It was pouring again..2 hours before the intended long night ahead. Mentally prepared (not sure about physically) and getting a little anxious on how the night is going to turn out - yet I can't wait to see the outcome.

The 4 of us started 7.25pm at ECP F2 with xz giving instruction on the next checkpoint to meet up/water/toilet/walk break. Nice pace I would say with a buddy pacing me all the way to Changi point. Thanks Yankee!!... With Tao as the support vehicle waiting for us, time to re-fuel with bananas, swiss roll, H20! Distance checked ~14.5k according to Garmin. Physical condition checked - all good, no blister, no discomfort.

Ready to make our way back to F2, for whatever reason, the 'engine' wasn't that smooth. Strides was a lot shorter. I'm mostly on my own on the 2nd half..with the other 3 slowly dissapering from my sight...wohoo!!! Ok.. it wasn't really that bad with my trusted and all time favourite 93.3 accompanying me. I think it was somewhere along the 20k-ish.... I'm feeling really sore on the knees. Upper body was still perfectly fine. Gotta switch to run-walk cuz the 'run' was as 'fast' as a brisk walk :) The never ending coastal road finally come to an end and morale was a little high knowing that F2 is not that far away.

Happily munching on a bar of kit kat and stride the way to F2. Job Done! Time check: 4:30hr including water/toilet/walk break. Distance covered: 29.7km. The legs..... sore!!! but the endorphin kick and sense of satisfcation outweigh the soreness :) I think I'm beginning to like....LSD...hahahah..

Thanks XZ, Fennel, Yankee and Tao for a good nightout and TCSS under the stars.....

The sky was gloomy when I change to my swim gear. Looking at the sky the moment I step out from the changing room, the uncle in front was doing exactly the same. Just that he's still in his working attire. He looked at me and smile... "got lightning over there, dunno can swim or not". I pondered a while but was still having the "JUZ DO IT" mentality. I jump in to the pool while uncle walk out and say he'll give it a miss. Another uncle who has already done many many laps teach me how to tell if the lightning is near us. Count to 10 blah blah blah... and he concluded that it's still far away..safe to swim.....

So I went...... 1 lap...stop.. check out the sky. Darrkkkkk.........Another lap back. Stop. Check out... Lagi darkkk.....I chicken out, went for shower and watch DVD :)

Oh btw...it's a wise choice to chicken out cuz it pours like no tomorrow after that......

What am I thinking......I must be out of my mind yesterday. Trying to squeeze in a few 'first time' in a long run.

First, it was my longest run (distance / time spent) in 2010. Next, it was my first time wearing a new pair of shoe (with barely 1km mileage on it) and then it was also my first time using a hydration bag. I'm being exposed to all kinda of risk - abrasion by the hydration bag? will the new shoe gives problem? will I be able to surive that 'long' distance in the first place. Will I DNF?

Thankfully thankfully...... it turn out to be pretty well:

the shoe : amazed me that it gives me no blister at all. I need at least 4 plaster even on my seasoned shoe. With this, I have none. Simply love the light weight though it gives me a little numbness on my sole. :)

the hydration bag: wasn't as heavy as I have imagine. No bouncy feeling. Simply love the drink as and when I want without the need to look around for vending machine/7-11.

the long run: well... I initially intend to target a 3 hour run but it ended up as 3.30hr. And I finally..... finally managed to hit the 2xkm after donkey months!!! My legs were pretty sore after hitting the 3hr mark but I'm amazed yet again that I'm not feeling any discomfort aka ITB,knee,PF problem. Hmm..... maybe the shoe really helps?? I need a few more round to confirm the fact :)

Just do not understand how the body works at time. Last Sunday 12km 2XU at Sentosa really drained me off for whatever reason (it's hilly but it's not really that bad) and the next day I'm aching all over as if I've just completed a marathon. Today, after a 3.30hr session, I'm feeling perfectly fine. Just that little bit of soreness..... **scratch head*** oh well...I guess that's a good thing....

While leaving this blog untouch and getting rusty, I should probably start making some effort to keep it alive.... with some new random thoughts and while I'm available to spent time on blogging...haha :)

It still amazed me without fail, how much Facebook can offer to us. To a certain extent, I find it rather scary.... For people whom I've not met for many many many years...maybe at least 15 years or more? Just today, I suddenly saw their faces in FB and I don't think I would have known this person until I saw their name and their 'friends' in FB. Where's that handsome and young xxx that I knew when I was in secondary school? How come they've put on so much weight? How come they are having lesser hair? Reality sunk in when I too realized..that we (me) are all getting..... 'matured' each day...hahaha.....

