The Real Run and GE Women's 10K

I had 2 Runs this month; Real Run 08 and GE Women's 10K 08.

Real Run 08

15KM WOMENSOPEN with 475 female participants


221 WO0809 JOYCE CHAN


Check pt1 00:27:07
Check pt2 00:58:17
Check pt3 01:28:09
Net time 01:55:01
Total Finish 01:55:35

The Sun was really HOT and BURNing here at the finishing 2 Km. I finished 3 mins earlier than my Passion Run record. When I went to get my finishing tee, the XS and XXS are all gone. So I got the XL instead for my Hubby. maybe I should run the 15 km so that I can get my XXS tee.

This is what REAL stands for Run Exercise Active Lifestyle.

Women's 10km

Rank 35 out of 75 Leading Ladies
1970 JOYCE CHAN WAI PENG
6.1km Gun Checkpt 00:44:12
6.1km Chip Checkpt 00:43:55
Gun Finish 01:10:43
Chip Finish 01:10:26

I improved by 7 mins this year compared to my last year's run. Not too bad... I wonder when I will reach 1 hour to finish my 10KM.

They had a free photo taking session for runners. And this photo is very well taken right? But I waited about 45 mins to get it. The system to distribute out photos not taken in any orders were quite chaotic. But since it was a free service, so everyone beared with it. And it was immediately taken and stored into my hubby's wallet after I showed to my kids.

Good thing about these kind of run is that I always get to bring many bananas home and my kids were so happy to have them. And I think this permed hair is very suitable such marathons, they are "pretty messy".

I hoped that next year my siblings can come and run with me. And in future, I will encourage my children to be active too.

My kids out of my room!

They are out and we have our beds to ourselves in September!!!!

We have planned for this for so long since May but did not have time to get on with it. And finally we had clean up the kids room and done up the bed frames. The rubber covers of the bed frames stands did not come with the double deck bed (when the beds are splited). And of course after 2 years since we last bought the bed, the furniture shop totally ignore our enquires. So there was a long hunt for the correct rubber caps around the whole of singapore.

I putted up the girly bedsheets that we bought from Ausino 2 years back, those with princess and boldly pinkish. Bliss loved it! And they gladly slept on those beds even when it not fully done. But the strong desire to sleep on their own is short lived...

Since they were shifted out, I took the chance to also totally wean Zest off. There were at least 3 nights of hour long crying, whinning, followed by very attention seeking behaviour whenever she comes home. Her Teacher also find that she was very moody that 2 weeks. Soon after a while, we trained her to drink milk powder whenever her craving comes. The milk powder starts to runs out fast, like every 2 weeks. Now it been about a month, Zest starts to sleep through every alternate night. Still I am still very exhuasted whenever she wakes up in the middle of the night crying. However, thank God that Zest is learning to sleep through and seems to get it faster than Bliss used to. So thankful for this, and hopefully she will be able to have better sleep from now on.

Bliss started well since she is already sleeping through, but she still requires one of us to sleep with her. She will crawl into our bed if she wakes up in the middle of the night. Well, she had us slepping with her for 5 years. So I believe some habits are hard to get rid of. She amused us at times. Her recent arguement is that since she should be sleeping alone on her own bed, she asked why my hubby needs me to sleep with him? Though it was annoying then, but it sounds logic doesn't it? Hubby was lost for words. Then to put forth her arguement, she asked me again and this time she said that we were much older then her.

Now Bliss will fall asleep soon as long as one of us sleeps with her. As for Zest, most of the times she is very active and refuse to go to sleep. Many a times, we have to discipline her at her bed time till wee hours.

I hope these teething problems will be over soon... I need to get back my peaceful sleep...

My first muddy 21 km run on 24 August... 2 hours and 51 mins

I managed to finish 21km !!! I thought I lost my legs.








The run was quite good paced until we reached the 14 KM .... we all went into a very small lane that is newly laid with tar in a construction setting. This part of the route was very unpleasant as it is uneven, too narrow and very muddy. It lasted at least 3 km and I was so discouraged that I stopped to walk and drink at every water point. At last I finished the muddy path, I saw the very beautiful newly built Bay, and my speed picked up.


At 17km, I was grumbling to myself why the last 3 km is so long and I won't want to register for any run longer then 21km anymore. Its killing ME!!


I finished 2 hours and 51 mins. Thank God who sustained me for this long.


