Wednesday, December 26, 2012

2012 In A Nutshell

As the year whizzes by and comes to an end, as much as I wish I could freeze time and go back to, say, June, December is that time of the year for reflection and to remind yourself of your blessings.

2011 - Kota Kinabalu Waterfront

Looking back to my new year resolutions, it is no surprise that I have not kept to any of them. Hmmfh.

That's me, the ultimate procrastinator.


"In 2012, I shall try to do the following:
  • finish up and send out my half-written letters. - No.

  • finish up my unfinished crochet projects. - Nope.

  • tidy up my cluttered life. - Ha! More cluttered than ever.

  • improve the cooking experiments I've done so far. - Only the brownies!

  • keep training for that sub-2 half marathon, just in case. Who knows? - Nope."

Despite the lack of determination on my part, at least I can say that I had loads of fun and excitement.

I've wrapped up my running achievements for the year, so right now, it's time to reminisce the good and bad of 2012 in terms of other aspects.


#1. It was my 1st time spending the first few days of Chinese New Year with YB's family. My sisters and I were chatting on whatsapp most of the time. It was hard being away from my family, especially as a married woman! Instead, we went home during the Chap Goh Mei period where I met my niece for the first time.

*swoon*

Photo credit: hubby's

#2. In March, I was informed that I was promoted, but effective April onwards. The slight increment in salary was not too bad, but let's hope next year's increment will be equally good or better!


#3. My birthday gathering at La Teh, organised by the hubby. The cake was superb!

Photo credit: hubby's.

Once again, the hubby does the organising - he knows none of my friends have ever thrown me a party. *sniff*

Prior to that, it was back to KK for the weekend. This time, I spent more time with the squeezable round niece. :))


There was a blackout at our area and the house was SO warm. We took turns fanning the little princess. -_-


#4. Then off to Perth for a week with some of my close buddies down under.

Lunch the next day after we arrived. :)
I think we were wandering around Penguin Island.
Photo credit: hubby's.

Missing my friends and kids, that's for sure. :)


#5. A dive trip to Tioman in June. Didn't see much but it was great to be underwater again, and a road trip with friends!
Photo credit: LeeCH
Photo credit: Wendy Chia
Food wasn't great but a road trip with these people are always fun.


#6. Completed The Most Beautiful Thing 25km trail run in September with the hubby. Eeks.

Photo credit: KC Leong
It was a fantastic experience and it was pretty fun to be running together. Race report here. (Ok, it doesn't belong in this post, but I just can't help marking it as one of the most fun and unforgettable experience of 2012.)


[Somewhere in between I'd also like to say many thanks to Skechers Malaysia for giving me an opportunity to test and review their shoes. Thank you, thank you!]

The GOrun Ride.


#7. First holiday trip with the BFF.

Photo credit: Joanne.
Coconut pudding @ Chatuchak Market
Photo credit: Joanne
Somehow the weekend in Bangkok turned out to be quite tiring and not very successful in terms of shopping. What a surprise. There was a lot of walking and eating involved. =P


#8. Celebrated niece's first birthday!

Cranky monkey was just recovering from chicken pox
I can't believe how big she has grown!
She's happily running around in her walker at home these days. :)


#9. Was one of the mid-year top performers at work and was given a Samsung S3.

It was the blue one! Very nice!
But it arrived a week after I painstakingly bought the HTC One X. Ouch.
So I sold the S3 off 2 weeks later. =P


#10. Was asked if I would accept my appointment as Paulette's godmother.

*splutter*

Me, god-mum??


Time for me to practice handling kiddies, then. :)


#11. Had a car accident, first time ever.


I am more annoyed with not having a car to travel around to and fro places. It really impedes my mobility and independence.

I really hope it'll be repaired by January!
I've got badminton and running and work to go to!


