Handsome One

Hansel and Gretel Utopia

Ok my exercise blog is practically dying after the Singapore Marathon, as I've been taking a backseat with exercise. Still been gymming, but just the usual stuff, nothing exciting on the exercise front. Went to speak with the Celebrity Fitness 'consultants' ( It's in inverted commas because I don't think they are serious exercise people, yet they insulted my brother and said he didn't look like he knew much about exercise, when he's a CERTIFIED FISAF trainer. HAH!). Most likely we'll join this gym, because at least they could give us an indication of prices unlike Fitness First who said they could not disclose prices without their membership consultants. Aiya, they are all a bunch of cons anyway.

Well since there's nothing much more exciting in my so called athletic career at the moment, I've decided to post some pictures of Christmassy Mid Valley. Oh I do wish the gingerbread houses were real and that I could eat them!

Singapore Marathon 2006

I’ve managed to achieve 1 more marathon before I hit the veteran age! Completed my second marathon last Sunday (3^rd December) in Singapore. The weather was fantastic, I shaved off my time by 9 minutes, I felt stronger (mentally especially)..it was a great run.

I felt quite a bit like a lamb to the slaughter just before the race: no fear, no anxiety, just a bit dumb (duh) as though not aware of the torturous run. I travelled by First Coach on Saturday 2^nd December. Took the 7.30am bus. Some bozo girl forgot her passport and she made the bus driver wait after the Sungai Besi toll, as her friend was traveling from Nilai to meet her at the toll and pass her the passport. I thought it was quite idiotic – she must have traveled from Nilai down to KL without her passport, and then made everybody else wait for her. We were delayed about 30 minutes. Because of her we had to cut short our pee break. Several people on the bus were very annoyed, and the lady behind me was fuming mad.

Anyway, arrived in Singapore at about 12.30pm. Checked into City Bayview Hotel and headed straight to Marina Mandarin to collect my race pack. They had no “S:” sizes left so I had to resort to “M”. Decided to chill out the rest of the day so just hung out at Coffee Club at Raffles City.

Decided to pin the bib and tie the chip to my shoelace before I got too tired at night.

Of course, the night before the marathon we usually have our customary carbo loading. A friend recommended this restaurant called “Pasta Mania”….it definitely made me maniac because it’s the worst pasta I’ve ever tasted in my entire life. I can make better pasta also. The pasta was soggy, the meatball was like doughball and the environment was loud and noisy. It certainly wasn’t a satisfying meal, what more the last meal before a marathon!

On race day, I woke up at 4.15am, slowly chewed my power Bar, slathered Vaseline all over, and tried to sit on the throne for a bit (no not al at one go).It took me 45 minutes before I finished my bar, as I didn’t want to have it too early (in case it might take effect before the race), yet I needed to eat it before I left the hotel (as I need to drink lots of water with it). Met Jenny and Adnan at 5.15 downstairs. We were the only 3 in our group to run the full.

Arrived at the starting point at 5.30am. We tried to look for the counter to deposit the bag, but we weren’t sure where it was. After hunting high and low, Jenny and I decided to make a last toilet stop. It was already 5.45am that time. By the time we got to the mobile toilets, there was such a long queue!! Decided to queue anyway as we did not want to run with a busting bladder. I tried to be smart and chose a queue with more men, as I thought men usually are very quick. Alas! The guy before me took many moons, and we found ourselves rushing to the starting point with 5 minutes left. The crowd was huge, and we could not even see the starting point! We pushed ourselves through the crowd only to find that there was a barrier and we couldn’t get into the pen!After a few tries we managed to find an opening into the pen…and whaddya know, we ended up in Pen 1, which was for elite runners. …..BY that time our adrenaline was pumping, we had worked up a sweat already….oh well I guess that was our warm up.

The air was a bit still in the morning. The race started at 6am, and I found myself starting a little faster than I had intended to (well, no choice, since I was in pen 1…had to run fast if not I would have been stampeded) . This time I did not stop at so many water stations as the last time. That’s also because the weather was much more pleasant, it was cloudy throughout the race and began to drizzle towards the end. The first 10km up to Marina was quite good..I finished 10km in about 1 hour 12 minutes.Took my first Power gel at 10km. Along the way I saw this runner of an old man dressed up in a short kimono, wearing a fisherman’s hat! There was also this other girl who ran with a tyre attached to a string which she tied around her waist, and she was dragging it while running. It somewhat reminded me of the German football team training. Round about that time I overtook Jenny, only to find Tony overtaking me.

Between 10km and 20km I was still doing fine. At about 15km the half marathoners turn off while the full marathoners proceed to East Coast park. After 20km I felt a bit tired, but I was able to push on. I think the Coast park stretch is the worst, as we have to run quite a long distance before we u turn back. We turn back at 28km, and I was looking out for my banana at km 28, but alas! No banana! Only had to contend with my power gel at 30km. Anyway I began to feel very tired at the 27^th km, but not hitting the wall yet. I think the last time I hit the wall at about 28km and thereafter had to walk a lot. This time, I decided to employ the Jeff Galloway walk-run method at 27^th km. Everytime I approach a water station, I would allow myself to walk , until I hydrated myself, then I would walk a little further before I ran again. Decided to use this method so I could sustain to the end without feeling awful.

I think I was also much stronger mentally this time. I did not allow myself to walk for very long period of time.I made sure I ran at every kilometer, where as in 2004, I practically walked from km34-41. However, by the 37^th km, my muscles were very sore and began to fatigue. I had to stop for a while to stretch my muscles.Nevertheless, I pressed on and still ran, although I began to walk more than run.

I was delighted when I saw the 41km marker, which meant that the end was near! My muscles were very very tied, and I could not sprint to the end, but I managed to finish in 5 hours 20 minutes, which is 9 minutes better than the last time.

I never thought this day would come, but can you imagine, a wannabe athlete like me has achieved 2 marathons already. And to think, I was sedentary in school and would find every excuse to miss phys ed!Overall it was a good run..though my timing didn’t improve that much. I guess I’ll never be a fast runner, but I would like to add a few more marathons to my running career.

For now, I;m just taking a break this week and will resume running next week.

Final Countdown!

3 MORE DAYS! Did my last run today, 4km. Haven't really been eating that much this week, just as normal. Didn't want to gain any extra weight just before the race ....it would be more difficult to run with all that added weight! Will start carbo loading proper tomorrow..although I had some rice today, I wouldn't really say I am loading up yet. But will eat more tomorrow and the day after.

