Ju's Diary: 2015 Review : A year of "firsts" for me

As I sit in the hospital waiting room, while awaiting the results of my health screening tests, I finally get a quiet moment to review my life over the past year and reflect upon the many blessings and experiences that life has thrown my way.

Sunrise over the Semenyih Dam, captured via my humble mobile cam

Though there was a trying period of emotional upheaval, feelings of abandonment and deep loneliness at the beginning of the year, whom someone, whose name I shall not mention here, bestowed nonchalantly upon me, I found that, all things considered, I had managed to bounce back rather quickly and also managed to keep my sadness well-hidden away from majority of people save for the few close friends I had confided in.

Enjoying a day out at the tea fields of Boseong, Jeollanamdo, Rep. of South Korea

Actually, I am pleasantly surprised that this year is a turning point for me in more ways than one and also a year which saw me experiencing my "firsts" in different areas of my life.

With beautiful Jindalae flowers and swirling mists after a hike up Yeongchwisan, Yeosu, Rep. of South Korea

At Gurye, Sandong, Rep. of South Korea with the Sansuyu trees in the background

Here, I take a while to list down the significant times of my life in 2015, but I shall do it namely for the sake of having a checkpoint reference for me in the far future when I gently reminisce about the things life has brought me through.

So here goes:-

1) I bought my first bicycle, a road bike at the end of April 2015. I fell in love with Yukiko, my bike, at first sight.

I found Yukiko!

2) I discovered the joys of cycling and the calming restoration of peace and balance it introduced into my life.

Cycling 80+km along GCE/Latar with AGRR team

3) I made a record number of friends in over a space of 8 months, most of them thru sharing a common love for cycling.

With friends from ECT during one of our Putrajaya Night Rides

4) I started my first BRICKS (Cycle-Run) training this year and some times, combined it with swimming for some variety. Thoroughly love it and it has made me a better, stronger runner in the process.

Learning to coast downhill on a bike was one of the toughest lessons in cycling for me.
(Pic. shot by JV Ng during the Titi ride with ECT)

5) I travelled solo to the Deep South of Rep. of Korea for 3 weeks in spring, chasing the flower trail across the country, enjoying the sights and sounds, photographing landscapes, flowers, moments, learning more about the culture and how to live once again out of just my battered suitcase.

At Yongjangsa ancient temple site, Namsan, Gyeongju, Rep. of South Korea after scaling the steep mountain.

Rapeseed flowers covering Cheongsando, Jeollanamdo

6) I got myself a new hairstyle just by chopping off the front of my hair, giving myself schoolgirl bangs.

New hairstyle, a new beginning

7) I ran the Gold Coast Int'l Marathon (Half- Marathon category) for the first time in early July and also visited the Gold Coast for the first time. The experience was enjoyable, self-healing and also eye-opening to me in terms of the meaning of true friendship.

At the Gold Coast Int'l Marathon 2015 Expo
and Race Kit Collection

With Yee Hoo at the GCAM Race Expo. This guy is now well on his way to becoming a seasoned well known ultramarathoner and trail lord!

A time of self-healing and reflection at Curumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Gold Coast

8) I felt welcomed for the first time, by a new group of friends I made through cycling : the Anything Goes Road Riders (AGRR) team, who made me a part of them even though I had only known them in a short while. We even celebrated our birthdays together at the end of July, after knowing them for only a couple of months. Later on, I also got to know another great group of cycling buddies from the Elite Cycling Team (ECT) and hope to do more long distance rides with them.

My first cycling team jersey

Celebrating my birthday with the other July babies of AGRR

With ECT on our epic "Batman" 148km ride from Puchong to Janda Baik and back

With AGRR at our Fraser's Hill ride

With ECT, during the Titi ride

With AGRR at Morib,
during our Kota Kemuning to Morib ride

9) I had the blessed opportunity to enjoy running the trails with the best seasoned, passionate, trail-running guru - Mike Grover and Obama, his trusted dog, while training for my trail race in Indonesia.

With Obama before the start of one of our trail runs at Mardi Maeps

Mike and Obama

10) I ran my first race in Indonesia, my third trail race and came in 2nd place at the Bromo International Marathon in September. I also visited the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, Indonesia for the first time as a solo traveller and instantly fell in love with the rugged landscape and hospitable, friendly mannerisms of the Tenggerese people.

I managed to smile while enduring 21.1km of dust!

After completing the tough Bromo Half Marathon, elation is seen on my face

At the podium of Bromo International Marathon, after receiving my prize.

At the Savannah (Padang Teletubbies), BTS, East Java

The highlight of my trip was to be able to do a hike in BTS, to see Mt. Bromo and photograph this beautiful scene.

11) Career-wise, I have finally ventured into developing, administrating and conducting training workshops on my own in July, calling upon my reserves of deeply-rooted academic and teaching genes inherited from both my parents.

With my department colleagues at one of the team's birthday celebrations for the year

With my colleagues at the team building I organized with help from a trusted young colleague : Kaylie. Thanks for your help!

12) And last but certainly, not least, I met the love of my life, my soulmate, whom, after all the wrong turns I have made in my life, has waited for this right moment to appear. Thank you HowHow for everything you have done and for always being there for me. I wish for many more good years for us ahead.

Us...

We share a love of cycling and travelling and a whole lot more

Happy New Year.. All smiles!

There's a lot more I have to be grateful and thankful for namely, my family who has always been there for me, a few select friends who have regularly stayed in touch and shown care and concern and dropped little bits of surprises into my life, a understanding boss who allowed me to work from home when I needed to finish my work in peace and deep concentration away from the hustle and bustle of the office, helpful colleagues and many more people.

Alwaya will be Daddy's girl

Precious people : My brother and his beautiful family

With some members of the GCAM team and friends after a very wet long evening run in Putrajaya

The end of the year also had it's lows and one of them was the pain of losing a close friend and running buddy who had courageously fought a long battle with cancer. Nevertheless, he has inspired me to take my sports to the next level very soon, to go further and do more.

The other low was getting a bad scare over my dad's close call with weak iregular heartbeat, dizziness and breathing difficulties which thankfully, was diagnosed as controllable with drugs without a need for surgery.

Thank you 2015 for enriching my life path. I welcome 2016 with open arms and anticipation as I await to see what else lies in store for me in the coming year.

If you have finished reading this, or have regularly followed me, or have simply been there for me as a friend or dear family member, I thank you too, and have a blessed new year ahead. =)

I leave you with a few more photos of my solo travels in 2015.