Redang Island Challenge, Reebok ONEChallenge & Putrajaya Night Marathon 2013

Looks like its been ages since I posted anything. Yeah blame everything else but myself....was going to do that, but I guess I wasn't just making enough effort to blog. Many people have not enough time too, but can find the time. Blogging was put aside for a while recently. But I do miss blog-hoping and reading what my other blogger friends have been up to.

So anyway.....

Nothing very interesting except for some drama at work and then these three events which occupied me from 16th September till 19th October. Almost 2 weeks apart each.

So it was after raya and I decided to make some changes to my eating habits, lost some Kgs and happy with what I saw. Then on 16th Sept, went for Redang Island Challenge, didn't really train for the short swim (1.5km) but after that the run and kayak was ok. Finished 15th, where the last 5 teams came in together. Happy with the results and this was an event I partnered a friend I knew for almost 10 years through Ironman/ triathlon/ dualthon but never raced with each other before. Fun event, and relaxing getaway in Redang.

Then came Reebok challenge, the most talked-about event among outdoor/multisports enthusiasts. It was an obstacle course and the distance covered was 18.95km.  Completed the course in 2hrs 15min, and I thought it was quite a notable timing, having to go through 8 challenges in between. So I had hopes of breaking the 2hr bracket in a 21km run soon. (Yes, after so many attempts :P)

I was looking forward to the night run to break that 2 hr bracket. However, I asked a close fren if he wanted to run with me, knowing he wanted to do his 1st 21km run. He agreed and I told myself my target can wait. Let me run with him and push him through his 21km.

I was surprised that I had bountless energy after 5km. I was tempted to go ahead and just break my 2 hour target, but I told myself, doing a 21km with not enough preparation is not easy, so I will stay and run with my friend. I didn't want him to give up along the way. It was a nice cool run after rain in the afternoon and slight drizzle before the race start. When I realised I had so much energy, I kept running ahead then turn to run back to get him and encourage him along. I soon felt it could be a bit too much for him and may embarass him, but after a few attempts of just slowing down to wait, my body was cooling down too fast, I could feel cramps almost setting in. It was only about 11-12km then. So I continued doing the go-first-then-run-back routine. Told him I will stick with him up to 15km, then I will run to the end and then come back for him.

And so I did. I couldn't believe that after 15km the last 6km was done at 5+ min pace. It never felt so amazing. The feeling of sprinting to the end. Yes, literally sprints to me, because usually by the time close to the end, I am always to tired to even sprint the last 100m. And now 6km?? MAnaged to encourage another friend who was suffering from blister, to run the last 800m or so.

I was totally taken by surprised. Finished 2:25.... taking into consideration running the extra distances (though I do not know how much) but I felt good doing it. Then after collecting my finisher stuff, I walked till the arch (start/finish) and then slow jogged to back-track towards my friend. I dunno if he was happier or was I happier to see him, because it was more than 1.5km away before I saw him. Though he was walking, I was glad he got till that point. And so we ran towards the finishing line.

I really enjoyed myself, running and pacing with the superb weather and scenery. I didn't think twice about having to forgo my target, which I know that can be another race for me. Now maybe the 2XU or PBIM can be my next target.

Photos will be uploaded later :)

I wasn't

Raya 2013

Eid Mubarak!

It has been sometime since I posted. Well, not really only due to work but I've been pretty emotional and if I post during these times, gosh, I'll be ranting on lots of nonsense.

Anyway, its the time of the year again where we rejoice after a month of fasting.

I recall my first Raya experience at my in-law's almost 5 years ago. As a child, and subsequently adult, I have been having images of raya being celebrated with the traditional ketupat, lemang and rendang during the first day of raya. Although those were not really my favourite food, but I was looking forward to something new in my life.

So come raya morning, we all prepared to go the the mosque for prayers. Upon coming home, I was shocked to discover that not everyone came back together. MIL went to her parents' graves and some other relatives' grave, FIL was elsewhere, hubby was also elsewhere. (At this juncture, I imagined a Chinese Cheng Beng (all souls day) where the whole family would visit all the graves together) Then I thought to myself that it would be alright as they will still convene at home. Boy I was in for another shock.

I ended up alone at home, not knowing what to do....I didn't know where MIL kept all her cookies/snacks, I couldn't find the ketupat/lemang/rendang (ok, no rendang at all) and was kinda lost. Lost for words and lost not knowing what to do.

