Soh Rui Yong (Rui)

Perseverance

By InnerVoice

April 28^th, 2017

Wanting more

In 2012, I represented Singapore in the ASEAN University Games and though I ran decently well, I finished a frustrating 4th in both the 5000m and 10,000m. I finished that 10,000m in 32:26.00 - the second fastest Singaporean mark of all time, but the fact that it wasn't even good enough for a medal at a regional student games left me wanting more. Much more.

I applied for an exchange program at the University of Oregon in 2013, the reason being I wanted to attend classes in Sports Business, which I did not have at the National University of Singapore. I also wanted to learn from the world-class systems in Eugene, Oregon - widely regarded as the mecca of track and field.

My exchange term at UO went really well - I made lots of good friends, increased my training and became a much better athlete. I also learned about the sports business aspect of the sporting world, which greatly aided my development in the sporting industry. Eventually, I applied to transfer my credits to UO and finish my degree there. I knew it would be beneficial for both my academic and athletic development.

Team Tze Char

I have a close group of friends that I chat with on a daily basis in our Whatsapp group – Team Tze Char. All of us have been competitive runners at some point in our lives, some of us are still competitive while others are more recreational, but we understand the sport and that’s what connects us. We also spend a fair amount of time chasing good food all over Singapore, going on runs together, and thinking of ways we can give back to the community through sport. The Team Tze Char Shoe Foundation was set up to provide new shoes for underprivileged student-athletes.

“Perseverance and giving up are both habits. Be careful which one you choose to adopt.”

culture shock

My main cultural shock actually came from how similar US college life actually was to what I see in movies. We watch a lot of Hollywood movies in Singapore, where there is a heavy Western influence, and I always thought that things were dramatised on the big screen, but things were actually that way when I got here.

I guess that Asian-Chinese culture is generally on the conservative side with regards to relationships, marriage, sex, family etc. but it is a lot more liberal in the West. Discussions are a lot more open here, which I really appreciate and enjoy. I think that's how communication should be, and it's not always the case back home.

Family business

Sport kind of runs in the family for me - my mother was captain of her junior college cross country team while my dad played basketball, soccer and ran the 4x100m relay for his junior college. My parents inspire me because they both came from low-income family backgrounds and yet they managed to overcome the challenges of life, earn university degrees, get good jobs and provide comfortable lives for my sister and me. They’ve taught us the value of money, hard work and other great values that I am glad I have today.

My career in athletics has restricted my time with my family, yet strengthened our bond because I appreciate how much they support me and treasure the little time we have together. It’s allowed me to meet friends I wouldn’t otherwise meet without the sport, some of whom have become amazing lifelong friends. It has helped get me a job with Sport Singapore, an organisation that shares my goal of helping Singaporeans all live better through a sporting lifestyle. And it has given me the opportunity to meet some lovely women I would otherwise not have had the chance to meet. Unfortunately, the amount of time and energy I spend on work and my sport means that my dating life happens in ebbs and flows… not the best kind of schedule for a relationship, so I’m choosing to be single until I find the right one who can work with the crazy schedule that I have!

“Over years of training, I grew increasingly better at distance running and I saw it as a way I could do something special for my country that nobody else could.”

blessed

I’ve honestly been blessed with a relatively comfortable life, and having trained in Kenya and seen that side of the world, I really would be whining to say that anything in my life has been a tragedy. But I have had disappointments – failing to qualify for the Olympics last year due to injury at an inopportune time was certainly one. But the injury (a torn left plantar fascia) which kept me out of running for months helped me realise how much I loved running and how much I had taken it for granted. When I recovered and re-entered the sport, I was back with more passion than ever before and it showed in my first race back – a national record of 2:24:55 in the 2016 Chicago Marathon.

pick another goal

Quitting a race has seldom ever crossed my mind – the only race I have ever quit was the 2015 Fukuoka Marathon where I was injured and every step hurt more than the previous by 12km. I decided 30km more on an injured foot was a terrible idea.

Every time the body is in a state of exhaustion in training or races, it always becomes a battle whether to stop or keep going. I became very acquainted with running low on blood sugar during the 2016 London Marathon – hitting “the wall.” Gotta experience it to know it, but it’s never fun.

When things don’t go to plan, I give myself a day to reflect on it and analyse what didn’t go so well. Then I put it behind me and pick another goal to focus on. The next race after a bad race tends to be one the best races of my career. I sometimes see it as the strenuous climb before the glorious peak.

“My mind is usually in a tunnel-vision like state of focus during competitions. It’s a feeling I don’t get in any other aspects of my life. My inner voice says trust your training, trust the process, and make the best of what you have.”

Perseverance

Racing marathons teach you perseverance. Two hours of physical exertion with every mile containing its own character and challenges. You always go through rough patches in every marathon but if you stick with the plan you sometimes get that second wind that carries you across the finish line, surpassing your own expectations.

Similarly to my involvement in work with the community, I draw examples from marathon training/racing to encourage perseverance and drive in people who are struggling or feeling lost with their lives. As Rocky Balboa says, “Life ain’t about how hard you can hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit, how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.”