#12. Spending Christmas and the New Year in Melbourne. :)

Enjoying the lovely blue skies and burning off some calories along Mullum Mullum Creek Trail. Spotted some curious llamas afar and they were so adorable!
If you look yonder, that's where we took our couple pic.
Baby Isaac turned 1 on Christmas Eve. :)

I'm not sure what 2013 will entail, but I know that it will be equally adventurous, nerve-wrecking exciting and stressful busy.

I won't make any new year resolutions for 2013, seeing how rubbish my track record was for 2012, but I know what I will, must and shall be doing for the first half of the year:

a. Run a marathon (God help me! Ze Pacer can help me too, please and thank you.)
b. Join an overseas trail event (CAN'T WAIT!!!! Can someone sponsor me a bigger hydration bag and shoes, please and thank you.)
c. Make the transition by mid-year. (Nervous. Terrified. Will miss everyone loads!)
d. Lose weight (This is an annual dream, so no point putting it in writing!)

*takes a deep breath*

Most importantly, I hope you will stick with me throughout this journey because I'm a coward scaredy-cat chicken shit - it's not going to be easy, but it's doable.

Let's make it fun!

Saturday, December 22, 2012

My First Car Accident

My car is 11 years old and I honestly thought I would be able to get away with a clean record.

But the accident last Saturday made away with my clean record as I knocked into the MyVi in front of me. The idiot was going to turn left as the light just turned amber from green, but I think he spotted a policeman at the corner, so he hit the brakes.


I must have been following him too close as I honestly did think he was going to go but instead I knocked him hard. The bumper fell off and well, it was quite bad.

But then again, my damage was equally disastrous!

I thought I would settle his car repairs (charge it to the credit card) as we went to his workshop but when his mechanic estimated that my damage would cost a bomb too, I hesitantly changed my mind and said that I'll make an insurance claim instead.

*sigh*

So off we went to the traffic police station in town near Petaling Street. I was really tired but thank goodness my sister's boyfriend was there to accompany me. He had to drive the Korean guy to and fro, so my gratitude to him.


I had to return to the police station on Monday to collect a copy of the police report, and found out on Friday that I needed a copy of the police's photograph as well. Dammit!

My insurance agent is quite hopeless in assisting me. I had to ask friends for advice and help. Eventually I called up MSIG's helpline to attend to my queries.

Thank goodness they were pretty helpful. 

It was locating a panel workshop which was a real headache. I wanted to find one near my home and so I chose one along Jalan Ipoh. But little did I know that the area is a freaking maze!

I couldn't find the one I wanted but came across another panel workshop and so I went there instead.

I was honestly relieved to have one of the officers sort out everything for me, and have a young boy mechanic take my car off my hands. :D
 
Check out their toilet! It's like a hotel room's!

She explained to me the betterment clause and I was informed that I had to pay 40% of the cost of repairs, which I hope my portion will not exceed RM200.

I hope it will all be sorted out by the time I'm back from my holidays!

I think she could tell that it was my first experience with an accident, seeing how blur and clueless I was.


-----------------------------------------------------------
Most of people know of my car-jacking incident 11 years ago, and that's how I obtained this car. I'm reposting the story which I had written earlier in my other blog.

It happened in April 2001.


Chapter I

about 5 years ago in april, i was carjacked.

yup yup. i was driving a maroon proton wira sedan (auto) back then, and it was only 5 months old.

our CLP class was having its UM CLP Nite 2001 at Hotel Istana, Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur that night. i was busy rushing like mad, being a member of the organising committee as well as the emcee. rushed through rehearsals and had to sort things out - when i'm flustered and nervous, i'm definitely tensed as hell. running around here and there, on the verge of a nervous breakdown because everyone was just not ready/organised!

we started late because the VIP guests arrived late. our lecturers were present, most of our classmates were there and even some people from the NST paper. gee. why? i don't know.

food was alright, i couldn't eat much. entertainment was ok - we could have done better, but argh, not all organising committees work well as a team - blame it on our poor organisational skills!

