It’s that time of the year when I ask for money, although slightly later than a year ago.
Next week will be the second time I will run in the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 10km category, and I have chosen Futuremakers by Standard Chartered as the charity of my choice.
Futuremakers is the bank’s “global youth economic empowerment initiative, tackling inequality and promoting greater economic inclusion”.
To donate, click here.
KLSCM’s Run For A Reason (RFAR) social initiative is an integral component of the Road Race Label event, where runners help raise funds for charities.
Besides Futuremakers, the other charities are palliative care provider Hospis Malaysia, marginalised communities champion Kechara Soup Kitchen, and education foundation Teach for Malaysia.
I hope to raise RM500 for Futuremakers by Oct 13 – the deadline for submission.
As of Sept 27, KLSCM’s Run For A Reason has raised RM850,000. The organisers are confident they will reach their goal of RM1 million by Oct 13.
Helping their cause is S. Poo Vasanthan, the Full Marathon Malaysian category winner for the past two years.
The 26-year-old has pledged to give a portion of the RM20,000 first-place prize money to charity if he secures a hattrick of wins on Oct 6.
“I cherish the competition, and I’m ready to do my part in making this a great race to remember,” said Vasanthan.
“I will donate part of the prize money to one of the RFAR charities if I make it a hattrick. Let’s do our part for society.
“I’m in the last stages of my training, specifically designed by my coach. I will not be overconfident and underestimate any runner but focus on my strategy.”
This year’s event has attracted a record 42,000 runners – including 2,500 overseas participants, a 72 per cent increase in foreign participants – who will compete over two days.
Oct 5 is the 10km, 5km and kids’ 2km speed and kids’ 1km dash, while Oct 6 is the Full and Half Marathon races.
On a personal note, I hope to finish the race in under 105 minutes, which would be three minutes quicker than a year ago.
Wish me luck, as I won’t have my home minister beside me this time. And please do donate to Futuremakers.
KLSCM in numbers
• Record 42,000 total runners – 2,000 more than last year’s tally.
• Record 12,500 runners for the Full Marathon – the largest participants for any Full Marathon event in Malaysia.
• Record 13,770 Half Marathon runners.
• 72 per cent increase in ‘running tourists’ with 2,500 overseas runners.
• 2,200 volunteers.
• Over 900 RFAR runners.
• Savings of 48,000 pieces of sponges with runners encouraged to splash water from pails instead.
Prize money
• US$15,000 for the Men’s and Women’s Full Marathon Open winners.
• RM20,000 for the Men’s and Women’s Full Marathon Malaysian winners.
• RM5,000 for Men’s and Women’s Open and Malaysian Veterans Full Marathon winners.
• RM3,000 for Men’s and Women’s Open and Malaysian Half Marathon winners.
• RM1,500 for Men’s and Women’s Open and Malaysian Veteran Half Marathon winners.
• RM1,500 for Men’s and Women’s 10km Open winners.
• RM750 for Men’s and Women’s 10km Veteran winners.
• RM10,000 for Men’s and Women’s Open Full Marathon course records.
• RM5,000 for Men’s and Women’s Malaysian Full Marathon course records.
• RM2,500 for Malaysian Men’s and Women’s Half Marathon national records.
