8 February 2009 - Organised by the State Assembly (ADUN) office for Chempaka constituency, this run is just the appetiser for their PR program in getting to know the people at grassroot level. Being a first timer without a clue about running, the organising team put up their best effort to ensure that the run took off as plan despite the many glitches from the local authorities. Really salute the young organising team.Many runners just pay the entry fee, show up on race day and complete the run with many not knowing the tedious process of organising a run no matter how small and simple. I doubt if any runner ever walked up to the organising team to say a word of thank you in appreciation for their hard work and enthusiasm.
But most runners will unashamedly and openly criticised the organiser(s) for not meeting up to their expectation. I truly regretted and ashamed of what took place just before the start of the Larian Mesra Rakyat Dun Chempaka when a handful of our local runners (who claimed to be the few top local roadrunners) intimidated the organiser to bar the particiaption of a few foreign runners at the very last minute. Being new and inexperienced (as they were pre-registered by me), the organiser approached me discreetly asking for my understanding to relay the message to them. Not wanting to create an ugly scene, I approached the three foreign runners (Adrian Groom, Nicholas Merica and Javier).
I was ashamed by the conduct and narrow-mindedness of our local runners but glad that all three showed exemplary sportsmanship in accepting the (last minute) news. Perhaps it is high time organisers stop offering cash incentives for top seeding runners. I promise that all the events under my banner will never bow down to this threat and will not discriminate any people irrespective of color, race, nationality, beliefs, stature or physical appearance.
For all my running mates and friends, please keep up the good sportsmanship spirit in you!
Thank you to the organising team of the Larian Mesra Rakyat Dun Chempaka for putting up that brave front and may you excel in your next assignment.
2 comments:
Hello,
Thanks for organizing the event, I had a great time running~ Keep up the good work,
Godbless. :)
dear karimkayu,
hahahahaaa . . . not sure why everyone think i'm the organiser. i was doing my best to assist the adun chempaka office in getting as many runners to run and create a platform for the runners and organiser to cross path.
anyway . . .great to hear that you enjoy the run in my 'home territory, and hope the adun office will organise more such event in this area.
i'll be glad to assist again . . . . .
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