Got a call on Friday morning. It was Yiying. A SP track junior of mine. First reaction when I see the call, "What the ......". I was wondering why would she call me. So I picked up and learn that there would be a SP track bbq gathering on Sat evening. Hahaha. At first, she couldn't get me coz I didn't update her my current number, but man really appreciate her effort to ask around for my number. It has been a while since I catch up with them. So I kinda cut short my other gathering to join the bbq.

My other gathering is with my former "men" and a couple who are still in service. I have been in my workplace for a while so I have seen quite a few guys go off. There is some age gap so to become good friends after they becoming civilian, is not so easy that it seems. Haha. But nonetheless, through the outing with Andrew, Kok Yong, and Yang Zhong, is very short, but it is nice catching up with them.

I rushed over from City Hall to the bbq which is located to Bukit Batok Community Club. Despite it seems to be kinda last min, the turnout was easily more than 20. Most of my male juniors are in army now so the topic kinda circulate around army, but of coz being a track gathering, there are a lot of talks on runs, races, timing, pb, training, race strategy, etc.

I considered myself as "semi-retired" runner le. But it is nice to catch up with so many track juniors, many of whom I have not seen very often since they left SP as well. Everyone is busy with Work, Army, further study, etc etc, there is simply no occasion to bring everyone together. Even at races, not everyone would turn up. Really thanks to Derek, Yiying for organizing this bbq, hopefully there would be more to come.

Back to domestic issue. It was supposed to be tonight, but the first meeting between her husband-to-be and my father is postponed to Wed instead. There is one saying, "seeing is believing". You cannot blame my father, this is not the first time we heard such news, but it didn't materialize the last time. But I have a feeling this could be for real.

I saw this at one of my tang jie's facebook page. A friend of her made this comment.

"Happy New Year for 2010. So will you be going to your tang mei's wedding? Hug her for me,can? I will be stuck in India for first 3 mths so cant ask my guy friend to hug her so ask u to help,can? :)"

Hmmm to my very best knowledge, there is only three tang mei around. One is my sister, one is my third uncle's one which I think is 13 yr old?, the last one even lagi best, my smallest uncle's one who is 2 or 3 yr old? So basically there is only like one logical choice.

The news already spread like wild fire. It better be real. Or else haiz it just add on to the whole situation.

I spent the whole Sunday afternoon shopping. As it would be 2.5 months over there, was told to include some of the items in the shipment, since the luggage is quite limited. So basically got some basic necessities. Still got a few items to get, but should be enough le. I dunno what else I would need. But basically trying to save money by getting them here instead of using Euro dollars, which is a bomb. Haha.

Busy week ahead. It is time to start the actual preparation for shipment. Got to wake up from holiday mood le...

2010

The year that I have been looking forward for some time has arrived.

It is going to be an important year. I can feel that "Changes" is in the air.

There would be exciting events - like taking a plane for the first time, going to Europe for the first time, dealing with the harsh cold weather just after winter, etc.

There would be some important personal milestones - like the end of my bond is approaching. Hahaha. I am considering my options, given that the trend now is outsourcing logistics support. I would not be surprised that one day suddenly I got no job. I can see it happening, just that how long it would take. Maybe it would still take a few more years, but do I want to feel the impact directly??

But putting that thought aside, it is going to be a happening year at work. I am working hard for my promotion which is kinda due. My first overseas experience to come, the chance to be involved with the biggest party of the year again.

2009 also see me starting to volunteer my service back to the community. I can see more coming in 2010. There would be big changes on my weekend schedules which is mostly spent on Facebook, slacking, sleeping, etc. Which isn't a bad thing to change.

On a personal note, 2010 should be the year that I am preparing to move house again. Well my rental flat tenancy is ending in exactly 12 months time. If the last extension was difficult, this time round would be extremely tricky, given there is 2 increments since then. Unless the grassroots work kinda pay off, haha but i guess it is going to be damn hard. I am kinda preparing for the worst.

