TO accomplish something extraordinary, one must have an extraordinary dream, a goal so lofty and a journey so demanding that the resulting achievement appears unattainable to many!
The Ironman, a multi-event sporting contest that demands high levels of stamina, perseverance and endurance, has grown to become a global movement that shapes the next generation of athletes across the globe.
Before one can even dream of finishing the toughest sporting event there is to be, it takes a lot of effort to be shortlisted for this race.
Penang takes pride in seeing two extremely determined individuals, Lee Wei Chern, 52, and Tan Kok Peng (Felix), 56, who earned the distinction of qualifying for the prestigious Men’s VinFast IRONMAN World Championship in Nice, France this year on Sept 10.
According to Lee, to qualify for the Ironman World Championship, the criteria is that interested individuals must have competed in an Ironman race in the last 12 months, and this race could be located anywhere across the globe.
“Ironman races happen weekly across the world, and each race would usually have specific slots dedicated for various age groups, paving a path of qualification for the world championship.
“When we successfully secured a slot, we were called up to join the world championship,” Lee told Buletin Mutiara during an exclusive interview in Pulau Tikus on Sept 22.
The Ironman race consists of three sporting categories, namely swimming, cycling and running, which must be completed consecutively.
During the World Championship in France this year, the participants had to swim a length of 3.8km, cycle for 180km and then run for 42km.
Wei Chern jokingly said cycling 180km is equivalent to driving from Penang to Ipoh, and that too at an elevation of Cameron Highlands, Genting Highlands and Fraser Hill combined!
“Just when you think it’s over, you must run a full marathon of 42km,” Lee added.
Lee has so far participated in three full Ironman races and two half-distance races, with his first one in 2010, followed by 2019 and 2022, both in Langkawi.
Meanwhile, Tan said this year’s Ironman race was his worst performance as he was only offered the slot in May, which gave him limited time to train to reach peak form.
“I usually need six months and 15 hours a week to train to be able to give my very best, but I was not ready to forego this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“So, I took the offer, and the whole idea was to go and have fun, which I did.
“Once qualified, I just wanted to go and enjoy the experience. There was no need to prove anything or set personal best.
“Most importantly, I was focused on staying safe throughout the race simply because Lee and I were new to the location, and to cycle at a height of 2,400 metres elevation was simply crazy!
“There’s no way you could find such a mountain to race, and we have to admit, the view was amazing. But if you fall off the cliff, that’s it, you’re gone,” Tan said.
Tan has participated in eight Ironman races and 11 half-distance races, and he has covered places such as Langkawi, South Korea, Taiwan and Barcelona in Spain.
Meanwhile, Lee said preparing for Ironman can be disruptive to our work and personal life.
“It takes a lot of our personal time because you will need to allocate a lot of time practising and training.
“That is why I did not join as many Ironman races because I need to balance work and personal commitments with time needed for training”, Lee explained.
Lee works at a multinational company based in Penang.
When asked about their strengths, Lee said his prowess is in swimming while Tan excelled in cycling.
Lee and Tan returned with a finisher’s medal each after successfully completing the race on Sept 10.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Siti Nuratikah Rahmat