It's OFFICIAL!

Phew... I finally did it... I completed the 10K run this morning at 7 something with an official time of 69:07.34. Yeah, I know, it's quite lame but it was certainly quite an achievement for me, because I didn't stop. During the actual Subang Jaya 10K run, I stopped at least twice! And I definitely felt strong and not as tired as I did when I did it the first time. I could still kick at the last mile! I would say that probably, the first time, my time should be over 70 mins. Another big thing for me is, I didn't have any knee pain! Wooooohoooooo...... I still remember the first time I ran, both my knees hurt almost throughout the run. This morning, after the halfway mark, I did feel some strain on my knees, but no pain. Even until now... thank You Jesus!

Can't wait for Nov 15... which is the 2-mile run, my actual target and focus. Let's see if I can break my personal best of 17:45.63. Go go go!

Anyways, in this post, I would like to blog about World Records in Athletics. I remember back in primary and secondary school, I represented my "house" every year, with the maximum number of events - 3 individual and 2 team events. And almost every year I will take part in different events, until my later schooling years, which is more towards distance running. Let see... I tried high jump, long jump, triple jump, 80m hurdles (I could have won the GOLD had I not fell down... yeah, I fell and still got 2nd), 110m hurdles, 4X400m relay (this was a memorable one... my first and only GOLD on the track... and I was the anchor ie last person), 400m hurdles, 800m (this was also a memorable one... even though it is only a bronze... I was 3rd going into the final stretch, and Cyril Ong, one of my best buddies in running was catching up and trying to cut me... my oh my... it was a neck-to-neck finish!!! And I remember I beat him by hundredths of a second... by dipping at the finishing line! LOL... I think this is a first... normally dipping is for sprint events), 1500m, 3000m steeplechase (the toughest event on track... in case you don't know what is this, this is the event with four big hurdles and one water jump every round... altogether 7 rounds and yupz... you get soaking wet in this event...) and 5000m. The ones in BOLD and GOLD are the ones I had won gold medals in, BOLD and SILVER... you know it... and BRONZE, of course. Ahhh... all these sweet memories... like the saying goes... you'll never get to do certain things in life once you are past that age... and I am sure glad I took part in all those stuffs back then... very enriching experience...

But alas, all these are nothing compared to these world record holders in athletics!!! And did I say that 90% of them are Christians?

Anyways... because there are so many events, I shall post the 10 Most Recent World Record, and 10 of the OLDEST records...

The Most Recent World Record:

1. 20K (road) Women - 1:02:57 - Lornah Kiplagat - 14 Oct '07

2. Half Marathon (road) Women - 1:06:25 - Lornah Kiplagat - 14 Oct '07

3. Marathon - 2:04:26 - Haile Gebrselassie - 30 Sept '07

4. 20K Walk (road) - 1:17:16 - Vladimir Kanaykin - 29 Sept '07

5. Two Mile Women - 8:58.58 - Meseret Defar - 14 Sept '07

6. 100m - 9.74 - Asafa Powell - 9 Sept '07

7. One hour (track) - 21.285K - Haile Gebrselassie - 27 June '07

8. 20K - 56:26.0 - Haile Gebrselassie - 27 June '07

9. Hammer Women - 78.61m - Tatyana Lysenko - 26 May '07

10. Half Marathon (road) - 58:33 - Samuel Kamau Wanjiru - 17 March '07

I think you might have noticed... 80% of the most recent world records are in long distance running... And of course, I'm sure you noticed that all of them are either an Ethiopian or a Kenyan. How come they are so good? Take Haile Gebrselassie for example, one of the greatest distance runners in history - he ran 10K to school every single day, and 10K back! That's 20K every day!!! Phew... Check out this pic of him man... giler dramatic... This is the Sydney Olympics 10K race he beat Paul Tergat by 0.09 seconds!!! LOL... the winning margin is even smaller than the 100m winning margin... LOL

But is distance running records easier to break? I don't think so... look at the 100m world record. The shortest distance in outdoor athletics... is broken so many times in the past couple of years! Look at Asafa Powell setting 9.74 for the new world record... and if you have noticed carefully... he slowed down in the last few meters! What the??? And he didn't dip also... The record could have been even lower!

