TAN BOON KEAT

My current life

2007-03-28T11:49:00.001+08:00

OK! I’m back here again.

Well, I have been busy for the past few weeks. The factors that put me on fire include preparation for my new research proposal, presentation for research committee meeting, research methodology hunting (which I have not much idea what to do), lecture notes and exam papers setting, blar blar blar… Ah, not forgetting about the planning for OX gathering trip in Cameron Highland and one climbing trip to Sabah too. My goodness, all my time burn because of all this…

About my sport life, Ha! I proudly announce that I’m fully recovered from my previous surgical operation. Now I can push myself back to stamina “hard hard”. For the past few weeks, I’ve been to gym quite often to bring all my muscle back (and make it stronger too), spent most of my time in Aikido training (for preparation of my 4th Kyu grading last Sunday, I’m passed!), do some running during weekend to gain my running feeling back, and just started swimming for the crazy swimathon preparation. Well, it seem like I sport for almost 7 days per week, it’s ok lah, I work it out in alterative sport training, sure I won’t over push myself :-)

Eh… let’s talk about martial art training. Last Sunday grading in aikido is my worst preparation through out my martial art learning history. Due to busy time schedule, I didn’t really put a lot of effort in grading preparation. Initially I though I will perform badly, however it turns out that I’m actually not making too much of mistake during grading. Ha… what a relief. But unfortunately I have been elected to become the committee member in Malaysia Aikido Association, Poor… I have even less time for myself now :-(

Yesterday received a call from one of my old friend, and we talk about our good old day in Taekwondo training in Gopeng. Yes, time fly and suddenly I realize that we leave the training group for more than ten years already. What a sigh… Hope all my buddy still look fine and fit like last time. Are you all still practicing?

OK, I will go back to mountain hiking soon, and hopefully can make some trips to Main Range after August. Too long in waiting? Eh… I need time to build back my immune system before join back the thick jungle mah… the stupid antibiotics knock down my own defense system after the operation, I need to spend one year to gain what I lost back.
Just wait for me… my mountain and jungle… I will be back!

一篇让我读了又读的文章

2007-02-03T11:54:00.000+08:00

转贴自＂山屋**mountainhouse＂的好文。让我十分怀念登山的日子。能爬山爬到这一种镜界，多令人向往啊！

相比较Pos Rekom 世外桃源水晶般的淳朴，Pos Kemar 更接近人间，沾染文明的烟火。

卢梭主张，“最适合真正人性的状态是自然状态与社会（文明化）的中间状态。”既能满足肉体的温饱需要又能维持精神的自由富足。

这两个村皆属于这种中间状态，不过是稍微偏向那边的问题而已。Pos Rekom 的村民选择远离尘喧，避走森林深处；Pos Kemar的村民选择接收文明的洗礼，与时代迈进。选择背后的理由尽管错综复杂，但终归是一种选择，选择的结果个人承担，外人无法评断好坏，也不必要。如果说有什么可以帮上忙的，即是教育的供给，促使睿智渗透于选择当中。比如说，保育份子定期进村向原住民讲解他们护卫森林生态的权责与重要性，挽回不少大王花蕾流落湖边码头低价售卖的命运。至少，足以减缓原住民在文明的绚烂中迷失方向并直接下坠的可能速度。

（我们是那么悲观且心知肚明，迷失下坠，是未来的必然结局。西西引述李维斯陀说的，关于原住民的研究原来是一则卜闻。预告死亡。）

我胡乱统计了一下，Pos Kemar里大约五户人家就有一台ASTRO卫星接收器。这当然也不可以算是太稀罕的事情了，残旧木屋与银色雷达的相撞配搭在许多大城市的非法木屋区里举目皆是。再来，树胶价格的骤起确实让这里的村民宽裕不少（据说每半个月的割胶所得大约是一千令吉左右），什么以前梦寐以求的如今都可以实现；村里的小伙子人人一辆摩哆，青春肆意在奔驰的快感中得到释放，疯起来可以驾上四小时半的车程到吉兰丹的大城市去逛街见识时髦的世界；屋子里的视音系统比起城市普通打工仔的还要名贵，狂野的印度音乐夜夜围绕村落回响，连蛙虫都被令噤声聆听，嗯，难免还会跳一点舞。

