Singapore Biathlon 2011 - Post Race (KK)

Having barely slept for 4 days straight preparing for Vday present, I couldn't force myself to sleep early as well on the night before the race. Just bad timing. However, I always take the mental side of having not enough sleep in my stride with this phrase I remembered from a Tri-Magazine -

"Whether it's 10 hrs of sleep or 3 hrs of sleep before the race, worry not because race anxiety are norms. You'll be ready because of the training you did, when the gun goes off, it will be on."

That is not to say having more sleep wouldn't help or having lesser sleep is OK. It is just a form of mental tactic to counter the worries of not sleeping enough the night before.

Come to think of it, i'm a pretty tight person.. I haven't slept more than 4 hrs for any of my race. H.I.M included.

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On race morning, we arrived pretty early at 6.30. Pretty early because not a lot of people are there yet. The first wave is 7.30AM and Sam, Yukari, Lawlaw and Pauline's in it! My wave is at 8 and my poor brother KH (and Gen - Sam's sister) have to accompany me (and Sam) even though their wave is at 9!

Did all the baggage check in and transition preps and accompanied Sam to warm up. She looked graceful in the swim despite not sleeping enough too. I gave her some positive words of review to boost her confidence and it was all fine.. until she came up from the last lap of warmup, she got cut from the wave-breaker rock..

zzz... All the panic start over again and all I could think of was "shit, the cut are in bad directions.. its gonna open up whenever she plant the foot on the ground and dorsi/plantar flex..."..

Decided to swallow that thought and I told her another set of comments that if it happened to me, i'd tell myself.

"Don't worry la dear.. when you start the swim, it'll not feel like it's there.. once you are into the race, you'll not feel pain because of adrenaline and race focus.. when you run, initially it'll hurt a bit but as you get into it, the pain should ease off because of the focus la. Now, get going!"

She went for another run at the sea and then after a good luck kiss, reluctantly went to the start line..

In a short while, her wave got flagged off.. I waited for the 7.45 wave's gun shot to simulate my own start in my warm up.. however, the uncle talk too much la.. so I jumped in before the gun went off.. did a couple of laps then came up for the gun start again..
*COACH KH* was there to check on my form and he went
"YOUR HIGH ELBOW.. HIGH ELBOW!!! "

So I made the necessary changes and refocused on the technique.. Coach KH gave the nod and off I went for my start after 8 laps.

Went to the start area and jumped around.. high fived around.. slapped my face.. slapped my legs to feel some pain and prevent myself from dropping into the nervous Zone-out Pause. As the uncle talk on, I focused on my game plan.

1)Sight frequently.
2)No bad strokes, leave the chionging to OSIM.. Perfect form is the idea.
3)Stay calm.
4)Visualize the course - 200m to first buoy, 650m across, 650m back. 1 big buoy --> 7 buoys left --> red then green and follow line back.
5) Exit strong and ready for huff and puff in run

3...2...1.... *BOOORRRRR*

Competitive me pushed the people beside me away and jumped into the water first. Sprinted for 50 strokes and then told myself to calm down because nobody is beside and I want to stick to the plan. Ultimately, the run is the big picture. I want a 45 mins run..

I need to calm down and focus on the strokes.. left arm's high elbow not working.... So I slowed down and just took my time from then on.. High elbow, relaxed recovery, no splash.. feel the gliding.. keep the left arm from swaying outwards. Sight frequently. BREATHE. Enjoy the swim. Disturb people's feet by tickling them and check the watch once in a while... :)

Despite going easy, when I made a left turn after 850m, my watch says its 14:30.

Right there, I made a mistake in my game plan. After my left turn, I am suppose to AVOID ALL GREEN FLAGS and go for the red one straight, THEN the green one THEN follow the line.

I went for the first green one instead and had to follow the 3 green ones in a straight line.. probably swam hundred + more meters than the race course suggested. I picked up the slack there and went for a strong 100m at the end.. looking at my watch not panting much.. 29:18.. Not too bad for a swim with 2 weeks of last minute changes to stroke I guess.. :)

Wore my socks, shoes, number belt, shades and I took abt 10 seconds of pause to wonder if I want to take a sip right there.. I took the bottle and ran instead.

