The night it all almost came to an end.

It was a near tragedy in the making, a cause for celebration for some if it actually happened. The whole episode happened a mere 5 minutes ago, in the confines of my dingy, stuffy mess of a hall room. Here are the facts:

I was watching Heroes Episode 21 on my Macbook. (Yes it is out and yes I downloaded it and no its not illegal...) I saw Mic, the resident house lizard, (I couldn't catch him, nor kill him, yet, so I decided to adopt and name him...) crawl down the side of my table to the back of my printer. I got up and paused the show with the intention of trapping the 10 cm monster in the empty Ferrero Rocher container I keep beside me for this very purpose. I shoved the printer and Mic decided to make a run for it and darted back up the wooden backing of the study table into the little cracks and corners at the top. I hastily stood up, got onto my table and decided to see if I could nail the little reptile before he (looks like a he...) snuck back into his godforsaken hole. 

As I peered over the top of the table, I heard a whirring sound and turned around only to come face to face with... the ceiling fan rotating about 20 cm away from my face. My heart pounded furiously as my mind went blank... the whirring blades, coated in a thick layer of dust, spinning at high speed just inches away from my face... I leaned back, my palms and neck breaking out in cold sweat, and slowly lowered myself back on to my seat. I sat in my seat for about a minute, digesting the could haves' and might haves' that almost darn well became a reality. Whoever's up there looking out for me, thanks dude (or dudette ...) , I really appreciate it :)

On a less life-threatening note, training today went rather well. I made it through the sets I set out to do and am looking forward to being back in the game :) The same, unfortunately cannot be said for the academic side of things. I am really lagging behind in most of my work and I need to catch up... soon... like "right-now" kind of soon... 

Lastly, about the nasty little anonymous posting on ZY's recent entry... well let's just say its for you to say what you must and for the rest of the world to read and judge the comments. I have always regarded annonymous character-bashing of someone online as an act of cowardice. If you got something to say or a point to make, either go straight to the individual in question or leave the comment with some form of identity online. Don't bash and run... it doesn't help the situation at all; in fact all it does is it leaves a very bad impression of YOU. 

Peace :)

Some Random Snapshots of my life thus far :)

Chillout at Ajit's

OCBC Cycling

"2 hour" Bus Rides

70.3

Needs

What I need is some freaking discipline... ARGH!

Back

After a surprising podium finish, a two way 18 hours bus journey, 3 hours of Poker, 3 plates of Nasi Goreng Pattaya, tons of GOOD teh tarik, hours of excellent company and a night with the crazy photographer, it has finally dawned on me that the damn trip is finally over. Just like that...

5 more hours

Its amazing what you learn just by going on an hour long car ride with one's dad. I have been driving my dad to and fro from work for the last two weeks and the conversations we have in the morning and evening both to and fro (Tampines to Tuas Road is a long ride...) have been nothing short of interesting. My dad wasn't around much during pre-adolescent days but he has more then made up for it in so many ways. He makes it to almost all my races if he isn't tied down by work and he gives unselfishly to both my sister and I. He'd rather purchase a better set of wheels for my bike then buy himself a new pair of loafers to replace the old tattered ones he wears... It isn't easy to find such selfless devotion these days. I take all of it for granted sometimes... Thanks Dad for everything :) 

5 more hours till loading time :)

Idling...

The second post for today is up because... there has been zero net work done since the last post. Just a quick summary of the stuff that happened since the last post:

I logged off MSN, Facebook, Friendster, Command and Conquer and I-tunes before closing the two movies and one TV drama that was running on my comp. (I hope you appreciate how much effort that took...) before packing everything up and leaving for Mac's @ West Coast. After queueing for a good 10 minutes, I finally reached the counter only to realize that I didn't have a single cent on me to purchase anything. (Cashless society... MY ARSE...). I made my way to West Coast Plaza to withdraw some money and headed back to that same bloody Mac's. Due to my lack of breakfast and over-the-top appetite, I ordered two meals (YES... two... One McSpicy Upsize and One 6 piece Nugget meal...) and downed it both in half an hour, only to realized that the sugar, carb and fatty high I had rendered me incapable of mugging. I headed back to hall and "VIOLA" here we are... after 2 over liters of petrol, 2 hours of time-wasting and 2000 calories later... back at square 1. Let's hope the remainder of the afternoon won't be too disastrous :) 

Packed Packed Year

I honestly haven't gotten down to much work since the conclusion of the Ironman 70.3 race on Sunday. The afterthoughts are still flowing and it feels as if I have just finished the race and still cooling down. I seriously hope to get some work don after this very post and some breakfast. (Yes I just woke up and yes... I missed the 8 a.m. class despite sleeping at 11.30 p.m.) I was just browsing through my calender and I realized that 2009 will be the year where I will travel like I have never... EVER... traveled before. Not taking into consideration the rides to Malaysia and the planned diving trip sometime in August, I will be heading to Zurich for an Ironman race followed by a month long tour of Europe. I will then head back continue with the 1st semester of my 2nd year before heading of to Florida in November :D. It will be a pretty pretty packed year ahead with lots of exciting races coming up for me. I am just hoping to bring my fitness level to new heights with a little more perseverance and discipline. I have some pretty darn good role models around and its best I get started following them. Below are just snippets of the races I will be taking on before this year is out. Great Races, New Experiences and Excellent Friends... What a blast its going to be :D. Now back to... that monetary model... :(

Ford Ironman 70.3 Championships

Zurich Ironman

"So the next time you have a crappy race or training session and then have to get up for a session the next day it's raining, remember we have all had these days and the champions are made right there on the mornings when you want nothing more then to sleep a little longer." - from Lemin's Blog :) 

The Heat is ON... again....

