Basically, I just seemed to be down on luck today.
Tried to register for Standard Chartered Marathon in the morning prior to school and I could not locate the outlet over at Holland Village, despite checking the online streetdirectory.com. And I know Holland Village well enough not to walk wrongly! (But it so happens I do not look out for Standard Chartered 'cos to me they're a merchant bank, and I ain't having any moolah to give them to set up an account) When I finally managed to find it, it took freakin' 20mins to finish my registration!
But...I got registered! Haha! 42km...4th Dec...Am I up to it? This coming month is packed back-to-back with middle distance (21km) runs and short distance (10km) runs already. I reckoned if I did every week, I would cover 41km in 3 runs! Woah. So much for training.
And talking of training, I've not really prepared myself for 21km. I think that's gonna be REAL bad. The worst thing for a runner is NOT to be psyched up prior to the run, and the distance is always an obstacle.
Anyway, getting back to my day, I managed to reach school late but on time (whew!), as my father fetched me there (Hehe...:P), but the lecture was boring!
In fact, today was a boring day! Darned. And I had to find my makan buddies. Sighz. Every Wednesday presents the same problem, no confirmed lunch-buddy...'cos Yi Si finishes lecture at 1pm and it's the end of his day, while Joyce, Minghui and Xiang Yu would only have labs on certain days.
Life gets pretty boring like that. I need a confirmed lunch-buddy! Applications OPEN! ^_^
Reached home early today, 5pm! Wow. Taking a rest, blogging, reading up. And I realise the number of tutorials just piles up. Sheesh. Gonna have to clear them today.
Checked the RealRun website for the updates for results, and I've gotten mine here. Seems like my time is better than I thought, but ultimately, slower than many people. The winner finished in slightly over half an hour! Wow! That's like sprinting all the way!
Gosh, such pro-runners. I'm outta of that.
Time to take a nap....haha.
Current Mood: 
Tired
Current Music: Elva - Cappuccino (I need that man!)
It was an amazing race indeed. The Sun, the Sand, the Sea. The turnout was huge, and this year's Real Run's sponsors were New Balance, so it was a whiff of fresh air. High hopes of better goodies bags were in the minds of many a runner (maybe? But definitely me haha)
Bro Kops21 picked me up at 6.40am, and we went to Bukit Panjang to pick up Simon, a fellow runner. There was a slight jam at the bridge entering Sentosa, and parking lots were few and far between. The deities must be helping us, for we managed to find a lil' corner in the congested 'carpark'.
Placed our stuff in the car, and prepared for the run. A 10km run.
Met up with some of the SGRunners people during the pre-race period, and it was nice to see them. In all, they're great runners (so Lonely Runner, if you're reading this...haha...) and they'll most likely destroy me and leave me eating the sand with their pace.
Race started with the Junior division going first, followed by the Open categories and Veteran categories. The start was as usual, SLOW. With a huge block of people in front of you, what can one do when he's at the back of the queue?
By the time I ran out of the Gateway Carpark, the number of runners I saw ahead of me was terrifying. Okay, then again, maybe not.
Did my slow constant pace with a fellow SGR runner, and maintained it till the 3km mark, which was where we looped at the Satellite Station. Had never been to the trial runs before, so I was unsure of my pace and timing. Worse yet, I was unsure of the challenges ahead, the slopes and sand would definitely kill, should I decide to speed up.
After clearing the Satellite Station loop, turned into the Dolphin Lagoon area to the left, heading towards Tanjong Beach. Saw the lead runners already doing the return leg, and it was like...WOW.
My confidence plummeted into a black hole on hitting the sand. It was WAY too difficult to run. Especially one has to gravitate and makes sure he does not sink into the coarse sand. Basically, the path was already so well-trodden, it was impossible to find a path with relatively untouched sand (for the un-informed, IMHO, during sand-trail runinng, it's best to have sand which has not been trodden yet. Best to avoid the wet patches.)
After the first sand path at Tanjong Beach, I passed the Dolphin Lagoon, and hit Palawan Beach's long stretch of sand. Dang. That entire stretch made me really tired. But I managed to press on, despite slowing down.
