Below is my contact address throughout the programme:
LEONG CHEN KANG
RALEIGH INTERNATIONAL
PO Box 14182
88848 Kota Kinabalu
Sabah
Malaysia
Monday, July 2, 2007
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Failed But Proud of Myself
Finally, Penang Bridge International Marathon is over! Though I failed to achieve my target to finish 42.195km in 6 hours (extra for 10 mins), but I was still finished the whole marathon : ) Both of my legs crammed at the 22km but I did not give up and still went on to complete the marathon. A BIG claps to myself! Anyway, I will donate my blood every 3 months in the next 2 years after I come back from expedition. I promise : ) I can't wait to go to Sabah right now...4 days more! C u guys 3 months later! Take care ya!
Monday, June 11, 2007
My New Rucksack
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Mystery Hiking Trip on Father's Day
Date: 17/06/2007 (Sunday) ~Father's Day~
Time: 7:30am (Gather at TITIWANGSA LRT Station)
8:30am - 11:30am (Hiking)
Venue: **Mystery**
Price: RM20 per person (Discount 10% per person for FAMILY packs )
Some nice pictures...
Time: 7:30am (Gather at TITIWANGSA LRT Station)
8:30am - 11:30am (Hiking)
Venue: **Mystery**
Price: RM20 per person (Discount 10% per person for FAMILY packs )
Some nice pictures...
A little bit of rock climbing.
The hills are gazetted as the world's longest quartz ridge,
also the single largest quartz dyke.
The stretch looks like the spine of an ancient gigantic beast.
Part of the challenge includes scaling ropes.
This is another effort to reach my Raleigh International Expedition Summer 07 fundraising target. Do support me!
Friday, June 1, 2007
Expedition 07F T-shirt for Sale
Basic Info :
Baby-T : Size S and M
Normal T : Size M and L
Cost per t-shirt : RM 25
Front
Back
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Penang Bridge International Marathon 2007
Date : Sunday, 24th June 2007
Reporting Station : 2.00 - 2.45 AM, SK Sungai Gelugor
Starting Time and Place : 3.00 AM, SK Sungai Gelugor
FULL MARATHON
Starting from Sek. Keb. Sg. Gelugor, Tengku Kudin round – about back to starting point, on the Penang Bridge, u - turn Prai Toll Plaza, on the Penang Bridge, Bayan Lepas Highway, u - turn at Seagate, Bayan Lepas Highway and finishing at USM.
CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION
A certificate of Participation with the registered time will be given to all those who complete the Full Marathon in 6 hours. A Certificate of Participation will be given to all those who complete the half Marathon in 3 hours, Quarter Marathon in 90 minutes and Fun Run in 120 minutes.
07F Sabah Expedition Travel Itinerary
| Wednesday, 04/07/2007 | DEPARTFlight AK5102 | Depart Kuala Lumpur LCCT (KUL) at 06:50 and arrive in Kota Kinabalu T2 (BKI) at 09:20 | Kuala Lumpur LCCT (KUL) to Kota Kinabalu T2 (BKI) V FARE
| Wednesday, 12/09/2007 | RETURNFlight AK5101 | Depart Kota Kinabalu T2 (BKI) at 10:45 and arrive in Kuala Lumpur LCCT (KUL) at 13:15 | Kota Kinabalu T2 (BKI) to Kuala Lumpur LCCT (KUL) I FARE
PRICING
| V FARE | 129.99 MYR |
| I FARE | 49.99 MYR |
| Airasia goinsure comprehensive | 15.00 MYR |
| Taxes | 134.00 MYR |
| Total price | 328.98 MYR |
Monday, May 28, 2007
Feedback of Jumble Sale @ Plaza Damas (27th of May, Sunday)
Do you believe that selling junks can earns money? But Kar Lye and me did. : ) We just decided to organise a Jumble Sale and started to collect junks a few days before. And we have achieved a quite well sale result in a quiet flea market. =p It was so amazing!
Jumble Sale : RM 263.30
Recycling : ??
Recycling : ??
Big HUGE thanks to Kar Lye, Joanne, Pooi San, Lili, Adrian, Amy, 秋燕, Xin Tong, Siaw Ling, Siaw Chian, Shih Chung, Shirleen, Ken Ken, 子洋, 宇杰, 伟盛, 伟鸿, Zhi Yong and all my supporters.
Let's us make it happens!
Friday, May 25, 2007
How Should I Best Prepare in the Month Before the Marathon?
How should I train during the last four weeks before my marathon?
Belows taken from Peak Performance Online:
The answer to that question will of course determine how well you do on marathon day. In fact, the last four weeks can play a larger role in deciding your marathon finishing time than the preceding 16 weeks of training. You can do some popular and traditional - but devastatingly wrong - things during those last four weeks which will harm your chances of having a good race. Or, you can bring all of your hard work together and advance your fitness to its highest-possible state in that final month. Which will it be?
When you decide what to do during those last key four weeks, it's important to remember that they represent an opportunity to recover from the hard marathon training which has gone before. This of course means you should usually do less training than normal during the final four-week period, giving your muscles a break from the rigours of relentless training and letting them synthesize the new enzymes and mitochondria which will make you a better runner. If you were to train very hard, your muscles would have to cope with the demands of the strenuous work and could not divert adequate energy into constructive processes
The four weeks before the marathon are actually one of those pleasant times when training more easily will make you fitter. To express it in traditional terms, they represent an appropriate tapering period for the marathon. The marathon requires a longer tapering programme than other races (one week is about right for a major 5K and 10 to 14 days are fine for a 10K), because marathon preparations usually produce more muscle damage (and thus create a greater need for repair), compared to shorter competitions
Although recovery is emphasized, the final month is also a time to finish uncompleted work. By the time runners reach their last four pre-marathon weeks, they should have completed training 'blocks' designed to optimize lactate threshold, VO2max, economy, strength, and power during the preceding months. However, it's possible that their hill training (for strength and economy) didn't go very well; if so, they can spend the first two weeks of the last month completing missed hill workouts or just shoring up strength with reasonable amounts of inclined running. If their lactate-threshold sessions were not completed successfully (because of weather, fatigue, pressures from work, or other reasons), they could fit several LT-advancing workouts into the first two weeks of the final month.
