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Ironman Malaysia 2018: I AM AN IRONMAN!

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 21 Nov 2018   Posted by Cheryl Tay


“CHERYL TAY, YOU’RE AN IRONMAN!”

Wow, these words felt like a million bucks when I crossed the finish line after a long day of having my physical and mental limits tested. Hence I couldn’t hold back the tears when I finished :’(

At the start of this year, I decided that 2018 will be the year I attempt my first full Ironman. Honestly I find the distance intimidating and I wanted to do more 70.3 races till I was ready. But you know, you will never be ready so I took the plunge and signed up for Ironman Malaysia when they first opened up their slots for early bird prices in March.

It seemed so far away at that time with eight months to go, but here I am now, wincing from the muscle aches and soreness after completing over 12 hours of endurance racing.

YASSSSS I DID IT!!!

Langkawi is infamous for being a tough course with its triple H recipe (heat, hills, humidity) and it sounds like a suicide mission to sign up for a first full Ironman here right? Well, the deal was, I initially wanted to go Ironman West Australia (Busselton) but my cousin is getting married the same weekend so I jumped right into the deep end and chose Langkawi instead. Surely it hurt like fuck, but it feels incredible to complete it!

Race Prep

Leading up to the race, the prep had its challenges – the training hours were long, I was struggling with the fatigue levels and I was buckling under stress (from everything in life, not just training). There were definitely blood, sweat and tears through the process… plus lots of moaning and cursing and swearing.

But the real bummer was when I got struck by plantar fasciitis in BOTH heels. I was in the middle of the training block (after returning from the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in South Africa) and I was tolerating the pain, hoping it would go away. When it didn’t, I realised I had to take a step back as I didn’t want to end up with an injury that would take me out for months. This threw a spanner into the works as I had to stop running for three weeks, during the most crucial training period!! I was frustrated of course, but I could only focus on healing the heels as quickly as I can, and hope for the best.

At one point I did consider changing to the 70.3 distance because I was really getting worried. I’ve never ran a full marathon in my life, I don’t know how it feels like, and I hadn’t ran anything more than 18-20km coming into this race.

But my heel conditions improved after the three-week hiatus and I started to run again (slow and short distances so I don’t go worsening the recovering injuries), so I decided to just do it. And I’m glad I did.

Pre-Race

I flew up on Wednesday (race was on Saturday) and checked into Meritus Pelangi, the hotel where the finish line was. For Ironman Malaysia, the start line (with T1), T2 and the finish line are all in different places. I chose to stay at Meritus so that I could just return straight to my room after the race (on the assumption that I was gonna be totally knackered after – which I did).

Then I collected my race pack at MIEC (aka the expo hall), shopped at the Ironman merchandise store (that had so many things to buy!) and watched the athlete briefing video before heading back to my room. It was almost 5pm by then and I went to lie in bed for a while just to chill. Then I decided I should start building my bike and stop procrastinating. I’ve done this a few times before and nothing happened, but this time, while I was fixing my rear derailleur back, it suddenly sprung apart and all these little rings and springs came out. OMG WTF DID I JUST DO KNN. I didn’t know how to fix it back and the expo closed at 6pm so I was starting to panic. Thankfully my friend Aaron from 2ESCAPE came to the rescue and I passed my bike to him.

The next morning I was told that the RD was fixed but my Di2 battery had a problem, so they needed more time to work on it. Queen Bitch II was finally ready around 2.30pm on Thursday and I was sooooo relieved! I took her out for a quick test ride but it started to rain so I went back to the hotel to chill for the rest of the day.

On Friday morning I went over to the swim start (about 16km away from Meritus) to do a test swim. The water was great and I really enjoyed the swim! I went back and wanted to test my bike more so I went out to ride… and felt that the gears were not shifting smoothly. Hence I took QBII to the expo again, to the official bike mechanics to have a look, and the queue was so long! I ended up leaving the bike with them then going back to pack my bike and run bags to deposit at the respective transition areas. We had until 4/5pm to deposit the bags, so there was still time.

It was almost 2pm by the time QBII was ready and I just did a quick ride around the expo car park to test the gears. It seemed better so I proceeded to T1 (where the swim start was) to check in my bike and bike bag. (The run bag was deposited at T2 at the expo.)

And that was it! Time to catch my breath and just relax till the race the next morning! My sister, as well as Charmaine and Grace, flew in on Friday afternoon so I hung out with them for a while before going back to the room to do the last prep for the race. See below – Grace specially designed LANGKIWI tees for us – because one day I accidentally said “Langkiwi” instead of “Langkawi”. LOL!

Race Morning

Nervous! I was starting to feel nervous as the race drew closer, but I tried to keep myself calm and just TRUST THE TRAINING. When the alarm went off, I snoozed a little and then got about getting ready. I had my breakfast, checked that I had my stuff one more time, then took a lift from Nigel to the race start.

