Everything begins in August when I decided to visit a friend in Singapore. By chance I figured out that during my stay there will be the Singapore marathon and after some difficulties I got a registration.

4 weeks before the event I was sent to Malaysia by the company I work for.  What to do now? No running until Singapore? Or running only indoor in the hotel gym? Terrible idea!

To find a better solution I search in the internet for "running in Kuala Lumpur" and arrived very soon at site of the pacesetters! Rather professional, with lot of information and a small mail address for contacts. So I send them a mail, containing the essential dates (name, age, pace, registered for Singapore HM) as well as "staying in Subang Jaya” - which is wrong as I know today.

And I got an answer!!! Wan Yew Leong wrote that they meet on Sunday mornings at Lake Garden and gave me not only the possibility to join, but as well picked me up next Sunday. And I really enjoyed it: running outdoors in the beautiful surrounding of Lake Gardens. As ever: running is an intensive way to discover a new environment – still better if you get some explanations. A special highlight was the sunrise over the skyline of KL and joining a nice group of runners from KL. The interest in running and in running events turns out to be a good common background. So even if the hot and humid climate is unused to me and getting up at 5:30 a bit difficult: running on Sunday mornings with the pacesetters is really fun. Not to forget: the common breakfast afterwards: (I like Chinese food).

Already on my first Sunday I learnt that the a friend of Wan organises twice the week an outdoor run at the hotel where I’m used to stay: I managed to join them and to learn where to run in the surrounding of the hotel. So I could continue my preparation for Singapore, what was essential for me. Even with this training in KL I found the run in Singapore very warm and humid, and the last 2 kilometres felt more like the last 2 km of the full distance than of a HM. It was unused to me that there are only very few spectators, very few music groups, so the slow runners had to applause to the winners when we met them on their way back to the city. I enjoyed the run, the atmosphere and the scenery and was proud enough to arrive after 2:15. The run was one of the highlights of a great weekend in Singapore.

With Tan Wah Sing, Ngae, Clara, Wan, Kim and Jenny Lee before the KRI race. Photo courtesy of Chan Wing Kai

Singapore was fun but Ipoh was still more fun! What was still better than the great Singapore event: Wan gave me the possibility to join them going to Ipoh for a running event – 20th IPOH running: It was a great experience: Otherwise I would have never thought about to get to Ipoh, to try the Ipoh food - or to have dinner in a "Seafood-only" restaurant. Same for the run itself: very well organized, lot of friendly runners enjoying the event (and the first time ever I won a price).

Charlotte on the run.

Charlotte at the podium with a 3rd placing in the 45-49 age group. Agnes Tee, Carol Low and Agnes Chin also in the picture.

Charlotte with her trophy.

Charlotte with Wan after receiving her prize

So running in KL turns out to be an absolute "success story" for me: good sport, a lot of fun, meeting friends See you all again in January! Meet you one time in Berlin!

Charlotte and family all geared up for Christmas