Ranking Bib No. Name Check Pt Net Time Gun Finish
218 WC2058 chan wai peng joyce singapore 1:09:13 02:51:35.35 02:52:13.13


Hey and guess what, the check point at half way mark is probably at 10km, And this timing, I broke my 10km timing too.


I was ranked 218 among 388 ladies who ran together. Wah, and looking at the ranking, there really are female that could run very well, finishing in less than 2 hrs. I wonder would I ever have that kind of record in my life.

My buddies did well too. SY finished at 2 hours 21mins(21km) and Shawn 1 hour 10 mins (10km).

I have never been dripping that wet before, and according to my friends, I was very "unglam" after the run.

I felt good to have completed this big milestone I have set for myself. So I realised that one will not move further than the goal that was set. For one who used to so inactive and overweight will never imagined to be able to go so far in marathons. I just have to be submissive and do the right preparation. There will definitely be muddy paths, but if I stopped I will never get to see the beautiful Bay. For my walk with God, will also be the same, if I set a goal for myself, stop grumbling, and focus on the goal. He will provide the rest. At the end of the day, I will have the victory and see the beautiful end point in Heavens prepared just for me.

1 Cor 15:57

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So I did sign up for my 42km Standard Chartered Run this year. Pray for me that I will finish well for my coming 42km.

Passion Run (Eve of my Birthday)

This are my passion run buddies.

I ran 15KM on 8 June 08 at 1 hr 50mins. It wasn't my fastest speed but for the first time I was only 7 seconds slower than my buddy 2894 Shawn!


This time round my number bid is 316; John 3:16. Run with Passion.

So my next milestone will be 21 Km... this coming 24 Aug 08 Bay Run.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Tired soul is refreshed by the Spirit...

April has finally came! I have not been blogging as I have been busy with the new routine. I wake up at 5.45pm every morning to prepare and travel back to my in laws place to drop my kids. Then will have to go back fetch them and then proceed home. That means reaching home late and get to bed only at about 12midnight if not later.

Over all this IS VERY TIRING. I have less than 5 hours of sleep everyday. But amazingly after taking my husband's suuggestion to use worship recordings from sunday service, to do worship everyday, I was refreshed by the Spirit. Fatigue did not get the better of me. However, it is always a daily struggle to make a decision to worship but not sleep on the train. But I will press on. Thank God for Your strength everyday.

I wait for the day that my kids all move to their new childcare, which is nearer to my home. I have 19 more days to go. The Lord will sustain me.

Psalms 23:2-3

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

When we take a step of faith forward, we might learn the hard way but the rewards are great.

Today is the second day of our move back to our home. For the 2 mornings that we sent our girls to their respective school and nanny, both have some problems adjusting.

My hubby will bring Bliss to school and I will bring Zest to the nanny place. So we will take the same bus but Hubby and Bliss will alight one stop before Zest and me. This 2 mornings, Bliss will cry and attempt not to alight with my hubby. Then she whined all the way till she reaches the school. Zest will also protest not alighting the same stop with her sister. When Zest reaches the nanny's place, she will show me her "I miss you, Mommy" face. This face I have not seen for quite some time. These are the things that makes my heart cringes. I worry that my girls and hubby do not get enough sleep and how will the girls get adjusted to their new school in the coming May.

The following is what the Lord reminds me of David's Psalms today:

Psalms 71:3

Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go;

give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

So I will look forward for the goals that I have set. I know that when my girls are well settled down, they will grow and learn better in the new environment He has prepared. And me too, I will learn and grow better. I will look forward for the rewards to come. These rewards from my Lord will not come easy as He needs to prepared me to receive the best. But I do know that I will not have to look back and regret not having done this. Amen!!

Strength to carry on, Courage to fight on and Faith to share Christ

This week marks a new beginning. We shifted back some stuff to prepare our permanent stay in my own home. And starting tonight, we will make our way back home every night.

Actually this move is quite daunting. Every morning, we have to all wake up very early to send Zest to the nanny's place and Bliss to school. That will be 6 am. I worry about whether my girls can adjust and if we can all make it to work on time. In the evening, we will have to make it back from my inlaws place to home. Then in May, there will be another change of routine as I will put both of them into another brand new school (supposedly nearer to my home now). That means that the kids get to see less of their grandparents and we must get home in time to fetch them every evening. Dinner will be packed from any coffeeshop along the way. Expenses will increase and budget will get tighter. Etc.. I think I can continue typing a very long list.

