Borneo International Marathon 2018 & 1st BNP (Borivali National Park) Green runners’ family masti Malaysia & Singapore: May 2018
( Photos courtesy: BNPGR friends,pexels )
Part I
Format:
Section I: Prelude to Borneo International Marathon 2018
Section II: Photo journey: The travel with different themes.
Section I: Prelude to Borneo International Marathon 2018
The announcement: July 2017
Dear BNPGR parivvar
We have finalised the 1st ever BNPGR international marathon participation programme.
Maheshbhai, Sanjay R, Sree, Tushar G are in the loop since last few weeks.
Tushar is putting in all his experience and contacts within travel world to make our programme most cost effective for all of us.
Jyotsna, Rajesh Pullarvar, Hiren Mehta, Anant sir, Meeta all have tried to put in their efforts to make our programme interesting.
Thanks every one.
Where are we going? Malaysia
Which international running event? : Borneo International Marathon
How many nights planned? : As of now 6 nights
When is the race? : 6 th May, Sunday 2018
Basic Programme? : Travel by night flight on 4th, reach Borneo by next day afternoon on 5th may relax for next day race. Run the race on 6 th may 2018.
Remaining days for family fun. Detailed itinerary for the same will be worked out later.
Cost: We are trying to keep the budget per adult within 50 K to Max 60 K
Children below a certain age may get an advantage of lower cost.
Funding requirement:
Thanks to Tushar, we have tied up with IDFC bank (they are offering attractive interest rates) to start individual saving and recurring accounts
Funding 1: We need Rs 7500 per person for booking our air tickets within next two weeks.
Funding 2: We need to start our individual RD+Saving accounts with IDFC bank
with Rs 6000 per month contribution over next 9 months. (you will have to understand their charges. We are considering this saving + recurring account as a simple vanilla account with the sole purpose of parking monthly instalments for nine months only. Post our visit you may close or continue the saving and or recurring account with IDFC)
The saving and recurring account will be in your name only. You will be 100 % owner of the funds till we actually pay to the travel agency.
Bank executives will come on 23rd Sunday at BNP at 7.30 am with handheld device
We need to show them
- a) PAN card, Aadhaar card (if not available then passport or driving license or voter ID)
- b) 1st cheque of Rs 6000
Funding 3: Once the account is activated: You will hand over all the remaining 8 post-dated cheques (Rs 6000 for each member) to our own group coordinators so that every month we can hand over the group cheques to the bank executive. (no individual RTGS/NEFT as all that will add too much of internal coordination
Funding 4: 5 % of Rs 60,000 per person (Rs 3000) will be taken as security deposit by BNPGR
In case you decide to cancel your programme this money will go to the common kitty and you will not get the refund. Only in case of family emergencies (which will be decided by 5 member committee), your security deposit will be refunded.
Funding 5: Registration Fees for the marathon: Hopefully in August 2017 Borneo International Marathon will open their registration.
We are trying for the group registration. They may offer us group of 10 simultaneous registrations. We can assume RS 2500 per adult (max) as registration charges as of now.
Kindly work out your own programme. Please help BNPGr to make this one of a kind programme successful.
We are hopeful that once we all travel together for the international marathon our and our families’ sense of belonging will increase and we will be truly BNP GR parivaar.
The background: Flashback 1
We are returning from Lonavala overnight stay and support run for Maheshbhai and other comrade runners.
Photo by Snapwire on Pexels.com
Shanky ( Shashank Parkar ) is driving Maheshbhai’s Innova. Maheshbhai has run almost 60 KM. We the support runners have tried to give him company. Different runner friends have run 20 km to 30 km.
The topic shifts from comrade run ( Held in South Africa ) to other famous international runs. Soon we are thinking and talking loud. We must take maximum BNPGR friends to an international marathon.
Cut to
Flash Back 2
Bhutan: January 2015
We are having our long roadies’ trip ( firasti group ). We have taken the Innova from Kolkata all the way to Bhutan.
During our Bhutan tour
we have been running intermittently in sub-zero temperatures. ( 7th /9th /11th ).
We have also inspired our non-runner group members to join us for walks/treks ( 11th )/dynamic stretching exercises. ( 8th )
We are told about local marathon event which may be held in Feb.
Once again the topic of discussion revolves around“ Why can’t we take maximum BNPGR friends for some international marathon? “
Cut to
Flashback 3
28th May 2017.
We ( Sheila and I )have just finished the Edinburgh Half marathon.
Post-race the air is festive. The organisers have named the 2 days event as EMF ( Edinburgh marathon festival )Post run everyone is enjoying as there are good number of food trucks and beer is free flowing.
