I just can’t get it down to yoga. Nor lacing up my shoes that incidentally are at Fats’ house.

So the Proclaimers proclaimed.

Well, I guess the Proclaimers did not have arthritic knees because 500 miles is impossible with knees that hurt. In fact, two 10 km runs within a week of each other is very very painful. Awfully painful.

Awful Nike Human Race = 1 hour 10 minutes
Awful Great Eastern Women Run = 1 hour 8 minutes
Addy’s Great Eastern Women Run = 52 minutes (Freak!)

The less said about the runs the better. One feels a sense of an accomplishment after crossing the finish line if one does not feel like throwing up. The pain and angst experience during the actual run is temporary forgotten like selective amnesia. However, this false sense of accomplishment lures one into thinking that signing up for another race maybe of a longer distance is a good idea. The next day, when one rolls out of bed, the knees screaming and the flat feet hurting, one will Regret the decision. Adrenaline clouds your judgement, kids. Say No to Running!

But we had fun cam whoring after the race at the Padang. Plus we saw this lady walk away with two armfuls of granola bars. And no, I am not wearing a top.

Jupes and I had brunch at Rider’s Cafe on Thursday morning, we sat outside on the veranda and watched this horse gallop in circles round and round. How come the horse never get dizzy? Another mystery of nature. As we chatted about Jupes’ pending Hong Kong trip and her grandiose plans before she leaves for New York, it was reminiscent of the days in Eusoff when I would force myself to wake up to have MacD’s breakfast with her at Engine’s MacDs. How the aircon would be chilly in the morning, we probably had a 10 am lecture to rush to after but the place would be packed. Funny how things around us can change and everything still stays the same.

I would walk 500 miles for Jupes and Addy. (Addy you have to wait for me at the end though. I cannot catch up. Heh.)

They say to do one thing that scares you every day. Every single day? Well, today was the day I faced one of my greatest dislikes, running. Running the Sheares Bay Run 10 km. Jackie the sweetest agreed to run in the place of Missy Teo who stubbed her toe (looks at Missy Teo). And run we did. She has always been one of the fittest amongst us in hall. Soccer and canoe polo builds you up some in addition to being able to do pull ups and sculpting your abs into defined pecs. She very kindly paced me throughout the entire 10 km though judging from her upright running posture and how high her strides were, she could have gone much faster.

0545 hours:
Tumble out of bed, wondering Why Do We Pay Money To Torture Ourselves. Outfit for said Torture: Lululemon sports bra and running shorts (heh) and Nike Tennis top. Outfits are important for every occasion because I am superficial. The Laney hands me Red Bull that I have never drank before in my entire life but if it will prevent me from feeling like dead. Drink it I did and realised why Addy does not like it. Eek!

0630 hours:
The Laney parks at Marina Square and heads off for his set off. Jackie calls me to meet her outside SRC, saying she is ‘naked’ and wearing pink shorts. I walk to the Padang and on the way watch the poor souls doing their 21 km when it is still dark, wondering where Addy is. I spot Jackie indeed ‘naked’ wearing only a purple sports bra with pink FBTs and all her earthly belongings strapped to her. She assumes Missy Teo’s race bib and race tag while we walk to the starting line. She asks whether there will be young and nubile boys. I refer her to the bunches of NS boys forced to take part in this activity. We watch the 21 km-ers coming in, there is very short person who looks like he is strolling in the park.

0728 hours:
We make our way to the start line with the rest of the 10 km girlies. We set off! Thus, the beginning of pain and out of breathness. Also, winding in and out of the crowd. Both Jackie and I are plugged into our music boxes (anything to distract from the pain for me) as she explained before we made off that her cats had chewed two of her inert earphones. She spends the entire run adjusting her earphones but does not hinder her running.

