Merry Christmas to one and all.

     I have not been putting posts up as I have just returned from a short and thoroughly enjoyable holiday. Down with a bad case of  the 'flu, I decided to put up some happy songs to amuse myself and also to remind us of the true meaning of Christmas, and that it is NOT the following below :

a) OPPORTUNITY TO PARTY AND MAKE A FOOL OF ONESELF. This is really a period of
    reflection for Christians and non-Christians alike. Christians mark this day as the birthday of Jesus Christ
    and and remind themselves of the promise He made to the world. Non-Christians will use this day for a
    number of different things such as catching up with friends and relatives alike to enjoy the fellowship
   of men and women.

b) SPEND LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW : This has been a good year for many working people so
    be generous of your bonus to the less privileged but don't splurge on the nice-to-haves too much. For
    every up year there will be equally or more 'down' years. So save that hard earned bonus.

c)  EAT,DRINK AND BE MERRY. Sure go and have fun. Visit friends, family, acquaintences, office
     colleagues. Drink and soak in the atmosphere. Come Monday 27th to Thursday 30th,
    the WEIGHING  SCALE is YOUR ONE HONEST FRIEND. CAN YOU FACE HIM ?

    MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY. ENJOY THIS SONG.

Another video - viewer discretion is advised ; parents this can be harmful to the kids' minds.

Great song with vulgarities for added flavour

This Eminem song has 163 million 'hits' (or views on Youtube) since it came out, earlier this year, making that an average of 16 million hits per month or 500,000 hits per day on average. Wow !

The vulgarities sometimes lend ammunition to the stand by conservationists who think that anti-hero Eminem is poisoning the minds of influential young people. Well yes and no, yes, if the youngsters believe that the images such as Eminem falling off the cliff and flying into the air can be replicated - but then again, every superhero does that, Superman, Astroboy and recently Hancock. Of course, the youngsters should know by now the difference between reality and make believe.

The other aspect of vulgarities. Now we all went through our teenage years, who never uttered a four letter word or swore in his life ? Emimen's lyrics reflect the growing disenfranchisement of society, about his daughter's problems and him trying to reach to her. The rest of the stuff "Fxxx the universe" all add colour.

So, enjoy the song. Understand the message and accept that we live in a multi-coloured multidimensional world, where Eminem, Teletubbies, Chinese xinyao, Bollywood artistes and Hillsong (a Christian band) all  jostle for our attention.

Seize the day and enjoy it.  

Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2010

                                              Dedicated to the memory of my late father,
                                                            Geoffrey Abisheganaden
                                                                          1919 - 2010

                                  Someone commented it looks like a Singapore pewter souvenir

Date : Dec 5th 2010
Start Time : 5.00 am

      This is the 5th marathon that I attempted and completed,albeit the slowest one on record. I finished in a time of 5 hours 58 minutes or so (hand timed) today. The race started off late, because of poor baggage  handling management at Anguilla Carpark next to Orchard Road. Queues started forming from 4.10 am but the organisers only opened the stalls from 4.30 am so many of the runners were stuck still trying to send in their bags when the siren call for the first wave of runners started at 5.00 am. I was one of those runners. First Wave runners started at 5.00 am sharp and I managed to get through in the Second Wave of runners at 5.20 am. It was one of the factors which at the later stages of the race, may have added me some additional minutes to my timing.

        Our start was outside Wisma Atria at 5.20 am and although the Orchard Road lights were pretty to look at, as it was approaching Christmas, I was in no mood to really check out the sights. I had a race to run. My previous race times are shown below :

2003 : 5 hr 23 min (Penang Bridge Marathon)
2004 : 4 hr 52 min (SC Singapore)
2005 : 4 hr 59 min (SC Singapore)
2007 : 4 hr 48 min (SC Singapore)
2010 : 5 hr 58 min (SC Singapore)

           The sirens blared and we are OFF ! The first 2 kms take us along Orchard Road, Penang Road and up to Stamford Road. The pace is slow - about 7 min. per km and there were lots of runner bunched in between the balustrades which the traffic marshalls had cordonned off solely for the runners. It was not a nice feeling running next to all these sweaty bodies and moving too slowly for my liking.After Stamford Road, we head towards Hill Street and run all the way to Maxwell Road, again the runners have to keep to within road markers which are zealously controlled by volunteers. I have to add that this year's inspirators, or teams who are encouraging the runners are practically non-existent, I saw perhaps 2 to maximum 3 teams of guys and girls who sang and danced but it was too little and not motivating enough.