you know how some functions end with dancing and drinking? yup, we did that too - to wrap up the night, and later on several people decided to venture off to Spiral Club for more dancing and drinking.

i didn't join them, and decided to head home, because i had to wake up early and catch the bus down to Singapore to attend my cousin's wedding. so i left. it was about 115am or so.

i ended up getting lost, and almost on the way to sungai besi. well, i remember jalan sungai besi and seeing wentworth hotel on my right or left, i can't recall. i was lost for about 30 minutes, and i was on the phone with my friends, having them direct me while they were looking at the map.

eventually i got back on the federal highway, and i was relieved. and then i turned into the area where i was staying at. before i could turn into my road, i felt a slight nudge. a white honda civic had knocked me from behind.


Chapter II

i've never been in an accident before *touch wood*. the only thing i knew from watching my friends or people in general do, is to claim damages.

as i stopped my car, i whipped out my phone to call up my friend(s) to inform them what had happened. but what i failed to realise was that i had unconsciously unlocked the door. before i could call my friend(s), a malay man came out from the backseat of the honda and opened my door.

i struggled to grab the keys out of the ignition so that he wouldn't drive off with me in the car. but he was trying to pull me out of the car and grab my phone at the same time. it was a quiet struggle, he never said a word. the only thing i could think of was to glue my bum to my seat, not let go of my phone, stuck my head out of the car and screamed my lungs out.

i clawed his face and flabby chest, but i guess i was quite weak as there was no reaction from him. after 10 to 15 minutes, we were still struggling and getting nowhere. i think i peed my skirt. yuck. anyway, his accomplice came out from the backseat to help him and immediately i was thrown out of the car.

as i stood and watched him drive away my car, the driver in the honda deliberately made a u-turn in front of me, obviously allowing me to remember the licence plate - which would not be genuine?

i eventually got through to my friend(s), just before they had gone to sleep. i waited by the roadside for them to come from uptown.

a group of boys came from a house nearby and approached me. and they asked if i was ok. i told them i was, except that i'd just been car-jacked. one of them said yeah, they saw what happened.

"wah, you can scream damn loud ah..." one of them remarked.

they asked if i needed a lift to the police station to make a report, but i told them my friends were already on the way. so they told me that the area has some patrollers (either volunteers or part of the police force, am not very sure) and we walked towards the petrol station where they patrollers were standing around.

they did the talking for me, explaining i had just been car-jacked and we asked if they could do anything for us.

i felt angry at that time. RELA volunteers or something? and they didn't come to my aid? i lashed out at them, asking how come they didn't come to my rescue.

but the boys calmed me down and said that it was still a bit of a distance from where it happened. the RELA volunteers said they didn't hear anything.

but i thought sound carried well in the middle of the night in the quietness.........

the RELA volunteers  said that i had to report to the HQ in PJ but they weren't sure whether the inspector in charge would still be in the office. the boys told them to try checking.

and you know what? one of the RELA volunteers asked to borrow my phone to make the call.

go ahead. be puzzled. i just got car-jacked and some policeman wannabe borrows my phone to make a call. hilarious.

anyway, my friends came. in 3 cars. the boys told them what happened and the RELA volunteers said the inspector wasn't in, but to wait until morning to see him. oh yay, hurray to the malaysian system. only HQ process crimes like these?


Chapter III
my friends (all 3 cars) took me to the ss2 police station to make my report. it was a struggle. i had to recall what i had in my car and in my wallet.

when the police on duty were told the car description and licence plate, the policemen in the station perked up. white honda? familiar. 3 malay men? familiar. licence plate? not the same.

apparently not long before i was car-jacked, the same 3 malay men (we're assuming all were malay) in a white honda had car-jacked a guy in a kancil. but they had parangs instead.

i was told that i was lucky nothing happened to me. in everyone's mind, i was lucky i was not taken and raped.

