Apologies for the lack of updates recently, it’s just basically blogger’s block and procrastination getting the better of me once again. So on with it and let’s catch up with what went on recently.
100m race during the decathlon two weeks ago. I’m on the lane furthest away.
As I mentioned in a post earlier, I’ve finished my second decathlon with a pb score of 4043 points, but you can see from the run above I was really having a slow two days, right hamstring was still giving me problems. There were the highs and lows, but I’m glad that I stuck through it and finished the decathlon.
What happened after though is what I want to talk about. An old friend of mine from Singapore came to Loughborough to visit and so we had a chat at a bar. He used to be in athletics too and tried to make it big before he gave it up and settled for a day job. When he heard about my performances on my dec, he kinda laughed it off and compared some of my event results to what he used to be able to do.
Sometimes it’s hard when people look down on you, but that’s only because they don’t understand. They don’t understand what it took to get you here, what it took to get you through. Results only tell half the story, how you got there is the bigger half.
That’s one of the reasons why there’s so much respect among the decathletes, no matter what level of performance we’re individually at. Only we can understand and see what each other is going through everyday. That’s why we’re a brotherhood.
It may be discouraging when people do that to me, but I won’t let it get me down. If anything, it pushes me forward to work that much harder. After all ‘those who abandon their dreams will discourage yours.’ -Tweeted by @_DanielOng
So choose carefully whose words you listen to, for it may well unknowingly shape your destiny. Back at the track I met Fuzz, my high jump coach (GB Olympic team coach), and the first thing he did was to shake my hand and congratulate me on hitting 4000 points.
I was a little embarrassed because I felt I could have done much better, but he said ‘Well, you got to hit 4000 first before you get any further don’t you?’
And I guess that’s why he’s an Olympic coach that produced a silver medal athlete during the last Olympics. It’s the difference in attitude that counts.
Exams shortly followed and I must once again admit I’m not too proud with how I handled it. Yes it was too close to my decathlon, but I should have prepared for it in advance taking that into account.
Skyped my parents and basically got kinda told off for letting my sport affect my studies. Sometimes the hardest people to convince are the ones closest to you and it sure is disheartening at times.
But I’ve realised long ago that just because they don’t support you in chasing your dreams, doesn’t mean that they don’t want the best for you. My parents grew up in difficult economic conditions and never had a chance to complete their education (they dropped out after primary school due to economic hardships). I can understand why they want me to get a degree so that I can have the opportunities that education bring, something that they never had.
However I know that they will never understand how my sport have educated me in more ways than they could ever imagine. Sometimes in life the only person you should listen to at the end of the day, is yourself.
I know I’m still a long shot and I know with every passing day the odds are decreasing. But heck I don’t have much time left here now and this sh*t just got serious.
It’s time to catch up with the rest, not about to roll over and give up now.
5 weeks to Hexam International Combined Events Meet.
10 weeks to Greater Manchester Combined Events Championships.
Time to get a score that’s worthy.
Never Give Up.
Everyday I see my Dream. 😉
A Singaporean Decathlete 
Hey Brother, congrats on finishing your exams! Its always uplifting to read your posts! Especially love this one:
“Sometimes it’s hard when people look down on you, but that’s only because they don’t understand. They don’t understand what it took to get you here, what it took to get you through. Results only tell half the story, how you got there is the bigger half.”
It is always the case huh! I also find it in myself, the process of something is always so much more meaningful and enriching than the end result, but we can only communicate so much, and it is hard to hand over the essence and crux. I find it more and more so, I sometimes find it difficult to share the most enriching lessons. Maybe because the process is not there, many people will not understand. I guess that is how I feel when I returned to Singapore from China, I’ve taken pictures and I’ve written stories, but I feel at a loss at trying to communicate the understanding to others, I just can’t, cause its in me, and I have grown, and I have assimilated it.
4000 points in a decathlon is an achievement for you, and I am proud to hear you reach new grounds my brother. There is a lot of sweat and blood and choices and time that went into the making, probably more that I can even begin to phantom, but the fact that you are having dreams and realising them one by one, and living life the best you can, is what matters to me most. It gives me the courage to keep living my life the way I want. I ask myself, is the life I choose is the life I choose. Keep choosing and living, it is difficult to walk our own path, because then, we only got ourselves to blame. But if you need it, I’ve got your back.
Here is something to keep you going: http://www.derekerdman.com/lup/pntgs/12/problems_are_kool.htm
Have a great start to the 24th chapter.
nicolas
Hey bro, thanks loads for your constant support and vote of confidence. As we grow up I think we both realised that choosing the life you want to lead is a lot harder than it sounds, but it’s good to know someone else having the courage to be true to himself and keep on going. Trust yourself and where you’re heading bro, I’ll see you around soon!
To the 24th chapter of this brilliant story.
Cheers!