The Joys of Running

I ran six half marathons in six months, and I would like to share 3 life lessons from my experience.

At the start of the year, I set two relatively simple running goals.

First, I committed to running 1 official full marathon before the end of 2023.

Second, as part of my preparation, I initially targeted running 3 or 4 half marathons either as part of my training program or at officially organized events. So far, I have run 6 half marathons in 6 months, that is, 2 more than my original maximum target.

There are three reasons for my second goal. First, it is a critical component of my training plans for long runs. Second, I want to be relatively consistent in my long-distance running. Third, I want to take a very disciplined and methodical approach to gradually building up my mileage. Ultimately, before my full marathon, I would like to complete a couple of more long runs that are between 25km and 33km.

For my first goal, I registered to participate in the Kuala Lumpur Standard Charter Full Marathon in September. For training purposes, I run 3 – 4 times per week, and an average of 35 – 60 km per week.

Since early March, I have had remarkable successes and a phenomenal experience achieving my second goal. It all started, when I met Lim Chhayada, a passionate runner, from the National Bank of Cambodia. He told me he was going out for one of his regular early morning runs. When I enquired about the distance, he told me in a calm and collected manner that he was going to run 21km. I was amazed!

Before meeting Lim, I had never met another runner who was so laid-back in deciding to just go out and run 21km. Without giving it much thought, I agreed to join him. I was a bit cautious because the timing was slightly ahead of my training schedule. Based on my initial plan, my first 21km run should have been around the end of March or early April.

Equally, I was reasonably confident I could do it. Up to that point, I was gradually increasing my mileage and I was consistently running 7 – 8km. For my long runs, I was up to 15km. I knew I could persist and endure to get to 21km, and I did!

Lim and I ran to the iconic Angkor Wat temple and along the river in Siem Reap. It was not an official event and obviously, I did not receive any medal. For me marathon running is not about medals or times. For me, it is the discipline of goal setting, planning and successful execution.

With Lim I had a wonderful experience. It was a fantastic way to see the allure and beauty of Siem Reap. Most importantly, the experience ignited the idea of running my remaining 2 or 3 21km runs when I travel to other cities for assignments overseas. There is something truly inspiring and motivating about the thought of how many cities around the world I can achieve my goal of running 21km in 2023.

Since March, I ran 21km in Fukuoka, Japan; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Brampton, Ontario; and most recently in Anguilla, a tiny island in the Eastern Caribbean with a population of about 15k. The experience of running 21km in different cities is way beyond my imagination and expectations. The experience has reinforced for 3 key life lessons for me which I share below:

1.??????Goal setting, planning and preparation are critical for success. You may have heard this before or you think it is a cliché, but this is a fact of life. This is a lesson, I learned during my preparation for the 2022 NYCRuns Brooklyn Marathon, my first marathon. Believe it or not it a lesson I rekindled in attempting to run 21km when I am traveling overseas on assignments. Whatever we dream of in life it is vital to have a set of clearly defined goals, and very specific actions that you will take to achieve your goals. Our goals are like the lighthouse that serves as a guide for mariners to navigate safely through dangerous shallows and perilous rocky coasts. Just the lighthouse helps to guide vessels safely into and out of harbors our goals provide a clear sense of direction of where you would like to go.

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2.??????For runners goals are critical to providing direction to successful running. At a personal level, my running goals help to balance my work, family obligations and training. It provides focus, direction and meaning. My initial idea was to merely run 3 or 4 half marathons. However, during the journey attaining my goal, I have experienced tremendous excitement running in different cities. Running in different cities gives me an even greater understanding of what my goals are and why I am pursuing them. They help me to guard against complacency or obstacles that can impede my chances of success, and consequently, deny me the joy of achievements.

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3.??????Share your goals with others and surround yourself with people who can help you and keep you accountable. Goal setting can be likened to lights as they illuminate and guide your path to success, clearly marking the various milestones on your journey. In Colombo, I told Kushan Chamara from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, I would like to know the best route to attempt a 21km run. Kushan provided me with a route along the course from Taj Samudra to Dehiwala Railway Station via Marine Drive. On the night before my run, I told Ole Rummel, my colleague, about my plan. On the morning of my run, Ole sat diligently at the window in his hotel room watching for my return to celebrate. Support from Kushan and Ole, and others have kept me motivated.

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4.??????Sharing my goals with others also helped to connect me with other likeminded individuals. For example, in Siem Reap, Cambodia I ran 21km with Lim Chhayada from National Bank of Cambodia, and I also had a fantastic trail run with Federico Peirobon from the European Central Bank. In Kuala Lumpur I frequently run with my Soar to Excellence Pacers (S.T.E.P.) running group at Sasana Kijang. I have run with Lief Dierks, Professor for International Capital MarketsProfessor for International Capital Markets, Luebeck University of Applied Sciences.

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5.??????In Anguilla, I met Stephen Austin, a soccer player, runner and cyclist, and Wilda Hughes from the Anguilla Financial Services Commission. Stephen and Wilda are the quintessential team players. They provided support above and beyond what was necessary for me to successfully run 21km on the island.

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6.??????I ran with Stephen twice. First, we did an 8.5km conditioning and climatization run. Then, we ran 21km in Anguilla’s wretchedly hot, humid, windy, and arid condition. Thankfully, we had Wilda, who drove along the route and supported us with water for adequate hydration purposes and ripe bananas for food and nutrition. Stephen and Wilda are great teammates. They provided appropriate and unconditional support for me to accomplish my goal.

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7.??????It is imperative that our goals evolve with us. One of the key attributes of highly successful individuals is the ability to set goals and achieve them. We invariably track our progress through our accomplishments, tap ourselves on the shoulder and celebrate. Setting goals, however, should not be a definite process, making sure that our goals are evolving with our growth is a great way to keep us motivated. Setting goals that can evolve with our growth ensures that reaching a goal is not a stopping point.

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8.??????Initially, when I took the decision to join Lim on his 21km run to Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap, I was merely excited to attempt the first of my 3 or 4 21km runs for the year in a country other than Malaysia. This one decision illuminated something much grander than I initially expected and my goal evolved. Subconsciously, I gave myself permission for my dreams and aspiration to grow. I was no longer shackled or limited to running all 3 or 4 21km in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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9.??????The allure and adventure of running 21km in different cities around the world is inspiring and motivating. In Fukuoka, Japan, I ran along side of the banks of the Mikasa River (Nakasu) and to Ohari Park to celebrate the kindness and hospitality I experienced from the people I met in Japan. In Anguilla, the severe heat, humidity and aridness of the condition tested my will power to endure the adverse weather conditions.

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10.??Having goals that evolve is a very crucial tool to develop, especially if one values personal growth in every aspect of life. As human beings, we evolve over time. Our lives are filled with ebbs and flows, peaks and valleys, change is constant, and our goals follow our old mentality. Life itself is full of lessons, if our goals stay unchanged it will be a recipe of boredom and stagnation. Armed with experience and knowledge of running 6 half marathons in six months in different cities is empowering and enlightening. I would encourage you to allow your goals to grow with you and keep them up-to-date to match your evolving selves.

For running I started the year with 2 primary goals. I am preparing to run the Kuala Lumpur Standard Charter Marathon in September. I initially targeted running 3 or 4 half marathons either as part of my training program or at officially organized events. So far, I have run 6 half marathons in 6 months, that is, 2 more than my original maximum target. Based on my remarkable experience, I have already gotten more than I imagined. I have had a blast of an adventure, and with 5 months remaining in the year, the sky is the limit for me. I encourage you to set goals, share your dreams and aspiration with others; and allow your goals to evolve as you grow.