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Ironman 70.3 World Championship 2018, Nelson Mandela Bay

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 11 Sep 2018   Posted by Cheryl Tay


This race certainly took a lot out of me and it was a very humbling experience on all counts. The race was tough, the toughest I’ve raced thus far and I was out of my comfort zone for the entire race  (taking ‘Get out of your comfort zone!’ to a whole new level!). I slipped into the dark place a few times and I had to keep pulling myself out, repeatedly muttering under my breath to myself: “I just want to finish, I just want to finish“. I mean, I flew all the way out here and I want that finisher medal, towel and cap badly LOL!

Coming into this, my expectations were simple – to just complete the race and enjoy the experience. It is the World Championship and this is where the best of the world gathers to compete once a year; and I was just grateful for the opportunity to toe the start line. In fact, I got all teary eyed while waiting in the start pen and I felt a wave of emotions engulf me. I wanted to bawl right there and then, but tak glam la, so must maintain. It’s been nearly two years and what a journey it has been (if you know the background).

PRE-RACE

This is my first time flying out of Asia to race and I was excited, also because I had my friends (IronProject boys Ian, Anthony, Ernest), Jaime and the super cutie Oliver, plus my mum. We flew into Cape Town via Johannesburg (SQ does a one-hour stopover in Jo’burg before continuing on to Cape Town so you don’t have to get off the plane), before taking a domestic flight from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. From there we rented cars to get to this four-bedroom house that eight of us adults (plus one kid) shared for the race week.

Port Elizabeth is a beach town, with palm trees lining the streets and endless views of the sea. The weather wasn’t too cold – with temperature around 20 degrees Celsius (like aircon) – and it was almost perfect when the sun came out. We got in on Wednesday afternoon and we went for food first, before going to athlete check-in.

The registration was so cool (using biometrics) – we walked in, got our headshots taken, then moved over to the next station to register our fingerprints, before moving on to collect our bibs and backpack. (I was secretly very excited about the backpack!) We got an email at night though, that they will be mailing us a new backpack because this one had defects. YAY!

What was next? SHOPPING at the race expo and also the official Ironman merchandise store, which had SO many things I wanted to buy but I had to control myself lol.

On Thursday morning I went for a test ride with Ian, Anthony and Ernest. Before we came, we had friends telling us that it was very windy and cold so the bike might be quite bad. I was worried but thankfully when we rode out, it was windy but not too cold phew. The road conditions were quite rough though; I could feel all my fats vibrate as I cycled HAHA.

The best thing? THE VIEWS. SO NICE that we had to stop and be tourists.

In the afternoon, we went for the Parade of Nations where every country represented at this race will have its flag and anyone (friends and family too) could just join and walk. It was also a good time to see who else from your country is there. I made lots of new friends here!

Later in the evening was the carbo load dinner, or welcome dinner. Hmmm of all the races I’ve been to before, the selection of food here is the weakest – there was just one table with six dishes (I cannot remember exactly how many). I think we have been spoilt in Asia! Usually there are a few tables/sections – one for appetisers like salads, one for the main dishes and one for desserts – so this was quite dismal. Drinks were also chargeable, even water! I think I just ended up eating a lot of meatballs. Athletes get to attend the welcome dinner for free, but guests, like my mum, had to pay US$35 (no drinks included). I ended up finishing her meatballs too.

Friday morning I did a test swim with Charlene and Sarah. OMG the water was so cold, like 17-19 degrees Celsius! We wore wetsuits but my face and hands, that are not covered, were so frozen – I wanted to get out of the water as soon as I could!! BRRRRR. And who said the water at OCBC Aquatic Centre was cold?!

The women race on Saturday; that means we needed to check in our stuff on Friday afternoon. Transition is split into two – with T1 near the swim start/end and T2 about 2km down where the finish line is. I cycled down to T1 to check in my bike and hang up my bike bag on the rack first. Helmets had to be kept in the bike bag overnight too. And then I walked down to T2 to hang up my run bag. All checked in! Now to just head back and rest early for the race the next morning, WOOOOOO!!!