All these are adding to my anxiety everyday when I think about them. However, today my Lord told me that my bondage will be broken. I will no longer be enslave to all the lies that the evil one has injected in me. My spirit was aroused, and I am awaken. I walked out my tomb and remove the strips of linen that was wrapped around me. The Lord said that I am never never to put it back again.

So the Lord said to give me:

Strength to carry on,

Courage to fight on, and

Faith to share Christ.

Psalms 9: 9-10

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name will trust in you,

for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

I lost my running mate today!

Today I ran another addition 2Km because I lost my running mate.

This running mate of mine usually finishes his run at about 10 mins before me. So he either waits for me at the end point (hardly unless there is more than 2 of us running) or starts to cool down back at his desk (reading emails or attending to some questions from other colleagues). However, today I fail to find him in either locations.

That makes my whole office panicked! We start calling his handphone, but it is on his desk. Then some of us went all over the building to look for him. So I went another round to comb for him.

I was thinking that he may either went for another round of run or go to the gym. But I also thought that if I find him lying somewhere in the usual route, what should I do? I forgot my handphone and carrying him back to office on my own seems impossible.

There as I was still thinking I saw him running towards from the end point. Good thing he was all right.

So as we both gathered back in the office, i was told that some of my colleagues nearly drove off to comb for him.

What an exiting run with such wonder colleagues (the one running or the ones not running?)!!!

Matthew 18
12"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

A tiring weekend

The last weekend was very tiring as I was down with fever, cold and sore throat. Had no choice but to stay at home (no service and Sunday School teachers' training). My hubby was also very tiring as his in camp training made him wake up @ 530am every morning in the past week.

We slept till 8am. My kids woke us up as they were very hungry for breakfast. After 3 hrs when breakfast and dishes were done, myself and hubby when back to slumber as the kids continue to create havoc in the living room.

3pm : Finally my kids had to wake us up again for their lunch. We ate some biscuits and milk. If my in laws were to see that my kids are fed this for lunch, I will definitely get it. Then we just sat there and idle till dinner time.

Such were one of the idle days that we missed in the past. Just cancel all appointments and sleep at home. Most of all, we felt much better after the rest and won't having bad Monday Blues.

Rest so that we can walk longer and much more exciting journey.

Isaiah 40:29
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

欠扁问答题

喜恩上了三年的Shichida lessons. Shichida有一首opening 和 closing song. 但是她只会一首closing song. 为什么?

We made it for Korean trip!

All the planning and saving up money to bring the whole family to Korean Christian Conference is straining on our pockets and brings our faith to a test too.

Yesterday, was a day that all of a sudden my hubby broke into extreme joy and then tears for a few rounds. Even my kids was kind of afraid and keep hugging my husband to comfort him. My hubby walked out of the bathroom and annouced that "我们可以去韩国了!", he was laughing with tears then after that sobbed very badly. I sat down to calm him down... while he was explaining how God told him that the figures was miscalculated and how the coming month's income can cover our whole trip and expenses. He was overwhelm by God's providence.

Thinking this is a good thing and and went on with my chores, but next thing he came out from the study room bursting with tears and sobbing again. WHAT happen again? He told me that he is complaining about no cash to put down deposit for the trip just now. Next thing, God prompted him to look into one of his cupboards. And he found some cash, just enough to cover the deposit. Those money are from the forgotten red packets that is probably leftover to be used as emergency since there is no ATMs near our area. (that means we have to find some cash to filled that up again). My kids keep asking why is daddy crying and laughing. So we were all hugging each other and happy with tears.

After that I let my kids played with some bubbles outside the house and spent some time with ny hubby talking about his experince with God that morning. Not only I saw that God is good, but my hubby is very cute and lovable. I love this part of him, Godly Man makes me attracted. (Very mushy rite!!!!)

So I think the following is very apt:
Proverbs 20:5-7
5 The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
6 Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.

Zest woke up at 4am this morning

Maybe Zest did not have enough for dinner and went to bed. So she woke up at wee hours this morning, not able to get back to bed. This is pretty unusual for her. She ask for water, but not drinking any. So I suspected that she might be hungry. So good enough that after 5 pcs of biscuits and a bathe, she went back to sleep.

