Running for a cause
THE adage “First we build the tools, then the tools build us” proved true in the relationship between Sanctuary Health Sdn Bhd and ironman contestant Jeff Lau Jun Tean.
While each sportsperson requires his own personal will, desire and dream to propel forward in his chosen arena, he would inevitably require tools to train and prepare.
A runner making interesting inroads into the international world of ultra-runs, Lau said exercise, training apparatus and equipment play a significant part in his training.
Lau, the eldest of six children and a communication design graduate from RMIT University in Melbourne, started running in secondary school in a bid to lose some weight and to get fit.
He eventually entered marathons for “the fun of it” and discovered his penchant for running.
He also developed a passion for raising funds for worthy causes.
“This actually came about as I was recovering from a knee ligament injury three years ago and I made a decision to do something worthy with my feet,” he said.
In 2014, the 26-year-old challenged himself in a 250km run across the Sahara desert in a bid to raise funds for the Malaysian AIDS Foundation.
He shared that his inspiration came about after the MH17 tragedy, which saw the demise of many AIDS research scientists.
“I personally know people with HIV and I felt this was a big loss and wanted to contribute to this cause,” said Lau.
Early this year, he completed the Iron Man Challenge within the stipulated qualifying time.
He trained only for three months, and this is where the Sanctband Active Series products from Sanctuary Health really helped.
“The Spider Cord, Super Loop Band and Mini Loop Band as well as the Balance Cushion are especially useful as I am not one to frequent the gymnasium much,” said Lau.
He also especially liked that Sanctband products are highly portable and convenient for training while travelling and during ultraruns. They can easily be packed into a bag and used anywhere.
Launched in June 2015, the Sanctband Active Series is Sanctuary Health’s range of latex-free exercise equipment targeted for strength and stamina training in fitness and sports.
The eight products in this range complete and complement Sanctband’s original range of equipment originally designed for therapy exercises.
Lau is currently preparing for his next race – the 6633 Arctic Ultra race – which spans a distance of 560km from Yukon to the Arctic Circle. From the scorching Sahara to the freezing Arctic, Lau will be running this race to raise funds for a worthy cause.
His training partners will again include the Sanctband Active Series products, especially his favourite Spider Cord.
“My passion for running is not only to fulfil a personal need,” said Lau.
“I also truly want to inspire people to be fit and healthy and also to pursue their dreams. It’s a worthwhile package for me – I get to run, stay fit, participate in international events and also contribute to charity.”
And supporting Lau is Sanctuary Health, which is committed to helping aspiring individuals, especially those in sports and fitness, to achieve their dreams of making a difference.
This is a story of ordinary people doing extraordinary thing which will become great inspirations and contribute to the benefit of many.
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