On race morning, I was feeling normal. I just went about eating my usual pre-race breakfast and checking one more time that I had everything I needed. I chose to wear the sleeved trisuit (first time I’m wearing sleeved) because of the cold weather. We could access our bike and bike bags in T1, but T2 (where our run bags are) is off limits. Usually after I’m done with transition, I will go and test the water for a bit of warmup but here we weren’t allowed to get into the water; thus I just had to do some stretching.

Altogether there were 1,500 women from all around the world and we were flagged off in waves, according to our age group. I was in Wave 6 at 8.10am, which was 40 minutes after the pros flagged off at 7.30am. Within our wave, we were then released 10 at a time every 15 seconds into the water. While I was waiting for my turn, I started to get emotional and I really felt like crying. I can’t believe I was there! And then I was off!!

SWIM

The swim was so cold (15 degrees Celsius) that morning and I struggled to breathe. I kept having to take big gulps as I came up for air and I couldn’t find a rhythm. There were no lane ropes, so it was just swimming from buoy to buoy. As a result my lines were a little jagged and I swam about 100 metres extra. Most of the time I was swimming alone too, because they spaced us out to start, so I felt quite lonely! Urgh it was so cold and I was so relieved to see the shore. As I lumbered out of the water, I glanced at my watch and went “OH SHIT “. 44 minutes. It’s slower than my usual, but ok never mind, let’s not think about it and just move on!

As I was approaching T1, there were several pairs of volunteers waiting for us. They were the wetsuit strippers, designated to help you remove your wetsuit as quickly as possible. They are so pro man! Two guys came to me, told me to lie down and they took off my wetsuit WHOOSH just like that. I headed to the rack to retrieve my bike bag next and then sat down on one of the chairs provided to start getting my bike stuff on.

A volunteer came over to help each of us and I was so grateful for her help! My hands were so numb from the cold that I couldn’t even put my socks on wtf. After she took everything out of my bag for me, (including opening my gel packet for me and laying out my bike shoes), she put on my helmet and shades for me and then she could feel my frustration as I struggled with the ankle guard. “I know you are racing, but relax and I will help you,” she said as she helped me put on my socks. Ok finally got everything I needed for the bike, with her awesome help, then I quickly packed my swim stuff into the bike bag and passed it to the volunteers at the drop-off area before I ran to get my bike.

BIKE

Immediately out T1 was the start of a climb and for the first 11km we were climbing and climbing. Although we had gorgeous blue skies, it was windy and cold. And the roads were rough, except for a few hundred metres here and there of smoothness. I was battling the headwinds, trying to work the hills and praying that I will get warmer as the bike leg progressed. This was a tough course indeed! There were hardly any long stretches of flats and it was just mostly up, down, up, down. It’s one loop out and back, and before you hit the U-turn point, there were big hills to conquer on the way in. That also means having to face the same hills on the way out!

At this point I decided to throw all timing out the window and just focus on completing the course. Some of the downhills were scary (I was going at 60km/h for one) and they had some turns a little tight that I had to hit the brakes because I was scared of crashing. The first 60km were the hardest and then the last 30km we caught the tailwind and it was easier at last.

However, my legs were cooked by then, from pushing too hard on the hills. I took water at every aid station and my nutrition plan on the bike was executed as planned, but my legs were almost hitting the wall because of the hills. I started to worry here, because I could feel the strength of my legs were depleting by the minute. I was also being overtaken, with all these crazy fast girls zooming by me. I was already going at 40+km/h because of the tailwind, so what speeds are they going at man?! Here, I was feeling a little demoralised but I shook it out of my head and just kept spinning. Bike time was 3:12.

