Hong Leong Run: Company's contingent

Last time at the office, i tried to promote run event held at Sungai Petani, Larian Perbandaran some where in October last year. And none interested. May be not a malay favorite fitness exercise. Not to mention how many malay member in SP Runners Club.. u know already how many.

For Hong Leong Charity run, which will organise at Bandar Laguna Merbok, 15mins drive from my office.. i didn't have "appetite" to promote it at office. Already registered 1 1/2 month before.

Then one day received an email. May be the sender saw me running around Gurun..

== email start ==
From: Company Sport Club Chairman
Sent: 24 Mac 2005 15:06
To: ALL USERS
Cc: Abdul Haris b Shariff
Subject:HONG LEONG FOUNDATION CHARITY RUN 2005


KSRME bercadang untuk menaja 50%(RM5.00) dari Yuran Penyertaan yang berjumlah RM10.00 bagi acara di atas. Kepada ahli KSRME yang berminat untuk menyertai acara tersebut, sila berhubung dengan En Abd Haris Shariff di Jabatan ISTD untuk tujuan pendaftaran sebelum 28hb Mac 2005.

Disertakan keterangan lengkap mengenai acara tersebut untuk rujukan.
== email end ==

Ok, so i gave/provide them Hong Leong Charity Run background information. To see how was the feedback and how many non-runners interested.

== email start ==
From: Abdul Haris b Shariff
Sent: 24 Mac 2005 15:48
To: ALL USERS
Subject:RE: HONG LEONG FOUNDATION CHARITY RUN 2005

fyi,
HONG LEONG FOUNDATION CHARITY RUN 2005

The sixth year of Nationwide Simultaneous Run is set on the 10th April 2005. It is the largest Charity Run ever held in Malaysia to attain RM1 million. Contribute in spirit and sweat, as we run for the betterment of others.... bla..bla ...bla ...blah

Be involved. Run for charity!
http://www.hla.com.my
http://www.hongleongfinance.com.my/charity.html
== email end ==

After an email above, received 3 names not including myself. My improvement programme teammate, a friend from no-where, and a Japanese Plant Manager (JPM). - Ceh! buang karan betul!
..or may be the ALL USER need to layoq/see a tshirt first before register.
So take a pics of mine and send again to ALL USER.

== email start ==
From: Abdul Haris b Shariff
Sent: 25 Mac 2005 17:06
To: ALL USERS
Subject:RE: HONG LEONG FOUNDATION CHARITY RUN 2005

So far i got 4 names to represent “Company Name” for this Charity Run held at Bandar Laguna Merbok.
Wish could get more before close date.

KSRME agreed to subsidise 50% of entry fee RM 10. Pay only RM5!
You will get..
- Opportunity to win a lucky draw
- Drinks after the run
- A very nice t'shirt (good material/cloth) like this..




Trust me, it will change your running perpective when running in crowd

Let's have a fun run with family for fitness and for charity.
== email end ==

After the above email, i got 50 names. - Ceh! Jenis nak ambik baju.
Then a put a challenge on myself. What if, from 1000+ staffs, if i could attract 25% of them and make my company send the most largest participation.
- WHY NOT?!
So i perangat again to the ALL USERS

== email start ==
From: Abdul Haris b Shariff
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 9:08 AM
To: ALL USERS
Subject:RE: HONG LEONG FOUNDATION CHARITY RUN 2005

As for now i received 50 names to participate in this charity run.
The entries came from Management, Main Office and Blocks..
Seem today is last day to register, hope to receive more participation.

In this Charity Run, there is no rules on how to finish the run.. (do not short-cut the route laaa..). You can run fast, you can run moderate, you can run slow, you can walking, you can bersembang/chit-chat/gossip :P , you can laughing, you can teasing,you can jumping, you can drinks or you crying at finish line.. (i did it once - who cares!)

Hong Leong organise a largest charity run ever held in Malaysia...
Let's make “Company Name” sending the MOST LARGEST participations in Sungai Petani..
Let's contribute our spirit, sweat and support to charity
Show it to them we are the caring company!

I'm target to receive more names... 200 names! by today.

"Nothing is impossible" - Adidas ads
== email end ==

Then suddenly.. JPM send an email to support me..