How do I feel? At this moment, I am not having any jitters yet. Don't want to think about it until the day arrives. Infact, I'd like to enjoy myself, even during the race...until the point where I start to question myself "Why on earth am I doing this?"

Just heard a song called "You can Get it if y ou Really Want" by Desmond Dekker - it's an oldie but somewhat inspiring for the race!

Singapore, here I come!

Chicken rules!

There's nothing like a bottle of Brand's Essence of Chicken to perk you up! I have been feeling tired since my HK trip, as I've not had enough rest..started hitting the books the day after I came back and I've been studying every night. My weekly long distance run (which I'm cutting back anyway) has suffered also but I'll not worry about my run until the day itself! No point worrying now..I can't do much about my physical strength anymore at this stage.

Thanks to TA who wanted some Brand's essence of chicken bottles, I was reminded that I have quite a few bottles left. Decided to take a bottle last night and it made such a REMARKABLE difference this morning. Felt more energetic than usual this morning, and I was able to run at a decent speed without feeling tired.

Must remember to pack a bottle of Brand's in my bag for the Singapore run.

Mental over physical

It's tapering period. Since I got back fom Hong Kong, I don't think I've rested enough. Can't seem to run as well as I did before I left. Now mental strength will have to take over physical strength.

and prayers....i'll need a lot of that.

Starbucks girl

My most frequented Starbucks stores (in order from most to least)

1. Jln Telawi 3
2. Bangsar Village
3. Section 14 (Jaya)
4. Amcorp

I've been told that Starbucks in Hong Kong sucks.

No Men Allowed

While I was away in Hong Kong, my gym had made an announcement that they were going to convert to an all ladies' gym effective 1 December 2006. Lifestyle had been one of the pioneers in the fitness industry in KL, but unfortunately lost out to many mega gyms over the years. I continued to gym there for the last 8 years, as I was comfortable with the fact that it wasn't a flashy gym and they don't push personal training, which most gyms do (and on top of that most so called personal trainers in those gyms are inexperienced and know nuts about fitness)

Celebrity Fitness will be opening in Bangsar Village 2 in February 2007, and Lifestyle made this change of direction so as not to compete head on with Celebrity. Instead they are trying to look for a more niche market,but unfortunately this message was not communicated well to the members. Members were left disgruntled and unhappy, as there are several male members, and even the female members are happy to have the men around. I myself am affected, as I have a joint membership with my brother, and we had paid our fees upfront until March next year. So my brother's membership will be terminated, and I do not want to be left in the gym by myself. If we were to join another gym, it will obviously be a joint membership as it usually works out to be cheaper. So at the moment I do not know what the gym's decision is, whether the ladies with joint membership with men will be compensated at all.

In my opinion, this was really a bad move, as they did not consult existing members, and existing members are the ones paying them and keeping them going. It would be much easier to build the business from within, than to start recruiting new members. In any case, I would have to start looking for a new gym. The options I have are:

1. Fitness First ( parking isn't exactly great here and I'd have to bring own towel)
2. True Fitness (I don't mind this gym but it's not that accessible)
3. Celebrity Fitness ( I don't like their marketing oriented style, but it seems to be the most convenient)

Although I am not into flashy gyms, in a way I am kind of looking forward to joining a new gym...hopefully I'll be more motivated and challenged.

Foretaste of Hong Kong Marathon

I'm back from Hong Kong!It's good to be back to clear blue skies! It was extremely hazy in Hong Kong, it was quite difficult to snap nice photos. All you see is a blanket of grey in the background.

Only 3 weeks more to Singapore Marathon. I only got back from Hong Kong yesterday and I had to miss the run this morning as I was too tired. Anyway, I've done my long run last week and I'm beginning to taper off. I did a lot of walking in Hong Kong, but I did not bring my orthotics along (in case I did something silly like leave it behind, which I absolutely can't afford because I desperately need them for Sing marathon). Walking around without the orthotics caused my feet to be sore most of the time, and what made it worse was not wearing proper footwear (I only wore sandals and not running shoes as it was hot).

Did a lot of walking daily, and in the sweltering heat it was really tiring. I did manage to go out for a run one of those days, on Tuesday morning. I stayed with my friend in a suburb called Shau Kei Wan, which is pretty good for running, as the streets are less busy, and there's a courtyard just down the road where you can see senior citizens doing taichi every morning. The only thing I didn't like was, i had to run on the pavement because it was quite dangerous to run on the narrow streets, and the pavement was hard on the feet!

So, if I ever decide to run the Hong Kong marathon, there are a few things I have to take note of:
1. Hong Kong is pretty hilly (oh ya, my butt feels worked out after all those uphill walks)
2. It's quite polluted (someone DIED from the run last year)
3. It will be quite cold to run sometime in February


HK Marathon will be on 4 March next year..should I?

34km!

I ran 34km today. Now I feel at peace to go to Hong Kong! That will be my last long distance run before the race. After this I will be tapering. It took me 4 hours to complete 34km, as I went very slowly. I didn't feel exactly in tip top condition, considering I was feeling anaemic the last 3 days. I had to take a break from gym yesterday, so that I could compelte 34km today.

An unfortunate event occurred today. One of the men in our group met with an accident. While crossing the Jalan Duta highway, he got knocked down by a bike and suffered fractures in his leg. After completing 20km at the Petronas Station in Jln Hartamas 1, most of us decided not to do the extra loop but this uncle decided to do the extra loop. As such, he was behind us, and I was quite far ahead. I did not know about the accident until I got back. It was a good thing that there were other runners with him at the time it happened, and helped to call for ambulance.

The last time I heard, his condition is stable and he's resting in hospital.

The dangers of running..

Me, quit? Never.

This is a line I got from Bethany Hamilton's website. Bethany's a teen surfer who had her arm bitten off by a shark back in 2003. Yet today, she's still riding the waves, and living her life for the Lord. It's an inspiring story for athletes, with the message or never giving up. She's even go ther own devotional book, called "Soul Surfer", in which she said she was very calm even after that incident happened, as she knew God was watching over her.

Quotes of Bethany:
"I might not be here if I hadn't asked for God's help"

"I look at everything that's happened as part of God's plan for my life"

She attends North Shore Christian Church, an evangelical church in Kaua'i, Hawaii.

I've got to do my long run this weekend despite feeling weak and anaemic in the last 2 days. Oh well. I guess I have to remember: "Me, quit? Never."