After getting out of the beach path, it was a smooth trail all the way back, along Siloso Beach and then heading towards the cycling trail near the bus-stop of UnderWater World.
The inner jungle trail was winding, but relatively easy. Still, I think I slowed down a little during the trail run, until I saw the magical 9KM mark. That definitely spurred me on.
On hitting the S-curve, I reached the road, went under an overhead bridge, and it was a 400m sprint from there onwards. Managed to clock in 50:34 for this run. Not bad indeed, for someone who had a layoff for roughly 1 month.
Met up with Huiqin, Tianyuan, Ghim Song and Kenneth after the run. Been some time since I last saw Kenneth and Tianyuan, and they're damn fit! Kao...I think I slack le. Haiz >_< (Time to do more runs)
Henry gave me a ride home, that's why I'm here so fast to blog. Mwhahaha. Time to rest my tired legs.
Mizuno run next! ^_^
Me, Kops21, Simon
SGRunners!
Current Mood:
Hyper-nessCurrent Music: Angela Chang - Aurora
I just hate the idea of frequently being misunderstood, being misinterpreted. Being restricted from what I wanna do, what people want me to do, and what the ME wants to desperately seek.
In the ocean of change, we seek our space in this crowded sphere called EARTH, yet we seem to be pushed out. Grabbing out, I've found people who are willing to let me in, hear me speak, and in that sense of the word, care for me.
Maybe I'm just me, and I'm a tough person to understand.
Maybe my parents think they know me, but do they?
Maybe my friends think I'm an extrovert, but are they correct?
Maybe, just maybe, I've found a friend in you, my listening ear...
Changing their conceptions, I try
Always met with failure, I do
Nobody seems to understand, I feel
Therefore I am what, I am
Graciousness, are we?
Enraged, I shall not be
Tis' the way I shall let it be
Indeed, I'm feeling misunderstood
That this feeling is always there, will always linger...
Current Mood: 
Pensive
Current Music: F.I.R. - Fly Away
Did a run around the rear of NUS (okay, you might question where the rear of NUS might be, I would just define it as the area near KR Hall, along Pasir Panjang Road).
Since it was my maiden run in school, I had to explore. Exploring in the sense of getting my feel of how the slopes were in school.
And boy, were they tough. Here's my route:
Hit the road from YIH and headed out to Clementi Road, past the KR Terminal. After that, it was Pasir Panjang Road, which was a relatively quiet stretch, as compared to that along West Coast Highway.
I was deciding whether to explore the Science Park Rd or to continue along the stretch of Pasir Panjang Rd, which will lead me to the now defunct Har Par Villa. Eventually decided to try out Science Park Rd, with all the funny building names there. But I realised that it was approaching a dead end, so I decided to hit a flight of stairs to reach South Buona Vista Rd, which reminded me of the movie Initial D. Why? The endless numbers of winding curves in the forested area eventually led me to the Kent Ridge Park and some houses.
Luckily, it was mainly a downslope stretch. Soon, I managed to see the West Coast Highway and I turned right into Pasir Panjang Rd, passing by Har Par Villa en route back to NUS.
Turning in via KR Hall and Kent Ridge Rd, I must say that the slope there is freaking difficult to conquer! The upslope was terrible and punishing, but managed to overcome it.
Overall, it was a nice route, but I think I should refine it further (on looking at the map) and do a better route next time. Unsure of the distance I covered this time round, but it was great.
Especially with NB Run and AHM looming...
Took a quick shower, and nearly caused Candice, Kossy (now I know he's a she!) and Huiqin to be late for the meeting. Actually, more for Candice lar. 'Cos she's the prez, and prez shouldn't be late...esp for the first meeting.
The meeting went on smoothly, and Liquan reminded me to do a point on the transferring of assets to a bank account, which I left for last. The discussion for the day centered mainly on Cyclohunt, our big event for this Semester. Just wondering what my role would be, route IC maybe?
Lumbong trip, redux, upcoming! ^_^
Current Mood:
SleepyCurrent Music: Penny Tai - Fang Kong Dong
Gah...Woke up early in the morning @ 6.30am, feeling groggy, to run. Had managed to turn in at 12.30am the night before, so it was pretty good, considering that I've managed to clock in back-to-back 1am+ sleeping times.
