Historical Landmark of My Life

On the way home this Saturday afternoon, I passed by the Bedok Stadium and I decided to walk in to talk a look. The very moment I walked through those tall green gates and my eyes fixed on the green field within the 400m running track… memories just began to flood back to my mind.

As I gazed at the running track surrounding the huge field of grass, I felt the quiet closeness within. An unseen bonding with this place… I recognized this as my second home… during my secondary school days. A smile broke across my face and warmness glowed in my heart. For this place held special significance to me.

I was an active athletics runner back in my secondary school days. At that time, I vividly remembered how unfit I was, until I joined the Seladang Scout Troop. This was where my athletic journey began.

Growing up through my younger years, it wasn’t difficult to realize that I am not very good at ball sports. Rather, I seem to be able to thrive quite reasonably at individual sporting events; specifically in running.

I wasn’t the best in school or even in my class, but I learnt this at a young age – that one’s talent isn’t about what one can do better than everyone else. But rather, it is what one can do best in view of all else that one can do.

For me, running was the best sport that I could perform in… and I loved the thrill of training and competition. The wind against my face, the sweat on my arms, the burning sensation in my legs, the beating of my heart, the challenge against the clock and the final sprint (and yell) towards the finishing line. That made me the runner that I was in my secondary school days.

Bedok Stadium is the place that I had most of my track and field competitions (of coz, on top of my other participation in the yearly Road Run). This is the place where I trained hard. I recall walking from my block at Bedok North, all the way to the Bedok Stadium, as a warm-up before my training run. And thereafter, walking back home as part of my cooling-down after the run.

This is the place where I train intensely – at one time, 6 times a week, 3.2 Km each time; to prepare for my yearly NAPFA 2.4 Km run. According to the NAPFA fitness chart, this 2.4 Km event was titled ‘2.4 Km Walk / Jog’… but it has never been a walk or jog to me. I would always laugh to myself whenever I see that wording. It was a true joke... a pure insult to a competitive runner like me.

This is also the place where I took part in relay events with my classmates and scouts. Be it the ‘4 x 100m’ or ‘4 x 400m’ relay… or maybe I should say that I have participated in all short and middle distance track and field events, all except the 200m race. I competed in the 200m race during my JC days, as the 10 x 200m relay, which we won gold in both consecutive years. Thus, I can say that I have taken part in all short and middle distance races in my life.

They are - 100m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m, 4 x 100m, 4 x 400m, 10 x 200m, Road Run, Cross Country. I also took part in half-marathon and the RSN-50 ‘25 x 2 Km’ relay race during my NS days against the best units in the SAF and Navy. And just last year, I participated in the New Balance 10 Km Real Run at Sentosa, comprising of 3 different types of terrain – road, sand and trail. Thus, even though I didn’t win a lot of medals, my experience in competitive running is still indeed something fruitful and meaningful to look back upon… and smile.

PS: This is also the place where I once ran in all yellow attire! 1 light yellow t-shirt and 1 bright yellow shorts! My secondary school friend said I looked like a chicken running around the track! Hahahaha… =)