Singaporeans in 217 km Death Valley Challenge

Yong Yuen Cheng (left), Lim Nghee Huat ( right) and I at a Fund Raising Dinner.

Two Singaporeans set out to conquer the infamous Death Valley in America on 13th July. From 18 - 20 July, National Junior College teacher Yong Yuen Cheng and MediaCorp News Senior Producer, Chairman of Mountbatten CCC Lim Ngee Huat will attempt to cover 217 kilometres from California’s Death Valley to Mount Whitney.

The challenge commences on 18th July, 11pm Singapore time.

Death Valley in California, bordering Nevada, is the world's hottest, driest and most inhospitable environments on the planet. It has less than 2 inches of rain a year with temperatures hitting 56.7 Celsius. Some call it Hell on earth. It is a place of extremes. Nowhere else is a landscape so exquisite yet brutal, stunning yet harsh.

The men are testing their limits. If they succeed, they will be the only two people from Southeast Asia to overcome Death Valley, which they have to complete in 50 hours (less than three days) without sleep. They are running to raise S$100,000 in funds to help NJC’s student development programs, as well as contribute toward an upcoming sports hall. They are also raising funds for Mountbatten CCC.

Every July, the Badwater Death Valley Ultramarathon is held here. It is a non-stop 333 km footrace across the hottest place on earth. Running in temperatures of up to 55 degrees Celsius, and on a road surface of up to 84 degrees Celsius, it is not uncommon for shoes to melt. Combined with an elevation of 4,000 metres and a drop of 3,000 m over it's course, it is clear why this race is known in "ultra circles" as the toughest one there is.

To support their run, NJC is tracking their routes using live satellites and their progress will be seen on a screen at the college's amphitheatre round the clock.

During training sessions in Singapore last year, they almost gave up due to the heat, but they have other strategies. Mr Lim has prepared a cooler box to put ice and water in the box. Approximately every hour or so, he would put his body in the cold water for a few minutes so that his body temperature will drop.

Mr Yong said the total vertical cumulative ascent for the run is 4,000 metres, which is equivalent to more than 1,000 storeys of HDB flat. In order to train himself for that in Singapore, he did staircase training and also tried to do some running for five hours on the Sheares Bridge.

A 'Marathon Campout' will be organised on NJC premises on 20th July for supporters to receive updates on the run and talk to Mr. Yong live from Death Valley. Supporters can also track Mr. Yong's and Mr Lim's progress throughout the run at the website below.

http://www.asiatracks.org/Asiatrack/dvrun.htm

For donation to help NJC’s student development programs, as well as contribute toward a sports hall, click here.

They are our heroes! I wish them all the best!

(Info taken from local papers and NJC website.)