Sun's in my eyes

HURRAAHHH!!! What fantastic weather today. For the first time in weeks I am so glad to see the sun bursting right out of the sky. Haze has cleared in the last 2 days..I hope it will remain this way. Pity today I'm not running outdoor, as I'd decided to do it yesterday - my usual 6.6km. Thought I'd rest and go to the gym instead to recover for a long run over the weekend.

Legs day today.

Hurricane Preferred

I had a good 7km run this morning. Tested out my Saucony Triumph. Very sturdy shoe, but C-Cube is quite right in saying that it's quite tight. Although I bought half a size bigger than my usual size, I still found it pretty tight initially. It's definitely better than New Balance 1060 in my opinion, but Hurricane fitted me more like a glove. I just love how sturdy Saucony shoes are. It even feels like it stabilizes your knees. And I believe that even when you're tired, a good pair of running shoes will help you run fast. Today my calf muscles were still pretty sore from Sunday, but yet I ran the fastest 7km I have ever run (Aiya wasted, I didn't time myself..but I knew for sure Jin and Hsiung were far behind and it's VERY RARE they dont catch up with me after 7km)

So I've decided. It's Hurricane for the race.

28km

Ran 28km last Sunday. Due to my indiscipline of late night on Friday, I woke up on Saturday morning feeling sick, and to make things worse, I had thosai and curry for breakfast (made by my neighbour for Deepavali). Lunch time i popped over to a friend's and had overdose of curry as well. I ended up feeling quite sick on Saturday and could not work much. Not to forget I missed my usual run.

But as a result of overeating, I had to force myself to run on Sunday. Woke up feeling not-quite-recovered but nevertheless went for a run..and I achieved 28km without dying! 2 points - point no 1 i think i was well rested from Saturday
-point no 2: it was much easier to achieve this 28km compared to the first time i did it in 2004.
Thanks to KC, who ran with me until about 15km before I decided I was going to U turn and do a longer run.

Hopefully the HK trip won't foil my training much.

Bombed

Had a nice foot massage this morning. Despite all the stretching I do, it's still good to go for a massage once in a while to loosen up all the tight muscles. Ran 6km on treadmill indoors today..haze is worsening, there's no improvement despite heavy downpour. Overdid it at dinner yesterday. Had dinner at Lake Club, in the Orchid Room.

I had grilled salmon with baked potatoes and vege, and then had the killer: Bombe Alaska...a sponge cake topped with diced fresh fruit and vanilla ice cream, encapsulated by merangue drowned with rum and set aflame.

I'm so disappointed in myself, it's already so difficult to lose weight and now I'm even packing on the pounds. Sigh. Need to discipline myself in my diet.

Here Comes the Rain Again

RAIN!!!!!! Hurrah!!! (no, not the Korean popster)

Ran 9km Pantai Hills + Terasek. This is crazy, with the haze and all. When will it come to an end??

4km run on treadmill
Push ups
Upright row
Cable row
Cable pullover
Crunches

Hmmph. Haze not cleared yet. >:(

25km

Failed miserably today. Had planned to do 28km but all I could manage was 25km. Well, I suppose that's 1km more than last week. But I was in poor form today. I think it's because I haven't had any rest since last Sunday.

Wasn't sure if I wanted to run today as there was still some haze, but I figured out it's not going to get that much better by tomorrow. Anyway better to do it today so that I have a full Sunday to do my studies. The first 10km was tiring, the 2nd 10km was even more tiring, and the last 5 km I just died.,..had to go very very slow. Even the Power bar didn't help. Rest is really important, because it helps your muscles to recover so that they can perform better. Struggled a bit with my running belt, as the water was getting very heavy and at the same it kept slipping down.I think I took nearly 3 hours for the whole run. Baaadd.

Getting Clearer

The haze has cleared up quite a bit! There's still traces of it, but I would consider it quite "normal"...it's one of those days that look a bit hazy but I wouln't hesitate to go out for a run. I think runners' tolerance to haze is quite high. Or maybe we are just justifying ourselves because we can't go without running.

Ran 6.6km today. I think my speed has improved a little. My mental strength has also improved a little. I'm doing pretty well in my running now, I dread to think what the 1 week in Hong Kong is going to do to me. I think the trick is to just take it easy and not put too much pressure on myself. When I return from Hong Kong, I will take it slow, and just treat any LSD as my usual exercise.

Of Hurricanes and Haze

Tested my Saucony Hurricane today on an 8km run in Pantai Hills. If I had to use one word to describe Hurricane, it is STABLE. Very firm and sturdy. This is my 3rd pair of Hurricane, and I get maximum satisfaction out of every pair I have owned. The sole is a lot thicker, which is good because I am more heavy set, and it helps a lot with shock absorption. I love it! I love it! 99% satisfaction guaranteed.(I don't believe anything is 100%.. i think.)

Since the haze was still quite bad this morning, I decided to run indoor(treadmill). I consulted Jenny and even she, who would usually run in ALL conditions, suggested we do indoor. Hsiung on the other hand, has been slacking and for the life of me I can't understand why he is so keen to run outdoors today. I think he was guilty because he missed his run on Saturday. So somehow, after running on the treadmill about 5 mins, Hsiung came along and persuaded us to do outdoor. Against my better judgment, I agreed to go.

I nearly died. At the peak of Pantai Hills, I could not even see KL Tower nor Twin Towers. That's how bad it was. I'm getting sick of the haze. Year in, year out.

It's raining now. I hope the haze clears.

Over the Weekend

Here's what happened last weekend:

Saturday
Decided not to run on Saturday as the haze was still quite bad. As I opened the door I was welcomed with a whiff of smoke and thick acrid haze. (Actually I was still quite down so had no mood to run, coupled with the depressing haze). Anyway, my friend's mom invited me to go for ALAN TAM concert in Bukit Jalil. What a joke! A banana in a Chinese concert.

I ended up enjoying the concert, although I didn't understand a single word he sang except for "pang yau". I understood him when he spoke but somehow I couldn't understand him when he sang - I guess the language is more poetic in the songs. Mandarin songs - worse still - don't understand anything. We got the RM340 VIP seats , which was quite near the stage. I thought Alan was a little tubby, and as a result couldn't hop around as much. The stage and special effects were wonderful, with fireworks and streamers bursting. Even the dancers were really good. Costume - Alan's costume - so so only. Despite the banana I am, I recognised some of his really old songs like Fantasy and Lorelei (if those are the actual titles). Also recognised the English songs which were translated, like "THe Look", "Hand in hand" and "All out of love".

