Meeting The "Iron Mummy"

I chanced upon the blog of "Iron Mummy" and was inspired by her journey to Triathlon. First of all, the word "mummy" appeals to me :) She is a full-time working mother to 2 young boys and started training for triathlon only after she and her family moved to Singapore 2.5 years ago. I was curious and wanted to read more on how she juggled work, family and training. The more I read, the more inspired I became. I thought why not email her and ask if she was open to meet up.... After a few email exchanges, we finally met up on 20 May!

I invited a few of my kakis along and it was a fun time of nothing, but just sharing about our passion for triathlon. We were initially nervous....not sure what to expect or what to ask her. She turned out to be a very friendly lady and this was her first time receiving request to meet up :)

Without sharing too much on her personal life, these were my takeaways....

- It is possible to live without a car in Singapore. She cycles to work and if it rains, she runs. It's all about planning.
- You can train without compromising on family time. She wakes up at graveyard hours to cycle and gets home before her children wake up. She jogs while pushing her 2 children on a twin buggy.
- Overseas races are also family holidays.
- A supportive spouse is much needed.
- Don't be afraid to ask for sponsorship; the worst you can get is a "no" :)

My greatest takeaway had to be this.... "as long as you are moving".

So it doesn't matter if you are swimming breaststroke or backstroke. Or whether you are cycling at 20km/h or 40km/h. Or whether you are running or walking and catching your breath.... In the words of the Iron Mummy, "as long as you are moving".

It was a great meet-up. Looking forward to meeting her in some of the upcoming races.