The last two points kinda linked to each other. I am very happy to get invited to be involved in Ulu Pandan grassroots. But the sad thing is that it kinda come a bit too late coz I can see myself moving out to Bedok if things dun work out. Which is going to be a big change of my lifestyle and schedule, especially my workplace is at the extreme northwest of Singapore.

So haha i know my late mother dun like me to ride. But maybe it is a skill that I can see myself picking up this year. Too poor to drive a car. Haha.

On a even personal note, I was informed by my father last night that my elder sister is going to re-marry next month. I think I was one of the last to know. Hahaha. Those who know me long enough should understand. No doubt that I went into extreme measures to isolate myself from her ever since the passing of my late mother, I am still happy to hear the good news. In fact my father and I are on merry mood last night, that we drank quite a lot with the workers from China which worked in the company. They already started before I reached, it is at least another 20 bottles after I joined after my dinner. I hope that it would work well. But at the back of my mind, also have to remind myself on the increased responsibility as there is the possibility of my elder sister and my nieces migrating to England with her husband-to-be after the marriage.

That kinda justified my decision to move back with my dad, if the extension to the rental flat tenancy dun get through.

And all this meant that I am the last one left. One is always honest when they drink. My father wants to teach me "networking" skill. Hahaha. Well I am actually not particular about it, I think it is probably the last thing on my mind right now but it would be good the status would change this year.

Lastly, the quote I got from the Facebook profile page of Warrant Wong which I liked it.

Happy people don't just accept change, they embrace it! They are the people who say: “why would I want my next five years to be like my last five?”

Back to MR

Finally broke the 3 weeks spell of slacking + gaining weight.

Chio-ed by PH for a run, and haha i decided to show her the 9.5km route in MR. Today is also MR25 Ultra-marathon, so throughout the slow run that we have, many friends who are attempting the ultra overtook us. Some remember my backview so they called out to me, some just overtook without realizing that it is me so I got to call out to them, of coz by only doing 1 lap, i didn't see many other friends who are also doing the ultra but "no fate" to see. Haha. The few that I saw - Teelee, Terence Teo, DO, Dream, babumouse, etc. So sad nv see Balasing in action, only saw his pict in Facebook so I tagged it.

All in all, it was a slow run for us. PH was a sprinter so her stride is naturally bigger. It was difficult for her to do slow run as she tend to speed, So being a slow runner after injury haha got to play catch up big time. I felt more tired, exerted more, but then the timing for the course is slower leh. Hahaha. Tired myself too much catching up I guess. Anyway hopefully she dun feel that I am slowing her down. Haha. I guess not, since we are already discussing about the next run.

Among all these work stress that I have, it was good to have put in a run. Ease my thoughts a bit, but haha it is time to think about work after 3 days of break. Next 2 weeks is going to be very impt. Like what my boss said, the ship is not going to wait for any one. So got to work my socks off le.

Fighting a losing battle

The Christmas eve present that I got is the confirmation that the containers would be sealed on 9th Jan, instead of the 15th that we heard, or even the 20th something that we heard 2 weeks ago.

The stress of the many deadlines is getting to me, I woke up this morning on Christmas thinking if I am late for work. There are so many items yet to be delivered, I dun even know how. And all the impt pp who can make it happen are on leave till 4th Jan. That includes the one who is supposed to do the job I am doing. I am just standing in, and it is my first time to coordinate. This is really a steep learning curve for me, and there is little time for any more mistake. There are so many things to settle in a very short period. Haiz.

I dun like to screw up in terms of work. But this time round, this is really going to be a challenge.

I left work at 8pm on Christmas Eve. That more or less sums it all up. I still thinking if I should work tml. But then to make things happen, u need the rest to work at the same pace. But they are all on leave, so well... ... this is really fighting a losing battle...

Well have been waiting for 19th Dec for quite a while.

