OUR PRO-BONO FOR ALL NATIONAL ATHLETES IN ANY CATEGORY

If health can be measured as a utility such as money, what should we do when we are a millionaire? I mean, we work hard because we want to be wealthy and when we are, we want to be debt-free, we want to buy a new bungalow as a home, a brand new Aston Martin as a mean of transportation and/or maybe we want to go for a long holiday etc... but have we ever thought, what we want to do when with a good bill of health?!! Maybe you do but most people do not until they lost or almost lost their health.

Luxury is something we do not appreciate until we lose it. If we were never accustomed to luxury, we can live without any maid, driver, a house with swimming pool, without a big cars etc..  but once we have lived with all that and suddenly, for some reason we lost our job, our income and we have to do everything ourselves, we may just jump off the building or struggle to get by etc. Similarly, we will not feel the lost of a good health until we are diagnosed with some terminal cancer.

On that pre-text, if health can be measured in term of money, everyone now is already a millionaire because almost everyone are just so healthy and perfect (measured without any cancer which in a monetary term is similar to a bankrupt). Some people can still live being a bankrupt and some live a slow death.

So being a millionaire in health term.. what do you want to do? Honestly, this is one question only you can answer. Me..? I have done everything from being bed-ridden sicken with cancer to running marathons, cycling, dualthons, triathlon, mountain hiking, mountain climbing, open water swim, getting married (twice), being a father, work at bank, became a property developer, manufacturer for automotive parts, vendor in automotive and airlines, involved in oil concessions, advisors to listed co, automotive dealerships, work with government, elected into various NGOs etc etc etc... Time is too precious to be wasted with a good bill of health.
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SPEED POWER TAEKWONDO COMPETITION- AARAF'S FIRST MATCH FOR 2013

Speed Power Taekwondo Malaysia (WTF) organised the 2nd Speed Power Taekwondo Championship at the Dewan Serbaguna, Seksyen 7, Kota Damansara on 17 March 2013. Aaraf together with his mate Ng Jian Chao participated under their new taekwondo academy under Master Elaine Teo Shueh Fhern.

We arrived early before 8am as requested for an event that was scheduled to start at 9am but the competition did not start until it was almost at 10am. It was a small competition with approximately 300 competitors but lack of coordination ended the event late at almost 7pm.

Aaraf, 10 years old being abit too healthy, competed under the heavy weight category for the age group 10 to 13 years old and being heavy, Aaraf had to always compete with those way older than him. As a result, he took a heavy beating the moment the competition began. However, we are proud that he fought back and did not give up and stayed on the whole match.

 Aaraf in blue vest..

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH MASTER ELAINE TEO SHUEH FHERN - D'SMART TAEKWONDO TRAINING

When I was first introduced to Elaine Teo Shuen Fhern, by my partner at the Chief's Original Bootcamp Penang, Cheah Boon Chong aka Sarge (COBC) Boon, I was a little doubtful. However, the good words by Cheah Boon Choong whom was also a former national athlete Gold Medalist for Karate had immediately given me the assurance. These people were selected into the national team because there were the best and the experience gained in all the competition representing Malaysia is an achievement beyond any qualification and recognition.

Elaine Teo Shueh Fhern was born on 5 February 1981 and was the first Taekwondo exponent in Malaysia to qualify TWICE for the Olympic Games in 2004 and 2008 and was awarded the National Sportswomen of the year by the Malaysia Ministry of Youth and Sports. The single but married to her passion for Taekwondo had represented Malaysia for 12 years from 1999 to 2011 and had participated in the Commonwealth Games, Olympic, World Cup Taekwondo, SEA Games, World Taekwondo Championship and various other championships, tournaments and competitions. 

Born and trained to be a champion and the best, Elaine spend most of her available time acquiring and mastering the art of sparring and spend a month in a year, every year for the past 12 years in Korea to learn from world best Masters in Taekwondo.

The born fighter was also a taekwondo instructor for the Armed Forces Academy Malaysia and was our National Taekwondo team Captain, National Sports Council Malaysia for 7 years before she retires from 2004 to 2011. A women and an instructor with high integrity, passion and enthusiasm for Taekwondo envisioned herself churning more and better fighter for Malaysia. 

She together with another former national athlete, Nurul Nadia binti Mahamat whom also competed in Commonwealth Games and various other competitions had recently set-up their own Taekwondo Centre in Taman Tun Dr Ismail called, D'Smart Taekwondo Training. For once, we did not have to force Aaraf Armin, 10 years old, pom2 to go for his Taekwondo training, he just love the new place. Both Elaine and Nadia are great at handling children too.

