We would like to give a special shout-out to VPLS Thailand Web Manager, Mond Pengpipat for completing this year’s Ironman Triathlon in Zurich, Switzerland.
It was about three years ago when Mond ran his first triathlon and has been an avid participant ever since. This time around, however, Mond wanted to try something more challenging, thus making the decision to sign up for his first Ironman that took place this past July. Because of the physical demand of this race (a 2.4-mile (3.86 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.25 km) bike ride, along with a 26.22-mile (42.20 km) run), Mond began training in March to ensure that he would be more than ready for his big day.
When asked what kept him motivated during intense training and the actual race, Mond simply said, “Knowing I can do it and then challenging myself to go harder keeps me motivated.” Mond goes on to advise anyone who is thinking about joining something like this is to know that anything is possible if you push and train yourself; “part of this success is training.”
The Ups and the Downs
Mond described one of the worst parts of his experience is when he had to swim in a lake along with 2500 other triathletes. Part way through the swimming portion, a fellow swimmer knocked off his googles causing Mond to stop and retrieve his googles. Fortunately, this was just a minor setback to an overall amazing experience. The best part of the race according to Mond was crossing the finish line 15.41 hours after starting and hearing the MC announced, “You are now an Ironman.”
The next race he will be training for will be either Ironman USA or Taiwan taking place in 2020. One similarity Mond found between work and the triathlon is how much perseverance is involved in both areas; when you have a specific target or goal in mind, you should continue to keep pushing yourself to learn more and to do more, no matter how discouraging it can seem at the moment. In the end, all the hours invested will definitely be worth it once you see the final result.
Congratulations Mond! We are so proud of you, Ironman!
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