T2

Seeing my mum and my friends cheering for me as I cycled into T2 really helped but I was pooped from the bike leg man. T2 was really fun though! I dismounted and passed a volunteer (known as bike catcher) my bike, then ran over to the rack to get my run bag. The second my legs hit the ground, I knew something was wrong. My legs didn’t typically feel these heavy off the bike, pfffft. My ankle (the injured one) was also hurting at this juncture, but never mind, just keep going. Again, I sat down on one of the chairs and a volunteer came to help me. T2 was a lot quicker – just changing of shoes and swopping the helmet for my cap then out you go.

RUN

I read somewhere that the run course is good for PB. It’s two loops, mostly flat, except for the slopes at both turnaround points. So naturally I was hoping that I could try to do a run PB here, especially when the weather was so shiok to run in. It was still windy, but the sun was coming up so it was lovely! Yeah the weather did get more heated as we ran, but it’s nothing like the heat in Danang and Cebu.

But after the first 2km, my legs felt so sore. Pffffft. This nice lady talked to me for about 1km, asking me where I am from and all that, and I replied her but I was feeling quite sian already. She took off when I couldn’t keep up the conversation oops. A few ladies also complimented my trisuit (yay!) and I really tried not to think about my legs.

Each time I hit the slope, I was practically just dragging my feet along because they seemed to be getting heavier. I told myself to just finish it and take it home, chanting to myself “I just want to finish, I just want to finish“, no matter how lousy I was feeling. Admittedly I lost some of the fight and just cruised to the finish. Thankfully, my mum and friends cheering for me gave me a boost each time I passed them. My mum and Sarah’s mum was on one side, with Ian, Jaime, Oliver and Anthony across. Ernest was somewhere taking photos for us with his DSLR. And then Elaine Young was further out on the course shouting for us and it really helped!

Oh I have to say, the aid stations were AMAZING – each aid station has a few tables for the different things (sponges, cola, gels, electrolytes, banana, water) and the volunteers were readily offering you everything so you could just keep running and not have to stop at all. Water was served in a plastic packet, instead of a cup, so what you do is bite off the edge and drink from there. You can then hold onto this packet the rest of the way. Genius!

Finally… I was soooo relieved to see the finishing chute!!! Usually I would pick up the legs and sprint hard to the end, but not this time. I was just happy to bring my legs home, for a run time of 2:08. And I did. So surreal to hear the emcee announce my name as I ran in, giving him and some of the supporters high-fives. Just an amazing amazing experience!

Do I feel like I could have done better? I think I could, but I did what I could with what I had. I guess you can say this race exposed my weaknesses and I definitely have a lot to learn from here. My legs were aching so badly the next morning – I haven’t felt this level of soreness in a while man. Given the conditions I faced coming into this, with the ankle sprain and the throat infection, I will take it. Total time was 6:14.

Getting my sweaty fingers on the medal was WHOA. The medal is much bigger than the usual ones you get and it’s heavier and thicker too. You also have the option of getting your name and timing engraved, at about S$10.

Already being here is a huge thing and an experience I will remember always! Everything about the race is so well-organised and professional – I mean, wetsuit strippers and bike catchers, WOW. I am very very grateful to the 3,000 volunteers for their time and effort – THANK YOU.

It was also cool that the women and men race on different days, so I could get the chance to watch the boys at work! I had a very good time racing with my friends and we then extended a few days after, in Cape Town, for a post-race break.

Thank you thank you thank you everyone for your support and well wishes. It really means a lot to me. The next race will be another milestone as I go for my first full Ironman in Langkawi, Malaysia in November. Pray for me guys!!

P.S. I TOOK PHOTO WITH LUCY CHARLES! SHE’S SO PRETTY OMG AHHHHH!

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Written by Cheryl Tay

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  • About Cheryl Tay

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    First establishing herself in the world of cars and motorsports, Cheryl Tay is a sports and fitness blogger who advocates living an active and healthy lifestyle. Founder of body image movement Rock The Naked Truth, Cheryl overcame over a decade of eating disorders and is now passionate about helping people with similar struggles. She also has a running club ROCKrunners and a tri-enthusiast club ROCKtri.

