Nice work if you can get it...

Some days I'm amazed by how lucky I am. Very early one morning last week there was nowhere on the planet I would rather have been than running in the dark through the quiet streets of Kuching with my mate Min, listening to Billie Holiday singing "Nice work if you can get it" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP6P4e5ggqs). We were a group of five runners (Eng Hooi, Steven and Alfred were the others) spread out over quite a distance. We converged on the waterfront right on 6 am for running drills with the regular group that meets there on Sunday mornings. (It was this group that I spotted and spoke with in January last year, and which has led to a wonderful friendship with two families.)

I'm really enjoying all our early runs. Instead of going to Brunei to run a half marathon next weekend, I'm staying in Kuching to do a special Good Friday 32 km group run to Damai Beach. This is the fourth year Eng Hooi, Min and others have attempted the distance, and I want to be a part of it this year. Min and Steven are training for their first marathons, Penang in November, so this will be a great run to complete this far out from Penang and just before the Wees and I head off to Bali for a half marathon.

One of the many pleasures of running with Min in the mornings is having breakfast afterwards with Sam and Sean and their house guest Kay. We eat at different places depending on whether we feel like popiah or laksa or noodles... I feel so happy sitting with them, still sweating after a good run. It's such a great start to the day...

In the past week or so, there have been dinners at The Junk (with the Wees and a whole bunch of architects) and at The Dyak (with the Wees, architects Ivy and Swee, and a visiting architecture professor from Singapore who is a friend of Min's). One of the items on display at The Dyak ("dyak" is the collective name for all the indigenous tribes of Sarawak) was an antique headhunter's sword, with holes (notches) indicating it had claimed the heads of 17 men and 5 women. The owner, Vernon, has many stories to share.

Today I spent the morning with Emily and some of her family, who were tidying up the graves of her grandmother and grandfather and sending them burnt paper offerings as part of the Ching Ming festival.

'Cosmetics' for the afterlife

Sending burnt paper offerings to Emily's grandmother, Ching Ming festival

It was fascinating to be in the cemeteries, where thousands of people were tending to their ancestors' graves. Food and rice wine are offered along with the paper money and other small items that are burnt, and many families set off fire-crackers.

It was a stunning morning, with a huge sky and cirrus clouds, without a trace of a breeze. By 4 pm, when I was back working at my desk at Batik, we'd had our regular daily thunderstorm.

I've scaled a mountain of work in the past few months and am now facing a manageable daily load — for the next week, at least. I've been self-employed as a freelance editor since 1986. Technology now means I can travel the world while I do it. It certainly is nice work if you can get it!

Kuching from A to C

Kuching waterfront and sampans, Sarawak River

Kuala Lumpur, 10–11 March

JB and I took the train across to Johor Bahru from Singapore and on up Peninsular Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur. It was a rickety old train but a nice change from flying. Loved our old Chinese-style boutique hotel, The Anggung, and will definitely stay there again. Had dinner with my very good Kuching friends Min and Sam, Sara and Sean, Sam's brother, and their friends Brian and Rita, at KLCC. JB got to see the Petronas Towers in all their lit-up glory.

Up at 3 am for a rendezvous with Min for the Brooks half marathon. Sam and the kids did the 10K event. JB was support crew. We started and finished in the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, which was fun. Very atmospheric at the start with drummers and music playing, and a wonderful surface to finish on. Min and I ran the first 9–10K together. It was a very hilly course, and very warm despite the 5 am start, so I walked most of the hills in the last 6K or so. I still had chest congestion, so I didn't have any time goal.

Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

We had a late breakfast with my KL friend Siham and her husband and new daughter, Nahla, whom everyone fell in love with.

Back at Anggung Boutique Hotel I did some work while JB went for an express massage nearby. Took a taxi out to the international airport only to learn our Air Asia flight was leaving from the budget terminal, so we had to come partway back into KL. It was unexpected (I didn't even know there *was* a budget terminal), but it's useful information now to have tucked away...

Kuching, 11 March

Main Bazaar, Kuching

So happy to arrive back in Kuching (my fourth visit) and to check into the Batik Boutique Hotel again. I'm in the purple room...