           From Maxwell Road, we head down to Telok Ayer Street running parallel to Robinson Road, and then on to Esplanade Drive where we see the start point of the 10K. It is about 7 km and the pace is slow mainly because of the runners all around me and perhaps my insufficient training. So bunched in between alot of slow runners and boxed in by the road dividers, it was very difficult to make my way forward unless there was a 'window' or I nudged someone aside.  We make a right around Raffles Avenue and then on to Nicoll Highway and Mountbatten Road, in the lead up to the East Coast Park stretch. There was a water point around Mountbatten Road, (around 10 km mark) and some of the runners were beginning to tire. I tried to push it, but dared not, as there was over 30 km left to go.

            At East Coast Park, I was familiar with the run routes, so we were able to spread out and I was able to increase my stride length to a faster pace, around 6 minutes per km.I made up for lost time and by the time we reached the half way mark, it was 2 hours and 30 minutes and I was on track for around 5 hr and 30 minutes if the cramps didn't set it. At the half way mark, I popped in the 2nd of my Power Gels and drank up the Accelerade in my handcarry bottle. After some stretching and massaging, I topped up on the water and headed on for the 2nd half. Things seemed to be going according to plan. I was speeding up and I was aiming to try to run a faster 2nd half.

           It was a pipe dream, by the time I hit around 26km, the first twinges of aches started below my left knee, my calves were beginning to pull. I decided to stop and do stretches along the way, so it was from 26 to around 30 km at the end of the ECP, I was taking regular stops every 15 minutes or so to stretch and not be laid up by cramp. I brought out my magic bottle of Salonpas and sprayed onto the problem areas. All around I was surrounded by the wafting almost puking smell of Counterpain, the gel used to massage runners and there were runners whose legs were literally caked in the stuff.

            32km it was getting hot, down went my sunglasses and out came my handkerchief. Ahh, the tricks of the trade of en experienced runner. I stopped at each water station and soaked my kerchief. We ran past the Marina Bay Gardens at around 9 amish and it was scorching hot. Lots or runners were now walking and I was employing a run 500 m, walk 200m strategy. I recognised that I wasn't pushing myself because of lack of training and desire for the timing and the drama of 2005 where I collapsed near the end still played out in my mind.

             35km and 40 km were the worst bits, the body was aching from the waist down. I was now running maybe 300 m and walking and stretching 700m. Many young runners had collapsed or given up along the way, that was how hot and unbearable it got at the later stages. At the 40 km mark, I told myself, Cmon, last 2km, you can run the last 2km, its only 15 minutes to the end !

           So I willed the aching body to run through the many walkers and RAN the last 2km through to the chute.I finished in 5 hours and 58 minutes and managed a smile for the bank of photographers towards the finish line. Some satisfaction that I did not ache that badly, but disappointment that it was the slowest time of my 5 marathons.  I remind myself of the below phrase :

ITS NOT HOW FAST YOU RUN IT, BUT FINISH IT AFTER YOU HAVE GIVEN IT YOUR 100%.

In a nutshell, the marathon was within expectations and below expectations in these aspects :

ABOVE EXPECTATIONS : BEAUTIFUL ROUTE no doubt, the Orchard Road section was nice running under the lights and the Floating Platform gave a beautiful view.

ENOUGH WATER POINTS : Every 3km at the early stages and 2km at the later stages was good.

BELOW EXPECTATIONS : BAGGAGE HANDLING : 1. Anguilla Park carpark started collecting the bags from 4.30 am. Only half hour to the start. Handlers were overwhelmed by the sheer number of bags, and processing was slow. Took me almost 45 minutes to hand in my bag, and had NO PROPER WARMUP. At the finish point, they located the bag collection at the F1 Pit Building some 2 km away.
Imagine running 42.195 km and then having to walk with your aching body another 2km to collect the bag. They screwed it up on this one !!  Race director, please in future have the baggage collection at the PADANG.  We have finished a damn marathon in 4, 5 ,6, 7 and 8 hours so spare a thought for us !

COURSE : I felt it was trying to accomplish too many things all the the same time, a tourist sight seeing jaunt, a race and too spread out start points. It spread the resources very thin as far as I am concerned. See how the bag handling was stretched probably gives me the impression it would be the same for the other  half and 10 K quarter marathons.

INSPIRATORS : Too few and not inspiring enough

ROAD MARSHALLS :Too inexperienced.Let the runners do the running, asking them to stay in lane is impossible when thousands of sweaty individuals are pushing forward and the only way to overtake is to run at the edge or outside the barriers.

LATE START TIME : Again I state this categorically, why start at 5.00 am ? So that the winners which are most likely the Africans can come in at 7.20 am and there are nice photo opportunities ??

START AT 4.00 AM OR EVEN 3.00 AM !! Spare a thought for the thousands who are coming in at 10.00 am to 1.00 pm. Its very hot and blazing at those times. Give the runners a chance to record their PBs or Personal Bests . Many are running for their first or second times.

