Official Results out!

Gun time: 23:42
Position by Category: 13

Swim time: 5:57
>> Most likely the current pushing me forward heh? Or it could be shorter than 200m :) Never managed to clock under 6min in pool.

Transition: 1:37
>> Probably one of the thing that I enjoyed most....Could have just wear race belt during run out instead of standing still...Nevermind...... enjoying every single bit of it.

Run: 16:04
>> Waited maybe a min plus at the run out area waiting for buddy. Run wasn't as good. Breathing was hard. But didn't bother too much.....

One down......next one...in 3 weeks time.......

22 Feb 09 ---- She completed her first ever Swim Run event and truly enjoying it!!!

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Day before, I informed Susan that I’m putting her contact as my emergency contact since JC is having his training in the morning. I told her it’s my first open water swim event, I dunno how it’ll turn out. So make sure her phone is turned on in the morning in case the medic or hospital call. And my race starts at 830. Spent like half an hour preparing a checklist and packing all the stuff… Oh man….I have one full bag of stuff to bring!!!

We reached Tg Beach and get ourselves settled at the transition area. Arranging my stuff in sequence and found a prominent sign to remember where my spot is. Greatttttt…… I saw the marking of the turning point for the 200m swim..Ok…the distance looks comfortable.

We were walking around and dip ourselves while waiting for 830. And one thing I observed...... majority of the participants looks darn fit man!!!!!

8.15am, I went to the start point with Tao and met up Lala & Eugene. We both are nervous indeed. Gun off at 830 the fun begins!!! Tao requested that I keep an eye on her and I agreed. But merely 20m away, I have lots of ppl surrounding me, goggles is getting a little foggy, I decided to just swim and swim and swim. Thank God I didn’t get kicked or punch. Just a slight body contact with someone at the start. The rest are all well. Zig zagging here and there and managed to overtake quite a fair bit. Turning in the next 100m into the transition area, I spotted Roonz from a far. Taking her as my target, I look no where except her…hehe..Roonz…are you reading this?? Nearing to the shore, she is there cheering for us ;) Yay!! I completed the swim!!

Ran into transition and about ready to go when Tao came in. Get my way out of the transition (so that my transition time will not be longer than swim time :) ) Waited for her at the running path. The run itself….was ok except some hard breathing. Finishing together in…xx:xx:xx…. Oopss….didn’t bother to look at the watch at all. Probably it’s somewhere around 25minx plus minus. But who cares….I’m luvvvinnngggg it!!

Smiling faces everywhere...................................

This little girl since young as a kid can never swim even after many many attempts being taught by her dad/siblings. While starting learning together with the rest of the siblings, all managed to learned but not her. She either stick herself close by the wall like a lizard or ended up having a runny nose. All she can do was to float face down and kick her little feet.

Many many years later from childhood to adulthood, she pick up the guts and self learn all over again (with the help of some close friends). It was one of the most amazing thing that she felt from inside out when she can finish one lap effortlessly in breast stroke. She even emailed her sis immediately to tell her that she can now swim!!!!!! Two years later with quite a fair bit of practicing her swim, she caught some bugs from her crazy mates and signed up for a mini Aquathlon race (200m swim & 2.5km run). 200m in open water?!?!? Unbelievable. Not knowing how to tread water, that’s a bit scary. And so again, she started to bite the bullet and slowly force herself to swim in the middle of the pool and tread water in the middle of no where. Grabbing along her kakis who is experienced in open water swim, they ventured into Tg Beach giving herself a taste of open water swim……

She is now ready for 22nd Feb 09……….. How will it turn up??

Talkative Run - I like it.

Yesterday's run to Fort Canning was one of the most chatty one. On the way up, talk to Tao all the way. On the way down, talk to Burnz all the way. It was also quite a pleasant an enjoyable run because the speed was comfortable enough for us to talk. So no lung bursting kind of pace. And I felt pretty fresh throughout. Even when going up hill, the talkative one continues to talk where I just gave a 'ya', 'ok' kind of response..haha

Had my regular heavenly watermelon soymilk once again. Managed to spread the addiction to Burnz and licht this time round....Niceeeeeeeee

Yesterday's workout theme was "Run with the Stranger Run".

Just had the Pattstrap delivered to me few days ago, I decided to strap it on and venture out to Fort Road. Unexpectedly, this time round was the knee patella of the other side of the legs giving problem. A very familiar pain when I first got injured. Sianz..... Remove the strap from ITB and place it on the knee instead. Say it as co-incidence or not, the compression did help. At least it doesn't hinder the run as much.

Then...I was wearing the wrong shorts. Abrasion!! every runner's enemy. Wasn't a pleasant one but just move on. Had a quick sip at petrol kiosk before making my way back, said hello to another runner coming towards my direction. Can't rmbr how he look, but he had a very colorful headband. Reaching Marina Promenade, this same guy overtook me. He seems to be enjoying his MP3 very much. It's 1+km more to my end point, I decided to tag along with his pace, which happen to be my tempo pace. I followed him throughout the entire Marina Promenade stretch, maybe just about 1-2 steps behind him, overtaking the rest of the runners one after another. Haha...Shiok!! Ya..that entire 1.15hr, only the last few minutes gives me the endorphin kick!

