An Exclusive Interview with Ashley Liew, Standard Chartered Marathon 2009 1st Runner Up (Men Open)

Ashley Liew, the  triathlete cum marathon runner,came in 20th position in the Army Half Marathon 2009 in the local section of the Men Open category. Despite this dismal  performance, Ashley rebounded back with resilience and surprisingly came in 2nd position in the Standard Chartered Marathon just within a span of two months. As he is a newcomer in the top 3 list, I thought it is prudent for me to let people to know about this humble gentleman who is capable of doing great feats in the near future. Hence, an interview is imperative to make one to learn from his experience. I hope you enjoy it.



Last year performance position for Standard Chartered Marathon 2009.
Champion - Mok Ying Ren - 2hr 43min
Second     - Ashley Liew- 2hr 51min
Third        - Dr Benny Goh - 2hr 56min

Below are the Interview questions.

1. In the year 2009, you came in first runner up in the Standard Chartered Marathon, how was your feeling like when you achieved this feat?

I was overjoyed because it was my best sporting achievement ever. I went into the race quite confident, but naturally there was always an inner voice telling me that I would only make a marginal improvement from my 2008 Standard Chartered Marathon timing of 3h34m14s. Breaking the sub-3h barrier and standing on the podium in 2009 was an indescribable feeling. It was a sweet victory after all the hard work done.

2. Can you briefly tell me on how you ran through the marathon route during the marathon?

My plan was to run an average 4h/min before speeding up in the last few km. I felt strong and reached the 5km mark before my targeted 20min. I kept up this faster pace for a while longer, reaching 10km at sub-40min and 21km at 1h23m53s. My half marathon split was faster than my previous PB by almost 2min. After that, I still felt somewhat good but my pacing started to dip. I reached 30km around my planned 2hrs but from there on I was almost running on adrenaline to the finish line. I tried to push the pace to break 2h50m but the best I could do was 2h51m22s.

3. What are you doing now at the present moment? Are you working or studying now?

I am currently a third year undergraduate at Singapore Management University.

4. Who is your source or sources of inspiration to do this kind of timing?

It was the likes of Mr Rameshon (the fastest Singaporean marathoner), Mr Daniel Ling, and all my other training partners with previous marathon experience. Not only did they push me beyond what I thought was capable of, they also provided the motivation to keep going. I look up to them as my role models. I also have all the training partners from SMU (including my supportive girlfriend Zeling) and HCI to thank – they gave me the added confidence I needed.

5. How did your parents feel about this achievement?

They were happy beyond words. They never anticipated something like this before, considering I was once 80kg and from a non-sporting background. I am glad I shared this achievement with my mother before she passed on – I’m sure it warmed her heart.

6. Were you prepared for this top 3 position?

Not really. Even up to the last few kilometers of the race, I was not sure whether I had secured a top 3 position because I was mostly running alone. Only when I crossed the line did I hear from the emcee that I was the runner-up Singaporean.

7. How did you prepare for this top 3 position?

I did not think about position much last year as I just kept focusing on timing (breaking sub-3h). I trained very hard prior to the 2009 marathon. Training involved many long runs which brought up my weekly mileage to a level once thought impossible. I also benefited from coach Rameshon’s speed workouts which are very important at the competitive level.

8. Can you tell about your mental strategy if there is any for the route?

I had two big mental blocks to overcome, the first being my previous PB timing 3hr 34min 14as mentioned. The second mental barrier was even worse to me – the thought of cramping at the 30km mark. I had been running the Standard Chartered Full Marathon annually from 2004 to 2008 and I cramped every single time in the last 10+km, messing up my race completely.

So besides training proper, mental visualization was important. Before every single hard training, I would visualize. Even before I went to bed, I would visualize the route, my breathing, and my pacing. Before the race, we made several recces through the race course which were important. Knowing the various distance landmarks by heart gave me the mental confidence to overcome the barriers come race day.

9. What is your future aspiration for the year 2010?

I have many races which do not just involve running but triathlon as well. However, my key goals for 2010 are to emerge Champion at the 2010 Standard Chartered Marathon, Champion at the Track and Field IVP, as well as top 3 at Bintan Triathlon.

10. How is your training going on?

My training involves a lot of volume – swimming, cycling and running on average 7 times a week or more. It is extremely tough juggling both school and training, but it is tested and proven to be more than possible.

11. What do you think about Mok Ying Ren? Will you be competing with him if he enters the Standard Chartered Marathon race?

Mok has been an inspiration for me ever since he won the 2007 Triathlon SEA Games. I have great respect for him as an athlete and as a Singaporean sports ambassador, considering all his achievements. Still, if he enters the 2010 Standard Chartered Marathon, I definitely look forward to giving him a run for his money! If we push each other on, hopefully the profile of athletics in Singapore would be further raised.

12. What word of advice would you give to young people aspiring to do well in a marathon race?

Believe in yourself, for anything is possible. That being said, never forget to do your homework months before the marathon! Train hard but train smart and I’m sure you will be able to hit your personal best.