Bittersweet were the accomplishments
Asked what was his favorite obstacle? Most people would be quaking in their boots at the mere mention of “log carry”. The log carry, a classic Spartan obstacle is as simple as it sounds; involves carrying a log over a distance and is designed to see how far the Spartan can go. However this log carry was indeed a special moment to CK. Why? Halfway carrying the log, it started to snow. At first he was worried on how he was going to complete the rest of the race but then the worries drifted away like the falling snow. It was his first time experiencing snow. Gracefully the delicate snowflakes descended onto the ground filling him with utmost joy. This one armed Spartan warrior also revealed to us his least favorite obstacle, bucket carry. The bucket carry tends to be the obstacle that fries people’s back and legs the most. Basically the obstacle is filling a bucket to the brim with stones weighing between 30 and 45 kilograms. This was said to be the toughest for every Spartan in the race because one would have to carry the bucket of stones for around 600 to 700 meters and it was an utter energy drain and this obstacle was 2 to 3 kilometers before the finish line.
Crossing the finish line, he did not realize tears were streaming down his face until the photographer pointed it out to him.
CK shared on who he was in his past. He was someone who was in fear to exercise and constantly would tell himself that he wouldn’t be able to do it. That was what pushed him through every obstacle. Every time he faced an obstacle and the slight twinge of fear would appear, he would remember the past and push forward. After all strength doesn’t come from what you can do but it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.
The “Burpee King”
What was the penalty when failing to complete an obstacle? The well known burpee. Most people would groan at the very thought of doing burpees. But not our CK Loh. Known as the burpee king, he astounds us by changing the meaning of doing a burpee. To him “burpees are just like flying. When you drop to the floor, it feels like you’re falling from the top. But when you kick your feet back to your original position, the feeling is akin to flying to the sky”. He relates doing a burpee to means of success. Without failing or falling to the ground, you’ll never learn about success from failure. Isn’t it amazing? When Reebok wondered why he wanted to join the Spartan obstacle race, this was his cheeky reply. “No I don’t think I can do it but I can definitely do a burpee”.
CK also shared some tips to anyone thinking of attempting the Spartan race. Never cheat by skipping obstacles. If you fail to succeed at it, do the penalty because in the end when you receive the medal, that medal symbolizes the hard work and passion. When asked what’s next on his journey? Eyes determined, he plans on refocusing on full marathons which just happens to take place in November and December. He also plans to conquer the 84 kilometer ultra marathon in the year 2017. There’s no stopping this Spartan warrior. Too many people are not living their dreams because they are trapped within their fears. CK Loh faced his fears and is now living his dream.
