Smile

The beautiful sunrise taken from the school Photos by Jason Lee:

I’m writing this as a report of my second experience in assisting this run. Firstly I would give a brief background about this run so that you all may understand the fuller picture.

9 months ago, Touch and Grow Community Support decided to hold a run to promote awareness among the community of Kota Kemuning and Bukit Rimau of the centre’s effort to help a group of special children. This is a center for AD/HD children and those with learning disabilities that is on a rise in our country today. This year they decided to do it again!

TGCS Banners (you can read it when enlarged to find out more about AD/HD and the centre)

The last run had an amount of 250 registered runners and this year we had 450 registered runners. The run consists of a few categories mostly for the individual runner but also uniquely has a family category.

So as usual, help is volunteered from our church and therefore naturally I am given responsibility over areas I have expertise. This year I was to do the sound system again.

Knowing that rain has been a problem for us this year in the evening, I was unable to setup the system the day before instead we decided to have it setup at 3am. Now the hardest part for me was I was unable to sleep the night before. So at 230am we were on our way to the premises of the school to work.

I had two great assistants who didn’t complain. So we got it all ready by 5am. Feeling utterly exhausted I still had to go on making sure everything was working in order.

So as exciting as they come, it was to begin. Fitness First one of the main sponsors began by starting the crowd with their warm ups. Now this is where my job is. I was supposed to have the cd player ready and guess what? I did have it ready but……They needed to skip tracks and we didn’t have the remote control. So immediately I grabbed my helmet and revved my bike so that it would warm up and sped off like a speed demon. I had 5 minutes to get a way to play the cd there. I think people around were like thinking….who is this mad rider making so much noise.

1,2,3,4 swing your arms, That’s good keep it up!

I got it back on time. Phew only to be bugged by the technical error of not being able to get a clear signal on the wireless microphone making it impossible to hear the instructor in front. Bummer! In the end somehow she managed to do all her fancy moves with a wired mic. Wow!

The Starting Lineup

Ok so time to flag off. But my poor DJ forgot to raise the volume of his mic and was at the main flag off area. I ran with all my heart to the mixer that was 150m away and got it up in time. But the wireless mic was still giving issues. So poor thing for him, he had to repeat himself so many times.

The individual categories ran 10 km in distance where else the family runners only ran 3km. It was absolutely adorable to see the families together. They flagged off at 710am and before I knew it, they were already done. So fast. I felt so small about myself and unfit.

Run Papa Run! Run Son Run!

Let’s do this together!

We’ve got a rush of thirsty people. Work harder! Work Faster!

The beautiful prizes! I want one!

She doesn’t look tired at all after running 10 km. Amazing!

There was a simple prize giving ceremony and it was just so encouraging to see the unity of the people involved. When all was done I quickly packed up what I had to. It seemed so easy to take apart what took me so long to setup.

Boy was I tired, drained. That is why it took me until today to write something. Still recovering from the aftermath. Even so I am so honored to be able to give to the community and the little children which this centre supports who are deemed as the failures by the system. They deserve the same opportunity to a great future.

Interesting information for you to think about. AD/HD people that you never realised – Thomas Edison (lightbulb), Tommy Hillfiger (Fashion Designer), Jackie Stewart (F1), Orlando Bloom (Actor) and so many more.

Tags: Run