Bouncing back into shape

I have been a miserable "git" for the past 4 weeks folowing my hernia operation. Not being able to induldge in my favourite past-time, sports, was unbearable. Not being able to throw Thomas and Sammy around was equally difficult to accept. Having to ask a taxi driver to help getting my bag out of the boot was a sample of older days to come.
In the grand scheme of life though, an hernia operation is a very minor event but made me realise how sports can be addictive. So to celebrate my return to training (not to shape yet), I have registered for the Malaysia 70.3 (half-Ironman) at the end of July. Having only about 8 weeks to train this is the opportunity to put into practice new training techniques that I have been researching on my off-days. I am hoping to learn from the Singapore 70.3 and correct some weaknesses. The next 2 months will be hard and I just hope that my "repatching" will hold.

McDonalds: the new libraries

This poster has been spotted in a few McDonalds around Singapore "Dear Students: please refrain from studying in our restaurant during the following peak hours: ..."

Quite right, it is difficult to find a table at McDonalds these days. In my days (a few decades ago) Libraries would be the place to go studying. How boring! In Singapore, McDonalds are the new libraries. Just buy a small fries at S$1.20, or if you are loaded go for the Grande Macchiato Frappe de-cafed on crushed ice and whipped cream at S$5.90 and spend the rest of the afternoon studying the Pitagora theorem and putting your fancy scientic calculator to good use. I guess you only see that here in Singapore...

Back to Singapore

We are back to Singapore after an excellent week holidaying in Phuket and celebrating Helen's 40th. Club Med was great as always, it's an abolute kids' paradise.

Outside of the resort, we were a bit disappointed by the Island which mainly caters for mass turism. If you are looking to buy a tee-shirt,that's the place to go.If you want some pristine and unsploit beaches, or if you are respectful of the environment, that's not the place to go. Take Ko Phi Phi Don Island, about 40 km South West of Krabi city, famed for its spectacular landscape and beautiful corral. Everymorning, a fleet of powerboats leave Krabi to drop hundreds of turists on the Phi Phi's shores. We flew over Phi Phi on the way back and it is amazig to see all these power boats converging into Phi-Phi.

More time to think!

Having now freed up 12-15 hours of weekly training for a couple of weeks, I have more time to think. I have spent the morning first meeting other parents (well 99% mums) at the coffee morning organised at Thomas's school for new parents and then at the Singapore Association for the visually handicapped where I have presented a small project. These two worlds could not be any more different. They are only meters apart as Thomas' school is a stone's throw away from the SAVH, but in reality there are zillion miles apart.
Some have short term concerns: what are they going to do this afternoon: tennis or hairdresser? Massage or coffee with friends? Some others have not got such important decisions to make. They may not worry about the afternoon because all the afternoons are the same. Unless some volunteers (not me- or not yet) are willing to brighten their world.
I don't care about knowing what are the best coffee shops in Singapore. I care about knowing what's happening within the SAVH.

Lesson of humility

I have spent the past 30 hours in hospital undergoing an hernia repair. This small experience made me realise how important health is to me and also how fragile it can be. Loosing a good physical shape can take a few hours, regaining it can take days or more likely weeks.

Lately I have heard that one of my classmates at LBS, Gavin Maitland, has completed a triathlon after a double lung transplant in March 08. What a man! And a what a lesson of courage and humility. I feel extremely humbled by Gavin’s performance.

I have spent most of the night awake (I shared the room with a very noisy patient) thinking about life and looking forward at the future.

Hernia

Just one day to go before my second hernia operation in less than a year. I kept bad memories of the first one which was done in the UK. I remember the surgeon starting to draw with a marker on my body. I asked him "What are you doing Doctor?" to which he replied "Oh don't worry, this is just to mark the zone I will open". Straight away, I told him, "that's the wrong side, my hernia is on the left hand side". He casually replied "of yes, of course"... Scary surgeon.
The surgeon in Singapore seems much more professional, I am sure I will be able to update you in a couple of days.

Another 4:15 a.m. start

Thursday 16th April 4:15 a.m

Time to wake up - cycling jersey on, no time for shaving just a couple of slices of toast and 1/2 liter of orange juice. Left home at 4:45 a.m. to reach the meeting point by 5 a.m. Met about 20 other riders from "Joy Riders" that ride most days at 5 a.m.

That's the start of a 65 km bike ride that takes 2 hours and a lot of sweat.

At 7:15 a.m, we can finally enjoy a bit of breakfast, then went home, swapped my cycling shoes for running shoes and ran for 30 minutes. I feel tired, but it is just the beginning of 6 months of training. So keep smiling :-)

Now it's 11 p.m. and I desperately need to revise my swimming instructor course. The exam is coming up tomorrow.