many of you have set up goals for 2006 ...

and some of you have achieved all of it, some of you have gotten somewhere with it.
you may feel dishearten by your lack of progress.

BUT

if you have not even attempted at these goals, you will probably not done anything about it.
think of them as steps that lead towards your dream goal.
you are making progress!
but maybe should attempt a little more in 2007.

the ways that will help you stick to your goals and the game plan are;
1. write them down! only 5% of the people write down their goals. it seems unreal if you only talk about it. writing them down is a sign of commitment. you are annoucing to your family and friends and even team mates your intention. they will remind you about your commitement and it will be an incentive for you to work at it.

2. have a plan.
all of us want to do many things or rather wish to do many things. they are dreams until we do something about it. until we act upon it, it is just wishful thinking.

3. get a training partner
it is hard to get out to train at the end of the day when you are tired, hard to get out of your warm bed early in the morning especially when the weather is wet and when your favourite program will be on in an hour. if your training partner is committed to the same goals as you, it would take a smaller ego to call it quits and go eat an early dinner.

bonus
a community who understand your goals and go on the same journey and dinner break and any other fun social stuff with you.

gift registry for Poonie's pad

dear friends the long awaited moment of my sign of independence (moving out of parents' place to my own flat) has finally arrived!
thanks for all your well wishes and concern.

since some of you have asked what you can contribute to my new pad to celebrate this next phase of my life.
as a ENTJ personality (it is my persoanlity results from the mayer-briggs personality test and it pointed that I am a very difficult person to buy gifts for, only want specific useful things), i have compiled some items that i would be buying for my pad.

kitchen
1. microwave but must be of 23L or smaller as my designated space is only 500mm.
2. pasta pot, frying pan and for vitroceremic hob
3. knives for cutting fruits, cleaver for meat and paring knife for small everything else
4. rice cooker
5. roasting pan for oven
6. small deep fryer
7. wine glasses

living room
1. standing box fan
2. vacuum cleaner
3. DVD player that can play MP3 and Div-x DVD

bedroom
1. white, yellow, blue, grey or black bath towel

i will update when i think of something else.
please put down on comments if you are getting anything for me.
sorry to be shameless as i rather not have something that i dont have a use for.

thanks for reading.
details of my housewarming would be sent out to all of you.

my 2nd marathon

can't believe that this is only my 2nd marathon and my 3rd if i include my ironman.
this time round it is so different; i am running with an almost recovered but more like managed injury, little training due to haze and bronchitis and distraction from my house renovation.

controlled and managed at 21-22 min for every 3km including 2 mins or more of walking (where the water points are), taking in 100+ isotonic drink at every 3km, ingested 8 packets of gel (100 calories each) and stretched every hour for 3mins or more to reduce the strain on my ITB, hip flexors and shoulders.

did everything the same as all my raes, ate power bar for breakfast (230 calories) and drank some jucie. i used to drink coffee in the morning of the race but with all the caffine in the gel (1 to 2 shot of expresso quantity in each pack of gel) i already have my high.
with all the carbo loading (without the depletion) , isotonic drinks (it contains sugar) and gels, i am getting about 1200 calories on the road and have another 1hr+ store of fuel in my body, i should be ok.

the race was almost perfect with great weather and God answered prayers on the timing for the rain :0 )
i prayed for rain to come late morning so all of us would not be caught in the steamroom type of condition with the water turned into by hot sun.
no cramps or debilating pain that reduce me to walk.
only take 1 toilet stop and did not feel hungry the whole way.
despite of all my efforts my legs still gave up on me in the last 5km where my average speed was more than 22min.

and the atmosphere has really improved with many cheering for not only their friends and family. i felt encouraged by many runners and supporters along the way.

5:12hr is still a pathetic time despite of all the above reasons.

but i am still happy about it.

and i am sure there are many out there who felt great about the race despite of performance.
you know when you see the many smiling faces who limp today around town.

congrats to all who raced in Standard Chartered Marathon, 1/2 marathon and 10km!

all of you are winners!

congrats to the 1st timers for 1/2 marathon;
HT and DT, the Tans had done it!

and my former vice captain who did a faster more impressive timing of 1:56hr!

congrates to faster 10km time
wan, allan (for 10mins improvement from 2005!)
and Miss Ng

and to my TP team who finished the race and special note to all the first timers who competed in their ever first 10km and 1/2 marathon!
well done!
especially to the girls who sticked it out through all the training :)

now is the time to evaluate and look ahead to 2007...