16 weeks isn't a long time right.... Damnz

AVIVA Ironman Singapore 70.3: Reflections

First and foremost, I would like to take this post to thank my family for providing me with the opportunity to pursue this new-found love of mine and the undying support they have given me in all my endeavors :) Thank you so so very much! 

Next I would like to thank my friends and team mates for the support and advice before, during and after the race. Training for such an event is really not as easy as one might think it is and it would be very hard to embark on such an arduous journey alone. To my NUS Aquathlon teammates, my Tri21 groupie and everyone else... Thank you!

Yesterday's race was certainly an eventful one for many. Some were embarking on their virgin Half-Ironman race, some were racing for a chance to prove to themselves that nothing is impossible and others were racing to be part of the Ironman Family. Whatever your reason maybe, kudos to all for training and embarking on such a journey. 

I started my morning at about 4.15 a.m, packing the last of my race gear and downing a bowl of muesli and a cup of coffee. My parents, Sis and I then loaded up and headed off for the race course. 

We arrived at the race course at about 5.45 a.m. One could almost taste the anticipation and excitement in the air. Athletes were rustling about with last minute preparations; Supporters were milling around the transition areas and racing areas, seeking out the best spots to follow the race; and race officials were bustling about making sure everything went according to plan. Apparently I was one of the earlier ones there and I wasted no time in settling down and getting my transition area done up. The rest of the guys came in not too long after I finished doing up my bike and transition area...

After some last minute adjustments and photo-taking, it was off to the swim start for us. The Elites and Pro-Racers were flagged off first followed by the disabled athletes and the Ladies. There was a 10 minute gap before we were sent off. 

The swim leg was a rather uneventful yet altogether painful experience for me. I don't usually plow through the swim leg and expend everything I've got within the first 40 minutes of my swim. It was supposed to be a smooth comfortable swim... that is till I swam into my first jellyfish (no... it wasn't a sea bug caused I actually picked the darn thing off my neck) and... within 5 minutes... the second stinging beast. I don't recall the last two 70.3's held off the East Coast having so many incidences of jellyfish stings but it became apparent to me after the race that I wasn't the only one to suffer the stings. It might have something to do with the timing of the race coinciding with the jellyfish season or something like that.

After the swim and a rather SLOW transition, I headed off on my bike leg. The bike leg was rather uneventful for me, unlike my compatriots who might beg to differ. The only thing apparent was my failure to prep myself for the hilly course and the long ride. That will be something I will work on from now till the next race. 

The run leg was PAINFUL. I simply couldn't proceed through the course at a faster pace. I was consistent no doubt about it... consistently slow. Again... I must admit that I have been neglecting my run during my training but I guess all that needs to change if I don't want history repeating myself anytime soon. Joshua, Alvin and Ashley ran pretty darn well, catching up with me on the run leg at various junctures. The temptation to sprint ahead and try to maintain whatever lead I had on them was great but I knew that the sprint would result in me cramping up and all. Well 2 hours and 10 minutes later, the agony came to an end as I crossed the finishing line with a rather respectable time. 

The Half Ironman experience is a unique experience which depends very much on how one interprets the experience he or she might have during the race. Some crash out and leave the race rather bitterly (speaking from personal experience here...) whilst others learn from it and improve with every subsequent race which follows. For me, I take away from it the importance of camaraderie and self perseverance. It really isn't easy penning down one's afterthoughts on an event such as this, its almost impossible. Till the next race.... :)

First Impressions

Its only human nature to judge. I am no exception. 

Problem Solving

Rain = No Cycling = No Swimming

Eye Infection = No Contact Lens = No Cool Sunglasses

Good Breakfast = Fully Repaired Bike = Happiness 

F(Happiness) = (Physical + Phycological) Happiness

F(Physical Happiness) = max Equipment + Training  

Therefore max (Swim, Cycle, and Fully Repaired Bike in this time period) Cycling + Swimming + Bicycle s.t. to current conditions. 

 -Sub Heavy Rain and Fully repaired bike into above equation. 

Since training > equipment,

F.O.C with respect to current conditions: No Cycling + No Swimming + Fully Repaired Bike. -- equation 1 

F(Phycological Happiness) = Summation of all Phycological factors

max (Phycological Happiness) s.t. to Ability to wear Cool shades.

Sub Eye Infection into above equation

F.O.C with respect to Eye Infection: Great Looking Athlete with Red Eyes and no Cool Shades. -- equation 2

Add 1 and 2:

Great Looking Athlete with Red Eyes and No Cool Shades with Fully repaired Bike and no where to go. 

Since F(Happiness) = F(Physical + Phycological Happiness) where 4 out of 5 factors are decreasing in U,

F(Happiness) is decreasing. (Proof.)