Now is the time for intensity
It's also clear that the basic foundation of the last month should be intensity, not volume. Running lots of miles and fitting in last-second long runs would further stress already wounded muscles. It's better to let muscle fibres recover by gradually reducing their weekly dose of impact forces. Although at first glance the principle of running intensely during a recovery period seems peculiar (why wouldn't rapid running also stress the muscles?), it works well for several reasons. First, research has demonstrated that intensity is a much more potent producer of fitness than mileage. Since you are trying to boost your fitness dramatically in the last month, intensity is the more attractive option
In addition, intensity produces a number of physiological adjustments which are very attractive to marathon runners. First, it expands blood volume to a greater extent than slower running; the increased blood volume ensures both better fuel and oxygen delivery to muscles during the marathon and a superior supply of blood to the skin for cooling - and also reduces the risk of dehydration. Intensity also enhances nervous-system coordination of the gait cycle, improving running economy and therefore lessening glycogen depletion during the marathon. In addition, intense running makes marathon pace feel much easier by comparison (while slow running makes marathon speed feel comparatively harder), a not inconsequential factor when one is faced with the daunting task of running more than 26 miles at a particular pace
How often to be intense
Bear in mind that this does not mean that one should be running very intensely every day. Although intense running, which we'll define as efforts which take place at 15K race speed or faster, should increase as a percentage of total weekly miles throughout the four-week period, the actual number of intense miles per week remains reasonable, to ensure recovery. Plus, not every workout can be intense, simply because there are other things to do in the last four weeks, the most notable being the continuation of the 'MP' work which was initiated during the main portion of marathon training
An MP (marathon-pace) workout involves warming up and then running from three to 12 miles at one's planned marathon pace. There are many reasons to complete such workouts (and to include them in the four-week, pre-marathon period): (1) they increase confidence that one can run comfortably at goal speed during the marathon, (2) they improve efficiency at marathon velocity, reducing the ravages of glycogen depletion on marathon day, and (3) they dramatically improve pacing sense, so that one can avoid the serious mistake of starting the marathon too fast and also avoid losing time by running too slowly between mile markers or splits. Twelve miles is usually the upper limit for these workouts, because running longer than that at marathon pace boosts muscle damage, increases the need for recovery time, and makes it difficult to complete intense workouts in effective fashion
In fact, during the final four weeks, the full-bore MP efforts should probably be limited to around eight to nine miles, and these should be carried out during the first two weeks of the final month only - not during the last two weeks before the race. The reason for this is that the eight- to nine-milers can be somewhat draining, and there are things which will better fine-tune fitness during the last two weeks. In effect, as the race draws closer and closer, the MP efforts become 'reminder' workouts, rather than dramatic fitness boosters. They remind the nervous system how to control the muscles efficiently at marathon pace, and they remind the conscious brain exactly how moderate and comfortable that pace feels. Most of the improvement in economy at marathon pace has already been made; the inclusion of the final MP sessions is just to maintain that economy, and not a lot of MP work is required for that
What NOT to do
Those are the general principles for the last four weeks before a marathon, and these precepts - recovery, intensity, MP running, and finishing uncompleted work - of course mean that there are lots of things that marathoners should not do during their final preparations. We have listed the key errors below. You may be surprised at the presence of certain elements in the list, because several of the goof-ups are very popular with marathon runners:
Big Mistake no. 1: carrying out yet another long run during the last four weeks. One of the most beloved marathon training experts, Jeff Galloway, recommends the completion of a 26- to 28-mile training run about two to three weeks before the actual marathon (Galloway's Book on Running, Shelter Publications, 1984). Indeed, most runners seem to try to fit in one last 20- to 22-miler within three weeks of the big day, and half-marathons and even 30-K events are scheduled three weeks or so before a marathon and are billed as 'marathon-preparation' races. The idea here seems to be that if you don't carry out a long run shortly before your marathon, your body will forget what to do, ie, it won't hold on to the endurance which is necessary to cover 26.2 miles at one crack
That's a very bad assumption. As long as you are training regularly, you can go many months between long runs - and yet still run 26 miles at a time without stopping. Your body doesn't 'forget' its ability to go long
Of course, many runners think they need to do the long run because it is 'so much like the marathon'. The truth is that the long run is not very much like the marathon at all. The long run usually occurs at a much lower intensity than the marathon itself - often a minute or more per mile slower. Expressed as a percentage of VO2max, the intensity of the long run is about 10 to 15 per cent lower than marathon intensity; in terms of heart rate, it is often about 15 beats per minute slower. So what does one actually accomplish with a long run? One simply reinforces the ability to amble along at a modest pace, not to race a marathon
The truth is that the 18- to 22-mile long run (and even the 28-mile effort, à la Galloway) is not a huge fitness raiser. Intensity is a much more potent producer of fitness than volume (miles), and the intensity of the long run is quite low. Completing four miles of hard work (at 5-K to 10-K intensity) is much better for your fitness than slogging through 20 miles. And, believe it or not, high fitness - not a high number of long runs - is the key factor which produces good marathon times
Long runs cause muscle damage
Don't forget, too, that the 18- to 28-mile long run has a strongly negative effect. It induces leg-muscle damage, and if the long run occurs within four weeks of the marathon date, this damage will not be healed in time for the race
We know about the lingering effects of long-run-induced damage because of the useful research carried out several years ago by investigators at the Harvard Medical School and Tufts University. That work demonstrated that after a very long run, runners' leg muscles were seriously incapacitated. Portions of some muscle cells had disappeared, other cells were swollen, blood vessels near the muscle cells were damaged, glycogen was absent, and mitochondria (tiny structures within muscle fibres which are absolutely necessary for aerobic energy production) had degenerated. It took about a month for the muscle fibres and their associated structures to get back on the job (in fact, the repairs weren't complete for 10 to 12 weeks), which tells us that fitting in a long run within the month before your marathon ensures that you won't run the race as well as you possibly can. It's pretty hard for muscles to work optimally when they are under construction, yet the long run, carried out within a month of the marathon, remains on a high, high pedestal, recommended often by the 'experts'
Big Mistake no. 2: completing a big interval workout within the last two weeks before the marathon. In his book, Galloway actually recommends completing 12 to 13 one-mile intervals at about 20 to 30 seconds per mile faster than marathon pace two weeks before the marathon. The rationale for such a workout is unclear, but the effects it would have on a runner are very evident. It would produce a significant amount of fatigue and muscle mayhem during a time period in which recovery was supposedly being emphasized. Occurring one week after the 26- to 28-mile run, as it does in Galloway's system,this workout is a disaster
That's not to say that interval sessions are a bad idea during the pre-marathon month. In fact, they have real value. The correct philosophy, however, is to do enough interval training to spur fitness - but not enough to retard recovery. 12 to 13 one-mile intervals won't spur recovery; they will zap your leg muscles. A much better interval workout would be 3 x 1 mile at 5K pace, 4 x 1200 at 5K pace, or 3 x 2000 at 10K pace. Longer intervals (1200s to 2000s) are preferred over shorter ones (200s to 800s), because one is focusing on sustaining good paces, not developing bursts of power over short distances. Research suggests that the utilization of 5K pace for the intervals carried out within a tapering period appears to promote the 'peaking' of fitness
