Could you please give us a brief introduction about yourself? Were you involved in other sports in the past too, how long you have been running for, etc?
I have been involved in team sports since I was young. These activities have played a large part in my life, and through these experiences, I’m very lucky to have made friends from all over the world.
My primary sport was cricket, but I also played ice hockey, football, and field hockey competitively while growing up.
Running 330km over 7 days isn’t a simple feat or decision. What made you come up with this challenge?
I decided to start the Cambodia Run Challenge after attending the Temple Garden Foundation (TGF) fundraiser in 2016. Initially, I wasn’t sure about how challenging this type of run would be. However, I was very passionate about helping to raise funds for TGF, which is doing the most amazing work in the villages that they support in Cambodia’s Chi Kraeng District.
Could you tell us more about your running experience in Cambodia Run Challenge 2017?
It was the most incredible experience. Everyone was so friendly, and it’s a beautiful country that is different from the big cities.
It was a gruelling run due to the back-to-back long distances but I really enjoyed it, and I made sure that I just kept moving forward each day despite the hot weather and my body being sore.
What did you learn from this experience?
That we are all the same! Rural villagers in Cambodia want the same as everyone else living in developed countries – and this really struck me.
They just want to be happy, financially stable, and to be able to offer health, education and opportunities to their children.
Do you have a memorable moment from Cambodia Run 2017?
The start of the run leaving Phnom Penh was very surreal despite all the hard work that the team put into bringing the event together.
It’s difficult to pick one moment, but on the final day while we were running through the villages, my wife joined us and the TGF crew was cheering for us all the way – that was very special.
How are you feeling about the upcoming run?
I’m feeling very nervous and excited at the same time. It’s a positive that I’m going into this year’s event with the experience from 2017. I hope that I’ll be less stressed out during the run this year and simply enjoy the experience.
Is there a special message that you’d like to tell the supporters of Cambodia Run?
Any support be it advice, encouragement, or if you could make a donation to Temple Garden Foundation through the Cambodia Run website, it would be greatly appreciated.
The support that we have received this year has been amazing, and means a lot to us!
