Sunset Charity Run / Walk Completed!

When I commented on my new running shoes last week I had certainly not a notion that by next week I would have completed my first race! I said farewell to Kuching and the Hilton and  finally returned back to my house in Tuaran and my army of little geckos on Friday. On Saturday I wandered over to have a chat with my lovely neighbour Sophia, who was getting ready to go into KK for the 7 km charity race in Sutera Harbour. "Come along too" she coaxed "I'll check to see if you can register there."  and so she did and off I went in my denim shorts, a scuffy t-shirt and my new shoes.

Sophia and Sylvia 

  The Sutera Harbour is a posh hotel and apparently has been organising this huge charity run for several years now and this year over 10,000 people registered. There were people of all ages from babies to old and it was very much a family event. Some of you may be surprised at the number of "runners" in Sabah but around KK it is very popular and there are more and more gyms, tracks and pressure to lead a more healthy life-style. Anyway, I registered and got my t-shirt and at 5.30 pm we all set off in a mass crowd. Of course there are always those who have to prove themselves and run ahead but most of us just jogged and walked and amazingly I went through the finish in about 45 minutes not feeling too tired or feeling I had done too much damage to myself.

  After we had all gone through the finishing line there was a carnival atmosphere with zumba dancing and then lots of singers and artists keeping us all entertained in the undercover area. Food was for sale and just as I was finishing my delicious chicken and rice, a television crew came and asked me if I would mind being interviewed about the race! Well, after checking my name, a very beautiful interviewer asked me "So Fiona from Ireland,  what made you want to run this race?" and I replied with some very pathetic answer about coming along with my friends, praying that no one will ever see the clip as with sweaty hair and greasy lips, I certainly looked my worst!  .

Sunset and the finish