Sick People on the bus

On the bus to work this morning, I had a terrible time. A guy seated behind me was sniffing, sneezing and coughing all the way to KL He sounded really sick. Every time, he coughed, I could smell the cigarette vapours coming out of his mouth.

One of the problems travelling by bus or any public transport vehicles is I cannot choose who sits beside or near me. One time, there was a drunk guy sitting behind me. I coould smell the alcohol from his breath. That was tolerable until he started to make groaning noises, followed by perioidic spitting on the floor. Worse to come was when he threw up a few minutes later. The smell of his vomit (curry + sour + alcohol) was too much. Luckily there was an empty seat so I was able to move away.

This morning I am more concerned than normal as my right knee had suddenly recovered overnight. Maybe there is a still a slim chance I would be able to run in the KL International Marathon this Sunday. I certainly don't want to fall sick from a cold and coughs 4 days before the race.

Sunday : 26 Feb 2006 - KLIM Update

Despite my knee injury, I have not been idle or stopped exercising. There were some days that I wished I could run normally but I tried to run shorter distances. Since Sunday, 19 February 2005 I have run 3 times:-

Wednesday : 5 km at KLCC park. Right knee was sore after 3 km. Afterwards was slightly sore.

Friday : 5 km at KLCC park. Ran with Newton. R. knee was sore from the beginning but I kept running until I finished 5 km.

Sunday : At the Klang stadium. Only managed to walk for 3 km. R. knee was sore and stiff even while walking. Tried to run for 600m.

KL Internatonal Marathon on 5th March 2006? There is no way I will be able to run 42km or even 7 km (Fun run).

What is my Knee Injury?

These two websites ; Website One and website 2 give a good description of a knee meniscus injury. I tore my right knee meniscus on 21 April 2002. The MRI scan in 2002 showed the tears were in three areas :-

1. At the posterior (back) horn of the lateral meniscus (outer leg). Grade 3 tear i.e. goes through the top and bottom surface of the meniscus.
   
2. At the posterior (back again!) medial (inside leg) meniscus. Grade 2 tear i.e. inside the structure but does not go through the surface.
   
3. At the horn (tip) of the lateral meniscus ;degenerative type tear i.e. fraying or tear in all directions.

The symptoms actually appeared on 21 April 2002 whenI was running on a treadmill at the 8 km mark. I experienced an unstable knee and could not bear normal body weight on the right knee.

The actual injury may have occurred one a half years before (Nov 2000) when I twisted my right knee while descending Mount Kinabalu. In fact to this day, I could still recall the sharp pain and my inability to move for several minutes.

One week later, I was OK but I did not realised there was aready damage to my right knee meniscus. The only symptom I experienced was recorded in my training log book in April 2001 where I wrote "sore right knee". That is until 21 April 2002.

I should explain that most meniscus tears are almost impossible to heal by itself. The reason is 80% of the meniscus (inner area) has no blood vesssels. The outer periphery area (20%) has some blood vessels. Only infants have blood vessels in 100% of the meniscus area and by 10 years old, 30% of the meniscus has no blood vessels.

This website gives the repair options for the meniscus.

This website has a forum about knee meniscus problems -it also has a real photo of a knee meniscus. For runners, please check out the Runners World forum.

Injury Update

My right knee suddenly became better on Saturday morning. Both the stiffness and soreness I experienced were gone. I guess the inflamation and acsumulated fluid are gone.

I did try to run on Sunday evening but my right knee became sore a few minutes after I started running. I think i only managed to run for 2 km before giving up. It was sore about 1 hours afterwards.

This morning, my knee was OK but as of 12.oo pm, it became unstable. It looks I won't be able to run again this week. I've only run 30 km over the past 2 weeks.

The KL International marathon is only 2 weeks away. I am still hoping I will recover to run it. If not, I have to sit it out from the sidelines.

KLIM - Last Race and End of Running for me?

Now my right knee is sore when I am walking or standing up. Even after limiting my runs to two times in the past 10 days, it is still sore. This has never happened over the past four years. Normally I don't get a sore knee doing normal day to day activity like walking.

As of today, the chances of me running in the KL International Marathon is quite slim. It is only two weeks to KLIM and I am hoping within that period, I will be at least be OK to start the race. Whether I am going t0 have knee problems at which distance during the race is uncertain. (But I think it is inevitable).

I have given a lot of thought on whether to continue running after KLIM. Balancing my enjoyment of running and doing races versus being able to do normal day-to-day activities without a painful knee is leaning me towards ending my running activities.

KLIM could be the last race I ever run. I will take a break from running after KLIM . It may be several weeks of rest (minimum two weeks) or it may be longer, perhaps several months. Or in the worse case scenario, I have to stop running altogether.

I won't be updating this blog until shortly before KLIM; I won't be running in the next 2 weeks.

What I did on 15 May 2001

I will be posting some entries from my running logbook. This post is for 15 May 2001 (almost 5 years ago). Note: I (re)started running in July 1999.

