as a sophomore, ive been knocked out of inter-hall softball in e preliminaries once again. and for e second successive year (im not sure how Hall IV did in e past), we lost our final pool match tt decides who join e pool toppers in e quarter-finals.
softball is a great but misunderstood game. e only appeal we can manage for new players is to say it's fun. seriously all softball seniors also duno how to attract new blood with other methods. sports like soccer and basketball are no-contests, but few people play softball and yet it's an inter-hall sport, hence all halls try to form a team, often out of sportsmen from other mainstream sports. but seriously, anyone can play this sport, and if ur a sportsman there would definitely be added advantage. so more often than not, strong halls are represented well by their sportsmen, while weaker ones are weaker coz their hall players arnt active enough in this arena.
i really think we have alot of potential in softball if we train hard and e right people come.
i couldn't make it for our first two matches. from what i heard, we were whacked by Hall II, although we fielded well against em and held em in e first inning. in our losers' pool match, e guys scrapped past Hall XIV in a 3-hour marathon after some cool pitching by david.
i was glad i could make it for this crucial match, so did e rest of e team. this time we had Hall X. we know we can beat em, and infact most of us were looking beyond this match. e level of confidence was much higher than last year. last time round, in e all-important third prelim match, our stronger all-round team was put to e sword by an excellent pitcher of Hall XIII. he pitched like someone possessed while we timidly held back our swings.
this time, we swung too much. u can say tt it's overconfidence in a way. we have quite afew heavy batters, but when it came down to crunch time, they were too anxious to swing tt bat. in e end, they were either striked out, or saw their flyballs killed by a good opposing outfield. we sent a starting lineup tt was supposed to bat well to give us a lead before better fielders like gary, weisiong and i would enter.
but e script changed. like i said, we batted poorly and changeover happened v soon. something worse happened. our strong infielders left their form at yesterday's friendly and screwed up many short hits. by e end of e first inning we were 5-0 down. only then did we wake up and turn on our game but it was still way short of e level we can perform at. we made a three-man swop to bolster e fielding, and after another inning, e team decided tt we need to score to keep us in e game. to score means to bat fantastically.
i wasnt fielding well today, and my batting has never been fantastic. in short, i was in poor condition, since fielding has usually been my stronger game. e captain, david, told us of e need to score. i looked around e players, and i straightaway knew i should step down for e good of e team. in our reserves we had some great batters. and i think e way i did so, made e job easier for david and e rest of e team as well. it was no time to get sentimental or be generous, e task at hand was more important. now tt i think back, i think it takes a big man to do sucha thing. to accept one's flaws, be selfless, and live for e common good. and im proud tt i was e one who gave way.
pressure. luck. composure. experience. practice. off-form. underperform.
those were e words thrown around at e end, either in all our heads or during debrief. sian.
but guys, like i said during our debrief, i think we have a great crop of players now as compared to last year, when i was a low-profile freshie who made e starting lineup in our inter-hall match even though ive never played e game before. tt was how stretched we were in this sport. although we liked e game, we couldn't form a starting 10 who were confident in softball. this time round, i saw tt we had 11, 12 able softballers, including 4 considerably steady bases. we need to keep our heads up and believe. if we train hard, there is alot of potential and fortunes can only go up.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
sally, check in, bull's eye, check out, thank u.
leading hall 4's darts team into this year's inter-hall recreation games as a first-timer myself, this was my experience.
hall 7 - 1:2
apparently they've a good tradition in inter-hall recreation, but some ppl said this year they're not tt strong. who knows. they're our first opponents.
i started on Board 2 yet still kena their best player. really a pity because it turned out i was on form and if i had played a weaker player i would definitely have won.
in my first and third set i checked in within 9 darts, in my second i did with my 1st dart. i practically hit whatever i wanted, many times hitting 3 consecutive 16s, which was my comfort zone. e opponent was equally good at checking in, but his throws were mostly unimpressive, going all over and hitting many low scores. it was quite e same story all 3 sets, both of us reaching e end almost together, but he checked out first twice, me only in e last set.