what ran through my mind while i was waiting for my friends to arrive was not for my safety, but for my car. i felt guilty. money gone, just like that. (yeah, insurance, i forget.)

i stayed over at my friends' place but i refused to sleep. i waited until it was a decent hour to call and inform my aunt that i would not be going with her. i called my parents to inform them what happened, to have my mum screaming down the phone at me. i couldn't understand why she was shouting at me. (perhaps out of fear) anyway, i told her i didn't want to go down to Singapore anymore. But my parents thought it would've been better for my shock. But i had planned on wearing the same clothes for my cousin's wedding, and after the incident (pee!), nothing else to wear.

i also called up my landlady & landlord to inform them of the incident. the darlings thanked God for my safety and then proceeded to worry about their home security. in the car, i had the remote control to the gate, and not forgetting my housekeys. sigh. i caused a lot of problems for so many people.


Chapter IV
on that saturday afternoon (the next day), a friend took me to the HQ at PJ State to meet with the Inspector at the CID. He was a chinese man, extremely busy, there were a whole load of people waiting to see him. When it was finally my turn, I was invited to sit down. He was a chimney, puffing and puffing away. He offered me nangka - he had some on his table. I was caught unawares by that invitation.

i explained why i was there. he told me to tell him what happened as he clicked the keys on his laptop. he was taking my statement. i sat there repeating my story and panicking, wondering if whatever i was saying complied with the criminal procedure code (whether my statement was complete). studying law puts pressure on you, you know, you keep trying to remember the things you have learned and put them into use.

he then proceeded to ask me questions. one stood out. he asked if i'd be able to identify the suspects in the event they were caught. i was ashamed to say no, i didn't think so, as during the struggle my right contact lens fell out.

do you know that if someone says that, the statement is deemed pretty useless? what is the point for the police to catch the suspects if the victims can't identify them? they're free to go! (hence, my shame.)


Chapter V
life went on. it was back to public transport for me. extra early to catch the feeder bus to the LRT station. that was what i'd been taking before i had my car, anyway. and who do i bump into on the 1st day of taking the LRT again? my classmate Z. we used to travel together for a while until i got my car.

she asked me why i was taking the LRT again. i told her it was stolen. her eyes opened wide and she asked me for the whole story.

stupidly, i told her everything that happened. she kept going "oh my goodness..." most of the time.

i believe i was probably still in shock, or denial. because i'm a crybaby, emotional as hell. but i never did cry about the incident, you know.

as we arrived at the university, i met up with jo and another friend, both had been informed about what happened. so they were pretty protective over me that day. =P

moments later, classmate after classmate kept coming up to me, asking me if i was ok. they had heard what had happened. the attention was just ..... scary. (ok, secretly i felt like a star. no, just kidding.) i wanted to know who the hell told the whole entire class. why not make it a public announcement instead, stand in front of the class and announce, instead of whispering into every classmates' ears?

jo and my friend said it wasn't them.

you can guess who. my 'best' friend in the whole wide world then, Z. she told anyone who she came across before class started.

i can't remember what happened next, either i confronted her or my friend did, but she came over to apologise to me, for being CNN of the year.


Chapter VI
my car was never found. friends would read the newspaper and sms or email me, asking me if perhaps my car was part of the reported scandal, where car parts from stolen cars are sold across the Thai border or something.

insurance took ages. about 6 months.

by then, my current car had already been bought, a month after the incident. not having a car in klang valley is not easy. but i guess that's being pampered - must have convenience.


one of the reasons why i'm writing this is because of people and their judgments and smirk opinions. my aunt the other day brought this up again, scolded and said, "i don't understand why you got out of your car. you should have just driven off."

what could i say? i kept quiet.

because it had already happened. what am i supposed to do? admit i was stupid?

don't forget, a stupid automatic car (proton) has horrible pick up and even if i had started the car to drive off, i'm sure they would have been tailing me from behind. and if things get worse - if i was caught that 2nd time, do you think i'd have survived? the nearest police station was still too far.

