Skip to main content
Home The New Paper
  • Home
  • News
    • Singapore
    • World
    • Business
    • Views
    • Backstage
    • Others
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Singapore Football
    • Team Singapore
    • School Sports
    • Athletics
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Racing
    • Others
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Star Style
    • School of Frock
  • Lifestyle
    • Makan
    • Hed Chef
    • Weets Eats
    • Health
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Biker Boy
    • Celeb Chow
    • Others
  • Racing
  • Your Tip-Offs
  • Read E-Paper
  • Contests
  • Coupon
  • Team

Popular

  • COURT & CRIME
  • Food & Drink
Sports

Injured, but Soh Rui Yong still chases Olympic dream

Injured, but Soh Rui Yong still chases Olympic dream
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROMAINE SOH
Injured, but Soh Rui Yong still chases Olympic dream
PHOTO: 
ROMAINE SOH

SOH RUI YONG will not give up Olympic dream despite foot injury

Sazali Abdul Aziz
Sports Correspondent
May 27, 2016 06:00 am
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • E-mail this article
  • 0 Engagements

It has not been an easy 2016 for me.

In many ways, it has been frustrating, but the experience has also given me perspective.

The tough year so far has made me realise that sport, like life, is never smooth sailing.

It helps me treasure the good times and take nothing for granted because, without warning, your fortunes can turn just like that.

I arrived in Eugene in August 2013 in pursuit of a business degree at the University of Oregon while looking to realise my potential as a distance runner.

Finding a fantastic set-up in Team Run Eugene and coach Ian Dobson, I went on to have two years of running heaven.

This file photograph taken on October 12, 2019, shows the running shoes of Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge as he stands after his attempt to break the two-hour barrier for the marathon at The Reichsbrücke in Vienna.
Athletics

Nike prototype Vaporfly shoe banned but current version going to Olympics

Feb 01, 2020

Related Stories

Kipchoge's sub-two hour marathon like landing on the moon

Over 13k participants in women's run

Cambodia's Ly runs against the odds

I lowered my 5,000m personal best from 15min 36sec to 14:58.

In my first 10,000m race in Oregon, I chopped 1:11 off my previous personal best to set a new national record of 31:15.

My half-marathon best went from 72:12 to 67:52.

And, in my first marathon, I ran 2hr 26min 01sec at the California International Marathon in Dec 2014.

Seven months later, I ran my second marathon, winning the SEA Games gold medal on home soil.

Even though I took a long break after last June's SEA Games and, despite being hindered by a hip injury, I managed to take eight seconds off Mok Ying Ren's national record at the Rock 'n' Roll San Jose Half Marathon in September 2015, with a time of 67:21.

It was the purplest of purple patches and, with 10 weeks to go to the Fukuoka Marathon in December, I was in the best shape of my life and had good reason to be in high spirits.

Five weeks before Fukuoka, however, I woke up and couldn't rest my weight on my left heel.

Out of the blue, I had been struck with the dreaded runner's injury - plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the thick band of tissue connecting your toes to your metatarsals.

There is no cure for plantar and it is a difficult injury to manage.

While plantar can be incredibly painful, as I can testify, I would not classify it as a severe injury.

In many cases, it heals itself given time and, in the meantime, can be managed by rehabilitation exercises and protection in the form of taping.

There are two ways to approach plantar fasciitis.

One is to lie down and rest. The other is to fight on.

So now, I've returned to the soft trails and cool weather of Eugene setting out to finish what I started - qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Over the last seven months, which have included a seven-week training stint in Iten, Kenya, with the best runners in the world, I have built the biggest aerobic engine I have ever possessed.

Unfortunately, you're only as strong as your weakest link, and my sore foot means that I am comparable to a Ferrari with a flat tyre.

The soft, woodchip trails of Eugene (left), unlike anywhere else in the world, give me that chance to train well while managing my injury.

The healing process is what I'm focused on now, and I will make a decision on whether I will run at July's Gold Coast Marathon in due time.

I'm continuing to build my fitness, and, once my foot heals up, I know I will be ready to run my best marathons.

Soh Rui Yong was talking to 
Sazali Abdul Aziz.

You can also follow Soh's journey to Rio on H-TWO-O's Facebook page, where he regularly gives updates.

Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now

MarathonSoh Rui YongOlympics2016 Rio Olympicsinjury

Sazali Abdul Aziz

Sports Correspondent
msazali@sph.com.sg
@SazaliAbdulAziz
Read articles by Sazali Abdul Aziz
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • E-mail this article
  • Newslink -  Purchase this article for republication

Top Stories this Month

Makansutra: Mad for this moist millennial char kway teow
Makan

Mad for this moist and marvellous char kway teow

Feb 25, 2021
Wild boar drags woman for a metre in Punggol attack
Singapore

Wild boar drags woman for a metre in Punggol attack

Feb 22, 2021
MasterChef Singapore 2 finalists spill the beans
TV

MasterChef hopefuls spill the beans

Feb 25, 2021
Home
  • Contests
  • Coupon
  • Team
  • Home
  • News
    • Singapore
    • World
    • Business
    • Views
    • Backstage
    • Others
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Singapore Football
    • Team Singapore
    • School Sports
    • Athletics
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Racing
    • Others
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Star Style
    • School of Frock
  • Lifestyle
    • Makan
    • Hed Chef
    • Weets Eats
    • Health
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Biker Boy
    • Celeb Chow
    • Others
  • Racing
  • Your Tip-Offs
  • Read E-Paper
  • Contact TNP
  • About SPH
  • Privacy Statement
  • Data Protection Policy
  • Member Terms & Conditions
  • Website Terms & Conditions
SPH Digital News Copyright © 2021 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn No. 198402868E