    Rock The Naked Truth encourages others to be comfortable in their own skin and to learn that there is more to life than just being a slave to the numbers on your scale. Truly, life has more meaning than just forcing yourself to look good - it's most important to be happy and feel good about yourself!

    Previously...
    > Fitness columnist for Yahoo! Sports
    > Founder of ELITE (fitness competition)
    > Motoring writer for TODAY
    > Columnist for Rev / Run magazines
    > Official photographer for ONE Championship
    > Media manager for Formula Drift Asia
    > PR manager for PETRONAS Syntium Team
    > Business development for Kartright Speedway
    > F1 youth speaker for Singapore GP
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  • cheryltaysg

    LATE NIGHT OUT! Well, by my standards anyway since LATE NIGHT OUT! Well, by my standards anyway since I go to bed by 9pm haha.

We went to @gastrobeats.sg just to see our gurls @itshaneri and @rriley perform and it was AMAZING! I’ve missed live performances and they SLAYED IT.

It was so nice to just groove to their sick beats in the company of friends… and this stranger who danced really intensely and close to us, and then photobombed all our group photos. LOL!

Till the next performance…

Sorely missing @itshaneri in this photo.
    One month to Ironman 70.3 Desaru and three months One month to Ironman 70.3 Desaru and three months to Berlin Marathon!

The biggest challenge, I feel, is balancing training with the rest of my commitments and managing the fatigue from day to day.

But I like the structure and routine it gives me. I sleep by 9/10pm and wake up at 4/5am everyday, I start my day with training and there’s a rhythm going.

Best of all, I like the friends I make from this sport. Because it’s three sports in one, it means having friends from three disciplines.

I love getting to know the various communities and knowing that I’m not alone!

We are all in this together, committing time to the sports we love, signing up for races, knowing it's not easy yet we still do it.
    Happy to have directed, produced and starred in th Happy to have directed, produced and starred in this video, alongside these amazing people @preetitris @craigtoh @hellojaimeee @azfarhashim.jpg @zubnaz @thesquirmygremlins!

Cycling is a great way to explore a place and get fit at the same time. Singapore actually has pretty scenic cycling routes - how much of Singapore have you seen on two wheels?

The MOVE HAPPY EXPLORE SG RIDE is a virtual cycling initiative by @ltasg in partnership with @orange_room_asia to encourage people to get active and explore Singapore on their bicycles.

There are 10 curated routes involving the use of cycling paths, park connectors and footpaths to showcase path connectivity between town centres, transport nodes and parks. The more routes you complete, the more rewards you get!

Sign up at www.exploresg.lta.gov.sg.

🎥: Huang House Productions

#movehappyexploresg #cyclingfriends #cyclingsg #sgcycling #exploreonbike
    I don't know about you but I feel like as you grow I don't know about you but I feel like as you grow older, it's harder to make good friends because people are busier with their commitments and it's challenging to find the time to meet or have deep conversations.

When I was struggling with body image and my eating disorders, I was such an insecure person that I became a bad friend. I would project my insecurities onto others and as a result, I lost valuable friendships.

Now I'm working on being a good partner, friend, sister, daughter and colleague.

Grateful that I managed to spend some time with @itshaneri today at @trapezerecclub - one of the treasured friends I have who show up for me every single time. ♥️

#trapezerecclub #bebettereveryday #friendships
    Never too old to pick up new skills! I actually s Never too old to pick up new skills!

I actually started taking Class 2B lessons way back in 2010 but I gave up because I was struggling.

10 years later, I still struggled but this time I stuck it through and I'm now in the midst of getting my Class 2.

Riding a motorbike is not the difficult part, navigating the circuit and its various obstacles is. I remember being so stressed!

Just remember that age is just a number and you should go and do whatever you've always wanted to, even if it's something that mostly has young people. Who cares!

#motorbike #class2 #nevertooold
    Joined another beach cleanup this morning, organis Joined another beach cleanup this morning, organised by @rwsentosa! I’m always in for one!

