Out Of Breath - Part 1

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

- Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher

Montfort Junior & Secondary, 1990s - 1999

Located in the humble heartlands of Hougang Ave 8, the Montfort School facilities is divided into two sections; one comprising the primary school side (Montfort Junior) and the other, the secondary school (Montfort Secondary). In operation since 1916, Montfort, in the early 90s, shifted from its former location at Upper Serangoon to its current site.

Within the confines of this Catholic "boys-only" institution are hundreds of male students from various backgrounds and races, energized for all the right and wrong reasons. What better outlet for a horde of restless kids than sports? Especially one that involves kicking a ball.

Despite the school's solid reputation for producing badminton champs, football remains the most popular activity around. Before assembly and during recess, a short game will be played either between two classes or opposing sides within a class or a mixture of both. Sometimes, a real football will be used. Other times, the boys will have to make do with tennis balls. When both resources are unavailable, the boys improvised by using crushed drink cans.

As kids, we will do anything just to have fun.

And then there's P.E.

Unless each sessions involved football (or at least other games or sports like badminton), P.E is sometimes frowned upon. Otherwise, it was enjoyable on most occasions as long as the class don't felt like they're being forced into physical exhaustion.

One of the activities our P.E teachers got us to do was to run around a section of the Hougang neighbourhood which Montfort is located within. Starting off and ending at the school's driveway, we exited out of the main gate and ran along the pavements at Hougang Avenue 8, 4, 10 and 6 respectively. When it's all over, we spend the final minutes of P.E catching our breath.

I like running for a long time. My first introduction to this heart-pumper, however, was no love at first sight. Actually, it was more like hate at first puke.

I remembered taking NAPFA test in primary school and had to meet a passable timing for about a mile long run. Like a typical running noob, I started off fast and ended up walking for the rest of the distance. This faulty pattern of running would go on for a few years and right into Sec 1.

Of course, Sec 1 was the worst.

This time, there was even more P.E sessions of (longer) 2.4K runs to make me scream for air. Out of a class of 40 boys, I would come in at the ridiculed Bottom 5. It's easy to witness my late return; you have a group of 30 something classmates, waiting at the driveway and they would spot a bunch of their dying friends, making it to the finish.

"Oh. Terry's back..... at last."

By then, I was convinced that, anytime, I will be the last guy.