GOING THE DISTANCE

Running the adidas Sundown Marathon 2010 at the ages of 52 and 46 respectively, Military Expert (ME) 3 Silvakumar Utharapathy and Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Irene Wee show that age is no barrier in the long run.

They are both married, each with two grown-up children, but LTC Wee and ME3 Kumar are not about to slow down for life. Instead, they are constantly on the lookout for new challenges and greater distances to conquer.

Among the 667 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Regulars who participated in the third edition of the annual adidas Sundown Marathon this year, ME3 Kumar and LTC Wee were the oldest man and woman to take part in the ultra-marathon (84km) and full marathon (42km) categories respectively.

The marathon, which flagged off and ended at Changi Exhibition Centre on 29 May, marked ME3 Kumar's third ultra-marathon and LTC Wee s third full marathon.

"It's all in the mind," said LTC Wee, sharing her secret on how she completes a marathon through sheer will power and endurance, which her training in the Army taught her.

"OCS (Officer Cadet School) training was a torture for me because I hardly exercised before that, but I endured it all. I always tell myself that if I can complete such a tough training, I can run a marathon," said LTC Wee, who is from the Joint Manpower Department, and who currently handles human resource matters in the SAF.

ME3 Kumar agreed with LTC Wee on the need for perseverance. The former personal assistant to the Jakarta defence attache, who just returned home from Indonesia, recalled how he nearly gave up during his first ultra-marathon after seeing many participants giving up at the halfway mark.

"But after that, subsequent ultra-marathons were easier, because I'd already crossed the 84km milestone."

Both LTC Wee and ME3 Kumar cited family support, besides mental strength, as an important part of their success formula.

"My 16-year-old son, Jonathan, knows that preparation is needed to accomplish anything, so he always encourages me to train," said LTC Wee.

For ME3 Kumar, support came in the form of his 21-year-old son, Navin, who ran the ultra-marathon with him for the first time this year. His daughter, Aishwaryaa, who is 18, also took part in the 10km category for the first time this year. "My wife, Vasugi, is my best supporter. During every marathon event, she stands by to hand me refreshments and medical aid."

With this year's Sundown Marathon adding another notch to their belt, both runners now have their sights set on their next challenge. For ME3 Kumar, it is to attempt a 100km marathon, while LTC Wee is aiming to get a scuba diving licence at the end of this year.

"I would like my son to get the licence with me, and I hope I'll be lucky enough to see a whale shark, the largest fish in the world!"

Why you can and should

Some tips for moving beyond those age-old excuses you keep giving yourself to not attempt the marathons, courtesy of Military Expert (ME) 3 Silvakumar Utharapathy and Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Irene Wee.

"Marathons are way too tough."

LTC Wee: "Marathons are not that daunting. If like me, you're not running competitively, just aim to finish it at your own pace. Enjoy the scenery and the run itself."

"But I have no time!"

LTC Wee: "Last year, I juggled a hectic work schedule, examinations for a course I took, and marathon training. The key is to prioritise. Work and study during the week, and save the weekends to exercise."

ME3 Kumar: "There are 24 hours a day, so why not sacrifice half an hour a day to exercise? Treat it as an investment for your health. When you're older, and still healthy, and don't have that many hospital bills to pay, you'll find this investment paying off."

"I'm too old."

LTC Wee: "I'm very lucky to be able to run at this age, because there are many people who can't due to health reasons. Exercise to keep yourself healthy."