Here are what most people know about Mok Ying Ren: he’s one of the fastest runners in Singapore, he has won SEA Games gold medals twice, he won Singapore Marathon local category almost every year from 2009 to 2016 (except in 2012 where he finished third), and he’s recently married to the love of his life, Belinda.
But Mok is more than just a runner, a triathlete, a doctor, a husband or a Singapore record holder. Here are 25 awesome facts about Mok Ying Ren that most people don’t know.
25 Fast and Awesome Facts About Mok Ying Ren
- He’s called “Mok” instead of “Ying Ren” because Mok is more casual. Luckily there are not many Moks around!
- Mok has only one sibling. He often looks up to his younger sister, Ying Rong, as an inspiration. P.S. Mok says Ying Rong is a very good physiotherapist.
- For his daily food intake, Mok goes by the principle of moderation and takes in a fair share of carbohydrates.
- On days leading to a race, Mok eats mainly carbohydrates based food – pasta, rice, pizzas. During the run, he focuses on easily digestible sources of carbohydrates such as sports gels. After the race, he eats anything!
- Mok doesn’t really have a favourite food that he must eat every week. But he likes chicken rice.
- Mok’s guilty pleasure food is ice cream! Bel, Mok’s wife, has convinced him to love the awfully chocolate dark chocolate ice cream!
- Between running and swimming, Mok prefers running.
- Mok’s favourite oversea race is Seoul Marathon, Korea. He’s totally biased in his pick because it is the race in which Mok clocked his Marathon Personal Best at 2:26:07.
- Mok’s first marathon was in 2009 when he did his debut at the Singapore Marathon. He won the local marathon category with 2:43:42.
- Mok’s favourite running place in Singapore is the East Coast Park!
- Mok met his wife, Belinda, when they were swimmers in Secondary School! There was a gathering and he did a Magic trick which he guesses impressed her.
- Mok has been together with Bel since 2/11/13!
- Mok and Bel have taken part in some races together such as the Singapore Marathon in 2016.
- Belinda has truly supported Mok to pursue his dreams in uncountable ways. For example, each morning, she literally moulds her schedule to fit his, meeting her friends only when he is at work on weekends and spending her other times with him.
- After being married, Mok learned that it is important to treasure loved ones around you because sometimes it’s easy to take them for granted in the pursuit of our own dreams.
- During his childhood, Mok was inspired by Roger Bannister, an English doctor who was the first person in recorded history to run a mile in under four minutes.
- Mok didn’t really have a childhood dream.
- Mok’s parents run weekly at the Bedok Reservoir Park with the Run To Walk Community, which was set up many years ago with his good friend Sia Chuan Han.
- Due to his busy work schedules in residency, Mok was glad to have a manager who really cares and creates an ecosystem for him. Jed, his business partner and also his manager has supported him in more ways than one, allowing him to focus more on his residency and running performance.
- Outside work and running, Mok’s hobby is cooking with Bel and really just spending quality time with close friends and family.
- Just like how Futuro supports people struggling with pain through their sporting journey, Mok has a few key people in his lives whom he is grateful for. Firstly, his wife Belinda, his best friend Jed and his family. Expanding the circle would be the friends who are sticking with him through the ups and downs.
- Mok has a message to the running community: Running is a journey and you should embrace it with its ups and downs.
- Between running in the rain and under the hot sun, Mok chooses rain!
- Between running before dawn and after dusk, Mok chooses before dawn!
- Mok is participating in 3M FUTURO Team Challenge, an initiative that aims to encourage the public to help under-reached youth just by running. Mileage can be clocked at 4 SAFRA EnergyOne gyms or via the ActiveSG app anywhere, anytime. The challenge is happening from 20 January to 4 February 2018.
In this challenge, Mok and his team ran 5km and raised the first S$10,000. Thereafter, for every 500km collectively accumulated by the community, S$5,000 worth of FUTURO products are raised. This challenge aims to get public to run a cumulative distance of 2,000km and raise $30,000 worth of FUTURO sponsorship in total. The sponsorship will empower SportsCares’ youth to become Singapore’s next sportsmen and women.
Mok Ying Ren is Double SEA Games Gold Medalist, National Marathoner & Record Holder, and Managed by ONEathlete.