One of my Sunday last month was spent in the CC making simple handmade card which consists of 3 wishes from individual kids from lower income family in the community. In other words, many of them are actually familiar faces, they stay very near to me. They were selected as they are on public assistance, etc. For those who are wondering, the presents were sponsored by a company, and those cards I helped creating went to a Christmas tree in that company, and then they help fulfilled the wishes.

I was there to usher the kids and their parent to their seats, helping the kids in carrying the presents off the stage, well some of the presents is bigger than the kid, etc. Through my contribution is considered small, but having started from that card making & a bit of planning, quite happy that the event run quite smoothly.

And then came the moment, I am given the form. Only committee members are given the forms to the event. I have just signed up to volunteer after the tea session with MP early last month. So it is really a short period with the team, nothing is final but then I guess I got the nod to join the committee. Despite my busy work schedule in the coming months, I obliged. It seems to me a good way to give back to community. And I truly enjoyed doing it, so why not?

Just that i have to make a painful decision by dropping the volunteering in Banana Relay. Coz the date clashed. Painful painful decision.

I seldom blog about work recently. But looking at my "to do" list after a round of meeting today for my overseas assignment, haven even looking what I need to do for my primary appt, I think there will be many late nights to come for the rest of Dec and Jan. I might not even bother to come back home at some days I guess.

Haha I haven even mention that I got 12.5 days of leave to be cleared by 31st. Haha. Which technically speaking, i am already on leave. But I would be working throughout.

The longer I hold 2 appts, it is going to be a big challenge to start my training regime again. Something got to give in such situation, and it seems to me that it is going to be my social & personal time for now. That is the main reason that I dun intend to race early next year. I dun even know when will i find time to run again. Hahaha.

Lazy me

Well I practically spent this weekend slacking and lazing around at home. Haha everyone else seems to be doing recovery runs whereas me still choose to slack around. Sunburns has become better and all the muscles aches has more or less gone. But well I am not particular rushing myself back into training through, the overseas work assignment has more or less ruled me out from races for first half of 2010. Nah I am not so crazy to think of doing Sundown barely two weeks after I come back to Singapore, not knowing if i can train in the cold weather in Europe. Haha training should be resuming soon, but no upcoming races for quite a while. Probably only 2nd half of 2010.

Completing the Marathon as a Plodder...

Well completed my maiden marathon with a timing that is not very proud to share but nonetheless finishing is the most important. There are moments that I just wanted to give up, I am just so sehz due to my sickness, my toes are in pain (it seems to me my running shoes is at least half a size smaller), I removed my socks at around 35km. My body is just so unconditioned for the run that I just could not restart my engine after stopping at the 18km. I was so hoping that I would be picked up by the sweeper buses in my last few km. That kinda hinted my timing.

It is with sheer determination that I managed to overcome all this and completed the marathon. I learnt quite a lot from this marathon. Really. The distance is not something you can just whack without training. What made it more worst is that I am still having flu and cough. I learnt to respect the distance.

Would I be back? Well I am sure that this would not be my last marathon. But when the next one comes along, I would make sure that I am much better prepared than this. Nah it is not going to be 2010. 2010 would be base/foundation training. Maybe 2011, or 2012 or 2013? Haha i dunno. I would go back to half marathon or 10km for now.

But there are happier things to take away in a way. Despite being sick, I matched the timing for my 10km Nike Race, and faster by 20 mins at 15km mark as compared to the New Balance Real Run 09 timing. That itself is a achievement in a way, there are already improvements through the interval trainings. I decided to stop at 18km for a walk, because strictly speaking, I dun think I should run in the first place due to my flu and cough.

Maybe I can still push on, but then at the end of the day, you only got 1 life. I didn't want to push my limits by too much. I walk, already cannot take it. Imagined that I have run? The consequences may not be good.

So in the end, I think I have made the sensible decision. Finishing in one piece safely is more important than the timing.

Hardly the best preparation.