i sat out hall 6, which our guys got overwhelmed by their experienced male players, and overall lost 4-1.
hall 16 - 0:3
damn stupid, damn cok, damn lousy. we hoped to pick off hall 16 but i screwed up my match. im not sure about their other players but i got a lousy opponent, and i got whacked 3:0! wah damn sian.
i checked in within 3 darts for e first set and zipped to 150 in no time when he finally checked in. i could feel his stress but i think i got complacent. i couldn't check out, he caught up, n he left e building. in e second we both checked in within 9 darts, raced down together, but stupid me miscalculated, forgot to forfeit a crucial throw, and actually declared victory when i haven won. i lost e plot and he took e set and match in e next few throws. i forgot what happened in e third, i was basically thrashed by a 2nd-rate player.
(20mins later)
ok now i remember. i was trying to hit my double and this Lady Luck's friend, from a remainder of 35, hit 3, 12, and a 10-double with his 3 darts in hand. wtf.
hall 5 - 1:2
derby match. and they've been almost as bad as us. so i changed e team's goal to just beating our neighbour hall.
i tried my luck and named myself for Board 1, which has e responsibility to sally with e opponent to decide which team gets first-throw advantage. i was hoping it would gimme confidence, and i was glad e three throws combined for quite a high score to help e team. i felt abit worried my last opponent of e day was a former hall recreation secretary. he definitely can play; only how well. i checked in early and raced off, he chased and caught up. i had deja vu all around me but lucky i kept my cool and converted to lead 1:0. i felt more relaxed for e second set thinking ive a real chance of winning this time. we were neck-to-neck, i was trying to hit an easy 7-double, but i wasnt focused enough and he took it. shit. i felt e momentum was all with him and guess what happened next. when i needed my form in this most crucial of times, i took almost ten rounds to check in (oh cmon tt's like 30 darts leh). it was so noob even he consoled me. i didnt catch up, i was hoping he would get stuck like me, but he was trying for his comfort zone of 6-double, so i was up against fate.
we lost e derby as well. sucks.
hall 15 - 2:1
since we even lost to hall 5, this was our only redemption left. hall 15 is stuck at e bottom of e group with us and by now our objective was to just beat em.
i checked in with my 1st dart but he struggled. and although i wasnt on form i took e first set before he could catch up. i checked in afew darts later than him in e second, we ran down together, and he had better luck this set. i could feel myself getting a little complacent and throwing rather awry shots, so to avoid a repeat of e hall 5 match i needed to stay awake. but it got worse. he checked in early, while like yesterday i took almost ten rounds to do so. it was a chasing game but i decided to ignore it all, thinking ive lost, and just throw my darts. as i slowly ran down, i realised he was struggling to check out with 1-double, and i saw hope. it was e kinda day when no matter how he throws he just cant hit e right spot. so i slowly picked my spot. i tried various doubles, but as e clock ran down i decided to pit myself against his 1-double to avoid losing by time-expire. guess what. after he took more than 40 darts to hit 1-double, i took match point first. it was great.
alas, it was not to be. we won 2, then lost 2, and it was up to gary at Board 1 to decide e tie. and, for e lack of another phrase, it was not to be.
hall 2 - 0:3
we had no chance left and faced a powerhouse in our final match, wth.
but things became a little complicated. hall 2 didnt destroy everyone in their path, hall 6 took top spot in e group, and now they have to whack us 5:0 to edge out hall 9.
gary had left so jianli came in and i took Board 1. expectedly, they planned their lineup conservatively, hence we had a captain-vs-captain match. this guy had fast and direct throws, and was most comfortable in e 20-zone, even opting for 20-double as check-in. we both checked in early, but his run-down was scary. in no time he was checking out, and he took e set before i even reach 40. i saw a thrashing coming, but since it was e last match i just wanted to enjoy it. in e second i checked in with my first dart and was e first to try leaving, but he caught up and did first. with a surprise check-out he took e match. so we're left with e last set, and something crazy happened. i checked in early, and somehow something happened to him. he just could not check into e game. e further i went and expected him to utter "check", it never seemed to come. he finally did when i was left with around 100. before he posed any real threat i was already settled with some good doubles to check out. when he neared and i haven left, he was still calculating like a mathematician and aiming all over e board to create some good opportunities for himself.