And before you knew it.....a quarter of 2010 is gone...... :)

Everysince I came back from the business trip, my body clock has gone a bit haywire...It's been more than a week, I'm geting there but not really back to norm yet. Firstly, the jetlag was terrible, I can be tossing in bed in the middle of the night till the wee hours. And since then, I have not been able to go to bed and wake up at my usual timing. Yeah... I have problems..BIG one waking up on time for work and for morning workout on Sunday. So bad..that I woke up totally forgot if the alarm clock has ever rang... I ended up late at work and paying 2 ERPs of more than $4 on several occasions in comparison with $0 if I can wake up on time!!!!

And so...it was back to swim class after 1 week of absense. The menu was rather simple..In fact the simplest combination I ever had. BUT simple does not equate to easy. Started off with 20laps with buoy and paddle. Then....... 3 sets of 10 x 50m. I hate 50m aka speed work! Both swimming and running! The pant-till-lung-burst kinda feeling.... 10 laps maybe...but 30?? Killer loh!!! Needless to say...I tried my best for 2 sets...and half way through the 3rd set... it ended up as a cool down....haha......

Sometimes I really wonder what sort of mentality that some people out there is having - declaring, well...indirectly boasting about their performance. Yes, I'm refering to the context of the forum and facebook in particular. Yes it's their choice, say whatever they want. I can choose not to read them if it irritates me. Still....it irritates me and I am just ranting this out in my own blog......Typical example can be:

1) I did slightly under 40mins for 10km. Very slow lah...
Common lah... be sensitive to others ok

2) I swam 4k under 1.30hr
What are you trying to say or expect fellow readers to respond? WAHHH you so fast ah?? happy?

3) Barely 45km - I'm so fat!
Nothing to say.....

4) I'm not fast as xxx lah... did sub 3:45hr last SCM only
I wish I could use an anonymous to respond. Ya so slow..can't even qualify for BQ

Oh..and not forgetting the all time favourite "I AM SLOW".

I had a totally different kind of irritation at work and my colleague was telling me that she is very 'zen' nowadays and will neutralize everything she sees/read. Good idea I thought. I should probably do the same - need to teach the brain to neutralize the unnecessary irritation :)

1 day to Friday!!!!!!

London - 6C' Cold......

My 3rd time touching down at this marvelous city since Uni days - which also marks the time where I start to go for an independant life. It never fails to bring back fonds memories.

I was arranged to stay in Maidenhead this time instead of Windsor since this is where the office is located. Now I know.... Windsor is such a luxury including the hotel I'm staying, with the castle right in front and streets of shops and shopping center within walking distance. Holiday Inn Maidenhead, all I see was a petrol kiosk with minimart and residential area. Yet to explore in an hours time to find my way to the train station.

The room..... I was given a pigeon size room that can only fit me and myself. Nevermind about that. I'm not too bothered. Longing for a warm shower after 14 hours travelling, I was greeted by luke warm/cold water. To cut the story short, it took me 3 phone calls before I have someone appearing in my room to take a look. I doubt they can do anything.

Then I was given a free upgrade to an executive room! Bigger room, bigger bed of course - but still..nothing compare to Windsor..haha....

London shopping spree starting in 2 hours time :)

Yet another new swim term, I see a few new faces. I think we have about 5-6 guys in my lane, with me being the only lady. Asked coach if I can switch to the other lane, he said stick to it, else gotta zig zagging a lot. Hmm...I'm obedient but these guys, besides Lala and Leo, the rest are rather....rough. No sense of direction for some :( Got hit for 3-4 times throughout the entire session. Menu for the day.....

300m finger dragging drills
6 x 100m paddle/buoy
5 x 300m 70-80% efford

How wrong am I thinking that's the end of it. Agony continues....10 x 50m interval! Hmm...just like doing intervals right after LSD. How nice is that. DNF BIG TIME. No energy to power up at all. Either I OTOT 'warm-down' to complete the set or call it the day. I tried.... for 2 x 50m. CMI. Enough said.....