The concert was value for money - 3 full hours of excitement and entertainment. Good thing I wasn't busting to go to toilet. One thing I don't understand about the organisers is that, they don't permit us to bring bottled water in but they permit people to bring in cigarette lighters. Some bozo's were smoking during the show - that was SO annoying. I had a great time and so did aunty. My first Chinese concert ever and I enjoyed it thoroughly! Jesscet - can burn some Alan Tam songs for me ah?

Sunday
OK - felt guilty about not running yesterday, so decided to join Jenny for a run today. Clocked in 24km...it was a great run. I was in top form considering I didn't eat well on Saturday. All I had were 2 sandwiches, 1 glass of red bean soup and 2 slices of banana cake the whole day. But I had Power Bar that morning and it really gave me lots of energy. Finished 20km in good time, i took about 2 hours 8 mins when i usually take 2 hours 15 mins. But I DIED the rest of the 4km. Was supposed to do 25km but I cheated a bit and did 24km.

All sore today, could only cycle in the gym. Did a bit of upper body as well.

Mel Boy

6.6km run today. My mood is so low that I didn't even feel better after running. Running has always been a great stress reliever for me but today I am saddened by a friend's departure to Hong Kong.

Finally!

Yay! My usual running buddies have decided to sign up for Singapore Marathon!Hsiung and Jin signed up for half though. And Jenny is downgrading from full to half. Nevertheless I am still glad they are going. It was extremely difficult to convince them to go, but Jenny reckons they were inspired by my training and determination.

I won't be doing LSD with them, in any case they won't be doing such long distances and I am ahead of them in training. I am glad I got to know some new Pacesetters, people like C-Cube, DK, Geraldine and a few others, I am very motivated to run. Infact I am even toying with the idea of doing an ultra marathon one fine day! Crazy or what.....

Increased distance slightly on my Pantai route. Ran 8.5km today. Adrenaline pumping. Also not in good mood, my heart rate has increased as though I've been running hills all day.

Fantasitic Sat morn run

Did a 20km on Saturday. Woke up in a bit of denial, didn’t feel like running but anyhow just dragged myself along. Had half a Power Bar before the run, it was still chilled and hard, I felt like a cow chewing on it. We started at about 6.10am. Weather was perfect – it drizzled a bit and it was breezy. I suffered during the 1^st 10km, my thighs felt like lead and I was struggling, especially at the slight slope where the government office is located. I rehydrated myself with a zesty 100+ at the Petronas station, and it helped to ease the soreness in my thighs. I guess my body must have been low in minerals.

Picked up speed during the 2^nd half, and completed the run in about 2 hours 15 mins. Showered after that and went immediately to work, was knackered!

Life beyond running

Ran 6.6km today, outdoor. Great weather, it was sunny and not hazy. Felt a bit tired, but I had to psyche myself up and chant "I'm bursting with energy" in mind.

Just thought of some activities which I want to take up but haven't got the equipment or time to start:

* Tap dancing
* Roller blading
* Kick boxing
* Mountain biking
* Pilates ( stiff from all that running)

A group of girlfriends are starting a pilates class. I'm interested but it's a question of timing. I'll see when they decide on the time and I'll see if I can fit in.

Another kg off!

Yes! Another kg off! But I think this one's not for real..it's just water loss. It's impossible to lose 1 kg within a day. But I can fit in 1 of my white tops which I couldn't get in last week. Actually I could get in, I just looked like a bak chang, that's all.

Today's exercise:
35 min on elliptical machine
10 min on stepper
Assisted chin up
Machine row
Lat pulldown
Tricep dip
Reverse crunches

1 kg off!

Today's exercise:

Had wanted to do the Tivoli hills but decided against it. Did the usual Pantai route, I think I panted quite a bit today but it was a good run. Oh yes, hurrah, I've finally shed 1 kg! After 1 1/2 months of hard work. I think it used to take me only 2 weeks to lose weight when I was younger but it's getting more difficult now.

Tummy does feel a lot flatter now. I was quite horrified when a friend commented recently:" Oh last time your tummy never used to spill out but now it does". OUCH!!!

Yesterday's workout:
4km run on treadmill
8 mins on elliptical machine
Leg press
Alternate lunges
Bench press
Dumbell flyes
Shoulder presses
Abs crunches
Plank

Sat Morn run

I had a really fantastic run on Saturday - 20km..considering that I only had 5 hours of sleep the night before, I had lots of energy. Also, perhaps my body was still warm, and I didn;t have to warm up as much as I usually would have to. I usually would hav half a power bar before the run and 1 power gel during the run for 20km but I managed to get by this time without eating anything! Must have been the fried rice the day before.

Thanks C-Cube for pacing with me, it really helped me to run a bit faster than I usually would. I hope my speed can improve a little bit.

The best part was gulping an ice cool 100 PLus after the run! :)

Extra Energy

I don’t know if it was Fatboy’s cake last night, or the choice of right footwear that gave me extra energy today. Ran the usual 6.6km with added energy today. Maybe it’s a combination of both.

Celebrated May’s birthday last night and we took her to Gin Ryu Tei in Mid Valley. The highlight I guess was presenting her the cake which was a gift from HL, who commissioned Fatboy to bake it.

Middle age spread sure rules!

For other happenings in my life, check this out.

Phew!

Woke up late this morning. Had my clock set on pm instead of am so it didn't ring. I jumped out of bed thinking it was Pantai Hills training again!But it's gym day. Phew!

Last night my hip flexors were so tight I had to stretch myself when I got back home. Woke up feeling a lot better.

Today's workout:
40 min on elliptical machine
push ups
DUmbell press
Lat pulldown
Bent over fly
Reverse crunches

Go!

Rest is good. Last week after the Putrajaya Run I took a week off Pantai Hills training. I had boundless energy as I did the hills today. My muscles were fully recovered from the previous weeks of hill training.

Ran about 8km today. I think I need to watch my diet better as there are days that I still feel a bit sluggish. But it's all in the mind...these days , as much as I feel lazy on certain days, I just think, "Go!"

I shall also endeavour to keep this blog purely on my exercise activities! It has strayed too much lately! Shall post the link to my other blog later.

Saucony Grid Hurricane 8

My favourite range - Hurricane. I like it for its stability and thick soles. Triumph looks more savvy though. I have yet to test and compare both the shoes. I'm presently still using my New Balance 1060 and 901.

Read the review in Running Times.

Saucony Grid Triumph 3

This is what my Saucony Grid Triumph 3 looks like. It is categorised under "Responsive Cushioning" category. As the name suggests, these shoes provide added cushioning.

