Yeap only took up swimming classes four years ago. PHOTO: YEAP JING NEE
For most of us, when we imagine our retirement, we picture days spent at a leisurely pace while enjoying family time, engaging in a few hobbies, or travelling to long-desired destinations.
But for Yeap Jing Nee, 57, and Wendy Tan, 55, retirement has taken on a different meaning. Having participated in the recent Ironman Langkawi, they’re living proof that age is just a number when it comes to endurance, dedication, and the thrill of a challenging race.
Ironman is no small feat: it is a gruelling triathlon that makes participants swim 3.9km in open sea, cycle 180.2km and run a full marathon, covering a total of 226.3km – all to be completed within 17 hours.
While their fitness perspective has kept them active and mentally sharp as the years pass, they knew very well that the journey to Ironman needed more than the desire to test their limits.
Training for Ironman required a lifestyle shift that had to be embraced with open hearts and a resilient spirit.
Yeap Jing Nee celebrated her Ironman Langkawi 2024 with a gruelling hike to Larke Pass (5106m above sea level) located on the Manaslu Circuit Trek, Nepal.
Peak to race
“Going into the race this time, I was prepared,” said Yeap, a mother of three from Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
“My goal was to finish in 16 hours. I just had to do what I was trained to do and pace myself well.”
Although her finishing time clocked in at 16 hours and 14 minutes – after an unexpected bout of stomach discomfort, Yeap was pleased with her second attempt at the Ironman race.
Last year, she crossed the finishing line just five minutes before the cut off time, thanks to punctured tyres that forced her to push her bicycle which eventually drained her physically and mentally.
This followed her success in completing her first Ironman 70.3, the half version of the full Ironman, in 2022.
Yeap is no stranger to pushing her physical limits. The small-scale investor is an avid peak climber who has trekked and climbed peaks in places as diverse as Nepal, Bolivia and Africa since 2008.
When she turned 50, the adventure junkie turned a marathoner and ran eight full marathons throughout the year of her silver jubilee, achieving her personal best of 4 hours and 41 minutes.
“Endurance sports give me physical satisfaction and mental resilience, which I apply in other areas of life. It builds my focus, consistency, and discipline to achieve any goal,” says Yeap, who also loves CrossFit training.
Tan completing the 42.2km marathon during the Ironman Langkawi 2022.
Of the three Ironman disciplines, swimming was new to Yeap, a skill she picked up during the Covid-10 movement restrictions.
“I knew how to float, but learning to swim as an adult was not easy at all. The process of building strength and speed took time and patience, and I am still learning to correct my strokes,” adds Yeap who trains seven days a week.
When asked how her age factors into her training and racing, Yeap replies, “I don’t think about my age. I train with all the energy and strength I have and focus on finishing the race strong and happy.”
She encourages others not to use age as an excuse, adding, “Retirement isn’t a reason to stay home; it’s an opportunity to step outside our comfort zones and see the world from a new perspective.”
For those interested in triathlons or endurance sports, Yeap advises finding a supportive group of like-minded people to train with.
Although she plans a break from training until she feels the urge again, Yeap kept up her momentum by flying to Nepal just a week after Ironman Langkawi to hike the Manaslu Circuit Trek.
55-year-old Tan during one of her training runs.
Race-cation to heal-cation
Even the most dedicated athletes face unforeseen challenges. Tan is no exception.
About one month before the race, she suffered a metatarsal fracture during training, bringing her preparations for Ironman Langkawi to an abrupt halt.
“A complete recovery would take up to three months,” she says, forcing her to rethink her approach..
Instead of withdrawing, the self-employed from Kuala Lumpur pivoted.
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” she quotes American writer Elbert Hubbart, reflecting on her decision to turn her recent Ironman race into a relaxing “holiday” rather than a competitive event.
Since everything had been planned and paid for, Tan carried on with the trip to Langkawi but changed the course of her intended full Ironman race to a relay team for Ironman 70.3 to participate in the 1.9km swim leg for the team.
“This turned out to be a great move for me not to miss out the Ironman vibes while allowing my body the time it needed to heal,” she says.
Tan during her long weekend rides. - WENDY TAN
Preparation is key for Tan, as she has adopted the “swim, bike, run” motto as part of her active lifestyle, practising a structured training plan.
“A structured training plan is ideal to build up fitness towards race day,” Tan explains, emphasising that proper preparation can reduce the likelihood of injuries.
Training routine comes naturally for her, with the structured training plan kicking in three months before the race that consists of moderate weekday sessions that rotate between the three disciplines, and longer runs and rides on the weekends.
“And there is the fourth discipline - nutrition and recovery,” she adds “A balanced diet and consistent sleep is a must.”
As Tan sees it, triathlons are not just races but unique opportunities for exploration. Her journey into triathlons began in 2015 as a way for her to combine racing and fitness with vacation.
Not only racing abroad added exciting destinations to her travel list but also helped her overcome the guilt over a sedentary lifestyle.
Her philosophy is encapsulated in her favourite quote: “You see things; and you say ‘Why?’ But I dream of things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’ If it is not now, then when?”
Tan encourages others to pursue their fitness goals, advising them to seek medical advice if they’re starting from a sedentary lifestyle and to build their strength gradually
“With health and fitness, the world is your oyster,” she says, encouraging others to take things slowly and build fitness gradually.
