Where I Live

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Training or no training during the holidays & A Visit to the Science Centre

Miss Tan messaged us yesterday. This is what she wrote:
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Holiday program (do on ur own)

MON - 6KM run at Stadium(15 Rounds) or Punggol park (5Rds),

WED - 6 x interval of 400m metres with rest 2.5 mins in between intervals (Stadium)

FRI - Same as Monday

Pls maintain your fitness during the holidays.Will give a time trial immediately after Holidays to test your fitness level. From Mr Ong & Miss Tan.
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Too bad! So I will have to train on my own this holidays. There is the National Inter-school Track and Field Competition coming up in early July and I hope to do a PB this year...

Today I also went to the Singapore Science centre to watch the movies "The First Emperor" and "Dinosaurs -Giants of Patagonia".












When I when to the Omni Theatre,I saw an exhibition known as Giants of Patagonia"



Here are some photos of the exhibition





Both the movies were highly enjoyable. I learnt that the Patagonia Dinosaurs were much bigger than those remains of dinosaurs found earlier. WOW!





The Dinosaur movie also had many special effects leaving you gripped to your seat....

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Brooks 10km Life Run

Today was the Brooks 10 km Life Run organised by NUS Sudents' Sports Club. This was the first time that they organised the run. But they have organised the Legs and Paddles for the last 20 years. (running and kayaking). It was held at One Fullerton, by the Banks of the Singapore River.




Here is the program. The time for the race was 10 am.


There was a warm up at 9.50 am conducted by 3 ladies from the Califronia Fitness, one of their sponsors.




This banner shows Brooks the sponsor of the race. Their corporate logo is Run world, run...



After the warmup we waited and waited at the start line. It was past 10 and the weather was really very hot. i was sweating all over... Even before i started...




Finally the race started at 10.25 am and away we ran.... We had a panoramic view of the Singapore river... We followed up the path of the Singapore River, past Connaught Drive, all the way to Boat Quay and u turn at ORD Bridge (next to Liang Court Complex). We then did a 360 degree u turn back to one Fullerton and back again. (two rounds).

I was climbing up and down steps to bridges and through the underpass. The route was tough and we were not allowed to go on the road or on the grass. There were many marshals along the way directing us how to run... We were also not allowed to spit or throw used paper cups and water bottles on the road...


I did one round as i was afraid of getting heatstroke...

These people are the runners for the race after mine. They were waiting to run first than kayak..... Many people came to run and canoe too. There was men's challenge, ladies' challenge, mixed challenge...

In the goodie bag (sponsored by california fitness) there was a

a. Brooks orange colour dry fit t-shirt

b. an exclusive waterbottle sponsored by Social Developement Unit

c. pen cum post it labels (really!) sponsored by SDU

d.hairbrush made in Italy from Reds Hairdressing

e. 4 25% off student discount vouchers from Reds Haidressing

f. 7 Day VIP PASS from CAlifornia Fitness (for people over 21- how to use it?)

g. Free fountain drink from Munchie Monkey Cafe in NUS

h.Bottle of New Water (not in photo- already drank its contents)

i. Fantasic Barbeque Rice crackers (2)

j. a copy of old issue of time magazine

Wow!! Running does have its rewards!!!

Just wished that it wasn't such a hot day...

Looking forward to my next race....


Saturday, May 26, 2007

HIHS Cheerleading at Sports Carnival 2007 .:LIVE FOOTAGE:.!!

Here are the live videos of the four houses cheerleading at the HIHS Sports Carnival

1) Red Kites



2) Blue Eagles



3) Green Hawks



4) Last but Not Least, the YellOW Falcons!!!! Enjoy!!!!

Friday, May 25, 2007

HIHS Sports Carnival 2007




Yesterday 25 May was the HIHS Sports Carnival 2007. The event started at 7.35 am where we got to see our house logos for the first time and there was a handing over of the House Flags. Wow!It was just like a mini olympics and so grand... Nigel my Yellow Falcon House Captain said that he also did not know about the flag and that was the first time he saw it.




Here are some photos of the banners that was put up on the fence of the school field.




