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‘the SeouL fLyerS are not juSt a running group; We’re a faMiLy.’ former club president eddie booth MORE INfO Find the group at seoulflyers.com or on Facebook. For new runners, the club has recently begun a “Couch to 5K” group, led on Saturday mornings by board member Marcus White. White has been leading the group of five to 10 runners over a train- ing period of eight weeks to help them reach their goal of running a 5-kilometer distance. While some dropped out of the program after the first few runs, many have stayed with it and some have already reached their goal. Magsoo Choi, one of the group’s more recent recruits, achieved her first 5K at a recent run on the U.S. military base in Yongsan, and was ecstatic about her accomplishment. “It felt awesome when I ran a 5K for the first time,” she says. “There was always someone who supported me, encouraging me to finish. If I had done it by myself, without the encouragement, I wouldn’t have been able to do it as well and it wouldn’t have felt the same.” Not everyone is involved in the group just to reach distance goals. Another new member, Kristina Dziedic Wright, an American mother of two, says the group has helped her stick to a general fitness plan. “It’s really helping to motivate me,” she says. “I’ve never managed to stick to a workout schedule as well as I have these past six weeks.” For the runner who has already achieved the 5-kilometer distance and beyond, there are several professional and semiprofessional run- ners in the club to offer advice. Norah Newcombe is a member from Ireland who recently won second place in the Guam International Marathon, having already taken first at the Joongang International Marathon. Her advice for distance running is “Every second counts.” She also trains with a coach in Ireland, and for her, “The key is to listen to good advice.” Other distance runners include Ultra-Marathoners Peter Straghan, who just took first place in the Buddhist 108 Ultra event’s 50K, and Chris Sloan, who took third. Seoul Flyers has several options for group runs, which are free and open to both members and nonmembers. These include a track ses- sion on Tuesday, hill runs on Namsan on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday morning runs on the Han River. Up next, they have their fourth annual King of the Mountain 10K on June 7 with 93 racers registered. The club also facilitates entry to Korean-spon- sored running- and walking-related events for the expat community. As Newcombe says, they’ll be happy to have you as part of their running community: “My experience with Seoul Flyers has been nothing but positive. It is like a family away from home.” The new quarantine requirement for importing dogs & cats to Korea Dr. Limgwarn Kang DVM coLUmn BY DR. LIMGWaRN KaNG Microchip Implantation and Rabies Antibody Test -A microchip should be implanted into the animal’s body and the ID number should be stated in the veterinary health certifcate issued by the Quarantine Authority. -Microchips implanted in cats and dogs must be ISO-compliant (ISO11784 and 11785 Standards). For any other chips, importers must bring their own microchip scanners. -The rabies-neutralizing antibody test must be administered by an in - ternationally approved laboratory from the exporting country, from 30 days to 24 months prior to boarding, with a positive result equivalent to at least 0.5 IU/ml or higher. The test results should be stated in the veterinary health certifcate issued by the Quarantine Authority. -Dogs and cats younger than 90 days or originating from rabies-free countries do not require rabies-neutralizing antibody tests. Quarantine and Inspection All countries have different regulations and preparation periods to let pets from Korea into the country. See below and get it started at the right time. Otherwise, your pet might end up being quarantined. Japan, Australia and New Zealand Preparation period: 6-7 months before entering the country; Rabies Neu- tralizing Antibody Titer Test, specifc parasite tests and import permits are needed, 180 days before departure. EU countries (except England, Ireland, Sweden and Malta) Preparation period: 3-4 months before entering the country; Rabies Neu- tralizing Antibody Titer Test is needed 90 days before departure. UAE, South Africa, China and the U.K. Preparation period: 1-2 months before entering the country; Specifc tests for each country and import permits are required. USA and Canada Preparation period: 1 month before entering the country; Valid Rabies Vac- cination, at least 30 days before the departure date. Countries that ONLY allow live animals in Manifested Cargo England, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, UAE, South Africa, among others (02) 792-7602 21-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul chungwha77@gmail.com www.cwhospital.com j 02-797-3040 www.thepethotelm.com j Korea Animal Transport(KAT) & Chungwha Animal Hospital The Pet Hotel M