I have PASSED!

I have passed my IPPT! Hurray! I must thank Kelly and Clarice for their well-wishes. Well, it was a struggle in the last few minutes of the 2.4km run, but I managed to pass it. My time was 12 minutes 31 seconds. I needed to get below 13 minutes to pass.

At around 7.40am, I reached Lim Chu Kang Camp 2, which was at the junction of Jalan Bahar Road and Lim Chu Kang Road. The camp is quite near (about 5 minutes' drive) to the P4 camp site at Sarimbun Scouts Camp. I reported to the cookhouse and found my comrades there waiting. At about 8am, the conducting officer first briefed us about the sequence of the IPPT test, followed by the medic who briefed us on the safety and "evacuation" procedure for any casualities during the IPPT. We started with the Sit-ups and most of us did 31 sit-ups as that was the minimum requirement to get 3 points. Then, we proceeded to the chin-up or pull-up station and I managed to pull up 4 times while my comrades did 6. I guess I was a little overweight to do more. After that, we moved on to the Standing Broad Jump Station in the parade square. I did 213cm on the first attempt, but I managed to reach 230cm the second time and earn myself 5 points for that station. Next, we got to the Shuttle Run Station and I ran a time of slightly more than 10 seconds (I forgot my timing). One comrade sprained his back while attempting the shuttle run and he was taken to the Tengah Medical Centre to see the Medical Officer. He was later given two days of medical leave to rest his back. It was quite serious as he had great difficulties even to stand and walk on his own. I hope he will recover soon. Anyway, this round could be his last ICT and he needs not go back to camp again. We rested for about 10 minutes before we proceeded to the final station.

The final test was the 2.4km which everyone found it the toughest. Most of us had passed the four stations, except for the one who injured his back, and all we needed was to pass the final station. My comrades started off the run pretty fast and I had a hard time keeping up with them. It was only during the second round that I managed to catch up with them. In the last and final round, they started to slow down, so I overtook them one by one. When I saw that I had only about 3 minutes more to pass the test, I started to speed up by increasing my pace. Somehow, I felt both my calves weighing down my legs and I could not run as fast as I would like to. Glancing at my watch, I saw the seconds moving fast. Thinking that I would have to retake the IPPT all over again somehow "boosted" my endurance and I quickened my steps and moved towards the finishing point. I clocked a time of less than 13 minutes. Phew! I felt all my energy drained out and I could move no further so I sat down on the kerb by the road. I could not walk properly for the next half an hour. My comrades did not make it by the 13 minutes. Fortunately or unfortunately, I was the only one who had passed the IPPT. They would need to retake the WHOLE IPPT again, as the rule states that we have to retake all the stations if we fail the 2.4km run.

I was given half-a-day off for passing the IPPT, and here I am now, writing this post. :)