From diarrhoea last weekend, to the flu and coughing this week which I have yet to recover from, was hardly the best preparation for the distance that I attempting to conquer tml. I haven't even mention about the lack of training yet. But then it is just me - in my life there is so many odds and obstacles that is against me, but somehow I would find ways to overcome it. My strategy tml is to jog normally for a half marathon, and then after that, it is all about my mental. But being sick, i would listen to my body, if I got to abort the mission, I would. But my target is clear, I would like to make it back to the finishing line within the cut off timing.

The sickness is actually caused by the concurrent appointments that I am holding onto now. My lady boss kept asking me to go back to my office despite me attached over to the other office for the preparation for the overseas. She can even make remarks that I am doing nothing at the other office, when I am supposedly to be stand in as the OIC for my section for the preparation, as my OIC would be on overseas leave during the most crucial period. I hate people for accusing me of not working. If I am not working, for what the f*** I stayed overtime to rush my work so that I can hand over my primary job smoothly. I know that there are things that are outstanding, so I wanted to clear before I handed over, so what did I get in the end? I was thinking to go back on a sat, but then i decided to f*** care already when I know she is making this type of remarks in front of my big boss. What and why should I care so much in the first place???

When I am under her, said good things about me. When I am not under her, turned face immediately and said bad things about me. Good very good boss.

The sick and tired feeling came back again. After what I endured this week, I just thought that I am too nice a person to stay in the force. I kana makan everytime everywhere i go. With the integrated work force concept, and my vocation that I was in gradually changing from service to combat, I can sense my time is numbered. And I have made up my mind on leaving. It is just a matter of when. For now, i am concentrating in the preparation for the overseas trip, for that it would be likely to be my last main task before I throw paper.

I seriously have enough.

Stress

I finally saw the doctor this morning. Haha I managed to control myself when I was outside there on Sat but when I went back to the comfort of my home, all hell break loose again. Haha.

Basically the usual suspects of the 4e3 guys decided to meet up yesterday since Idris and I got to collect our SCSM race pack at the floating platform. While walking to the floating platform, I think I bumped into roentgen, but he never saw me and was on the phone so well didn't call out to him. Collection was a breeze. No queue whatsoever. Yeah it is superb fast, but personal opinion is besides that, there is basically nothing else? Kinda disappointing.

We then proceed to Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits at the Singapore Flyer for a late lunch. This being my first time there, well didn't eat a lot since I am not feeling that well, but I dun think the food impress enough for me to take a long walk to there again. Haha.




After the lunch, the gang decided to proceed to Expo for Sitex. I wasn't very keen on the trip actually due to my frequent stomach cramps. But I still followed in the end, it is superb crowded but my observation is that it seems to me that the news of "Dubai debt" is kinda affecting sales? There are a lot a lot people, but I dun see many purchasing big items, maybe just some small items here and there.

But we kinda bumped into many people, but being in a crowded environment, didn't really call out to them. Being a secondary school classmates outing, it is kinda coincidentally that we caught glimpse of our secondary school mates, Jerry Ng (4e1), Alwin Chen (4e2), and Pricilla Tan (4e6) at Sitex. Haha. I also bumped into Freddie and Charmaine just before the gang decided to proceed to Changi Airport for our dinner.


Ha i didn't purchase anything from Sitex as well. Bonus is limited and then I got things to buy before the overseas assignment. But haha I still dunno if I would be pulled out?

I am really looking forward to the Germany trip but only know that I would attached over for the preparation with immediate effect on Last Wed. Haha at first i thought it would be concurrent and i think my bosses thought so too, but haha it seems that it cannot work that way now. Given that I still have quite some thing to clear and hand over in my primary job, I dunno what would happen. This coming week would be crucial.

I guess that I should not purchase any thing with regards to the overseas trip yet. Just in case for the worst case scenario that I got pulled out. Which I sincerely hope not.

Sick

Have been visiting toilet on such regular visits that I lost count for the past 36 hours. To prevent dehydration, I drank quite a lot of isotonic drinks, but in a way, it kinda make it worst. I dunno what happened. My urine output is almost none even after those drinks, everything was coming out from the rear. Things have improved slightly this morning, at least there is a bit of output from the front. Hopefully it would get better, would be meeting my secondary school class mates for a catch up session.

