Joseph Soh loses 40kg training for StanChart Marathon
A bout of long Covid in mid-2022 turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it jolted Joseph Soh into changing to an active lifestyle that saw him shed about 40kg in five months.
Unlike most people who recovered quickly, the 36-year-old’s symptoms persisted as he endured fever and breathing difficulties long after the initial Covid-19 infection.
Suspecting it might be due to his sedentary lifestyle, Soh, who was then working in the Ministry of Health, said: “We were dealing with Covid (at the ministry) in 2022, and I realised, I’m supposed to be promoting health but I was obese.
“So with my family’s support, I signed up for the Singapore Marathon and told myself that I’d train for it.
“I made a decision that I needed to change my diet, sleep early and be healthy. I needed to train so that during the race, I could survive.”
Before he embarked on his journey, he admitted he had a “poor awareness of fitness”, often working late, drinking alcohol and eating out with his family on weekends.
He said: “To be honest, I didn’t care. I thought ‘I’m young what, 30-plus years old, no high blood pressure, why should I keep fit?’ But when I got Covid-19, it struck me quite badly, then I realised, it’s because of this unhealthy lifestyle.”
When the 1.79m tall Soh began his training in July 2022, he said he had weighed around 106kg. By the time the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) came around in December, he said he had lost close to 40kg. He went on to clock 3hr 35min for the 42.195km race.
On his training routine, Soh, who now weighs around 65kg, said: “I follow quite a stringent regime for myself – changing my diet, no more fast food, no more late nights, no alcohol.
“I started walking first, getting the mileage in, 2km, 4km, and as I lost weight, I started to feel more comfortable about myself and also it made running more enjoyable.”
His wife Caroline Huang, 32, said Soh’s active lifestyle had a positive influence on the whole family.
Huang, who works in administration at the National University Health System, added: “His energy level increased a lot. He could even drive the family to Malacca without taking much rest while the passengers slept during the drive.
“I now buy fewer snacks, eat more healthily and opt for less-sugar options wherever possible. I always liked bubble tea, but with Joseph’s influence, I will opt for minimal or zero sugar.”
Soh, who is now a senior assistant director at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has run in four other marathons since the 2022 SCSM – the Taipei Freeway Marathon and StanChart Taipei Marathon in 2023 and the Seoul Marathon and Gold Coast Marathon in 2024. He will be running the half-marathon at the SCSM on Dec 1.
He said: “Running has become part of my life. I have travelled overseas to run marathons, but nothing is as special as running in the country that you’re born in.”
Besides keeping up an active lifestyle for health reasons, Soh is also hoping his efforts will set a good example for his young daughters, aged eight and nine, who are enrolled in the SCSM Kids Dash event.
“Discipline and resilience is something that I want to instil in my children, because at this age, children are starting to develop habits... so I try to inspire them to be more resilient.”
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