Race of our lives

hey ya'll! it's 1 day to nats! guess many of us would still be wide awake letting the adrenaline flow through our heads. it's been a while now, since we were all young and impetious kids who joined canoeing for various reasons: fun, tryout a new sport or merely just to train up.

but 1 long year, and here we are today, seasoned rowers who've grown so much since the days where we were still proud of pwning asses in the pond of macritchie, now rowing in the lanes are just another part of our daily routine during training. seriously just who can doubt us for coming thus far?

yet tomorrow, we will be put to the greatest test of our journey in canoeing thus far. all the efforts that we've put in, sweat, blood, tears and whatever we can think up that we've sacrificed just for one cause: the fact that we're canoeists. i guess the fact that many of us are still going strong, is due to (nope it's not jiaolian) the reason that we still have hopes; hopes that grant us our strength. so, do not let them waver, not now.

perhaps it'll all be over in a moment, and perhaps it'll seem like forever till your race ends, but deep down, know that it is all worth it, and whatever the result turn out to be, we all deserve nothing less that what we'll be achieving out there, down those lanes of bedok reservoir, not forgetting to look at the faces around with your chins up.

so on this sleepless night (?) before the final chapter through our journey as canoeists, let's grant each other strength, for we only have one final chance.

For RafflesRow '10 <3

hey bubs
i think we watched this at last year's canoe camp
but this video is epic
so watch it again
(:

bedok reservoir!

Hello all!

So today, you got a taste of what it was like to row at Bedok and a chance to familiarise with the water (& the screwy lightning warnings O: ). Hopefully your row wasn't too bad, this being the first time you experience the oddly heavy and bouncy/wavy waters hmm!

Yup so it's 1 week to The Big Day, how's everybody feeling? Nervous, excited, scared??? Haha or maybe you don't know what to feel.

If you're feeling scared for the upcoming week, afraid you won't be able to perform, especially because of recent bad rows or whatnot, don't worry you probably aren't alone in that. Take some time to calm yourself down, to familiarise yourself with Bedok's waters, to gear yourself up for your ultimate challenge. Yes, you may have had or are having bad rows at this juncture, but focus on the good parts that you remember, and recall your strokes, and the feeling of rowing comfortably. Don't let the negative thoughts of your previous rows affect your current rowing kay! And obviously don't have nothing better to do and think of jiaolian shouting at you for whatever reason D: unless you're hansheng and you need constant reminders to get your strokes right hehehehe :D oops sorry hansheng!

If you're feeling optimistic or relatively confident, good for you! Haha keep it up all the way till nats! Keep going keep going you know you'll get there :D

If you feel like you're going to ggxx everytime you row, refresh yourself, remind yourself that there's only 1 week to go and you might as well give it your best shot huh! After all, you don't want to waste that 1 year+ of training right? Okay it's quite T____T to even think that way in the first place but just in case, hmm.

Hmm was going to write more but suddenly felt sleepy oops :X anyhow, jiayou and give your 110% this week and especially the next yup!

100%

Themesong of the Winter Olympics 2010 (:



I am a dream, just beginning
truth is I prayed and you opened my eyes,
annd you revealed something to me
suddenly I am no longer confined.

To a life that's defined by limits
I don't need no permission to live it
Imma break through the door till I get in
Everything that I got Immma give it
100%
and I ain't stoppin' till I reach the finish.

I'm a believer not just a dreamer
I'm givin everything I got
I'm a go-getter
100 Percenter
Undoubtedly I can reach the top
and I ain't gonna let nothing discourage or dissuade me
'Cause I'm walking out of here a champion either way babe
I am givin it 100 Percent
So go on put your ones up

If you're putting in a hundred put your ones up, ones up
If you know that this is something, put your ones up, ones up
If you really comprehend this, your ones up, your ones up
If you're walking into victory keep on shining
One hundred percent

You can only do it if you do it like I did
'Cause suffering ain't easy
But if you can turn your wounds into living proof that you've survived the fight and you no longer defined

To a life that's defined by limits
I don't need no permission to live it
Imma break through the door til I get in
Everything that I got Imma give it
100 Percent and I ain't stopping till I reach the finish

I'm a believer not just a dreamer
I'm givin everything I got
I'm a go-getter
100 Percenter
Undoubtedly I can reach the top
and I ain't gonna let nothing discourage or dissuade me
(Nothing can discourage me)
'Cause I'm walking out of here a champion either way babe (Eh)
I am givin it 100 Percent so go on put your ones up

If you're putting in a hundred put your ones up, ones up (Put your ones up)
If you know that this is something, put your ones up, ones up (Everybody)
If you really comprehend this, your ones up, your ones up (Put your ones up)
If you're walking into victory keep on shining (One hundred)
One hundred percent

Don't you ever be discouraged, let nobody take your courage
If you gonna pray don't worry,
If ya gonna wait don't pray
You just keep the faith and listen to me

If you're putting in a hundred put your ones up, ones up (Put your ones up)
If you know that this is something, put your ones up, ones up (If you know you were)
If you really comprehend this feel, your ones up, your ones up (If you ever hear something)
If you're walking into victory keep on shining
One hundred percent

I'm a believer not just a dreamer
I'm givin everything I got
I'm a go getter
100 Percenter
Undoubtedly I can reach the top and I ain't gonna let nothing discourage or dissuade me
(Percent I will share with you)
Cuz I'm walking out of here a champion either way babe (Either way)
Ive got ta give 100 Percent
So go on put your ones up

If you're putting in a hundred put your ones up, ones up
If you know that this is something, put your ones up, ones up
If you really comprehend this feel, your ones up, your ones up
If you're walking into victory keep on shining
One hundred percent

! :D

nicely put dong hahaha. <3 yoda.

justlooking at the picture on top and we realize how much time has passed. heh. 'We're the lao jiaos alr.

i was just thinking of how much we may want this to be over like "ah. finally after nats can slack and all. lots of free time'' True, but with that comes a close of a gigantic portion of our JC lives! im thinking that we'll start missing training alot, at least i think i will. the exicitement of waiting for lessons to end then changing up, rushing down to nice ol' macs wondering what we'll be rowing, what the weather will be like, what our timings will be. shouting vulgartiies while spamming pullups, doing random jiaolian exercises. gosh we'll miss them won't we ?

Regardless while we're still writing this portion of our future let us write it well so that when we look back, we look upon it with fondness. As we flip through those pages in the very near future i hope 'we'll do so with a smile on our face.

treasure every remaining training ;) enjoy every moment spent these people whom have been on the journey together. rmb about the coin storing analogy edwin gave us (to the guys? haha). time to store as many coins as we can and break the bank, release it all at NATS.

lets end this well.
cheers.

hey guys.
just wanted to say.

DO OR DO NOT,
THERE IS NO TRY.
:)

han sheng's post

let me start on a serious note, guys.
i dont believe in coincidence.

i dont believe that our canoe team is by chance.
whether you think its God or Allah or Guanyin or whatever, i believe that we have been put together as a team, for a reason.
we are Raffles Canoeists 09/10 for a purpose.

and that purpose is to win in the upcoming Nationals.


i know that many people have already dismissed the idea of Raffles Canoeing getting a podium position.
right now i want to tell you this: other people can dismiss Raffles Canoeing. but we ourselves cannot.

we are playing a catch-up game, trying to catch up with rowers that have six years of experience. so as long as we are stagnating, we are going to lose.

cum this april, we are going to give it our all.
we're gonna have to give our time, our effort, our energy.
we have to give everything and anything, so that we will not have any regrets.

never give up