As part of Ulu Pandan Active Ageing Day, there is a go kart racing held right in the neighborhood. And I was roped in to help by the community club. Since I was very free on Sunday, I agreed.

On first sight, it seems quite weird that to have such event on a Active Aging Day, but man looking at how excited the old folks queue and give the go kart a try, it is good to have such activity that makes them feel young again. One granny is so into it, that she raced three times in the morning and then comes back in the afternoon for another four times - I remember her fondly. During one of her drive in the morning, she kinda lost control of the kart, and then somehow she performed a sharp turn of the kart to get back on track without crashing. Very impressive

Basically my job is just to manage the queue, ensure the indemnity form is properly filled up, helping the elderly fills up the form, etc. I remember filling a form for an 70 years old man.

Of course, being a community project, there is scenes of typical Singaporean. Many aunties let a auntie cut queue after I assigned numbers - so the last auntie got pushed into the next race, she refused and forced her way in. I refused to let a kid to go in without parent's consent, they come back and insisted on joining the queue at the same position. Underaged kids, improper footwear, etc etc.

Very Interesting indeed. Haha. It is good that I have a not so approachable face.

The small circuit created behind the community club

Fellow YEC members

Volunteers having a go at lunch time

The auntie in yellow raced 7 times.

Anyway why the sudden involvement into community work? Well growing up in a difficult family situation, I think it is about time for me to give something back to the community in a small, little ways. After all, without all those community assistance schemes, would I survive those turbulence years? Maybe I should have started long ago, but now is good. My career has more or less stabilized.

Plus, it is also better to spend my weekend on more meaningful stuff, than the usual sleeping and facebook-ing. I do not wish to waste my life away just like what I have done in the last few years anymore. I do not have much social life anyway so it is good to do something meaningful and do some networking along the way.

Ha I realize the root of the problem. After stopping interval training for many donkey years, my body is still getting used to running after taking a rest between runs, and well me still have the old problem from my running days last time, I tend not to control my pace properly.

I was supposed to do 2 sets of 6km this evening but I went too fast for my first set. It was supposedly to be 1.2 - 1.3 x the targeted pace, but i did a 0.92 x the targeted pace. Hahaha. Well fast is good in a way, but then it kinda causing me to abort my workout. My engine didn't start for the 2nd set and I was going slower and slower every lap, I decided to stop at 2km.

Well still early days in my trainings. Hope to improve in the next few months.

7 sets of 500m the night before & 5 sets of 1.3km on Mon went well. No such problem. Haha look like my threshold value now is 2.2km.

By the way, I bumped into Babumouse last night at the track and he joined me for 2 sets of 500m. Well it is nice to run with someone. But then I run like *(^%%$ and pant like a old man and that is only his cool down run. Haha. With him joining me, he pushes me to run much faster than my training pace. I know he meant good. And I got to thank him for joining me. But haha it is not time yet. I am not ready. I dunno how I completed my 7th set, I was superb tired by then.

Anyway I have lost 2kg since 081109 to 78kg. I just weighed myself in camp. My BMI is all clear for now but my Body fat % is still at a very dangerous level. So now even if the BMI is clear, my next target is bring down the body fat % together with my weight. Ya 70kg is my target for now.

Back to the drawing board?

Well supposed to do 4 x 2.2k today. But then, I am already out of the targeted time for the 2nd one. And so I slacked. Haha well that's no point continuing the workout, the target time is there for a reason, and telling from my experiences, there is no way that my 3rd or 4th run would be better than the 2nd one after hitting the wall.

So it is kinda back to the drawing board in a way. The workout is designed in such a way that this run is supposed to the pace that I have set myself to achieve. I have set it at 7.5 mins/km for now. But maybe I have again been too ambitious since my pace is like 1min slower.

But I would carry on with the workout for another couple of days to see if today is an one off thingy. If not, it is either to reduce the pace to 8 mins/km or to reduce another variable (The dist).