Big Mistake no. 3: running a 10K race one week before the big day. Runners often do this, but they are seldom successful at running a sizzling 10K and then a fine marathon the following week. Often, if their marathon training has been going well, they will run a really good 10K, because their fitness level is high, but they will then have trouble with the marathon. The simple truth is that a hard 10K requires several days (perhaps four to six) of recovery, and you really don't want to do anything which requires lots of recovery during the final week of your pre-marathon tapering period. The optimal strategy is to foster recovery, not increase the need for it
While a 10K is forbidden one week before a marathon, a 5K is not such a bad idea. For one thing, the shorter race requires much less recovery, which is of course important. In addition, running a 5K can have a quick, dramatically positive impact on both VO2max and lactate threshold. Pushing those two key variables upward can only improve marathon performance
Things you should do
As we mentioned earlier, there are a number of things you should do during the last four weeks. You need to carry out a certain number of intense workouts. You need to obtain adequate recovery, which means less total miles. You need to maintain your efficiency and confidence at marathon pace. And of course, you should try to strengthen any weaknesses which have appeared in your preceding training
Of course, what you actually do during the four weeks does depend on what your previous training was like. Some runners come into the pre-marathon period with 20 full weeks of great preparation and have few worries for the last month. All they really need to do is to carry out two to three decent workouts per week, avoiding recovery-retarding long runs while focusing on a balance of MP, VO2max, lactate-threshold, and hill efforts. Others may have encountered problems during their training or may have been able to prepare for a considerably shorter period of time. In such a case, their final month will be quite a lot different
For example, a runner came to me in May this year asking for help with her preparations for the new San Diego Rock'n Roll Marathon, which was to be held on June 21. Her marathon PB was 3:37, and her 5K best was 20:30, but she was running the 5K in around 21:30 when she contacted me. Her key problem was that she had not had much time to get specifically ready for San Diego. Although she had been running about 40 to 50 miles per week in March and April and thus had been building a pretty decent base of mileage, she had done almost no running at all at marathon goal pace, nor had she focused specifically on optimizing lactate threshold, economy, or VO2max. To make matters more complicated, her schedule kept her from doing very much training at all during the first half of May. In fact, we were only able to begin working together on May 21 - just one month before race day. In such a short time, how could she properly prepare herself for the race?
In a situation like that, there's no sense in dreaming about running the ultimate marathon; rather, the focus should be on doing the things which can quickly improve marathon potential. I reasoned that she needed to build up her general strength, since enhanced strength would improve the fatigue resistance of her muscles, helping to compensate for her limited marathon preparations. Along the same lines, she also needed some workouts in which she would be forced to run hard in the face of mounting fatigue - the exact situation which would prevail on race day. And of course, she also needed a goal pace - and some experience running at that pace before she toed the San Diego starting line.
When you decide what to do during those last key four weeks, it's important to remember that they represent an opportunity to recover from the hard marathon training which has gone before. This of course means you should usually do less training than normal during the final four-week period, giving your muscles a break from the rigours of relentless training and letting them synthesize the new enzymes and mitochondria which will make you a better runner. If you were to train very hard, your muscles would have to cope with the demands of the strenuous work and could not divert adequate energy into constructive processes
The four weeks before the marathon are actually one of those pleasant times when training more easily will make you fitter. To express it in traditional terms, they represent an appropriate tapering period for the marathon. The marathon requires a longer tapering programme than other races (one week is about right for a major 5K and 10 to 14 days are fine for a 10K), because marathon preparations usually produce more muscle damage (and thus create a greater need for repair), compared to shorter competitions
Although recovery is emphasized, the final month is also a time to finish uncompleted work. By the time runners reach their last four pre-marathon weeks, they should have completed training 'blocks' designed to optimize lactate threshold, VO2max, economy, strength, and power during the preceding months. However, it's possible that their hill training (for strength and economy) didn't go very well; if so, they can spend the first two weeks of the last month completing missed hill workouts or just shoring up strength with reasonable amounts of inclined running. If their lactate-threshold sessions were not completed successfully (because of weather, fatigue, pressures from work, or other reasons), they could fit several LT-advancing workouts into the first two weeks of the final month.
Now is the time for intensity
It's also clear that the basic foundation of the last month should be intensity, not volume. Running lots of miles and fitting in last-second long runs would further stress already wounded muscles. It's better to let muscle fibres recover by gradually reducing their weekly dose of impact forces. Although at first glance the principle of running intensely during a recovery period seems peculiar (why wouldn't rapid running also stress the muscles?), it works well for several reasons. First, research has demonstrated that intensity is a much more potent producer of fitness than mileage. Since you are trying to boost your fitness dramatically in the last month, intensity is the more attractive option
In addition, intensity produces a number of physiological adjustments which are very attractive to marathon runners. First, it expands blood volume to a greater extent than slower running; the increased blood volume ensures both better fuel and oxygen delivery to muscles during the marathon and a superior supply of blood to the skin for cooling - and also reduces the risk of dehydration. Intensity also enhances nervous-system coordination of the gait cycle, improving running economy and therefore lessening glycogen depletion during the marathon. In addition, intense running makes marathon pace feel much easier by comparison (while slow running makes marathon speed feel comparatively harder), a not inconsequential factor when one is faced with the daunting task of running more than 26 miles at a particular pace
How often to be intense
Bear in mind that this does not mean that one should be running very intensely every day. Although intense running, which we'll define as efforts which take place at 15K race speed or faster, should increase as a percentage of total weekly miles throughout the four-week period, the actual number of intense miles per week remains reasonable, to ensure recovery. Plus, not every workout can be intense, simply because there are other things to do in the last four weeks, the most notable being the continuation of the 'MP' work which was initiated during the main portion of marathon training
An MP (marathon-pace) workout involves warming up and then running from three to 12 miles at one's planned marathon pace. There are many reasons to complete such workouts (and to include them in the four-week, pre-marathon period): (1) they increase confidence that one can run comfortably at goal speed during the marathon, (2) they improve efficiency at marathon velocity, reducing the ravages of glycogen depletion on marathon day, and (3) they dramatically improve pacing sense, so that one can avoid the serious mistake of starting the marathon too fast and also avoid losing time by running too slowly between mile markers or splits. Twelve miles is usually the upper limit for these workouts, because running longer than that at marathon pace boosts muscle damage, increases the need for recovery time, and makes it difficult to complete intense workouts in effective fashion