After 2 weeks of rather sedentary life except the weekly torturing swim session which somehow really helps in a way or another, am glad that the engine didn't have much problem starting up. Nice cooling 8k round neighborhood. I went home....slept like a pig

Next week.....just in time for a 'warmer' weather (by their standard) and not too disturbed by all the fluffy white thingie that could possibly take you 6 hours to drive through a 10mile motorway. Here I come....... Oh well...it's business. Nothing to be excited about. It's probably going to be quite routine Mon-Friday......

Ok...This is a little overdue....

While everyone is out there partying, shopping on the last day of 2009 - I was at work for the first 2/3 of the day, self declare early release for 1/3 of the day. Colleague asking me what's my plan..... It was an interesting one..... out of the extraordinary I told them.....

I went for a dip in the pool, head home to vacuum & mop the floor, do laundry and slept at 10pm :) Firstly because my parents is in town on the 1st and secondly, the need to wake up at 5am for a 2010 new year ride with the insane one.

So ya...come 2010 it was 5:45am when I head to Casurina to meet the lady - supposedly the first person that I see in 2010 :) 6:25am which was about the time we're suppose to meet up for the ride, she sms me to say she just woke up and ask me to go ahead!!!!! ^______^ Not familiar with Mandai and the men have long gone ahead, I head out to that small little road heading to the main road up and down practising my standing climb.... Gabra like nobody business....Hmm...How come I can do that so well when I was young????

The lady finally arrived at 7:20am, explore around the vicinity, then meeting the men - supposedly to head straight for prata at Casurina. Suprises came when the insane one start to jio for a roller coaster ride at Upper Pierce!!! only another 5km ride but the route is literally - like a roller coaster. Fun 'flying down' but struggle like mad going up. Quads is burning like no tomorrow. I think I ALMOST come to a halt at the tip of one of the slopes - it's probably an ego problem that keep me going instead of anything else - squeeze like mad try not to stop not wanting to push the bike up..

Got tease by the one going for 'eagle' that I look so stoned when taking a break at Upper Pierce toilet.. Shiong ah!!!! On the return route, it does feel a little easier to climb.... Long awaited prata finally within our reach......

I like...the way 2010 starts :)

WEAK - sums up yesterday's shortest 8km CBD run..... The continuos loading of calories during this festive seasons, low mileage, minimum intensity training ended up me chasing the group like a mad dog..... Still managed to chase a bit on the first half with just little gap with the front group... but I went into my own world on the 2nd half - slow and steady OTOT I'm the last to be back...LOL!!!! I'll get there...One Fine Day......

The Osim USqueez.....She..is one the new member in my family... I'm not a fans of this but as the saying goes..."too much $ and not knowing how to spend??"..Ha..how I wish... It just happen that a massager is one of the item that I can put under flexi medical benefits under the company policy :) So...with the year ending and have plenty of it left....why not :)

The review did sounds like too good to be true to me... Went for a quick run a soak in the two feet immediately after shower....Hmm...... it wasn't bad at all, not fantastic though...I still prefer human touch..hahah..... But I soon realized there is this 'warmer' that I can activate it. Suppose to help in relaxing the muscle...etc... Now...that is a lot better..... It's soooo comfy I almost felt asleep...Amazing how that warmer can make such a huge difference..... It suppose to help in releasing lactic acid too!!! Hmm...Maybe I should squeeze in a long run to build up lactic acid and try it out??????

Having a bad hair day...(literally a bad hair day) can really ruin your day even for weeks. I'm one of the victim back in those days. I have been going to this salon for years and always requested for that one stylist and she never fails to give me a good hair cut until one fine day, I was told that she has left SG and will never be back. Sad..... for the next 1 year or so, I have been hunting around trying out different salon, none of them can give me the same "feeling good" cut.

Until early 2008, I went back to this same old salon at Tampines, but didn't request for anyone specific. Then..came this new stylist....suprised me with his attentiveness and professionalism. I found the long lost 'feeling good' cut. He's the ONE!!! Haha... sounds like finding the right man.. which is indeed....the right man for my hair..:P So then, I became one of his regular until one day, I was told that he has moved to Chinatown branch. Not a very easy accessible location for me but..I take no risk of leaving my hair to an unknown pair of hands. I hunt him down all the way to Chinatown. 4 month later, I had another shock and was told that Chinatown branch was shutdown...He has moved to Jurong East!! Ok...now that's really a bit far for me to travel all the way there for a haircut. It took me a week...to decide if I should just try out a new pair of hand within walking distance from office or should I stick to him since he never fail to give me a good cut. To cut the story short, I ended up at Jurong East...sit in there for 3.5 hours.... we both are so pleased with the results. I think he had a sense of satisfaction more than I do seeing the 'changes' he has done on my hair......

