I am pretty insane lately. But I am also a lot happier, a lot less constipated with what used to be normal life.
I started the New Year 2016 doing bizzare things like cycling to work. I had an assignment at the Esplanade and I woke up at 630 am to drive to Karpal Singh Drive and left my car there so that I could bring my bike and cycle a short stretch to town.
Getting into town in the early morning was easy. Getting out in the afternoon took more courage because I need to use regular roads with lots of cars and obstructing, bumbling, curious tourists.
If that’s not insane enough, I cycled to Telok Bahang and back the following Sunday. I didn’t expect I could finish but I did.
Then, the following week, I cycled to Kedah. And took a lorry or two to complete my adventure. It wasn’t that hard to cycle and it was a lot hotter and tougher to hang on a lorry with a box of bananas, a bunch of young men and women for an hour.
Just now, I found out that out of the 1,000 cyclists, there were only 84 female riders. And I am one of the female. Insane.
Then again, the achievement is priceless. Knowing that I have the guts to stand tall amongst those professional cyclists without freaking out is a top of the world feel.
Well, I am a lucky girl. I have some supportive friends who said I can. And I could.
The journey from Autocity to Kampung Terap, Kedah (where I stopped my journey) taught me many things. One of them is to focus on the road and my own safety. From before sunrise when it was dark to the break of dawn to the glorious morning, I was all alone on the road. I learned that I could strive out on my own and survived and not lost my way.
The other thing is how strong my will is. Along the road, when I lost the groups as I was slow. So I had many people asking me if I want to give up and take the lorry. Instead, I told the lorry driver from MPSP I am from Buletin Mutiara and I am going to keep cycling. Knowing where I am from, they stopped tailing me with the lorry.
Then, came the Red Crescent. And then, the police manning the traffic lights and junction. Everybody either asked if I am the last (how do I know lah) or if I want to carry on or take the lorry. It is kinda insulting but no, I did not allow my ego to be dented because I know for a fact that I am wayyyy below those professional riders. But I am still the best of those who did not try.
Barely half a month of January 2016, I had done those three crazy rides. It is really out of my comfort zone but sometimes, it is so refreshing to be helpless, scared, worried because thats when my survival skills kicked in and I pushed harder.
So far, I had signed up for two half marathons. I had never attempted even one but I had paid good money for two. I figure it is a small price to pay for the thrills of trying something I am not sure if I can achieve.
It keeps me focused. It keeps me fearful so that I can seek the guts within me. I think I would be miserable if I keep to the safe zone and live for the sake of living.
Now I have to spend energy to do things, mind focus on doing them and time to plan. I got no time to be angry with some people. I got no time to mull over things that displeased me. Cos when I was on the road, or on the verge of venturing out, Christ is what I seek to calm me.