Mr. Ooi Yeow Sum is fondly known as “Sum Ko” (3rd Brother in Cantonese) in Permaisuri. He joined Pacesetters 4 years ago. An avid jogger at Taman Tasik Permaisuri, Sum Ko’s running dates back to schooling days. That’s a pretty long history to go with! So, I’ll just tell that he was a school athlete for the 100, and 200m events. The rest, I guess it’s imaginable of how he took running as a hobby and now continuing what he likes.

But guess what, this may seem odd. Unlike the usual stuff that we hear about members who are also into the other two triathlon sports like cycling and swimming, the 43 year-old was into basketball. While basketball has taken a backseat in his life now, running has been continuous. “I have been running for 18 years,” claimed the Ipoh-born. Wow! Those who are close to him would know that he never boasts about his past or tell about his glorious days in running. It was only told when the interview was done.

Well, my running is for health and recreational. You get to meet up with friends and sometimes you travel with them in outstation runs. It’s really nice,” said Sum Ko with a broad smile on his face. Sum Ko paused for a while and quipped, “Later, I will have dinner with some of my friends here. These people are friendly.”

Before I wrapped up the interview, I asked him for some parting words on running. “Take running like a “habit” and don’t emphasize so much about timing. People feel very upset when they don’t do well in their timing and later give up. But if you really make running into a habit and not think so much about timing, you will not give up. No one gives up a “habit” easily, do they?” said Sum Ko pointing his finger in the air in a picture of wisdom.