Running today was okay, but I felt that I've not been doing enough runs of late. In fact, a 5km short run today left me breathless. Was it a lack of sleep? Tiredness? Or was it a lack of exercise? With a month of running activites upcoming, I need to get my performance back up.
Moreover, I've not been training consistently for the AHM 21km, which I've signed up for. I wonder whether I'm able to make it till the end. If I don't, you guys know where to look for me.
Upcoming events for me are as follows:
1) New Balance Run - 10km (28th Aug)
2) Mizuno Wave Run - 10km (4th Sep)
3) AHM - 21km (11 Sep)
4) NUS Heritage Run - 10km (18th Sep)
I guess what Candice and Eups said about me is true. I'm siao.
But I love running! It's a way for me to de-stress and get away from the vigours of life. Even though my stamina and fitness has dropped tremendously now, I still push on, hoping to become better.
And talking about runs, Henry (aka ah kops21) told me about the site sgRunners.com and the Swissotel Vertical Challenge Marathon. For the Vertical Challenge, anyone interested? Can train thigh muscles :P
Since I'm on the top of runs, I might as well say this out: I'm freakin' pissed with WoS yesterday for making me go over to their Wisma outlet from the TPY outlet! The TPY cashier actually told me that the Wisma outlet still had places for the Fun Run, and I asked her to double-confirm, which she did. However, when I went down to Wisma (luckily, it's near), there was no more space left!
And I had to fork out an extra 5 bucks for the Mizuno Run. Ah darned. I did not want to compete, just need a place for running ^_^
Anyway, I guess I'll be having quite a number to tee-shirts coming in, New Balance, Mizuno, AHM (most likely cotton...AGAIN). Sounds like a wholesome collection of tees shalt begin.
I've a 20% discount voucher, off Mizuno items, till 15th Sep. Anyone wants anything? ^_^
Current Mood: 
Actively Awake
Current Music: Cai Chun Jia - You Yi Tian Wo Hui
Just doing some self-reflection on myself, and how I've lived 2 weeks of university life thus far.
A void in the heart, is there something missing in me which should be there? I'm unsure what it is, who it is, where it is, why it is missing.
Yet, I can feel it.
Crappiness, laughter, nonsense are things which I spout during the camps I've gone.
Yet, they are qualities which people do not associate with someone being fun.
So, what is the definition of fun? According to the Webster Dictionary? Personally, I believe it's relative. Yet, I find my definition of everything I've lived on this planet Earth to be different from the rest.
Am I an outsider? Someone who just revolves around the throng of people who stick together like a mini-planet? Someone who is merely a passer-by in others' lives? Someone who does not make an impact on others?
For someone like me, I tend to hide myself from others. A shield, some people call it. The inner and outer self are contrasting, and it is difficult to understand me.
Sometimes, I wonder whether I understand myself even.
Why am I contemplating all these questions? I find myself in Rovers 26th Committee as the Treasurer, taking over from Li Quan, who is fun to be with! Yet, am I able to succeed him? Am I able to communicate well with the rest of the committee?
I feel that to change others' mindsets of me now is pretty difficult...Time to make changes...
Maybe, just maybe...seriousness IS a virtue.
Your Birthdate: July 8 |
Born on the 8th day of the month, you have a special gift for business, as you can conceive and plan on a grand scale. You have good executive skills and you're a good judge of values. You should try to own your own business, because you have such a strong desire to be in control. You are generally reliable when it comes to handling money; you can be trusted in this regard. Idealistic by nature, you are never too busy to spend some time on worthwhile causes, especially if managerial support are needed. There is much potential for material success associated with this number. |
What a wonderful trip! Lotsa laughter, and a trip (to me at least) of new dimensions. Exploring a new part of the world, it's always an interesting thing.
Started off on Saturday morning at 7.30am from Kranji MRT and met the Rovers comm people for the trip to Larkin via SBS 170. There was a major jam at the Causeway early in the morning, but luckily we managed to reach Larkin in time to catch the transit bus to Kota Tinggi, which would bring us closer to Lumbong, via taxi.