and. i still lost. wth.
jianli's opponent was a reserve, and i thought either me or yewhan would have beaten him if i had named either of us to Board 3. then i realised, no wonder jianli named himself to tt Board. it was his friend and both reserves wanted to play each other.
but things took a turn. i didnt realise, jianli actually won e tie. with tt, hall 4 took 1 of 5 points off hall 2, and eliminated em. we later saw their team in a debrief looking damn serious, with afew in tears. what's worse, jianli's friend, who lost e semi final place for hall 2, was alone emo-ing. jianli's friendly match became e decider and e rest is history.
haha ok maybe it's retribution for e manner hall 2 played their male vball match against us, which was utter unsportsman shit.
hall 7 - 1:2
apparently they've a good tradition in inter-hall recreation, but some ppl said this year they're not tt strong. who knows. they're our first opponents.
i started on Board 2 yet still kena their best player. really a pity because it turned out i was on form and if i had played a weaker player i would definitely have won.
in my first and third set i checked in within 9 darts, in my second i did with my 1st dart. i practically hit whatever i wanted, many times hitting 3 consecutive 16s, which was my comfort zone. e opponent was equally good at checking in, but his throws were mostly unimpressive, going all over and hitting many low scores. it was quite e same story all 3 sets, both of us reaching e end almost together, but he checked out first twice, me only in e last set.
i sat out hall 6, which our guys got overwhelmed by their experienced male players, and overall lost 4-1.
hall 16 - 0:3
damn stupid, damn cok, damn lousy. we hoped to pick off hall 16 but i screwed up my match. im not sure about their other players but i got a lousy opponent, and i got whacked 3:0! wah damn sian.
i checked in within 3 darts for e first set and zipped to 150 in no time when he finally checked in. i could feel his stress but i think i got complacent. i couldn't check out, he caught up, n he left e building. in e second we both checked in within 9 darts, raced down together, but stupid me miscalculated, forgot to forfeit a crucial throw, and actually declared victory when i haven won. i lost e plot and he took e set and match in e next few throws. i forgot what happened in e third, i was basically thrashed by a 2nd-rate player.
(20mins later)
ok now i remember. i was trying to hit my double and this Lady Luck's friend, from a remainder of 35, hit 3, 12, and a 10-double with his 3 darts in hand. wtf.
hall 5 - 1:2
derby match. and they've been almost as bad as us. so i changed e team's goal to just beating our neighbour hall.
i tried my luck and named myself for Board 1, which has e responsibility to sally with e opponent to decide which team gets first-throw advantage. i was hoping it would gimme confidence, and i was glad e three throws combined for quite a high score to help e team. i felt abit worried my last opponent of e day was a former hall recreation secretary. he definitely can play; only how well. i checked in early and raced off, he chased and caught up. i had deja vu all around me but lucky i kept my cool and converted to lead 1:0. i felt more relaxed for e second set thinking ive a real chance of winning this time. we were neck-to-neck, i was trying to hit an easy 7-double, but i wasnt focused enough and he took it. shit. i felt e momentum was all with him and guess what happened next. when i needed my form in this most crucial of times, i took almost ten rounds to check in (oh cmon tt's like 30 darts leh). it was so noob even he consoled me. i didnt catch up, i was hoping he would get stuck like me, but he was trying for his comfort zone of 6-double, so i was up against fate.
we lost e derby as well. sucks.
hall 15 - 2:1
since we even lost to hall 5, this was our only redemption left. hall 15 is stuck at e bottom of e group with us and by now our objective was to just beat em.