like Ven's long opinion about life blah blah blah ....

yes, everyone says that the safest thing to do is to drive off to the nearest police station. BUT IT HAPPENED ALREADY.

i could have honked the horn and wake up the whole neighbourhood, but we know how malaysians are? just minding their own business and worry about their own safety. if i had to die *touch wood* they'd let it be. they're not going to run to my rescue and risk their lives!

my uncle says just park your car in the middle of the road and cause a traffic jam if someone hits you from behind. you never know if it's a genuine accident or a fake one, with accomplices coming over later to rob you. if it's fake, the jokers will just leave you and run. =P


what if i told you that cliche phrase, that "something happens for a reason"? what if i said that God was watching over me and said that He had to let it happen because if it didn't, they would have come back for me until they found me? What if by then, if it happened at a later time, i would not have survived it? *touch wood*

why do you think my parents and uncles and aunties now prefer me to be home before 11pm every night? they don't like me going out at night unless i'm with a group of friends. but i have friends who don't want to drive me or accompany me that everything i do most of the time are on my own. everyone stays too far away.

why do you think i don't go clubbing in the city when i don't have someone to go with me? so i'm accused of being a boring bitch with no life, so not happening at all, but say all they want, i do not drive to the city alone in the middle of the night.

whatever it is, anything can happen nowadays, be it during the night or day. so yeah, don't stop and drive towards the nearest police station, remember the licence plate number. nowadays everyone has a camera phone or digicam with them, just take pictures of everything important for proof later.

and even worse, nowadays we can't even tell the bogus policemen from the real ones.


sorry. my point is, i was stupid but not really stupid like 'i never use my brains' stupid. thank God, of course, for my safety. and i hope the jokers have already died by being run down.


i'm very hard on myself. my guilt conscience is probably a million times higher than anyone else's. even losing my favourite pen/pencil, or a RM50 note, bookmark (present from anyone) makes me very angry. (*sobs* i can't believe my japanese eeyore can go missing....) i even wish i was more careful with my toys when i was a child. really. no chopping off barbie's hair and giving my toys for free to the neighbours. sigh.


p.s. a friend's cousin became blind from a carjacking struggle. these ruthless people should really be skinned alive and castrated and rubbed salt all over and then left to the rats.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Bintang Hill, Segambut

It was about 700m of an uphill climb before I reached the top of one peak.

Good morning, Segambut!
The air was cool and at 730am, don't think there isn't a crowd!


Free gym, anybody?


If I'm not mistaken, Bukit Ketumbar has a similar set up. :)


I can't remember where I was facing, but it could be Segambut Dalam. *squints harder* Definitely not Desa Park City.

Looks like Desa Park City. Or isn't it?

Where was I?
I don't know!


We decided to check out the empty plot of land and found ourselves at Persiaran Prima Pelangi. There's construction on going and it seems like they're building luxury condominiums.


For a moment I thought it was an abandoned project.
It turned out that it was just quiet on a Sunday morning where the workers were on their day off.

We walked right past the construction site and out onto the road (Persiaran Prima Pelangi) to find our location. Later on I recognised the Prima Pelangi Condo as well as Rosvilla Condo. 


It's funny how developers are building luxury condos on any empty plot of land they find, clearly for the purposes of reaping profits. They don't give a damn about access road into the area or its lousy surroundings.

Assuming you stay around this area, one of the ways to get here is through the Mont Kiara way, past the Garden International School and into the slums of Segambut. It's not a pretty sight, but hey, yet the properties around the area are sold at a premium rate!

I digress. 

The trail is pretty short and you will need to run at least 2 rounds for a good workout. We only covered 4.3km but it sure took us slightly more than an hour.

I wouldn't mind going back there again, since it's just in my backyard, but I'd have to make sure I cover at least 8km!

