It's pouring....heavily at Pasir Ris now. Looks like it's going to be wet. Hmm...I dun like that. While on my way back from church just now, I saw some distance marker placed by the road side along Bedok and Tampines. Saying that I'm not anxious...it's a lie. I am indeed getting anxious. I even get anxious in the last fam run. What's more this is now getting real. The Sundown Marathon.

Essential items checked:
- Bib securely pinned to tee
- Body glide for abrasion prone area
- Plaster for blister prone area
- Mp3 player
- tissue paper & cash for emergency
- GU gel needed when body fuel went low

Let my first longest run be a dedication to God from above, for it is way to thank Him for giving me a good pair of legs.....

I shall go take some much needed rest now.....:)

Everyone seems to be talking abt Sundown this couple of days. And for some reason, those that I know are either sick, going to fall sick, having ITB, PF, kena flu, got burned out….at this time. I am no exception, still sneezing my way and consistently loading myself with Vit-C everyday. And for all a sudden, PF started to come back and haunt me again since last week. I’m eager to know what’s the outcome will be. Will it be a DNS… I’m eager to know, if ever I reach the starting line, how long will it take for fatigue and pain to greet me along the way. Regardless, I’m not too pressurized by this event. All I want is just to take this opportunity to push up the mileage before the real BIG day. If I can make it there come 31st May 12am having thousands of runners accompany me for my longest LSD, that will be perfect. Otherwise, it’s just too bad.

For those taking part……relax, rest and eat well….:)

Two weeks ago I got a suprise sms from someone I do not know. She introduced herself and explained how she go about getting my contact. It was indeed a suprised!!! I was asked to be interviewed!! By someone from SPH....wuahahahahah......

Oh well...I know what is it about but I wasn't sure what sort of questions will I be asked. It took me one whole night to think about whether I should accept the offer. The next day, I reply her sms giving her my email, thought of giving it a shot. Not long after, there came the email...

***Faint**** scratching my head how to answer. That's not about it. I need to submit a copy of my photo, fullname, occupation, age...etc!!!! -_- oh no!! Will all this be published???!!!!! And so, I thought of backing out from the interview, hoping that I will be 'forgotten' by her. 3 days after the deadline given, I got an sms again. As expected asking me if I've send over all the answers. I looked at those questions again, do a bit of reflection, slowly and steadily I managed to squeeze some juice from my brain...... Looking thru my whole "My Pictures" folder, I search thru high and low for a "not-too-bad" photos. JC commented if I want to go take a studio photos!! ahaha... Finally I found one..not a fantastic one but not a bad one either lah...

And so...I click on "send". What is the interview about, will it be published somewhere sometime?? Let's see :)

Loading myself with loads and loads of Vit C now. There's flu bug flying around these day. I can feel that it's coming.... Throat itchi, running nose...... argh.....!!!!

Try carrying a bucket of water and walk around and see how it feels. It's even worst when u run with it. That's exactly how I feel climbing up to MF at yesterday's run. The going up was not as bad. In fact, I felt that my quads are feeling stronger this time.

By the time I reachd the top, I can feel my tummy exploding. I didn't eat much, it must be the teh-c cum H20 that I took before the run. Argh...felt so shitty!!!! Waited for the 2 gals and slowly make my way back. Trying hard to switch my thoughts away from the bloated tummy.

Oh.... got a peep on the Nike+ Sportband from James. Cool stuff, value for money. Has exactly what I want and what I dun want from a Polar watch. But....I'm still not going to get it..haha.... at least not at this time :)

Today is the 3rd day after I came back from LA. Yet, my body clock is still in a mess. I woke up at 3am in the last two days and couldn't get back to sleep. Came to work at 6 in the morning and I'll be switch off by 3pm. Today is no difference. It's a total mess and affecting my training plan...:(

Having almost the entire afternoon before I head off to the airport, i took the hotel shuttle to Irvine Spectrum Center, an outdoor shopping just 1km away from the hotel. I was there last night for a while and I'm back there again today.

Lots of shops around there, not forgetting the usual Macy, Nordstrom and Target. This particular store that caught my interest since I yesterday, the store name is called "Finish Line". I spotted it from far and the name itself is good enough to caught my attention.

Went straight to it......there is really something that I have been looking for even since I touched down in California. North Face!!! Although it didn't have as much choices as per the website given that this is not a North Face store, I think I've spent close to an hour looking at those items and of course..trying out on 5 pairs of trail shoe. Cool!!! Guess how much is Rucky Chucky? USD109 :) in comparison to...SGD$22x?? Oh well...I didn't go for the North face even after trying all 5 pairs. The Fire Road version seems to be among the best. Ok..dun ask me to elaborate the responsiveness or whatever cheem terms ppl used in analyzing a shoe. I know none of it. It just give me a better overall feel and comfort. The rest of the NF are probably too hard for me on a normal surface. Anyway....guess what I got in the end.....Salomon!!!! I was contemplating the Salomon and NF Fire Road for a while and in the end, I decided to take..........