In fact, during the final four weeks, the full-bore MP efforts should probably be limited to around eight to nine miles, and these should be carried out during the first two weeks of the final month only - not during the last two weeks before the race. The reason for this is that the eight- to nine-milers can be somewhat draining, and there are things which will better fine-tune fitness during the last two weeks. In effect, as the race draws closer and closer, the MP efforts become 'reminder' workouts, rather than dramatic fitness boosters. They remind the nervous system how to control the muscles efficiently at marathon pace, and they remind the conscious brain exactly how moderate and comfortable that pace feels. Most of the improvement in economy at marathon pace has already been made; the inclusion of the final MP sessions is just to maintain that economy, and not a lot of MP work is required for that
What NOT to do
Those are the general principles for the last four weeks before a marathon, and these precepts - recovery, intensity, MP running, and finishing uncompleted work - of course mean that there are lots of things that marathoners should not do during their final preparations. We have listed the key errors below. You may be surprised at the presence of certain elements in the list, because several of the goof-ups are very popular with marathon runners:
Big Mistake no. 1: carrying out yet another long run during the last four weeks. One of the most beloved marathon training experts, Jeff Galloway, recommends the completion of a 26- to 28-mile training run about two to three weeks before the actual marathon (Galloway's Book on Running, Shelter Publications, 1984). Indeed, most runners seem to try to fit in one last 20- to 22-miler within three weeks of the big day, and half-marathons and even 30-K events are scheduled three weeks or so before a marathon and are billed as 'marathon-preparation' races. The idea here seems to be that if you don't carry out a long run shortly before your marathon, your body will forget what to do, ie, it won't hold on to the endurance which is necessary to cover 26.2 miles at one crack
That's a very bad assumption. As long as you are training regularly, you can go many months between long runs - and yet still run 26 miles at a time without stopping. Your body doesn't 'forget' its ability to go long
Of course, many runners think they need to do the long run because it is 'so much like the marathon'. The truth is that the long run is not very much like the marathon at all. The long run usually occurs at a much lower intensity than the marathon itself - often a minute or more per mile slower. Expressed as a percentage of VO2max, the intensity of the long run is about 10 to 15 per cent lower than marathon intensity; in terms of heart rate, it is often about 15 beats per minute slower. So what does one actually accomplish with a long run? One simply reinforces the ability to amble along at a modest pace, not to race a marathon
The truth is that the 18- to 22-mile long run (and even the 28-mile effort, à la Galloway) is not a huge fitness raiser. Intensity is a much more potent producer of fitness than volume (miles), and the intensity of the long run is quite low. Completing four miles of hard work (at 5-K to 10-K intensity) is much better for your fitness than slogging through 20 miles. And, believe it or not, high fitness - not a high number of long runs - is the key factor which produces good marathon times
Long runs cause muscle damage
Don't forget, too, that the 18- to 28-mile long run has a strongly negative effect. It induces leg-muscle damage, and if the long run occurs within four weeks of the marathon date, this damage will not be healed in time for the race
We know about the lingering effects of long-run-induced damage because of the useful research carried out several years ago by investigators at the Harvard Medical School and Tufts University. That work demonstrated that after a very long run, runners' leg muscles were seriously incapacitated. Portions of some muscle cells had disappeared, other cells were swollen, blood vessels near the muscle cells were damaged, glycogen was absent, and mitochondria (tiny structures within muscle fibres which are absolutely necessary for aerobic energy production) had degenerated. It took about a month for the muscle fibres and their associated structures to get back on the job (in fact, the repairs weren't complete for 10 to 12 weeks), which tells us that fitting in a long run within the month before your marathon ensures that you won't run the race as well as you possibly can. It's pretty hard for muscles to work optimally when they are under construction, yet the long run, carried out within a month of the marathon, remains on a high, high pedestal, recommended often by the 'experts'
Big Mistake no. 2: completing a big interval workout within the last two weeks before the marathon. In his book, Galloway actually recommends completing 12 to 13 one-mile intervals at about 20 to 30 seconds per mile faster than marathon pace two weeks before the marathon. The rationale for such a workout is unclear, but the effects it would have on a runner are very evident. It would produce a significant amount of fatigue and muscle mayhem during a time period in which recovery was supposedly being emphasized. Occurring one week after the 26- to 28-mile run, as it does in Galloway's system,this workout is a disaster
That's not to say that interval sessions are a bad idea during the pre-marathon month. In fact, they have real value. The correct philosophy, however, is to do enough interval training to spur fitness - but not enough to retard recovery. 12 to 13 one-mile intervals won't spur recovery; they will zap your leg muscles. A much better interval workout would be 3 x 1 mile at 5K pace, 4 x 1200 at 5K pace, or 3 x 2000 at 10K pace. Longer intervals (1200s to 2000s) are preferred over shorter ones (200s to 800s), because one is focusing on sustaining good paces, not developing bursts of power over short distances. Research suggests that the utilization of 5K pace for the intervals carried out within a tapering period appears to promote the 'peaking' of fitness
Big Mistake no. 3: running a 10K race one week before the big day. Runners often do this, but they are seldom successful at running a sizzling 10K and then a fine marathon the following week. Often, if their marathon training has been going well, they will run a really good 10K, because their fitness level is high, but they will then have trouble with the marathon. The simple truth is that a hard 10K requires several days (perhaps four to six) of recovery, and you really don't want to do anything which requires lots of recovery during the final week of your pre-marathon tapering period. The optimal strategy is to foster recovery, not increase the need for it
While a 10K is forbidden one week before a marathon, a 5K is not such a bad idea. For one thing, the shorter race requires much less recovery, which is of course important. In addition, running a 5K can have a quick, dramatically positive impact on both VO2max and lactate threshold. Pushing those two key variables upward can only improve marathon performance
Things you should do
As we mentioned earlier, there are a number of things you should do during the last four weeks. You need to carry out a certain number of intense workouts. You need to obtain adequate recovery, which means less total miles. You need to maintain your efficiency and confidence at marathon pace. And of course, you should try to strengthen any weaknesses which have appeared in your preceding training
Of course, what you actually do during the four weeks does depend on what your previous training was like. Some runners come into the pre-marathon period with 20 full weeks of great preparation and have few worries for the last month. All they really need to do is to carry out two to three decent workouts per week, avoiding recovery-retarding long runs while focusing on a balance of MP, VO2max, lactate-threshold, and hill efforts. Others may have encountered problems during their training or may have been able to prepare for a considerably shorter period of time. In such a case, their final month will be quite a lot different
For example, a runner came to me in May this year asking for help with her preparations for the new San Diego Rock'n Roll Marathon, which was to be held on June 21. Her marathon PB was 3:37, and her 5K best was 20:30, but she was running the 5K in around 21:30 when she contacted me. Her key problem was that she had not had much time to get specifically ready for San Diego. Although she had been running about 40 to 50 miles per week in March and April and thus had been building a pretty decent base of mileage, she had done almost no running at all at marathon goal pace, nor had she focused specifically on optimizing lactate threshold, economy, or VO2max. To make matters more complicated, her schedule kept her from doing very much training at all during the first half of May. In fact, we were only able to begin working together on May 21 - just one month before race day. In such a short time, how could she properly prepare herself for the race?
