BY "Running is my vehicle to travel the world"
A personal best of 3:24:35 at the recent edition of Tokyo Marathon, the timing places Lim Han Chee right on the fence of an elite pace. Mind you, Han Chee is turning 50 this year and the civil servant has completed a combined of 54 marathons and ultra-marathons, and qualifying for the coveted Boston Marathon make his resume appear even more impressive.
Han Chee's appearance at 2017 Gold Coast Marathon would make it nine consecutive years since, and he is going for the prestigious Gold Coast Marathon 10-Year club in 2018.
"Gold Coast is a beautiful place for marathon running. The course is flat and offers a very good potential for runners to race their personal best marathon finish time. Unlike the usual big city marathons, the route along the coastline route here is straight with little twist and turns, with the added lure of the great Pacific Ocean view! By straightness Gold Coast stands out from all the races I have run." Han Chee, on his dedication to the annual event.
It is no secret that plenty of cardio-heads enjoy the Gold Coast Marathon due to its climate, but other factors such as the logistics and organisation are of the utmost quality, as attested by the nine-time participant himself.
"Gold Coast has the 'air-con' weather, the temperature between 10 to 20 degrees is ideal not just for running but improved speed. Weather aside, the course is also free of congestion, which allows runners to run at their own pace. The distance markers are accurate and prominently displayed at every kilometre which could be seen a distance away. Drink stations were plentiful and hassle-free. This is truly a gold standard event. Above all, people are so friendly everywhere. There was good support and cheering along the way and the volunteers were fantastic. There is just the tip of various reasons why I return every year." Han Chee affirmed.
Despite participating in so many marathons, training for a large scale event is no easy task. Han Chee's strict training regime has allowed him to continually partake in numerous global-scaled marathons.
"People run marathons for different reasons and different goals. The training process for a marathon also depends on if the runner is a newbie or a seasoned marathoner. To me, the most important aspect of preparing for a marathon is goal setting, what we want to achieve from this marathon. The goal will motivate us and affect all aspect of the training. Once the goal is set, we must then build a good mileage base and engage in strength and conditioning to gear up for the race. It will also help a lot if we can focus on improving our diet quality with a view to achieving the optimal racing weight." he advised, on training and goal-setting.
With a bountiful of memories from past years, Han Chee's 2010 edition still lives vividly in his mind.
"The 2010 Gold Coast Marathon is my best and the most memorable race. On the cold Sunday morning in 2010, I ran my heart out to finish under four hours, a significant personal time barrier. I ran as fast as I could after 40 km and crossing the finish line in 3:57:23 was pure euphoria! The fact that I have achieved a personal best in six of the nine Gold Coast Marathons, it incites me to return year after year to best myself."
About Gold Coast Marathon
This being the 40th anniversary for the Gold Coast Marathon, 25,000 runners from over 50 countries are expected to turn up. In conjunction with the upcoming 2018 Commonwealth Games, strong support from the industry will result in another record-breaking year for the internationally accredited Gold Label Road Race. This annual event has non-runners coming together to celebrate its brilliant contribution to the tourism of Queensland as a premier sporting destination.
Gold Coast Marathon x ASICS clinic
Not sure if you are ready to participate an overseas race? Come join us for special clinic organised jointly by Tourism and Event Queensland and ASICS Singapore. Pick up pointers from veteran runners who have run the Gold Coast Marathon nine times over. Formulate habits on how to prepare adequately for an overseas race and insights on what GCM 2018 has to offer.
The free workshop will be held over two mornings on 7th and 8th April 2018 from 9 am to 11 am. All participants will enjoy a special in-store 20% discount from ASICS during the workshop. With only 50 limited spots available, the first-come-first-serve rule applies.
Click here to register.
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