Check out the review in Running Times.

Today's workout:

4km on treadmill (gotta burn last night's chocolate truffles)
Leg press
Leg extension
Leg curl
Crunches

Today's meal:

Breakfast: coffee and toast
Lunch: Chicken sandwich
Dinner: Stir fried celery, home made char siew, blanched okra with sambal, green apple soup
Dessert: honeydew melon and pineapple

More To Life

My running buddies weren't going to be running today so I decided to go by myself. Decided not to run the Mizuno run tomorrow as I'd wanted to clock in a slightly longer distance. I'd planned to do 15km. Since I was alone, I decided it wasn't safe to go too early...(plus I had a pretty late night yesterday). Another reason was to acclimatise myself to the heat during the Singapore Marathon. So macho me decided to start running at 7.30am.

Nearly died.

It's from lack of sleep also.

I was so glad I had brought along my MP3 player to accompany me and to kill the boredom. I was listening to a number by Stacie Orrico (There's Gotta be More to Life) and I decided it's NOT a good song to listen to while you run. It makes you think, why am i doing this??? Here's what the song says:

"(There's Gotta Be) More To Life"

I've got it all, but I feel so deprived
I go up, I come down and I'm emptier inside (note: makes me think of hill training)
Tell me what is this thing that I feel like I'm missing
And why can't I let it go

[Chorus]
There's gotta be more to life...
Than chasing down every temporary high to satisfy me
Cause the more that I'm...
Tripping out thinking there must be more to life
Well it's life, but I'm sure... there's gotta be more
Than wanting more
I've got the time and I'm wasting it slowly
Here in this moment I'm half way out the door
Onto the next thing, I'm searching for something that's missing
[repeat chorus]

i'm wanting more
I'm always waiting on something other than this
Why am I feelin' like there's something I missed.....


Anyway, I DID run 15km...and then went to reload my calories with a huge breakfast.

Washed Out

Was up early...and then I heard it....pitter patter raindrops ....and then it started pouring!! Had planned to do the Pantai Hills route today but was secretly hoping to skip it. When it started pouring I had a good mind to stay in bed since I rarely get the chance to sleep in.

Alas, the peanut butter chocolate which I had last night sent me on a guilt trip. So I decided to run 5km on the treadmill.

Picture from Putrajaya Run

Peck Yah and I heading for the finishing line. What a relief! We were both terribly untrained and both also signed up for full marathon in December. Crazy!!

I don't think I can improve my time from 2004. My attitude now is "die die lah, just finish the race". ..

Caramel's Homecoming Anniversary

September 18,2006 will mark a year that Caramel's been with me. How time flies! It's been almost a year since I found this little pooch in Sentul Park and brought him home. He's a big boy now, but he's the lanky sort, hasn't been able to gain much weight since the last 1 year UNLIKE the owner. Oh I don't have his current photos now on this pc. Shall post later.

Everything's Dying

Ok my blog is DYING. Just seem to be busy plus there hasn't been anything interesting to blog about. I ran the Putrajaya half last Sunday..nearly died as my body was untrained. THe maximum I had achieved before that was 12 km. It was my worst half marathon time ever.

Besides that, I also went to the Saucony warehouse 2 weeks ago, bought myself a Hurricane and a Triumph. (Saucony running shoes by the way.) It was the best experience I ever had in buying shoes because FOR ONCE, someone was able to give some advice on the shoes. Most shop assistants are just dodo's and can't tell you the difference between 1 shoe to another. I've always loved Hurricane models because they are sturdy. Yea then the guy told me Hurricane is good for heavy set people. (Read my lips - it's good for FAT people). Triumph was the highest end available, and it was pretty sturdy as well. I'm saving it for SIngapore Marathon.

The irony of life. I've been running so much the last 1 month but i have been GAINING WEIGHT. Sigh. Think my body is resistant to losing weight already. Perhaps it is because I am running so much, then I think it's ok to replenish my body with MORE food. I guess that only works if you're an elite athlete. But I'm not. I'm just an athlete wannabe, remember? Time to cut down on calories....

Gingerbread Girl

7.5km Pantai Hills run. Low on energy! (Rating:6.5). Must have overdone it over the weekend. Went swimming on Sunday and am as brown as a gingerbread man/girl!

Rude Toad

Some people are just born rude I think. I had wanted to use the word(s) female dog but I didn't want to sound rude myself.So I decided to call this person a rude toad.

I faced the biggest sour puss today. Never in my life have I seen a woman with such a long face in my entire life. Encountered a lady at work who was just scowling all the way, even when I wanted to give her husband some professional advice, she started throwing a tantrum. Her barks put any dog to shame. At first I thought maybe it had something to do with her pregnancy, then I bumped into another lady who was also pregnant and she said she didn't have any mood swings. (Mind you they were both in 3rd trimester)

What I would have really loved to tell that rude toad was:

1) Oh, you can't be possibly having PMT, can you?
2)Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you can have your way
3) Oh can I introduce you to some anger management course?
4) I hope you have an easy childbirth (detect the sarcasm?)

But guess what I said..

Nothing.

I just remained silent. Sigh, sometimes I really wish I could tell people off just point blank.

Anyway, it's leg training day again.

Today's exercise:
4km run on treadmill
Leg press (wide and narrow stance)
Leg curl
Alternate lunges
crunches

It's a beautiful sunny day! THe haze has cleared!! I've never been happier spending time under the sun!

Ran 11.5km today..Man I feel good! (Rating 8.5)

Ran 6.6km today (Terasek). Rating: 6. Never felt so tired in my entire life. Been diving into bed the minute I get home. Hopefully I can get some reading done tonight.

SO many things to do, so little time! Haven't sent my tv for repair. Haven't bought my book shelves.Haven't typed out the minutes to my meeting. Haven't checked air fares. I'd rather spend my time doing brainless things like lying on the couch (and then falling asleep).

Hopefully I can buy my new pair of Saucony this Saturday. I miss Saucony's! I need it for my race.

I look forward to a quiet weekend.....

Dog seeks companion

Ran 7.5km Pantai Hills today. (Rating: 7)

I have a few nicknames for Caramel now:

Mello
Mella
Meela
Caramello
Melboy
Melmo
Meemel

I realised that he actually wants a companion when he's having his meals. He won't eat unless my mom or I stand beside him. Demanding little pup!

