Jetsetting with triathlete Mok Yingren

SINGAPORE — It’s the World Cup that’s currently in full swing in Brazil, but national triathlete and marathon runner Mok Ying Ren is more concerned about the next sporting event to be held in Rio — the 2016 Olympics, at which he has his eyes on representing Singapore.

The 2007 SEA Games triathlon gold medallist recently signed a three-year sponsorship with AirAsia to cover his flights for overseas training, marathons and races. “The CEO of AirAsia X, Azran (Osman Rani), who’s a keen athlete himself, was really supportive of my dream and did not hesitate to provide me with flights to Japan and Gold Coast last year for my racing and training needs,” he said.

Although Mok hasn’t had time in recent years to combine his twin loves of travelling and running, he recommended New Zealand and Penang to fellow runners.

“I particularly enjoyed New Zealand, where I got to enjoy a camper van trip. And George Town was a really interesting place to check out with all the street art, and the food there was delicious!”

Q: You’ve been to places such as Copenhagen, Fukuoka, Penang and Gold Coast to take part in marathons. What’s the most challenging race you’ve done?

A: It would be last year’s SEA Games in Myanmar. There was quite a bit of pressure on my shoulders with the media portraying me as a potential gold medallist. However, there were quite a number of factors against me: First, I just enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces for my national service two weeks prior to the race. I was doing the highly demanding Medical Officer Cadet Course, which resulted in a bad case of backache and cough just before I flew off for the race. Moreover, the route was pretty challenging with several upslopes, not to mention that competition was really stiff with medallists from previous editions of the SEA Games taking part.

Q: What’s your advice to running enthusiasts who travel overseas for races?

A: Plan your itinerary such that you reach your destination at least two days before the race to give your body some time to acclimatise. Thereafter, extend your trip by another week after the race to really enjoy the downtime after the hard race and to stock up on those calories you have burnt.

Q: Do you think runners from different countries have different attitudes towards the sport?

A: Definitely. In Japan, running is huge and everyone aims to complete a marathon in less than three hours. Many runners would hit the parks after office hours and it was not uncommon to see uncles and aunties keeping pace with me on my runs. I love meeting runners and mingling with them. I get to meet professional runners who run for a living as well as other top runners who have to manage their training with a full-time job.

Q: How do you stay healthy on the road?

A: Sleep is the most important factor. I try to sleep as much as I can when travelling to reduce stress on the body.

Q: Do you pack anything unusual for your races overseas?

A: I usually pack two to three pairs of running shoes. I guess if one is not a runner, that would be considered strange.