Yay. Turning 51 in 4 months and can still do this kinda stuff. My Litespeed Bella still gorgeous. 

Bintan Triathlon @ Nirwana Beach Club

What animals have you had to entertain in your home? Not invited of course. The joys of living in the tropics and in a home that's level with the garden and pond. For a decade, it's just been a loyal loving dog. Then out of nowhere she is hosting dog ticks. Aardwolf Pestkare are now regular visitors to do the necessary for some semblance of control. Then the next door neighbour's home construction is complete, driving a clever rat to find an alternative hideout behind our kitchen cupboards. Clever because the little guy continues to elude the professional pest controller and his numerous traps, but at least now stays out of our way. Then since we've had the pond, with my beautiful red-tailed catfish, we get the occasional frog duet, trio, quartet or choir. Amazingly loud they are. We also have a high ceiling so more than once, we've had a small bird scoot in and out. Then there's the loft. The misguided squirrel that wanders down the stairs but back up again when the dog barks.
Years ago, we had a diverse animal family. It started with the gerbils, who were prolific multipliers. Then a few hamsters. The guinea pig from SPCA. Our 4 foot tank and multiple 2 foot tanks. Crayfish we caught with sausages from Upper Peirce Reservoir. Tilapia from some longkang. A few tanks of Luo Han that we fed bits of steak to. Cichlids. Then we converted the rowboat into a koi pond. But the egret found them, so we caught the egret too. Fortunately only once was there a snake...dangling from our letter box.
Few weeks back, I videoed a monitor lizard in my backyard. Just the other day, while laid up in bed sick as a dog, there's a lot of noise coming from the living room. About 5-6 long tail macaques in the loft ! Tinge of fear as I am out-numbered. But no Alpha Male amongst them, so loud shouting & noise from hitting 2 canes together shooed them away. 

Thursday. 9am meeting so did 30min run in gym beforehand. 6km/hr about 2.5km.
Friday. Ran around neighbourhood. Greenwood. Watten. Been a while but nice.
Saturday. In hotel gym in KL. Clocked 7km/hr about 3.2km.
Yeah. There is hope. 

Yes.....still doing Tri's

Except for 2015 where turning 50 I gave myself a break from any race. After Metaman Blitz in September 2014, I discovered the joys of Shbam, Bodyjam, Zumba and other Fitness First activities. Actually all those nonsensical dancing prepared me for Metaman ! Back to back classes. Strength training with an FF coach built my core muscles. Anyway, back to triathlons this year. Have just about 4 more weeks to Bintan Triathlon 2016. I am, as usual, not prepared. But it's a Sprint distance with a new race, the 1km swim and a no-pressure bike recce. Looking forward. This year I have been sick with cold twice. Just about back to 100%. Except for my shoulder that has not been the same since January. No thank you to badminton. Ah yes, that's new this year. Love it. Especially the sweat. 

Transition Year

A house is not a home. Life as we know it can change in a second. There's no turning back. No point looking back. Does one believe the best years are behind, or ahead? That makes life a world of a difference. Glimmer of hope. Things to look forward to. Is there really any difference whether one is 50, 60, 70, 80, 90...100? Change is happening all the time. Design our life? Are we possessed by our possessions? If we don't build our dream, someone else will hire us to build theirs. Do we sell our time to others to build their dreams? Or do we buy people's time and talent to build our dreams. Does it mean that if God hasn't taken people home to heaven, that their calling on earth is still not complete? So God in His mercy allows more time for us to 'get it'. This is four months into 2016. Nonagenarian golfing has been the mainstay. The rest has been networking galore, 'carouselling', South Africa, some freelance work (never enough), attending courses related to some of my responsibilities. 2015 was fantastic, by the way. 

Note to Self

Just posted Aretha Franklin's 2015 performance. At 73yrs, she still sings awesome...and she played the piano too. Wow. So turning 51 this year, I still have 21 years to get my act together and wow myself and others. Hah! 

https://youtu.be/XHsnZT7Z2yQ

Circus
I had to go through 8 weeks of Circus Intro twice before it was safe to let me continue with Circus Level 1. So glad for that. Better second time around. Safer.
Silks. Hoop. Static Trapeze.
Still kinda scary up there but better.
Not sure whether I'm actually enjoying this class or not. But I believe I am stronger somewhat.

Bintan 2012 on 26th May

Somehow managed to complete it. No training. Not a respectable time. Bike leg took 20minutes longer than I anticipated. But I enjoyed the scenery. And I tried to encourage people along the way. Especially the overweight angmoh whose face was all red and only had one bottle. Reminded him to remember to hydrate.

6 days went by & didn't do anything. Gasp.
Sun 15 Jan. My first Circus class. Scary hanging upside down & being off the ground like that.
Upper body was aching till Wed!
Fri 20 Jan. My first Cirq Prac class. Those advance students doing even scarier stuff. It's fun. I can now do the mermaid, man on the moon and amazon. Also 2 standing things with the Lyra.
Still energized so went for a jog past Bee Ann's house.
Sat 21 Jan. Mandai loop on my Tommasini.
Sun 22 Jan. Mandai loop on my Bella.

7 Jan Sat. Lovely cool morning. Left home 7am headed towards NUS. Aching thighs up Kent Ridge after Clementi Road. Thru NUH then Holland Road & 6 Ave. Happy.
8 Jan Sun. Matt cooking tenderloin so I did my squats, weights etc. Nice stretch.

The Hill

New year. New resolve. New blog. New exercise plan.
Dedicated to the hill just a few steps away. I think that's going to make a big difference to get my desired results.
1 January. Kicked off well. Tim went swim run @ Sentosa. Matt & I worked the hill once before started to drizzle. No matter. Matt did his weights routine. I rowed 5K and did the weights.
2 January. Nice ache from the day before. Cycled 45km Orchard and Mandai loop with TT & guys. Breakfast at Hua Guan.
3 January. Spent day in office.
4 January. Did the hill 5 times. Panting away but rewarded with nice breeze on top of Sunset Ave. Continued with triples repeated.
Reverse lunge. Weighted squat. Bent push-ups.
Planks. Hanging on chin-up bar. Dumbell over head lying down.
Dumbell from side lying down. Dumbell lift standing. Something else.
Music makes a difference.
Set up the vintage CD player. Worked out to Eagles.