At 8am there was 4x 430m staff relay. This was also the offical opening of the sports carnival by Mrs Wong. No guesses for which house won the staff relay. It could only Yellow Falcons, my house. Mr Rizal ran so fast , so did Mr Sim. But that was to me not the highlight of the day. For me it was the 1300m race to held later at 9.10 am.

The games were held concurrently. There was soccer,



Captain's Ball, Basketball, Badminton, Floorball, Table tennis.

At 11am the 3 guest of Honour came. I think they were from the National Soccer Team There was an exhibition game with them. They played with our school teachers (wearing red number tags)




The GOHs wore white soccer jerseys.The match looked quite exciting...

Later they presented the prizes for some of the events. But not athletics. Oh dear! I was still waiting for my medal...




Then there was Push ball




and tug of war. Again all by levels. By this time t was 2 p.m. and still the evnt had not finished...


From our teacher's shadows you can see that it is very hot and that it was the mid- day laready




But the day was not finished yet. There was still the Cheerleading Finals from the four houses.




These are the Red Kites. It was already 2.30 p.m. when there was annaouncement that the Carnival was already over and the medals for the winners would be given out after school holidays.

Oh well! Except for that the event ran overtime. I really enjoyed myself and there were many events to see. I am looking forward to my next year's school sports carnival ....

Thursday, May 24, 2007

1300m race at the HIHS Sports Carnival 2007

Today was my school's sports carnival, so no lessons. Instead there was basketball, badminton, floorball,soccer, captain's ball... What i was waiting for all week was not any ball game but the athletics events. Too bad because of my cough, i was on antibiotics last week. I even gave up the Sentosa field trip last friday so that i can get well faster. Then my parents forbade me to go for the 430m heats on tuesday. Even Mr Tong said that i was not allowed to go for the heats. He was very unhappy that i wanted to run and compared me jaguar. He kept saying, advising that i did not have to run to prove that i able to do it.I was already a jaguar in his eyes. Once i step on the accelarator, i will be first... But i wanted so badly to run. I just want to support my house Yellow Falcons. I had to run...

Anyway, all i know that there was no 1300m heats on tuesday so it was a striaght final with 8 boys.

The day before,i went to see the doctor again for a review. He checked my thorat, my lungs were clear, even my blood pressure was normal. He could not detect anything wrong with me... That boosted my confidence up somewhat but i was still scared. I went to sleep early but my mind was thinking how to plan the race so that i could win,,,

The race was supposed to start at 9.10 am so i warmed up early. Mr Sim was the announcer. There were 4 atheltics events 430m, 1300m,4 x430m relay, and high jump. It was done by levels so mine was 1300m boys sec 3. I was also the only boy from my house running. Hoever, the 430m races and some of the relays were first so by the the time they announced my race it was 10 am. But I was ready and still coughing...

Yi Sheng of blue hawks dropped out of the race as he had competed the 430m earlier and felt he was not up to it. So that left seven of us. I was the only boy from my house, Yellow Falcons.


We all lined up at the starting line. Mr Sim shouted 'Go!' Then the horn blared and away we ran. A pity i could not fly...

Why 1300m? One round around the school is 430m. So we ran 3 rounds. As the school was on a slope, we had to run down hill to the road where there was a gate which was seldom opened, (but opened today because of the atletics events), run 100m on the road, turn left into the main gate and run up the slope again, pass the canteen , turn left and run another 50m to reach the finishing point.

At we sped off Ernest from Eagles was in the lead. I was fifth as we ran down the slope. I overtook the other runners as we came up the slope. In the second round i was leading. I heard Mr Sim annoucing excitedly that the Yellow Falcons was in the lead when i passed him. Ernest had dropped behind. Ryan from Red Kites was behind me maybe by 60m. I was feeling exhausted but i did not cough. It was easy going down the slope in the third round but it was difficult going up the slope... I almost walked. So Ryan had a chance to close the gap...

Anyway when i was up the slope the finishing line was just metres away and there was a finishing tape so i just ran into it....The Yellow Falcons were cheering me on... It was absolutely thrilling to feel the adrenalin rush...


Ryan was maybe 15 or 20m behind me... He was seond. Ernest was 4th.


After the race Mr Sim congraulated me. Did i mention he was from Yellow Falcons too?