In a situation like that, there's no sense in dreaming about running the ultimate marathon; rather, the focus should be on doing the things which can quickly improve marathon potential. I reasoned that she needed to build up her general strength, since enhanced strength would improve the fatigue resistance of her muscles, helping to compensate for her limited marathon preparations. Along the same lines, she also needed some workouts in which she would be forced to run hard in the face of mounting fatigue - the exact situation which would prevail on race day. And of course, she also needed a goal pace - and some experience running at that pace before she toed the San Diego starting line.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Jumble Sale @ Plaza Damas (27th of May, Sunday)
Dear Raleigh-ians and friends,
CK and I are organising a Jumble Sale to fundraise for our upcoming (which is happening very very soon!) expedition Raleigh International Sabah Summer 07 Programme. Here are the details:
When?!
Date : 27th of May 2007 (Sunday)
Time : 10.30am - 10.00 pm
Venue : Plaza Damas, Sri Hartamas (flea market area)
Contacts : Kar Lye - 012 201 8829 or CK - 012 385 2051
What?!
Second Hand Items are needed...
We intend to sell good second hand items. We are looking for several hand-down items which we think most of you will have kept[or somehow forgotten! :)] somewhere deep in your storeroom, backyard, living room or even your own room.
1. Electrical appliances i.e iron, table lamp, blender, alarm clock, basically anything that works when the power supply is passed through...
2. Kitchen ware i.e plate, punchbowl, hangers, cookie jar, un-used pots, pans, cutleries...
3. Sports items i.e tennis/badminton/squash/ping pong racquet, basketball, netball, volleyball, soccer ball, hockey stick, dumbbells, swimming goggles, bicycle, once again any sports equipments that are still in considerably o-kay and sell-able condition...
4. Others i.e photo frames, cute-looking, antique accessories, perfumes, bedding items, toiletries (unused of course!), souvenirs from people who went round the world (and somehow... you don't want to use it for some reasons....) and lots more others miscellaneous items...wall calendars, clocks... must I say basically anything and everything under the sun? :P
5. Food i.e yessss, we will be selling food, and we need people to contribute edible food ;). If there's anyone out there who can bake some good-tasting cookies, cakes, cupcake... sweet stuff, or make a punch out of a mixture of drinks... based on your creativity and of course, with one condition, -no food poisoning case shall be reported- :)
We are collecting toys, clothes, books as well, but please do us a favour, just spend 2 seconds of your time, rating if the item can actually be sold off and then only pass it on to us. Thanks!
*PS: If anybody has any kind of contacts with shops that can give us a consignment deal, it will be 101.25% appreciated. Please direct this shop owners to us. Or even better still if there are any companies out there who are willing to donate any items to us.
Currently I have secured a consignment deal for this pretty-looking crystal ball for decoration, if anyone wants to catch a good deal, please drop by as well.
Who?!
Volunteers are needed...
Transport
Cars to collect the donated items from various donors before the
event AND from our collection place to Plaza Damas on Saturday. Further details will be sent out as soon as possible regarding the collection point.
Man-Power
We'll need lots of help! This includes the selling of the items on Sunday (27th of May), the actual one-day only jumble sale fair! I have heard a fair amount of Raleigh-style business tactics, I'm sure with *YOUR* help, we will be able to sell more and hopefully EVERYTHING! :)
Another section of the "who?!"....
CK and I are volunteering ourselves by spending 10-weeks of our lives embarking on a Sabah expedition which will begin on the 4th of July -11th of September. Our target will be RM3500 each, which will be supporting the whole 3 months that we are going to be in Sabah. For the next one month or so, both of us will be profusely looking for any kind of help that can lead us to more funds...
Finally,
How?!
Please call/text us if you would like us to pick the junks up anytime from the time when this e-mail is being read. It would be better if you guys happen to be around our area, and can drop the items to our respective homes which are in Sentul and Brickfields (KL Sentral) area.
Lastly... (First there was a "finally", but this is for real...)
I'm sorry for the very late notice, but I really hope to get as much out of this Jumble Sale. Please please please help in anyway you can, we will be so grateful and will be assisting the future Raleigh fund-raisers. That's a promise. Please try to reach us in whatever way you can, we will answer phone calls, reply text messages as well as e-mails. By the way, my e-mail address is karlye22@gmail.com and CK's ckleong@hotmail.it. A big huge thanks to ALL who will be contributing their time and items.
Cheers!
Kind regards,
Kar Lye - 012 201 8829
CK - 012 385 2051
CK and I are organising a Jumble Sale to fundraise for our upcoming (which is happening very very soon!) expedition Raleigh International Sabah Summer 07 Programme. Here are the details:
When?!
Date : 27th of May 2007 (Sunday)
Time : 10.30am - 10.00 pm
Venue : Plaza Damas, Sri Hartamas (flea market area)
Contacts : Kar Lye - 012 201 8829 or CK - 012 385 2051
What?!
Second Hand Items are needed...
We intend to sell good second hand items. We are looking for several hand-down items which we think most of you will have kept[or somehow forgotten! :)] somewhere deep in your storeroom, backyard, living room or even your own room.
1. Electrical appliances i.e iron, table lamp, blender, alarm clock, basically anything that works when the power supply is passed through...
2. Kitchen ware i.e plate, punchbowl, hangers, cookie jar, un-used pots, pans, cutleries...
3. Sports items i.e tennis/badminton/squash/ping pong racquet, basketball, netball, volleyball, soccer ball, hockey stick, dumbbells, swimming goggles, bicycle, once again any sports equipments that are still in considerably o-kay and sell-able condition...
4. Others i.e photo frames, cute-looking, antique accessories, perfumes, bedding items, toiletries (unused of course!), souvenirs from people who went round the world (and somehow... you don't want to use it for some reasons....) and lots more others miscellaneous items...wall calendars, clocks... must I say basically anything and everything under the sun? :P
5. Food i.e yessss, we will be selling food, and we need people to contribute edible food ;). If there's anyone out there who can bake some good-tasting cookies, cakes, cupcake... sweet stuff, or make a punch out of a mixture of drinks... based on your creativity and of course, with one condition, -no food poisoning case shall be reported- :)
We are collecting toys, clothes, books as well, but please do us a favour, just spend 2 seconds of your time, rating if the item can actually be sold off and then only pass it on to us. Thanks!
*PS: If anybody has any kind of contacts with shops that can give us a consignment deal, it will be 101.25% appreciated. Please direct this shop owners to us. Or even better still if there are any companies out there who are willing to donate any items to us.
Currently I have secured a consignment deal for this pretty-looking crystal ball for decoration, if anyone wants to catch a good deal, please drop by as well.
Who?!
Volunteers are needed...
Transport
Cars to collect the donated items from various donors before the
event AND from our collection place to Plaza Damas on Saturday. Further details will be sent out as soon as possible regarding the collection point.
Man-Power
We'll need lots of help! This includes the selling of the items on Sunday (27th of May), the actual one-day only jumble sale fair! I have heard a fair amount of Raleigh-style business tactics, I'm sure with *YOUR* help, we will be able to sell more and hopefully EVERYTHING! :)
Another section of the "who?!"....
