Having just completed the TCS Sydney Marathon in September, entrepreneur and Sport Plus Media founder John Yeong is ready for his next challenge - the TCS New York City Marathon with New Balance
The TCS New York City Marathon, held annually on the first Sunday of November, is one of the largest and most prestigious marathons in the world and part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
It offers a 42.195km or 26.2-mile long course with electrifying crowds, taking runners through all five boroughs of New York City: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan finishing at Central Park.
Meet the six runners from Singapore who will be taking on the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon with New Balance in this five-part series with Sportplus.sg.
Having conquered the Sydney Marathon last month, the second time he completed the Australian marathon course in two years, Sport Plus Media founder and entrepreneur John Yeong will be attempting the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon with New Balance on 3 November 2024.
In 2023, John conquered back-to-back marathons - his first and second - just seven days apart, with Sydney Marathon setting the stage for his first World Major - the BMW Berlin Marathon exactly a week later.
He claims it was done out of necessity more than anything else. "I didn't choose to do back-to-back marathons for any reason other than because I needed to, for us to defray costs, ensure healthy cash-flow and pay off our staff salaries."
"We are a young company still and the Sydney Marathon was an important project for SportPlus.sg - with one of the KPIs for me last year being, to run the full marathon distance and capture the footage of my run on a GoPro," he shared with a laugh.
When asked what running means to him, John said: “Running for me reflects the relationship we have with ourselves and those around us. It constantly evolves.”
“Some seasons we push ourselves to perform and break our personal bests, others we take a back seat and let it show us what we are meant to receive and learn.”
“A healthy relationship with running gives us capacity to be non attached to outcomes and to hold space for others.”
Running the New York City Marathon with New Balance this year presents a unique opportunity and a challenge he found difficult to pass up, and should he successfully complete the marathon, it would be his second star of the Abbott World Marathon Majors series, something he is really looking forward to.
1. Share with us what do you do for a living?
John: I am an entrepreneur and content creator, and sports media agency founder.
2. Name an iconic location that most represents you and your personality when you do your runs
John: Southern Ridges - a good mix of nature and structure while climbing upslope reminds me that life can be challenging, but striking the right balance, staying organised and reconnecting with ourselves in the outdoors can help us endure.
3. What are your personal goals for embarking on this journey to NYC Marathon 2024?
John: To push myself out of my comfort zone, to run one of the world's most prestigious marathons and to revisit a continent I've not been to in almost two decades. I spent 7 years of my life growing up and studying in Canada and had plenty of good memories visiting the US.
4. What has been your biggest challenge when training for NYC Marathon?
John: Fatigue, balancing an unpredictable work schedule as an entrepreneur with the consistency that marathon training demands - plus coming off the back of Sydney Marathon just six weeks before NYC Marathon makes it immensely tiring.
5. Could you share with us a regular run route of yours for Marathon training?
John: I have many regular run routes but my favourite has got to be from Labrador Park to Sentosa Island, it is both scenic and challenging at the same time and a good place to train slopes for more undulating marathon courses.
6. Who do you usually train with (if any)? Any individual / community?
John: On most training days I usually run alone for my long runs, but I am sometimes joined by closer friends such as Sebastian (Superhero Runners), and on regular occasions for my easier runs I will usually run with my partner Chermaine.
7. Share your journey into running with us, were they any major influences?
John: I was a former semi-pro footballer and played competitive football for 20 years, after retiring early at 30, I found running to be a good personal way of disconnecting from the frantic work pace of corporate work when I ran alone, and over the years through my work as a sports host I've gotten to know and become good friends with many athletes.
8. Is NYC Marathon your first full marathon?
John: The New York City Marathon will be my fourth full marathon, and my second World Major race after Berlin last year.
9. What made you sign-up for NYC Marathon with New Balance?
John: The opportunity for me to run a World Major marathon was too hard to refuse, and to do it with New Balance, a brand whom I know trusts us and has regularly placed its faith in SportPlus and our work was what sealed the deal.
10. What does "Run Your Way" mean to you personally?
John: For me it means my personal relationship with running. Whether I am running to race a personal best or just simply out to have fun with friends and content creating, running brings me plenty of joy.
11. What's your running philosophy / attitude towards running?
John: Do it because you love it, not because it is the trending thing or because everyone is doing it.
12. What are your personal goals and what are you looking to accomplish in NYC Marathon 2024?
John: Not expecting a PB as I know it's one of the toughest courses, but a sub 4 hour marathon would be a bonus if I can do it while recording the marathon with a GoPro.