My Return to Running after a 3 week layoff due to injury

A hard earned time of 35 minutes 42 secs for a 5 km in the searingly humid late morning

I do not wish to fish for compliments, I do not wish for accolades. Some 3 weeks ago, I hurt my anterior crucia ligament or ACL during a routine karate training. It felt like I had the tendon ripped out of me. We had the exercise to train flexibility and the trainees were made to lie on the floor, prone with our front facing the ceiling. Our sensei or instructor then asked us to stand up as fast as possible from the prone position but without using our hands, hence the use of stomach and oblique muscle groups etc.

After about 4 or 5 of these scramble to get up, I felt a sharp pain on my left knee. Damn ! It was stiff and so painful to even bend the knee, such was the pain. I immediately stopped and decided to sit out the rest of the training.

The last 3 weeks have been just taking it easy, and totally not running. To me, as I have mentioned countless times, for me to run is as natural as breathing. If I can't run, a major part of my physiology is taken away. An expression of myself.  

I decided to apply the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) technique which I had used successfully years ago. Rest the leg, turn and not apply pressure on the affected joint. 

After several days, I was able to sit normally with minimal pain. I took the Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM Sulphate tablets with renewed enthusiasm.

After about 1 week of complete rest (I was frustrated but what can I do ?), I was able to do some light exercises such as karate stretching and some tentative katas. Katas are 'form' exercises which practitioners embark to show they have the technique of stances, kicking, blocking and punching properly. It was an uphill struggle but I was determined to improve.

And slowly but surely I did improve.

So yesterday morning, 14 April 2018. I felt strong and flexible enough to try a 5 km run. I started out at the Robertson Quay side area and ran all the way to the Marina Bay Sands Helix bridge. I had intended to run 6 km at least, but the heat got to me. It was 10.20 am when I started and I wanted to show to myself that I was getting 'back into the groove'.

I ran the way from Robertson Quay, Clarke Quay and past the Asian Civilisations Museum opposite the Boat Quay and towards the MBS. At the Helix bridge 3 km mark, I turned around. It was hot but my leg showed no sign of ache - which was indeed something to celebrate about.

Running back to my start point, I playfully photobombed Chinese tourists taking selfies along the waterfront and lifted my legs high up into the air like a frenzied teenager. It was great !!!! 

So, back to the start point, I stopped and recorded the time for posterity. I am so glad and humbled that I can run again.

I plan to do another 10 marathons before father time tells me to stop 

Carpe Diem !   

  

Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse Singapore 13 April 2014

           To celebrate my wife's birthday, I booked the incomparable Bistecca restaurant located at 26 Mohammed Sultan Road. Situated in a shophouse along the main road, the restaurant boasts a dining of 60 people, approximately 40 seated inside the long and narrow shophouse and about 20 outside.

          Rated by many to have the best Florentine style roast beef in this part of the world, it is clearly head and shoulders above many top steak restaurants in Singapore, at least. In 2nd and third place (for me anyway) would be Wolfgang's (at Intercontinental Hotel at Robertson Quay) and Wooloomooloo in Raffles City level 3.

Mouth watering scallops with enoki mushrooms and mustard

Octopus with spicy sauce - fantastic 

For starters, the 4 of us adults (I have 2 adult sons, aged 24 and 21 respectively) had the following and I give the rating (upon 5) for each of them :

a) Ciabatta bread with goose liver pate   4 / 5

b) Ceasar Salad   4 / 5

c) Spicy Octopus  5 / 5   - Ooh La La good !

d) Scallops with enoki mushrooms and mustard  4.8 / 5  - almost perfection

e) Spaghetti saefood 5 / 5  -  Too little but really so tasty and spice level is just right.

Then came the Magnus Opus ; or their signature ; the bone in Ribeye steak of 1.2 kg in total. The meat though marbled with fat was so tender it practically melted in my mouth. The meat was cooked medium and while there was some blood, it was not oozing like the rareness most often found in Florentine steakhouses.

So the main course (below) came with a side serving of grilled broccoli which was crunchy and tasty. I had no complaints whatsoever. 

   

Rated the best steakhouse in Singapore, I have to agree 

The taste for the first 3 cuts of steak is so flavourful I did not need any sauce to go along with it. This is the true test of an excellent cut of beef. Hence the reason for me giving this the top billing - I had eaten their steak about 3 years ago and their standards are still top class.

Steak Rating :  5 / 5  - shiok   (taste explosion) to the max !!! 