CK and I are volunteering ourselves by spending 10-weeks of our lives embarking on a Sabah expedition which will begin on the 4th of July -11th of September. Our target will be RM3500 each, which will be supporting the whole 3 months that we are going to be in Sabah. For the next one month or so, both of us will be profusely looking for any kind of help that can lead us to more funds...
Finally,
How?!
Please call/text us if you would like us to pick the junks up anytime from the time when this e-mail is being read. It would be better if you guys happen to be around our area, and can drop the items to our respective homes which are in Sentul and Brickfields (KL Sentral) area.
Lastly... (First there was a "finally", but this is for real...)
I'm sorry for the very late notice, but I really hope to get as much out of this Jumble Sale. Please please please help in anyway you can, we will be so grateful and will be assisting the future Raleigh fund-raisers. That's a promise. Please try to reach us in whatever way you can, we will answer phone calls, reply text messages as well as e-mails. By the way, my e-mail address is karlye22@gmail.com and CK's ckleong@hotmail.it. A big huge thanks to ALL who will be contributing their time and items.
Cheers!
Kind regards,
Kar Lye - 012 201 8829
CK - 012 385 2051
List of Sponsors
| 1. | Shirleen | 17. | Siong Koon&Zhi Yong |
| 2. | Yi Ying | 18. | 厚汶 |
| 3. | 巧儿 | 19. | Yuinnee |
| 4. | Ken Ken | 20. | 明倪 |
| 5. | 志雄&Mutu | 21. | 宇杰 |
| 6. | 雁珊&凯翔 | 22. | 章利-RM10 |
| 7. | 第47届学长团常委会 | 23. | 慧风 |
| 8. | 宝琼&佩琪 | 24. | 亦雯&亦宁 |
| 9. | 永康&劲文 | 25. | 秋燕-RM10 |
| 10. | 俊溢&镇扬 | 26. | 薇霓 |
| 11. | Hamyu | 27. | 韶雯&悦雯 |
| 12. | HLmilk | 28. | 欣霓 |
| 13. | Wai Yee (cousin) | 29. | 健勤-RM10 |
| 14. | 美婷陈 | 30. | Fan Chong |
| 15. | 奕颖 | 31. | 燕观 |
| 16. | 惠文 | 32. | Xin Tong |
| 33. | Zhen Yu | ||
| 34. | Hui Ling | ||
| 35. | 洁钧 |
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Only RM20 to support me and the community!
Dear Raleigh-ians and friends,
Hi! I am CK from Raleigh International Kuala Lumpur (RIKL). I need your support for my participation in the upcoming Raleigh International Sabah Summer 07 Programme, a 10 weeks expedition constists of three distinct project phases - sustainable community and environmental projects plus an adventure phase which held from 4th July till 11th September 2007. To embark on the meaningful expedition, I have to fundraise approximately RM 3, 500, which covers my expedition cost, flight, equipment and vaccination.
I will be participating in the Penang Bridge International Marathon 2007 which will be held on 24th of June.
Hi! I am CK from Raleigh International Kuala Lumpur (RIKL). I need your support for my participation in the upcoming Raleigh International Sabah Summer 07 Programme, a 10 weeks expedition constists of three distinct project phases - sustainable community and environmental projects plus an adventure phase which held from 4th July till 11th September 2007. To embark on the meaningful expedition, I have to fundraise approximately RM 3, 500, which covers my expedition cost, flight, equipment and vaccination.
I will be participating in the Penang Bridge International Marathon 2007 which will be held on 24th of June.
The challenge Complete the Full Marathon covering a distance of
42.195 km in 6 hours or less.
How can you help? Sponsor RM20 to challenge me to achieve my goal.
Payments can be made to: (before 24th of June)
ME (Cash)
OR
*Beneficiary Name : Pertubuhan Raleigh International Kuala Lumpur
Name of Beneficiary Bank : RHB Bank Berhad
Account Number : 2 1413 8000 2653 6
What if I fail? I will donate my blood every 3 months in the next two years.
Your generous contribution is highly appreciated. I will strive my best to help the less-fortunate in Sabah. Please do not hesitate to contact me shall you require further information.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Leong Chen Kang
H/P : 012-385 2051
Email: ckleong@hotmail.it
http://cksabah07.blogspot.com/
*Please do fax the bank in slip to me at 03-40455126 if you have made the payment.
Monday, May 21, 2007
What will I be doing?
Community Development
Kindergarten Construction – Kg Paus, Ranau District
Kg Paus is a small community on the Kegibangan River mid way between Telupid and Ranau who have been exposed to a Raleigh team previously. In early 2006 a project team spent 3 weeks within the community helping to repair a gravity water feed system, ensuring a steady supply of fresh water into the village. This was such a successful project it was decided to try and go back into the community in the future. Currently there is a primary school within the village but no pre-school arrangements – these are very ad hoc and hence do not provide under 6 year olds with the best start to their education. It has therefore been proposed to build a small pre-school building for the community and working with PACOS Trust (a grass roots community based charity) to help the village to organize themselves to train and sustain at least one if not two teachers for the school. PACOS Trust’s aim is to assist remote indigenous communities to improve their quality of life, help with land rites issues and encourage a continuation of traditional culture and ways of life.
The community survive by subsistence farming and some rubber tapping to earn a small income. The team will live in the small community hall within the centre of the community and will be fully immersed in the Kadazan Dusun way of life. This will involve traditional dancing and teams will have the opportunity to see and experience life in a rural village at first hand. The project is being sponsored by Nestle who Raleigh have worked with extensively before, building several other pre-school buildings around Sabah.
School Hostel Construction – Kg Togudon, Penampang District
Kg Togudon is an extremely small kampung on the edge of the Crocker Range National Park, on the main KK to Tambunan road. Due to the mountainous conditions the houses are spread out and mean the community is very dispersed. The community has a well established primary school which caters to approximately 70 young children. Many of these children come from distant houses/villages some as many as 8 hours walk away within the Crocker Range. Hence these children stay within the community itself during the week so they can study at school. During busy times of the year prior to the national examinations the school uses the classrooms themselves as temporary accommodation to house the flood of local children.
PACOS Trust are a local grass roots charity who work with remote communities across Sabah to increase the standard of living, provide basic health and education facilities as well as assisting with land rites and capacity building. PACOS have been working with the community of Togudon for several years building a school canteen and storage shed for the school. Raleigh International has worked with PACOS Trust for 4 years in Sabah, building a number of school kindergartens and community facilities.
The local community through the Parent and Teachers Association approached PACOS for assistance with building a school hostel in order to house between 30 and 40 outside students. PACOS then approached Raleigh International for assistance in late 2006. The aim of the project is to construct a small brick hostel for the school. The hostel will consist of 2 large bed rooms (male and female), a canteen and dining room as well as toilets and showers. Initial plans have been drawn up and a site next to the school identified.
