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Monkey See, Monkey Do!

Thursday, June 03, 2010

1:30:00 am

I forgot to mention, there were fireworks just outside our eating area! On the first night. Amazingly lovely! I LOVE FIREWORKS! And it's like, right in front of you! RIGHT IN FRONT! Not somewhere far away across the Spore River or something..... I was all smiles :)

Oh, and on the day before, during the opening ceremony, they always use Pirates of the Carribean. And, other music. Which was REALLY nice! THE HORNS! Oh my...... I'm sure Lols will go crazy over that with me! It was most Wowwwwwwwww (then I'll go floating ard in my band world filled with luscious sounds)

And the night before, Zhiyun came over to join Angie and me. And we had a nice talk :) It's so nice to have them to talk to. Like, girls like me. Not, girly girl talk which I don't get.

30 May -- Race Day

Breakfast was half a loaf of bread and cereal. Then off we went on the bus to the race site. Had to get our cap and chip and settle the tatoos which they gave up and just used marker to draw in the end. To the toilet! By the time all tt was done, it was 0725 and I only had a 5min warm up before having to start struggling into the wet suit and head down to the sea. Didn't get to dip whole body when they started blowing whistle to chase us out. It was all such a great big rush! And then so much waiting around in the hot sun just so they can call us out individually. Dots.

It was supposed to announce on race day at 0700 whether wet suits would be allowed or not. So water temperature was 18 for the day! Wet suits, ON!

Pretty cool though. Our start line was a long line and each had a box of their own so it's fair, everyone starts lined in a straight line! And all of a sudden, we started. I was immediately right at the back. Retarded running see. And the beach was sooooo shallow! So many of them were doing the jumping thingy, throwing yourself out into the water in butterfly style thingy again and again! It was pretty much a monkey see monkey do. When they did that, so did I! And I couldnt' see anything! The first buoy was directly in the
line of the sun! So I just followed everyone. Seriously, blindly. Hoping I wouldn't die. As usual, the swim being the start of the race, I always think, about, why am I doing this. WHy torture myself to drown in the sea!

To my surprise, I wasn't actually left behind all alone! That was my greatest fear looking at last year's timings. And I was with Sissel cuz I recognise her having sleeveless wetsuit. Second loop was much better, cuz I tried not to just follow blindly but look for the yellow buoys and aim STRAIGHT there! Turns out my swim pack was actually with Angie and Sumiko too! Realised that only at the transition area. All bikes gone. The run from the sea to the transition was long and never ending. I took a little long cuz of the wet suit! SO hard to come off. By then, Sissel was far ahead and so was Angie. It took me about half a lap to find my cycling legs and get into the rhythm. It was windy. Caught up with Angie and Sissel and we 3 rode together taking turns drafting. It was really fun! And nice, to be able to draft. The effect of drafting is soooo immediate! Nice to hide behind, rest awhile, drink water, then ALL OUT! I've never all out so much on the bike leg of a tri before!

Probably cuz I was able to have the "rest" behind. Angie was dropped after a bit and left Sissel and me. We worked hard together. I was soooo thankful for her! But she slows down alot at the turns. Me? Not so! Took some risky turns as usual hehe. But more confident on the wheels than previously. So it was all good! It was pretty cool to see the girls peleton zoom by!

But on the 3rd lap they were getting too close for comfort and boy, did I NOT want them to lap me! Altho it was a only out if u're lapped twice thing, I still didn't want to be lapped! So, VROoooooomm engine on! All out! Till I entered my 4th lap then I relaxed and felt real happy! Eat gel! Somewhere at the vroom part Sissel was dropped :( :( :( I was hoping she'll catch :( Which she didnt... So I rode a windy 4th lap on my own. Real slow!

Not too sure where to take out shoes but I did all right :) T2 a little longer cuz you know, socks... The first run loop was bad! It was a little hot then. Most exciting cuz all the others were still running. It was soooo amazing, to be racing beside such pro athletes!

They're good! The USA girl, has amazing legs! Oh my, just look at them! I was happy to have them run bY me! Such an honour! Hard to find that in Spore. By my 2nd loop, the winners were in... 3rd loop was quieter, and 4th loop hardly anyone left. I overtook some ppl tho! Not THAT loserfied hehe :) So I did a 2:22:17! Praise the Lord! Last I did, it was a 2:35:04! Had cold water and isotonic drink immediately after.

