Sports Day ... PSG runner

TK Sports Day is always a special, exciting day, oh...and I dont mean just for the kids. For me and some of the parents that compete in the highlight of the day's event, the inaugural 4x100m relay parents vs teachers vs TK alumni race, it is something we have been looking forward to all year. Last year the parents team came in 3rd. The teachers and alumni were too quick for us (there were rumours of steroid abuse by the winning team and runnerup teams but hey lets not get into that....). This year the parents are going for GOLD! Perhaps we are a tad competitive but it is all in the name of fun and a good laugh.

I started the day by "talking up" our imminent victory to everyone at my office that would listen. I posted on my facebook and twitter that I told my son, Shaun to warn his teachers to say hello to the guy in the red adidas shirt at the start line because once the gun goes off, all they will see is my back :)

To generate some extra spice in the race, I wore Shaun's house shirt "Tagore" and got the Tagore cheer squad to really cheer on the "uncles" in the race! Everyone was having so much fun and it was building up to a heady crescendo fueled by testosterone and adrenalin.

When the race was about to start, we got down to serious business. Because the parents team looked too formidable (ahem...), the judges decided to mix up the teams. My team had 2 parents and 2 teachers. Once the gun went off, we forgot we were unfit, 40 something, office bound corporate soldiers and turned into racing cheetahs. To add to the excitement, there were a few spills and thrills, people falling over, batons dropped. At the end of the race, we were all smiling, congratulating each other and back slapping each other like we just ran in the REAL Olympics! and yes, my team did win gold!

The serendipity of being part of the TK Sports Day is the reaction from my son. He was happy to see his "papa" participating and being part of his school's event, he received numerous questions from his mates ("is that your dad?" followed by "when did he escape from the zoo/circus.." good on them to have a sense of humour :). I also got a chance to meet and be-friend some of Shaun's mates. So lots of good things that came out of this event.

You can bet your house on it that I will be back next year! Will I see you at the start line?

Steven Pang