We don’t have access to our bike and run bags – only to our bikes – so I went to get my bike ready, deposited my Special Needs bags at the trucks and took a last wefie with my awesome ‘Langkiwi cheer squad’ before I headed over to the swim start area. I watched the 70.3 peeps go off and started to feel more butterflies in my stomach, WOOOOO. I walked around, bumped into some friends and entered the water for a little warmup before going over to the start pen.

I was standing alone in the start pen and I just wanted these moments to collect my thoughts. Like whew, I can’t believe I am actually gonna do a full Ironman. It’s gonna be a long day!!

Swim

BAAMMM the pros went off and after a couple of minutes, the age groupers’ rolling start got going. HERE WE GO!

The murky water (much like that of Sentosa) was pretty calm on the first loop and I found my rhythm. As usual, you get a few kicks and elbows here and there. I finished the first loop feeling good and took a quick glance at my watch as I ran out, and whoa PB for my 1.9km swim! YAY!!

The second loop however, I started to tire and in the last 800m (the last third of the triangle route) I felt a current sweep me to the right. That caused me to swim into the buoys (on the right) a few times and I even hit my finger on one, LOL. Boy was I glad to see the shore!!

Swim time (3.8km): 1:17:49

T1

As I ran out of the water, I saw my supporters and I stuck my tongue out at them, while unzipping my swim skin. I grabbed my bike bag, ran into the change tent and remembered to take off my swim skin first (don’t make the same mistake as Cebu!!). I got the rest of my cycling stuff on, including a pair of cycling shorts over my trisuit (for more comfort), then exited the change tent to grab my bike. As I was pushing my bike to the mount line, I saw my supporters again and I waved before I went off.

Bike

I could feel tiny raindrops on me as I started the bike leg and by the time I entered the Datai stretch, the rain was getting heavier. Throughout the 20km (10km in and out) of Datai, the rain came down harder and I saw a few crashes. Omg, please please race safe, I said to myself.

After I got out of Datai, it was mostly rolling hills with some flats before you hit the notorious Highway (I think that’s what it’s called but it’s not an actual highway) that had three big slopes. These were around the 55km mark and it was tough, cranking cranking to the top before freaking out on the downslopes (I hit 70kph!!) on the post-rain wet roads. WALAOEH my heart rate shot up there! Please don’t crash please don’t crash, I kept repeating to myself.

After getting out of there, we were riding alongside some traffic and it was pretty scary because the vehicles would sometimes slow down drastically or brake suddenly and if we were coming down a slope, we may not be able to stop in time. I witnessed a few near misses and once, I had to go off to the sand on the side of the road because the car in front of me slammed on the brakes. It’s hard to share a lane with vehicles!

And just as you think there are no more big inclines, I was suddenly greeted with this steep 20% gradient hill called Bukit Hantu or Tom Yum Hill (if I’m not wrong) at around 60+km. OMGWTF. This hurt!

After clearing that, it was another 30+km to the Datai stretch again and here we go again, Round 2!

The sun came out hot and strong on the second loop and I made sure I kept hydrating, because it’s still a long way more ahead. Going on the hills a second time was horrible, HAHAHAHAHA. At some points of the course, I was riding alone as well, with no other participants I could see ahead and hardly any supporters along the route. Sia la, I hope I was riding on the right path!

My right lower back was hurting, my left knee had this strange pain, my butt was aching… FINALLY… I was so glad to see the MIEC building where T2 was.

People were not joking when they said that the Langkawi bike course is not for the faint hearted! Total elevation on my bike comp showed 1,100m of elevation (inserts shocked emoji).

Bike time (180km): 6:13:28

T2

After I dismounted from the bike, I nearly fell over when my legs touched the ground. (As the Hokkiens say, kar neng already!) I giggled to myself and then half-walked half-hobbled to pass my bike to the bike catchers. Goodness, my bike was so sticky and dirty that I felt bad for them!

I went to take my run bag off the hook and then went into the change tent to get run-ready. I tried to re-apply sunblock but my face was so grimy and oily I think I made it worse. I also had this abrasion patch near my armpit that was really stinging so I tried to put some petroleum jelly on it to make it sting less.

Run

The entire T2 area is within the expo hall which was air-conditioned, so we got to literally chill some before getting out into the sun again. After coming out of the change tent, I stopped at the aid station to get some isotonic drink before starting the run. We had to run the length of the expo hall, make a u-turn then get out into the scorching afternoon heat.

It was already 3+pm in the afternoon when I started running and the run route had no shelter, so it was quite a microwave oven situation. The route was 5 laps of 8+km and about half of this lap was along this green fence that went around the airport runway – so freaking boring ah!!

My legs were feeling so jelly after that back-breaking ride and after the first few kms, I found myself settling into a comfortable pace between 7:00 – 7:30/km. Being my first full marathon, I didn’t know where it would hurt – though many have said that there is a tendency to hit the wall at around 30km. I didn’t want to risk blowing up so I decided to just “find a pace I can run at forever” and stay there. What I did was break the run down by aid stations and simply ran from one aid station to another, where I would stop briefly at/walk through each one to grab water or sponges.

