Professional adventure-racing coach, Wilson Low is racing this weekend in a 24-hour team challenge in Queensland, Australia. He is joined by his female partner in a physically-demanding challenge. Wilson, who has a pedigree racing resume, has raced four world championships including the Ironman/70.3 and X-Terra world championships. He, recently, completed the Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge and Cape Epic Challenge.
After he raced in the 2008 edition of the Hawaii Ironman (Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona), he bought me this polo-shirt. It was the 30th Anniversary of the Ironman triathlon, founded by retired SEAL-Commander John Colins, his wife and friends. In the first race (of its kind) in 1978, 15 people participated and 12 completed. Clifford Lee is the 13th Singaporean to complete the 35-year-old race. Predecessors include Choo Ling Er, Alvin, Jin Phang, Shawn Ann, Wilson Low, Adrian Mok, Jeanette Wang, Davy Koh, Robin Ho, Ronnie, Francis and Kenneth Keng. Other finishers include Jeradine Chua, Adam Ng, Daniel (who is a cancer survivor) and Kua Harn Wei (deca-Ironman triathlon finisher, who we interviewed). I will be tracking down these past-finishers for a feature story shortly. The history of Ironman Hawaii in Kona is richly-drenched in stories and memories.
I hope to be the 14th Singaporean to achieve this dream - the holy grail of long-distance triathlon; akin to the Boston Marathon for marathoner. After the tragedy of this year's event, we can pray that the people recover, and come back stronger for next year's edition in Boston (the oldest marathon in the world). We can support Boston Marathon 2014 as a show of unity and common purpose. I will be doing my best to earn a Boston Qualifying time (BQ) in Gold Coast in July.
Five years later, as I wear this gift today, I wonder if it was a gentle omen that would nudge my mild Kona-dream into higher gear. The next five months will be filled with a structured regime, mindful eating, generous doses of sleep, and a clear eye on the goal (of completion). The challenge would be to restore equilibrium and keeping my sense and sanity. Life need not be unduly different and unpleasant to those around me, as I work towards the 35th edition of the Big Dance on the Big Island.
[By the way, Wilson and his racing-buddy won in the Mixed Pair category last weekend. Congratulations, Wilson!]
I hope to be the 14th Singaporean to achieve this dream - the holy grail of long-distance triathlon; akin to the Boston Marathon for marathoner. After the tragedy of this year's event, we can pray that the people recover, and come back stronger for next year's edition in Boston (the oldest marathon in the world). We can support Boston Marathon 2014 as a show of unity and common purpose. I will be doing my best to earn a Boston Qualifying time (BQ) in Gold Coast in July.
Five years later, as I wear this gift today, I wonder if it was a gentle omen that would nudge my mild Kona-dream into higher gear. The next five months will be filled with a structured regime, mindful eating, generous doses of sleep, and a clear eye on the goal (of completion). The challenge would be to restore equilibrium and keeping my sense and sanity. Life need not be unduly different and unpleasant to those around me, as I work towards the 35th edition of the Big Dance on the Big Island.
[By the way, Wilson and his racing-buddy won in the Mixed Pair category last weekend. Congratulations, Wilson!]
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