Well after declaring quite publicly that I wouldn't be racing in 2010, some thought that I am quitting running. But really that is the opposite, This year I have not been training regularly and religiously, there is no training program whatsoever, there is just some random long run here and there whenever I am free. And the pace is so very random, it could be slow, very slow, or very very slow. Haha. So the progress have not been good in terms of race timing. Race is supposed to be the time to measure the progress made in training, but haha more often than not, recent races has become a LSD for me. Not sure if you can call it a race anymore.

So I just thought of taking a good break in 2010 to train and get the basics right. Instead of going for long slow run, I decide to go down to the track Tuesday evening to do some interval workout to work on my speed. Some call it "Fartlek". Basically you can varies the distance, but since i am starting from the basics, i did a 100m striding at 70-80% and 100m jogging for three rounds around the track. I did a total of 2 sets. I have been avoiding speed workouts since my torn ankle ligament. But it seems to me that the session turned up fine.

I bumped into Coach Robin that day. And I was very glad that he shared with me his formula of planning workouts. I think I have not follow any program since training under Coach Jacter Singh back in those days. It is good to have a plan than the no head no tail training that I have been doing in recent years.

So now it is really down to me. With a balanced training program in hand, now is down to my time management and determination to execute. It is no easy feat, given the work that I got and also the community work. And the decision about no race? It depends. The advice given by Coach is to keep racing, to see if the training program works. But no rush, it is about training regularly now. And I am not particular ambitious - the targeted distance and pace is not particular fast - it is all about running at a reasonable pace that I am able to achieve. If I am running 8.5 - 9.5 mins/km at races, I cannot be doing 4 - 5 mins/km pace now mah. Got to be realistic. I am working on a 7.5 - 8.5 mins/km first. So this is gonna to be a long term project.

Decided. No races for 2010.

I will be taking the year 2010 off from races.

It will be a busy year with my overseas attachment in Germany and the National Day Parade. If I cannot do it well in 2009, I strongly doubt that I can be better prepared in 2010. But I am really looking forward to the 2 months plus in Germany, hopefully there is some free time for me to put in some training, wanted to make good use of the cool weather.

But I will still be there at races to soak in the atmosphere and support fellow runners.

It is a long shot. But if I can reach my targeted weight, I will be back racing earlier.

It is open secret that I am having problems with my weight recently. And the increasing weight is putting a lot of stress of my ankle, and slow me down by a lot. I have been eating the same food over the years, just that my exercise output has reduced so much, that it all went to my weight.

So next year, I intend to go back to basics. I want to work on my weight. I want to train regularly and go back to my old routine. It seems to me after years of slacking, my legs have forgot how to run. I am "not running", I am not even lifting up my legs.

No more slacking. I cannot afford to slack anymore. No more after what happened today.

Today 081109: 80kg. Targeted Weight: 70kg - When ???

New Balance Real Run 2009.

Well what to expect from the race when I have not been training due to my persistent flu, but man today I am really "crushed" by the manner this race goes, in terms of placement. I purposely started in the 2nd half of the pack, so hopefully I would get demoralized by all the overtaking. But hell I am superb wrong. I still got overtaken like nobody business at the beginning of the race and all along the route, I dun remember overtaking many myself. It is a strange race, maybe all the similar pace are all in 10km bah. So I already at the back of the pack at the 4km mark, from then on, it is really a challenge to give chase, but everyone else seems so far ahead. Not that I am particular slow today, my 10km timing is just 1 mins off my Nike Human Race. After that, it just falls apart. You can say that I throw in the towel. But then does it matter? There are not many runners around anyway. Just a handful is behind.

This is my worst run since Saucony-100Plus Passion Run 2008. 2008 I can said that it was a comeback run done without much training after 2 months in cast after my fractured metatarsal. Today? I don't have any reasons, besides my illness.

But I am really left to ponder what have went wrong.

Is it my injury? Is it my weight? Is it me slacking too much? Is it just me who dun have it anymore?