Pos Kemar共分为十个部落，贴切点说我们接触的村子与村民来自最尾端的一个部落，Pos Lerlar。这个部落是查玛峰、格拉峰与乌鲁士拔峰霹雳方向的登山入口，村里的登山者来来往往，这里的小孩对于外来者并不感到生涩，非但不生涩，还怀抱莫大的好奇与热情。经济的改善转变了Pos Kemar的外貌与气质，唯一不变的除了早晨的公鸡仍然不识相地在天未明之时拉嗓大叫之外，就是村里无论大人小孩眼珠里惯见的乌亮，清澈如常。这里究竟还是“最适合真正人性的中间状态”，蕴养着纯良儿女的自由大地。

我喜欢这群穿著色彩斑斓的小孩，喜欢看他们站在近处好奇围观然后一招手就群涌而来的兴奋雀跃，喜欢看登山者与他们互动一起笑得很自然的美妙画面，和谐缓慢，已经是脑袋里定格储存的重要图片档案。我不能因此判定他们绝对纯良，也时时提醒自己不要陷入原住民善城市人恶的二分法里，但是，和他们在一起，感觉就像森林里早晨的空气般清新舒爽，这一刻的感觉太真实。我毫不需要戒备地享受着，信任这一张张典型瓜子（而且是褐色瓜子）的俊俏脸蛋，相信他们眼里的清澈与心底的善互相呼应着。亦相信，我们这些外来者的心也和他们的心在某一个点上，近距离呼应着。M将相机交到小孩的手上，小孩拿起相机四处走动乱拍，他应该也担心的吧，可这不是最大的友谊之手吗？原住民需要的不是怜悯或猎奇的眼光，一点点友爱或许是他们希望获得的。

我们在村里看见的都是一些年纪较小的孩子，心里原本纳闷，后来走至深一点的林处，听见林荫里传出咭咭咯咯的笑声，许是听到我们的声音，几个大孩子的头往外探。M拿起录像机要拍，他们犹豫一下的神色，瞬躲进林里，继续他们的欢乐咭咯时光。他们是不是挖了野姜花酸酸甜甜的果子，躺在习风凉凉的树影底下边吃边聊天呢？这个年龄的孩子一定有许多话说吧。再多个几年，如今陪我们在村里一块玩的小孩长大了也会进到这林里来，进到他们自己的秘密世界，换一批比他们更小的小孩瞪着好奇而清澈的眼睛迎接我们。

一年一年嬗递，然后，我们就老了。

老了的我们会跟如今的小孩介时的年轻人说：知道吗？我们第一次进乌鲁士拔峰的时候，你们还只是流着鼻涕个子只有这么高（随手还比划一下）的小小孩呢。他们笑笑接过向导任务，登山的路上我们话话家常，结婚了孩子多大了最近的生活好吗，像天底下的朋友见了面都会做的那样。

一件事坚持了那么久，神情语气，定是无限满足的。

Mulu and Pinnacle Trip

2006-06-05T14:56:00.000+08:00

Great Pinnacle View! Come on... not easy to climb until here leh...

Yes! i was there... here is the proof...

Group photo with half naked show in front of Camp 5, not forget about the rainbow behind :-)

Hmm... very handsome this guy...

Sunset at Miri seaside. We all love this view....

Eh... don't tell me you don't know this fellow ah...

Here come some photo from my 6days5nights Mulu cave and Pinnacle trip. This is a wonderful trip with lots of memories. Eh… my typing real slow lah… instead of trip report, I will only generate photo to share around. Hope you all like it :-P

Back to Mountain

2006-04-13T14:20:00.000+08:00

At last! I’m back to mountain.

I’ve been out of jungle for too long. Well, a lot of things happen this few months and I was suffering by getting everything done. Sometime, life is not going as smooth as we want it to be. Sigh… I can only try all my best out to make it fine, and end up with… god know what it going to be… at least I done my part well!

However, since everything are slowing down at this moment. I decided to take some break and get myself recharged by exploring few mountains. Mount Chamah comes to the first in my list. Oh dear, I really miss that mountain much. After my last visit to the peak in year 2004, I keep on dreaming about it. The jungle remains mostly untouched and the forest still origin. We even found fresh tiger footprint on the trail to summit during our last visit! Well, this is really the last paradise for flora and fauna in peninsular Malaysia. I do hope everything still remain the same when I back on the trek. We already lost numbers of virgin forests under the name of development and can’t afford to lose anymore! Why can’t we save something for our next generation?

