Going Taiwan AGAIN!

Okok~ 3rd time, what can be better? Without going through 2 weeks of training before enjoying the 4 days of R&R.. THIS TIME is a religious tour as most know that my parents are devoted buddhists, hardly we can get together and go oversea. Furthermore, the last family vacation trip we had is when im still in pri sec! Virtually all the 'chops' in my passport were expeditions during sec sch, oversea races during Poly and oversea training during NS..

Flight will be taking at 8am tomorrow.. Back on Sat night, 8pm. Praying hard that i dont get any delay flight as my Sundown Marathon starts at 12mn!!

Shag Vacation
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Training 2008: Week 4

200508 0800hrs - Run
Workout: Mileage
Description:
Ran to Loyang-Downtown East-Pasir Ris Park-MJC-Springfield Sec-Temasek Poly-Simei
Timing: 3hrs (2hrs up to Temasek Poly, 45mins back to Simei)
Distance: 20km
Feeling: Quite a good pacing set by MK. Wasnt very hard as we still can chat throughout the journey. Felt tightness at hamstring at Giant & Ikea mall. Ended at Temasek Poly. However i still have to run home, this explain why the back journey to Simei took 45mins.

210508 1730hrs - Swim
Workout: Time Trial
Description:
Warm up 200m
TT 800m
Timing: 17:00 (2:05, 1:49, 2:09, 2:10, 2:10, 2:10, 2:13, 2:10), Avg: 2:07
Distance: 1km
Feeling: Ok first 800m TT after so long~ Possible to get faster, need more training. Too used to swimming slowly.

210508 1730hrs - Run
Workout: Time Trial
Description:
Warm up 3min, Dynamic stretch
Time Trial 5km
Timing: 23:17 (0:49, 1:52, 1:52, 1:55, 1:50, 1:50, 1:50, 1:48, 1:49, 1:52, 1:54, 1:55, 1:55) Avg: 1:52
Distance: 5km
Feeling: Was aiming for 1:50 per lap for 21mins but first 4 laps' pacing seems abit haywire, trying to find the correct pace. Next 10 laps are good as im able to pace Ivan, but after hitting 4km, i cant catch my breath to chase anymore. Haha made a calculation mistake, to run 21min is 1:40, 22min is 1:45, 23min THEN is 1:50... 1:40 is the pace for my 2.4 to just nice get below 10mins.. haha!

SUMMARY OF WEEK 4

Swim: 1 km
Run: 30 km

Bike: Nil

1 weeks: Sundown Marathon
2 weeks: Saucony Passion Run
13 weeks: Army Half Marathon
15 weeks: Aviva 70.3
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Training 2008: Week 3

120508 1800hrs - Swim
Workout: Mileage
Description:
Warm-up: 200m, Drills: 10 x 25m, Kick Drills: Kick w/ flipper(100m), Vertical kicking w/ flipper swim(2min) x Swim (100m) x 3 sets
Main set: 3 x 500m with 1 min rest interval
16 x 25m sprint
Timing: 36:11min (10:53, 11:26, 11:52 + 2min rest interval)
Distance: 2.7km
Feeling: coach say the form damn terok! Can be banished to the small start training from kicking.. haha! Quite tired that day.. Lost motivation when heard the sprint set is 20x25m!!

140508 1730hrs - Run
Workout: Mileage
Description:
Simple dynamic warm-ups,
Main set: Run 50min, ran 5min /km for first 30mins, then run hard for 3min for 3 sets with 2min of 'rest/easy' interval. Just run finish till 50mins up.
Static: 15mins
Timing: 50mins
Distance: 9.6km
Feeling: The 3min set really made me push for at least for the first 2 sets. After the 3min sets, my pacing for per lap dropped from 2min to 2:30min. Hard stitch at the waist so cant really run with good form for the last part.

150508 1730hrs - Run
Workout: Mileage
Description:
Even simpler dynamic warm-ups,
Ran to Expo - Coastal - ECP (CP E) - Bedok Reservoir - Simei
Timing: 3hrs!
Distance: 23km
Feeling: Had aches from the yesterday run. woke up late and run, so body not prepared. Run till ECP not so bad, had problem with crossing the road and running towards coastal, no path to run on. Nearing the end of ECP CP E is really tiring, stop to walk on my first hr.

Struggling to run to Bedok Reservoir. Thanks to all the traffic lights, i can give excuse to walk towards them when red. Had three major stops at Bedok Reservoir, 1 is when i enter and took a water break at the toilet. 2nd is the toilet after the hill. Just cant wait to be home.. 3rd is at the newly built toilet near the paddle centre

Getting hotter and sunnier at 10+, pull myself together to finish the last 3-4km leg. Initially wanted to stop at SCH, to get some drinks from the provision shop and start walking back from there. But it is undergoing renovation. argh~ suck it up ran the way till junction at Blk 201 and walk in as cool down from there.