Along the way, it was laughter all the way, and I was pretty excited for the trip too. In fact, it would be my first "official" trekking trip! The entire journey was rather long, but the laughter and talk kept us all awake. Moreover, it was a good time to interact with the rest of the 26th comm nominees and have some fun prior to the trek.
Once at the start of Lumbong, which was the plantation, Shuang Hui and I were the first pair to "lead" the rest of the team in, with Hui Qin helping us. To me, it was unfamiliar as I've NEVER been there before, yet there was a sense of deja vu. It was weird, but still, it was good to hit the waters, as it signalled the real START of the trek.
Once we hit the first waterfall, I was really awed by the wonderful sight. And it was great playing by the waterfall, definitely :P So far, so good. And the 2nd part of the trek was handed to another pair, till the next waterfall, and so on until we reached the campsite.
In all, we passed by 3 waterfalls as well as 1 "valley". It is called the "valley" as the depth of water rises till one's waist level! This was the reason why we were told to pack our stuff in ziplock bags and ensure they are waterproofed. It was quite okay, though throughout the trek, the rocks were slippery and it required some time to plan the move and ensure that one does not slip at those smoothened rocks.
Once at the campsite at around 5.30pm, the setting up of the tents and cooking area was quickly done up, with water collected from the nearby water source and the desert and 100 Plus cooled using the river water. Once all the food required for the mass dinner was gathered, it was time to start cooking, with lots of flies buzzing around as company.
It was a wonder why the flies would suddenly descend on our bags and tin cans even though we were not digging a urinal/toilet and there were no obvious signs of human waste anywhere.
Anyway, the flies could not prevent us from enjoying our food! Food was great and it was long hearty meal over mess tins worth of noodles, pineapple rice with curry, rosti (yea! Peiyu's famous for it!), chowder (with a lil' noodles 'cos I did a stupid thing of spilling the noodles from a mess tin atop the bunsen burner and thus hitting some of the water on Candice -_-")
And there was even desert and jelly! Pineapple slices in jelly! woohoo! Talk about an all-rounded meal!
Scandal brewing throughout the course of the meal, and that made the entire dinner/supper interesting. Food for thought too.
Moreover, the moon was high up in the sky, bright and round as day! It was simply wonderful! I lurve the moon! (I need the pics!!!)
Nite, was cool, comfortable. Sleeping in a sleeping bag under the starry sky with a large round moon was perfect. Absolutely at ease with nature.
So much so that my laughing partner, Candice, was jio-ed into watching the moon and stars with me haha!
Apart from us, Kheng Hui and Pei Yu also slept under the stars, enjoying the coolness of nature. Soon, the sky became cloudy, so the stars "disappeared", yet the moon was shining ever brightly. Talking under the open sky, with the candles flickering...
And I was awakened many times, being a light sleeper I normally am. The rest of them sleeping outside seemed to be shivering, and my head was throbbing in pain due to the hard waterbottle. (Note: To bring smaller waterbottle/travel pillow next time round!)
The morning was a difficult time to rouse the camp from their sleep. Despite the usage of an alarm clock, many remained in their deep slumber, but I managed to be awake by then and look around at a brighter area. Tried to get some nap-time, but decided to just have a look around.
Soon, all started to get up and the campsite became more alive. Buzzing with activity was an understatement, because of the flies hovering about us and our morning breakfast, which included pancakes, omelette and Milo (Lumbong Dinosaur!)
After packing up and breaking camp, it was time to work our way down Lumbong, by going down the way we came up by. Although the route is the same, the method of tackling the way down seemed different.
Personally, I find going upwards easier than coming downhill. It just gets easier to go up, up and away!
We managed to be early at the waiting area for the taxis which we came in by, and we were made to wait due to the late arrival of 2 taxis. Alas, one of the taxis was not under the "leader" of the group of taxis, and therefore it was a "free" ride. In any case, the question of whether to pay in full before all the cabs arrived popped up.
Washed up at the Mall in Kota Tinggi, and had a hearty meal of Marrybrown's 2pc chicken meal at the Mall, with waffles too! In any case, food was cheap, and u just gotta lurve the food there!