I wish my children and my grandchildren can experience the same scenery when they standing on the peak. I really hope……

My Nice Sunday Morning

2006-03-19T10:53:00.000+08:00

Hmm…. This is a really nice Sunday morning. The sky is clouded, air surround is cooling, birds are singing, sitting in front of garden with a cup of tea and newspaper in hand, what a relax environment we have!

But I here in the lab, sitting in front of computer, struggling hard with my data entry and experiment result and PowerPoint presentation. Back to reality, I have to work in this beautiful Sunday morning! Poor… locking myself in this boring tiny little space accompany by only experimental rats and cancer cells. Thinking about my dream vacation of snow mountain climbing in Himalaya region, Woo…. The mountain real high, the river crystal clear, the snow are white the sky are blue, the experimental rats…hey! What the heck, why my rats occur in that dream land? I must be crazy now, who can get me out of here….

Hmm…. This is a really nice Sunday morning….

Kuala Lumpur International Marathon

2006-03-06T16:55:00.000+08:00

Finally, I finish my KLIM 2006 with 5 hours of running.

This is not my personal best record, or should I say, one of my worse records in more than 10 marathons. But still I’m very happy with the this result, cause in my expectation, I’m looking for even worse timing.

I’m pacing with my brother in law (Ting Kam) this round. This is his first ever marathon. Initially I though I can have a sub-6 hour relax run with him (I accidentally injured my toe in last Aikido training, so, can’t run fast liao). But then, Ting Kam didn’t really act like a first timer! He keeps a very constant pace and maintains the speed well. Poor me, I have to follow his pace too. Our pace stays constant until 35km mark, where we reduce our speed to get rig of cramp. At last 3 km to go, I discover cramp on my quadriceps muscle. So, we end up with walking back to the finishing line in very relax pace. Great! Ting Kam finally ends his first marathon sub-5, and half of minute in front of me!

Am trying to upload some photos later, perhaps a full report too.

Great Eastern 30KM Run

2006-01-24T17:52:00.000+08:00

KLIM Training Report

2006-01-13T12:12:00.000+08:00

Report a bit about my training for KLIM. Currently I’m still working on some base building of my running muscle. I found out that my muscle can’t support for long distance running (>30km). This situation occur long time ago, since my first marathon until now.

I realize that my strong field is half marathon, 21km. Because I manage to control my running pace and breathing constantly for the whole journey. For 10km run, although I still can make it with not too lousy timing, but my heart beat and breathing will become very heavy due to speeding. For full marathon, I always face problem about clamp after 30km mark, even I jog the distance with slow pace.

Before KLIM 2005, I did a lot of quadriceps and calf muscle training to overcome this weakness. Well, it brings effect that my leg can withstand the whole race without clamping. However, due to laziness and lots of nonsense reason. I quit this training schedule and shift to more relax workout.

However, after few race in the end of 2005, it come out a clear situation about my stamina. With my current training style, I can maintain a healthy lifestyle with no sport injury. But, my stamina will drop from racing condition to recreational type. Well, due to previous training leave over, I still am able to finish any race distance but it’s close to impossible for timing improvement again. This situation floats out clearly after 4 different types of races in past 2 months: KL triathlon (multiple races), Singapore marathon (42km), Mizuno wave run (10km) and the recently new year run (21km).

So, in order to make changes, I must shift my training schedule to higher level again. But different from my previous schedule, I draft out a long term plan this time.

From my past experience in training schedule planning, when we want to achieve a goal, we will give all our best to make it happen. This including double or triple or even multiple our training strength within short period, push more pressure to our timing and hit the race with “kamikaze” spirit (Japanese term in world war 2, it’s mean die with honour in self-killing). Well, yes, we will certainly come out with better timing. But most likely accompany by injury and tiredness, due to over burn ourselves.

Is that what we want at the end? A single race with honour and that’ all?

Different people may have different point of view about sport. But mine is definitely not like this. I will prefer to have a constantly improvement rather a short push up. The improvement effect of this training is much slower but earn back is more stable. Another main point is; the possibility of sport injury also can be reduced too.

According to my current schedule, I will still join Pacesetter 30km and KLIM. But I won’t trigger any special training for these two races. The time is too short for me in showing improvement. So, I will take it as dessert in my running life as finisher medal collection. Still, I will stick back to my training schedule, which is trying to improve my muscle strength in long distance run and adjusting my running style to better performance in 3 month time, before I proceed to breathing and pacing control.

