The two teachers met, bonded over running and were the first couple to have their solemnisation held at Singapore Sports Hub VIP Suite. The couple always had an interest in sports, and there was no better way for them to celebrate this special day with a sports theme. JustRunLah! speaks to Wei Guan as he shared with us their love journey and how running has brought the two of them together.
JustRunLah!: How will you introduce yourselves to Singapore running & fitness community?
Wei Guan: I’m Wei Guan and this is my newly wedded wife Si Jie. We just had our sports themed solemnisation ceremony at the Singapore Sports Hub!
JustRunLah!: What are your favourite sports and how do you think sports have brought the two of you closer?
Wei Guan: I love football and she likes to swim. Although our favourite sports do not coincide, we both like to jog. Our first date was jogging in Labrador park! I used jogging as an excuse to ask her out on the day we met. It worked like a charm. Subsequently we met up to jog for the next few dates. So I would say jogging brought us together! She has also learned how to watch football, which was completely foreign to her, and will cheer Liverpool with me during live matches. We also volunteered at the SEA games last year! So sports is a really important part of our lives.
JustRunLah!: Both of you being teachers, how did you find time to exercise / run?
Wei Guan: It’s really difficult because our weekends are used for markings. But since we usually do our weekend markings at home together, we would go for a jog in the evening as a break from marking.
JustRunLah!: What inspired you to hold your solemnisation party at the Sports Hub VIP suite?
Wei Guan: It was entirely Si Jie’s idea. As I’m a huge football fan and jogging brought us together, she thought of infusing sports into our solemnisation ceremony, to add a little bit more meaning into our special day. We actually made a soft booking at another venue for our ceremony, but she decided to email Sports Hub to try her luck if they would allow us to hold our ceremony there, and they did!
JustRunLah!: You encouraged your guests to translate their weddings gifts to cash donation to MINDS. Why did you have the idea to do so?
Wei Guan: Compassion is a really important value a person should possess. In school we often talk to students to be compassionate and help the needy. So what’s a better way to demonstrate this value than doing a small fund raising on our special day? It’s the least we can do. Besides, as we are holding our wedding banquet separately, we don’t wish our guests to fork out ang bao money twice for us.
JustRunLah!: What other benefits do you see in sports/running which helped in your physical, social and emotional well-being?
Wei Guan: All of us lead stressful lives. Engaging in sports really help us to manage stress, especially when we were so overwhelmed with work. Take a break by going for a slow jog or a swim will help us to relax. Through sports I am also able to keep in touch with old friends when we meet up to play football. Not to mention sports help to keep our waistlines in check! Especially when we haven’t done our wedding photoshoot yet.
JustRunLah!: What is the most challenging feat which you have done together?
Wei Guan: I think it would be hiking/climbing mountains when we travel to Hong Kong every year.
JustRunLah!: What advice will you give to other people who want to encourage their partners/family members to engage in a healthy lifestyle?
Wei Guan: Try something easy/manageable first, e.g. running short distances. Lots of encouragement (or nagging) does help.
JustRunLah!: What do you look forward to and what are your goals now that you two are a family?
Wei Guan: We are looking forward to our new phase of life together. I also hope that after she has moved in with me, we can try new sports together, e.g. badminton. She also has been asking me to teach her to play football!
JustRunLah!: Finish this sentence: Running/Sports is…?
Wei Guan: Sports is a way of life. It unites people and builds character.
Congratulations on this new chapter of your life and we are glad to share the happiness with you. We wish the two of you a lifetime of love and happiness, and just run lah!