TBC...................

Still sorting out the pics. Didn't take as much as I wanted to. But MandalayBay at Vegas, is one of the best hotel I've ever stayed.

Man-made wave pool and beach


The company is kind enough to rent two cabanas facing the man-made beach and wave pool for the whole day with unlimited ordering of food/drinks throughout.

One of the pool at MandalayBay. Notice those smaller cabanas at the end of it.

See those cabanas at the left side. There are TV, sofa, fridge..etc..Cozy enough to laze around the whole day

YAY!!!! I'll be back HOME SWEET HOME soon.....Just a couple more hours I'm glad.

I seriously need to do some detox once I get back. Just 2 days is enough for me. I felt like my life have been shorten to a few years all because of the environment that I'm at in the last 2 days. The ang moh really amazed me. It didn't come at a suprise why they have the highest rate of obesity related illness and all sorts of other illnesses. Drinking beer/alcohol more than any other thing else on a daily basis..... 2-3 packets of cigarettes a day (that's my lao pan)....I'm glad the community around me back home is far from reaching this.

No wonder VP told me that I'll see a different side of everyone when we get to Vegas for the outing after the meeting. How true was that. Almost (thank God it's not all) directors/managers turn into drinkers, smokers, gambler...who knows what else. Oh well, at least I have 10% that are on the same frequency as I do. We went shopping instead.

Am glad.....it's coming to an end...Till next year :)

I was at this factory outlet mall called Carlsbag Outlet the whole afternoon. Shopaholic will definitely go crazy visiting this place. Branded/non-branded, they are all at factory price. Polo/Lacoste/Coach/Guess.....many many more. And mine you, they are all genuine stuff, not fake.

Guess what I saw. Kayano 14 selling at $USD129. I reacted as it I found a gold bar. Quickly grab my size and try on it. Cool....In the end....I didn't bought it...haha.... Feeling guilty to keep buying running shoe yet mileage is not as high as others...haha..IF ONLY I didn't get the kayano 13 2 weeks before I leave for LA. Anyway....I managed to find some other cool stuff. A coach bag for SGD$xx. Yeah!! a 2-digit SGD dollar for a coach bag after 40% discount on top of the factory price :)

Time to get ready for some serious stuff at work tomorrow...........:(

Suprisingly, I get pretty well adjusted to the local time without much struggle. Get to sleep at 10pm local time yesterday and woke up feeling pretty fresh. Took my time for brekkie and time for me to charged up those hills :)

Checkout the local map and the distance between various points. Target to recee the run to Laguna Hill Mall, so that I won't waste too much time tomorrow navigating the streets when I'm about to start my shopping. Sun is out but not feeling any heat at all. How cool was that!!! Make some wrong hilly turns when I stopped to ask the passers by for direction. No problem at all since I do wanna to get some hill workout. U-turn and make my way towards the mall. Still far from my sight, I wonder whether I've gotten the wrong way again. But well, decided to run till the end of the junction, the lady assure me that I'll see it. True enough, it's just right beside the end junction. Ok. Now I know where it is, this is gonna be my weekend shopping place. Make my way back and recee another hill :)

Took a nap and meet up with my colleagues. People whom I've emailed, spoke over the phone in the past 2 years yet have not met before. Oh boy...I felt that I've downgraded to 'small' size..haha felt good actually. But that should not be the reason that I can eat more..NEVER NEVER!!!

After 16 hours......

Hello people!!! Greetings from LA!

Am glad that I managed to get some sleeps on that 16 hours gruesome flight. Though felt a little bit zombie at first but I think I'm adjusting pretty well. Several things that I'm always concern abt when travelling on business trip:

1) internet service. Do they have one in the hotel? Is it complimentary
2) food. I usually dun eat much in flight. Will feel bloated. But once I'm in the hotel, I'll need food.
3) the surroundings in the hotel. Any convenience store, shops..etc

Stepping in to Aliso Viejo, this small little town surrounded by hills. I am indeed glad that I have the 3 items above at my finger tip. Well, not absolutely fantastic but having free internet access from the room does makes a lot of difference. Just like now :) I'm blogging at ease.

Yea, I'm hungry. Don't wanna go for room service if possible. Less than 5 mins walk, quite a number of take-out, fast food restaurant. Just had my yumilicious teriyaki bento. Serving so big..Just took have.

Next, the surrounding is more of a residential area. Hmm..the hills around....it's just tempting!!! Legs getting itchi liao. I should be out conquering those hills tomorrow if everything goes well.

Ok guys....till then.....