== email start ==
From: JPM
Sent: 28 Mac 2005 13:58
To: Abdul Haris b Shariff; ALL USERS
Subject:RE: HONG LEONG FOUNDATION CHARITY RUN 2005

Dear Sirs
"Company Name" all of our staffs are good chance to show our power and contribution in Society. Please every body join and enjoy own your self or with each other. Running is good to release stress and more to create team spirit.
“Company Name” BOLEH !!
== email end ==

After JPM's email, i received 84 names.

== email start ==
From: Abdul Haris b Shariff
Sent: 28 Mac 2005 18:28
To: ALL USERS
Subject:RE: HONG LEONG FOUNDATION CHARITY RUN 2005

Until late evening, i still receive entries from various departments.
I would like to say thank you very much for your concern and contribution in this run.
The registration date will extend unit tomorrow morning at 10am, after that names will be submit to Hong Leong Bank (HLB).
HLB representative will come to “Company Name” to hand-over the forms and t'shirts.

...again, Need more names, more spirit, more sweat, more kaki and together we make “Company Name”, THE MOST LARGEST participations in Sungai Petani for Hong Leong Charity Run 2005.

Those who not pay/provide the half of registration fee and t'shirt size, please pass/email/call to me before 10am 29/3/2005.
T'shirt will be pass on the race day. Let's have a fun run!.. and 7km is nothing.

Thank you again and sign-off.

Haris
Tel ext: 8019

p/s: If health problems keep you away from sport activites.. think again

1. Paula Radcliffe won the ING New York City Marathon 2004 & World marathon record holder
- She had asthma since 14 years old
http://www.nyrrc.org/fast-women/athletes/profiles/pradcliffe.html

2. Lance Amstrong - 7th Tour de France Victory
- He had a cancer
http://www.lancearmstrong.com/about.htm
http://www.laf.org/about/lance.cfm

3. Paul Scholes was diagnosed with asthma when he was 21
http://www.asthma.org.uk/kickasthma/starchive.php
== email end ==

And again.. numbers keep on counting.. 94 names. The email above, was end of promotion.

== email start ==
From: Abdul Haris b Shariff
Sent: 05 April 2005 18:48
To: ALL USERS
Subject:RE: HONG LEONG FOUNDATION CHARITY RUN 2005

I would like to congratulate and thank you to all runners in Hong Leong Foundation Charity Run 2005.
We're the BIGGEST participation among Corporate Registration. - Thank You!

FORM
..blaa.. blaah

T'SHIRT & RUNNING NUMBER
..blaa.. blaah


HL CHARITY RUN PROGRAMME
..blaa.. blaah

RUNNING ROUTE
..blaa.. blaah


Hope to see you all at starting line. Those unable to bring yourself on that day, please find a replacement.
Else your tshirt will be lelong and return RM5 into KSRME fund back.

Let's have a fun run.. forget the distance! Together! we cross the finish line.
Run for health, fitness and charity.

See u!

Regards
Haris

P/S: Short stories to share to runners & all

At 7:00 p.m. on October 20,1968, a few thousand spectators remained in the Mexico City Olympic Stadium. It was cool and dark. The last of the exhausted marathon runners, were being carried off to first-aid stations. More than an hour earlier, Mamo Wolde of Ethiopia - looking fresh as when he started the race crossed the finish line, the winner of the 26 mile, 385 yard event.

The remaining spectators were moving toward the exits. Suddenly they heard the sound of sirens and police whistles. All eyes turned to the gate. A lone figure wearing the colours of Tanzania hobbled into the stadium on a leg he severely injured in a fall. Each step he took on his bloody, bandaged leg was a step of agony and pain. As John Stephen Ahwari hobbled around the 400-metre track the remaining spectators rose and applauded him as if he were the winner.

In a later interview John was asked, "In view of your injury you had no chance of winning a medal, why didn't you quit?" He replied, "My country did not send me 7,000 miles to start the race. They sent me 7,000 miles to finish it."
== email end ==

Finally.. 105 registered and we are the biggest corporate participation in Sungai Petani plus 10 more staffs self registered.

What i learned...

"Woi!! Next year pi register sendiri la!!!"