Elevation map:


You hit the incline right at the beginning and man, it was tough. The muscles hadn't warmed up yet.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Skechers GOtrail - The Introduction and Initial Review

As mentioned earlier in this post, I was really excited to know that Skechers had launched its GOtrail shoes. Having enjoyed the GOrun Ride and GObionic shoes, I couldn't wait to try their GOtrail shoes for a similar (good) experience.

And to have a pair in hot pink was just the cherry on top!


THE INTRODUCTION

Hot pink shoelaces that catches the eye.

The 'm' signifies that the GOtrail is part of its minimalist range of shoes, with reduced cushioning and support as compared to the more traditional running shoes.


The stretch-fit upper provides a sock-like fit, ensuring that your feet are comfortably snug. The tongue remains securely in the centre (in place) and does not slip to side.

Sock-like fit and GOdri mesh upper.

The first thing I noticed was the hydrophobic mesh and synthetic upper material was different from most of my trail shoes. You can't tell that it's mesh!

In fact, based on Skechers' GOdri technology, the unique material is made up of microporous membrane which allows air to pass through while keeping water out. Providing an all-weather protection, it is water-resistant with a protective exterior barrier while its interior mesh wicks moisture effectively. 

And it's really soft!


The next interesting difference I noted was the lack of removable sock-liner. Despite the lack of it (or none thereof), the fit is comfortable and the insole itself, with anti-microbial lining, was not slippery at all. 

There is a supportive brace at the heel cradle to provide stability and security in the rearfoot, but you will barely notice it nor the 4mm heel drop as it remains flexible to allow your foot to move more naturally. 

The Resagrip outsole.

The first thing a trail runner checks when purchasing trail shoes is its outer sole. So it was only natural for me to flip the shoe over (after admiring its mesh upper!) to study the lugs and tread pattern.

GOimpulse sensors.

Skechers' signature GOimpulse sensors remains in place on its outer sole, but this time, with a tread pattern to weather the all-terrain trails. Unlike the usual pillars you find on the GOrun, the lugs on the GOtrail are sturdy for increased traction control (reminding me of boots!) and made from ultra-durable compound yet is lightweight and flexible.

I was very fascinated with the lugs, unlike the ones on my other pairs of trail shoes.

Its sole also has what you call a Rock Diffusion Plate which disperses pressure through your soles to defend against uneven rugged trail terrains. You don't feel this 'plate' but rest assured that your foot landing is stable.


THE REVIEW

I first wore them for a short hike and trail run at Bintang Hill a few weeks ago. The hill itself reminded me of Gasing Hill where you'd spend more time clambering uphill and can only run properly on flat ground. There were also some rocky paths which proved difficult to manouvre around and over.

It is going down these rocky paths that proved to be the test of the GOtrail. As the upper mesh of the GOtrail is very soft and pliable to the shape of your feet, I had to take my time to lumber down. I'm not sure whether this was because the upper was not firm enough to steady my grip on the side of the rocks.

(To be fair, I think the shoes were a tad too big for me - one size too big.)


Last weekend in FRIM was the second test on the shoes with both Nick and Jamie.

Jamie's calf is rather distracting in this photo.
The trails in FRIM are not as technical as say, Bukit Kiara and Gunung Nuang but nevertheless a good place for everyone to get into trail running due to the variety of terrains.

While the shoes require further testing to be done, my thoughts of the GOtrail are tentatively as follows:
The Good:
1. The upper mesh was really good in wicking off moisture, mud and leeches. Leeches! This is a plus point already.
2. The lugs provide excellent traction on the ground and gravel. As they are also soft and responsive, you do not feel them while running on the road.
3. Lightweight.
4. You can spot me from far as my hot pink is really bright.

The Not So Good:
1. The heel collar is a little bit lower than what I'm usually used to. Perhaps it needs to be at most 1cm higher.
2. The synthetic material on the upper may not be breathable enough once the air is hot and humid.
3. The colour runs. My white socks had a tinge of pink when I took my shoes off.


