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Why We Run: Retiree Robert Tan going great distances for Catholics

SINGAPORE — In this new series, we seek out local runners who not only run or brisk walk to maintain their fitness, but also for a purpose. Today, we speak to Robert Tan, a 75-year-old retired civil servant who completed the 800-kilometre Camino de Santiago de Compostela — a route taken by Catholic pilgrims as a form of spiritual retreat which snakes westwards across Spain — within 38 days in May.

SINGAPORE — In this new series, we seek out local runners who not only run or brisk walk to maintain their fitness, but also for a purpose. Today, we speak to Robert Tan, a 75-year-old retired civil servant who completed the 800-kilometre Camino de Santiago de Compostela — a route taken by Catholic pilgrims as a form of spiritual retreat which snakes westwards across Spain — within 38 days in May.

Though the fundraising efforts started only a month before Tan started his pilgrimage, he managed to raise over S$20,000 for the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour.

Tan, however, is more concerned with the increasing sedentary lifestyles that the younger generations are leading, and hopes that his feat will inspire others to lead more active lifestyles from their youth well into their golden years.

Q. How did you come to like walking?

When I retired, I had nothing better to do, so I went to walk. I’ll walk from my place (Loyang Ave) to Pasir Ris MRT, Tampines MRT, Simei, all over, in the mornings. Then I really got into walking. So when this thing came about, I started doing some research. It took me five years to finally decide to go.

Q. What inspired you to take on the Camino walk?

Right after my retirement, I was giving a talk, after which someone came up to me and told me about the Camino pilgrim walk since I mentioned I liked walking. The more I looked at it, the more interested I got.

I like exercise, I like challenges, and I like adventure.

Because it is a pilgrimage, there is this spirituality in it. This gave me an opportunity to reflect on my life, to contemplate, and see what’s out there.

Q. Tell us about your Camino walk experience.

Amazing and awesome are two words to describe the Camino.

There are lonely times when you walk alone. That’s where you think you are nearest to God. So you begin to reflect. Did I have a good life? Would it be better? Did I live it right? How many more years do I have?

I’d recommend it to anyone. It brings out the best in you, and also the worst in you. The best in you – you never knew that you had such courage. You never knew that you had such determination and willpower. You’ll feel so proud that you are doing this and challenging it.

The worst – there was one stage that I almost gave up. That was about into the second week. It was so tough for me, I just couldn’t take it anymore, and I asked my daughter to search for a bicycle rental company. The three companies that she found did not have my bicycle size.

But I told myself: Since I’ve committed, people have already donated money, I’ll walk. As I walked, I got used to it. Towards the last part, I really enjoyed it. I found the true meaning of it all.

Q. What lessons did you take from the Camino?

One thing I learnt is that the human spirit drives you. And if you have the spirit, which we all have, you will accomplish almost anything that you want to do. Look at Joseph Schooling. Because he believed in himself, he could. I didn’t quite believe in myself, but I tried, and my spirit helped me to finish it.

I have not discovered my limits yet. Your limit is beyond imagination. It is how far we want to go.

But sad to say, for many of us, our spirit is fast asleep. If only we can wake up our spirit, there are so many things we can do. So many things we can do to keep ourselves occupied and to enjoy. Life is not about money. Life is to live. Live life to the fullest; do the things that you enjoy.

Q. What is the message you want to convey to people from your accomplishment?

The importance of living a healthy, wholesome, purposeful lifestyle when you are young and going into your golden years.

If you keep a healthy lifestyle, you can keep away, say, diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes. Your health will be so good that you won’t fall sick every now and then. You can do so many things. And you will be having a wholesome lifestyle.

We all forget that we must maintain our physical fitness, our wellbeing, and our love for sports and recreation. That’s wholesome living.

What people forget is, all the money in the world that you have saved when you’re 60, 70, 80, is not going to be any good if you don’t have a lifestyle. What’s the use of the money if you’re on a walking stick? You can’t even travel.

The investment in physical fitness and wellbeing must start as early as possible. It’s just as important, if not more than planning for your financial wellbeing.

Q. What is your exercise regimen?

I swim for 32 laps almost every day except Sunday. I alternate strokes so I won’t keep working the same muscles and to break the monotony. I swim backstroke for 10 laps, then breaststroke for 10 laps, then freestyle 10 laps, then I do the butterfly.

In exercise, you must have a variety. Recently, I have started going to the gym. I concentrate on three things – muscle toning, flexibility and balance.

Our legs get a lot of exercise because we walk every day. I work my shoulders because I swim. The core is the fulcrum, everything you do is dependent on this.

I find that working on the core has really helped me – I can carry heavy things now. Normally, when old people carry a flowerpot, it’s always followed by a crack sound. I don’t have that now.

Flexibility is also important. It gives you that range of motion, and you are less likely to get injured. The third thing is balance. Old people always fall down. At my age, you can’t afford to fall down.

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