In the short (actually pretty long for a tiring mum who slept at 12am) 1 hour, I realised that Zest is developing her speech amazingly and thank God for that. Nowadays, she will ask you phrases like "你干嘛?", " What you doing?" or say "I'm here". Well taught by the sister Bliss. She is very fast at learning new songs or even funny actions from people around her. And both my girls have strong love for books. If she is creating havoc, distract her by reading a book will solve the problem. Her latest phrase "Pa Pa, I very the no time leh!". Courtesy from her dad.


She love to reciporate her love for people around her. Fairly to both her dad and myself. That is not so with Bliss. But due to Zest influence, Bliss also started to love her dad more, eg more words of love and sharing of her favourite food.


So it is written in the bible Matt 18:3-4

3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

From her I learnt that I must humble myself everyday, as there exist someone, something better than me. And to learn and appreciate the best, makes me better.

Something to look forward

Yesterday, thanks to my colleague, I got a free ride near home. Since I got a ride, I though of looking around Toa Payoh to get some breakfast this morning.

As a mother, I worry about waking my girl up on time so that everyone will not be late for work. Bliss (my elder girl) sleeps late like past 12 midnight and therefore makes a din most of the mornings. Since I have to travel all the way to the west, so I left Bliss in the hands of my patient hubby to get her to school. So since then my hubby is late for work every morning for more than an hour. Bliss had also since then begging me (with tears at times) every night to bring her to school instead . Last Jan, my project started to slow down with less late nights. And my heart tells me that I have to do something to get my hubby out of this cycle.

I took initiative to wake her up and settle her routines. That has caused me to be late for work the first few mornings, but my boss and colleagues are really nice (did not complain much). After 1 week, both my girls got used to eariler night and early mornings. I thank God as this is one step closer to moving back on our own house. Pray that this will go on.

To encourage Bliss every morning, I try different ways. One of them is to have "Surprising Breakfast"; I will try to get something new and nice. Such that when she wakes up, she will be more than willing to quickly brush her teeth. I also try to play games with her while waking her up.

Zest (my younger girl) is also very happy if she wakes up early as I will BF her a bit before she goes to her nanny's place. And she loves to wear her shoes and walk to her nanny place with us. More bonding with my hubby and me too.

I find that Humans all need something to look forward to. That goal must be set right, and have to be constantly decided to do them right with a price most of the time. With me scarificing a bit (actually a lot, 615am leh) of sleep, makes everyone looks forward to the next morning.

I remember one of my goals this year. I will try to read more scriptures on the MRT, and do look forward to have a deeper relationship with GOD. I want to press on heavenwards, at whatever price to get the prize.

Phi 3:12
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Start of 2008

Today, I have decided to starting blogging. This is to write all my thoughts and use it to keep improving myself.

This year 2008 is a great headstart as there is a few major plans that my hubby and I have decided to do. 1. To have more time doing quiet time and be with God. 2. Move back to our own home and learn to be on our own. 3. Complete the series of Marathon runs that I desired. 4. Attend Christian conference in Korea.

1. To have more time doing quiet time and be with God.
To do this we must have more time and space of our own. So by move back to our humble house might help. Try to not sleep but catch up with learning God's word in my long journey to work is a great challenge, but I will try. Flushing out unhealthy soul food (eg. less worldly music) is another vital point to get nearer to God.

2. Move back to our own home and learn to be on our own.
This is another great and bold move. Having stayed many years with my in laws, I might have drained their energy very much in terms of housekeeping and babysitting. So by moving back to my own home gives them more rest and create Quality instead of quantity time with my children. I hope that brings even better bonds between them in future. This also help my hubby and I get closer when we do more things on our own.

3. Complete the series of Marathon runs that I desired.
I hope to complete my first 42 km run this yearend. I planned to work towards 15km, 21 km and slowly 42km. Not only for the fun of it, but to also collect T-shirts given by these run ( some of them are quite nice). That means I have to run even more then I do now.

4. Attend Christian conference in Korea.
Most of my friends travel leisurely and collect lots of 'value for money' items. As for me, this trip, I have to be on quite a budget and fast for 3 days. Sounds funny rite! I went for this conference in 2004. And gain lots of 'spiritual income', I hope to elaborate this more later. And this year even though our budget is very tight but we hope to go in faith again.

God, grant more strength to still take of my family and complete these goals for 2008.