A Grand New Experience

Sunday – End of day 2 of workshop: Delightful students; all engineers with a penchant for learning.

Working on a new project in a new country is akin to scoring a new PB. First experiences are almost pure in nature. An experience reconfigures existing mindsets, perceptions, expectations and prejudices. Until you connect with a culture and its people, then all preconceived notions become irrelevant and useless.

Experiences are subjective; at least, how we interpret them is subjectively correct. There are no wrong experiences, only incomplete information and poor observations. The conditions of each experience leave it indelible mark cognitively, as a memory and its associated emotions. That is why bad experiences leave a bad taste in our mouths, and in our minds. Pleasant experience lead you consider reviving them, and coming back to the same place to renew your connections.

Working out in the gymnasium is a relatively fresh experience for me, since I rarely use apparatus other than my goggles, bicycle and running shoes. To use a stationary-bike with Internet access on its split screen was a treat. I was following the exploits of my friends doing the Twilight Run at the East Coast Park on Saturday evening. It was a ‘no-frills’, run as much for as long as you like training session, commencing 5pm till 9.00am the next day. Several friends of mine were still recovering from the physical challenge of the 1.9K swim, 90K ride, and 21 run.

Yesterday, evening I did a workout comprising of a double brick:

75 minutes of stationary-bike ride @ 130-135bpm and 85-90rpm

30 minutes treadmill running at 5 minute per kilometre and 3.0 incline

10 minutes static stretches; 2 sets each of circuit training: lateral raises (15 reps)/rotator cuff work (12 reps), 25 push-ups, 8-10 chin-ups

It took me a total of 2 hours to complete the whole lot. It was a great sensation to get off my behind, to engage in a serious workout after last Sunday’s half-Ironman triathlon race. After knocking down lots of water, I cooled down before I replenished my body with a buffet dinner.

I will be doing another marathon workout since I will be taking the red-eye flight home. Coach has prescribed me, Week 3 of my Boston Marathon program. I intend to hit another PB on a flat, cool course.