Well, it’s been almost a week since my last post and I should blog about what I’ve been doing this week, except of course job applications and an interview here and there.
Tuesday was my second driving lesson in an auto car. ATC is so much easier than manual esp cuz it takes mind off all the ‘mumbo jumbo’ and keeps me focussed on the road. And when it comes to a hell hole driving place like Ubi, I think it’s for the best to go for auto – atleast for me. Driving around, Ubi seemed to be much more pleasant – despite the fact that learners still get picked on. Anyway, according to the instructor, he says I’m a good 7-8 lessons from my test booking so I guess I’ll be doing just that. Tmr is my next lesson. After many many months of procrastination and fear, I’m finally looking forward to Tuesdays cuz they’re my lesson days.
Wednesday was the first time in many years (last time was Sec 3 cross country quarter-finals) that I went to Macritchie Reservoir Park to pre-train for the 2nd TNF progressive (since I missed the first one). Thanks to Hussain for organizing and getting people to go for it cuz I think it was really really helpful to know what I was up against. Well, didn’t help much on Sat but that I’ll write later. So we were off with our hydration packs and new trail shoes to train for TNF and it was pretty difficult 10k run i’ve done in a long long time. Although it was multiple upslopes which I realized was my strength, and I kept whacking everyone of them, when it came to downslopes, I slowed down a lot – in the interest of my knees. Anyway, Hussain and me did the ‘Yellow’ 10.5km route in about 1h02m. Pretty good time I would say.
PRC’s ‘Recce Team’ – As Hussain calls it. (L-R) John, Choon Hong, Me, Hussain and Why See
Saturday, we carried out the full scale progressive run of 22+km ar MR again. This time, it was nothing short of hell and taught all of us runners what we’re up against. Thanks to Choon Hong’s ex-classmate, Ricki (aka The Bug) who’s a super pro and a damn fun fella to run with, we were orientated to the terrain pretty well. This time ard, we ran from MR Reserve to Bukit Timah Reserve and back. This of course, included Bt Timah hill – where it really really tested my upslope mettle – gotta thank NUS/Kent Rigde slopes for all the sufferring that partially prep-ed me for this madness of a run. Elaine (my TNF partner, who I shall refer to as ‘Partner’ henceforth) was sick all week but she’s an awesome runner too. Turning up in her 70.3 top, she’s really mentally strong. But the award for the most amazing person goes to Hussain – who did the distance at a really fast pace – during fasting month. I have no frakkin’ idea how the heck he managed to go all the way for 2h31m without a single drop of water and no glucose intake – considering he had the rest of the day left too! But we all did it and came out in one piece. For the 25km-ers they were pleased tt they can make it. For us 50km-ers, this was indeed a matter of concern – this was not even 1/2 the distance and we were maxed out.
At the Bukit Timah and MR junction
Summit of Bukit Timah Hill
Hmmm… I hope Saturday’s 20km progressive is much better. It better be, RunNUS is on the next day. Or else Jimmy and me are gonna suffer. (Maybe not Jimmy since he’s an 84km finisher!)
Partner and Me (Yeap… she’s always this hyper)
Since it has been sweaty and dirty all over the past two weeks, I haven’t gotten an opportunity to show the new PRC running singlet. It’s reddish-pink (to appease both sexes, I suppose) and pretty catchy!
Here goes:
As for RunNUS singlet, as it was last year, this year’s singlet is pretty nice too! The colour matches nicely with the new NB tri-tights that I bought for myself on Tuesday from Tampines-1.
Here goes again:
Also, I forgot to post this for a long long time. This is my first running medal ever! In Pri 4 (in India) for some 400m race where I came in 2nd. Haha… it says 1993! OMG!
As for the title, press Windows Key + R and you’ll know what I’m talking about!
Sheesh! After many years fo safe running without major injuries, falls or accidents or any mishaps of any kind, I had a fall on Thu at about 5-6km mark of my night run with PCRC.
Although a few open wounds and lacerations I finished the 23+km run in abt 2hrs 20mins. So that made it about 75km for the week! SHIOK!
I reckon this is the first and last time I’ll be doing this too. It’s irresponsible overtraining… :S
To my FYP since I have practically tried everything that there is to try! Haha… after one more set, I’m good to go for whole set of results for thesis.