SASUKE & MILLIONS OF YOUTH GATHERING AT THE NATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2012 / HARI BELIA 2012

Hari Belia 2012 (or National Youth Day 2012) was held to honor the contribution of the youth to the country's development & unity and for the second year, Sasuke Malaysia obstacle was the most outstanding and a unique but perfected the stretch of the spectacular Putrajaya Boulevard. Sasuke that was franchised back to Malaysia by duo Zainariah Johari and Alex Cheah Yoke Loong is a 17 years old Japanese television series that was also franchised to USA, Singapore and other countries. The Sasuke was brought in last year to address  Generation Y and the decreasing interest in the main stream traditional sports. Sasuke is expected to be the new in-sports in the region when Sasuke Singapore is launched in a few days in June 2012!!!  This year was a bit unique, the Sasuke obstacle was open to the public for only RM5 for 2 trials. This is an offer that is simply too irresistable!! 

The Sasuke was open to the public from Wednesday 23rd to Saturday 26th May and the real competition was held on 27 May 2012 which was on Sunday. The MC for the event was Mohd Khairul Nizam Wahab (Nizam) and Zamratul Hanim Zainuddin (Zara hanim). Nizam look a lot like the Raja Lawak Champion, Nabil that many from the crowd were cheering and calling him Nabil, Nabil and photo-shoot him! On the 4th day of the event, two youth from the crowd wanted to be the MC and they did!! which make it alot more fun!!

This year too was memorable when two Deputy Ministers namely YB Dato Ahmad Razali and YB Senator Gan Ping Sieu attempted the Sasuke obstacle twice. Their sportsmanship was greatly admired. There is no better leader for the youth than to be with a man that is both people and grass root friendly.

Similar to last year, a platoon of more than 30 recruits from the Chief's Original Bootcamp (COBC) attended the Hari Belia 2012 in support of the new sport.

MBW TAEKWONDO FESTIVAL 2011 (SPARRING & POOMSAE CHAMPIONSHIP)

Kepong, 13 November 2011. Wong Siew Pang or more popularly known as Master Ben Wong (MBW) organised its first and biggest Taekwondo festival this year with three main event being contested under Sparring, Poomse and Destruction (breaking planks with fancy moves). There were three age divisions under sparring competition with age group category for 7 to 9 years old, 10 to 13 years old and 14 to 18 years old. This first Taekwondo festival had attracted more than 300 students.

There were 10 students of various categories competed under the DDF Taekwondo Academy whose President, Master Daing or full name Daing Daniel Fitri is also the highest ranking instructor at the Australian base, 20 years old military-inspired group outdoor training program, CHIEF'S ORIGINAL BOOTCAMP. Daing Daniel Fitri or more popularly known as Staff-Sarge (COBC) (P) Dann by the COBC fraternity was the protege of Master Ben Wong and was Malaysia former Gold Medalist for Taekwondo. Master Ben Wong is a 7th Dan Black Belt and one of the 8 Taekwondo Grandmaster in Malaysia. At his prime, Master Ben Wong was World Top 3 best Taekwondo fighter and was nicknamed the Malaysia Tiger. Master Ben Wong was also a former coach for Malaysia Taekwondo team.

Extreme activities

31st May 2008, 84km Ultra Marathon.... madness but i was very excited to run my longest marathon. not that i have done so many 42km marathon that i felt so confident that i can finish this marathon but i was more excited to push myself beyond my limit. i have thus far ran 3 full marathons. My first marathon was last year @ Salisbury, London but even that was not a real marathon. The Salisbury marathon was a trail marathon. It was a run across 5 rivers, 4 hills, 3 large countryside estates, 2 castle and 1 cathedral. Stupendous scenery and view... I ran together with Abu Lais and Nawal Aini but we got lost in the hills and enjoyed the beautiful scenery that it took us 10 hours to complete the run.. Yes recorded as DNF and everybody, even the marshals were gone by the time we reached the finishing line. The second 42km marathon was the Standard Chartered Marathon in Singapore... somehow my buddy Abu decide to run everywhere in the world beside Malaysia. I completed the Singapore 42km standard chartered Marathon in a gruelling 7 hour and 36 mins. somehow, no matter how much i plan my training, i will end up not train for any competition. it was never really a competition against anybody except for my own timing.

Having run in London and Singapore last year, this year i decided to run the Ambank Kuala Lumpur International Marathon that was held on 30 March and again, i lacked the training. Meetings and work schedule always hinder my training programme but since i have made my commitment, i ran the marathon and forced myself all the way to complete it in 5 hours and 46 mins. that was my best time so far.

on 31 May, i attempted the Adidas Sundown 84km ultra marathon. As usual, meetings after meetings and the endless work at office held me back from early travel to Singapore. i had my Singaporean friend Jackson Liew to collect my race number earlier and so that i can leave later on the 31 May morning. the run starts at 830pm and i should have ample time to travel.