Additional point to share, training time is always a major factor for those in working life. Heavy workload may easily affect our planed schedule. So, we must take this factor as considerable during our schedule planning. For stable improvement, training must not affected by this kind of sudden working pressure.

Happy reading.

Post - New Year Run

2006-01-07T16:05:00.000+08:00

Top 10 runner in Open Category

Approching finishing line

Glory moment, give me my trophy!

Hmm… at last, I experienced a great New Year run. It begins my new race calendar in year 2006.

Although I’m not satisfy with my running result (1hr 45min 14sec, 9th Position in Open Category). But I still enjoy every moment from the morning run. Well, the facts is, I really need tons of training in order to get back my stamina.

Thanks the organizer of New Year run (Der Pacemaker) for giving us this memorable race. I’m looking forward for next year same event.

New Year Run

2005-12-30T17:23:00.000+08:00

Farewell my dear 2005. Thanks for giving me a memorable year and bring me lots of joy and fun. Although I didn’t really improve myself much in the past 12 months, but still I earn lots of valuable experience from things that happen surround me. I’m really thankful.

Well, 2006 is around the corner now. Hope we will have a wonderful year full with happiness. May the force be with us!

For me, I will begin my New Year program with a run. Yes, is the New Year Run organized by Pacemaker. Thanks Ronnie aka PM1 for spending lots of time in making the race successful. 1st of January, I never try any race on New Year before. So, this could be a total new experience for me. Let’s imagine, wake up early in the first day of the year, dress myself up with running vest and short (surely, not forget about my lovely Asic shoe), drive on the highway under starlight, call up my muscle after reach the race site, and finally, run toward the morning sun after the flag off. Ha! Really can’t wait for the race now.

Welcome, 2006.

Aikido

2005-12-28T16:12:00.000+08:00

Start from this month, I take my first step into Aikido world.

I like martial art. Since I was 11 years old, I began my first martial art training in Taekwondo. It was under ITF (International Taekwondo Federation) instructor and I spend two years there. However, may be due to too young and not serious in sport. I quit the training after leave primary school.

Lately, I join another class of Taekwondo during my secondary school life. This class was instructed by an ex-national fighter in WTF (World Taekwondo Faderation). He is a great teacher and willing to teach us the fighting skill nearly free of charge. That time, all of us train in lousy environment (small field outside Indian temple), lack of facilities (with only homemade kicking bag), but very serious and scary training program (come on, we always vomit after every training session!). The reward after all this suffer? Few of us were selected into state team, and even some went to national team! Thanks for my teacher; I really learn a lot from him. The most valuable thing I learn is not the deadly skill of fighting, but the way to understand ourselves clearly. I still remember the phase mentions by him, that martial art is not only mean for fight, but the art to look inside ourselves and understand the nature.

Before furthering my study in form six. I spend few months with my friends, train in Karate and Boxing. Although the time spend with them are less, but it open my eyes to another world of fighting skill. Well, at least I know how they start an attack and defense : P

When come to university life, my martial art life is near empty. Where I only spare so little time to it and focus more in other sport like running, swimming, cycling, squash, hiking, etc…. and this situation is carry on until now….

However, 2005 is approaching the end. In the brand new 2006, I decided to start a new martial art class (before I’m too old in learning new technique). This time, hopefully I’m still be able to get through the challenge, and bring new view to me about my life.

Wish me luck. Ha!

My First Champion Title

2005-12-08T17:50:00.000+08:00

Ha! Just to show off...

Received few photo from my friend. That is the Larian Angkasawan (Space run) held few months ago in Kuantan Air Force Base. Hmm... that's the first time I got Champion in a run. Unbelievable!

However, I fail to step into next selection :-( Poor... What to do, have to stop day dreaming and step down to earth. OK! Is time to pay focus on my research work again. Perhaps I can have better future in medical research.

P/S: I miss another 11 person who get selected with me that day. Hope they are fine too. Best Wish!

After Race

2005-12-07T19:51:00.000+08:00

Finally, I’m back with Singapore Marathon finisher medal.

I was always waiting for my first running medal out of Malaysia. Now, I finally have it, the Singapore Marathon. Although having a bad timing, lousy stamina, nearly fall down at finish line, etc… But, at least I still manage to make it back, my 10th marathon.