i checked in with my 1st dart but he struggled. and although i wasnt on form i took e first set before he could catch up. i checked in afew darts later than him in e second, we ran down together, and he had better luck this set. i could feel myself getting a little complacent and throwing rather awry shots, so to avoid a repeat of e hall 5 match i needed to stay awake. but it got worse. he checked in early, while like yesterday i took almost ten rounds to do so. it was a chasing game but i decided to ignore it all, thinking ive lost, and just throw my darts. as i slowly ran down, i realised he was struggling to check out with 1-double, and i saw hope. it was e kinda day when no matter how he throws he just cant hit e right spot. so i slowly picked my spot. i tried various doubles, but as e clock ran down i decided to pit myself against his 1-double to avoid losing by time-expire. guess what. after he took more than 40 darts to hit 1-double, i took match point first. it was great.
alas, it was not to be. we won 2, then lost 2, and it was up to gary at Board 1 to decide e tie. and, for e lack of another phrase, it was not to be.
hall 2 - 0:3
we had no chance left and faced a powerhouse in our final match, wth.
but things became a little complicated. hall 2 didnt destroy everyone in their path, hall 6 took top spot in e group, and now they have to whack us 5:0 to edge out hall 9.
gary had left so jianli came in and i took Board 1. expectedly, they planned their lineup conservatively, hence we had a captain-vs-captain match. this guy had fast and direct throws, and was most comfortable in e 20-zone, even opting for 20-double as check-in. we both checked in early, but his run-down was scary. in no time he was checking out, and he took e set before i even reach 40. i saw a thrashing coming, but since it was e last match i just wanted to enjoy it. in e second i checked in with my first dart and was e first to try leaving, but he caught up and did first. with a surprise check-out he took e match. so we're left with e last set, and something crazy happened. i checked in early, and somehow something happened to him. he just could not check into e game. e further i went and expected him to utter "check", it never seemed to come. he finally did when i was left with around 100. before he posed any real threat i was already settled with some good doubles to check out. when he neared and i haven left, he was still calculating like a mathematician and aiming all over e board to create some good opportunities for himself.
and. i still lost. wth.
jianli's opponent was a reserve, and i thought either me or yewhan would have beaten him if i had named either of us to Board 3. then i realised, no wonder jianli named himself to tt Board. it was his friend and both reserves wanted to play each other.
but things took a turn. i didnt realise, jianli actually won e tie. with tt, hall 4 took 1 of 5 points off hall 2, and eliminated em. we later saw their team in a debrief looking damn serious, with afew in tears. what's worse, jianli's friend, who lost e semi final place for hall 2, was alone emo-ing. jianli's friendly match became e decider and e rest is history.
haha ok maybe it's retribution for e manner hall 2 played their male vball match against us, which was utter unsportsman shit.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
dont need a title
they gave my hall jersey number to a freshie. wtf.
says alot about, firstly, a crumbling system and tradition and, secondly, my proven low status in hall.
jianli summed it up e best: "不会做人."
p.s. freshie (who happens to be from my OG), it's not ur fault and im not blaming u, dun worry.
once again, wtf.
says alot about, firstly, a crumbling system and tradition and, secondly, my proven low status in hall.
jianli summed it up e best: "不会做人."
p.s. freshie (who happens to be from my OG), it's not ur fault and im not blaming u, dun worry.
once again, wtf.
Friday, December 12, 2008
dope and poison
on my usual traveling around with my ipod, i realised i haven't changed e playlist back to e normal. it was still e run drug. e prescription needed to boost my marathon challenge afew days back. and it struck me how much e right music can really help.
these were some of what i had while burning off e last 21 km of e full.
It's not too hard if we start to believe
And we're not gonna take anymore
Can we try to erase all the pain
So please
I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that mountain peak up high
Hey I made it
I'm the world's greatest
I can feel it
I'm the world's greatest
It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
This is for the ones who stood their ground
For Tommy and Gina who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky
Got to make your own breaks
Break break with the enemy
But no matter how many cats I break bread with
I'll break who you sending me
I've been doing this for nineteen years
Wanna fight me? Fight these tears
Talk too much for too long
Don't give up you're too strong
Sometimes you just feel tired. You feel weak. And when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up. But you gotta search within you, find that inner strength and just pull that shit out of you, and get that motivation to not give up, and not be a quitter.
