Cheryl Tay shares her experience leading a team of running content creators at the 2023 BMW Berlin Marathon for BMW Group Asia
I will never say no to running a World Marathon Major, so I found myself at the start line – again – of the BMW Berlin Marathon 2023 on 24 September. Having completed it last year, I had nothing but good memories of the race and would go back in a heartbeat.
This year was a lot more exciting because I wasn’t alone like I was last year. I had the company of nine other runners from Singapore – Eugene Lim, Kenneth Seet, Samuel Chua, Melissa Foo, Sofie Chandra, John Yeong, Neyton Tan, Jasmine Goh, Emily Ong – whom I led up to Berlin as Team BMW Group Asia.
The entire journey was made a lot more bearable and enjoyable because you know that you have others on this with you, going through the high and lows together.
Over six months – from April to September – we met up regularly to run at different scenic parts of Singapore – like Coney Island, Bedok Reservoir and Labrador Park – and we also did coastal clean-ups, as part of BMW Group Asia’s commitment to environmental and social sustainability.
Sickness, family commitments, injuries, work responsibilities, battling the heat and humidity in Singapore to train for the marathon, waking up at ungodly hours (2am or 3am) to fit the really long runs in – these were just some of the challenges that a lot of us faced whilst preparing for the race.
Thankfully, despite all the adversities and challenges we faced, we made it to Berlin and all 10 of us finished the BMW Berlin Marathon 2023. Some of us secured a personal best (PB) time, some completed their first ever marathon and others pulled through the obstacles during the race to make it to the end.
Every marathon helps me to learn more about myself and after battling all the injuries, I am so happy that I achieved a new PB (4:06:12)! I ran with the new Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the GPS is pretty accurate so it helped me to keep track of my pace well. Its new screen is brighter, making it easier to see the data in the sunlight, and I love the long battery life – I didn’t need to charge it for the next two days after the race.
It brings me a lot of joy when I see others do well and I am very proud of everyone on the team for giving everything they have. So grateful for this opportunity to lead Team BMW Group Asia to the BMW Berlin Marathon!
Having ran the Berlin Marathon last year, Eugene Lim was just as excited to return. “I love Berlin, the crowd’s awesome, high-fiving the kids, the music and the DJs are great. My race went well and went according to plan. I didn’t have a fixed target, just a broad aim and I managed to achieve it (3:54:19), so I’m very happy.
“It helped a lot to be part of team this year, especially when we bumped into each other at 2.30am, 3.30am on our weekend long runs. Also, starting together and having fun at the start line, knowing that we are all on the same course in Berlin felt great. My biggest takeaway was seeing the growth of everyone, how we grew and bonded organically,” said the adidas Runners captain and co-founder of The High Panters.
John Yeong, founder of Sport Plus Media Pte Ltd was also part of this team. He said, “I’m very satisfied with the result (3:41:55) as I didn’t know what to expect after running a marathon the weekend before Berlin."
“We had a group that has great energy, people from all walks of life, with different backgrounds, but we all share a common goal and passion for running. It has been a difficult journey for a lot of us. Coming here after so long to see the experience for ourselves firsthand, it’s been incredible.”
Youngest of the team, Samuel Chua, said, “My race went pretty well until the 36km mark where I cramped every 2km until the finish line (3:41:39), but overall it was a great experience as it was my first overseas marathon and I’m glad to have done it with Team BMW Group Asia.
“The race atmosphere is nothing I’ve ever experienced, I didn’t expect there to be so many people, there were kids stretching their hands out for high-fives, all the ‘Power Up’ signboards, I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Still recovering from a flu, customer relations manager Melissa Foo, said, “I was pretty excited when we were in the start pen because there was a lot of cheering and dancing. For the first 20km I went a little bit faster than I intended to, because everyone’s spirits were just so high and the crowd vibes were so good.