This guy is really good... and no steroids or drugs, unlike all the other lousy 100m runners... shameful bunch of crap... and he loves Jesus! Here's an extract from an interview:

Gleaner: How has your Christianity helped you to be a good athlete?
Powell: It has helped me a lot, to tell you the truth. It helps me to stay focused, to stay humble especially with the (media) hype out there. I have a verse I say each time I am going to run, 'I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength.' He just gives me the strength and to tell you the truth it touches me a lot. Every time I say it, motivates me.

Amen, Asafa. Keep shining for Christ!

Ooppss... how did I get there? Anyways... back to World Records, now for the 10 Oldest Records:

1. 800m Women - 1:53.28 - Jarmila Kratochvílová - 26 July '83

2. 400m Women - 47.60 - Marita Koch - 6 Oct '85

3. 4X100m Relay Women - 41.37 - East Germany - 6 Oct '85

4. Discus - 74.08m - Jürgen Schult - 6 June '86

5. Hammer - 86.74m - Yuriy Sedykh - 30 Aug '86

6. Shot put Women - 22.63m - Natalya Lisovskaya - 7 June '87

7. High jump Women - 2.09m - Stefka Kostadinova - 30 Aug '87

8. Long jump Women - 7.52m - Galina Chistyakova - 11 June '88

9. 100m Women - 10.49 - Florence Griffith Joyner - 16 July '88

10. Discus Women - 76.80m - Gabriele Reinsch - 9 July '88

And very interestingly... 80% of the oldest records are in the Women's events... What happened to all the women athletes? 1983 is like... almost half a century ago man (woman)! Is the 800m Women's mark unbreakable? Look at the closest any woman got this year, 2007: Janet Jepkosgei in 1:56.04. That's so far away! Last year? Janet Jepkosgei in 1:56.66... HUH??? Only improved 0.62 seconds in one year! What about 2005? Tatyana Andrianova in 1:56.07... nope... still not below 1:56... 2004? Tatyana Andrianova in 1:56.23... Sad... The TOP 12 best ever times for 800m Women were set in the 70s, 80s and 90s... none in the 2000s. Yupz... even 70s times still within the TOP 12 best times. So tough meh??? Hmmm... I mean, I'm sure the 800m Men's time is even more difficult to break... I mean, Sebastian Coe held the World Record of 1:41.73 in 1981 for 16 years, before Wilson Kipketer came along and broke it TWICE, once equalling it in 1997... in fact, he holds 2/3 of the TOP 12 best times in 800m. Don't tell me the Men's record is easier to break than the Women's. Probably it is lack of interest in the 800m. Or lack of the drive to push... But I think I know why... looking at Jarmila Kratochvílová, my goodness! She was not a 800m runner!!! What the??? She was actually actively competing as a 400m runner. She held the world record for 400m in 1983, before Marita Koch broke it in 1985. She still holds the 2nd fastest 400m time ever. And how did she set the 800m World Record, the oldest and longest standing ever??? It was reported that she entered a one-off 800m in Munich as a training exercise... WHAT THE??? Training exercise??? LOL.......

Anyways... after doing some more research, I discovered one valid and concrete evidence why the women in the 80s held so many world records until now, why nobody came close to their records...

Illegal performance-enhancing drugs... there were no official tests during then to check the athletes... and there were so many rumours and reports that Jarmila Kratochvílová (Czech), Marita Koch together with all her East Germany compatriots actually were part of a National program in receiving and being administered the illegal drugs. Probably that explains why the TOP 10 oldest records in athletics are so hard to break... because the previous record holders used illegal drugs!!!

Let's look at these "female" athletes...

Oh my God! You know who is this... Jarmila Kratochvílová!!! Look at the tell-tale signs of illegal drug usage man!!! At first I thought this looks more like a MAN!!! Shit... and she managed to get away... because anti-doping tests were not introduced yet...

Next... Marita Koch and her East Germany compatriots...

*Shakes head*

Ooppss... guess I better end here... need to go get my dinner! LOL...... have a great weekend Friends!

WHERE AM I NOW?

AM I ON TRACK?

WHERE AM I HEADING?

WHAT AM I DOING NOW?

