Full speed ahead for the Kuala Lumpur 21K

It was just 2 days ago that I started training for the Kuala Lumpur Half Marathon, which is on June 26. Although I lost quite a bit of weight in March, thanks to Delhi belly and an extremly unhealthy lifestyle, while travelling on work, the shedding of weight by no means indicates that I am in better shape.

Day 1 of the training was a struggle to put it mildly. I have run 2 half-marathons, both in Delhi, and feel I have what it takes to go the distance in KL. The weather in Bombay is similar to that in KL in terms of humidity but there is little chance I will be aided by the late-evening Bombay sea breeze, which cools things down, when I run in KL.

This will also be my first run overseas and that should motivate me all the more. 53 days is enough time for me to prepared enough to beat my Delhi 2010 timings.

Shiv Sena's Malaysian Muslim Cousins

Every year in Bombay, ahem Mumbai, we go through a cheap but violent Shiv Sena circus against couples celebrating Valentine's Day. Their cadre usually attack shops that sell greeting cards and go and beat up couple who cosy up on the "day of love." 

I have never cared about Valentine's Day but the meaningless violence from the Sena harms more than helps their cause. But the Sena might just have found an ally in Malaysia. 

This is an AFP despatch from Kuala Lumpur.

"Several Malaysian states are planning a crackdown on "immoral acts" during Valentine's Day as part of a campaign to encourage a sin-free lifestyle, an Islamic party leader Wednesday.

Authorities in the northern states of Kedah, Penang and Kelantan as well as central Selangor state will carry out "immorality checks" on February 14, said Nasrudin Hasan Tantawi, head of the Islamic party PAS's youth wing."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j6M0sZ21MDSUVipeFjbBXxnD4BRQ?docId=CNG.b0bd9634a7d95d37ca7220a20828e2b0.5d1

Non so se ridere o piangere (I don't know whether to laugh or cry) When will Asia ever rise above this kind of non sense?