We had a very busy week before JB left yesterday. Lots of catching up with Min and Sam for runs/meals/manipedi; with Emily, Rita and Ka Yee for dinners; and with Belinda and Eng Hooi. A once-in-12-years firewalking ceremony was held on Temple Street during the week, followed by a huge procession along our street (Jalan Padungan) the next night to celebrate a deity's birthday. We followed a truck with some fabulous young drummers performing formation drumming and found ourselves part of the procession. Called in to see Ramsay, but he is away in the UK. We had two early-morning walks along the waterfront, took a river cruise and visited the Cultural Village, and made a quick visit to the museums. I introduced JB to the Malaysian dessert known as "ABC", with shaved ice, sweet corn, kidney beans, agar jelly, carnation milk and syrup. She's a convert: We had two each on her last afternoon at a food stall place by the City Mosque.

My workload has been full on, so my days have been starting at between 3 and 5 am. I slept in today (no alarm) until 6.15, which was blissful. Now I need to recharge my batteries and get my groove back.

Sultry Singapore

I flew up yesterday from Melbourne to meet JB for the start of a quick mini-Asia tour of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Kuching. My work pressure hasn't lessened; in fact, the ante just got upped...

I was able to put in a full day's work today, then went for an early-evening run along both sides of the Singapore River through the restaurant/bar precincts. I still feel very congested, so Sunday's half marathon will be a challenge.... I had a run in Albury a few days ago with Di, Robert and Rose, my first since Venice Beach a couple of weeks ago. Time goes so quickly...

Albury was quite a different experience than I'd anticipated. There was some quality time with people I love, but being sick made it difficult to stick with plan A, and that made it very difficult for my sister.

Wet Wet Wet

I've arrived in my Oz home of Albury during a "long wet". The first few days it was warm and wet, like monsoon rain in Asia; but now it's cold and miserable. I've also been sick since the day I arrived, so that and the weather have really impacted on my plans to be out and about and catch up with people while I'm here. I have bronchitis, which feels worse each day, not better after five days on antibiotics. I can't run, and I'm collapsing into bed at about 8 pm. But I'm still ploughing through my work in-tray... I've seen a few pals and family, but I'm not great company!

I had a night in Melbourne at Barb and Bill's after flying in from Los Angeles. Martyn picked me up from the airport. There was immediate pressure to deal with an urgent job that had been sitting in my in-tray for 16 hours, which was a bit stressful. Martyn and Joanne joined us for dinner. I'll be back staying in the apartment for about five weeks at the end of the year, which I'm looking forward to.

I loved staying on Venice Beach as a break between Texas and the long flight to Oz. Had a fabulous run the only morning I was there, south to the Venice Pier, back along the Grand Canal, then north to the Santa Monica Pier and back. About 80 minutes on a stunning morning with a clear blue sky. A film crew was setting up a couple of blocks from where I was staying. 

Keeping it weird in Austin, Texas

Capitol building, start of the Austin marathon and half marathon

I'm now in Austin, Texas, for a Dead Runners Society World Conference. It's a rather glorified name for a get-together of members of an online group of runners from all over the States and further afield who like to talk about running and everything else under the sun. I've been part of DRS since 1996 and have made some close friends through the group, including Kathy & Karl (last seen in Santa Clara in late 2010), Ellen (last seen in Singapore last year), Pam (Pennsylvania's Hershey half marathon), Ian (San Francisco) and Jane (Oakland). This weekend I met some other Dead friends for the first time, including the founder, Chris, Nangel, Rietta, Brigitte, Marc, Carl, Becky... I also enjoyed talking with Jon and Jenny, from the UK. Four Deads ran the Austin marathon yesterday, and a big bunch of us ran the half marathon. Andrea from Albuquerque kept me company on what was a slow run for her. We clocked 2:00:03. I was 13th out of 147 women in my AG. I think I can attribute 3 minutes to the hilly course and 3 minutes to my poor fitness, so I now have a reasonable gauge for the rest of the year.

We've had various lunches and dinners as a group. Did a river run this morning with Kathy, Carl from Michigan, Dan from Louisiana, Jeff from Montana and Connie from Boston. Lunch at a barbecue place with founder Chris and Jane from Oakland.

