From weakling to sporty

The past 5 months saw a major transition in me. So much so that friends are wondering which alien abducted the ol' geraldine. Never would they think that this geraldine will go for gym and training conscientiously every week, sign up for a marathon and read websites about carrying weights.

I must say i've never been active in sports. In Pri 1, I had childhood asthma and a letter from my family gp forbade me from attending PE lessons. My schoolmates had so much fun playing ball games during PE while i sat down and looked bored. Because I learned music since 6 yrs old, I got interested in my school band's recruitment drive in Pri 2. And it's band all the way till JC2! I've always thought of myself as a weakling in the sports area so joining a sports club in school never crossed my mind. Plus I just couldn't leave the comfort zone and familiarity band gives me. When medical school and housemanship started, chances to keep fit and healthy became even more trying. Lack of time was a very convenient excuse.

Well... I did go swimming or cycling here and there but i never became much of an enthusiast in any kind of sports. I also hated the idea of being involved in competitive sports. I would rather do sports at a leisure and at my own pace. "Why stress urself when sports should be for relaxing after a day's work?" was my mindset for very long.

All has changed.

The camaraderie is intoxicating and the endorphins extremely addictive. The motivation and zest i see in my teammates make me wanna become stronger so that I can contribute and be a useful part of the team. When i wake up on monday mornings, my muscles ache like mad but my heart is beaming. Beaming healthily... (haha... reminds me of carebears)

My dad is complaining that i'm becoming so tan (yeah... fairness is still very much associated with beauty nowadays). My mom complaining that my acne is becoming worse and all my money to Joyce Lim has gone down to waste. My sis complaining that my paddle/lifevest/gear/etc are all in her way in the room. My aunts complaining that if i carry on dragonboating, i'll never find a husband. (not evidence-based definitely... there're married peops in our team!) only my bro is not complaining cos he's in the team too! hahaha!

Ultimately, i'm glad i joined the team. It means more to me than just having something extra to do on weekends. Not sure how long i'm able to sustain it and whether my eventual career choice will allow me to... but for now, i think i'll enjoy it while it lasts.