Ashley Liew - 2011 Aviva Singapore Ironman Race (70.3miles)

Ashley Liew - Second (local) for the Standard Singapore Chartered Marathon 2009 and 2010

Picture 1 - Triathlon is still Ashley's first love

Ashley Liew was selected to represent Singapore for Hong Kong Marathon 2011. However, he was told in an e-mail to bear the total cost. If he does about 2hr 35min, according to him, he was told by SAA that they will pay half of the trip.

To this, I told him that I did 2hr 31min in 1990 in the Hong Kong Marathon and came in 5th position, hence breaking the national record set by Tan Choon Ghee which was 2hr 34min, at that time.

However, when I ran the 2009 Hong Kong Marathon, after getting selected to represent  Singapore from Standard Chartered Marathon winning in 2008, doing 2hr 49min, I did 3hr 00min. The marathon route currently in Hong Kong is most of the time filled with highways of hill and downhills. The weather is cooling, about 15 to 18 degrees centigrade. It is a good weather to do a personal best. However, it is very hard to do a very good time there. Hence, Ashley suggested to me that he want to focus on two triathlon races which falls on March and May 2011.

Ashley used to submit to me his training program on triathlon through e-mail and ask for advice and suggestions, I told him to up his cycling and biking and maintain a minimal mileage for running.

Hence, I gave him an interview and found that he was giving me some interesting answers 

An Interview With Ashley Liew

Can you tell us the competition that you will be taking part in in the future? 

In March, I am going to compete in the Aviva Singapore Ironman 70.3miles

swim 1.9km, bike 90km and run 21km. I am aiming for a personal best time for this event. Annually, I have been doing this event. I am aiming for 4hr 30min for this race.

Are there any more competition after that?

In May, I will be doing the Olympic triathlon distance in Bintan, Indonesia. I am aiming for 2hr 15min.

How does your girlfriend feel about this?

In fact, she is taking part in the sprint event of the triathlon. My girlfriend is actually a long jumper from Singapore Management University.

Picture 2 - Ashley and his girlfriend Goh Zeling will be taking part in the May Triathlon race in Bintan.

 

How does your father feels about this?

He is all for it!

Do you have suggestions for aspiring triathletes?

1. It is always important to combine the three training - namely; swimming, biking and running, weekly, at least two. . 

2. It is important to continue training from cycling to running or swimming to running, do brick workouts.

3. Triathlon is easy to pick up. Youth is the best time to try out.

4. There are many opportunities to travel and compete.

5. Triathlon races are usually well structured.

6. Usually, marathoners have advantage if they can not only run, but swim and cycle. Mok Ying Ren and I are triathletes ourselves.

7. My e-mail is ashley.liew.2007@socsc.smu.edu.sg if you have any query on triathlon.