This is your moment
and every single minute you spend trying to hold on to it cause you may never get it again
So while you’re in it try to get as much shit as you can
and when your run is over just admit when it's at its end
That’s why you see me walking around like nothing’s bothering me
Even though half you people got a fucking problem with me
You hate it but you know respect you got to give me
If you had one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted, one moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip?
He better go capture this moment and hope it don't pass him
This world is mine for the taking
Make me king
Time for me to just stand up, and travel new land
Time for me to just take matters into my own hands
Once I'm over these tracks man I may never look back
爱情是你独特的味道
在我的心中围绕
因为你 世界不再单调
我的微笑 你明白就很好
你的微笑 编织了每一个奇妙
And hold on before it's too late
We'll run til we leave this behind
Don't fall just be who you are
We live and we learn to take
One step at a time
There's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly
Or falling in love
Suddenly I see
This is what I wanna be
Suddenly I see
Why the hell it means so much to me
你累了没有 可否伸出双手
想拥抱 怎能握着拳头
不管世界尽头多寂寞 你的身边一定有我
我们说过不管天高地厚
想飙到那最高最远最辽阔
没看见那天高地厚不肯放手
Cause i, need time,
My heart is numb has no feeling
So while im still healing
Just try and have a little patience
不要讓他們得逞
我不要變成他們要我們變成的那種人
我一條命 一個人
我自己有我相信的永恆之外的永恆
整條街都自己人 猿人不殺死猿人
我要活就要活得比別人還要狠 還要瘋
And when your back's against the wall
Just turn around and you, you will see
I will catch your, I will catch your fall
Just have a little faith, faith in me
我讨厌下雨天 亲爱的你快出现
You think I'd crumble
you think I'd lay down and die
Oh no, not I
I will survive
as long as i know how to love
I know I will stay alive
We get it on most every night
when that moon is big and bright
it's a supernatural delight
everybody's dancing in the moonlight
and. unfortunately. some not-so-right additions.
On a Monday, I am waiting
Tuesday, I am fading
And by Wednesday, I can't sleep
Then the phone rings, I hear you
And the darkness is a clear view
Cuz you've come to rescue me
Fall... With you, I fall so fast
I can hardly catch my breath, I hope it lasts
Down down down down
Down down down down
Down down down down
Down down down down
It gets me so
But I won't be there when you go down
Just so you know now
You're on your own now believe me
Now you've got to face the pain
And the devil's got a fresh new place to play
In your brain like a maze you can never escape the rain
Every damn day is the same shade of Grey
But you proved to me unintentionally
That you would self-destruct eventually
All you got is a memory of pain
Nothing makes sense so you stare at the ground
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
而我知道有一天你可能就这么走掉
我就是受不了
而我知道放开手但不知道怎么忘掉
却还是这么难熬
hahaha. kill me please.
these were some of what i had while burning off e last 21 km of e full.
It's not too hard if we start to believe
And we're not gonna take anymore
Can we try to erase all the pain
So please
I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that mountain peak up high
Hey I made it
I'm the world's greatest
I can feel it
I'm the world's greatest
It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
This is for the ones who stood their ground
For Tommy and Gina who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky
Got to make your own breaks
Break break with the enemy
But no matter how many cats I break bread with
I'll break who you sending me
I've been doing this for nineteen years
Wanna fight me? Fight these tears
Talk too much for too long
Don't give up you're too strong
Sometimes you just feel tired. You feel weak. And when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up. But you gotta search within you, find that inner strength and just pull that shit out of you, and get that motivation to not give up, and not be a quitter.
This is your moment
and every single minute you spend trying to hold on to it cause you may never get it again
So while you’re in it try to get as much shit as you can
and when your run is over just admit when it's at its end
That’s why you see me walking around like nothing’s bothering me
Even though half you people got a fucking problem with me
You hate it but you know respect you got to give me
If you had one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted, one moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip?
