Life Goals

Lawrence Chia and Rose Chow find their trail groove.

Fifty year old Lawrence Chia and his wife Rose Chow both took part in this year’s Cameron Ultra Trail, one of the most popular off-road foot races in Malaysia. “We can’t really explain what draws us back to trail races time and time again,” he says.

“Actually, I think it’s some kind of addiction,” says Rose. Parents of two teenage children, the couple have been recreational athletes for a long time, with Lawrence being a seasoned triathlete and Rose running road races occasionally. However, they both agree that trail running has opened a whole new world of camaraderie and experiences to them.

Lawrence, who manages his own business, had been taking part in triathlons for many years, but sees the trails as a similar, yet completely different challenge. No longer needing to train for three different sports and without the need for a bicycle, it has been a liberating experience. He completed the 55km category race at this year’s Cameron Ultra Trail, often cited as one of the toughest races in the region due to the technical nature of the terrain. Sporting a cut-off time of 14 hours at the finish and 10 hours at the 35km mark, it’s a slow-paced event because of the dense jungle and multiple steep climbs.