Mr Rizal also congratulated me. He is the Yellow Falcons House Master. I went to see Mt Tong. He was busy. I told him i had won but he already knew that the jaguar would win. I think he was very very thankful to find that i did not collapse..Sorry Mr Tong. I just had to run...


A pity the medal was not given out today as the event was running late. Mrs ganesan announced that the medal winners will get them when school reopen after the school holidays...

I can't wait for my next race....

Saturday, May 19, 2007

The Long Green Line



The Long Green Line is a group of York High School Cross Country Runners wearing their green school cross country running t-shirts crossing the finish line at cross country meets.

York High School is in Elmhurst, Illinois, USA. They are the one of the best high school cross country teams in the state and have won the cross country state championships 24 times (beating 700 other schools in that state to reach there).I really admire them...

A group of old students from York High School is creating a documentary about the cross country team which will be released later this year.They first started making the movie two years ago and i am glad they finishing it soon.
Hopefully, i will to be able to watch it. But i don't know whether the movie will be released here...

To me this excerpt has already taught me many things about cross country and about life. Lessons which are useful for daily life and living. To me running is an exhilarating sport.... I really enjoy it. ..

To know more go to http://www.longgreenlinemovie.com/

Running Techniques

For those interested to run.
Here are a few running tips.Enjoy!


Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Michael Johnson vs Jeremy Wariner

Both Michael Johnson and Jeremy Wariner are 400m Olympic champions. Watch them fly across the track...

For the record Michael Johnson ran the 400m in 43.19s. I wish i could run like that...

The 400m olympic record is 43.49s set by Michael Johnson in Atlanta during the 1996 Summer Olympics. Jeremy Wariner did not break the record even though he won the 400m event at the 2004 olympics in Athens.

Jeremy Wariner was featured in the 'adidas impossisble is nothing' advertisements.

The music is fantastic!

Enjoy!

Monday, May 14, 2007

Running on Sunday

Yesterday i woke up at 6 am to go running at Mt Faber with my friends from my running club.

I enjoyed running up Mt Faber with Uncle Chua. Aunty Josie, Uncle Kalai, Aunty Roda, Aunty Cindy, Uncle Jo and his wife, Aunty Juliana and her husband... I was so happy to see them... But I felt a bit sad... Next sunday is the New Balance Pacesetters 15 km run. Quite a few of them are going. I feel like running 15 km too but i can't go...

Why?

1. It is in K.L. How to go? Moreover it is school time. Aunty Cindy asked me to stay home and study instead...

2. Also it s for people over 16. Even next year i cannot go... I will still be under 16. This time my club is sponsoring the participation fees. Not fair...Why must i wait so long???


Anyway i am looking forward to my next run...I can't wait...

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Finally Exams Are Over

Today the mid- year exams are finally over. Whew! Today only the sec 3 express students came as it was Chinese Oral. I was very fortunate to have 蔡李老师

After the Orals, it was play time!! To enjoy myself i went swimming with my sister. Today waas also the last day of her exams. Wow! it felt good as i have not swum for a long time. I spent one enjoyable hour... Too bad it was so short. Then we went to the Geylang East library.

I borrowed PC magazines and videos. It has been a month since i went to the library... When i borrowed four books, there was a lucky dip. I had to write a dedication for mother's day first. Too bad! I did not win any lucky dip...

I really enjoyed myself today. The best part was that I got to eat roast chicken for dinner . Yummy!

Friday, May 4, 2007

Imagine All The People - An Anti- War Song

Imagine by John Lennon



Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no country
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one


This song was written by John Lennon once part of the group Beatles. He was assissinated in 1980. I like the haunting words and music. Even though i do not know any one in Virginia Tech , i hope nothing ever happens here in Singapore... The incident on 16 April was too shocking and horrifying to imagine...

Today i went running with my cjc running mates. I had not seen them for quite a while. I heard from yong chang that jackie's father had passed away and he had returned to Penang for the funeral. I flet sorry for him. Jackie is only 3 years older than me yet he has left malaysia to come to singapore to study. I am so lucky that my father is with me. He actually helps me in my work especally maths and science. I hope i never disappoint him. ..