Posts

Showing posts from March, 2015

A Tribute To Lee Kuan Yew (1923 - 2015)

Image
I can say with confidence that the initial LKY resonates affectionately to many Singaporeans from the young to the old.  The acronym LKY is Lee Kuan Yew - the founding father of our modern Singapore and a legendary son of Singapore. I was born in the trying period of the 60s.  I was very young but I can still remember the racial fight between the Chinese and the Malays.  I can sense the high tension of the adults then but I was too young to understand what actually happened or fear the repercussion had that situation gone beyond control.  When I was much older, I understand that it can take a little remark poking fun at one's race or religion, all hell will then break loose. Growing up, I have only known one big figure as our PM and he was our LKY.  He continued to loom large in my life as our country started to develop from a place full of slums to a metropolis -a promise our then PM made to the nation when we were kicked out from Malaya.  Goh Keng Swee was another respe

Building Up Fitness Is A Slow But Sure Process

I don't consider myself a "fitness bluff".  I was most unfit when I was in my 30s until mid 40s, I had never exercised one bit during that period.  It was stress, work, more stress and money woes that I completely disregarded my own health.  I was going through mid life crisis.  Then in 2007, I decided to change my unhealthy lifestyle.  I was already 45 by then.  I had my first run around my neighbourhood.  Just one kilometre into the run, I had to stop and walk the remaining route.  I was panting badly.  I then realised how unfit I was.  I went for few more runs and yet, I had to stop around the 1 km mark. I was mostly running on own until I learnt a former colleague who runs regularly.  Prior to that, he had been running in few marathons and to-date, he is still running.  He then invited me to join him and a friend for an evening run after work.  He becomes my running buddy - thanks to Long Chua for being the biggest contributing factor to me taking up distance runni

Men's Health Urbanathlon 2015

Image
This morning was the 5th edition of Men's Health Urbanathlon run event.  It was my second and my first was in 2010, their inaugural then.  I did not sign up for the subsequent events as I did not like to crawl in mud water which we did in our first edition.  My new Nike shoes were total soaked in mud and was never the same anymore.  After checking all the obstacles listed except the mystery obstacle which was to be revealed on race day, there was no mention of mud obstacle and I then decided to sign up for it to test my endurance.  It was a 14 km run and there were 9 obstacles to clear along the way. I got up at 0530 hrs and in ten minutes, I was really out.  The start up venue was at the Kallang Practise Track near Sports Hub which is not too far from my house.  Originally I was thinking to take the bus but the first bus was to arrive at 0605 hrs, I decided to walk to the venue instead.  It was a three km walk and it was still dark.  I arrived well before 0630 hrs, more than