Every day is a fight

SINGAPORE — Even seasoned runners would think twice before signing up for the Sundown Ultra Marathon’s gruelling 100km race, but not Goh Chang Teck.

This Sunday will mark 20-year-old Goh’s maiden attempt at Singapore’s best-known ultra-distance race, though a seven-year battle he has waged against cancer has meant every day is a fight of a different kind.

Diagnosed at 13 with two types of skin cancer, Goh just wants to be another of the record 1,300 runners who will be at the starting line.

The Nanyang Polytechnic graduate recalled how his health problems, since diagnosed as chronic skin diseases mycosis fungoides and pityriasis lichenoides, began.

“When I first noticed red patches appearing on my body, I dismissed them as skin irritation and thought that they will go away,” he said.

“Most people never think that cancer will hit them, but it happened to me ... Anything is possible in life.”

Characterised by red patches, rashes and tumours, both diseases keep him in varying degrees of discomfort, though Goh claims running may have slowed down their progress. While these cancers can become malignant and in later stages affect the function of internal organs, Goh has dealt with them stoically.

“I used to be upset with this sickness causing me and my family emotional distress and financial burden. I also disliked putting my life on hold to go for regular treatments,” he said.

Spurred by a dare from a friend to tackle the 42km Sundown Marathon in 2011, Goh took to running and completed the race in six hours, catching the running bug along the way.

Running has renewed in Goh a lust for life and helped him develop a heightened sense of drive. “Running has become part of my life and it is the everyday reason why life is so exciting,” said the self-confessed running addict, who puts in 80 to 100km a week pounding the pavement.

Since then, Goh has completed eight marathons, including two in Malaysia, and one in the United States, though his longest race remains last October’s 50km North Face ultra-marathon here.

“Every time I finish a marathon, I look for another to sign up and start preparing for,” said Goh, who wakes up at 4.30am to train.

“Getting an early start each morning means I feel refreshed throughout the day. I have a passion now and it gives me reason to live.”

Sunday’s 100km is a brave new frontier for Goh, who never thought of tackling the distance despite hearing of “people who run such crazy distances”, and he will be out to complete the race with no regard for the clock.

“I love to encourage others and I want to inspire those around me, even though I may be suffering myself,” said Goh, who also helps to raise funds for the Singapore Cancer Society.

“I am currently hoping to raise awareness of cancer and the struggles that all patients go through. It is not easy living with an illness for possibly your whole life, and one way (to deal with it) is to turn to sports.”