All us girls came in under 2:30! Well done man! :)

Hung around with the girls, stealing alot more water. Took pics with the interesting stilt man! And cheered for the guys from the swim to bike transition. Ash's wound split open from the swim :(

Went for massage and ate the packet fruits they were giving out. The butt! I always request for the butt haha. Ate another packet fruits. Then went to watch the guys race. Oh boy I saw the coolest thing ever. The guys first pack came in like about 40? It was SO amazing!

How at such a fast speed, they can dismount and not fall all over the place considering they're so close. And then run to their transition, hook their bikes, slip into their shoes, and out running. SERIOUSLY IT WAS AMAZING!

It's like one big pack, moving thru transition. THEY DIDNT EVEN STOP AT ALL! It's like the pack moved in, then out. I am still, so in awe. It happened again, for the second pack. WOW. After that I went to stand on the stands to watch the guys run their 4 loops. Just look at them! 10km sprint it was! After the first 3 came in Angie and me went to this corner and cheered for everybody. The empty agua bottle came in useful as a clapping / cheering tool.

It was a really hot hot hot day. 30degrees it became! Thank goodness our race ended earlier! It's dry heat! Makes your skin burn without sweating. We were there the whole way till 12+ 1pm cheering for everybody. Saw all the other female athletes change into their bikinis and go sun tanning! Crazy...... Skin cancer......

As we experienced, it got a little quiet towards the end, cuz most ppl left to watch the guy's race for us. And during the guys race, they gave out the prizes before the race even finished for everyone! So, knowing how it felt, we just stood there n cheered for everyone. Tried to do so in all their languages! Chinese for Taipei and Macau, Jap for the Jap, and for our guys too of course! :) We cheered all the way, till the last man finished. Because of that, we made some "friends". They nodded to us / smiled after the race when we saw them ard the apartments or at the closing ceremony :)

They are kinda biased towards Asians. They dont cheer for us. Most. Except for this very nice lady at one of the bends. She's a volunteer also and she never fails to cheer us on EVERYTIME we pass there. We were positioned just at the barrier where she was. And she spoke to us after. Saying how, ALL are the same. Asians / Westerners, First/Last. Everyone's the same. We all swam, biked, ran the SAME distance. Everyone deserves to be cheered on for and encouraged. She was sooo nice! And this old couple joined us. Spainish. She runs marathons / halfs at the age of 50++. She's really nice! She felt that not enough ppl bothered to cheer for the last few so she joined us!

To see Ashley run, was really heartache, and so inspiring. With an open wound, he still biked that 40km, and ran. You should see his face. Ouch. It was so, so, so, very inspiring. On the last lap he even overtook the others! With all the pain and the limp. Zhiyun pointed out, if it was any of us with that wound, we all know, personally, we'll still do the race, till we finish. So no point telling him not to race before that, but just cheer.

Everyone of us finished, with a timing to our name :) It was really bad for the guys cuz the bike was windier, sun was hotter during the run, and and and, THEY RAN OUT OF WATER! :(

After the race, Lemin was feeling cold, Ash was at the medical tent for his foot, and coach actually sprained his ankle! Thank goodness it was POST race! So it was a very injured Team Singapore.

By the time we reached back via the bus and showered and all and ate late lunch, I was soooo hungry. Thank goodness I had a bar in my bag before that. After lunch at 3+ we wanted to visit the supermarket again! So we tromped over, save for the SMU guys. All the little shops were open! Only on a sunday? Hmmm... they were all shut on other days! But...... OH NO! Supermarket was closed! So, we camped at Macs instead. THANK YOU ZHIYUN FOR TREATING US! :) Hearts! :) Got this chocolate cake thingy with melted ice cream on top. (Ice cream machine spoilt) And they serve beer in Macs! Sat there and talked about love and life issues. I like talking to them so much. I love all our conversations over lunch and dinner. Learnt so much. Had so many insights. Also those shared by coach. All about life, sports, love, work etc. It's so nice really :) I haven't had such talks in a group in a longgggg time. Such were the days in tkgs and less so in tj.

Got back and packed the bike with some help from Lemin. Thank goodness for ppl like him! But I did it! Yay! By then, it was wash up and 8pm, report to the bus which took us to Umbrega isit? The Science Centre place. So pretty! It was some sort of bar / outdoor kinda thingy. Some athletes were dressed up. So pretty! Free flow of drinks. So is this how clubbing is like? Found out Angie also hasn't clubbed before! Spoke to some ppl here and there. Made some friends! Caught the first bus back at 2330!

Thank goodness I went out into the balcony at night. The sea was pitch black! The sky was pitch black. And the never ending darkness out there, made me feel so small, and in awe.. In Spore, you see lights across the sea, but not here! Just, black.

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