We had our overall presentation today and I’m glad it went well – esp since I messed everyone’s mind up with Organic Chem! Haha… Was pretty encouraging to hear Kristy say that she actually understood a wee bit of what I was doing after so long! Haha… wee bit = one inch!
But all in all, no matter what result I get I’m glad I tried everything that there is to try and that’s good enough a closure for me!
Comes at a great time too! I celebrate my 6th anniversary of enlistment! Haha… wat a day to be enlisted!
Oh and same goes my GEK module! Was a real pain editing pics but learnt that Yams has a real edge when it comes to photoshop! He’s good lar – damn good! Can’t wait to get over and done with the test! One more lap…
Believe it or not, year 4 has been the best year in NUS of my life – I have so much freedom that sometimes I dunno what to do – practically, I’ve done it all!
Run as much as I want to – even got time and energy to try stunts – this week being 10km/day for the whole week! Been running with the MIR team since the start of the year!
TV! Finished Friends, Mind Your Language, Goodness Gracious Me. Almost done with Star Trek TNG (7 more episodes to go). Finished Big Bang Theory (upto date). Watching Dexter’s Lab (Season 1 now).
Watched so many movies that I can barely count! I’m super updated with movies!
Slack at home on days I don’t want to go to lab and still not feel bad!
NO STRESS during reading week or studying for mid terms and still get good results - I LOVE THIS! Like Roops says… now it’s time for us to mock them! =p
Finishing papers and projects well almost on time – without needing to rush it!
Can blog/Facebook/MSN whenever I want to – just that I choose not to!
Read at almost two novels per month since December! WOW!
Have enough family time to go for Hindi movies again!
Time to cook whatever I want to!
Catching up with friends is one thing I gotta do when I get the time!
I love my final year in NUS! Gonna pull the ultimate stunt after BioMEMs exam – which is the only exam btw! =p
Wah lao… when it rains it pours! Well I have only myself to blame considering how much stuff i have pending…
1. BioMEMs test on Tuesday
2. GEK Tut after webcast on Tuesday
3. GEK paper (due on Friday)
4. FYP Presentation (Wednesday)
5. Thesis Draft (OH NO!)
I guess it’s gonna be a hell of a ride for the first half of the week this week… To make things worse, I’m tired and sleepy all through the weekend due to excessive going out. No one to blame there – including myself. Can’t even meet my running milage for the week last week… :S
1. Applied for many MANY jobs and not a single reply.
2. Resultless Final Year Project.
3. No driving license.
4. Sundown Marathon
5. Still single (which someone I know was strongly suggesting I get some help from SDU… never bothered me till she brought it up… ).
Sounds like I have a lot on my hands and I need to sort myself out… or go for a run – latter has a better effect – while it lasts.
I can’t wait for long intensive running events. Sometimes, I wish I were as good at the other things too. This is the first rant of the year – just that it’s all bottled up.
Not sick psychologically but physicologically sick. I’ve got the flu for some weird reason. Maybe cuz I rushed to shower before a proper cool down. Whatever the case, I wanted to clock a certain distance and that has to wait for after the marathon I guess – which means I will have to plan my runs and IPPT training at the same time. Lots of time to train. Like LTC Allan Tan said,’Sometimes you have to tell yourself, there’s always tomorrow to train.’
Hmmm… nvm will think about it when the time comes. More immediate things beckon:
This week will we a bit busy at start and then I can finally start exam prep with one module down tomorrow – Universe ends tomorrow! =)
I have HR presentation on Tuesday and tada! That’s it for the week! The rest of the week I gotta catch up with HR readings (which has stopped since mid sem break) and summarize the main points and blah blah! So for today, I should focus on Universe.
As for my running regime, I have been running with the MIR people lately and I should say I feel kinda bad cuz I run with music and don’t talk to the ppl. Hmmm nvm I guess their pace is pretty fast too so if I talk I’ll surely die.=p Anyway, I decided to crash Yihao’s Runner’s Day 30km next weekend and I hope I am well enough for it… Avtar recommended me to go for the SAFRA running club membership. Hmmm… it heavily depends on whether I’ll have time to run once work starts – speaking of which, I better start polishing up my resume.
Enough said for the week. TIme to get back to ‘Understanding the Universe’ test for tomorrow.