The first lap was alright, because we ran from the expo to Meritus and I knew my supporters would be there. This is where we ran past the finish line for the first time. I could barely muster a smile for my sister when she saw me and I shouted “I hate my life!” to Charmaine and Grace when I saw them. HAHAHAHAHA!

Out I went back towards the expo and I knew I had to take some calories in, even though I was feeling very bloated and didn’t have any appetite for anything. So I opened a packet of energy gel, washed it down with water and after a few minutes, I felt my stomach stir. OH OH I WAS HAVING THE RUNS. Thankfully there was a portaloo and I ran inside (please don’t ask me to describe what I saw inside) JUST IN TIME. However, there was no toilet paper left and no water for the flush and the tap – CRAP I WAS SCREWED. Luckily I had some wet sponges with me to clean up!

I felt better after “unloading” but for the rest of the run I didn’t dare to take anymore energy gels, because I still had the ‘diarrhoea feels’. (Sorry if I’m grossing you out!)

As the day wore on, the mental and physical struggle became harder. The good thing is, the weather was getting cooler as the sun was setting. I saw familiar faces on the course and it helped. When I got to MIEC, I stopped to stretch my back at the aid station inside because it was getting really tight. There were many supporters in here so it was nice to have people cheer you on. Once I got back out there, the heat and humidity hit me and it was back to reality.

When I was approaching Meritus, I saw my sister again and then as I ran into the streets of Cenang I saw Charmaine and Grace who had just finished a massage. Yes, in the time they last saw me at Meritus after my first lap, to this point where I was finishing two more laps, they had a lovely time in the spa. LOL. And then I had to run past the finish line one more time and I could hear the emcee telling people they are an Ironman. I legit wanted to cry here because I still had two more laps to go (about 16+km more). As I ran through Meritus, there were strangers shouting and cheering for me, and it felt nice.. but I couldn’t resist telling them, “Please don’t ever sign up for something like this!” HAHAHAHAHA.

I just kept telling myself, one more time to MIEC and then I can come home. Come on Cheryl, come on come on come on. It was getting dark and the volunteers were handing out these glow sticks so we could see each other. Halfway through the fourth lap, before I could reach MIEC, darkness fell. There were no street lamps and the only lights we got were from car headlights parked along the roads (intentionally placed for this purpose), as well as standing strobe lights.

Visibility was limited and I was willing my eyes to adjust in the dark so that I wouldn’t fall or trip… you know la, I’m like such a klutz sometimes. I saw this guy who was zoning out and accidentally kicked a cone, oh dear. This last time I ran into the MIEC, the aircon felt too cold but I could only trudge along, hearing my shoes squeak as I dragged my feet.

After I got out of the expo hall, I told myself this is the last lap Cheryl, come on come on come on. I was already in the 30+km of the race, just a bit more ok! And I kept praying I wouldn’t hit the wall!! My legs felt so heavy, the darkness felt so lonely (because I can’t see faces anymore) and there were less supporters outside now. As I ran round the fence, I found myself saying I don’t wanna see this fence anymore HAHAHA.

When I cleared the fence, I kept muttering under my breath, “I am an Ironman, I am an Ironman, I am an Ironman” all the way for the last 4km. I tried to speed up but my legs had no more gears left to shift up to, so I just carried them home. I saw my sister with Charmaine and Grace just before I ran into the bustling streets of Cenang and they told me, “Cheryl, the next time we see you it will be at the finish line!”

That gave me a boost of motivation that lasted all of five seconds maybe and then I just focused on putting one foot in front of another. As I turned into Meritus, down the last stretch of sand, the finish line was in sight and I could hear the music, the cheers… YASSSSS!!

Picked up my legs and gave it a last sprint to the end… and I DID IT! YES YES YES YES YES! I AM AN IRONMAN!

Run time (42.195km): 5:04:58

The tears came flowing after they gave me the finisher medal and towel – it’s been quite a journey to get here and this has taken a lot out of me. You know, it’s so true that you’ve got what it takes, but it’s gonna take everything that you’ve got.

Total time: 12:46:08

Thank you to my coach Colin, Merle, Ah Bao, Kevin, Forte Physio for getting me to the start line. Thank you Claudia, Charmaine and Grace for being witness to this crazy milestone in my life. Thank you to all at home for the best wishes, to the Instagram community for the belief and to everyone else who has been following my journey. Congratulations to all participants and also thank you to the organisers and volunteers for making this happen, and thank you to all who cheered for me during the race!

Now my whole body is aching and I feel like an old lady! LOL. This will definitely not be my last full Ironman, but for now I just need a break.

Next up: Ironman 70.3 Bangsaen in February!

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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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