Losing Touch

I feel that people lack understanding the reason why they go college for. Don't get me wrong, I'm just stating a fragment of them. There are dedicated souls learning the craft of the trade. Dedicated to start out from where all starts from, going to college and getting a degree. The simpliest prerequisite requirement to any professional career.

Professional line aside, I set myself thinking whether is school the only best way preparing one to his industry. One thing about colleges nowadays, they want us to think that only way to be 'successful' or to make it in life is to study with them, pay them shit load of money and at the end of the day, they'll give a golden ticket for a day pass to Disneyland, literally. What a whole load of bull.

What upsets me the most is not this because no one gives a wind what those instituition's mantras are but the whole expection coming from society. I think society today is a real snob. People judge people from where they come from, their backgrounds. They ask that few things about you and take that to assume who you are. But that's how it is, people who hold higher grounds points their way around.

I think what I'm going through now is to be known as a career crisis (had this happen 20 years on). I hold a normal job and I'm not well qualified. It's sad really. It's totally draining talking to people and having people ask you the same question.

What I dread most is to look into people's eyes and passes the prejudgement 'Aiyoh moment'. Why..

What I think makes these people are the ideas set out by their parents and they are only evangelist of what seems right, without really knowing it.

The Human Spirit

Looking back at the string of events that took place from preparing to finishing the marathon, I seriously had no idea, no clue what I was getting myself into. How far is 21.1km? Really? All I had in mind was to complete a marathon this year and to me, the full marathon(42km) was like a 500 pounds gorilla in his boxing pants waiting to pin me down. Okay, so I went for the 250 pounds gorilla. And I thought he was little. 113.39kg. Come on. How wrong can I get.

Very wrong. 21.1km to a under-trained runner is like putting a little boy in an obstacle course with guns and massive explosions and a footballer.

Here's a walk through for the day.

Collected my race pack the day before. Didn't sleep too well that night.

6.10am.
I didn't had breakfast. Error 1
I didn't bring my bottle to rehydrate in the morning. Error 2.
Had to stay focused.

I ran 12km straight. Once I hit the 12km mark. My chest was heavy, I was very very cold. I felt as though I was having a terrible fever and I'm out of juice. It was so horrible I had to slap myself to keep up. Finally slowed down to catch my breath.

Look who's boss for the day.

Morning sun.

Massive elevation. Stamina killer.

By this time, my legs felt like they were from a different entity and not the body. I knew very well I've over worked my legs and the pain was crazy when I tried to run a little bit faster. I could feel 6 blisters on my toes rubbing off my skin. Every step got heavier. My heart was beating hard. On the bright side, the chill went away.

Met my secondary school history teacher. Mr Cha.

I come to really witness the human spirit that was evident on everyone's faces. The uncles, aunties and the people who pushed through. When I was at the finishing line looking pass the full marathon runners, boy was it inspiring. The pain and the joy in split seconds, the fulfillment, the endurance and the pride knowing that the battle is won. I had conquered my race and it was real tough. These people fought twice my battle and beat the 500 pounds gorilla.

It was that moment I finally understand what the human spirit is all about. How humans are able to stretch their capacity and finish the race. Their drive, their belief, their never say die spirit stated on their eyes. It made my eyes wet witnessing such an extraordinary feat.

This was the day I saw true optimism, true hope and despair. I felt truly alive.


As for me, I only had few things in mind when I was running.

1. Never look back.
2. Never stop.
3. Just keep going.
4. This is a race between me and myself.
5. Finish what was started.
6. There's a finishing line and it's sweet.

Lessons learnt
1. Girls can run.
2. Old uncles can REALLY run.
3. Old aunties can run.
4. Give support. We don't get much support needed here.
5. You want to taste the best Whooper? Go run 21.1km and head to Burger King :]

But one of the biggest lesson learnt is this. It's okay to be unproven and untested. If I would have known how far 21.1km was, I might have opted for a shorter route like the 5 or 10 km. The experts would have suggested me the 10km because it would suit me perfectly given my training track record. What came really sweet was after I've completed the 21.1km. I really finished it. I'm proud of myself for finishing what that was seem impossible a few years back. It is proven now that hey! it is possible.

Another thing is, you know what really scares people away. It's not this. It's those races where no one for sure know where the finshing line is even so, the possibilty of even finishing it. There's no pavement, there are no signs, no crowds, absolute zero certainty. But what you have is yourself, your set of belief and values and that's the true race we're all in.


My bib with the results;

Name:	PANG JUN YONG PHILIP (MAS)
Net Start:	06:13:52	Category:	Half Marathon 21km
Net Time:	02:51:38	Position:	1422
Finish Timing:	02:52:29.16

How it's like to cross the finishing line. Here's the vid;




And you want to know what unproven really means? I told my friend I may only finish the race after 7 hours or more. Traffic will then resume operation and I'll be running with cars. We even delayed our movie (transformers 2 - absolute rubbish) at pavillion to 8.30pm! Just in case I'm still out in roads of KL running like a lost kid. I'm so glad I could clock in before the 3 hour mark. I really am.

What a run !

why it isn't always easy

I've always been a strong believer in cultivating strong emotions in circumstances so much so, I am to make believe that in however horrible situations I'm in, it's not here to stay. Say example work. Doing stuffs from the bottom up may sound like any feel-good, in all inspiring, underdog superhero story.

Fact is, it really is horrible to be put in that position. What if there isn't really a superhero moment and all there is to it, is just an empty sea of nothing. The efforts, the decision to a different path. It drains everything out of me. One day you hold your chin up, knowing that it's for change and progress you're for and yes it could be done, then the next day a damn dragon comes flying your way, blowing fireballs at you.

Now all that you have to do is to wave your silvery sword above your head and point it to the dragon and say;

'Be gone now Dragon for I will have your head served on this golden plate'.