Czyn Jien Tan

My mum ran while she could. Now, I run while I can.

Being given a rare chance to run in the largest marathon in the world is already a huge blessing I'll cherish forever. But to receive such a gift without giving back feels wrong, especially for a cause I hold close to my heart. 

The thought of running a marathon wouldn't even cross my mind if it weren't for the person who got me into running in the first place—my mum. Despite her small stature, my mum was an absolute beast in marathons when she was younger!

Growing up training six days a week, Sundays were my only rest day, yet those rest days were often spent running with my mum instead. While running on rest days was not the best idea, it was those runs that made me a little fitter, and won me races that came with sweet memories before I even realised it.

But ever since COVID struck, my mum has been suffering from osteoarthritis as a side effect of the vaccinations, and probably ageing as well. Walking has been posing problems for her, let alone running. Sundays don't feel the same anymore, and it truly saddens me that I can no longer go on runs with her.

With this disease being largely inevitable and incurable, I want to treat every run I go on as a reminder to myself and people around me not to take our youth for granted and go out for a run while we still can. And more importantly, a reminder of those Sunday runs with my mum.