Jonanna recommended this group to me and I love this song =)
On friday, after my HR project meeting, a gang of us went out for a simple dinner and super dessert at Selegie. Fellow gangsters were Vin, LQ, Chiew (the organiser), Jess, Tien, Yiren and Zeming. Not only we talked a lot of crap, we also had some cultural exchange – ask me when u see me lar… of this post is gonna be damn long! Tryph and Roops were missed!
Hmmmm… I need to get a pic from my cousin. =p
Vin, Tina and me
Vin and LQ
Yummy Turkish FOOD!
The gang taken by Yiren
The gang taken by Tien
Saturday was the BEST lab day of my life! I was alone and Eisbrecher was blasting away till everyone in the corridor peeped in to see wth was going on inside. The $10 speakers I brought in China are really handy now. I left them in the lab for future use… haha.. like I told Kim Kiat, they’re gonna be my best friends in Dec. Went home after a long day and dad got bk from Sweden! Hahah… Li Che sent lotsa goodies for us and time to share them tomorrow. =)
Sang Joon and me..yes I will not post it in my FYP slides! Hahha….
Sunday was a harrowing 30km run that was VERY humbling for me. I thought I was ready for the marathon and sure enough, I hit the wall this time around – 23 km. I need to find the window to that wall during the marathon. One month to do it. Well all in all, I clocked a good timing of 3 hrs 16 mins and 48 secs. At that split timing, marathon shuld be done in 4.5 hrs – if no injury. I pray not! This mornign I woke up with a solid body ache! I REALLY appreciate Andrew for pacing me all the way and even walking with me the 2km when I was tired – knowing that he’ll suffer later. He’s a true inspirer. Thanks man!
The u-turn marker at 15km! A memorable one…
Following my run, I went out with Avtar and Simha. He made a fantastic comment, “Remote control robot! I would want one of those but only IF it can get its own remote control for me!” Hahah.. cork!
I bought a couple of stuff today. One of them is the T-shirt I wanted a lot! I think it’s got a damn cool attitude to it! Second was the noise cancellation ear-buds Tryph recommended to me many months ago! They’re damn good lar – bought at Jaden Enterprises level 4 at The Adelphi.
Running next…
These are damn good! 3 bucks a pair only!
I saw the Madagascar 2 poster on Saturday! Can’t wait to catch it… esp King Julien! =)
Hmmmm… been a real long time since I blogged so here’s a long awaited update.
I was busy with the FYP prelim 1 presentation and report (which was not too bad i guess) except that I was extremely nervous and a lot of jolts between slides… hmm next time must rehearse out loud and not slack. Sheesh…. next time gonna be worse with the examiner around! Nvm lar.. think about it when the time comes.
Dad was talking to me one of the days after a bad day of lab about how to get opinions from people about where you want to go in career and how to get there. I think all I needed at that time was the push to talk to people and find out more. And I went into frenzy mode emailing a lot of people who were nice to talk to me and express opinions.
Esp among these were Prof. Teoh who forwarded me to Kelvin – he was extremely friendly and gracious to explain what he does and the challenges and how the field can be useful to society. I think that was what I needed to spur me on to ask more people and get as many different opinions as I can to make a more informed decision about my career. Although it is kind of early, there’s no harm looking around for places that I can go and how I can be useful. Next, A/P Toh was very useful to intro me to the speaker of a talk on heart valves Mr. Goh, who entertained me and recommmended how I can go about getting experience and how to progress in a career in regulatory issues. Also, A/P Toh forwaded me to Mr. Kwek in HSA who corrosponded with me and I think I will talk to him sometime next week. Finally but not least, Dr. Hill from Centre for Bioethics gave me a totally different perspective on seeing things not from a law and regulatory but an ethical veiwpoint and how engineers and healthcare professionals face dilemma in the workplace. I would like to thank them personally on my blog for entertaining me and giving me a sense of direction.
But most of all, thanks dad for being so supportive. Time to brush up my resume and start aggressively looking for jobs.
But first, FYP beckons… and it’s not helpful getting chased out of my own lab! =s
Hmmm.. some things that I need to do this time of the month are: GEK Essay, HR Essay and TE presentation. Oh man! I’m gonna drown myself in projects!
On a different note, I went for Real Run and it was an awesome experience. I think I did pretty weel judging from my standards and I look forward to Peal Izumi next weekend…. time to up the distance from 21km to 30km…The marathon is coming. =)
At the Bukit Timah and MR junction
Vin, Tina and me