We focused on ECP Area G this time and we spent a lot of time picking up the tiny pieces of plastic, cigarette butts, straws, broken styrofoam etc. I reckon we picked up about 100 cigarette butts at least. Paul said there were 336 by his count.

Grateful for the weather which wasn’t too bad and for new friends made. Thanks @paulfosterrr for the jio!

Who wants to join me for more?

#beachcleanup
    It's gonna hurt, you're gonna suffer, there's defi It's gonna hurt, you're gonna suffer, there's definitely gonna be pain (physically, mentally, emotionally). Yet I still do it, you still do it, we all do it.

Why do we do it? Because it gives us structure, purpose and lots of opportunities for growth and self-development.

As we grow older, we have less goals in life to work towards. Most of the time we are busy working to pay the bills and to lead the lifestyle we want, and our goals tend to be more material, eg. you want to get a new car, you want to upgrade to a bigger house.

For me, signing up for endurance races gives me something to work towards, non-material goals that help me see improvements in my strength, my mind, my body. It's also refreshing and you can see the results, ie. your timings get faster. Scoring a personal best in sports is very satisfying!

What about you? Why do you like signing up for races?

P.S. Not sure if you can see but I'm sticking my tongue out here haha!

📷: @ks.runner

#RoadToBerlinMarathon
    Sometimes, we need to slow down, take stock of our Sometimes, we need to slow down, take stock of our lives and spend a moment in gratitude. A simple reset of the mind and body can do so much for your well-being.

I started my weekend a little differently, with morning yoga beside the water and the grand @royalalbatross in the backdrop, with @fearlessfi guiding us through the poses. This was much-needed and I headed onboard next for a breakfast sail around the south of Singapore.

The sea breeze felt so good on the face and there is something therapeutic about going out to sea, taking in its vastness. Find time to get out and absorb some Vitamin Sea - you need it more than you realise!

This Yoga Breakfast Sail with Royal Albatross is one of their wellness activities for @wellnessfestsg and I think it was a great pairing of yoga and breakfast at sea. I felt refreshed and relaxed after!

Singapore may be a tiny island on the global map, but we do have various types of wellness activities and initiatives to revitalise and recharge yourself. Whether it's a walk in nature, a fitness class or a sound healing session, find what works for you and constantly practise self-care. Then share that love around ❤️!

#WFS2022 #VisitSingapore @wellnessfestsg @visitsingapore @stb_sg @royalalbatross @lululemonsg
    I feel a close affinity to the sea, probably becau I feel a close affinity to the sea, probably because of my sport of triathlon where the first leg is a swim in the open water. I don't really want to swim in dirty water! Lol that's not the main point.

The point is, marine litter is becoming a greater issue. Worse, marine litter is a transboundary issue because it can be carried by wind and tides.

On our part, other than doing beach cleanups as a remedy, start by taking your litter with you. Is it really that hard? Go to the beach, have a good time, and then take your rubbish with you.

We are very very lucky that we have a lot of dustbins and surely it doesn't take a mammoth effort to bin your trash when you're leaving?

Organised this beach cleanup with BMW Group Asia and I will be doing more on my own too - just reach out if you would like to join me or do it yourself!

Thank you to those who showed up on a wet and gloomy morning to do this with me. I'm so grateful!

#beachcleanup #marinelitter
    #wakeuppretty and why I like eyelash extensions! #wakeuppretty and why I like eyelash extensions!

This is bare-faced me, which is 95% of the time, as I only do makeup when I have a shoot or some kind of special event.

The only thing I have here are eyelash extensions and they have been a lifesaver for me since 2015, along with my eyebrow embroidery and eyeliner tattoo.

There are 2 main kinds of lashes you can attach to your eyes - the temporary falsies that you use glue / magnetic eyeliner to stick onto your lashes, or these ones that last about a month but take 2 hours to be manually stuck onto your own lashes, one by one. You can choose the length and volume for these lash extensions, so you can have 3 lashes stuck to 1 lash of yours for example for more volume.

