The IPPT (2)

As some of you may know, I previously failed my IPPT, and as a result I had to go for remedial training in the form of 10 sessions of 1.5-2 hour training at Maju Camp. :(

After these 10 sessions, you are supposed to take your IPPT again (on the 10th session), and this time they have 'modified' standards of passing which you are supposed to hit - if you attain these targets (or do even better and pass or get silver or gold), you have cleared your IPPT for the year. If you don't, you have to attend EIGHT MORE sessions of RT.

So after going through the hassle of 9 sessions, today was the day when I would be evaluated once again. It was time to take my IPPT again.

Attendance slips of the many remedial trainings I went for

I was nervous from the previous night. I couldn't stop thinking about it and I couldn't really focus on studying. I had the test booked at 4PM but by 1-2PM I was already frantically worrying about it, trading SMSes with the girlfriend.

After reaching the test venue and doing the necessary admin, it was time to start the test. I had butterflies in my stomach and I was feeling so uneasy. I had been training up for this, but I was still nervous for my 2.4KM run. I've always hated running, and have always struggled with this run.

Let's go through the experience quickly.

Chinups
As always, I start with this and move on to shuttle run, SBJ and situps. It seemed the most sensical flow to me.

It started off with a hitch - there were two bars for chinups, and I joined the row on the right, and the chinup machine (it had an electronic reader) broke down! I ended up waiting really long to get filtered into the left row, which no doubt added to the nervous tension in me.

Because I hadn't been training, I only did 6 chinups =X The last 2 were kinda cheat too, I kicked my way halfway up for the 5th and almost entirely kicked through for the 6...

Which led to the first disaster - I think I slightly pulled a back muscle or something from the effort in the 6th chinup! My back was in considerable pain as I tried to keep rubbing and massaging it as I moved to the shuttle run station. FML!

Shuttle Run
I ran only a 10.3s, which is slow by my standards considering I had always gotten below 10s (It's quite easy for the electronic gantry, because there's no human error and there's a split second delay when you start)
Nevertheless, it was worth 4 points and I blamed it on my back so I moved on to the next.

Standing Broad Jump
My back was slightly better, but I still felt tight and sore. I kept gently stretching it and rubbing it as I waited in line for this station.

For my first jump, I actually fell BACKWARDS, something that never happened to me before. I actually jumped 245CM (worth 5 points), but when I fell backwards my palm landed and the reading changed to 210 (that's how it works, it takes the smallest reading, so you have to aim to fall forward)

I jumped a second time and only managed 230, but it was worth 3 points (what i needed) so it was good enough.

Situps
ho hum. Easy station, did my 41 reps for 5 points and just chilled until the timer ran out

2.4KM Run

IT IS TIME.

The moment of reckoning is here. I'm always okay with the static stations but mess up in the run. If you recall from my previous post, I actually clocked 17 minutes for my 2.4km run, a really pathetic time.

This time, I should have been more confident. I had been training, and  in my most recent time trial I did somewhere between 12-13 minutes, well below the special modified passing time of 14:20.
(The actual passing time is 12:20)

Nevertheless, I still had severe butterflies in my stomach and my mouth was really dry. Past experience has made me dread this run, and my throat felt constricted with tension. Ok. Time to run. 6 laps around the building. k go.

The first lap was pretty bad, the nervous tension was affecting me abit. I settled into my striding pace which I had been practising, with the aim of regulating my speed to a moderate comfortable one but taking big strides, a strategy that I had been using.

The rest of the run was just mind over matter - I was constantly motivating myself by thinking about my girlfriend cheering me on and used that to keep going. The 2nd and 3rd lap were surprisingly hard, but I still kept going and never really slowed much. My timing was under 2 minutes for the first 3 rounds (each), which is well on target to actually PASS the normal standard, not just my special modified passing time.

The 4th lap was tough as always, but once I cleared that it was into the home stretch. I started feeling the sense of 'omg-i'm-going-to-be-able-to-do-this' as my lungs weren't burning and my legs cooperated and kept propelling me forward.

When I completed my 5th lap with a time of 9:50+, I felt exuberant. Omg!! I'm going to make it!
(Because each round takes about 2 minutes, and even if I slow jog it's about 3 mins+ at most, so 10+3 = 13 = well under my modified passing time of 14.20)

I forced myself to maintain my pace and try to push further, to get a best possible time and in case I slip and fall and break my legs near the end I can still crawl over the finish line in time.

Towards the last stretch, some guy next to me began sprinting, so I also opened up my pace to try to keep up and not let him pass me. He passed me. bitch. I kept pushing and sprinting towards and past the finish line.

I looked up at the clock.

12:10!

OMG!! I passed!! Not just the modified timing but the actual passing time! (12:20) !!

Behind me I heard someone literally shouting and grunting with joy (maybe he got a silver or Gold or something but he was really shouting loudly 'YESSS') and I tried to contain myself and just clenched my fist in silent achievement, taking deep breaths to calm my racing heart, and walked away to collect my result slip.

I did it.

Incentive = $ 100 ^^