He better go capture this moment and hope it don't pass him
This world is mine for the taking
Make me king
Time for me to just stand up, and travel new land
Time for me to just take matters into my own hands
Once I'm over these tracks man I may never look back
爱情是你独特的味道
在我的心中围绕
因为你 世界不再单调
我的微笑 你明白就很好
你的微笑 编织了每一个奇妙
And hold on before it's too late
We'll run til we leave this behind
Don't fall just be who you are
We live and we learn to take
One step at a time
There's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly
Or falling in love
Suddenly I see
This is what I wanna be
Suddenly I see
Why the hell it means so much to me
你累了没有 可否伸出双手
想拥抱 怎能握着拳头
不管世界尽头多寂寞 你的身边一定有我
我们说过不管天高地厚
想飙到那最高最远最辽阔
没看见那天高地厚不肯放手
Cause i, need time,
My heart is numb has no feeling
So while im still healing
Just try and have a little patience
不要讓他們得逞
我不要變成他們要我們變成的那種人
我一條命 一個人
我自己有我相信的永恆之外的永恆
整條街都自己人 猿人不殺死猿人
我要活就要活得比別人還要狠 還要瘋
And when your back's against the wall
Just turn around and you, you will see
I will catch your, I will catch your fall
Just have a little faith, faith in me
我讨厌下雨天 亲爱的你快出现
You think I'd crumble
you think I'd lay down and die
Oh no, not I
I will survive
as long as i know how to love
I know I will stay alive
We get it on most every night
when that moon is big and bright
it's a supernatural delight
everybody's dancing in the moonlight
and. unfortunately. some not-so-right additions.
On a Monday, I am waiting
Tuesday, I am fading
And by Wednesday, I can't sleep
Then the phone rings, I hear you
And the darkness is a clear view
Cuz you've come to rescue me
Fall... With you, I fall so fast
I can hardly catch my breath, I hope it lasts
Down down down down
Down down down down
Down down down down
Down down down down
It gets me so
But I won't be there when you go down
Just so you know now
You're on your own now believe me
Now you've got to face the pain
And the devil's got a fresh new place to play
In your brain like a maze you can never escape the rain
Every damn day is the same shade of Grey
But you proved to me unintentionally
That you would self-destruct eventually
All you got is a memory of pain
Nothing makes sense so you stare at the ground
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
而我知道有一天你可能就这么走掉
我就是受不了
而我知道放开手但不知道怎么忘掉
却还是这么难熬
hahaha. kill me please.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
reading while running
some interesting words that runners had on their tops.
always on the run
follow me if ya wanna be 2nd
reason to run: because i haven't done it in a while
impossible is possible with I-M-POSSIBLE
don't look behind, im in front
i will run. will you?
running for presidency next
and u know. race organisers always like to place huge display boards with motivational phrases together with e distance markers. when u do forty-two good kilometres, there are many of them. some are corny but some can be rather refreshing or, simply, work.
im proud of you!
when the going gets tough, the tough get going
tough times don't last, but tough runners do
every step is one less to go
always on the run
follow me if ya wanna be 2nd
reason to run: because i haven't done it in a while
impossible is possible with I-M-POSSIBLE
don't look behind, im in front
i will run. will you?
running for presidency next
and u know. race organisers always like to place huge display boards with motivational phrases together with e distance markers. when u do forty-two good kilometres, there are many of them. some are corny but some can be rather refreshing or, simply, work.
im proud of you!
when the going gets tough, the tough get going
tough times don't last, but tough runners do
every step is one less to go
Sunday, December 07, 2008
forty two.one ninety five
a blow-by-blow account of my 2008 Singapore Marathon.