Service, was a little mediocre by my book, the serving staff, a young man was quite preoccupied and always needed my prompting to take the order, as well as serve extra bread and sides. 

They made it up by not charging for the ciabatta bread, as well as the iced water, which I thought was a nice touch. To round off the meal, we ordered the following 2 desserts which was shared by the 4 of us,  To not criticise, we had eaten far better desserts in Italy in 2017.

a) Tiramisu   -  4 / 5 

b) Strawberry sorbet on a bed of biscuit crumbs  - 4 / 5 

So, take note of this post, if you want to spend approx. $100 per person for the BEST steak in Singapore, do visit 

Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse

26 Mohammed Sultan Road

Singapore 238 970 

Tel : 67356739 

Carpe Diem      

Dining by the Rocks May 2017

I am posting this almost 1 year after the actual event, in part, I felt no need to advertise the fact that I am well travelled and also my disdain for self compliments. The time last year was pretty special and my friend and I enjoyed the brilliant autumn sunshine and weather. There is an airport express train and as I was staying the night in Sydney, I thought I had better show my friend who was there for the first time, the sights around Sydney Harbor Bridge.

The train stop is called Circular Quays and it gets pretty crowded in summer and autumn and this visit was no different. The only difference between this visit and the last one in 2002 - has it been that long ? was that there are lot more shops an restaurants catering to Chinese visitors such as this restaurant, given the fact that in the last 5 years Chinese tourists numbers have probably jumped 10 times !  

I look like a sight assisted person don't I ? 

I have made a pledge that i will run 2 marathons this year (overseas) and I am banking on the Sydney Marathon as one of them. I sincerely hope this will not be a pipe dream for me. 

So I am really in running mode and disciplining myself from eating too oily and / or fatty foods. 

Sydney Opera House May 2017

World Class Goal from World Class Player ; Neves 2nd goal for Wolves against Derby County

5 more Cup Finals to Go

I thought the game against Middlesbrough was the penultimate game, full of lovely goals, drama and 2 red cards.

I was wrong

This game at Cardiff has got fans from all over the world in a tizzy ; a world class goal from a world class player Reuben Neves, and a lot of fine quality saves from both keepers, John Ruddy and the Cardiff keeper.

In the final minutes, 2 penalties were awarded to Cardiff and one produced a stunning save by the best keeper in the Championsip (as per fans votes), John Ruddy and the second, a cracker which hit the crossbar and rebounded into the pitch like a pinball.

My man of the Match ; John Ruddy (Goalkeeper) ; Superb. Not a foot or hand wrong the whole evening.  

Football, the wonderful game, it brings out these range of emotions from everyone watching it, let me count them :

a) Anger
b) Despair
c) Excitement
d) Joy 
e) Sorrow
f) Frustration
g) Fury (sometimes)
h) Happiness
i) Satisfactiion 
j) Anticipation

It surely has earned the tile " the Beautiful  Game " from none other than Pele, and millions of men around the world share the vicarious experiences - even like me an armchair (OK plastic chair) pundit. 

Nuno : "Its all about winning ; competing and getting the maximum out of every match"

The game at Middlesbrough is the turning point for Wolves ; Away to a strong team at Riverside, 2 brilliantly taken goals in the first half, first a superb second strike from Costa, and then a fierce header from Cavaleiro. In the second half, all things turned against them, they had 2 men (internationals Neves and Doherty) sent off in the 55th and 75th minute respectfully and heroically managed to cling on with 9 men, till the 95th minute (4th minute of stoppage time when Brandsden snapped home a late late consolation goal.

What a cliffhanger of a game ! End to end football, skill, pushing, shoving, sliding tackles, goals, kicks and headers gone wrong. Goals of superb quality, cold wintry late afternoon and 2 internationals sent off in a game which will be etched in the fans collective memories.

I am 4000 odd kilometers away and can feel the passion and enthusiasm ; I can imagine the atmosphere there would be charged up and electrifying !    

So, all that is needed is nine points with 7 games to go. They are top at 85 points and I predict them to easily get 100 points to most likely win promotion and likely as champions too.

Nuno Esperito Santos is a man with vision, he instills discipline, and most importantly he has a very strong belief and passion for his team. This is apparent at the end of the game where he went out and hugged each and every player like they had won a Cup final.

Proudly behind the team ; I used to be a fair weather fan ; now call me 'die hard' !

Indeed, it is. Each game is a Cup final. In my almost 40 years of following them, I have never been more proud to say this ; Come On you Wolves !!! Grreat Stuff !!!