After-run effect, aching on the arch of my feets. Don't know is it running form (landing of feet due to fatigue) or time for a new shoe!

180508 1700hrs - Run
Workout: Mileage
Description:
Run in ECP from CP E to CP B and back.
Timing: 1hr 10mins
Distance: 10km
Feeling: Ran with SJ today, almost 100% increase from the usual bedok reservoir. GUess she must have 'suffered' abit.

SUMMARY OF WEEK 3

Swim: 2.7km

Run: 42 km

Bike: Nil

Notes:
Ok for the swim, i was lazy, didn't swim another session.
Quite pleased with the run progress so far. Will have to run another session next week before i go Taiwan.
Need to quickly order my frame to start training for my bike!

2 weeks: Sundown Marathon
3 weeks: Saucony Passion Run
14 weeks: Army Half Marathon
16 weeks: Aviva 70.3
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Dim Sum Adventure

Yes! had a dim sum buffet with the 'team', only guys! -_-'' at Miramar Hotel. Quite a funny trip. Meet ten at Eunos Mrt today, got there and waited till 1130 for the restaurant to open. Listening to Stalker Kiat Rui's dirty funny jokes. Guess too much of boring work will make you like that. Truly living up to his Stalking Reputation, he can memories sentence which people writes in their blog. Thanks god, we only need to wait for 30mins.

Get seated Guys!

Been to this same hotel, restaurant and buffet before during my BMT time, came with my other mates in the same platoon, so know what food to expect for. First thing we whack is the chicken wings before placing the orders, as they are free flow being placed in a warmer. We ate from 1130 to 1330, a good 2 hours that even i have to raise my white flag.

Still within control..

Lu Kai came after we had almost finished our 2th echelon of dim sums. Went 1 big round in the city just because he got the wrong directions from our locals. The dim sum are all filled with prawns, almost everything we ate got prawns inside, kinda worth the money we are paying for.

Ok~ abit too much!

2nd round of FRIED Chicken Wings came just when we are about to go into our desserts. 6 plates in total for a table of 7!?

After Meal Activities
After eating, we decided to go City Hall. Lu Kai then suggested we WALK there, as the 'right' opposite the Hotel is River Quay. A village boy like me who seldom wonder around the City, agreed since its 'just right opposite' the hotel and a 'short walk' we will reach City Hall, treat it as a brisk walk to aid digesting.

Distances wasn't the problem, but we seemed to neglected the timing we are walking in. At 2pm, walking along the river with the sun just right smacked above us, with little shades throughout the journey, got my clothing half drenched with my sweat and droplets forming at the tip of my hair. After good 20mins under the scorching sun, we reached Funan Mall and then to Raffle City where i guess everyone cant wait to enjoy the air-con environment. We did a little window shopping, but i gotten tired after a few shops.

Went home with Jonathan, Kiat Rui and Wilson, With Kiat Rui around, peace just don't coincide. Fortunately with Kiat Rui's rattling, the journey seems to be shorter.

Bloated
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Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Ok~ Celebrated my Ah Gong's 73th birthday! Still remember every year he will catered food and invite all the immediate relatives to his place. The catered food still used to be filled with meat and seafood. This year, he decided to choose a vegetarian caterer. His commitment to my religion has increase over the pass few months. Guess my parent are both very happy about it, same for me to see his health gets better, although my stomach & mouth didn't really enjoy much.

Another guest who came this year is my aunt's pet dog, named Wang Wang, named by my uncle.. She's 7 months old, super active! and like to lick people as thou we are ice creams. A series of pictures to show how my face got rape by her tougue!

Have gave up the idea of having a pet. Since young, i have been pestering my mother to buy me a tortoise as i prefer cold blooded animals. Don't know why it seems like when cold-blooded animal pass away/died, i wouldn't feel much pain. Imagine witnessing your dear pet which has spent the past 7-9 years with you pass away..

Oh ya back to the why i didn't get a pet, my mom keep saying that we cant even take care of ourselves still want to get a pet! Quite true, till now I'm often lazy to wash the plates & cups after use, sweep the floor, fold my blanket, etc.. Imagine still want to change the water, buy food and stuff for your pet. It could be just a moment of impulsive and cause an animal to be suffering..

The celebration ended around 9plus with a 3/4 filled Durian Cake! Argh~ I like~ Been quite a long time since i last ate a Durian. almost cant cycle home, as i drank a few cups of Red Wine which i gave my ah gong as present.