D-6
begin hydration routine of doubled fluid intake
D-1
8 hours of sleep
cut intake of spicy food
reduced physical exertion
increased carbs intake
prepare run accessories - tights, waterproofed mp3 player, hairband, sport shades, comfortable socks
*where i should have gone for a light but powerful diet to reduce my running weight e next day
H-7
increased hydration
consume energy chews
H-1
consume first banana
optimal hydration
light carbs-focused breakfast
consume redbull for sugar, taurine, sodium and metabolism
consume second banana
H-hour
robin and i started around 15mins after e flag-off haha. we went down shenton way towards tanjong pagar as like most other major runs in singapore. within 1 or 2 km, we saw e kenyan runners looping back in our opposite direction. crazy. they had already come back from robinson road.
4 km
we had looped back to e start point.
sighted e sis, ah keng, adidas runspirator.
raffles ave (esplanade)
my first major run which i had to go to e toilet this early. haha.
singapore flyer
republic ave-nicoll highway
robin and i split.
shaw towers loop
sighted sze ee.
mountbatten road-fort road
sighted alex lim.
7 km
first fluid replenishment. i had to balance drink-even-when-not-thirsty well with overdrinking. past experiences tell me that both are not fun when done wrongly. and please control. half a cup is good enough.
8 km
entered e dreaded east coast park stretch.
10 km
a quarter laid to rest.
14 km
first application of deepheat rub. e legs are feeling it.
first walk stop. although i was still perfect, it's wise to control my capacity. i didnt train much for this 42km so a run-all-e-way strategy is out. and as they say, even a fit body may not be able to endure a course of this distance, even if e lungs and stamina are good. if i run e first half, i might just die e rest of e way. as they say, a run-walk strategy may be better than a run-as-much-as-possible-first strategy.
16 km
sighted chalven, in e opposite direction. tt crazy commando officer.
17 km
many people started to stop to stretch and apply deepheat rub and spray. e effects are settling in.
19 km
begin a consistent run-walk strategy. run 2 km, walk 1/4 km.
20 km
east coast park loop
21 km
"here we go again!"
e mp3 drug comes into play.
22 km
sighted sze ee again.
receive electrolyte gel
27 km
went past trixie's water station. as always, she was pissed with someone/something and had tt pissed look.
29 km
exited east coast park. e legs are beginning to give way as my run-walk strategy got harder to follow. knees, thighs, hamstrings, right calf and right shoulder are worst.
fort road-mountbatten road
sighted alex lim again.
31 km
damn hungry. lucky we had a banana station.
sighted sern yong and chi hua.
32 km
fuck. 10 more. come on!
kallang road-crawford street
heavy noon traffic. sucks. vehicle exhaust killing us. run-walk strategy became walk 1 km, run 1/2 km.
sighted alex lim again.
35 km
e lungs and stamina are finally feeling it. e remaining is not going to be easy.
37 km
fuck. 5 more!
38 km
running on e F1 track. entered e pit area. where a ferrari exhibition was being held. woots.
39 km
3 km is nothing.
into e sunny stretch on e marina bay floating platform.
41 km
i started to hear and smell padang. managed to draw enough strength to run e last 1/2 km.
41.990 km
as they say, don't make a sprint finish. enjoy e final stretch, e reception, and e feat.
42.195 km
i am a marathoner. are u?
D-6
begin hydration routine of doubled fluid intake
D-1
8 hours of sleep
cut intake of spicy food
reduced physical exertion
increased carbs intake
prepare run accessories - tights, waterproofed mp3 player, hairband, sport shades, comfortable socks
*where i should have gone for a light but powerful diet to reduce my running weight e next day
H-7
increased hydration
consume energy chews
H-1
consume first banana
optimal hydration
light carbs-focused breakfast
consume redbull for sugar, taurine, sodium and metabolism
consume second banana
H-hour
robin and i started around 15mins after e flag-off haha. we went down shenton way towards tanjong pagar as like most other major runs in singapore. within 1 or 2 km, we saw e kenyan runners looping back in our opposite direction. crazy. they had already come back from robinson road.
4 km
we had looped back to e start point.
sighted e sis, ah keng, adidas runspirator.
raffles ave (esplanade)
my first major run which i had to go to e toilet this early. haha.
singapore flyer
republic ave-nicoll highway
robin and i split.
shaw towers loop
sighted sze ee.
mountbatten road-fort road
sighted alex lim.
