Xmas break

Another RPM class on Wednesday, although not followed up with my usual 30-60 mins run, because my butt was really starting to ache (I really need to buy those padded biking shorts) and I was starting to get tired from the intensity of the workouts. Imagine doing intervals for 5 days in a row, all-out, which was the effort I put in. Plus, I had a dinner date with my wife! We were having dinner at a restaurant called Dan Ryan's, a Chicago-based franchise that served food not dissimilar to TGIF's.

We had planned to indulge in some hearty steaks but realised that we weren't that hungry- so I ate meatball pasta, and Mrs Rabbit had salad instead. We then walked to Border's and spent some time there buying Xmas presents for our respective brothers. We bought our brothers a book from Mitch Albom titled "For One More Day", which is a very touching story about a man's self-absorbed, self-centred lifestyle, and maternal love. I think it is an especially good book to be given to those whom you feel have taken their parents for granted.

Another book I've been reading (way overdue) is Lance Armstrong's "Its Not About The Bike". Let me just say this- we all know how Lance fought cancer (and won) and went on to create history by winning the Tour De France 7 times. But I haven't yet read his book before this and didn’t fully appreciate what he experienced in his cancer treatments. I've just gone past the halfway point and it is a truly emotional experience. I couldn't help but respond viscerally as the chapters unfolded, how Lance's mother gave birth to him, (a healthy 9lbs baby) at the age of 17; how he grew up without a father; how brash and (seemingly) arrogant he was; how supremely talented and physiologically perfect (for endurance events) he was; how he discovered he had cancer; how he felt before and after the operation to remove the lesions; his experiences pre and post-chemotherapy. Reading what he has experienced makes it all the more amazing that he won as many Tour De Frances as he did. I haven't reached the chapter on "Kik" as yet, but at this juncture I'd like to comment that I think those who experience near-death episodes and come out better for it to truly achieve success. Maybe they have a greater appreciation of life, how fragile and short it is, and that one must seize and utilise every day that they are on this earth. Kanye West (the world famous rapper) was just another record producer. But on an early morning at 4am, exhausted and driving home from work, West fell asleep at the wheel and got into a major car accident. Firemen had to cut his car up to extricate a badly injured West. He spent some time in the hospital, with his mouth wired shut. Since then, he has moved to super stardom, clearly being the biggest rapper in the planet. Lance was a promising, brash rider who rode with questionable tactics and rubbed the European riders the wrong way- after cancer, he became the legend that we know today.

Spent Thursday (day off being Hari Raya Haji) over in JB. Mrs Rabbit and my bro (who's now working in Sg as well and staying temporarily with me) came along. Actually it was my bro's birthday yesterday and we had lunch at JB. We spent a little over 4 hours there, before taking the bus back to Sg. My folks were there for a visit.

Well, I'm back in KL! Its good to be back. Spending some time with the family but I hope to get in some workouts too. Have a good Xmas everyone.