“Then after 20km I crashed and I slowed down to a little jog and some parts I even started walking. Something that was really nice throughout was having people shout my name as I ran past and I felt bad that I was walking. I’ve never seen crowds like this before, with so many people lining up every single kilometre all the way from start to finish.
“To be honest, I knew I probably wouldn’t do as well as I wanted to (4:34:25), because I was feeling a bit unwell, so given the circumstances, at least I really tried hard and pushed for the first 20km.
“Everybody on the team has a fun vibe and they are all very encouraging, all looking out for each other. We also had a unique bonding experience where we headed to the bushes for a pee together before the race because the queues to the portable toilets were too long. I thought that was quite cute and funny, definitely one of the most memorable moments of this trip!”
Father to a nine-year-old daughter, Neyton Tan had to balance his new life as a parent whilst training for the race. He said, “Coming to Berlin was an awesome experience. Going to all the pre-race activities, preparing myself mentally and physically for the run and getting support from everyone, especially my wife, was all aligned. The race was for me to complete and achieve the results I wanted.
“Ultimately with the results I got (3:10:44), it’s a PB so I’m very happy. Team BMW Group Asia has been instrumental in helping me achieve the results. We are all of different paces but because of the camaraderie and the group dynamics, we could depend on each other and keep each other accountable towards the race. We also had a chance to do our part for the environment and I found the beach cleanup very meaningful.”
The other father on the group, Kenneth Seet momentarily blacked out after crossing the finish line but was eventually fine. He said, “My race was good and I finished it (3:59:28), but I ended up in the medical tent. I started cramping from 28km all the way to the end, had a short black out and by the time I woke, I saw the medics surrounding my face.
“Still, the experience was amazing. Although the race didn’t pan out the way I wanted, I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world. The past few months have been very challenging and really stretched my mental and physical limits.”
Southeast Asian Games marathoner and mother of two, Jasmine Goh, has completed over 60 marathons and ultra-marathons in her running career, but this is her first ever WMM. Weighing in on the course, she said, “I was really not expecting the timing that I did (2:58:25) and I’m impressed by myself and the course. This is a fast course, so if you really want to do well in a marathon, then this is one of the marathons you can consider, because there are very good runners on course.
“I had a lot of fun and this is one of the marathons where I came with a group. In the buildup to the race, we had social runs and community outreach like cleaning up the beach which I found very meaningful and thoughtful other than just training.”
Attempting her first ever marathon to commemorate turning 40 this year, Sofie Chandra struggled with nutrition during the race but still managed to complete it.
She said, “The race was amazing, the atmosphere and the vibe was really out of this world. I took my first gel and it couldn’t digest so that was the only gel I had for the whole race. I also couldn’t really drink water because I had issues with my stomach so it was quite uncomfortable. But I think I managed it very well (5:15:56), even though I really struggled for the last 8km and had to jog and walk.
“In addition, I love that the team was very inspiring. Everyone has their own strengths and it was very inspirational to be watching their journeys. This has been a lifetime experience and a journey of self-discovery for me, such as getting to understand discipline and commitment. It is something I would never exchange for anything ever.
“One of the biggest takeaways from this whole experience is that you really should never doubt your own limits, physical and mental. The challenging part for me was always the mental part so in overcoming that is something I’m very proud of.
Also doing the marathon for the first time, Emily Ong was in tears when she saw us after the race. She said, “My race was so unpredictable. I cramped up so many times, but I was glad that I managed to push through and finish it. During my training, I ran up to 26km so I thought I would be very comfortable getting to that point."
"But I unexpectedly cramped at 19km. I took CrampFix but it wasn’t enough and I cramped up again at 26km and 32km. I ended up walking after 32km for a few kilometres, but once I saw that I’m only left with 4km I ran all the way. I didn’t know I still had it in me to run more, but I did it (5:25:18)!
“This is my first marathon and honestly, without Team BMW Group Asia, I don’t think I would ever have signed up for a marathon. But there, I did it! It was painful but because I had the support of team, I discovered that I had it in me to conquer the entire journey.”