61-year-old to run 281km ultramarathon for a good cause
Besides other training, Mr Lim Nghee Huat spends six hours running up to 80km on weekends. Photo: Geneieve Teo
SINGAPORE — He dedicates three of seven days each week to long-distance running, spending two hours covering up to 15km on weekdays and six hours doing up to 80km on weekends at Upper Peirce Reservoir. And he does it all out of passion for the sport.
A decade ago, 61-year-old ultramarathoner Lim Nghee Huat turned his hobby into a good cause when he participated in the 168km Run Round Singapore Ultramarathon organised by Nanyang Technological University. It was the Singaporean’s first ultramarathon and charity run.
Since then, Mr Lim has not stopped running for charity, participating in gruelling races such as the 217km Brazil Ultramarathon, the 217km Badwater 135 Ultramarathon, in which he raised S$150,000, and the 217km Death Valley Challenge, in the United States, where he raised S$250,000.
The editor of Chinese Current Affairs at local broadcaster MediaCorp is a father of three and has three grandchildren.
In preparation for his next race — a 281km ultramarathon in Brazil to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity Singapore — Mr Lim has been lifting weights, doing sit-ups and pulling rubber tyres while he runs to increase his endurance.
The 2015 Brazil 135+ Ultramarathon will be held in Sao Paolo from Jan 14 to 17 and is an invite-only competition. Mr Lim will be the first Singaporean to attempt completing the race, and he will try to do so in under 60 hours without any sleep. He is also expecting bad weather conditions because of the rainy season there now. This race will be the longest he has attempted.
Last November, Mr Lim approached Habitat for Humanity Singapore and offered to help it raise S$150,000 to build decent houses in poverty-stricken areas worldwide. The non-profit organisation has a project in Singapore called Project HomeWorks, which engages volunteers to clean and improve the living conditions of elderly and handicapped people who live alone in cluttered and unhygienic homes.
Mr Lim said his love for running started when he was a student. Over the years, he began to take up long-distance running and experimented with triathlons before eventually running in ultramarathons.
“Some people call me crazy for running such long distances and others have advised me to stop running, as they think that it’ll be harmful to my body. But I get inspired by overseas runners I meet during my ultramarathons. I see runners older, yet fitter than me and they look so young; it makes me want to continue running to keep fit and stay healthy to prevent unnecessary visits to the doctor,” he said.
“Through the runs, I get to meet a lot of different people and learn to (increase) my perseverance in overcoming difficulties. I remind myself that the discomfort and pain are only temporary, just like the setbacks in life.”
