How Ultra Running Shaped My Life and Career

I'm at Brewster Glacier in the South of New Zealand, and today I want to talk about how ultra running shaped my life and how it can be a great tool for learning more about yourself, both mentally and physically.

It started in 2004. I was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when I met a guy called Philip, who is now a long-time friend of over 25 years. We were doing a marathon together and Philip told me he'd done an ultra marathon. Three months later, the two of us, along with our friend Andrew, were in the Atacama Desert as Team Commonwealth. We competed in the Atacama Crossing, only the second race ever put on by RacingthePlanet, and we won it. It was a 250-kilometre, multi-stage, six-day event where we carried all our own gear and were given nothing but water and a place in a tent.

Out there in the desert, at just 27 years old, I realised that getting away from technology, being out in the elements, and testing yourself in what is almost a game is extremely powerful for understanding your limits. I really discovered during that event that I had a gift.

I came home to Singapore and immediately signed up for the next one. That was the beginning of the 4 Deserts: the Atacama Crossing, the Gobi March, the Sahara, and Antarctica. I went on to complete all four and finish second, becoming part of the first cohort to complete the RacingthePlanet 4 Deserts series.

It was during my fourth race in Antarctica, in 2006, that something shifted. I was on my BlackBerry, watching penguins and icebergs, and I realised that one day we would be able to work from anywhere. I came back to Singapore with that thought and that was when the idea of ChapmanCG as a virtual company was born. I wanted to be free, to not be in an office, to discover the world, and keep pushing my limits.

I went on to do more ultras over the years, but this year I came back to my passion and completed the Southern Lakes Ultra here in New Zealand, another 250-kilometre multi-stage event and my seventh of that distance. I didn't train for it, but during the race all the lessons I had learned over the years came back to me:

• Believe in yourself.
• Focus on each step and stay present.
• Fuel yourself well and stay hydrated.
• Look after your feet.
• Go at the pace you can handle.
• Respect the elements.
• Connect with other competitors, but know that ultimately you are on your own.

What ultra running has taught me, more than anything, is perspective. When you come back from pushing yourself to the edge, you appreciate the comforts and luxuries of everyday life so much more, but you also realise you are not defined by them. That juxtaposition is really important as we go through life.

I always come back to this: for high achievers in business or any area of life, pushing yourself is powerful, but it has to be done with wellbeing front and centre. Preserve that gift within you that takes you to special places, pushes you to your limits, and defines who you are.