Yes, we did get a face lift! Thanks to Lenney Leong for adding in the soothing music by Yiruma to our blog. Also our banner is shot by Adi Sufian, the awesome photographer/teacher we met at the Metta Charity Run. Oh, and did I mention he is a marathon runner and used to be a PTI, together with super agent Moon too before?
Yes, the complete package.
This is my personal favourite photo.
Team SBR (Crazy Poses)
I just received the certificate for the Metta Charity Run this afternoon as I was on my way back home.
After an awesome 4 day retreat in KL with my mates, I came back today. Had lots of fun, and my waistline might have gained a couple of inches too I guess. But its ok, there's nothing a good dose of pavement pounding can't solve.
The hotel we stayed in had a state-of-the-art gymnasium, on the first day I ran for about 15 minutes at a 12km/h pace and 5 minutes at a 13km/h pace. The second morning, I ran for 10 minutes at a 13.5km/h pace, followed by some static core strengthening exercises, and finished off with 5 minutes at 14km/h. It was a killer pace, the music played over the stereos kept me going, and the stunning views too. You could look at the same landscape for a 100 times and still be amused. We spent a lot of time in the pool, doing what we like to call 'play water.'(I don't know how to swim) Unless, you accept an unsynchronised series of motions, with the occasional dramatic gasp for air which I like to call the doggy-style. ;-)
The best children's movie I ever watched, great morals!
I had a great time during the trip and I can't wait to visit KL again on the 23rd for the SCKLM Half Marathon, but before that Lenney and I will be Going Bananas this Sunday, we will be volunteering for Ben's ultra fun filled no frills relay run. And then next week we'll have a 5 Day Outward Bound Singapore Course in Pulau Ubin too.
So after a fun-filled trip, it's now back to reality!
I couldn't find a song more apt for this.. Also, check out the background story to this song, pretty inspiring stuff from Sean!
The weekend is just one day away, hang in there world!
Yes, on the morning of 3rd June, we ran for Nur's New Heart in the most densely populated area of pavement pounders in Singapore. At about 8am, a small group of us, equipped with 'Golden Tickets' began our run from Carpark E2 at East Coast Park.
The small group with a big heart
Just before we started our run, Steven and Ramlan Ishak joined us. Steven is a very speedy runner I have met from IMD, usually kill myself trying to pace him. But he slowed down his pace by a lot to run and walk with us on that day, all for Nur. Thanks Steven!
We started off at a slow and easy pace towards Bedok Jetty, along the way took many stops to talk to families and other people to share about what we were running for. Many people recognized Nur, probably due to the increased media exposure she got recently, and they were very interested in helping her. We gave away the golden tickets along the run too, we ran into Bedok Jetty also, as there were many people there. Along the way, we met a familiar friend, Ultrawomen Charlotte Teoh who was doing her LSDs there too. Charlotte has a very fun no frills running event coming up soon, it's called the Bunny Run. SBR, Ford Lim and many other running celebrities will be joining in the fun too. You can find out more about it here.
The Golden Ticket
Then, we turned back towards Area C, we only covered the areas of East Coast Park where the most people were as to maximize the outreach. As I was running, someone took a sharp U-Turn and ran along side me. Looking to my right, I saw See Too! Was very happy to be running alongside him once again, he did every good job and had fun at Sundown recently. He is a very good friend to run with. He thought we were starting at Carpark B2, but when he found out we were starting at E2, he started running towards the Food Center, in the hopes that we were running towards Fort Road, and we were. :-)
So we went ahead, and spoke to families, walkers, and people who were curious about the golden tickets.
After reaching Area C, we went into reverse gear and made our way back to the hut in front of Carpark E2 as we were running out of the slips too.
While we were running, the fantastic four of Ezan, Arafat, Min Paing and Valerie were also giving out flyers near the Food Center, alongside with the banner, informing the public that as they were speaking, a group of runners were running for her. Thanks for your great help volunteers!
We ended of the run with smiles all around, and a great satisfaction in our hearts that we helped Nur and had great fun in the process too.
Lenney with the banner. We have to constantly remind Lenney that his teeth won't fall out if he smiles!
After the run, the adults were having great laughs and banter, See Too was introduced to new friends too. See Too also shared with Arafat about his Atkin's Diet. The four students including myself, plunged into the sea straight away.
We ended off a good run, with a good meal, at SBR's lobang makan house: Changi Airport Terminal 1 Canteen. All of us ate to our heart's content.
On that day, there were many other ongoing projects for Nur too, including a full concert in Bishan Park! Things seemed to be going in the right direction in the fundraising effort for Nur, and piece of very special news awaited us the following day which concerned Nur. I will share this great piece of News for you in my next post!
This is a very urgent and important post, please pay close attention. It will only take a few minutes of your valuable time.
