day Breakfast Run (Dataran Kemerdekaan, Shah 
Alam) 

19 Oct 2014 (tbc), Post Marathon Breakfast Run (Desa Park City)

2 Nov 2014, Pacesetters 3030 Run (Padang Merbuk ) 

14 Dec 2014, Pacesetters 4 x 3km (Padang Merbuk)

21 Dec 2014, Xmas Breakfast Run ( Sabak Bernam ) 

1 Feb 2015, Kuantan Breakfast Run (Sungei Lembing) 

Please note the other newly confirmed regular activities:

Saturday Beginners Program at car park behind Planetarium
Starting 19th July 2014, every Saturday at 7.30am 

Sunday Beginners Program at Padang Merbok or car park behind Lake Club
Starting 20th July 2014, every Sunday at 7.00am

Sunday Youth Track Program at MPSJ Stadium
Every Sunday, 4.30pm to 6.30pm

Pacesetters Marathon/Half Marathon Peer Support Programme

Update: 
For this Sunday, 7th Sept., most of us will be having races to attend. However, the usual Sunday run will still go on with a smaller group lead byTai Kok Keong. Location: Padang Merbok. Time: 6am. Distance 20km.


Running a marathon or even a half marathon is a challenging affair, especially for those  who have to balance their work and family commitments. However, the satisfaction of  completing the marathon is difficult to describe and you have to experience it to understand why so many keep going back to run it.

We have 7 marathons in Malaysia / Singapore this year with 5 of them in the last 4 months of the year;

1. Sultan Mahmud International Bridge Run – 27 September 2014
2. Putra Jaya Night Marathon – 11 October 2014
3. Standard Chartered KL Marathon – 12 October 2014
4. Penang Bridge International Marathon – 16 November 2014
5. Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon – 7 December 2014

We understand many of our members are planning to run one or more of these marathons. The club shall be organizing a training program to support our members in their quest to complete the above marathons in their target time. Training for a marathon on your own is a lonely affair and running in a group is fun and the challenge becomes more achievable.

Concept of Peers’ Support Program
The club will recruit a number of our members to lead Sunday long runs to help members  achieve their various targeted finishing times. They are your leaders or mentors for the marathon. You can join the group that best fits your target;  say you wish to do a sub-5 hour run, you join to sub-5 hour group, it is that simple. The long run distance will increase progressively such that you peak at your target marathon. We advise members to focus on only one of the above 5 marathons as they are quite close together. Your body needs recovery time after each marathon.

Venue – Padang Merbok car park or car park behind Lake Club.
The principal venue is Padang Merbok Car-park. If an event is held in Padang Merbok, we will move to the car park behind Lake Club. Please look out for our announcement via Facebook or this blog.

The following are the program details:

Full Marathon
Starting Time – 6am
Half Marathon
Starting Time – 6am
Time
Mentors
Time
Mentors
Sub 6 hours
Hooi Siew Weng
Sonny Ng
Sub 3 hours
Tai Kok Keong
Teresa Goh
Sub 5 ½ hours
Tan Chin Ann
Kelvin Ng
Sub 2 ½ hours
Tan Keng Koon
Sub 5 hours
Chua Eng Siong
Fuad Mohd
Barkley Wong
Sub 2 ¼ hours
Lim Chin Guan
Sub 4 ½ hours
Karen Loh
Jason Thiang
Jeff Ooi
Sub 2 hours
Lim Yew Khuay
Sub 4 hours
Chua Wen Kiat
Allan Koh
Sub 1 ¾ hours
Lim Yew Khuay


Other than the above mentors, our club’s captains, Ronnie See, Maggie Goh (Boston Marathon finisher) and Jessica Tang will come by on certain Sundays to share their running experience. The above program will commence from 20th  July 2014, after the FIFA World Cup Finals. Members are expected to have their fluid pouch for basic hydration. The club will provide one drink station in front of Selangor Properties to serve members. You can also refill your bottles at this drink station.

The duration of this program is from 20th July till 5th October. The extension of this program beyond 5th October shall be subject to its popularity.

On certain Sundays, we will invite speakers to share their knowledge on a number of related topics from about 8.30am. The club will also provide drinks and fruits at the venue after each Sunday program.

We will provide updates progressively on our club’s Facebook and this blog.

P/S – while this program is organized for members, you may bring your friends as they may be interested to join as members in future.

Pacesetters 3030 Run – 2 November 2014
The club is also organizing our own 30km Run in conjunction with our 30th Anniversary. This event is an extremely good warm up run for Penang International Bridge Marathon and the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. The event will open for registration on 15 July 2014.

Wan Yew Leong
3 July 2014

wanyewleong@gmail.com / 019-3569031