Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2011: my second full marathon.

Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore medal front

Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore medal back

ChiRunning Simplified!, Efficient and Injury Free Natural Running Form Technique Video

Facebook groups on trekking in Malaysia

Penang Bridge International Marathon 2011 - Finally, my first full-marathon finisher.

Date: 20-11-2011

Time: 2am

Timing: 6'39"

 

Penang Bridge International Marathon 2011 medal front

Penang Bridge International Marathon 2011 medal back

Gunung Tahan, 24 Oct 2011.

finally..after two nights camping along the ascent trek and hurling up 10kg of backpack.. on top of every mortal in Peninsula Malaysia at that moment..

Gunung Irau, 3 Sep 2011.

Ascent duration (with camping equipment): 4 hours to Mini Irau, another hour to Gunung Irau.

Descent duration: 4 hours.

Night temperature at summit (Mini Irau): 15 C

Water point: Nil

Amount of drinking water used: 1.5L

Difficulty: Moderate to tough, lots of climbing over tree roots, which will become slippery during rain (once I slipped and fell on the back during descent). Not for first-timer.

'Mini Irau'-some people call it false peak, may be in the past climbers thought they reached G Irau summit here. We camped here as it has nice flat and spacious area. From here to G Irau will take about an hour.

The famous mossy forest. Only a short stretch of the trail- about half an hour- are like this.

Mini Irau. On the left was where we came from the starting point after four hours of trekking, proceeded to the right to scale Gunung Irau, then back here again to pitch our tents. Notice the Pahang-Perak border pegs on the ground.

Planning to hike Gunung Semangkok

 

(Facebook conversation)

 

Hamid: By the way when are you going to Semangkok? Never been there, myself. Don't mind tagging along if that's ok.

Me: I had researched terrain map of Semangkok yesterday and have few observations:
1. To go without guide if want to be adventurous.
2. I have been to part of the trail last time when I overshot the way to Pine Tree Hill, and found the trek recognizable but slight bushy due to ? lack of use
3. From the above map it shows the trek from PTH to Semangkok may take 6-8 hours, so either start from PTH early morning (camp there first), or pitch tent/hammock btw PTH and Semangkok.
4. Waterpoint. I have another JUPEM map that shows there are lots of stream left and right of the ridges, but still need to get down slope to search. I don't think we can possibly bring enough water from start point.
5. Need two GPS to avoid getting lost.
6. Not sure of need for permit.
7. Prepare to abort mission if trek becomes unpassable (though this is a state border and the pegs should be there).
Your comments pls..

Hamid: Doc, my humble opinion, we should get a guide.He should be able to show us the best campsite between PTH and Semangkok with or near water source. Trekking 5 to 6 hrs to Semangkok will be daunting enough without having to go up and down the ridge slopes to look for water. He too can help clear the bushy trek you mentioned. Should it be necessary to get permits and the likes, we can then ask him to settle it for us.

May be later, on a second trip, we'll be more confident to test our map reading and orienteering skill.

Me: Yea you are spot on, Hamid. Sounds very logical and sensible- from an experienced hiker, luckily I talk to you first, otherwise another repeat of getting lost like in G Irau haha.. In fact me and Mr Tan already hiked twice unguided- PTH and Irau, both quite eventful. So I will skip Semangkok for the mean time until we can sit down and work it out properly together, may be for next/ next next year's MNSJ outing. Can discuss it further during our Tahan train ride

Common flowers along Gunung Irau summit trail

These are the commonly seen flowers along the Gunung Irau summit trail:

Impatiens oncidioides

Argostemma sp.

  Henckelia sp.

Sonerila rudis

Pulau Tinggi revisited. 13 Aug 2011.

One more dive, before the sun goes down and darkness blankets the sea.
One more try, witnessed by the sunset and frozen in time.
I don't want to leave, I just want to repeat. I am the Son of the Sea.

(Wee Soon Chit taking a plunge, captured by Gan Cheong Weei) 

 

Gunung Angsi, Negeri Sembilan, 26Jun2011

This was the place we parked our cars along the old trunk road of Seremban- Kuala Pilah, near to Ulu Bendol recreation park. The trail we used was different from my previous hike, which started from the park admin office. 

The ascend was 3 hours, and descent 2.5 hours. A short stretch of the trail passed through thick resam (Dicranopteris linearis, or Tangle Fern, False Staghorn-fern, Umbrella Fern) vegetation where we received scratch cuts if not wearing long sleeves and long pants. 

Mr Tan and Mr Soh relaxing before the climb.

On the left is Mr Chong, from NS Trekkers, who introduced this new trail to us. Aili, Jessie and Surjit were at the middle. 

The trail head was marked yellow in the photo above. About one hour on the way up we came across one of the kind 'rest and rescue' stop where beverages, titbits, resting chairs, log stools, chinese oldies songs etc were provided by a trekking enthusiast turned volunteer called Panjang, who didn't mind receiving some token donation for whatever we consumed. Just to be at this R&R was worth the effort for the hike.