24th July 2011 was a day of nostalgia of sorts. It was a day down the lane of nostalgia. After working in Kuala Pilah (1989-1991) and Seremban (1991-1992), I never really went back. 1989 to 1991 was a time of life with lesser complications and responsibilities - before marriage (KP) and the time of euphoria just after (S'ban). 20 years later, Seremban looks less green, more 'exposed' and 'brighter'.
Starting ill-prepared after dealing with post-Standard Chartered Marathon malaise and inertia of restarting training (having reached the big one!), nursing a low backache and being pulled into a turmoil of the supra-tentorial type, I started the early morning low budget 21km, run.
This time around, only Suresh and I partook in this regatta. Raj, who was gung ho in doing his maiden half, had to pull out due to irresistible work commitments (or did he really chicken out?) In spite of being of low budget, the run was well run. It started promptly at 6.45am. The same familiar faces were seen again amongst the crowd (die-hard running fanatics).
Starting at the council grounds in the heart of town, bordered by a temple and gurudwara, it took us along the roads of Seremban...So did my mind, just as I do in most runs, jogging down memory lane...
Life in the late 80s and early 90s was blissful. Having graduated from varsity and starting work, given a lot of responsibility and respect, finally settling down in matrimony after a rough patch, I thought that was it. Of course, there was the desire to pursue to further my career via post-graduate studies; that was okay!
From the starting line, we strolled down Rahang Road via various newly constructed highways and made ourselves to the Paroi area. This Paroi area was familiar as through these roads, I used to speed to make it to punch in after a long locum session in KL through the weekend, feeling tired but happy with money jingling in my pants!
In my mind, I was chuckling at the names of buildings. I was wondering whether Klinik Rahang was a dental clinic or medical clinic as Rahang in Malay meant 'mandible' or 'jaw', and Rahang was also an area in Seremban! That lame joke, my son would say.
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All this while, I was just running at my own relaxed pace, oblivious and not ambitious of improving my time. At 1h 1m, I had covered the 10km mark, regularly sipping my self-made concoction of cordial drink with tonic water (with quinine -cramp buster).
Somewhere at Taman Kayu Manis (what a name but sounds 'high class' as 'Cinnamon Garden', though), we turned towards Sikamat. The route was undulating but manageable. The last 3km were, as usual, the 'longest'. And were painfully obstructed by casual and love-struck 10km jaywalkers! From Sikamat, we made it back through Lake Gardens back to our starting point in one piece at 2h 22m. Suresh was in cloud nine after breaking the sub-2h barrier at 1h 57m! Congrats. The last time I heard, he was still flying high!
We celebrated our success by indulging in banana leaf thosai but too early for mutton as the cook had not started cooking yet. Probably still running after the goat to slaughter!
Mutton will take long time to cook without pressure cooker. Must be an old goat (Ketter kedaa)
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