Last week was a bad week at work, this week.....a good hair day makes a good work day... :)

Pure laziness is probably the right word to describe why this blog has gone quiet for some time. From falling ill the week before SCM to running the half mara to a drastic change of management at work to catching up on a super long Korean show...that probably sum up to what I've been up to in the past couple of weeks.

Swim class on the other hand was supposedly a tapering session last week but it ended up not physically but a pretty 'mental' session.

4 x 50m warm up
4 x 50m kicking drill
20 x 50m pull buoy & paddle
This sounds like the usual stuff but after a few laps, I'm asked to practice the elbow exit as well. Ok..noted..that's pointer no. 1. Few more laps, here comes pointer no. 2 - left hand be straight. Ok..so my left hand looks like I'm pointing to the inner side instead of going straight. Noted. So...for the few laps, I tried to be as conscious as I can to remind myself on elbow exit - left hand straight, elbow exit left hand straight...

I got stopped again after a while. Here comes the last one. Leg close up and streamline the body to a straight line. Sounds easy but not so. Elbow exit -left hand straight - keep the leg close. It got a little messy and the toes starts to show some symptoms of getting cramp. 20 laps done. My mind is still repeating the elbow exit left hand straight close the leg.

Last one - similar to the previous but without pullbuoy & paddle. 10 x 50m
JIT to call it a day........ No arms breaking session, just a lot of 'theories' to absorb..haha....

Still loading on lots and lots of vit-c in the last few days, I finally made my way to CBD after 3 weeks of absence. Today's menu is simple and nice. Just good enough to keep the leg fresh and not to worn out that semi-functioning body.

The fast one disappear in no time, I try to stick as closely as possible to burnz and chengnai. All 3 of us, can't wait to get it done and call it a day...Once sick and out of action, all will have to start from ground zero, like it or not :) Just too bad that it happen at this time of the year....Oh well...anyway, the run got more chatty on the 2nd half which obviously makes the run more relaxing.

All the best to all 21k, 42k, IMWA heroes!!!!

Honey, Aloe Vera, Strepsils, Pi Pa Gao, Clarinase has been my company since last Thurs but sadly, it didn't help much on my condition. Nose block, sore throat and on the way to loosing my voice. 12 more days to the next race....I think I should just aim for completion and think no more :(

It was abt 20mins cab ride from Hualien City to Taroko Gorge/Aborigin house where we are supposed to for a night and walk to race site the next day... I'm mentally prepared of the condition there but thankfully it wasn't that bad afterall. At least, rooms and toilets are clean with warm shower. It does reminds me of the days where we camp along with roaches and toads at Pulau Ubin under the atap house, does look similar in a way but much much much cleaner. At least, I managed to sleep well...Yah...me and regina were on bed, nothing to do at 730pm. All we get was that little 7-11 abt 10-15mins walk away. We slept till......5am :)

Was a good 1.7km walk to the race site. Started at 7am sharp for a 5km run before we head back to the Gorge....The drama begins...Up and up and up....and UP again..... It wasn't that bad at the start because everything look so refreshing with mountains at one side, rivers and waterfalls on the other with shaded route most of the time. Sight seeing cum run, that's my idea of doing overseas run :)

But after a while, when the legs are really feeling 'it' and it's still going up... it felt like forever to reach 10k mark. Suprisingly looking at the watch, it was abt the same as my 'standard pace'. Mentally prepared although the legs are not, it's still a few more kms to climb before reaching the u-turn point at 14k mark. Would have climbed for 8-9km by then :) So so glad to be able to turn back and down slopes all the way... No regret of not doing full...haha...Did managed to go slightly faster conservatively though...that poor knee has not be too good lately... kiang is enough, no need to be keh kiang...:P And then, I suddenly heard siren from the back... guess what..... the two kenyan elite for full marathon (started on the same time as half marathoners) is overtaking me in our last 4km!!!! haha..bugger....

