Meet Terry and Amy Seow — partners not only in life but also in the pursuit of fitness through their running journey. Their next race? Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS
In a world where the pace and challenges of life often pull us in different directions, it can be hard to find common ground. Yet, for this particular couple, the rhythm of their lives is set steady by the beat of their feet hitting the pavement. Having already completed countless marathons together, Amy and Terry Seow's next challenge will be the Sydney Marathon in September.
Inspired by the people around them, the pair picked up running together in 2010.
“Some of our friends were into running and they got us into it as well. They got us to join in on regular runs with them as well as different running events,” Amy recounted.
Soon after picking up the sport together, what began as a shared interest evolved into a cornerstone of their lives, serving not only to uphold their fitness but also to strengthen the bonds within their family. Since then, running has become an indispensable part of their daily lives, weaving seamlessly into the tapestry of their shared experiences and enriching their connection with each passing mile.
"As our sons started to grow older, we realised we had a lot more time to ourselves. We also had a common goal to get more active and healthier together,” Amy shared. Thus, against this backdrop of shifting priorities and a desire for continued well-being, they embarked on their running journey together.
Terry echoed the sentiment, “I realised that I didn’t need to spend too much time with the boys as they are now older and have their own activities. Since I had more time, I decided to start getting healthy by doing some sports.”
Their journey also extended beyond the confines of just the two of them. Eager to expand their horizons and foster community, Terry and Amy eagerly welcomed the opportunity to run alongside friends from the local running community. These group outings not only added a social dimension to their runs but also served as a source of inspiration and motivation, propelling them forward on their shared path towards better health and fitness.
To go back to the time when they first met, you’d have to imagine a young Amy and Terry in primary school. The two first met as classmates but only really got to know each other at a school reunion many years later in 1987 — and that was when the love story began. Moving to Pasir Ris as a young couple in 1998, Pasir Ris Park became their training ground where they ran for the first time together. They now share it with their two sons, Chester and Sean.
As the couple’s love for running continued to grow, they decided to encourage their two children to join in on the journey.
“The boys joined us about two years ago and now, we often go running at places like Gardens By The Bay and MacRitchie Reservoir,” Terry added.
When asked how running together has benefitted the family as a whole, Amy mentioned that they now “spend more time together through various running activities and have more common topics to share and talk about”. Moreover, the family relishes breakfasts and dinners together post- runs, often using this time to “share about their various ups and downs in life”, fostering even greater and closer connections between them.
To top it all off, Terry and Amy feel proud seeing their boys getting healthier and striving to achieve good timings in their runs. “We see changes in them, they have started to become more cautious when it comes to health and nutrition and they have been staying healthy as well,” Amy remarked.
Apart from going for family runs, the couple was also motivated to participate in marathons after hearing about them through their friends in the running community.
Since then, the couple has participated in many marathons such as the 2XU Marathon and the Army Half Marathon together.
“My most proudest marathon experience would have to be the 2014 Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon, where Amy and I both hit our record timing of 5 hours,” Terry shared.
“For marathons, we always train hard together and motivate each other as the training regime is quite tough. During the marathons, we encourage each other and cheer other runners along the way,” Amy smiled.
As such, running marathons have played a big part in their running journey, allowing them to forge even stronger connections by exploring new trails and conquering new distances together — and it will be no different at the Sydney Marathon.
Nursing a knee injury he suffered at another race, Terry has had to put a halt to his training for Sydney but hopes to resume his efforts as soon as he can, excited for the prospects of the race. Looking forward to the marathon in September, he shared that he never passes a kilometer without capturing it on video.
“That’s why people sometimes say he adds time to his net time!” Laughed Amy, with Terry smiling next to her.
“So if I’m running a marathon, I’ll have 42 videos,” added Terry proudly, unphased by his wife’s remark.
“My goals for Sydney are to say hi to the support crew along the way and take a wefie, snap every kilometer poster and cheer alongside the runners,” added Terry.
Though they have their individual goals, Terry and Amy have two shared ones — “We just want to try our best and have as much fun as we can together!”
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