♡

Thank God I made it in time for the flag-off! The traffic was so bad + we got lost so it was a really long journey here lol.

Really want to thank God for the very good weather though! I thought it'd be rather warm and sunny given the late timing for flag-off but it was surprisingly very cloudy and windy for most parts of the run! Though I didn't perform up to my own expectations, I'm thankful for God's providence throughout this race.

Though I've tried 21.1km twice (or rather, 22km for one of it due to the inaccurate measurement by the organizer), completing 15km still wasn't easy. The first 10km was alright for me and I was still able to maintain my performance, but everything kinda went downhill after the 10km lol.



But anyway, still completed my 15km!


Post-race carnival~


Reunited with Michelle who went for 10km! She lost her finisher medal right after she got it so that explains the hand-drawn one hahaha. Before meeting her, I bumped into an ex-classmate from secondary school! It was actually quite surprising cause I haven't talked to him much in the past.. but it was a good and short catch up! Really quite interesting to see how they mature over the years too hahaha.


My shoefie with my medal and bib.


And yay! Our third race together, though we didn't run together this time haha.


Although it was pretty inconvenient to get there (no shuttle buses catered), I still really wanted to join RAC 2016 because:

1) It's a cause that I support

2) I've always wanted to try a distance between 10km and 21.1km

3) Wanted a change in route after running the Marina route for most of my races (RAC's was at ECP)

4) I wanted to go back to where I started two years back and remember the reason why I decided to continue running

While I was running, many thoughts flashed through my mind. I started to remember why I chose to sign up for RAC 2014. Other than wanting to take part in a 10km race for the very first time, it's also a small form of support from me to the cancer patients and survivors! Throughout my run in 2014, I kept keeping in mind that what I was going through the run (i.e the ache and fatigue) was nothing in comparison to what they face everyday. And that was what kept me going for RAC 2014, and why I decided to continue running even after that.

My late grandpa was actually the main reason why I chose to join RAC back in 2014 as well. He's the reason why I support the cause.. because it was through the time I got to spend with him while he was battling with cancer that I got to understand and see how much pain and suffering cancer patients have to go through to fight for their own survival.. & I saw how my grandpa fought hard till the very end, always trying to put on the smile for us. Unfortunately, he didn't win the battle and he was taken away from us.

So the reason why I wanted to participate in RAC once again is also for my dearest grandpa. Though it's been five years since he left, he still remains alive in my thoughts and heart.

A run to remember him, a run to remember the reason why and how I began running, and a run to support those who're still battling with cancer.

The journey won't be easy, but fight on!

Wasn't expecting him to be there since Clarissa told me that she haven't seen him for quite some time.. but surprise, surprise, he appeared! Prior to seeing him, I thought it'd be better if I don't see him again.. because that'd mean I have to go through the whole separation thing again, which will be very soon. Despite those thoughts, a part of me was wishing that he'd be there too!

At the start of work, I thought maybe he really wouldn't come already since it was past the usual time he'd come. But approximately 30 minutes into work, I suddenly saw this skinny figure from the corner of my eye. And this figure was staring at me while walking over. (It was actually quite obvious because I was looking down at some worksheets then, and it seemed like he was bending his head to look so as to confirm if it was me hahaha)

I looked up, and saw this familiar boy smiling at me.

(p.s I melted)

"Hello", I said calmly, and he continued to give that smile while walking away.

I was shocked, but I felt sooooooooo happy. Happy to finally see him again, and even happier that he remembers me! Really felt that all my worries disappeared for that instant hahaha.

After that, he went back to his seat and just started to do his work so diligently. I was really so shocked by this because he wasn't like that five months back lol. Felt really glad to see that he matured in a good way, though a little sad that he wasn't as attached as before.

He came over with his completed maths worksheet (with that smile as usual), and since I was free then, I reached out my hand to ask him to pass it to me to mark for him. He passed it to me (still with that smile!!!!) and walked away.

Thought he wouldn't be asking me any questions (like how he used to) already, till I suddenly saw this worksheet being slipped in front of me. Looked up and it was him! At this moment I was feeling happy and thankful that some things really remain the same no matter how time passes. It's even more shocking cause he's at the age where their 'favourite teacher' changes very quickly. Proceeded to teach him and found that he's much more focused than before! Really love this side of him. :-)

Another student who made my day was Calista! Actually saw her last week but it seemed like she only half-remembers me lol (like she was just staring but didn't act like her usual self in front of me) so I thought maybe she had forgotten about me. But today, she walked over to my table and said, "I'm going to draw the eraser! I still have that eraser. It's on my daddy's car." I was shocked since I thought she had forgotten about me, but even more shocked that she remembers this memory from more than half a year ago?! Kids are really so impressionable, which is super adorable when it's in a good way.

Saw Ashlee too, but she didn't see me at the start. She later also joined in the 'staring-to-confirm-it's-her' group and then she started to ask me questions like how she did in the past. :-)

Really happy to be able to reunite with a few of my favourite kids from my old workplace today. What more, to know that they still remember me. That's probably one of the best feelings in the world! I'm really thankful and overjoyed to see all of them again. Though it won't be for long, I hope to cherish the time I will have together with them!