Monday, December 04, 2006

Breathe, jo breathe...

Yesterday i survived a full day out on 4 hours of sleep.

Now, in the 20 hours that was sunday the 3rd, my day began at 4:20 am and i spent the following hours travelling to town and running my crazy self around the city hall, raffles, and marina area with thousands of other crazy people while the rest of Singapore was asleep.

If i think that's crazy, i sure wasn't crazy enough to attempt the 42km marathon. (a friend's friend was a casualty for that category. I hope he's recovering well and isn't too traumatised by his experience. :-< )

I'm pleased with my first 10km run in my life ever. 10km's not much according to most standards and it's not that i finished it with a superb timing, but it's because i finished it below my estimated time, while still being able to enjoy myself through and through from starting point to finish.

I loved feeling how my body moved easily and smoothly along the route without feeling as if i was a 100kg blobfish on two human legs. There weren't any signs of heavy, uncomfortable laborous breathing or muscle burning and i was able to pace myself with my self-talk and wasn't pressured by other runners. I felt totally at ease, like there was no physical strain, no pessimistic thoughts of "dang, this is going to be a long, sad, torturous run". Somehow, the body's system, from psychological and physical, was well tuned and prepared, without the preparation. Thank God!

I've a certain baseline stamina that can take me through 3-4 km at a shot, without very regular weekly runs (though you still need to be fit to some extent). But you can be sure that i didn't train for the 10km run at all, which was well understood, that even in the days before the run took place, my dad waved his hands at me and sneered that i haven't even been training for it.

Last night i came into his study with my "prize" and showed him the medal, to which he said: "Woah, not bad ah. It's quite heavy!" (hur hur) and then he added, "I don't think i would've been able to do it."

Much thanks to Denise who messaged me at like 6-something in the morning (!!!) and to fellow runners who tuned in to ask how everything went. Much thanks to Gem too for being there with me through the event (especially since Y couldn't make it due to work demands) though you didn't hide behind a bush along the way to wait for me so we could run together!!! :-( (ok, KIDDING ONLY)
(note: men's 10 km began 30min before the women's 10 km)

As if running wasn't enough for the day, i spent the rest of the afternoon in a sound proof room packed full with musicians, jamming and worshipping God together. ;-) Dinner with the worship ministry people followed at orchard, and then a pathetic excuse for a window shopping trip with my sister after dinner, and then i finally called it a day when we took a straight bus back.

A very productive day, i must say. Thank you Lord for the people around me and the experiences that are to come. I can't divulge too much about these things at the moment on this space, but man, i can so see all these issues in the distance coming towards me. I know the events to come might have very confusing polarized effects on me, but either way, i know i'm going to learn something.

Toodles for now. Wish i could blog more. I've got photos to share but haven't been able to sit down long enough before having to run off to tie more loose ends. Church, friends, keyboard stuff, personal admin matters, work. Plenty of avenues to keep me busy. While i enjoy the busy-ness (busy-ness keeps depression away!), i really hope to tone down for a week to have some peace and quiet.

11 comments:

Eliss said...

how many yrs has it been that we started blogging? gosh time flies. end of the yr agn, i feel so old mentally, at least 30 yrs old. my frends were commenting that we look much older now than we(me and classmates not u lah) were in training. i guess working makes pple look old?

Eliss said...

there was a time i always go far east and liked the clothes there. Not anymore, was there last fri(on leave) and i wondered to myself y i dun like their clothes anymore.alamak not trendy liao, feel so old there.how to think young? quote i find so true:
we spend all our youth chasing wealth and then all our wealth chasing youth.

Anonymous said...

Jo!! Danping hereee!

add me up on MSN??

danpingis@gmail.com

oh oh, and! PICTURESS!! heh

Anonymous said...

Eliss:

it's been about 3 years sister!!! Quite amazing huh. At least it has helped us to keep in contact with one another. :-)

haha, in general, the clothes at far east is quite... "fashionable". I suppose how old we feel is a state of mind ae well as consideration for our social settings. teehee, in terms of what we wear.

Looking old? Maybe it's the whole package. Perhaps they'll change their minds when they see u at home?

Danping:

Yup gal, i haven't forgotten about that.... I've uploaded them on my comp but need to process some stuff. They'll be out, but will take a few more days.. :-) Been quite busy catching up with people and doing stuff.

Perhaps next week! :-)

Eliss said...

feel so old these days. as if i have lived for a few decades already. working meks pple old leh.enjoy ur schooling while u can. i dun even have time to blog anymore. been in a really holiday mood since i came back frm japan.

Eliss said...

gotta photos at my blog.go see!!

Anonymous said...

Eliss:

whahaa, ok, will go see!

Hm... I guess sometimes work does seem to weigh people down quite a bit at different times of teir lives. It's always a dream to be able to go to work everyday knowing that you love it and it's almost like it's a hobby. Teehee.

Often times, the things we want to do for a living is not too feasible esp when u need to sustain the livelihood of people other than oneself. Unless there is a market for that particular thing u love to do.

Anonymous said...

Hey....

Jo, I'm thankful of you being in the band and thankful that we survived for such a long time.

wondering if u have a tagboard and would u get one soon?

=)

Anonymous said...

hisory maker:

Thanks bro. I hope i'll be able to keep that up despite some issues lah.

"survived for such a long time"? Hahaha. u mean u expected only a few of us to be alive on the last day?

eh... yeah, i was thinking of getting one but i scared of touching html.

Eliss said...

I know it is not yr bday yet...but just wishing u an early 22th Birthday!! May all ur wishes come true.Cheers! celebrate!

Anonymous said...

Eliss:

*beam* Your early birthday greeting has really made my day... at 1:25am in the morning after a tiring day.

*hugs* thanks soooo much gal. :-D