111- Discord

Being sick is frustrating. While "consolation" is good, the competitive beast in us says that second best is the exact opposite of "best". It ultimately feels like a concession for the weak.

I remember running in Hong Kong. I don't know why, but, when I try to recall how it would feel to run pain free, and sans any worries about heart or "hand", I feel annoyed. Recently, I've had to do deal with some health issues which have derailed me. I remember doing the Philippine Skyway, and running through Roxas Boulevard in Manila, with relative ease. Where the heck has all that strength gone to?

There are minor hurdles, and there are challenges larger than life. While this hasn't quite come down to life and death, it has come down to itch and scratch. That bothers me. I need to get past this quick.

MC

110- Observations

I have been to quite a few places in my time. With every trip, comes a host of things I observe about places and the people who reside in it. 

Do you notice things in similar contexts, too? These aren't based on any scientific theories or statistics. The statements below have been given life purely through "sensory perception". 

1) Singapore- How do they keep the trains so clean? My point of reference are the train stations in my country (The Philippines). Is it a matter of having a fatter budget, or, a healthy amount of will re: implementation? 

2) Amsterdam, The Netherlands- When walking through the red light district, the girls you would see in the streetside "booths" always look so excited. Are they high? Are they genuinely thrilled? Are they sex addicts themselves? I wonder. 

3) Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur- KL looks like a city on the crossroads of progress, and the old world. Some districts are awash with shopping malls and covered by Malaysia's modern train systems. Some others, have low skylines and look more like old school Kampongs. 

4) Rome, Italy- For such a beautiful city, there seem to be a lot of vagrants going around. I once got lost in Rome at night, and while I still found myself marveling at ancient buildings and cobblestone roads as I walked, I also found myself scrambling for safety after passing an alley where a bunch of junkies had decided to hang out. Superb. Stuff. 

5) Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia- Filipinos often find themselves complaining about pedestrian behavior in places like Manila, and how our government has failed us with regards to providing the proper infrastructure for ease and safety on the streets. 

Anyone who has ever lived or visited KK would know that a lot of the time, there aren't real organized pedestrian lanes around, nor are there any lights to guide commuters to and from streets. 

Sabah also does not boast of a mass rapid transit system, ergo, people need to either take taxis (which in the long run prove to be quite costly), or, go head-to-head with a bus system that is not the easiest to wrap one's head around (especially if you're a first time visitor). 

Maybe it's just me, but, something about KK's transport system could be better. 

6) Bangkok, Thailand- The streets smell of a mix of exhaust fumes and incense. Grub in food courts- superb. Is it just me, or, could we, as a people, do so much more with Philippine food centres? Anthony Bourdain once said that in the US, food courts have become synonymous with mediocre food. Not in places like Bangkok (and incidentally, Singapore). Absolutely not. 

7)  Chicago, USA- Chicago was the first city I really got to explore in the United States. During my first trip over in June of 2009, everything seemed to be bigger, and better. One of the tenets I learned about during that trip of 10 days was that, first time visitors to the States need to be reminded that bigger is NOT always better, especially for someone with a bum stomach, or, someone on a diet, for that matter. 

In Chicago did I see some of the largest plates of food known to man. 

8) Coralville, Iowa, USA- Lush cityscapes. Some parts utterly bucolic. Fresh air. Quiet. Iowa. Beautiful. 

9) Hong Kong, China- For a city teeming with so many people, it's amazing how things can remain "organized". 

10) Las Vegas, Nevada, USA- So there were topless girls on the strip, along with people who looked like druggies. From buildings carved out of gold, to nude pool parties, to Elvis, Elvis, Elvis, Las Vegas is a decadent bloke's dream. 

Always try to absorb anything, and everything, you see while on the road. You'll never know- you might find the meaning of life in a fishbowl- or, in a field full of trees and ponies. 

MC

109- Vote with your TASTEBUDS

                                   Choose among these amazing candidates. :) Malacca, 2013. 

The Philippines has just finished with electing a new set of local and national officials. The exercise has been painstaking, for sure,

Choosing what to eat can also be a challenging exercise. Just like electing the right President.

Take the menu from Cendol Jeni Basar in Malacca, Malaysia, for instance. All the entrees look so good, so delicious. All the choices look so, well, beneficial to your mind and body.

Indecision never looked so wonderful. :)

MC

108- The Borneo International Marathon

I have just recently arrived from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. My primary purpose for going there was to participate in the Borneo International Marathon. The said race was my first international run, and while the weather and course was similar what you might see in, say, Nuvali in Laguna, Philippines, the fact that it happened across the ocean from my home country made the experience extra special. It was not my best run time wise, but, I would say that finishing it ended up being one of the most satisfying running experiences in recent memory.

Honestly, the runner in me hasn't been quite at 100% in the last few weeks (ever since I fell ill for a week in April). Maybe it's been a mental battle, or a physical one, or a mix of both. Whatever the case, having finished the Borneo International Marathon represents a step in the right direction. Back into a state of utmost focus, if you will.

More on Kota Kinabalu in future entries, but for now, I'd like to continue to bask in the glow of the Sabah running sun.

Happy To Have Been There,
MC