Here’s what I like about lash extensions:

- You wake up pretty and not too sleepy
- You don’t have to spend time doing much makeup or any makeup
- You pretty much look quite made up

What I don’t quite like:

- Your own lashes will get weaker so I try to rest them and not do them all the time
- The individual lashes start dropping and because can’t decide what drops first so you get ‘holes’ and it can look messy
- You have to return to the salon to get them removed or you can wait till they eventually all drop. Sometimes you get like one weird lash sticking out in the middle of your own lashes haha
- You need to sit there for 2 hours to get these done
- You can't wash your face properly because you need to be delicate and wash around the eyes carefully
- You can't rub your eyes when they are itchy

Well I used to be addicted to this and would feel weird/empty/naked if I didn’t have them but now I try to go for months without them just so I can rest my own lashes and apply serum to strengthen them.

They can be quite expensive but waking up pretty does outweigh the inconveniences, so if I have a lot of shoots or events or occasions where I wanna look pretty with minimal effort, lash extensions are my go-to.

**This set is the Kim K lashes, 6D volume, C curl, that I do at @hlashessg which is home based and I love her skills! Tell her I recommended her and you might get a discount 😉

#eyelashextensions #shotoniPhone #iPhone13Pro
    As I’m always running around, I sometimes forget As I’m always running around, I sometimes forget to eat or don’t have time to prepare a meal properly. And now that I’m training up for races, I want to make sure that I’m eating properly so my body gets the nutrients it needs to function optimally.

I’m so grateful that @yolofoodsg has stepped in to help me on my #roadtoBerlinMarathon. I don’t have to worry as they send me lunch and dinner, fresh, daily on weekdays, complete with a snack and coconut water.

You can choose the type of meal plan you want, eg. the portion size, and you can give them your preferences such as no lamb, non spicy etc.

I like the element of surprise, as different things come everyday and you get a variety of meals so it’s not boring.

Most importantly, the food is tasty and yummy! I like their healthy version of their Nasi Lemak (swipe to second video) and their snacks and desserts are not bad too.

They also have frozen meals and extra protein from their mart which you can keep for the weekends or for extra meals.

Use 'CHERYLTAY15' for 15% off!

#healthyeating #mealplan #freshdaily #shotoniPhone
#iPhone13Pro
    I really hope people will learn to take care of ou I really hope people will learn to take care of our beaches. Have a good time at the beach yes, but please make the effort to take your rubbish with you. It's not even that big of an effort because we are very lucky to have many dustbins around us and cleaners who regularly clear the trash.

I organised this beach cleanup for last Saturday morning with BMW Group Asia, some friends and family, and the rain was disruptive, but everyone soldiered on and continued to pick up litter.

It was low tide and gosh, there was so much rubbish embedded in the sea floor, for goodness knows how long. Some of the plastic even started to disintegrate as we tried to pick them up.

We only managed to clear about 12 full sized rice sacks (reused these instead of buying bags) from 50 of us, because we spent a lot of time trying to pull out the rubbish stuck in the sludge.

I went back to the beach yesterday, to the same spot, and saw there was rubbish strewn everywhere across the sand again. Like hello, we just cleaned it!! 🤦‍♀️

So people, enjoy the beach, have your fun, but please take your rubbish with you ok!

#BMWxCherylTay #BMWGroupAsia #beachcleanup #sustainability #marinelitter #takeyourrubbish
    This was how I chilled over the weekend, literally This was how I chilled over the weekend, literally chilling out LOL. This was me doing the Cold Immersion Therapy at @trapezerecclub because I am not a fan of the cold, but I know this ice bath brings great benefits (like increased blood circulation and reduced inflammation of muscles to boost recovery) so I was game!

Honestly, the first 30 seconds were the hardest and then the body adapts and you just have to focus on your breathing and relax. After that I was actually quite comfortably enjoying myself - the body never fails to amaze!

I also did their Movement & Mobility class before this and that was a real struggle because I am so stiff from always being in repetitive motions for extended periods of time for my sport of triathlon. The deep stretches hurt a little but I felt good after.

