Fitness & Travel + A Dirty Little Secret

Here's an article I was approached to write for a newly launched fitness website, on how I used my passion for travel to add more juicy fitness in my life! And since this is my own personal blog, I've added more insights and pictures to the actual published article.

You can click here for other interviews I've done.

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“Take care of your body. It is the only place you have to live.”

                                                   ~ Jim Rohn - Entrepreneur & Mentor to Anthony Robbins

Health & Fitness are our lifeblood!
Yet in this competitive digital age, where we are connected to work and to the world 24/7, with our smartphones attached to us like an extra appendage, our lives are placed in the fast lane with expectations of us to churn our more, and fast. No doubt, it makes us more productive, but we're burning the candle at both ends, stretching ourselves to the point of suffering a burnout.

With whatever free time left for ourselves, all we want is to engage in something fun to feel alive again, or to catch up with our family, friends, and some sleep!! Workout?... What workout?!

I'm a Travel Presenter, Writer, Researcher and the occasional Actor & Model, who's also an advocate for Sustainable Tourism. There is definitely some flexibility being a freelancer, but most times, I end up working more than the standard 9am-6pm (or is it 9am-10pm these days?) since I'm responsible for bringing in work for myself. With that, exercising sometimes takes a backseat. Guilty as charged.

I absolutely love sports and the great outdoors! And in order to give my health more attention, I decided to up the game further and add more intensity to my fitness, by diving into something which excited and scared me. So exciting a challenge that I would actually become devoted and motivated to MAKE TIME training for it.

I fell in love with Triathlon.

The standard Olympic distance Triathlon involves 1.5k of Swimming, 40km of Cycling and 10km of Running, in immediate succession. Swimming is my strongest since I used to train competitively for two years; Cycling - a favourite; and Running - the activity that comes most naturally to the human body, yet was my weakest! And here's why -- (Time for a dirty little secret) --- I Hate Running!

*Surprise, Shock, Horror*... Yes I do. 
Now, I know many people who love running and I totally respect that.  In fact, I am happy they found something that works well for them to stay sane and fit.  But for me, I like that I get more coverage cycling than running, and I feel running can be a tad shocking to the body, especially on my joints, hence I am very careful when it comes to long-distance running and training.

So how do I get myself to run?
Doing a triathlon is one of the motivators that'll make me go through the running, since quitting after biking is never an option.

To make things more enticing to get me up and running, I added my love for travel and exploration into the picture.

Running and exploring the hutongs of Beijing

On the Great Wall of Beijing

Triathlons are held all over the world. With that, the racing terrain and sights will always be different for every race. A great way to stay fit while seeing new sights!  That's also when running half-marathons became a part of my life.

Half-marathon in Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Half-marathon in Guizhou, China

Through my training, I learned that as soon as I stopped complaining or hesitating, my timing dropped significantly! I learned to silence my mind from negative chatter, to just focus on my breathing and the present moment, as that's the only way I could get through a long-distance race. It's exactly like meditation except your body is active! As for finding the energy - Don't wait for the energy to do the work, do the work to get the energy!

As Leonardo DiCaprio (Jack) shouted on board the Titanic: “I'm the King of the World!” --That's just what exercise does to you – It makes you feel strong and invincible! The tougher the workout, the stronger you feel. Who on earth needs drugs when you can experience euphoria from making it to the finishing line!

Not to mention, meeting Triathlon World Champion Javier Gomez and having a cold beer after:

Triathlons may not be for everyone. The key is in knowing what excites and motivates you. 

For all the busy people out there, here's a parting quote for you:
"A one hour workout is only 4% of your day"

Keep active by doing what you love!

xx