Interview by Leslie Tan/Red Sports
Adrian Mok is an Ironman triathlete, businessman and family man. Last year, Adrian was one of the prime movers behind the Singapore Ironman 70.3 Triathlon and this year his debuts the adidas Sundown Marathon, Singapore’s first night race. Adrian was a student in Pei Hwa Primary, Chinese High, National Junior College and Nanyang Technological University. Red Sports caught up with the man to find out more.
Red Sports: At one time you were Singapore’s fastest Ironman triathlete. What’s your personal best for the Ironman? Olympic distance? What is your best triathlon memory?
Adrian: I was the fastest, but someone beat my time in the Ironman Western Australia, so I had that record for 5 months only! My Personal Best (PB) for IM was in Japan in 2007. 10hours 36min. I can’t really remember my Olympic Distance (OD) PB time, maybe about 2 hour 12 min or something. My best triathlon memory is definitely in Kona, Hawaii. The race is simply classic, there is a certain grandness to that race that you simply feel privileged to be a part of!
Red Sports: Were you a school athlete? If so, what sport(s) did you play? Do you recall what it felt like to be chosen to represent your school?
Adrian: I started sports very late in life. I only started playing basketball when I was 15 and it was more for leisure. However, I joined the basketball team in National Junior College at 17 and got recruited into the cross-country team at 18. It was only then that I ran competitvely. It was a lot of pressure to represent the school as I expected a lot of myself and did not want to do too badly in school.
Red Sports: What is the best memory you have as a school athlete? The worst memory?
Adrian: The best memory is that I used to run to school from home and my girlfriend (now wife!) made egg sandwich breakfast for me. That has got to be the best breakfast! The worst memory has to be the National Schools X-Country race day. I had a shin splint injury but ran my guts out on that day. I ran so hard that my mind was blank in the last 200m to the finish line. I could not remember what happened at all. I think it is the first time that I ever pushed so hard physically. It was bittersweet though as I scored my PB (16min 52sec) over that run course (4.8km).
Red Sports: Speaking of MacRitchie Reservoir, what’s your personal best for the 10.5km loop at MacRitchie?
Adrian: It should be about 42-45min, I guess.
Red Sports: What did you do after NJC?
Adrian: After NJC, I went to the Army (National Service) and became an infantry officer. I wasn’t really crazy into running in NS but I think I managed the 2.4km under 8min 30sec. After NS, I went to NTU and then seriously got into running and triathlon.
Red Sports: How did you end up working in the sports industry and running a sports-related business? Was that your intention from the start or were you always looking to marry business and sport?
Adrian: I have personally gained so much from being active in sports that I always think about how I can give back or do something I love. I know myself very well. If I do what I like, I will be super motivated to over-deliver, but if I am not interested, I simply do not want to do things. It is kind of natural that I began pursuing the path I love. I did not have a strong ambition to start a business or something at the beginning. It was a mixture of people that I meet, things that I learn along the way and some opportunities that presented itself to me that led me to do what I do today!
Red Sports: What was the motivation behind holding the Singapore Ironman 70.3 Triathlon in Singapore?
Adrian: When I crossed the finish line during the Kona Hawaii Ironman in 2005, something crystallised in my mind at that moment. I wanted to bring this experience that I have to Singapore so that more people can enjoy the thrills of finishing a long endurance event. I thought that my shelf life of being a competitive athlete will be somewhat limited down the years and I really want to do something for this sports that I love so much. Thus that idea lead to its fruition today.
em>Red Sports: What inspired the adidas Sundown marathon?
Adrian: This idea came when I was training for the NTU Run Round Singapore 168km event in 2005. In order to spend more time with my family, I started running through the night. It was an amazing experience as the solitude and the quiet streets let me experience something you will never feel during the day. I wanted an ultra component for the Sundown marathon because I wanted to create an event that moves beyond the usual mass marathon. I wanted a race for people to remember.
Red Sports: You are into organising sports events (70.3, sundown), athlete training (Athlete’s Circle), sports equipment business (Polar). How do you manage? It seems like each is a full-time job on its own.
Adrian: My life is absolutely crazy! I am blessed with a wonderful team of people who take care of the details in each area! It is quite challenging and I have to constantly put on a different thinking cap in operations, management, and marketing! Even with a busy schedule, the one thing I know for sure is to have my dose of exercise (everyday if I can!). I don’t drink coffee or take any caffeine products, but the exercise keeps me motivated and helps me think better!
nope track, mok ying ren is in NUS now. =)
Is Adrian Mok and Mok Ying Ren the same person?
[…] told Red Sports in an exclusive interview in April, “It was an amazing experience as the solitude and the quiet streets let me experience […]