The difference 1 second made
The story is fictional but based on several true accounts.
I woke up to the shuffling of slippers outside. I opened my eyes and turned to check the time on my watch. It read 5.50 am. A sense of dread hit me as soon as I realized what was going to happen later.
On the way to the toilet, Toh saw me and told me that he was going down to the armskote. He reminded me that I could draw my sar21 after I came back from breakfast. Thanking him but still feeling sian, I went to brush my teeth, empty my bowels and proceeded to the cookhouse to scan my card. Absolutely wrong timing to be there because those AISL corporals and OTW cadets were forming long lines for the food. No choice but to wait in line for 20 minutes.
Drew out my sar21 (butt no A34), empty magazine and bayonet from the armskote after the breakfast. Went up to the bunk and changed up to the dirtiest no 4 I had. I decided to just stone in bunk before the whole dreary event began.
The duty spec soon shouted "Attila company fall!!" He had to shout at least a few times before anyone came down. I really envied the people doing saikang. Just hope that I could pass soon and end this hell. After going through the routine warming-up and conducting officer's brief, we made our to the starting point.
The starting point used to be beside the medical centre but had since shifted. The commanders were in the earlier details so I had to wait for quite some time. All the butterflies suddenly flew into my stomach and the adrenaline was really rushing in my blood stream. Made repeated visits to the medical centre toilet but no pee came out. Yeah it was that tensed.
Finally it was my detail's turn. Some of my friends would be pacing me. However their encouraging words did little to sooth my nerves. I lined up with the rest of the detail, hoping this would be the last time. Ready..... GO!!
Running down the first stretch, some of the quicker ones were already breaking free of the rest. Told myself not to be nervous and just go at a steady pace. It was important not to get punctured before reaching the obstacles. At the Armour Heritage Centre junction, I check the time on my clock. I took slightly over a minute.
I already started to feel the strain when running along the cookhouse. Check the time again when making the right turn at the HQ Armour ramp. Over 2 minutes had elapsed. I could see some of the frontrunenrs already slowing down. Reminded myself again about the importance of pacing.
I slowed down as I approached the low wall. Took me slightly less than three and a half minutes which was my expected timing. The low wall required more of upper body strength to push yourself up and over the wall. Next up was the parallel bars which I hated. Struggled with that all the time.
I don't know what was the name of the 3rd station but it was probably one of the easiest ones. Only need to step on a wooden beam and jumped over the non-existent con-wire. (They had since repaired it.) Monkey bars was next. It was an obstacle many people had problem with and some even ended up with bloody hands. The key to overcome it was momentum and never hang on the bar thinking about the next move. Just go on without stopping and you will be amazed it wasn't that hard after all.
Low rope changed from my most-hated obstacle to my favourite one. I didn't know the technique at first and couldn't go up easily. Once I understood the technique it became much easier. It became my favourite because it was the last xiong obstacle in my opinion. The subsequent ones were much easier.
Had to unsling the rifle and cross the wooden beam followed by walking on the swinging bridge. Witnessed Tang Shi Feng fell down reminded me not to dash across it. Balancing beam was scary the first time and my legs were trembling. Got used to that after so many training sessions. The window was fairly easy and I didn't have much of a problem with Jacob's Ladder. I landed on my knees in the sand after jumping down the low ramp and picked myself up for the last 600m.
Struggling to sling back my rifle, I checked the time again. Six minutes gone. Still have roughly three and a half minutes to reach the finishing point. The pacers were either encouraging me or fucking me to go faster. It was really damn fucking shag. I was panting like siao already. My lungs were going to collapse if I went any faster.
Along the canteen stretch I could feel my legs giving way. However passing this fucking test was the only thing that motivated me to keep moving. One last time, the timing was good, don't fucking screw it. Mind had to be stronger than body.
Down to the last stretch after turing right at the HQ Armour ramp, I could see the finishing line. However the distance seemed fucking far for me now. It really tooked an eternity to reach the finishing point. The pacers were really shouting themselves hoarse. Come on... you can do it... last time already... open your legs bigger... the finishing line is just in front.
As I went across the finishing line, the storeman Jeremy past me a number disc. A sigh of relief came over me. I was panting as if I was suffering an asthma attack and my legs just gave way. Some guys dragged me to the side and helped me take off my SBO and rifle. Another guy had a cup of water ready for me.
Struggling to catch my breath, I asked around whether I had passed. To my amazement, my timing was fucking 9.30!!! This was really the ultimate timing to get. I don't know whether to be bemused or pissed. The consolation was that there would be no remedial training for me today. knnccb.... There would be people encouraging me and told me how close I was but there would be others who kaopeh me (Zhihong?) for getting the timing.
My PC was the conducting officer and he told me that I would be attached to Cheetah 2 days later to take my test again. How to recover within 2 days... Sian sia... All because of the freaking 1 second.