Had Dunkin' Donughts for quenching the sweet tooth of mine on arrival at Larkin, and we were soon on our way back South the Singapore, albeit stuck in the traffic jam for about 25 mins. Reached Singapore at around 7pm, and home at around 8.30pm. Not bad, indeed.
All in all, sinful trip....ate too much! *lol* Tired, aching body, just gotta tend to the cuts...
Lumbongism:
Lighter = booom booom (must speak with bb tone) (Shiyao 2005©)
Q: It's so slippery, how to conquer LUMBONG!??!?! A: Stick a lot of spiders then can be like Spiderman lar! (Kian Ann 2005©)
Dried prawns are happy hebe, hea hea hea...
Current Mood: 
Full
One-Liner of the Day: Q-Ni shi na yi guo de ren? A-Wo Shi Lian Guo Ren!
Yesterday afternoon I had Maths Lecture, an hour of boring lecture in the cold comforts of LT7A, since it had been raining the whole day already.
Was about 10 mins late for the lecture, which seemed to start promptly on the hour. So how would I be on top in future once the tutorials kick in? For one, I'll need to fly from my Business Tutorial Rooms over to Engine, hopefully using the short-cuts on foot.
After that, I headed over to the Comcentre to print my upcoming lecture notes, and not all were printed! Argh. There were some problems with the spooling of the printing and therefore I was delayed a bit. Moreover, the internal shuttle service seemed to be bursting at its capacity, with buses full of students travelling from one side of the campus to the other. In the end, I had to wait for my shuttle service longer than usual.
Was a little late for the Rovers briefing for the trip over the weekend to Lumbong. I'm damn excited over the trip! For one, it'll be my first trip and outing with Rovers, and for another, it would be my first trek/hike! That's pretty cool in any case, since I was looking forward to such trips and destinations on my decision to join Rovers.
Following that, we split the cooking and tentage stores, and headed to Clementi for dinner as well as buying of the food to be brought up. Woah, did we pack enough to last for 4 days! I hope everyone's appetite is good up there though.
And, I rushed home, put down my stuff and changed to get ready for the Sports Club Bash, named S.P.A.S.H. Nice bash organised by the Sports Club at Gotham Penthouse (took some time for me to figure out how to get there), albeit with many of the people already knowing each other at the bash, it would seem quite certain that they are 'closer' to one another.
Still, some of our OG is there enjoying the music and looking at the pageant contest, which I was late for. Alas, I managed to capture only the ending part, and missed the first 2 sections (bikini and Q&A).
After that, it was party time for all, and the music was great. Alex certainly did a good job in getting this place, with the type of music I'm familiar to.
After that, headed down with Seah, Sheena and Winson to Clementi's Fong Seng (yea, the one outside NUS) for supper, as Seah was driving. He sent his friend home first, as the dude was drunk and seemed to be on the verge of puking. Fell asleep once in the car, so it was a good sign that he would not puke in the car.
Luckily, Seah was kind enough to fetch me home, so thanks a lot dude! And happy birthday! :)
Today, a longer day awaits...Phy Lecture @ 12, to get the Sports Ball tickets at 3, pack my Lumbong stuff as well as Junhong's birthday...time to rest.
Current Mood: Sleepy
Current Music: Top 40 Hits
Woohoo! Seems like CORS is sailing smoothly, so I guess someone gave up his BMW for a new server? Haha...The following picture definitely made my day:
And, I got my first choice tutorials in Financial Accounting and Marketing! B12 and C14 respectively! Woohoo! Many friends in the same classes, which means, life would not be dull ;)
Went for a run today, since lessons start in the afternoon. It would be like that, till our dear CTW lecture stops (and no more 8am lecture! Haha!) and the 10am tutorial on Thurs kicks in. Ah well, all is good, just that my fitness seemed to drop already. Sigh.
Currently contemplating the 21km. Would I be able to train up in time? Considering the step difference between 10km and 21km, and I havent been running regularly enough (as compared to then in hols). Would have to make a decision soon, 'cos Lumbong beckons this weekend...
Current Mood:
Thirsty