Then when throves of people came by, I found it very much different from the usual Chinese New Year (CNY) visiting sessions I have always known. When visitor comes, no matter relatives or friends, if there is rice/meal cooked in the kitchen, the visitors are always asked to stay for the meal, and many times, they do!! Boy was I surprised! Imagine if we didn't have enough food? And these people will visit throughout the day, even till past 11pm!! That was such a no-no in the Chinese culture.

So it took getting used to. 5 years on I still find it odd. I don't get the spread of ketupat or rendang (not that I am complaining), and I realised my inlaws are not fans of cookies or cakes and they usually have the traditional snacks, such as the fried stuff, bahulu and traditional crisps. I made cookies and mini cupcakes one year and they were  not even touched. Just placed for visitors to have. I was rather taken aback but have accepted it, so every year I no longer stand for long hours making cookies or cup cakes prior to raya. So if I do give you raya cookies, it will definitely likely be store-bought :P

I supposed different background of the same race and culture will differ in their celebration. Although this is not apparent in the Chinese or Indian. The only difference in the Chinese is depending on which region you are from in China, i.e. whether you are Hokkien, Cantonese, Hakka etc, it will determine what days of the new year is your auspiscious day and different prayers are planned.

So no traditional meal for me on raya, though I feel that that was the cause of the lack of raya-feeling for me. (or maybe I am just getting older and these festivities do not thrill me as it did when I was a child.

Anyway, selamat hari raya, maaf zahir& batin to all!

Bangkok oh Bangkok!!

The Thailand office is 1km away from my hotel. Took about 15min to walk yesterday. Today I had a huge bag and another small bag to lug along so decided to take the taxi. 30+ mins to get to the office. WTH??!!

We (my Thai-office colleague and I) were supposed to leave to site early. 930am, planned. Its now 1130 am and I am still sitting in the office trying to structure my brain to do some desktop work because in my mind I'll be in the car now. WTH??

OK fine, kelig's new so I tried to assist, but seems like trying to google for location is almost impossible cos the roadnames and location are mostly in Thai and even a local person can get lost using google maps. So fine, I'm back to doing my own stuff and I decided to ask 'What time are we leaving?' you know what she said? 'I will think about it' WTH??? WHAT KIND OF ANSWER IS THAT??

FINE!  you ask me for my opinion and I tried to help you but if you don't need that opinion then just don't ask lah...ask then later when I turn around you are still doing the same old nonsense...what crap is that??

arrrrrrrgh!!

trying to keep my cool....pool at my hotel

Mummy, I am 5 today!

AIR2 just turned 4 in Jan 2013.

In his kindy, he is in a class with 5-yr-olds. I requested for that not because I was kiasu, but from the previous kindy, when he was with kids his age, he found it very boring, uninteresting and always found reasons to delay going to school. When we reached the school, he will cry.

So when this kindy allowed, I was glad. He has been enjoying himself. Though his colouring skills may not match that of his classmates, his writing is not too bad. I'm glad he is coping well and enjoying it.

However.....

In Feb and March, many kids celebrated their birthdays in his class and they have the usual, birthday cake cutting, singing and goodie bag distribution. It was only 2 weeks into school when he had his birthday so we didn't bother celebrating in the kindy but did it in the babysitter's place.

So one morning, while getting out of the car, he told me, 'Mummy I am 5 today.' I was caught off guard and speachless. Oh dear. How am I going to explain to him? I told him, not yet, he will be 5 next year. But at this age, the visualization of time is not there. He took it as it meant 'soon'.

Fast forward maybe 3-4 weeks or so, this evening, he complained to me that he is 5 today and asked why didn't I bring a cake to kindy for him. His sister obliged by singing him a birthday song.

Oh dear, now how am I supposed to explain this to him??

Weaning from the milk bottle

It's been many months since my last update...again :) Sorry folks!

And I'm in the process of trying tto wean my 4-yr-old from his milk bottle. On certain days he will agree to it, otherwise he still wants milk in the bottle.

Any suggestions how can I do it? Give him the 'cold turkey' treatment?

Maybe I should just hide his bottle and do that. At one point he agreed only to have during the night, and that lasted 1 day. Haha!

Would appreciate suggestions! :) thank you!

Keong Hee Huat Chye!

Oh dear! It's going to be the last day of CNY and only I've managed to put this up :)

Anyways, Happy Chinese New Year to my blog pals! It's been good so far with a long break for me!

One week after the break and I still feel like not back at work!

Let's hope the fireworks tonight will not wake my kids up, cos AIR2 woke up 30mins ago from the fireworks....luckily she's back in slumber-land...