Hello, I am Yvonne - an avid runner and primary school teacher! I started running from a young age, and have always loved running. Besides running, I also often play touch rugby as an alternative form of exercise. I am glad to be back on board as a Sundown With Love Ambassador for the second year running as it allows me to pursue my love for running while raising funds for charity. I would also encourage all runners participating in OSIM Sundown Marathon 2017 to join us as fundraiser and help raise funds for charity! 

I have chosen Children's Cancer Foundation (CCF) as the beneficiary of my fundraising effort through this run. Join me in supporting CCF mission to improve the quality of life of children with cancer and their families through enhancing their emotional, social and medical well-being.

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We’re honoured to have you back as our Sundown with Love ambassador for the second year in a row! What have you been up to recently? 
I have been busy with school events and preparing my pupils for their final exams. Apart from work, I have been training and spending some of my weekends racing! 

How do you juggle being a teacher and a runner, and excelling at both at the same time?
Penning my training days, work schedule and racing plans down on the calendar helps me to do so. Besides time management, I have learnt to listen to my body and take breaks when necessary. I believe recognizing the importance of rest has allowed me to pursue my passion in both running and teaching.

Being a teacher also means having to wake up extremely early, and ending your day late. Is sleep compromised? If so, how do you make up for that? 
It is true that sleep is often compromised, especially when we train late in the evenings after work. In order to make up for that, ideally, I would have a rest day after every two consecutive days of running. This routine has worked well for me so far and helped me keep track of my training.

How often do you run in a week, and what sort of runs do you normally do? 
I run three to four times a week. I usually do long runs, tempo runs and fartleks.

What tips can you provide runners who are participating in OSIM Sundown Marathon 2017 for the first time?

• Choose a distance that you are comfortable in doing. Running a distance longer than what your body can manage may lead to injuries.
• Get a running buddy.
• Have either a heavy lunch or an early dinner before the race as the first race usually starts only at 10pm. 

What is it about Sundown Marathon that keeps you coming back for more? 
The race atmosphere, cool night weather, and smooth running of the event. 

What’s your diet like? What would you recommend runners to eat prior to their run, especially since it’s happening at night? 
I enjoy eating food high in carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits. Potatoes, bread and pasta are my favourites. I would recommend runners to fuel their bodies with complex carbohydrates like whole fruits, potatoes and whole grains. They will help runners feel full and perform their best. Foods such as low-fiber cereal and peanut butter with banana wholegrain bread are some snacks runners can consider to boost their energy, without upsetting their stomach.

Name one favourite food you cannot live without. 
Potatoes! 

What are some of your pre-race rituals?

• Sleep - Get sufficient sleep the night before the race. 
• Hydration- Hydrate throughout the day and bring along a bottle of water for warm up.
• Race route - Find out about the race venue and familiarize myself with the race route.
• Warm up - Start warm up 45 minutes prior to the race with a short jog and dynamic stretches.
• Race gear - Wear my favourite pair of racers and attire. Put my race tag on and make sure that my shoelaces are sufficiently tight.

Where do you foresee yourself in 10 years’ time? 
I foresee myself still training and racing in 10 years’ time. I hope to continue running for as long as my body can take me.