Completed within cut off time. 21k on such terrain..is just nice and good enough for me :)

So how did my 10D9N of eat,sleep,shop and a 21k run goes?? Not having to work and slept till 8+ everyday is a sure good thingie :)

A bit of a shock though as we make our way to Hualien upon arrival in Taipei on the same day, we were greeted by 3 earthquakes tremors. Well.. it was more than that, just a matter of whether you felt it or not. The first, while I'm at the hotel lobby. Nobody felt it except me. The 2nd, it was during our 'carbo-loading' session at the night market when all of us thought there's a big truck passing by. And the last one...... it was at 3am when myself and Regina was shaken by the tremors. I amazed by myself...I knew it was the tremors when our beds started to shake and hearing noises on the windows. And I still continue to lie comfortably on the bed while Regina was sitting on her bed looking at me. I just told her "Ya, it's shaking, it's shaking". "Shall we get down to the lobby?", she asked. Hmmm.... I told her to check out the window and see if there's anyone out there. She said none. Ok..then it shd be ok. I rmbr Peter Foo once said, if it's less than 10secs, it's ok..more than that, then be prepared :) So...I was back to sleep again, though was still pondering abt the matter. We're on 11th floor. 12th is the higher. If anything should happen, we won't be hit as bad as those on the lower floors?? Apparently, it's just part and parcels of the life at Hualien to have earthquakes :(

So that ends our adventure at Hualien City, of course with some nice local foodies before we head out to our 1night stay at an aborigin house, within walking distance to Taroko Gorge...............

Am just so glad that I'm going only for the half...... Even so... it's double of what Bt Timah hill has to offer....:) And the other 3 going for the full, they just completed their TNF 100 last week...Super Hero!!!!

A little drama again during swim class. It was already getting real dark with roaring thunder. I contemplated for a good 10 mins before decided to get change. Coach immediately summon us the appetizer for the day. Last week was endurance, this week is gonna be speed....^_____^

15 x 100m (15sec rest) interval speed

So there I go, panting like nobody business after every 100m. So sorry for those who spoke to me in the midst of that precious 15sec rest. I need it big time to catch my breath and couldn't response much :P On my 8th set, I have a real quick chat with Lala. We were about to start the next 50m one after another. Suddenly it rains, I did saw a flash of lights while catching my breath, but didn't think too much of it, just go as fast as I could to finish that 50m. The rain gets heavier within that few seconds and to my suprise, the pool is empty!! everyone was already out by the time I finish that 1 lap. Looked behind. Lala is no where to be found! I thought he's following me behind?!?!

Ok..nevermind..quickly pack and go to the shelter. It was already pouring, loud thunder. Coach happily 'kiao kah' sitting there sipping his drink and say wait 15mins. Uhh.... so...we're supposed to stand there, in swim gear, all wet and cold and wait for 15 mins? Ok ok...thank goodness he change his mind in less than a minute. Class cancel :) Lala immediatley came to me. He said he shouted at me a few times from behind and ask me to get out of the water asap..He saw lightning at the traffic light just outside where the pool is. So while he get out from the middle of the pool, I seriously did not hear a single word... That explains why Lala is 'missing'.......

So, ended up didn't finish the appetizer........... Unintentionally DNF again...haha.....

Duhzzz....The weekend flew by just like that!! Nevermind...nevermind...Patient I will be. Just 2.5 days of work week....I'll be in the world of eat, sleep, shop and a 21k run :) Yayyyy!! Someone asked, fly all the way there to run 21k only? NO!!! The run is to complement the eat, sleep and shop, not the other way round :)

Anyway, yesterday GE run was great with good weather, good route. Nothing fantabulous on the timing and nothing worth to talk about but it was a good run, good enough for a morning get together workout. Very strangely, I started to have a soreness in the middle of hte night on the hamstring and hips. Soreness to an extent it work me up from sleep. And guess what, while I try to stretch a little, it cramp on me BIG TIME!! Ya...CRAMP! Was screaming on my bed in the middle of the night! Thank God it only lasted 10-15 seconds but it was just terrible. Threaten on me again this morning. I applied deep heat like no tomorrow..haha.. Don't understand why...didn't push hard during GE and it was a distance that I'm comfortable of....**Scratch head***