Puteri Gunung Ledang the Musical

I had another complimentary ticket again last night...this time it was Puteri Gunung Ledang the musical. It was a very good show, far better than M and even Grease. The performers, costumes and the set was impressive. The songs were good as well..though I had to read the surtitles most of the time as:

1. My BM isn't very good. I think in English, so I'd have to do a quick translation in my mind
2. They sing pretty fast - can't catch most things they sing
3. They've put on a Javanese accent.

Everybody was ranting and raving about Stephen Rahman Hughes, but he was pretty insipid to me. The star(s) of the show, in my opinion were AC Mizal and Tiara Jacquelina. AC Mizal starred as Adipati, the prince of Majapahit and Tiara, the princess of course (also known as Gusti Puteri Radin Adjeng Retno Dumilah - what a cool name!) Tiara really took me by surprise, she was a lot better than I had expected. Although her voice wasn't fantastic, she gave a good package overall. Her Javanese dance moves were pretty impressive.

I'd watch it again. (unlike horrible, horrible Grease)

Last week's mileage:

Mon 4km (rating: 7.5)
Tues 7.5km (8)
Thurs 6.6km (6.5)
Sat 10km (8)

No Access to INXS

Finally! Been having problems getting into blogger.

Ran 4 km on the treadmill today. Rating: 7.5 (Actually felt pretty energetic but felt heavy from last night's steamboat porridge. According to the weighing scale, I gained 2 kg over the weekend. I hope it's water retention)

Last Friday I had the privilege of attending the INXS concert, thanks to a friend who managed to get a few complimentary tickets for me, my brother and his family. It was one awesome concert! This is my second INXS concert, the first being over 10 years ago, at the height of their success when Michael Hutchence was still alive. JD Fortune was really brilliant, he displayed true professionalism, and considering he had only won the Rockstar title last year, he sure blended into the group as though he had been in it for years. Not to mention he was totally, totally gorgeous!!!

The night started with a horrble opening act, nobody knew who they were, but they were BAD. They even calimed to have recorded their songs in Los Angeles and that's where they met INXS. (roll eyes). My friend commented that even if the singer wore swimming trunks, he still wouldnt be able to look sexy. It was a horrible 40 minutes of cacophony before INXS jumped onto stage.

INXS burst onto the stage at about 9.45pm (after a loooong wait) with "Suicide Blonde". The crowd went crazy. There was this weird huge guy infront of me prancing infront of me. Obviously a die hard INXS fan who knew the lyrics to all their songs. INXS interspersed old and new songs.

Other songs they sang were:
Afterglow
What You need
Kick
Need You Tonight
Mystify
By My Side
Original Sin
Disappear

..and a few more others. THey ended the show with Pretty Vegas and left the crowd screaming for more. After a few minutes, they came back onstage with their encore numbers:

Never TEar Us Apart
Perfect Strangers
New Sensation
and 2 more songs..oh getting old! Can't remember!

JD did a very good job of replacing Hutchence, he sang with similar style, yet exuded his own charisma. Definitely not a wannabe. A star of his own.

We went in as VVIP. After the show, the organisers actually were going to arrange for us to meet the band! We waited a while and eventually we were denied access to backstage as the band was already drunk after drinking the whole day. Sob! There went my chance of meeting JD! Sigh!

Dog tales and hill training

Dogs like hot food too. When I changed Caramel's food from Royal Canin Medium Junior to Adult, he wasn't very fond of his food. Then I changed to Back to Basics.. he didnt like it either. He'd just leave his breakfast and not eat it until dinner time. So what I did was soak the dry kibbles in hot water. Then I found out that he prefers his food mushy and with gravy.. Makes sense. Just imagine that you're fed with dried food everyday!

I miss hugging Razor.

Today I ran Pantail Hills..about 7.5km. Rating: also 7.5
I had to go really slowly....I went by myself too. My running buddies decided to do the usual Terasek rounds only. Jenny followed me until Jln Turi and decided to cut back into Jln Ara. It was quite hazy today. I keep hearing stories of fit people getting heart attacks. That's why I had to go slow...

Unlucky 13?

Perhaps no. 13 is an unlucky number:-

1. Chelsea lost the FA Community shield
2. Ballack received a yellow card
3. Ballack had to be taken off the pitch due to injury.

Today's exercise:
4km run on treadmill (rating:8)
15 min on stepper
Leg press
Alternate dumbell lunges
Plie
Crunches on fitball

I feel as though my tummy has flattened out a bit in the last week. But the needle on the scale hasn't budged. I'd like to believe it's muscles. I'm just deceiving myself.

Last week's mileage

Last week's mileage/ Rating:

Monday 3km (treadmill) /6
Tuesday 6.6km / 7
Thursday 6.6km / 7
Saturday 8km / 7
Total 24.2km

Went really slow on Saturday, felt like I still had energy to go on but didn't want to push myself. Must remind myself distance is more important than speed.

Back at my parents' to watch FA Community Shield. No prizes for guessing why I'm supporting Chelsea.(#13)

New Look!

OH NO!!! Michael Ballack's chopped off his beautiful locks :O

Razor's 1 month anniversary

Yesterday was Razor's 1 month death anniversary. How time flies. Lots have happened since, it feels like 6 months have passed. I still miss the pup, I miss his smell, especially when his fur gets smelly. Today as I was running I saw a lady carry an old husky for a walk. Last week when I saw this dog, he was still able to walk, but he was staggering. It was like how Razor was just before he died. This husky looks like he doesn't have long to live, but he looks like he had a pretty long life. I've seen his owner before, she must love him to bits. I'll bet she's feeling rather sad about the state of her dog.

Anyway, I have begun training for the marathon. Tough work, starting from ground zero. Ran 6.6km today...a bit low on energy but managed to survive. Received my registration form today which my friend kindly signed for me while I was away in Siem Reap. Speaking of Siem Reap, I still haven't had time to download photos from Days 2 & 3 as I haven't been at my parents'. But I will be getting a notebook soon, a Compaq Presario 2613. It's supposed to be pretty canggih, according to our CCF coordinator.

Back to training! 6.6km run today. I feel good!

SIEM REAP Day 2 (27/07/06)

Bayon

SIEM REAP Day 1 (26/07/06)

Actually I'm still a bit tired from my trip. Plenty of things to do..I haven't even finished uploading my pictures. My time online is quite limited..been trying to catch up with reading, work. Also have a whole stack of dvd's to clear but I haven't had the time! Been trying to catch up with friends and Caramel too. Anyway, here's a (short) account of my trip:

View of Tonle Sap from the plane

Siem Reap International Airport

11.15am
Arrived at Siem Reap International Airport. It’s a lot more modern than I had imagined, even better than the Hanoi Airport. The exterior looked a bit like the Minangkabau structure. Immigration was slow, slow, s l o w. If you think Malaysian immigration is inefficient, this is even worse. They kept experiencing technical breakdowns.