Happy Family
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Computer Strikes Back, Hard Disk Crisis

Just when I'm back from my last standby duty. I receive a news from my siblings that both my desktops are down.. This time they are really down! My oldest desktop is unable to enter the windows while my brother's Compaq cant switch on the monitor. After exhausting the computer repair tricks i have, i decide to pass the baton to my dad's friend who does repairing of computer as his retirement pastime. After his diagnosis, he told me that both computers can be easily solved by reformatting. With all my songs in the Compaq desktop, all my data & pictures in my desktop, i cant choose reformatting as an option.

Had knew my desktop is on its way to scrape yard, i didn't backup my files as i told myself i wouldn't happen so fast. Was thinking about getting a laptop during the June IT Fair then transfer the data over. Guess i have been pushing my luck, till i was back from my duty.

With much help from the uncle, i was able to retrieve my songs from the Compaq and had my data backup in another HDD which i don't how to retrieve it back at my home. Finally today, i went over to his place to get the hard drive hook up and transferred to a newly bought external HDD which my sis and i bought after the computers crashed.

Learnt my lesson on backup our important data. Now had all my important documents backup in the external HDD. Was really desperate when i don't have my documents. Imagine the excel file which i have been updating since 2005 on my financial and bicycles stuffs. Memorable pictures which i had kept. Really a crisis to me for these few weeks

Will be reformatting both desktop soon when I'm more free this week. Will be getting additional 1GB ram for the Compaq.

Backup your Backups
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Freak-nancial Status | Last Payslip from Army

Shall end off my Chapter on 'Army Life' with the overall allowance.

1year and 10months (2 years if you get below Silver for Poly/JC Napfa test) :
$21400, Averaging: $850 per month

Guess i failed to hit the 20% saving. After all the calculation, i only save 10% or even lesser.

So where all the money fly to?
5 oversea trips, 2 of them to Taiwan which spent around $400 each, the rest $100-200 each. Every time visit to the DFS, buying $200-300 worth of expensive liquor, wine and beer which i don't drink.
$400 PSP which i seldom play nowadays.
$1300+ on my Identiti, $600+ on my Dean
$400 Casio Camera
Visit twice to Running Lab to get $100+ shoes
Monthly bills & allowance which is compulsory

Cant imagine i spent so much over the past 2 years. Too rely on the monthly allowance from the army. Now too lazy to look for job, spending power still as high, no more payday on the 10th...
Got to start looking for job, part time as i still want to train. And if possible work while studying if i manage to get into SIM.

Reality Check, Financially
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Training 2008: Week 1 & 2

300408 1730hrs - Run
Workout: Mileage
Description:
Simple dynamic warm-ups,
Main set: 45min fartlex, Run for 45mins, Marathon pace for 300m, 5km pace for 100m.
15min of static exercise.
Timing: 45mins
Distance: Less than 10km
Feeling: First training i joined while in NS. Glad to join in during the foundation phase.

SUMMARY OF WEEK 1

Swim:Nil

Run: 9km

Bike: Nil

050508 1800hrs - Swim
Workout: Mileage
Description:
Warm-up: 200m, Drills: 10 x 25m, Kick Drills: Kick w/ flipper(100m), Vertical kicking w/ flipper swim(2min) x Swim (100m) x 3 sets
Main set: 3 x 500m with 1 min rest interval
10 x 25m sprint
Timing: 12+min/500m
Distance: 2.6km
Feeling: Sian, just too long never swim, need to work more on mileage.

070508 17300hrs - Run
Workout: Mileage
Description:
Simple dynamic warm-ups,
Main set: 50min fartlex, Run for 50mins, Marathon pace for 300m, 5km pace for 100m.
Static: 20mins
Timing: 50mins
Distance: 9.6km
Feeling: Nothing to comment

080508 1000hrs - Swim
Workout: Mileage
Description:
Warm-up: 200m, Kick: 200m, Stroke Drills: 3 x200m
Main Set: 3 x 500m
Timing: 13+/500m
Distance: 2.5km
Feeling: Damn weak! look at the timing can see liao. Not motivated/activated to swim. Chui! even KW also laugh at me~ sobz...

090508 1730hrs - Run
Workout: Mileage
Description:
Route: 2.4km route at my sec sch, Bedok Reservoir x 2 rounds.
Timing: 1hr 30mins
Distance: 13km
Feeling: Never stretch and warm-up, running 2.4k portion already aching.

100508 0715hrs - Bike
Workout: Mileage
Description:
2 x 20km cycle route. Expo-Coastal-Selarang-Changi Prison
Timing: 1+hr
Speed: 28-30km/hr
Distance: 40km
Feeling: Too long never cycle, pushing hard at 30km/hr. Maybe saddle position not right, balls burn like hell!