Where there's Bad Hair Day, there's also Bad Run Day. No doubt, it was one of it for me in yesterday's MF run. I thought I was feeling quite good at the start. But just about reaching the foot of MF, my lower back is giving problem. Some numbness that I reckon it could be due to the biking the day before? Stretch and stretch at the traffic light, taking it slowly on the way up. MF oh MF..... love the hills yet it has never been easy even after so many past attempts. Well...I wasn't panting as bad as my 1st time going up. Still it's a bit tough on the legs.

There was quite a few of 1st timer for MF today. But I think they did pretty well.
Reached the top I decided not to do the loops. Back not well, tummy also not well. Went down with a few them. The body does felt really weird tonight. First the lower back, then the tummy, then all of a sudden, felt like energy is draining off. Not as if I've run many many miles. And it even lasted till now....:( Nevermind..... hopefully a dip in the pool will ease away...

I didn't have a good sleep on Saturday night because.....I slept too much in the afternoon?? So needless to say, I had a bit of a struggle getting up on Sunday to meet the sentosa gang.

Anyway, the plan was executed as what was agreed. This time round felt rather peaceful looking at the calm sea, unlike the first visit with strong winds and drizzles the entire morning. Suprisingly the water felt much colder despite the sunny weather. The first thing when we reach, IMD said wah...the tide is high. I'm like oh no!!!! He said high tide is good, won't get to see what's at the bottom. See nothing better than seeing something down under.

And so we started the laps to the other side of the island. I requested Tiwazz to be next to me, he agreed with no hesitation :) At the end of 4th lap, lady boss challenge me to tread water 5 mins to gain some confidence in deep water. I took up the challenge...minus the 5 mins. Tread until I'm tired which of course didn't last very long..haha.... I must have kicked too hard. Tried again on the 5th lap and relax on the kicking, felt so much better this time round....

10 laps and I said I wanna go for the run..Took my own sweet time before Tiwazz reminded me that I need to run out of the water and do the transition...Haha..Still I take my own sweet time. Now the highlight of the day and the awkward part.....the tri top feels strange. I felt as if I'm not wearing anything in the run. Dunno whether it's the tri top making me a bit uncomfortable or the swim, my engine could not start up, my legs are a bit heavy. No momentum at all..Hmm...nevermind...I think I enjoyed the swim & the company today....:)

It was quite an interesting 'me & my mp3' run yesterday. Of what supposed to be a 800x track work, I ended up doing something totally different.

PR - Tampines Ave 2 - Simei Road - Upper Changi Rd - Tanah Merah - Bedok - Kembangan
Distance : approx 12km

Interesting because this is my first time exploring the Simei - Kembangan route, passing by the park connector around Expo. The route was not congested, quiet at some point but decent enough to do a solo run, except that few hundred meters around Bedok Mrt. In addition to the endorphin kick and fresh pair of legs, I'm nothing but contented.

I lost my bike!!!! It happen when the tyre tube burst during the start of the event. Stationing it by the site while trying to get someone to help, to my dismay it disappears when I get back to where it was!! No longer around, trying to search high and low, I can feel my heart rate increasing every seconds. Finally, I checked with the security guard, only to be told that he kept it for me fearing that someone will took it away......

Phew......The next moment, I woke up and I'm like "Luckily it's just a dream".....:) And as a results, I'm half an hour late to work this morning....

This lump of mine suddenly appear on my right ITB for no reason. Ya, and it happen on the week where my mileage is so low. So...ITB problem may or may not caused by running??

It was CBD 3rd anniversary. With the 8km run from TP - F1 Route and back, there's lots of talking among the few of us. This morning, as I took a glance at his and her blog, both were mentioning about "O" "T". Haha...Needless to say, I'm charge guilty as well. I'm one of them kepo-ing around this term. With the strong headwind and nice scenary from esplanade towards F1 and probably the festive mood, I had a relax run. Managed to get the speed monster to run with me for the first half of the route at a recovery pace for her...

Oh and back to the fooooddddddd we had after the run, I had the best potato salad ever!!! Thought I did have some recognition in my recipe of potato salad, now I better go stand and hide in the corner. I think ours (susan,joyce,myself) are still quite a way to reach thissss standard. Next time, must get recipe from the missus already.....

CNY for this year is different from every other year. It doesn't looks like CNY to me as a start. Regardless, the first day was always visitation to relatives house as usual. In fact, every year seems to be a routine, even the type of conversation we had:

Relatives (giving ang pow to me) : Next year your turn to give ang pow to my kids ah!!
Me: Smile
Relatives: Got bf or not
Me: Smile

Grandma (giving ang pow to me): Saying all the well wishes and "After new year find a good husband"
Me: Smile & acknowledge

Apart from that, the week wasn't a very pleasant one cuz we were kind of worried about the heart ablation surgery that my grandma is going for on the 3rd day of CNY. Thank God that it all went well way beyond expectation. The surgery was a success and she's 99% healed. Don't even need to be on medication, which is what has been happening in the pass 10 years. Despite the 'not so pleasant' new year, I'm nothing but just thankful of how things has turned up.

So..... as expected I'm on super low mileage last week. Managed to squeeze in some swim session in between hospital visits between those few days. And who knows what happen to my freaking ITB, there's a lump on the right side and I was woken up by the pain 2 nights ago. Time to play red toy again.....!!!!