7 km
first fluid replenishment. i had to balance drink-even-when-not-thirsty well with overdrinking. past experiences tell me that both are not fun when done wrongly. and please control. half a cup is good enough.
8 km
entered e dreaded east coast park stretch.
10 km
a quarter laid to rest.
14 km
first application of deepheat rub. e legs are feeling it.
first walk stop. although i was still perfect, it's wise to control my capacity. i didnt train much for this 42km so a run-all-e-way strategy is out. and as they say, even a fit body may not be able to endure a course of this distance, even if e lungs and stamina are good. if i run e first half, i might just die e rest of e way. as they say, a run-walk strategy may be better than a run-as-much-as-possible-first strategy.
16 km
sighted chalven, in e opposite direction. tt crazy commando officer.
17 km
many people started to stop to stretch and apply deepheat rub and spray. e effects are settling in.
19 km
begin a consistent run-walk strategy. run 2 km, walk 1/4 km.
20 km
east coast park loop
21 km
"here we go again!"
e mp3 drug comes into play.
22 km
sighted sze ee again.
receive electrolyte gel
27 km
went past trixie's water station. as always, she was pissed with someone/something and had tt pissed look.
29 km
exited east coast park. e legs are beginning to give way as my run-walk strategy got harder to follow. knees, thighs, hamstrings, right calf and right shoulder are worst.
fort road-mountbatten road
sighted alex lim again.
31 km
damn hungry. lucky we had a banana station.
sighted sern yong and chi hua.
32 km
fuck. 10 more. come on!
kallang road-crawford street
heavy noon traffic. sucks. vehicle exhaust killing us. run-walk strategy became walk 1 km, run 1/2 km.
sighted alex lim again.
35 km
e lungs and stamina are finally feeling it. e remaining is not going to be easy.
37 km
fuck. 5 more!
38 km
running on e F1 track. entered e pit area. where a ferrari exhibition was being held. woots.
39 km
3 km is nothing.
into e sunny stretch on e marina bay floating platform.
41 km
i started to hear and smell padang. managed to draw enough strength to run e last 1/2 km.
41.990 km
as they say, don't make a sprint finish. enjoy e final stretch, e reception, and e feat.
42.195 km
i am a marathoner. are u?
Monday, December 01, 2008
a storm i'll have to face
"Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing direction. You change direction, but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again but the storm adjusts. Over and over you play this out, like some ominous dance with death just before dawn.
Why? Because this storm isn't something that blew in from far away, something that has nothing to do with you. This storm is you. Something inside you. So all you can do is give in to it, step right inside the storm, closing your eyes and plugging up your ears so the sand doesn't get in, and walk through it, step by step. There's no sun there, no moon, no direction, no sense of time. Just fine white sand swirling up into the sky like pulverised bones. That's the kind of sandstorm you need to imagine.
And you really will have to make it through that violent, metaphysical, symbolic storm. No matter how metaphysical or symbolic it might be, make no mistake about it: it will cut through flesh like a thousand razor blades. People will bleed there, and you will bleed too. Hot, red blood. You'll catch that blood in your hands, your own blood and the blood of others.
And once the storm is over you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over.
But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about."
Kafka On The Shore, Haruki Murakami
Why? Because this storm isn't something that blew in from far away, something that has nothing to do with you. This storm is you. Something inside you. So all you can do is give in to it, step right inside the storm, closing your eyes and plugging up your ears so the sand doesn't get in, and walk through it, step by step. There's no sun there, no moon, no direction, no sense of time. Just fine white sand swirling up into the sky like pulverised bones. That's the kind of sandstorm you need to imagine.
And you really will have to make it through that violent, metaphysical, symbolic storm. No matter how metaphysical or symbolic it might be, make no mistake about it: it will cut through flesh like a thousand razor blades. People will bleed there, and you will bleed too. Hot, red blood. You'll catch that blood in your hands, your own blood and the blood of others.
And once the storm is over you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over.
But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about."
Kafka On The Shore, Haruki Murakami
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