Once out there on the course, I felt my legs were so heavy.. didn't warm up for the run was a bad idea. Tapering with complete rest on the run was a stupid idea.. After the first km my watch read 5:00. I told myself "stupid.. you fucked this.".. Picked up my pace and my legs started to feel loosen.. clocked 4:15+/km for the next 3+km before slowing down a little to check on my knees that buckle a little stepping on cup. My big toe with the nail off started to hurt a little more and I slowed to a 4:30-4:45/km pace for the rest of the run.

Lawrence cheered me on.. Sam cheered me on as I pass them in the run.. Caught up with Mr Take and Pauline.. gave them a cheeky tap on the shoulder "CAUGHT-CHA! hahaha.."..

It was pretty intense in the last 2kms as the faith starts to buckle together with the slightly throbbing knee ligament that i sprained 3 weeks back.. slowed down slightly as my focus fades until i remembered a phrase by Muhammad Ali.

"But the will must be stronger than the skill."


I laughed at myself and asked myself:
"Why do you race? Why are you here running for your PB?"


The answer is straightforward and brutal..


BECAUSE I WANT TO BE THE BEST IN MY TEAM.


BECAUSE SO, NOBODY IN THE TEAM CAN CLAIM TO BE FASTER THAN I AM AT THIS MOMENT. - Edmund comes to mind.


SO THAT I CAN BE THE BEST THAT I CAN BE. - Ryan comes to mind.


AND MORE THAN ANYTHING, I WANT TO BE BETTER THAN EVERYONE.


E.V.E.R.Y.O.N.E. No less. - Andy that sub 40 10km guy, came to mind.


I can. I Will.


I pumped out a 9:00 flat 2km run in the final stretch. I laughed as I finished the run..

Just like Old times baby.. Just like old times in army and OCT where everyone else hated me for being over competitive and always pushing myself beyond the limit.


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The sweetest deal about this race?


The last 300m, my 10 years old student did her bestest to sprint with me for 200m before stopping into her daddy's arms. I did the happiest 100m sprint of my life.. never felt so belonged and loved before. =)


Once I pass the finish line.. I head back to find everyone else.. and most of all, Calvin.


He is my number one concern for this race. Being the first race, and never done a sprint before.. it was an understatement to say he is courages and sporty enough to join us for a 1.5km swim 10km run race. At >80kg, standing at 1.8+-m tall, but without running base, the 10km is more daunting in the heart and mind than it actually is in the run itself.


Walking back through the finish line on the grassy area, I had a slip and rotated my ankle outwards and had to limp for a few mins.. like shit la.... zzz...Real Shagged.


No choice but to walk.. 2km back and saw everyone else.. but I didn't see Calvin until I finished doing all the math of adding his possible swim timing to the wave start time and also his approximate running pace that I saw him running the previous time we had a trial.


As I saw him, his foot steps was heavy, my heart goes to him for the blisters there probably are in the wet socks from the swim. I joined him for the run for a couple of hundred meters and he told me "I'm going for my second round now only!".. and for the first time, I thought to myself 5km more.. can I do this?


I used up everything I had in the 47mins. Walking up for 2km to find him was already causing my sprained knee to throb. I decided to go to the toilet to check the statuses of my bod before joining him back.


Took off my tights and my knee was a little swollen on where the sprained ligament was.. I told myself "You can't give him up. You promised the team you will not leave anyone behind. Promises are Not meant to be broken. Not in my dictionary.".


Pulled up my tights and ran out to where I found him.. noticed I took more than 10mins of thoughts inside and I realized I won't be able to catch him if I go at a sustainable easy pace so I went the opposite direction and found him at the last 3rd km mark.


Brought him home. Sprinted with him on the side in the grassy area only stopping when I pass the roots area where I slipped just now..


When he passed the finish line..


"Mai liao.. mai liao.. hahaha..." he said.. meaning "Don't want already.." as he chuckles and walked to the medal receiving personnels..


It was another touching sight just like when I went back to find Lawrence and came back with him for the H.I.M finish.. I am super happy for him. He can no longer say he's a unfit man liao after finishing a 1.5km swim in the sea and 10km run in this amphibian race.. :D


TAKE - the amphibian race.. to be exact.. :P
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Final words.


Being able to sub 30 for 1.5km in the sea and in the pool is already a reality. sub 25mins by end of the year is my goal.


Right now, its 47mins for 10km. sub 43mins for 10km (after swim) by end of the year is my goal.


I can. and I Will.
KK