I didn’t put much hope with my timing before the race. Due to some workload, my training in marathon is not up to level. The fact of my bad stamina was getting obvious after KL triathlon. However, I still decided to go for the marathon (come on, I already pay the costly registration fee, impossible for me to withdraw liao, $$ leh).

Well, after this race, I will back to my base building. This is time to build back my stamina from very beginning. After all these year for race, I realize with my current training schedule, I will never make good improvement, not even a second faster. So, my plan is to focus on training and stop joining other race (However, I might join few selected event just for training, not in improve timing). Perhaps I can be back with better performance and stamina after 6 month. Wait for me!

Mizuno Wave Run

2005-11-30T16:24:00.000+08:00

Well, i just register for the Mizuno Wave Run today. Initially i targeted for Penang Round de Island Relay. But due to lack of team member, Poor, i have to let go the event this year. Hopefully next year i can be back for it.

Btw, the event T-shirt for wave run really giving me a surprise. It is so nice! I guess this is the consolation for can't run in Penang :-)

持续飞行

2005-11-29T16:23:00.000+08:00

我听见天空的叹息

零时三分
滑翔的角度坚持完美
没有上仰的目光停留
仿佛轻轻越过一座城市的防线
在第七座高楼上留下讯息
“我爱你”

败坏的天气持续败坏
落下一场陌生的诅咒
之后
所有影子迅速逃离
从一座城市到一座城市到
另一座
虚无骄傲地侵袭每一种坠落的可能

没有宣言的飞行
无心见证一场空间的倾斜
生命的本意与
一只死亡的鸟与
支离破碎的方向感平行
而快乐
是无法隐喻的悲伤状态

于是回旋
在没有梦的国度里
赶在日出之前
亲手埋葬一双正在燃烧的翅膀

而诗无法降落

素描記憶

2005-11-29T16:09:00.000+08:00

我即將離去。

在這一個沒有陽光的日子，一切如常。窗外的云層似乎沒變。我想，也該為歲月留份紀錄，只是紀錄。或許妳會問，但我將無法解答。一如紀錄將無法紀錄一切不屬于答案的答案。

我將開始紀錄一段歲月的軌跡。下筆輕柔。門外吹進來的風很大。它會吹亂桌上的紙張，它也有可能吹散天空的云層。但陽光始終沒有出現。而我依然持續紀錄。

印象里那些日子也是有風。總愛躲在房里思索實驗的進度。桌上有一杯咖啡，是熱的。味道已不復記憶了。只知道日子過得非常平常。每天穿梭在實驗室與房間之間。在繁重的研究壓力下尋找平衡。如果妳在，妳將看見實驗室里忙碌轉動的機器，眼花撩亂的研究數据，和我眼中的無奈。

偶爾我也會去跑步。路線大致一樣。或許應該說，并無多少路線可供選擇。對生活而言，跑步是一種點綴。沿途風景也許一般，路過的車輛會揚起沙塵，狗會吠（它們是無法分辨跑步的人和小偷的）。但我還是會繼續跑，鞋子踏地的聲音傳入耳內，讓我真真切切的感覺，我仍然活著。

活著是一種快樂的事。至少我仍深信不疑。當地球另一端有生命被逼消失，呼吸變得奢侈的時候，我會為我的存在感到欣慰。並分外珍惜眼前的一切。也許這樣太過執著。但生命有限，錯過絕對是對生命最殘酷的懲罰。我想我將無法承受。

但我終究離去。並不帶走任何東西。還妳，一整片完整的星空。遠去的背影或許落寞。而留戀總是存在的。它將填滿我離去后的空間。在我無法轉身的時候。

往後的日子依然繁忙。不過，我將會在沉重的壓力與忙碌之間，尋一個空隙。靜靜坐下來聆聽，聆聽試管的轉動，維生器的開關，窗外的鳥鳴，與一切生活里實在的聲音。在沒有妳的日子里。

會的，我會將妳寫進心靈最深處，輕輕的……

P/S: 无意中发现数年前寫下的文章。有点不能自己。

Singapore Marathon

2005-11-25T14:13:00.000+08:00

Finally, time to take my first step out of Malaysia. After 28 years of incubation in my lovely country, i will step into singapore for a marathon event in 4 of Dec. For ur infomation, I just obtained my first passport in my life last week.

Btw, i didn't really do much training for this event. For sure will suffer like hell there :-(

My 1st Post

2005-11-22T14:46:00.000+08:00

OK! Here i am. My first ever blog post. That's all......