2 km:
The first water point and first sign to let us know that you still have 8 km to go. I have started panting. What is new? Then we run up the Sheares Bridge. Ah, that is why it is called the Sheares Bridge (oops Bay) run. Uphill is evil. Must be at least 200 m with the slight incline. Cursing. The lungs and chest feel pain. Pain sucks. Following Jackie as she cuts the little NS boys who are walking. Walking! Only done 2 km! How to defend the nation? Oh finally we come to the top. Jogging downslope never felt so good. Sweet.

4 km:
I signal to Jackie, maybe we should take a drink. We try to grab a paper cup amidst the mayhem. It being my virgin run, I have no idea how to drink on the go. Take a sip and throw the cup into the bin still full, oops missed. Sometimes losing Jackie in the crowd but she always turns up next to me, it is fun running with her. There is a U turn coming up, far far away, I can see hordes of people running towards us on the other side. Some of the runners actually do cut across to join their quicker friends on the other side. This reminds me of the JP morgan run. Oh, there is another downslope then upslope, this time much slighter than the bridge one. As we turn, another water stand pops up. Hydrating during running is a skill that must be acquired.

7 km:
Temasek Boulevard. There are belly dancers performing on the pavement. It is hot out and they must be sweating like us. Making the turn into the F1 arena, poor NS boys who have to carry signs with Encouraging Slogans wearing tiger masks (is this Malaysia?) are standing in the heat. Poor things. Unlike the weirdos running, they did not pay to be here on a Sunday morning. I feel like crap as always. Jackie is running as straight as always. My legs feel heavy like they always do during running. They (my legs) have no dignity.

8-ish almost 9 km:
Running pass Oriental, there is an ambulance parked along. There is someone getting into the ambulance! There are NS Medic boys hanging along the sides. One of them is carrying an apparatus that looks like it is going to save someone’s life. He is attempting to cross the path of the runners. I am looking forward to seeing the 9 km signboard. I never see it. The inner side of my right foot starts to hurt.

Past the start line, I wonder where is the end. Jackie makes a signal with her hand to say that it’s just the last part and it will end after we U-turn. (We still have to U-Turn?!?!?!) One Fullerton is on the left and turning before Fullerton hotel, Jackie turns her head to see where I am. I make a feeble attempt with my hand to tell her to just go ahead without me. I am breathing hard and it is not a pleasant feeling. I see City Hall (is it called that?) and I see the end! Some army person tells the runners to separate to the right and left and I just follow the right. The digital clock is ticking. Ooh, 1 hour and 12 minutes. Jackie is waiting for me at the end. She gives me a little hug. Yay. I feel like dead.

We collect our medals (heehee) and Jackie gets us some 100 plus. Two cans each, thank you very much. We settle down to cool down, I have to take off my top (it is Heavy from sweat). It is funny how one forgets the pain so quickly after it is done.

I am happy to report that Miss Addy did her 21 km in 2 hours plus and was looking fresh as a daisy after her run. *Salute*

Today is the first day of my unemployment.

I awoke at 0830 hours to have breakfast and to clear my bedside table. Off to Copper’s hot flow at 1230. Then to Change Alley to help the Queen Mother change money for her Penang trip. Back home tapao-ing sliced fish bee hoon to eat (er, supplemented with potato chips). Then to vacuum the house and finish clearing the bedside table. Truly I have too many things, spilling them all on my bed gave me a headache. But the room still has to be cleared. Sigh. Taking the bus to Muay Thai for the 1845 class where Lau Lau really worked us out. My right arm cannot feel a thing right now. Siew insists I must wear my mouth guard. What I need is faster reflexes and back to the basic class I think. We had dinner at the usual Thai place then back home on the MRT.

It was a fulfilling day. I think. But the room…. Little Miss Neat please stand up.

I have a death wish. I signed up to do the Stand Chart 21 km at the year of the end. Yes, I think 21 km will be the longest longest I will ever do in my Entire Life. If I do not faint and die halfway of course.

The sponsor for the run this year has changed from Adidas to New Balance. Just my luck. No offence to New Balance lovers, I love their Sesame Street trainers as much as the other midgets. But come on, how can you see shoes with names like 190, 851? (Note: these are not the actual Shoes though they are all called by Numbers. For discerning public transport people, I used Bus Numbers.)

