70.3

2007 was an indeed a year of victory, completion of the Singapore 70.3 Ironman on 2nd September 2007 adds on to the glory. But all this didn’t just come by itself, for me this wasn’t just another triathlon event that we can join with minimum training.

A Total distance of 70.3miles including a swim distance of 1.2mile(1.9km), 56mile(90.1km )bike cycle and 13.1mile(21.1km) run double up an Olympic distance triathlon. A distance that is unimaginable when I first start my first biathlon event of 800mm swim 5km run early 2005 but some how God bring out this victory when the odds was against me.

Planned every thing for it, starting off 2007 with Singapore biathlon (1.5km swim, 10km run) then Oakley Duathlon (10km run,40km cycle, 5km run), using other event as training, clocking mileage for confidence. But not all went well, the Osim Triathlon did not went as usual due to rain, no swim, and only half distance for cycle and run. It was July and time is running out. I have to start my own OD triathlon to gain the mileage for confident, I have a 3 weeks reservist in between which will end 36 hours before the gun time for the 70.3.

Psychologically & Physically I have to push myself, just 2 weeks be the reservist I try to do my own OD on a Saturday afternoon, a usual training route, swimming at my pool for at least 40 laps and cycle to Mandai for the bike leg, then back again to my home for a run in the park. All went well till an accident happened in Mandai halt the OD training again, this time for another 2 weeks. The front wheel of my bike caught in to the grill of a drainage system in an uphill ride, I was pivoted over and fell flat on my face. I wasn’t able to train for 2 week, and it was my reservist, plotted with a 4 days defense exercise before the whole in camp expire. I was able to do a 21km AHM a day before the exercise.

That’s all, couldn’t buy back any time for more training, I just have to go for it.

Physically felt pretty drained the night before 70.3 but mentally ready to take on the challenge. God word to me is focus. Careful planning was done, the speed to go at, power gels and bar were evenly distributed, remember how many I need during the cycle. Look I never cycle 90.1km at a go in my life this is the first time and I have doing it before 1.9km swim and have to remember that I have another 21.1km run after that!

Unlike other races that I will go aggressively in the swim even though it was one of my weaker leg, I probably relief my supporter Eric as I dock the shore for bike transition. Then it is breakfast time! Going at conservative speed was a good choice, on the bike is where I clear most of the power gels. Some competitor crash their bike in front of me and the fatigue must have triggered the root cause, lost of concentration. Insufficient training could be the other suspect. Reminded of the blood that was dripping down jaw but painless in shock and fatigue. Anyhow I was distracted by the call of nature, try riding 90km and hold on to the knot of the exploding tap, it was a miracle that I can still hydrate myself throughout.

The real Miracle came during the run, I was highly motivated to see the end point that I need to past once before smiling at the camera at crossing the finish line for real. Believe it or not, no pain on any of the knee or part of my foot, I know I can go faster but remembering my focus is on completing the race, it will be risky trying to gain time by speeding.

The feeling of victory finally erupted in the final 2 km of the run and all the way to the finishing line, I thank God for bringing me back, marking another high in my sport career (hehe).

Next, the complete (either Langkawi or down under). Not sure when will be the right time but I know taking a step a time is going to bring me there, with the experience I gain from 70.3 I can plan and prepare myself, most importantly to focus even in tough endurance required events.
I hope you will be able remind yourself that you can do what you think you can't, and do likewise after reading this.

Everything happens for a reason

Have you ever felt that something or rather everything happens for a reason? It has to happen so that something else more important can be facilitated to fulfill or to be realize.

I felt it many times but it was one of God’s significant attempt that silent me and tell me that it is not just a feeling, it is a you just encounter God session!

It happened in a long planned 6 days trip in Thailand with Christine, a 2 days rest in the quiet Hua Hin with most of the other time shopping and eating in Bangkok.

We started off with 3 days stay in Bangkok, rejuvenating from all the shopping, eating and massages. Then an interesting train journey to Hua Hin, it was an experience to take a train in Thailand, I don’t know about Christine, but for me, on the journey back to Bangkok it was more then exciting.

Hua Hin really take you away from the busy streets in Bangkok, it’s was peaceful town. We explore the entire with a rented motor bike, riding in Bermudas and slippers… Slackers! Seafood in the night and then sunbathing in the day encourages our reluctance to depart from Hua Hin.

Anyway we left for Bangkok that afternoon, everything was the same as the journey to Hua Hin, but here is the something that didn’t happen before. I was reading Book of Romans, and yes I was and was for a long time, the 16 chapters seems never ending for weeks or even months. So I was still somewhere at chapter 7,8 or 9 when train started heading the direction back to Thailand, the journey went on for sometime but my reading didn’t seems to progress much.

Then the train stopped, it halted a long time before we were informed that the train broke down. If I remember correctly, I was still somewhere on chapter 10, anyhow I started feeling restless after the long wait and stop reading. A thought came to me, God could have stop the train for me to finish reading the Book of Romans, I have taken more then an hour to finish 1 or 2 chapters if the train has gone according to original schedule, I will not be able to finish the entire book when we arrive at Bangkok. So I open up my bible and when back to Romans. Christine fell asleep and there was nothing else interesting in a train in the middle of nowhere. As I was reading, I laughed in my mind, thinking if God really stop the entire train for me to finish Romans then the rest of those in the train with me was unknowingly accompanying for bible reading session.

The stop long enough for us to cancel a dinner appoint we intend to have with Christine’s friend, about 3 hours, the balance of the 6 chapter was complete within the hour, here is the amazing part, the moment I completed reading the Book of Romans and at the moment I close up my bible, the train started to move! Feeling all your goose pimples popping? Mine did. The timing was precise, I can go by the milliseconds to be accurate!

Believe it or not, God can move anything and He can stop anything for you. He stop a train for me, but I learn that sometimes because of our own personal decisions or actions others may be affected too, after this encounter, I give up the idea that my personal action will not cause inconvenience to the others.

Give it a thought about your encounter, maybe you will think twice for your next action.

I'm Back!!!

It's been awhile since "What If?"

The fact that those were things that truly happened and cause all this time of blogging to stop for a while.

I got to blog again... No other reason.

Through out all this time many things happened, like my completion to Aviva 70.3 Ironman, as my best achievement in sports so far, my first time to Bangkok with an amazing encounter with God, my 2008 Job search in the midst of a Forty days fast and prayer. All these I want to share, they are really exciting to me, and it is not too late to be off my memory to write down all the details.

Ok, all I am saying, I am blogging again. ;P