My last couple of weeks in NYC were very busy with work. I caught up with friends Selma and Murray, whom I met in Santiago, for dinner; went to a Swedish film at Scandinavia House and had dinner a couple of times with Lisa; ate at John's pizza restaurant in Harlem with Lorraine and Phil from Melbourne. (I ran with Lorraine in Melbourne back in August, and before that in Kuala Lumpur in 2010.) I also finally got to spend an hour or so with Maite and Wanda, whose house I was living in! Very interesting and lovely people. I hope to see them in the summer when I'm back in New York.

And, of course, I spent early-morning quality time with my running support crew: Maria, Sung, Lissy, Joanne, Heather, Joe...

Guest article: Liz Davies on using exercise to stop cancer

Guest article: Stop Cancer with Exercise Liz Davies Cancer is a war. It can be won, but fighting the disease can be an uphill battle. Cancer patients need a whole weapons arsenal to defeat this enemy, and exercise is one of the best weapons around. Whether someone is fighting a common, treatable skin malignancy or a rare disease like mesothelioma -- or any other cancer illness -- exercise prepares patients for the battle. Regular physical activity primes the body with strength, energy, and stamina. From the initial diagnosis to treatment and recovery, most cancer patients feel a sense of helplessness and a loss of control. Not only must they deal with painful cancer symptoms, but they also face debilitating treatment side effects. A cancer fitness program helps them cope with these symptoms and side effects. It also renews their sense of control and give them a positive outlook. Physical and Psychological Benefits of Exercise Numerous clinical studies indicate exercise boosts energy and builds stamina -- two things cancer patients need to endure the aggressions of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Exercise builds muscle, strengthens joints, and improves immune system functioning. In addition to physical benefits, regular exercise offers several psychological benefits: lower stress levels, fewer depression symptoms, elevated mood, improved self-esteem, and a better outlook. All this helps cancer patients cope through treatments and recovery. Improved Cancer Survival Rates Some research suggests exercise may improve survival rates for patients with certain cancer types. A 2010 study published in the “Journal of Clinical Oncology” found that exercise reduces the mortality rate for men with prostate cancer. It may also prevent cancer from recurring. Enhanced Quality of Living Cancer patients who engage in regular physical activity enjoy better overall health and well-being. Exercise enhances quality of life in many ways. Besides its impact on treatment symptoms, exercise lowers the risk for other chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. And, since exercise releases “feel good” brain chemicals like serotonin, it promotes emotional well-being and decreases depression risk. Depending on their cancer type and treatment method, most patients can include exercise in their daily routines. As long as the movement does not cause pain or interfere with breathing, exercise is possible and safe during treatment and recovery. The National Cancer Institute recommends 30 minutes of moderate exercise on five days a week. Cancer fitness programs should include stretching and flexibility movements, aerobic activities, and strength training. Even small efforts add up in the fight against cancer. Patients should start slowly with exercise, and gradually increase the duration and intensity levels based on doctor recommendations. Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives because she sees how cancer has devastated so many people in this world. Liz also likes running, playing lacrosse, reading and playing with her dog, April. If you would like to contact her she can be reached at healthylizd@gmail.com.

Hunkered down in Harlem

My running remains very lacklustre at the moment, despite doing two 12-mile (20K) runs in the past week with Sung and Sarah as part of Sung's training for the Napa Valley marathon next month. I ran the Gridiron 4-mile race on Sunday with Heather at 8:30-minute mile pace for an eighth place in my age group. Neither of us was "racing" it. I'd met up with Maria beforehand, and caught up with Joanne, Natalie and Steven (back from Ecuador) afterwards. Visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and had dinner with Lisa on Friday. A fun dinner on Saturday with Fran, Rene and Fred at the apartment on Central Park West. On Sunday afternoon, Sung and I went to Carnegie Hall for a performance of "Carmina Burana", which I really enjoyed. I also saw it performed in 1994, at the Sydney Opera House. Sung's dog Jasmine died on Saturday, which was sudden and very sad. Yesterday, Monday, I had a massage with Marie and we ate at an Asian fusion place afterwards. She is going to South Africa to compete in the Comrades marathon mid-year. I've got my work cut out for me doing a whole bunch of half marathons this year, the next one in less than a fortnight in Texas. Good fun to run into my friend John on the crosstown bus on Sunday. Work is still very busy, so 4 a.m. starts are becoming a bit of a habit even if I'm not running...