I packed my travelling items and slept at midnight to start my journey to Singapore and woke up early at 5am. We left KL at 7am, after a few stops to eat along the PLUS highway and getting stucked at the causeway, we finally reached my friend's office in Singapore at 1pm to collect my race number and the race kit. There were 8 of us in my group but only me and my personal trainer Suhaimi that is crazy enough to attempt the 84km run. Abu Lais and Nawal Aini did the 42km and my sister Rose along with her 3 friends did the 10.5km relay. All of us were in FASFIK red runners vest.


After a good carbo lunch, i waited impatiently for the race to start. When the gun went off sharp at 830pm, enthusiastically i start running. everybody ran pass me but i was keeping cool and trying hard not to panic. my target was only to complete the race irrespective of the time taken. On the first 5km my polar watch happily display my heart rate at 155 or 83% max HR with a speed of 8.2. I remember reading in most running magazine that i should keep my heart rate below 60% if i am on a long distance run. if i want to run at 60% max HR, i will have to run at the speed of 6. so i decided to run at a HR of 150bpm. Yes, i am not as fit as most athlete. A good athlete would be pacing at speed 10-12 with a 65% max HR.

this is my first night run. i did not know what to expect. it was very dark and be it not for the volunteers from the local school girls that kept the direction and mood by cheering us up at every 5km, i would have been lost. i looked forward to running without the heat of the sun but never anticipated the exhaustion of not sleeping. I only had less than 5 hours sleep the night before the race and yes.. this run provides me a new insight into the real definition of 'sleepy'. i was yawning all the way after the 30th km.

when i complete the first loop of 42km, at the 'special needs' camp, i ate 2 bananas, a pack of power gel, and almost a bottle of mineral water... (runners beware..) i should have packed some sandwich and perhaps a hot coffee but i did not. After taking in all 'carbo' in less than 5 minutes, i continue to immediately run to avoid any time wastage. a few hundred meter later, i vormited everything i ate and drink. goodness. my stomach rejected everything i ate. i did think of turning back but i since i promise myself i will not give up easily, i quickly put myself together and began to slowly walk and back to running.

i ran feeling my head so heavy and my body was so stiff. i thought i was about to faint or drop dead when i could not see nor remember where i was running to and almost run into a lamp post.... then i realize i was falling asleep. i cannot described in word how it felt but the feeling is a mixture of half fainting and abit like stroke when i cannot open both eye.. or it felt like only one eye is open. but when i stopped and look around and felt my body feeling numb.. i realize i was really falling asleep and did not have any stroke or heart attack. falling asleep while running.. never knew it was possible.

I kept myself awake and keep running slowly again maintaining my pace at 150% max HR until i met Wei Kee on the 46km who was limping and walking slowly. we both decided to walk instead of running. we met Ailing a few metres in front who cannot stop expressing her disappointment in her timing for the first 42km loop. she expect to complete the whole 84km in less than 10 hours.. oh god! i was merely wanting to be a finisher even if it takes 20 hours.

10 hours since we started our run at 830pm, we reached the water station 4. it was at the 54km of the route. The wind was heavy signalling it was about to rain and at the speed we were walking, if we continue to the finishing line, our expected time to complete will be at 2pm!!! and everybody would have left the base. all our belongings are still at the special needs counter and will be kept at the organiser's office after 11 am. We can only collect it the day after. i have to leave back to KL the same day, Ailing had to work tomorrow and Wei Kee had all his wallet, bus pass and house keys in the bag... or at least these were the reason to abandon the race. After much deliberation and when we are pleased with all the justification, we approached the volunteers at the drink station and ask how to abandon the race. the girl said, we can wait with them for their pick up bus anytime now. It rain heavily and one of the volunteers gave us a black garbage bag as a shelter from the rain. we were too cold and decided to get into the garbage bag instead of just covering our head with the bag. the garbage bag was big enough to cover from head to knee. we poke a small hole for us to see and breath. Ailing happily said the garbage bag worked wonders to also shelter her from the shame of abandoning the race. but to think of it now, we were too exhausted and mega-sleepy that there is no way for us to even walk an extra metre.

We took the bus and reached the starting/finishing point at 730am almost 11 hours from the start time. i was soaking wet from the rain and half awake but have to FASFIK myself to travel back to KL. I have an important meeting on Monday and will have to leave back to KL today. in short, we drive to Singapore on Saturday at 7am, reached Singapore at 1pm. went to the race start/finishing to view the place visited the special needs camp. Carbo load and got ready for the race. start race at 830pm. abandon at 6am on Sunday. reached finishing line at 730am. Shower and freshen up. drove back to KL and reached KL at 7pm. Extreme crazy, extreme experience and extreme fun..... i love it.