I woke up to the shuffling of slippers outside. I opened my eyes and turned to check the time on my watch. It read 5.50 am. A sense of dread hit me as soon as I realized what was going to happen later.
On the way to the toilet, Toh saw me and told me that he was going down to the armskote. He reminded me that I could draw my sar21 after I came back from breakfast. Thanking him but still feeling sian, I went to brush my teeth, empty my bowels and proceeded to the cookhouse to scan my card. Absolutely wrong timing to be there because those AISL corporals and OTW cadets were forming long lines for the food. No choice but to wait in line for 20 minutes.
Drew out my sar21 (butt no A34), empty magazine and bayonet from the armskote after the breakfast. Went up to the bunk and changed up to the dirtiest no 4 I had. I decided to just stone in bunk before the whole dreary event began.
The duty spec soon shouted "Attila company fall!!" He had to shout at least a few times before anyone came down. I really envied the people doing saikang. Just hope that I could pass soon and end this hell. After going through the routine warming-up and conducting officer's brief, we made our to the starting point.
The starting point used to be beside the medical centre but had since shifted. The commanders were in the earlier details so I had to wait for quite some time. All the butterflies suddenly flew into my stomach and the adrenaline was really rushing in my blood stream. Made repeated visits to the medical centre toilet but no pee came out. Yeah it was that tensed.
Finally it was my detail's turn. Some of my friends would be pacing me. However their encouraging words did little to sooth my nerves. I lined up with the rest of the detail, hoping this would be the last time. Ready..... GO!!
Running down the first stretch, some of the quicker ones were already breaking free of the rest. Told myself not to be nervous and just go at a steady pace. It was important not to get punctured before reaching the obstacles. At the Armour Heritage Centre junction, I check the time on my clock. I took slightly over a minute.
I already started to feel the strain when running along the cookhouse. Check the time again when making the right turn at the HQ Armour ramp. Over 2 minutes had elapsed. I could see some of the frontrunenrs already slowing down. Reminded myself again about the importance of pacing.
I slowed down as I approached the low wall. Took me slightly less than three and a half minutes which was my expected timing. The low wall required more of upper body strength to push yourself up and over the wall. Next up was the parallel bars which I hated. Struggled with that all the time.
I don't know what was the name of the 3rd station but it was probably one of the easiest ones. Only need to step on a wooden beam and jumped over the non-existent con-wire. (They had since repaired it.) Monkey bars was next. It was an obstacle many people had problem with and some even ended up with bloody hands. The key to overcome it was momentum and never hang on the bar thinking about the next move. Just go on without stopping and you will be amazed it wasn't that hard after all.
Low rope changed from my most-hated obstacle to my favourite one. I didn't know the technique at first and couldn't go up easily. Once I understood the technique it became much easier. It became my favourite because it was the last xiong obstacle in my opinion. The subsequent ones were much easier.
Had to unsling the rifle and cross the wooden beam followed by walking on the swinging bridge. Witnessed Tang Shi Feng fell down reminded me not to dash across it. Balancing beam was scary the first time and my legs were trembling. Got used to that after so many training sessions. The window was fairly easy and I didn't have much of a problem with Jacob's Ladder. I landed on my knees in the sand after jumping down the low ramp and picked myself up for the last 600m.
Struggling to sling back my rifle, I checked the time again. Six minutes gone. Still have roughly three and a half minutes to reach the finishing point. The pacers were either encouraging me or fucking me to go faster. It was really damn fucking shag. I was panting like siao already. My lungs were going to collapse if I went any faster.
Along the canteen stretch I could feel my legs giving way. However passing this fucking test was the only thing that motivated me to keep moving. One last time, the timing was good, don't fucking screw it. Mind had to be stronger than body.
Down to the last stretch after turing right at the HQ Armour ramp, I could see the finishing line. However the distance seemed fucking far for me now. It really tooked an eternity to reach the finishing point. The pacers were really shouting themselves hoarse. Come on... you can do it... last time already... open your legs bigger... the finishing line is just in front.
As I went across the finishing line, the storeman Jeremy past me a number disc. A sigh of relief came over me. I was panting as if I was suffering an asthma attack and my legs just gave way. Some guys dragged me to the side and helped me take off my SBO and rifle. Another guy had a cup of water ready for me.
Struggling to catch my breath, I asked around whether I had passed. To my amazement, my timing was fucking 9.30!!! This was really the ultimate timing to get. I don't know whether to be bemused or pissed. The consolation was that there would be no remedial training for me today. knnccb.... There would be people encouraging me and told me how close I was but there would be others who kaopeh me (Zhihong?) for getting the timing.
My PC was the conducting officer and he told me that I would be attached to Cheetah 2 days later to take my test again. How to recover within 2 days... Sian sia... All because of the freaking 1 second.
posted by shyh jie at 12:33 AM
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