My running life

  "Hey! Mr.Driver.Stop here,I will get off." This is my starting moment to enter into the running life. It was springtime (Apr 1999) in Japan. I was commuting to my company by bus and saw that the leaves of the trees were so green and fresh. I couldn’t help but alight from the bus and started walking, enjoying the greenery. Since then, I started walking to my company from my house, a distance of about 5km. Gradually I tried to run a bit. After 6 months, I could run to my company from my house within half an hour.

  I took apart in a total of 57 races, including 1 Triathlon, 15 full marathons and 11 half-marathons, so far. I have run in Tokyo, Singapore and Honolulu, Hawaii. My best timing for a full marathon is 3 hours 55 minutes 29 seconds in 2007; Half marathon: 1 hour 43 minutes 14 seconds in 2001.I ran the Honolulu marathon with my elder daughter in 2006,which was great fun.

  I run 2 to 3 times a week alongside the Singapore River, usually about 10km.I also join a running club in company and we run 10km every Thursday around the office area.  Recently I discovered the route from my house to Marina Bay area passing by Clarke Quay, which allows me to enjoy urban running life. It is especially nice to run at night and look at the beautiful lights.

  In addition to my fitness, running gives me encouragement for my life and inspiration for ideas. If I don’t run for some time, my body becomes heavy and I feel my mind becoming the same. Usually I set some topics to think about before running. Running stimulates my brain, clears my mind and gives me positive ideas.

  Running gives me the extra energy and it allows me to meet new people, but sometimes it is very challenging for me to run in the morning before work, especially after a late night.

  I do feel that fitness and sports can help to develop one’s discipline and focus. For example, when I took up the challenge of participating in my first Triathlon – Osim Triathlon in Jul last year, my goal was to compete and complete.

  Running was no problem for me but it was a challenge to bike and swim in the open sea. But I put my mind to it and started practicing from April, following a vigorous training program and getting up very early in the morning to train with my colleagues. I became very focused on achieving my goal, disciplined in attending the training and when I completed the Triathlon, I felt a big sense of achievement.  Similarly, I believe others participating in sports activities would also develop discipline and focus and this will have a positive impact on their work. 

  I am not actually nurturing a "running" culture.But I would say that I try to nurture a healthy environment for our organization. Personally, I promote “running” as it is my love and I’m glad to discover that many of my colleagues also enjoy running. 

   We fielded 341 runners in the 2011 Standard Chartered Marathon and achieved 5^th position in the Corporate Challenge covering 5,800 km in the various categories, a marked improvement over our 9^th position placing in the previous year. There was no strong directive. Rather, the good participation was due to the strong efforts of our recreation team who actively promoted this activity.  Staff who participated in previous runs also encouraged others in their own divisions to join in the fun.  As such, it became more of a team-bonding activity, with staff from the same division running together.   

  Also, we can see that running is becoming quite popular in Singapore and I think this running boom has also helped us. We are definitely continuing to have company participation in Standard Chartered Singapore marathon, as well as other runs such as JP Morgan Run and Yellow Ribbon Run. We also organize our own annual Runnig event where members from all the companies in Singapore run together and get to know one another.  

  I will go to Japan for Tokyo Marathon on 26 Feb together with 7 colleagues from Singapore and our Singaporean expatriates in Tokyo will cheer us on. 

  For those who are looking to start running ,don’t be in a hurry to finish any race. Try to enjoy the scenery during the run. When you are having fun, you will do much better.Of course, training before the marathon is still necessary, so set a training program and be disciplined in the training and focused on completing the marathon. 

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