I don't mean to sound like a complainer but lessen the number of runners, have one central location to start and finish, keep baggage handling under control and within the start and end points,get more inspirators and groups going and you have a perfectly organised marathon.  I did not mention anything about the heat and humidity which is a given in Singapore, that is beyond the organisers' control.

2007 was a great one for me, very well managed and I ran well.   Rate :  9 upon 10.

2003 in Penang was lovely too, early start at 4.00 am and finished at 9 am or so, running over the suspension bridge twice was great with the sea breeze blowing into our faces.   Rate : 8 upon 10.

2010 Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore
Rating Upon 10 based on past marathons experience :  6 - NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, like my timing.

5 days before the Big Race

 

     

I am up early at 5.30 am, do the toiletries, clean up and manage to head out the door a couple of   

minutes past 6 o'clock. I am quickly adjusting my body clock to wake up earlier so as to be ready for 

 the Standard Chartered Marathon - a running must have for me - in 5 days time.  After a 'short' run of    35 minutes or 5 km,I reach home, all fresh and energised to start the day. this post is written at 7.55 am,

 something which I have not done for years, so yeah, it feels good !

      The flag off time this year is 5am, something which many runners welcome. Additionally, it will start outside the Marriot Hotel in the heart of Orchard Road. So the Orchard Road stretch outside ION building will be a place which won't sleep this weekend given the amount of officials, security personnel, runners and well wishers all congregating there. How exciting !

       The training (how much or how little) has all been done, the massages to ease the aching body have been taken, the mental preparation and the carbo loading (eating of high carbohydrate foods to provide energy such as pasta, rice or noodle dishes) starts NOW.

       This is the 5th time I am running and I am as enthusiatic as a first time runner. This is because each new race heralds a new beginning, of me wanting to better my last personal best time. Although it is not likely, it is good to have a strong conviction, like they say, its mind over matter.

       So, the message to my fellow runners, Fast or Slow, Run your own Race. At the finish line, we are

all Winners. For those who say " Ah I'll do it tomorrow, there may not be many tomorrows left when the time comes".

Good Luck ! Carpe Diem  ! Seize the Day ! 

Reflections on this day

              Today I turned one year older, although chronologically I am a year older, in actual fact, I am aging each day of my life.  Time and tide waits for no man (or woman) and I am fortunate to have a wonderful wife and good children as the foundation for me to focus life's goals on. At times, I do get frustrated when the children do not appreciate the things and the privileged life which they have. But in hindsight, I also had the privilege of a very fortunate childhood and young adulthood, mainly thanks to my parents who instilled upon me values such as honesty,working hard for a living, respecting my parents and superiors and being modest. I am also grateful to them for instilling the competitive spirit in my attitude, although that trait is probably inborn. They gave me the exposure to swimming competitively, karate for discipline and also many travels from as young an age as 10 years old.


               The well -off  youth of today have never had it so good, they are travelling as early as infants, have been to perhaps 4 - 5 continents by the time they are young adults or in their mid 20s. And, judging from my birthday dinner at a swanky Chinese restaurant in town this evening, many young people are also able to afford dinners at top class restaurants of all cuisines in Singapore. 


So the young people it appears - or the 'strawberry generation' soft and bruise easily, are


a) materialistic - they want the best things in life NOW   
b) well off - can buy a sports car (from their parents money of course), fancy meals and 
     take exotic holidays and visit the most 'happening' night spots to blow away their parents 
    money.
c) have no real direction in life because everything is laid out or prepared for them


           How lucky these young people are !!  But how many sports cars, or holidays, or fancy meals does one take before he is sick of this ? See what good has Paris Hilton or Lindsay
Lohan brought to themselves and their families. Party girls and boys become an embarrassment after their shelf life has gone out. Its time for them to look at what life is or are they too full of drugs and alcohol even to analyse their sorry state.


          But many times these young people do not know it. They assume everyone is like them and feel that this life is the norm. But the reality of it all, is that in Singapore, the income inequality is huge between the rich and the poor. There are many young people who cannot afford even 3 basic meals a day, and only eat 1 meal. Many live with some relatives or move from place to place if the parents divorce or domestic problems cannot be settled. Many families live from 'hand to mouth'.


         Its time to put things to perspective. I would like to teach my children and myself that selflessness is an ideal, and helping the poor will give us an insight into what our lives really mean to us.    


         Its time to get real about the hard reality of life.   

Beijing Tour 8 - 12 March 2008

vi

     A short trip taken to Beijing by my wife May and younger son Andrew in March 2008.
     Andrew has since grown much taller and leaner in the 2 and a half years since this
     picture - movie.