Stroking the right tune

I having been contemplating to test the water for sometime already. I didnt really know what to expect as i havent been doing it for a long time. In recent years, most of my visit were for polishing my diving techniques and playing with my diving gears.

However, the day before yesterday and just before i left home i decided that i should packed extra clothes just in case i wanna do some training in the evening. I was hoping that it would not rain in the evening, so i can hit the Kg Pandan Sports Complex track and field stadia. In the office, the calling kept getting louder and louder. Somehow, i just cant deflect it away. Then, while driving back home from office, i just could bear it anymore and instead of taking the left turn to Kg Pandan, i steered the car towards the New KL-Putrajaya hi-way. Within 5 minutes, i exited at the Bukit Jalil interchange. Damn fast, myte. A truly time saving hi-way. I wouldn't mind paying the RM1.50 toll all. Should i have taken the Sg Besi Plus hi-way, it would have taken 30-odd minutes just to get there and save RM1.50 while burning more fuel.

Anyway, I went straight to the Bukit Jalil Aquatic Centre only to find out the pool is not open until 6pm. I waited for some friends who'd offered to give some coaching but in the end, no one turned up. So, i went in, paid RM4 for 2.5hrs of swimming..!!! Murah giler siot for a world-class sports facilities. Beli McDonald pon dua kali lagi mahal. I spent a cool 10 minutes just to check-out the changing room looking at every detail of the place. haha... Somehow, i have a knack at admiring sports facilities lar. Yeah, call me weird, i know...

Dengan selamba kataknyer, wa ignore the pool basic rule "Swimmers are required to wear proper swimming attire". I used my tennis shorts for swimming instead!!! Lantak lar... i thought.. orang nak cakap aper pon, cakap ler...

Then, i went to the pool and descent slowly. It was cold. The life guard came near me and warned me that i am not allowed to swim because i didnt wear the proper attire. I told him boldly, "If you can find me a super-sized swimming trunk that can hide my big stomach, please tell me okay. Is there any wrong using this nylon shorts? I know i dont have the right gear but you are now demoralising a first-timer here by trying to stop him from swimming." The life guard, "Okaylar.. Okaylar... NVM. Please dont take a rest at the fringe of the pool cos if some 'people' see you in shorts, i'l be in trouble later'. Haha.... sib baik dia pon cool.

Then, I warmed up a lil' bit and start stroking. Breaststroke. The last time i was in an Olympic-sized pool was during my RMC days about 17 years ago...!! Eventhough USM had the same facility, ironically, i havent been there at all. Maybe sebab malu nak tayang perut kot. haha. Anyway, this time i felt strange because the 50-metre length looked so far far away. I remembered having difficulties in completing a 100-meter event in those days. My target was to do a lap and rest for as many repetitions. However, something amazing happened later, after i'd completed one lap - i felt fresh, body functioning well and my breathing is okay. So, i continued another lap without rest. Then, another lap. Then, another lap. Then, another lap.

An hour later, my first foray to the pool resulted in 28 laps with 1-2 minutes rest time in between splits of 600m x 1 and 200m x 4 = 1.4km..!! Whoaaa... not bad at all. It surpassed my own expectations. Lil' did i know that i can last that long in the pool. The body fitness must have come from the base training which i'd done in the past 8 months.

I was exhilirated with the session and was smiling in the car all the way home. I was hoping that i can go back there and refine my strokes. For sure, i will be making more visits there.

One other thing, Thank god, i live in Cheras cos there are many nearby sports facilities. Other than Bandar Tun Razak, a wonderfully residential blessed with many sports facilities (including park with jogging track, stadium, swimming pool, tennis & badminton courts, equestrian etc), i also have Bukit Jalil as an alterntive within the vicinity. People tend to avoid Bukit Jalil facilities because people thought they are for serious athletes only. It bodes well for me, cos there are less people there and sometimes you can have the whole facilities to you only. (yeah, i know this cos numerous times we had the hockey field just for us only). Though Cheras is well-known for her notorious traffic jam but i dont mind at all. hahah...