Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Run x Cripple x Waking up

Yesterday I went to take my IPPT, first one since ORDing. For reasons logic cannot understand I chose to have it at Maju, which is super far from home but relatively near school. Catch is, I didn't have school yesterday.

I guess on some level that place was more familiar to me. No doubt the place was nostalgic and there were some nifty improvements (sheltered walkway from coy line to gate!) but it was a huge waste of travel time.

The thought of taking ippt knowing I would fail for sure was making me anxious and panicky all day. I woke up, couldn't eat, couldn't go back to sleep and as a result by the time I began I could be considered sufficiently dehydrated and hungry like xmagah. I was just so overcome- like a huge invisible hand gripped my whole being, holding it in an unnatural twist.

Plus I left late cos I started packing but consistently forgot things like what will I do for a phone, towel, change of clothes etc and reached 15mins after my reporting time. No matter there were still many people streaming in but the trip itself was nerve wrecking, thinking how I would be late and if I would be charged if I was defaulted being late.

Surprisingly I waltzed into the camp and after getting my tag I ran into Gordon! It was a pure coincidence, unplanned and unexpected. Now I had a friend within and we crapped all the way till it began- there went my nerves. He was a Godsend.

To put it briefly, nothing has changed since my time in green- I still pass my 3/4 stations and get 0 pull ups. I was even pleasantly surprised when my second jump went 236 but I skidded and fell forward.

2.4 was a whole new ballgame. It was in the MVSC (I think it's called that-) basically a multiple story car-park. We ran around the first floor only in 6 x 400m laps. Sounds simple enough save for the fact I haven't ran any distance worth mentioning since that time with Mervin. So the "run down" (pun intended) went like this-

Run my first round, feeling great 1:45. Second round I'm feeling it kick in and slowed considerably 2:30. Third round it all fell apart and I walked half the round, I was in pain after running just 1km, 7:30. I walked the first 3/4 of round four and didn't even bother to check the time, most people were done by now so it should be around 10. Last two rounds I tried to jog as much as I could to avoid being the slowest of the slows, I jogged and walked when I couldn't, gasping like a drowning guy. I finally clocked in with my worst timing EVER of 17:30. Wow, even when I walked and jogged back in school all the way I only took 16+ so this is a new record.

On the way home I couldn't help but wonder the usual, how I would train for next time and pass bla bla. Eventually I just figured I had to serve RT ANYWAY so just go and try.

Also now I am sore like mad and half a cripple :( I can't descend stairs as easily today. From experience it will wear off in a few days. And I almost couldn't get up out of bed, I kind of rolled out onto the floor leg first.

Lesson learnt? Do warm up and cook down before taking IPPT. I did neither and feel like an earthenware pot now. Cracked and heavy- leaden limbs.

So much for that. I think if I do RT + take IPT in these 9 months hopefully I can clear next time. It's not a long time away and certainly not easy but one can always try.

"Do or do not. There is no try."
Shut up Yoda


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