Tuesday
Easy run - 48 minutes 49 seconds.
Ran with the Chinese guy wearing (name ?) who wears a singlet + shorts.
Relaxed running at 7 min per lap pace.
Weather : Sunny, Distance : 9.1 km, Weekly Total = 29.1 km

This entry certainly brings back a lot of memories to me.

The chinese guy whom I did not know his name at that time is Yong, now my long run partner.

Those days, a 7 min per lap run around KLCC park (1.3 km per lap) was a relaxed pace for me.

Five years later, how things have changed for the worse running wise. Nowadays a relaxed run around KLCC park is 8 minutes per lap. Of course in 2001, I did not have the knee injury that I've had since 2002. I was five years younger too :-)

I miss those early days when I could stil enjoy running and free of injury.

I will post more entries from my running log this week.

Sunday's Long Run

Things are getting serious at Bukit Aman with the KL International Marathon only 3 weeks away. There were fewer jokes flying around and everyone running today meant business.

My planned experiment on where to pin the Powergels did not happen. Last night I pinned the gels but this morning I discovered the gel was leaking from the pin holes. Scratched experiment#1.

Experiment #2 also did not pan out. Yong thought we running quite fast. We were; we reached the Petronas petrol station at Sri Hartamas in 59 minutes. We did not stop immediately but continued further down, running uphill behind a playground and back to the petrol station to run another 1 km.

A few minutes rest, a drink of Gatorade and we started to run back to Bukit Aman. This time, Jamie was running with us. The return trip was just as fast as first 10km. Just 2 km away from Bukit Aman 1(1 hr 46 minutes) ; I got into problems; #1 = wanted to shit badly, #2 = left groin was hurting and #3=left knee was also painful. I had to stop running and walked the rest of the way to Bukit Aman.

Reached Bukit Aman in 2 hrs 06 minutes. I certainly hope that not all of the 3 problems will occur simultaneously during the marathon.

Next Sunday will be my final long run (30 km) before tapering.

This Sunday's Long Run

I ran yesterday for just 5.2 km. Afterwards my right knee was sore but today it is much better. I may be able to do a long run this Sunday. Among the things I want to try this Sunday :-

• How to carry the Powergels during the marathon? I plan to pin them on the running vest and shorts. Will try it this Sunday.
  
• My pacing plan for the race is 1 hr 05 min per 10 km. Will try it too this Sunday.
  
• Test the conditions of my legs; right knee (injured) and left hip (maybe still injured).

I haven't decided yet whether to run 20 or 30 km for this Sunday.

Taxed : Part 3, the Conclusion

Yesterday I send to FEDEX , my version of the HS code classification. Today I found out that Customs has rejected my classifications. As it now stands (final decision, no appeal), I owe Malaysian custom RM 784 in import duties and sales tax. FYI the value of good ex USA is RM 2600 and the shipping costs was RM 320. The duty and tax amounts to 30% of the value of goods.

I instructed FEDEX to clear the goods through customs. I really have no choice really. What pisses me off is in 1999, I bought some running gear back in 1999 but was not tax then and for the stuff I bought now, I have to pay taxes.

As for the my future purchases from the Internet/overseas which are potentially taxeable, I have to use alternative methods to avoid the import duty and sales tax. For those who are planning to buy things overseas and bring them in by ship or air and the duties & taxes exceed RM 500, this is how it should be done:

Method One

1. Ship it to Singapore which has ZERO import duties. Most companies allow the purchaser a different billing (credit card) and shipping address. Use your friends address in Singapore.
   
   
2. Goods delivered to friend. Friend informs you.
   
   
3. Take a bus to Singapore (cheapest bus ticket is RM 30) - 5 hrs journey. Bring an almost empty suitcase(s) or bag(s) preferably only one (1) large suitcase/bag.
   
   
4. Pick up goods from friend. Belanja him or her for saving you lots of $$$$.
   
   
5. Remove all price labels, packaging and throw away the price list, invoice etc.
   
   
6. Take a bus back to Malaysia. Do this during peak hours (6 to 8 pm) to cross the Causeway to minimise chances of customs checking the bag.

Method Two
Malaysian customs regulations allow RM 500 to be brought in free of import duty by an air courier company like FEDEX, US Post etc via recognised international airports including KLIA. But there is a catch here (there is always one!) to watch out, the RM 500 is assessed on C.I.F. (Cargo Insurance Freight). This means the shipping cost and insurance fee are included in the RM 500. The CIF basis practically limits how much you can buy from overseas without being exposed to the import duties.

Limestone hills rises among the rice fields 

Tam Coc, Northen Vietnam: Limestone Hills 

Going through the 3 caves on the Perfume River 

Perfume River Tam Coc, Northern Vietnam : Fisherman 

Sunday's Run - Only ran 6 km

Despite planning to run 30km at Bukit Aman today, I couldn't make it. Over the past one week, I had an inflammed (swollen) right knee. So far, this week's mileage has been very low; 6km (29 minutes) on Tuesday and Wednesday at Lumut. After these 2 runs my knee injury became worse so I had to stop running for 2 days. So to my regret I had to skip today's long run.