Capping off my wellness weekend was an Introspective Forest Night Walk at Sentosa's Imbiah Trail with @untamed_paths. I love walking in nature but I've never walked at night because it's dark and can be creepy. However, this was an interesting experience and I learnt a lot. We got to see amphibians and nocturnal invertebrates and the air was cool from the rain prior.

There are so many ways for us to work on our personal wellness and I had a really engaging weekend with different types of activities as part of @wellnessfestsg. There are still a lot of things happening till 12 June so check out www.wellnessfest.sg - there are free and paid events you can sign up for.

Wellness should not just be for this period though and hopefully you get valuable takeaways from these experiences to carry them into your lifestyle!

#WFS2022 #VisitSingapore #shotoniPhone
#iPhone13Pro
    Are you tired or lazy? I think this is an importan Are you tired or lazy? I think this is an important differentiation we need to learn how to make.

When it comes to your fitness regime and you have a routine in place, it’s normal to have days where you don’t feel like it. Or many days when you don’t feel like it haha.

But do you know if you’re really exhausted and fatigued or you’re just making excuses? Learn to listen to your body cues. Does it need sleep? Have you been eating well? How stressed have you been?

Don’t push yourself if you really need a break. Work and life can really overwhelm us and we are only human.

But if you’re just lazy and always making excuses to get out of your workout, then please have a conversation with yourself and realign your objectives. What do you want to work out for? And how can you stay committed?

For me, I’m training for a race so my goals are different and I do have a bigger obligation to put in the work. But if you’re just trying to keep an active lifestyle, keep yourself motivated, remember the purpose and learn to tell if you’re tired or just lazy!

Seen here wearing my new @asicssg GEL-KINSEI BLAST LE shoes - took them for an 18km run and I’m liking them! Share a photo of you working out, tag @asicssg and #AsicsForSAMH and they will donate $5 towards mental health support.

#workout #asicssg #getupandmove #tiredorlazy #activeliving #shotoniPhone #iPhone13Pro
    Traded my tri bike in for a different type of bicy Traded my tri bike in for a different type of bicycle at the Spin Orchestra, one of six experiential zones of The Wellness Sensorium! As you cycle here, you trigger interactive lights and music - very pretty at night especially. 

The Wellness Sensorium runs until 12 June and is open daily, for free, at The Meadow at Gardens by the Bay. Ticket booking is required though, through www.wellnessfest.sg.

The other zones are interesting too, including the Stone Ritual where you can engage in a stone stacking ritual and The Monument of Good Vibes where you can write a quote to inspire and be inspired.

There's also a Masterclass Studio which has different types of activities going on, from fitness classes to stitch meditation, nutrition and mental health talks. I signed up for Sunset Cardio, which was a Boxing HIIT session by sista @victoriacheng.

These are all part of the Wellness Festival Singapore which has a wide range of activities running across the island. I attended the Finding Your Inner Balance day workshop by @bluesky.escapes, which had Qi Gong/Tai Chi, a gut health talk, a healing sound bath, raw chocolate making session and a wholesome plant-based meal at @livingcafesg. Definitely learnt a lot to help improve my health!

Head on over to www.wellnessfest.sg to check out all the different activities and see what might pique your interest!

#WFS2022 #VisitSingapore @wellnessfestsg @visitsingapore @stb_sg
    I still can fit into my trisuit! LOL I dug this @t I still can fit into my trisuit! LOL I dug this @teampurpose custom trisuit from the depths of my cupboard after not touching it for over 2 years. Forgot to give it a wash before wearing it and I kept smelling this musty scent oops.

Queen Bitch is out too, off the trainer and back on the road. Less than 2 months to Ironman 70.3 Desaru (my slot was carried over from 2020) and all I want is for my legs to hold me up to the end hahahahahaha.

My key race is still the BMW Berlin Marathon in September, but I’ll still do my best for this!

#cheryltayworksout #triathlon #ironman703desaru #racingisback #specializedsg #specializedshiv #queenbitch #cycling #swimbikerun
    Reasons why we run - @thehuangergames made me writ Reasons why we run - @thehuangergames made me write this, LOL. Hence my face!