WHAT ARE MY VISION & GOALS AGAIN?


These are the questions that are darting in and out of my head this whole day...

And I know... it's HIGH TIME I did an appraisal for myself, my life.

And it's about time I STOP wasting time doing things that had absolutely nothing to do with my vision and goals!

Romans 7:19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. (NIV)

Help me Lord...

It's OVER!

Woooooooohoooooooooo!

Hi Friends! As you can see, I didn't blog at all for almost the whole week. Reason? Monthly report and Performance Appraisal!!! 2 huge bombs due last Wednesday and Friday. And I'd only get to start doing it on last Monday. Amazing, really, how I managed to accomplish such a feat... the sleepless nights, averaging 3-4 hours for the whole week. It was no wonder I slept for almost the whole of Saturday... and still felt tired on Sunday morning! LOL

Anyways, THANK GOD for giving me the strength and wisdom to do ALL things... I actually thought of not going for the Wed Praise & Worship Nite, but I did... and I am really glad I did, for I don't think I could have accomplished everything without Him, without His Spirit. And I would like to take this opportunity to share my long due testimony... I can't really remember whether I have shared this before... I think I did, but anyways... God reminded me of this testimony during the Wed nite thingy... so I thought of sharing it again... no harm right?

I used to have both of my arms EASILY DISLOCATE-ABLE... I seriously lost count how many times I dislocated both of them... It was really bad... It came off during badminton, basketball, handball, swimming, sneezing, sleeping, I mean, it was just really bad... And I am just so proud to say that Jesus has healed both my arms and given me new arms, new joints, new cartilages, new tendons, new ligaments..... I seriously had not had any dislocation since... you won't believe this, but seriously... since I came to RLC in 2002!!! Remember the Thanksgiving List I used to be doing every year? Yups... that was the year the dislocations STOPPED FOR GOOD... The first few years, I was like... relieved when the end of the year came, and heaved a huge sigh of relief when no dislocation happened in the whole year. But now, I am not even conscious of it anymore. Because I KNOW that Jesus HAD healed me... so why should I think back at whether it will come off again or not??? Weird... it's like going to someone whose arms had NEVER dislocated and expecting that person's arms to dislocate easily... And the best thing is, I can and had been carrying heavy things, like my darling (ooppss... didn't mean you are heavy baby), weights, furniture without any problem at all... wanna check out my deltoids? Heh heh heh...

When God reminded me of this miracle He performed on Wed nite, I wept in joy silently... for a bit... and thank Him profusely for Who He is... Jehovah Rapha... our Healer.

Anyways... this is not the only testimony... I remember sharing about a HUGE MISTAKE I did at work... and I received a warning letter for that... and I thought that my Performance Appraisal sure gone case already lah... better be prepared for a lower rating and expect lower increment and bonuses. I was really ready to accept responsibility for that mistake. And my oh my was I surprised, or should I say quietly SHOCKED when during my appraisal face-to-face with my boss on Friday, he said, "Don't let one minor thing affect your whole appraisal". Huh????? What the??? Wooooooooohoooooooooo! And that came from him........... my boss......... Hahahahaha........... And I thank God that this is His favour....... and nothing else but His favour poured on me.....

And another testimony is that I did 40:14.10 for the 15-rounds-run, more than 7 minutes faster than 3 months ago, yesterday. Next up: 5K on Wednesday and finally...... the big one...... the Subang Jaya 10K Run route..... to be attempted on this coming (very) early Saturday morning, 5:00am. Anybody wanna join me? LOL Why so early, you may ask? Well... to avoid all the cars and bikes. There will not be any officials or people paving the way for runners like previously on the actual day, but I am doing this on my own. Can't run properly if too many cars/bikes on the road. This is going to be fun. Now I am going to get my official time or should I say my REAL time. 61 minutes previously was just an estimate.

Oh well... it was indeed a great week, very eventful and very positively encouraging...... and I think I can really sit back and relax for the year already......... woooooohooooooo! Time to catch up on reading, movies, time with my baby before she leaves for US (sob sob... I'll miss you baby), and SLEEP! Of course....... and so many more other things....... Ahhhhh....... can start to do Christmas shopping already...... heh heh heh..........

God bless and have a great week ahead!