110508 0730hrs - Run
Workout: Mileage
Description:
Route: ECP carpark B1-carpark E1-Bedok Reservoir x 1round-Simei
Timing: 3hrs (45mins of waiting and 15min of chatting)
Distance: 17-18km
Feeling: Ran with Wilson from ECP, CP b1 to E1, ran alone from ECP to Reservoir where i waited for 45mins, Ran with SJ 1 round reservoir then chat with her for 15min. Jog back home from there. Freaking burnt out and hated the morning glare. Reach home at 1030.

SUMMARY OF WEEK 2

Swim:5km

Run:40km

Bike:40km

Notes:
Swim: Next will continue to work on coach set, what i do on Mon, will just duplicate on another day.

Run: Left 3 more weeks to Sundown, need to at least run 2 x 20+km over the next 2 weeks and leaving the last week for taper. Aim for next week run will be running a 20+km route with coach 60min run set on Wed which make up another 10km. Also will be running with SJ at ECP to recce the Passion Run route. So most probably next week will just be running these 3 sessions.

Bike: Biking now is a pain in the ass (literally) cycling on the Cannondale is uncomfortable. Will find Mervyn on one of the days to confirm the frame in getting. Next week might just ride another 40km.


3 weeks: Sundown Marathon
4 weeks: Saucony Passion Run
15 weeks: Army Half Marathon
17 weeks: Aviva 70.3
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Cannondale Six13 Team Replica

One of the most valuable bike which i gotten so far. Reputable frame with decent, in the fact the highest end groupset from shimano.

Cannondale is renowned for their beautiful finishing of their welding. Can see from the last picture, the welding are nicely filed off, no more fish scale but smooth and sleek welding. One more thing i like about Cannondale is their glossy paint job. Noticed since i started into cycling, their paint job always ended with a gloss finish.

Cannondale have been using high quality aluminum for their bikes, despite now carbon, titanium have been the trendy material for bikes for these few year, Cannondale still market themselves as aluminum bike makers. Only till recent years, they started venturing in fusing carbon tubes into parts of their bikes.

Proud Owner
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Hail Coach Pekya aka Slave Driver

Have been under my coach training since 2003, from year 1 to year 3 in polytechnic, from cant-swim to still cant-swim-that-well swimmer. Graduated on 2006 but the team is still in contact till today.

For year 2008, Coach had made for the us a training log, must be sick and tired of us asking her whats our race pace. haha! And also give us a race belt. What i like about the log is, it got my NAME on it! argh~ mei mei~ As for the race belt, i got no idea what does the 6 degree of freedom means.. BUT WHY CANT IT BE PINK COLOUR? haha!

Will think about how to edit and make a log for SJ.


The training log is meant to be given to us on the start of the year. Thanks to dear Wilson, i just got to receive it yesterday! Must be asking why i so late then receive it?

Beginning of the year, Wilson told me that coach had a training log and race belt to pass to me. Usually our training log is recorded onto piece of paper and coach knows that we like to use tyres as our race belt. So was thinking that coach wanna return me my pass training log records and give me a new balance race belt so i don't need to use a pathetic race belt anymore. Who on earth will think that its a nicely made training log for 2008 and a new race belt.. Didn't really thought of getting it as i was busy with the ATEC training and Evaluation.

ilovetoswim.cycle.run
iamcheechin
ilovetotri
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A Start With An End

Attended my last parade which i will never march again in my NSF life. Remember the last parade was my commissioning parade which was almost 1 year ago. The first parade, which is my pass out parade which i almost 2 years back.

Still remember my pass out parade is after a 32km route march, wearing no.4, jungle hat and holding onto our rifle. Charging forward follow by forming up into our marching contingent, quite a way to amuse our parents, specially mine whom yet to witness any parade before other than NDP.

Now standing in front of the audience, wearing no.1 with accumulated badges which not many NSF officers will have during their service. Marching in with a sword unlike the drill M16 which i had for commissioning parade.

Ended the parade with a slow march AGAIN!! But find that it looks quite good when you are the audience.

Pass Out Parade (2006) & ORD Parade (2008)

Oh Ya! not to forget my dear Springfield Friends! With the help of the almighty skinny Pauline, im able to see some of my sec sch friends attending the parade, witnessing the my last parade (Because i never jio them for my commission parade, if this parade also never invite, sure kanna stirred during gathering!)

Springfield Sec 4F (2002)
Left to Right: Alan, Pauline, Me!, Kelvin And Hafiz

Operation Ready Date 060508
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