Yestrday morning, at 10.30am, Shariff Abdullah (Singapore Blade Runner) accompanied by his team, visited a very special girl by the name of Adlea Ry'Kyla Muhammad Ghazali at KK Women's and Children's Hospital. Nur, as she is affectionately known as, is a four year old girl who has myocarditis - a rare heart condition. As a result, her kidneys have deteriorated and she has a bloated abdomen, which presses against other organs, causing breathlessness, severe pain and fever. News about Nur has been spreading through the internet like wildfire, but the donations don't seem to reflect the number of likes or shares. When Shariff Abduallah first came to know about this, he felt a deep connection to Nur's condition as his daughter suffers from a similar condition. He wants to do something more, as he understands the amount of pain that Nur and her mother, Norleen, are going through. He contacted his team, in hope to translate all of the support for Nur into action.
Shariff and his team approached Norleen, Nur's mother, to seek permission to hold a fund and awareness rasing run for Nur. We were only allowed to look at the beautiful young girl from behind a glass window as visitors might cause her to panic. As her mother walked towards the door to speak to us, she started screaming and reaching out her hand, crying out for her mother as she sensed that she was leaving her side. The mother, spoke to us, altough she managed to still muster up a smile on her face, the pain she was going through was clearly evdient.
Arafat Aziz, Shariff's Manager, explained to Norleen the purpose of the run and the fact that within the running community in Singapore, they have a big heart for Norleen, so it would be a good idea to do something more for little Nur, as a stong and united Singapore Running Community. Norleen was very grateful, she wished us all the best and thanked us profusely. In fact, she's the real hero, as a mother to stay by Nur's side and going through the painful journey with her. So, the team thanked Norleen, the team walked out of KKH with a purpose.
Is there still light at the end of the tunnel, yes there is. But this light, it is in our hands. The only hope for Nur, is a new heart. But there is no heart transplant programme for children as young as Nur in Singapore. So she has to go overseas for a heart transplant, and that comes with a hefty pricetag. According to Mdm Norleen, the doctors at KKH said that there is almost "no-hope" for Little Nur to survive. They said she has less than a month to live. Time is running out fast, it's time to act right now. Her life, is in our hands.
What Team SBR Plans to do:
We want to unite runners from all over the little red dot, we may be different in pace, style, appareal, but one thing that unites all runners alike is their heart of gold. Let us all run for a cause.
This Sunday (03/06/2012) at Angsana Green, East Coast Park, we will run for a reason, we will run for a new heart. We will be covering a distance of 10km, as a group. We want to show Norleen and Nur, that they are not alone, they will never be alone. Everyone of us are with them, through this journey. We just have to believe, and take action, and god willing Nur will get back up again.
At East Coast Park as the group is running, we need a team of youths, to give out flyers to spread the word about Nur. Please do step forward and contribute a few hours of your time, you might be the reason that Nur lives to see another day. Interested Volunteers please contact Ariffin Sha at 90908905
This is the link to the Facebook Event Page of the run: http://www.facebook.com/events/127731540697208/
TO MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTION:
If you would like to use online payment system (debit/credit cards -- visa/mastercard/amex/discover) please go here >http://littlenurheartfund.chipin.com/
If you prefer to use bank to bank transfer (ibanking) or cash deposits, please deposit your donation to >
POSB SAVINGS: 247-587-853(This is a joint account of Nur's parents for the purpose of collecting public's monies for Little Nur's Heart Fund. The same account is being used to collect monies from other charity bodies/organizations/individual donors).
For cheque can be mailed to :NORLEEN BINTE OSMAN. Blk 406, Ang Mo kio Ave 10. #10-727 Spore (560406).
For donation by hand : KKH WOMENS AND CHILDRENS HOSPITAL. WARD 65 BED 2.
Here is the latest update on the status of the online donation drive..
Allow me to explain some of the reasons behind this run.
1) Why this Sunday? Isn't it too much of a rush? Time is not on our side, it is running out very fast. It's now or never. Altough the run is this Sunday, the online donations will be open till 8 June. The other methods of donations will still be open after that date. The $200,000 stated in the online donation website is just a small fraction of the total amount needed for the Heart Transplant.
2) Why 10km? Originally we planned to do a special 4-hour endurance challenge, but then we decided not to. The reason was simple, this is not about one man's struggle, altough we might not be able to ever understand what Nur was going through, we have got to let Nur and Norleen know that they are not alone, they will never be alone in this fight. It's about all of us coming together to let Nur have a new heart.
Let me paint a picture for you, the more people run (donate), the shorter the distance become. One lonely person's stuggle will be changed into millions doing a small part to help this beautiful young lady.
Come on guys, we both know clicking the like button and then ignoring this post isn't going to change anything. Please, let's put our negligance aside and act now. What if it happens to one of our own family members? We might never know. Whether Nur survives or not, we will do our absolute best, the rest is in God's hands. I do not know if we will succeed or not, but we will do our best. It's the least we can do as a runner and a fellow member of the muslim community.
Share this to every single soul you know, tag everyone, spread the word fast, the clock is ticking.
You can donate, or run with us this Sunday too, if you are a non-runner help out in giving out the flyers.
Thank you so much for reading this, miracles are just a translation of hardwork. Let's all make a miracle happen.