Ten Kilometres. The laney sprained his ankle and Missy Teo is in HongKong for the weekend. Still, The Laney drove me to East Coast where I embarked to conquer the 10. Every week I say that I have never ran so far before and this weekend again I say, I have never ran so godamn far before.

It is pure torture. As other runners overtake me as my music blasts in my ears and the sun blasts mercilessly on me, I cursed and wonder why the hell again do I put myself through such torture. Sadists! That is what we are. ‘Running’ past walkers, children and dogs, I tried to keep my mind off my left knee (that is starting to follow the right) and thighs that felt so heavy.

I envy those light on their feet, those who can run 5 km straight without falling out of breath. I really really envy them.

My thighs were not happy campers after. But of course I rewarded myself by eating damn alot of shit yesterday. I exercise to eat.

It has been a very long time since I played tennis. I think it has been about oh maybe a year. 365 days. I dug out my racquets and shoes and looked at them warily. I seriously have never gone so long without hitting the ball in my life. I have little faith in them that they will last tomorrow. After all, they have been sitting in situ for the past year. I wonder whether there are any dead bugs in my tennis bag.

So here I am, having showered after Zouk, where the girls are still there and the memorable moment of the night was bumping into weirdo Muay Thai boy, holding one of my racquets in my hand attempting to change the overgrip because it is powdery and old. Surprise, surprise, the new over grip I am attempting to put on is ALSO powdery (old age) and I lost the sticker end so I got the use the old one already on the racquet. Somehow, I think this means that tomorrow will not go through very well. I wonder whether I can remember how to hit the ball. Clay court some more. Sigh.

I declare my absolute dislike for Burpees (Siew’s spelling) / Burpies (C’s spelling). It is the most mind boggling form of modern torture. Jumping back into a push up position (or high plank for yoga goers) and jumping forward to throw your body up high sometimes having to tuck your knees in too. Muay Thai is full of burpees/burpies, push ups that I still have to do the girls one and cannot attempt properly the boys one, sit ups, jump squats, scissors squats….

Siew always starts up telling me I forgot my roundhouse. My right roundhouse. I wonder how long before my knee totally gives in.

I received my clearance checklist (called it the departure checklist — occupation hazard) today and have my exit interview on Friday. The excitement and exhilaration still has not faded away. Like my S$39 Tiger thermos.

Just one yoga session this week. I went to Muay Thai twice and it was running both weekend mornings. Pandan reservoir on Saturday morning – 6.1km. East Coast Park on Sunday morning with Missy Teo – 7 km.

The Laney passed me the GPS to use and I have grown totally reliant on my new fabulous techie toy. It has brought me from Kallang to Singapore Poly, from Siew’s house to my house, from East Coast to Green View Secondary, to Missy Teo’s house today, from Siglap to Bedok View Secondary. Driving in the car is one of the most mediating activities that I have found.

This morning, I drove to Missy Teo’s house to visit little Lucy who is getting senile in her not so old age. She was funny with her usual antics even as she licked and frolicked next to me as I tied my shoelaces. Then it was off to East Coast jogging along the cyclist’s path and turning back from Bedok Jetty. Missy Teo was plugged into her Nano with her Nike Plus as I jogged to my trusty Shuffle.

I got my first parking ticket though today. Thanks Missy Teo, I am So Not Moving to Siglap.

This is where Siew and I go to – Fight G. We have been there five times since last Monday. Yes we are that stressed and that mad.

Addy has been going for a few months (?) there and was the one that introduced us to it. Then we are starting to ride the Muay Thai ride. The first week we started, we went 3 times in that week.

So far, we have bought 3 hand wraps and our own gloves (just today at Golden Mile, past the leering men) and more shorts and padded sports bra (for me).

It is as though I have been sedentary for all my life and am starting to wake up now.