Run Forrest Run...

When i was a kid and on a plane flying to HK on a holiday with my mother, i happened to be fortunate enough to catch Forrest Gump on the flight.

I really connected to Forrest in terms of the way he felt he was incapable of doing certain things. The day he got up and ran for his life and proved that he could run was the type of days i use to yearn for.

I hated having asthma as a kid.

I couldnt play as much as the kids on the streets or at school.

I always felt limited and above all, i was scared that i would have an attack if i did try to play and end up in the hospital.

I think dealing with asthma has come a long way in 26 years.

I dont think i really "grew out" of it. I think i exercised it out of my system and taught my lungs to breathe properly through aerobic exercising.

But when i was a kid, no one, not even the doctors really informed my parents that i should exercise and keep at it. To train my body to deal with it and that there would be light at the end of the tunnel, that there is hope, a huge hope that i will no longer have to be dependant on Ventolin.

The day i stopped using Ventolin before i started doing any aerobic exercising at the gym, was the day i felt as though i had conquered Everest. It felt as though i had ran a marathon...without the wheezing.

Even though i havent used Ventolin for over 7 years now, i had never actually attempted to run outside for a distance. Remember those Cross Country races at school? I always started the race, but had to pull out because i would have an asthma attack along the way.

I think that fear had gripped me until recently when i had prepared for the JP Morgan run (that race that never happened due to the weather). I started to actually try to run certain distances and found that i could do the distance with a few breaks powerwalking between.

I stopped trying to run the distance when the JP Morgan run got cancelled, but recently attempted to run again - just for fun.

From my house to the local city farm its 4km. So, the total distance there and back is 8km.

My friend and i went on the first attempt and i found that i was completely puffed. We attributed my lost breath to the the dairy i had 2 hours before the run. If i can do the run between my office to Mrs Mac's Chair and back...i should at least be able to do 4km without dying.

I tried the run again yesterday and found that i could do the first 4km easily...the trip home was another thing. But i still managed to finish the 8km under 50 minutes.

While running yesterday, it felt great. I realised that i was achieving something of immense magnitude. Well, for me anyway. I never could see myself run...and here i was...even after breaking my ankle last year.

I may not be Forrest Gump, but i think i have achieved a personal best - from never running and now being able to comfortably trot for 4km.

The trick now is to actually run the whole 8km...and its my challenge now. I want to improve my fitness to be able to do this without puffing out.


I've watched "So you think you can dance" since it started and i am completely hooked. And for some reason, when i watch the partners dance, i feel like dancing too. *LoL* My feet start tapping or i feel like wiggling my bottom and prance around the house.

Depending on how things work out over this holiday, i think i might start taking lessons. I had searched some schools that teach the Lindy Hop (Swing) because i absolutely love the music...but im now thinking that i want to Mambo, Samba and Cha Cha...ahahhahaa...

As for who i want to win the competition...in terms of couples i really like Natalie & Musa, and Ben & Doniella (?). Musa, being an untrained dancer seems to have a natural ability and Natalie really complements him with her technically trained abilities as a dancer. Ben and Doniella are both fabulous dancers and have a hoot every time they dance. Which i think is the only reason why you'd dance - to have fun, to enjoy yourself...its not meant to be a chore. Within these 2 teams, they are really supportive of each respective partner, and i think that shows when they dance.

I actually make my Sunday evenings free so that i can watch this show.

I cant wait until next week's episode!