The scenery on the way to the hotel looked like that in the east coast in Peninsular Malaysia. I felt like I had not left home. Weather was very very hot, very similar to Malaysia. One strange thing my travel partner and I noticed was that while the cars were right hand drive, they drove on the right side of the road!

We stayed at Sydney Angkor Hotel, which was a budget hotel at USD15 per night.

1.50pm
We hired a tuk tuk driver, Mr Sam whom I had emailed to prior to our trip. He was a lot younger than I had expected and could understand English quite well. We went to Borey Sovann, a restaurant where tourists frequent. The food was ok, I thought the best dish we ordered was the fish soup. I was hoodwinked into eating frog’s legs. I always felt a bit queasy eating frogs as vivid pictures of frogs being skinned would flood my mind. Nevertheless I tricked my mind into thinking it was chicken wings and I fared ok.

View from the tuk-tuk

2.30pm
Arrived at Angkor Wat. Angkor means “city” and Wat means “sacred”, hence “sacred city”. To be honest, I wasn’t impressed at first glance but after looking at the intricacy of the carvings, I began to be amazed. Most of it had been reconstructed as it is really ancient. Most of the balustrades were broken.Good thing it wasn’t all that crowded.

Angkor Wat was built for king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, and even appears on the national flag.

Angkor Wat

Angkor What?

The peak

When we got to the centre, I got really excited as I saw the steep stairs! Looked like a good adventure! Anyway I really enjoyed the climb up..it was a lot easier than I had expected. Beautiful view from the top!

4.15pm
Washed out at Angkor Wat! It poured cats and dogs. We were forced to buy cheap disposable raincoats and had to seek refuge in a Buddhist temple! Children in Cambodia love water. I guess that is their only means of entertainment. They were seen playing in the rain and swimming. They swim anywhere and everywhere, wherever there is water…lakes, river, even puddles. We should really count our blessings. Missed sunset at Angkor due to bad weather.

5.15pm

Shoparama at Central Market! Bought shirts and souvenirs for friends and family.

7.45pm
Dinner at Bayon restaurant. As usual, had a go at the local beer..Angkor beer..tasted a lot like Anchor beer really. The spring rolls were delicious. We were entertained by “wayang kulit”! The last time I saw a wayang kulit performance was probably in secondary school! Imagine going all the way to Cambodia to watch it!

Angkor beer

Wayang kulit

10.00pm
Went back to hotel to shower. Decided to call it a day. Rested our bodies, entertained myself with “Black Hawk Down” with Eric Bana on tv.

Stomach this

I am back from my trip. Had too much to eat... Need to lose weight (again). Now my stomach has become as rounded as one of these apsaras...

'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
I don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go

Nah, actually I'll be back on Saturday. There goes a whole week without exercise!

August 1 - back to the grind. Shall sign up for SIngapore Marathon..

Until then...

Heavy workout again today:

Elliptical machine: 25 mins
Treadmill: 20 mins (interval: walk 2 mins, run 2 mins)
Push ups
Lat machine variation 1
Lat machine variation 2
Dumbell row
Lateral raises
Double crunch with fitball

Ran 6.6km yesterday amidst the mild haze. I feel like an England team footballer. Slowed down because of all the vices (in this case, overdose of food). Need to regain stamina...

Baju Kurung time

Oh no. I've started bringing out my baju kurung to wear. I basically hate wearing baju kurung because it's so shapeless and it makes me feel fat. But guess what, I am wearing my baju kurung because I am fat.. must hide those bulges.

Sigh...yesterday I blew my calories for the entire year. Had an Oreo cheesecake for dessert after lunch, and then for dinner my friends took me to Midori in Marriott Putrajaya for Japanese buffet, which ended with some delicious cake from Bakerzin.

Monday morning I had no mercy on the treadmill. Pound pound pound...but only 3.5km. Then went on the stepper for 10 mins.
Leg exercises:
Leg press (narrow stance)
Leg press (wide stance)
Alternate lunges on stepboard
Squats
Intervalled with step-ups on stepboard

I should consider joining Singapore Marathon, just to lose weight. Early bird discount is until end of this month...

Empty

It's been a week. After a hectic week, I suddenly feel a bit empty without Razor. When I'm not out on Sundays, I am usually reading in the hall and he's sitting beside me.

I'm not upset about it anymore. Just miss the pup.

Return of the Haze

Arrgh. The haze is back. Have they not run out of forests to burn??

Against my better judgment, I'm still running tomorrow.

What is it?

I can't really explain what I am going through right now. It's only been 2 days since I've lost Razor but I don't feel upset right now. I've been quite happy today. I haven't cried at all today. Infact, I actually feel his presence, I feel like he's still here with me even though physically I can't see him. When I get back to my room, I can still almost imagine him crawling under my bed where he likes to sleep whenever he comes to my room. How can I not be upset? It's only been 2 days.

Is it all just psychological? Am I becoming a lunatic?

Or am I in denial?

Am I becoming heartless?

Is it because I've been busy and haven't had time to mull?

Is it because I am relieved that he doesn't have to suffer?


I don't know. I love my little Razor but why am I not upset today? I don't feel like I miss him because I feel as though he's still here.

Maybe I am losing it.

German delights

Ballack

My hero!

Schweinsteiger

On target!

Klose, Ballack & Schweinsteiger

After Schweinsteiger's goal against Portugal

Figo & Kahn
Old man Kahn hasn't lost his touch!

Podolski

Winner of FIFA Best young player at 21!

3rd place winners

(I'm telling you, Lehmann looks like someone some of us know..)

Klose and Klinsmann

Hurrah! Klose has emerged as the Adidas Golden Shoe winner, being the top scorer of WC2006, with a total of 5 goals!

Not Man Enough

Just watched "Superman Returns". What a disappointment. I thought I'd watch it to take my mind off things but it ended up to be 2 1/2 hours of torture. Here's my verdict of the movie:

1. He was more like Superboy than Superman. Good looking, but not man enough
2. His head didn't suit his body. It made him look like he was wearing one of those Rambo suits (which Andy Lau wears)
3. Slo o o w and d ra a a agging movie
4. Entire movie was too dark..as in the scenes were mostly at night. Doesn't help if you're recovering from World Cup hangover.
5. Kate Bosworth looks like Siti Nurhaliza
6. Not much interaction between Superman and Lex.
7. Not action packed. Actually not much action.
8. Christopher Reeve is still the best Superman.
9. Highlight of the movie: Theme song.