Surprisingly when I ran with Jimmy and Phang this evening in Klang, I had no problems with my knee. We did 6km in 31 min 30 seconds. The inflammation and pain is now gone. It is strange indeed that when I run, my knee seems to get better rather than worse.

I plan to do two more long runs; 30km (12 Feb.) and 20 km (19 Feb.). These will be the last two long runs I will do before tapering for the marathon.

Read Azwar's and Jamie's reports on their long runs today. Wish I could have been there.

Run for Terence and Taxed Part 2

This morning I joined the Run for Terence event at KLCC park. I estimated about 30 runnners/triathletes turned up. There was no specific distance, time and nor were there any medals to win. We were just there to show our support for Terence@Penguin-6. At 8.00 am we started to run. I ran at easy pace for a mere 3 laps as my right knee has been sore over the past one week (not a good sign for KLIM - hopefully it will be better next week). We signed a get well card and contributed a small amount of money for Terence.

After dispersing at about 9.15 am and while I was having breakfast with Fitri, Tank and another guy, a FEDEX rep. called me and told me the tax I have to pay have increased from RM482 to....... RM800!. This is almost 30% of the value of items ex. USA. She had faxed the tax forms to the office but I told her I could only see the forms on Monday. Even without seeing the form, I knew that every item had a levy of 20% import duty and 5-10% sales tax. This was too much!.

I am dissapointed that the customs clearance company (Udara Express Courier Services) have not made a serious attempt to classify the items so as to minimise the taxes. I had to do the job myself. So this afternoon, I sat down and went through the Malaysian Harmonised System (HS) code and classified the items .

For example, the winter running jacket I bought can be either classified as a jacket (30% combined import duty & sales tax) or as "Men's or boys' overcoats, car coats, capes, cloaks, anoraks (including ski jackets), wind cheaters, wind jackets and similar articles, knitted or crocheted, other than those of heading 61.03." The latter classification has 0% import tax and 10% sales tax.

I have finished the classification and will send it to FEDEX on Monday. Hopefully customs will accept my classification and I will pay less tax on the items.

TAXED!

I just got word from Fedex the running gear for winter conditions that I ordered from REI (USA) has arrived. That was the good news.

The bad news is I have to pay import duty and sales tax on all of the items. The clearance agent has classified them under things like T-shirt and pants which attracts a 20% import duty and 10% sales tax. Strictly speaking they are those things but there is another set of classification that do not attract any or have reduced import duties and sales tax.

You could take a shot and try to classify them under the Sports classification especially for items which are subject to intepretation and discretion by customs. You may have to prove that the high tech Coolmax running vest you bought will be worn when you run 20 or 30 km every Sunday morning. Perhaps this is where the finisher certificates for example, the KL International or Singapore Marathon that you sweated through may be put to good use.

As for me, I will be contributing RM 478.02 to the goverment tomorrow. It was too late for me to try to reclassify the items under sports item.

Blog Update - Chinese New Year Happenings

I just came back from Lumut this afternoon. My fear of facing a a heavy road traffic did not materialize at all. I used the old trunk road from Lumut to Klang via Sabak Bernam. This road has been upgraded into 2 lanes for about 100 km out of the 190 km distance from Lumut to Klang. This is not a 3 lane highway. The speed limit is 90 khm/hr/ although there were many who drove as though they were on a highway; going at 110 km/hr or more. I mostly drove at 100 km/hr.

I managed to visit Kuala Gula to see the swamp and see some birds. This place is a stopover for migratory birds. However I did not see many birds around;I saw through a binocular about 2 dozen white colour storks, one eagle and a brief appearance of smaller whiter feathered birds. Perhaps it was because of the time (1.30 pm) and heat. Or maybe it was the declining number of mangrove area.

The entire area was full of palm oil trees. One palm oil plantation owned by Guthrie was at least 12 km long as measured by my car tachometer. I think it is at least 5 km in width giving an area of 60 km square. This is just one plantation among many. I really think there are too much land is used for palm oil plantation in Malaysia. The result is a lost of habitat for animals and plants and a reduction of bio diversity. Then there is the damaging effects of pesticide, herbicide and fertiliser run offs into water sources in a much diminished forest often located adjacent to the plantation.

I also went to Taiping and can only report of my failure to get the tickets for the landrover ride up Larut Hill. I think it was my 4th failed attempt to get a ticket over the past 2 years.

I did manage to run twice in the four days I spent in Lumut. On both occassions, I ran for about 6 km. Lumut is actually a good place to run although there are no large public parks. There are numerous routes on the roads with many hilly sections. During public holidays, it gets very crowded in Lumut with people and vehilcles but I found two routes which is free of both factors.