Yow Kang Huat, from Singapore, was happy to win second place in the over-60 age group, 21km distance at VnExpress Marathon Sparkling Quy Nhon 2023.
Yow, whose running nickname is Frankie, started running in high school. Back then, running was his hobby after school. But at that time, Yow had no idea about marathons, only participating in short distances in school track and field events.
Mr. Yow on the VnExpress Marathon Sparkling Quy Nhon 2023 running track. Photo: VnExpress Marathon
In college, Mr. Yow learned more about running. He joined a group of students who shared his interest in running and found a good coach. From that point on, he started signing up for some long-distance races. First, 10 km, then half marathon, then full marathon.
"I still remember my first full marathon, which ended in disaster. I was so tired that I decided to quit at the 40th kilometer, even though there were only 2 kilometers left to the finish line. At that time, I was so excited that I didn't realize that a marathon was not a simple challenge. So even though I was younger and healthier than now, I didn't finish. Before that, I had only trained for a 10-kilometer distance. That was a valuable lesson and motivated me to train more seriously in the future," Mr. Yow recalled.
After graduating, Mr. Yow went to Malaysia to work and became even more passionate about running. He joined a running club and trained regularly. With these running friends, he participated in marathons across Malaysia, mainly in the 21km and 42km distances. "It was a valuable experience when I was young. Not only did I improve my performance parameters, but I also made many more friends who were runners," he said.
Later, Mr. Yow returned to work in Singapore. Fate brought him to Vietnam, working in the medical equipment industry. At this time, running was not only an effort to improve himself through each race, but also an opportunity for him to explore many other countries. Mr. Yow registered and completed hundreds of marathons in many different places such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Canada, Malaysia and Vietnam.
When he was younger, Mr. Yow had achieved a sub-3 marathon. Before Covid-19, his record for this distance was 3 hours and 45 minutes. Now, the 64-year-old runner no longer has the motivation to train for a full marathon. But Mr. Yow believes that if he tries again, he can still achieve a sub-4 in the future.
Currently, Mr. Yow mainly participates in the 21km distance to satisfy his love of sightseeing while running. At VnExpress Marathon Sparkling Quy Nhon 2023, he participated in the half marathon distance and achieved a time of 1 hour 54 minutes 19 seconds, ranking second in the over 60 male age group.
Mr. Yow walks on Thi Nai bridge on the morning of June 11. Photo: VnExpress Marathon
"This is a well-organized race. The atmosphere is lively, the volunteers are friendly and helpful to the athletes. There are enough water and medical stations. I think the organizers can improve communication with the athletes. Like me, when I reached the finish line and was given a prize card, I was not instructed on what to do next. I also think the organizers should arrange some trash cans near the finish line so that the athletes can put their used water bottles in there," he said.
In the future, Mr. Yow aims to reach 1 hour 45 minutes for the half marathon distance. He said he will continue to participate in races in the VnExpress Marathon system, if he can arrange the time.
"Honestly, I don't know how much longer my body and mind will allow me to run. I can only confirm that I will continue to be passionate about this sport as long as I can run. When I can't run anymore, maybe I will find another sport to keep myself healthy and happy. Through this, I want to tell you to keep running while your legs and heart still allow it," said the 64-year-old runner.
Quynh Chi
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