Environment Projects
Danum Valley – Bridge and Camp Construction
Danum Valley is a highly protected world-renowned conservation and research area famous for its rich biodiversity and abundant wildlife. The 438 sq. km. Danum Valley Conservation Area provides facilities for research, education and wilderness recreation in one of the Sabah's last strongholds of undisturbed lowland rainforest.
Sited beside the Segama River, the Research Centre is located 81 km west of Lahad Datu and more than 20 km from any other habitation - a truly remote setting. Research efforts have revealed a tremendous variety of plants and the full range of Sabah's lowland fauna, including such rare and endangered species as the Sumatran rhino, banteng (tembadau), elephant, clouded leopard, orangutan and proboscis monkey. Birdlife is equally varied with some 275 species recorded to date in the area.
The project group will help complete the construction of a hanging suspension bridge started by a Raleigh team in late 2005. The purpose of the bridge is to increase access into the conservation area for scientists in order that they can carry out further research. The site is approximately 1 hours trek from the Danum Valley Field Centre and the group will live in a minimal impact jungle camp close to the work site. The other main project there is to build a satellite camp site near the bridge in order to allow scientists to base themselves there whilst conducting research. This will mean that they will be able explore deeper and longer into the area. This will also involve developing further the trail network on both sides of the bridge. Additionally, the project team will assist international scientists with various conservation projects and receive rainforest education in this amazing jungle setting.
Imbak Canyon – Trail & Infrastructure Development
Imbak Canyon is the last remaining untouched and relatively unexplored area of Sabah. Less than 200 people have ever entered this virgin primary jungle area while the last research team discovered a new tree species. The region is home to wildlife including elephants, orangutans and 100’s of rare bird species. Yayasan Sabah (the concessionary) now wants to reserve this area as a natural gene bank to help protect future biodiversity of the whole region and has asked Raleigh International to play a major role in the development of this area.
In early 2004, a Raleigh International project team worked closely with the staff of Yayasan Sabah to plan the location and type of necessary infrastructure needed to protect and allow access to the pristine protected area of Imbak Canyon. The first stage included mapping the area to determine points of interest, possible trail networks, sources of water and best locations for a field centre. The second expedition to Imbak in late 2004 started putting in place basic infrastructure including a Ranger’s camp, visitors’ accommodation and basic trails. This is the first permanent structure built as part of the master development plan for this conservation area. The infrastructure has been gradually expanded by a number of Raleigh teams during the two expeditions in 2005. In addition a new trail as been recce’d along the ridges and into the centre of the canyon by groups during expedition 05G in late 2005.
The next phase of this exciting project is to further expand the infrastructure including finishing the field centre complex, developing the newly recce’d trails into the canyon for researchers and upgrading existing tracks to a waterfall and jungle camp. In addition one of the key priorities identified was the need for a bridge crossing the Imbak River to the entrance of the conservation area. In the dry season this river can easily be crossed by foot. However, during the rainy season the river often becomes swollen cutting off access to the conservation area. This would be approximately a 200ft span hanging suspension bridge to be constructed from scratch. This bridge will enable scientists to access the canyon for research purposes as well as enabling a gravity feed water system to be fed across the river into the field centre.
Adventure Projects
Trekking and Diving
The trekking element of this project will see teams trekking in the south western corner of Sabah on the Kalimantan and Sarawak border starting from the small village of Long Pasia. The trek will be 10 – 11 days in duration and will involve teams carrying all their own supplies and equipment for the duration. Long Pasia is a very remote area and is steeped in tradition and folk lore. The surrounding jungle has been under threat for many years from logging and the community has suffered from a gradual decline in numbers as young people move away from the area. In order to halt this decline and re-establish the community as well as help protect the surrounding environment, WWF worked closely with the community to develop an eco tourism plan. This has been going for several years but is starting to decline as new areas are opened up in Sabah. The area is one of the richest plant diversity sites in Borneo in particular for orchids, rhododendrons and pitcher plants. In addition the people of the area have an interesting history as fierce head hunters. There are many ancient legends passed down through the generations which make this a fascinating place to spend some time as well as being thick and untouched jungle.
The trekking will be across arduous and physically challenging terrain, which will often mean they are extremely remote and will need them to be fully self sufficient. Teams will camp wild near the trail, ensuring they have a minimal impact on the local surroundings which will include leaving nothing behind. Where necessary teams will assist local guides to upgrade the trail through the dense vegetation since the jungle very quickly grows back across trails. Teams will obviously have the opportunity to learn about the pristine rainforest environment as they progress. They will then trek the second highest peak in Sabah, Mount Trusmadi.
All adventure groups will be involved in a SCUBA diving conservation program in Tungku Abdul Rahman Marine Park in partnership with Borneo Divers and Sabah Parks. The team will spend 3 to 4 days doing their PADI Open Water diving qualification followed by 1 to 2 days of an underwater clean up, where they will collect litter and other waste from selected areas of the marine park. During this time they will live on their very own paradise island from where the diving is carried out.
Kindergarten Construction – Kg Paus, Ranau District
Kg Paus is a small community on the Kegibangan River mid way between Telupid and Ranau who have been exposed to a Raleigh team previously. In early 2006 a project team spent 3 weeks within the community helping to repair a gravity water feed system, ensuring a steady supply of fresh water into the village. This was such a successful project it was decided to try and go back into the community in the future. Currently there is a primary school within the village but no pre-school arrangements – these are very ad hoc and hence do not provide under 6 year olds with the best start to their education. It has therefore been proposed to build a small pre-school building for the community and working with PACOS Trust (a grass roots community based charity) to help the village to organize themselves to train and sustain at least one if not two teachers for the school. PACOS Trust’s aim is to assist remote indigenous communities to improve their quality of life, help with land rites issues and encourage a continuation of traditional culture and ways of life.
The community survive by subsistence farming and some rubber tapping to earn a small income. The team will live in the small community hall within the centre of the community and will be fully immersed in the Kadazan Dusun way of life. This will involve traditional dancing and teams will have the opportunity to see and experience life in a rural village at first hand. The project is being sponsored by Nestle who Raleigh have worked with extensively before, building several other pre-school buildings around Sabah.
School Hostel Construction – Kg Togudon, Penampang District
Kg Togudon is an extremely small kampung on the edge of the Crocker Range National Park, on the main KK to Tambunan road. Due to the mountainous conditions the houses are spread out and mean the community is very dispersed. The community has a well established primary school which caters to approximately 70 young children. Many of these children come from distant houses/villages some as many as 8 hours walk away within the Crocker Range. Hence these children stay within the community itself during the week so they can study at school. During busy times of the year prior to the national examinations the school uses the classrooms themselves as temporary accommodation to house the flood of local children.