Would I wear them again? 
Yes.

Why?
Love the boot-like lugs. And leech protective shield!

When?
Soon.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Skechers GOtrail - The Interview

 Choosing your pair of trail shoes depends on several factors:

1) low profile (keeping your feet closer to the ground) and firmer cushioning.
2) breathability for long term comfort.
3) good fit
4) grip
5) lightweight
6) waterproofing
7) protective toe box and upper


I was quite excited to find out that Skechers was launching a pair of trail shoes which I was very eager to test them out. To made things even sweeter, the Gotrail shoes had one in hot pink!

My pair of hot pink Skechers GOtrail.
Last week I managed to take the GOtrail for a short run and hike at Bintang Hill. For further testing, Jamie and I thought the trails in FRIM would be a great place and Nick joined us for the morning's long and tiring run.

What made it interesting was that we had an interview right after our run! :)

Well, it was an imaginary interview by Meb Keflezighi which we can only hope and dream will happen one day.

Jamie attempts the muddy Pacat Trail.

Possibly Meb: Hi guys, understand you took the GOtrail out today on the not-too-technical FRIM trail. What do you think of the shoe in terms of fit?

Yvonne Teo: Nice and comfy. Then I realised it was due to the upper which is stretched to fit your feet as snugly yet securely as possible. I know the GOtrail has a supportive brace for the heel but I think the heel collar should be a bit higher, maybe an additional 1cm or so, to properly lock the heel in place.

Nick Philips: Seeing as how most of the GO series range of shoes fit me pretty well, I have no complains with the GOtrail too though it did feel a little narrow and the heel counter could have been a little higher up and maybe slightly firmer but otherwise, it fit like a sock, at least it felt that way to me.

Jamie: As with all GO series, mostly good! The GO series has one of the best made uppers and the trail version is no different. While it fits snug, my toes never felt compressed and was able to spread for a more secure footing on the trails due to the stretchable upper. I think having good ground contact is essential in trail shoes and the GOtrail gives you that courtesy of a low ride. One thing which Skechers can improve is the heel section where the collar of the shoe should to be raised such that the soft PU heel stabilizer or brace is located further up the archilles. The present location of the stabilizer is too low negating the intention of what it's put there to do. The shoe has non-removable sockliner so there's nothing to remove when cleaning the shoe. The fabric used to line the footbed appears to be fragile but only time will tell if they're durable.

Jamie offers his hand to Nick for support. Such a sweet picture! :D

PM: What were your other trail shoes? How do they compare to the GOtrail in terms of weight, breathability, cushioning and support?

YT: I have three other pairs of trail shoes; the New Balance WT625GO and WT909GB, and the recently acquired Brooks' Pure Grit. The GOtrail is the lightest of them all. I honestly thought they would be heavy as its lugs seemed to be quite chunky. Despite being light, the GOtrail proved to be stable on uneven ground as the lug traction is quite secure. They are comfortable, too. For cushioning and support, I would say that I'd go with my NB WT909GB for long trail runs as it has proved to be very stable. The hydrophobic mesh upper on the GOtrail is not as breathable as the Brooks Pure Grit. My feet got pretty warm after a while but you'll forget about it once you're into your run. Nevertheless, the mesh upper proved to be an effective leech shield as I spotted a leech trying to penetrate through my shoe and thank goodness it didn't succeed!

NP: Since I've never run trails before I have no benchmark for comparison but as a trail layperson, I would say it offered just the right amount of cushioning and support though breathability was an issue a little. In terms of weight, I thought it was pretty light weight for a trail shoe seeing as how I hardly felt the shoe on my feet, well except when I was squelching around through the mud. The grip though was phenomenal with hardly any slippage even on the rocks.