We have thoroughly enjoyed our run. As my In-laws are in Edinburgh, coming back to run this marathon looks doable in near future.
During the UK tour, we are running regularly.
“ Can we involve more of our BNPGR friends and plan an international marathon? “
What is your trip in life??
“Joy is a shared phenomenon; happiness is a non-shared phenomenon”: OSHO
Runners can have different perspectives. Many run to find personal glory. Many run to outdo others. Modern times tame the predatory instincts and one has to constantly declare/share “ Oh I am not competing with anyone but myself. It sounds cool. Many dreams, plan and run many international marathons.
Ironically they all come back to their known( and even unknown circle: thanks to social media )
circle to share/declare their achievements. Human being finally needs the approval of fellow humans. Unless people recognise and appreciate (yes even if it is false appreciation, it still works )those individual achievements, the sense of reaching somewhere /achieved something remains hollow.
Running few more international marathon solo or with Sheila or even a small group of friends is not what I am looking at. Sharing those memorable moments of the whole process of” running an international marathon as it happens” with maximum is the idea which gives me real kick.
The criteria:
After taking a go ahead from Maheshbhai( Past President BNPGR ) and Sanjay Raut( Super active present president BNPGR ) I am writing to various marathon organisers.
Cost , Visa friendly destination soon overtakes other concerns. Summer vacation is preferred as compared to Diwali holidays. West Europe is easily ruled out. Eastern Europe ( Example: Riga: Latvia ) to Central Asian countries are checked. They all have better connectivity from Delhi.
Let’s keep it simple leads to Thailand / Malaysia/Singapore region.
After numerous emails and phone calls KL marathon responds “ Most probably next year’s Standard Chartered KL marathon will not be in the month of May 2018 ( due to Ramadan )”
Bangkok Midnight marathon also expresses regrets. (Later they invite us to join their midnight marathon with revised dates as 25/26 August 2018. The sweet communication says “I am assisting Tammy for coordinating with overseas runners. You may contact me here or whatsaap text at +65 96861744 if it’s more convenient. As FYI, besides Bangkok Midnight marathon, MOVE has also recently announced for an L’etape Thailand by Le Tour de France cycling event. I understand you are part of a very active running club. However, if you have members who cycle, you may want to consider. https://www.facebook.com/letapethailand ).
From Thailand, the response from Hat yai International marathon ( 27th May 2018 ) and Laguna phuket international marathon is very positive and proactive ( 9th June 2018 )
Mr Kongkaew Wanthanana ( 66-8-35363583 ) promises all the help.
Only hitch is Hat yai is in far south near Malaysian border !! ( 946 km from Bangkok ).
All my direct and indirect contacts in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand are of less help. Which race to select for marathon running becomes the trickiest decision. I desperately look for some contact in those countries to guide me.
Once again I am discussing with Maheshbhai in person. I ask him to use his business contacts.
“Don’t worry you go ahead with your selection but hurry, we have to announce the dates. Tum kuchh achha hi karoge ! ( you will do something which will be good )”
Is it his blind faith in me? I remain perplexed.
Soon I am back to find more options.
Marjie Angus ( www.borneomarathon.com ) responds positively with 6 th may 2018 as a date for Borneo Marathon.Now where the hell is Borneo???
We are already in July 2017. Unless we announce where we are going? people are not going to come forward with their choice and involve in our recurring deposit project.
I ask Sree to find more on Borneo Marathon. She is a very resourceful person. Later she even finds someone who has run Borneo ultramarathon. (we call him to find more on Borneo )
She gives me kind of go ahead.
Borneo : Here we come !!
………………………….to continue in part II
Section II: Photo journey: The travel with different themes.
Girls want to get shot (again and again and again and again……..)
Malacca: picture perfect postcard
If you are under impression that whole BNPGR marathon had some larger than life aim or goal, you are under some delusion.
Getting photographed (again and again and again and again…..) is the sole purpose of the trip. Girls are good at it and it is 24×7 on the job.
Either they are getting clicked or they are clicking.
If all this is not enough at every touristy places there are cameras to click you. Everywhere they have marketing volunteers or auto cameras who keep clicking your photographs and even deliver nice colour prints. NO they are not there to capture those magical moments and deliver the same so that you remain happy and smiling. You are always made to realise “Hey dummy you can’t afford our prints.”
I wish I had negotiated hard with SOTC for a package which could have included at least 2 prints, one in Malaysia and one in Singapore.
……………………………………………… to continue Part II
shailesh 