PACOS Trust are a local grass roots charity who work with remote communities across Sabah to increase the standard of living, provide basic health and education facilities as well as assisting with land rites and capacity building. PACOS have been working with the community of Togudon for several years building a school canteen and storage shed for the school. Raleigh International has worked with PACOS Trust for 4 years in Sabah, building a number of school kindergartens and community facilities.
The local community through the Parent and Teachers Association approached PACOS for assistance with building a school hostel in order to house between 30 and 40 outside students. PACOS then approached Raleigh International for assistance in late 2006. The aim of the project is to construct a small brick hostel for the school. The hostel will consist of 2 large bed rooms (male and female), a canteen and dining room as well as toilets and showers. Initial plans have been drawn up and a site next to the school identified.
Environment Projects
Danum Valley – Bridge and Camp Construction
Danum Valley is a highly protected world-renowned conservation and research area famous for its rich biodiversity and abundant wildlife. The 438 sq. km. Danum Valley Conservation Area provides facilities for research, education and wilderness recreation in one of the Sabah's last strongholds of undisturbed lowland rainforest.
Sited beside the Segama River, the Research Centre is located 81 km west of Lahad Datu and more than 20 km from any other habitation - a truly remote setting. Research efforts have revealed a tremendous variety of plants and the full range of Sabah's lowland fauna, including such rare and endangered species as the Sumatran rhino, banteng (tembadau), elephant, clouded leopard, orangutan and proboscis monkey. Birdlife is equally varied with some 275 species recorded to date in the area.
The project group will help complete the construction of a hanging suspension bridge started by a Raleigh team in late 2005. The purpose of the bridge is to increase access into the conservation area for scientists in order that they can carry out further research. The site is approximately 1 hours trek from the Danum Valley Field Centre and the group will live in a minimal impact jungle camp close to the work site. The other main project there is to build a satellite camp site near the bridge in order to allow scientists to base themselves there whilst conducting research. This will mean that they will be able explore deeper and longer into the area. This will also involve developing further the trail network on both sides of the bridge. Additionally, the project team will assist international scientists with various conservation projects and receive rainforest education in this amazing jungle setting.
Imbak Canyon – Trail & Infrastructure Development
Imbak Canyon is the last remaining untouched and relatively unexplored area of Sabah. Less than 200 people have ever entered this virgin primary jungle area while the last research team discovered a new tree species. The region is home to wildlife including elephants, orangutans and 100’s of rare bird species. Yayasan Sabah (the concessionary) now wants to reserve this area as a natural gene bank to help protect future biodiversity of the whole region and has asked Raleigh International to play a major role in the development of this area.
In early 2004, a Raleigh International project team worked closely with the staff of Yayasan Sabah to plan the location and type of necessary infrastructure needed to protect and allow access to the pristine protected area of Imbak Canyon. The first stage included mapping the area to determine points of interest, possible trail networks, sources of water and best locations for a field centre. The second expedition to Imbak in late 2004 started putting in place basic infrastructure including a Ranger’s camp, visitors’ accommodation and basic trails. This is the first permanent structure built as part of the master development plan for this conservation area. The infrastructure has been gradually expanded by a number of Raleigh teams during the two expeditions in 2005. In addition a new trail as been recce’d along the ridges and into the centre of the canyon by groups during expedition 05G in late 2005.
The next phase of this exciting project is to further expand the infrastructure including finishing the field centre complex, developing the newly recce’d trails into the canyon for researchers and upgrading existing tracks to a waterfall and jungle camp. In addition one of the key priorities identified was the need for a bridge crossing the Imbak River to the entrance of the conservation area. In the dry season this river can easily be crossed by foot. However, during the rainy season the river often becomes swollen cutting off access to the conservation area. This would be approximately a 200ft span hanging suspension bridge to be constructed from scratch. This bridge will enable scientists to access the canyon for research purposes as well as enabling a gravity feed water system to be fed across the river into the field centre.
Adventure Projects
Trekking and Diving
The trekking element of this project will see teams trekking in the south western corner of Sabah on the Kalimantan and Sarawak border starting from the small village of Long Pasia. The trek will be 10 – 11 days in duration and will involve teams carrying all their own supplies and equipment for the duration. Long Pasia is a very remote area and is steeped in tradition and folk lore. The surrounding jungle has been under threat for many years from logging and the community has suffered from a gradual decline in numbers as young people move away from the area. In order to halt this decline and re-establish the community as well as help protect the surrounding environment, WWF worked closely with the community to develop an eco tourism plan. This has been going for several years but is starting to decline as new areas are opened up in Sabah. The area is one of the richest plant diversity sites in Borneo in particular for orchids, rhododendrons and pitcher plants. In addition the people of the area have an interesting history as fierce head hunters. There are many ancient legends passed down through the generations which make this a fascinating place to spend some time as well as being thick and untouched jungle.
The trekking will be across arduous and physically challenging terrain, which will often mean they are extremely remote and will need them to be fully self sufficient. Teams will camp wild near the trail, ensuring they have a minimal impact on the local surroundings which will include leaving nothing behind. Where necessary teams will assist local guides to upgrade the trail through the dense vegetation since the jungle very quickly grows back across trails. Teams will obviously have the opportunity to learn about the pristine rainforest environment as they progress. They will then trek the second highest peak in Sabah, Mount Trusmadi.
All adventure groups will be involved in a SCUBA diving conservation program in Tungku Abdul Rahman Marine Park in partnership with Borneo Divers and Sabah Parks. The team will spend 3 to 4 days doing their PADI Open Water diving qualification followed by 1 to 2 days of an underwater clean up, where they will collect litter and other waste from selected areas of the marine park. During this time they will live on their very own paradise island from where the diving is carried out.
Why I want to join the Raleigh International Programme?
I would like to engage more in youth development and personal growth activities. This is because it encourages me to undertake innovative community activities to raise funding to contribute to the costs of my participation. Through Raleigh International Programme, I hope to develop skills such as teamwork, leadership, adaptability and communication. Besides, I would also like to contribute to the society by helping the local communities. Raleigh International Programme also helps me to develop enterprising behaviour and employment-related skills for the future.
Fundraising for Raleigh International Sabah Summer 07 Programme
Raleigh International is a UK-based youth development charity, which inspires people from all backgrounds and nationalities to discover their full potential by working together on challenging adventure, environmental and community projects around the world. Each year, over a thousand young people from all over the world volunteers on meaningful community, environmental and adventure projects run by Raleigh International. Expedition countries include Ghana, Costa Rica & Nicaragua, Chile and Malaysia. Anyone between the ages of 17-25 can apply for a Raleigh International Expedition.
Environmental Phrase
Adventure Phrase
Community Phrase
Your generous support and contribution will advance towards the important community work that I am working to realize. I appreciate your understanding and support in my coming fundraising projects.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require further information at the following numbers - CK at 012-385 2051 OR 03-4045 5126.
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