Boring.

Vittoria!

Mamma Mia! It's a vittoria for Italia! This calls for a pasta celebration!

I wasn't in the best of moods to watch the finals for the first time, due to my recent loss of Razor. Nevertheless I decided to stay up to watch the finals, and did not regret at all. (It did help me forget my sorrows momentarily). Germany was my first choice to win the World Cup, but since the were eliminated in the semi's, I rooted for the Azzurri. Honestly, I was quite distracted during the 1st half, as I was tired from the previous day's event coupled with the fact that it was difficult to keep my eyes open after all that blubbering. Nevertheless, I started getting more into the game after second half. It was a pretty exciting match, though it could not compare the the Germany-Italy one. Quite a number of shots on goal. Just about 10 minutes before the end of second half, at 1-1 draw, I was pretty sure it would go into extra time and penalty shootout. Not again! Seems like most of the major games end with penalty shootout!

Who would have thought that Italy would have scored all 5 penalties, considering their not-so good records in the past!What was a major dissapointment though was Zidane, with his inexplicable behaviour of headbutting Materazzi. What a way to exit his career! Even the Rooney-Ronaldo incident seems to pale in comparison to this. I was quite surprised to hear that despite this, Zidane went on to win the Adidas Golden Ball for best player.

What I found amusing, after Italy had won the trophy was the way they worshipped the trophy. It was akin to the Israelites worshipping the golden calf! The Italians were quite silly, kissing and almost caressing the trophy! Another amusing item was that Camoranesi chopped off his hair on the pitch after their victory, and was waving the remnants of his hair!

Razor Ruddock (02.04.1992 - 09.07.2006)

Goodbye my little Razor. The day finally came.....the day I dreaded most and it was today...my little Razor left me. He was 14 years and 4 months, that's about 100 dog years. He lived a long and good life, and although he died of old age, it didn'tt make the pain any less. Back in early 2004, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. I was very devastated as the only options were either to operate him or just leave him be. There was a high chance of losing him during the operation as he was already quite senior. I truly wasn't ready to lose him then, and I guess after that incident, I was a little bit more prepared for today. Anyhow, we decided to have him operated, and I actually did pray to God to let him live a little bit longer as I wasn't ready then. God answers prayers.

I am thankful that Razor managed to live a little over 2 years more after his operation. I was hoping that he would live until his 15th birthday but I guess I couldn't ask for more - it was 2 full and good years. About 2 months ago, Razor started having really bad coughs. We took him to the vet's, and the vet said that his heart was getting weaker (as a result of old age), hence there was a lot of excess fluids in his body which could not be flushed out( due to the inefficiency of the heart). Therefore the vet put Razor on some heart medication, which he had to take for as long as he lived. WE noticed the coughs got better, but last night it acted up again despite him still being on medication. He sleeps in the attached bathroom to my parents' bedroom, and my mom said he was coughing and yelping whole of last night and did not sleep at all. I didn't know any of this until today.

As usual, I went to church this morning , and of all days I was on worship duty which meant that I would be in church at least from 7.30am - 1pm. My mom was trying to contact me all morning but naturally I had my phone on silent mode. Finally, after the second service, my mom managed to get hold of me. SHe called and told me that Razor was very sick, that he did not eat his breakfast which was very unusual. I was supposed to have lunch with some friends but I cancelled my plans to rush home to see him.

When I got home, I saw him lying in the corner of the dining room. I called him and i could hear his breath was short and shallow. I noticed there was some faeces near him, then I realised he probably could not walk. I called him a few more times but he still did not get up so I decided to carry him as I didn't want to leave him alone in the corner. WHen I carried him I could feel that his legs were very weak. I took him to the dry kitchen, and tried to let him rest there, but he wanted to stand up. He was very determined to stand and walk...I never knew dogs had such determination and strong will. Then I saw him slowly staggering to the front door, step by step. I realised something..he had wanted so much to go to the front door, where his favourite spot was. He usually liked to lie down in my hall at the front door and watch the world. SO he stood there for a while, and because his legs were weak, he started swaying. I tried to help him to sit down and suddenly he gave a loud yelp and collapsed in my hands..his body went limp and I screamed out loud. I was alone at home at that point. I quickly scooped him and cradled him in my arms. By this time his breath was few and shallow. I could still feel his heart beating and he was having a bit of spasm. I felt his heartbeat sowly fading, and his breath slowly ceasing. Then he died in my arms.

He left me at 1.45pm today. I am so thankful my friends whom I was supposed to have lunch with came over to visit me. We then tried to look for the neighbourhood gardener to help us with the burial in the backyard. My friend took my mom around the neighbourhood but he was nowhere to be found. SO we had no choice but to dig the hole ourselves. It was a hot day, and the soil was hard. I used a hoe to dig the hole, and got some blisters on my hand along the way. Later my brother's domestic help came to assist me.

I took one last look at my little Razor and cried before we buried him. I know some people will think that I am nuts, after all he is only a dog, but he is more than just a dog to me. It was a long and agonising day for me.

I felt really lousy for most of the day, then when I played with Caramel later, I felt a lot better. DOgs are such wonderful creatures. Though Caramel can never replace Razor, for each dog is special on its own; but he made me feel a little better.

Razor,though you're not physically with me anymore, you're still very much in my heart. You're still very much my puppy.

Glenn & Chris

Hey look what I found! I still remember the tune in my head. Here's what Chris Waddle has to say of the England World Cup 2006 team:

"...we are a quarter-final team and no more"

"Every time we play a team with a bit of craft and skill we can't deal with it."

"We have got to face reality that we are a team nowhere near the top seven countries in the world."

"But we have got to wake up in this country and realise that we are not a great team."

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday,


S U R E S H!

(If you're reading this..)

Other discoveries

While unearthing those football autographs, I also found this.....


Gosh! I've even forgotten that I've been to an INXS concert! Was almost right infront of the stage, and used to idolise Michael Hutchence when I was a pimply teenager... My first pop/rock concert was either Richard Marx or Joan Jett.

Who can forget the Bon Jovi concert in Shah Alam? I was in the front row and was squashed like a sardine. Even though I was so tired and could not stand anymore, my entire body was supported by the crowd! Plus, I was so desperately dehydrated that I drank the water which they hosed us down with.

Ah well, those good ol' days...you won't catch me doing something like this now... I'd much prefer MPO any day!