The feeling today really sucks. I do not want it to happen again. Either I get really selective in my races and get myself well prepared, or maybe it is high time that I should take a break from racing, which hopefully will not lead to my "retirement". Given how slack am I now, it could.

Nonetheless, time to regroup and think how to handle the Dec race.

Anyway thanks t@z for walking the last long 2km with me. So surprised to see this running friend who is running from SengKang to Changi. *respect*

Still sick...

First day of a 8 days course... Have to travel all the way to the east of Singapore early in the morning... Day 1 and I am already picking up new skills through I have been using the system for many many months... I love to learn new stuff just that I am still sick... Dunno whether can recover in time for Sunday race... Ha at most just treat this as a training jog again...

I have not been sick for a long period for a while. I think that I know the root of the problem. But haha I cannot do anything about it when I am sick. I care too much about my weight now, I am giving myself quite a lot of stress to lose it given the direction is straight from my big big boss and his deadline is fast approaching, but with the stress factor, my body fall sick. Haha.

What to do? Maybe I should not think about it. I dunno man, so a year of hard work is going down into the drain just because of the weight, is it all worthwhile in the first place?

Sick and down

I am having flu and fever symptoms since yesterday. Plans for the weekend has all been shelved. Totally sehz.

Have not even bother to go collect my Run for Hope Race Pack. And the GE woman race? I was con-tempting to go and support but then I just thought that rest is more important for now. So haiz. Tough choice.

But I am on course for the next 2 weeks. Cannot report sick. So I better rest more today instead.

Nike Human Race 2009

It is my first time doing this race. But I have not been running regularly recently. And the preparation is hampered by a flu again. Well they was painting the office so my sensitive nose somehow got affected and start sneezing again. So I wasn't feeling 100% coming into the race. But well hahaha since I have already paid for it, I thought to myself might as well treat this as a training jog. So I proceeded to the event.

Well because it is compulsary to wear the event tee, the event area becomes a sea of red. Haha ya it took me 5 mins to cross the starting line, I didn't want to "chiong" anyway. Read on the news that they are interested to increase the number of the runners next year, maybe they should work on more full road closures. One lane is closed only at Geylang Road, hmmm it is quite narrow. By the way, this is my first race when I bring along my camera. Haha didn't really take pict along the way, too shagged. It is a "practice" before SCSM. I want to have a feeling if it will affect my running.

Yeah my kinda new shoes that I have used for the run. My period of not running coincides with the period that my NB1063 was down. I have been writing recently on my right ankle being twisted here and there while running, hmmm I come to realize that actually the part supporting the ankle has become loose. It does not provide adequate support anymore. To revert back to my NB1061 is asking a lot out from the old shoe that I have not been using for runs for so long. So I brought a new NB1062. Hahaha budget lah...

Well my timing for the Nike Human Race isn't that impressive, as compared to the other runners in the SGRunners Community and the Newton Race that was in the beginning of year 2009. But I know where I stand. From the fact that I am still having a flu, and yet to able to complete the run with a pace of slightly faster than my usual jogging pace. I know that I have done my best. I have listened to my body, I didn't really want to push it too much, I still have some more in my reserve tank, but I didn't want to take the risk. There is always another race another day.

Managed to caught up with quite a few SGRunners after the race - Taz, Laser, AndyGoh, cfred, charmaine, Ronnie Teo. Missed seeing many as they rushed off to MR to support TNF. I was too slow in coming back. Haha.

The finisher band that I got from completing the race.

I am looking forward to NBRR. Hopefully I will be in better shape by then. Suffering from the aftermath from this morning exertion. Damn sehz now. Maybe I shouldn't have run. Hahaha.

NBRR would be a good training run for SCSM. Haha. It is a daring experiment. Given the number of injuries that I have, i am thinking that I should not exert every weekend and risk injuries. I have spent best part of the past few years recovering than doing the running. But man it could backfire big time on 6 Dec.

I am not overly worried through. I am quietly confident to finish. Just how long I would take. Haha.