This is part of the Puma Run XX Nitro experience at Bugis+ Level 2 atrium, where you can play their activities and complete for a 30% discount off their running collection in store.

Swipe to have a look at what we did and head down before this Sunday!

#pumarunxxnitro #pumasg
    ⚡️GIVEAWAY⚡️ I love how convenient and us ⚡️GIVEAWAY⚡️

I love how convenient and useful the Taizjo’s NOIR Phone sling case, especially at events, because I don't have to carry a bag just for my phone and I can be hands free without worrying where my phone is all the time.

I’ve teamed up with @Taizjo to giveaway 1 x NOIR Modular Crossbody Phone Sling Case with Detachable Black Lanyard Strap (worth $64.90)!

All you gotta do is:

👍🏻 Like this post & follow me (@cheryltaysg) and @taizjo
💬 Tag 2 friends who would love this giveaway as well ✨

💓 Bonus: Repost this to your IGS and tag @cheryltaysg and @taizjo 

This giveaway ends on 6 June 2022, 2359h.

Winner will be notified via Instagram DM! 
For those of you who can’t wait, use CHERYLTAY for 10% off.

#takeitanywhere #taizjofam

*please check www.taizjo.com for phone model availability 🙏🏻
    'Twas a hot weekend! 🥵🥵🥵 Desaru was indee 'Twas a hot weekend! 🥵🥵🥵 Desaru was indeed hot and humid, totally what I was expecting, so be prepared for a sufferfest if you're doing the Ironman 70.3 Desaru.

My race entry was brought over from 2020 so I guess I'm doing it lol. My focus is still on the Berlin Marathon though!

Headed down to the race site over the weekend to check it out and here are my observations:

Swim - The water is clear and you could see the sand bottom till quite far out. When I was there, the conditions were calm and it was nice to swim in.

Bike - A couple of roundabouts and mostly long straight roads that stretch far ahead, lined with trees, with rolling hills similar to the profile of Mandai. But be prepared for a few tough slopes! Not super tough that you have to get down and push your bike la don't worry.

Run - I couldn't check out the actual run course because the golf course is closed to public, but I heard it's shaded in some parts, some rolling hills as well, and it's 3 rounds around the golf course.

Hotel - If you're staying at the official race hotel, Westin Desaru, the rooms are big so lots of space for all your race gear. Balcony is big, shower stall has a ledge to sit on when you're too tired to stand and shower, lift is big and can fit a few bicycles.

But the service in the main restaurant Seasonal Tastes is slow. You can drive out to the coffee shops further out away from the coast as an alternative or bring your own food haha.

OK I hope this comes in helpful for those of you going up for the race in July! I drove in with my own car so if you need tips just DM me ok.

📷: @jacqtours

#ironman703desaru #desarucoast
    A quick weekend to Desaru with my mum! First time A quick weekend to Desaru with my mum! First time I’m driving into Malaysia post-COVID and also first overseas trip with my mum post-COVID.

I really love travelling with my mum because she’s so easy to travel with and she’s perpetually in a good mood. I’m so glad that my relationship with my parents are alright now. They still have not accepted Grace and prefer not to talk about her and change topics when I bring her up. But it’s ok, one step at a time, at least they are not ignoring me anymore.

Those who are planning to drive into Malaysia, borrow a Touch ‘n’ Go card from someone who has money in it. Remember that if you don't use your TAG card for a year, it will be invalid even if the card has not expired yet. And then, buy a TAG card from Singapore (selected petrol kiosks) and top it up in Malaysia.

When I drove into Malaysia, I went to so many petrol stations and toll offices and they all said they didn't have any TAG cards to sell! Thank goodness I bought from Singapore, so I could top it up there and not have to borrow from a friend the next time I go in.

#desaru #westindesaru #roadtrip #travelwithmum #malaysiaboleh #desarubeach #desarucoast
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