J: My rarely used Cascadia is a block of brick compared to the GOtrail. Although well built and provide good protection, the Brooks' stack height is rather high resulting in not-so-nimble kind of ride. The GOtrail is way lighter, lower to the ground retaining the 4mm drop while still having enough comfort for FRIM and I believe Kiara type of trails. Built this light and low, I managed to stay agile, hopping over the roots in the local trails. The shoe retains the flexibility of the series and on the breathability it wasn't too bad even though I was a little apprehensive of the GOdri upper which kept out the mud and water. It's still too early to tell how the outsole holds up. From a once over, the shoe should be more than enough for dirt and leafy paths with the ruggedized outsole feeling more durable that the pure foam of the other GO series. The traction is pretty impressive on pebbles and smooth rocks. I think it should be fine short of taking them to the sharp and vicious rocks like those we see in Mandai, Singapore.

Nick and Jamie's GOtrail shoes survived the muddy Pacat Trail.
Nick and I walking up Steroid Hill aka Tongkat Ali Trail. I was craving for Ribena!
Photo credit: Jamie



PM: Do you think the GOtrail will be suitable for a race like TMBT (The Most Beautiful Thing)?

YT: Er, it really depends on the distance, 25km, 50km or 100km? I'm confident that the GOtrail has really good traction with deep lugs to grip the trail and avoid slipping. In fact, I was surprised to find myself running downhill quite fast just now. But I might have to test them further during a longer run and in wet conditions to see just how water resistant they are.

NP: Don't look at me, this is my first ever trail session.

J: For that you'll have to ask The Woman *points at Yvonne* as I've not run TMBT.


I knew hot pink shoes would be easily spotted amidst the greens!
Photo credit: Jamie

PM: The GOtrail has a protection plate built into the midsole. Could you feel that? As you can imagine, my customized GOruns are kept as simple as possible allowing me to run as fast as possible *winks*.

YT: Nope, I didn't feel a thing! Maybe because the shoe is comfortably flexible and light.

NP: I poked, I prodded, I pulled, I twisted, short of dissecting the shoe, for the life me I couldn't feel it which is an advantage for a trail shoe, not making it stiff.

J: Lucky you for having customized shoes, Possibly Meb! In the case of the GOtrail, I didn't particularly feel the plate. If I hadn't read the sticker on the box lid, I wouldn't have realize the presence of anything else in the midsole. But since it's there, power to the runner!

Running down Salem High Country.





PM: Is the shoe suitable for road running?

YT: During a short run on the road before entering and exiting the trails, the GOtrail felt pretty OK. Usually with a stiffer outer sole, you'd find your feet pretty sore running on the road in your trail shoes. Be that as it may, I don't think you should be road running in your trail shoes. Got to keep the tread patterns intact as much as possible.
NP: I would have to say yes (within limits) since I took it for a short 5k run prior to this. The lightness and flexibility of the shoe makes it feels somewhat like a more toughened GOrun. Though you can run roads with it, I wouldn't really recommend it. Oh and it gets really hot when road running with it.

J: On the short stretch of road before entering the trail, the shoe felt OK. But since I've plenty of road shoes, I won't be wearing the GOtrail on the road. However, you shouldn't have any problems in taking it to a mixed i.e. trail-road course. With the low volume of trail running I typically do, and having found a less bulky ride in the GOtrail, I can now donate my little used Cascadia!

After a 3 hour run, we were stoked to find a Fanta stall along the main road in FRIM. Someone gestured  us to come over and have a drink, but the Fanta reps told us to try all their flavours. Orange, Grape and Strawberry - all were refreshingly good!

PM: Did Skechers Malaysia tell you when the GOtrail will be on the store shelves there?

YT: The GOtrail is now available at all Skechers' outlets. The men's shoes are retailing at RM399 and the women's at RM369.

Group pic after the run!
Photo credit: Jamie.
Many thanks to 'Possibly Meb' for the kind interview. 
If it were real, I think I would have fumbled and tripped over my words and it would have been very embarrassing!

Check out Jamie and Nick's blogs for all things related to running and other stuff. Thank you for the company, guys!