Jay and Ilona are another of Singapore’s Spartan power couples. You’ll likely have seen them at races, heard them on The OCR Review podcast or bumped into them at any number of OCR based training events. Ilona was crowned 2019 SEA series champion and competed in China at APAC Champs and in Tahoe for World Champs. Jay is insanely passionate about OCR and his fitness and obstacle proficiency are both sky rocketing likely making 2020 his breakout year in the AG races.
Your name: Jay and Ilona
Age: 58 (29) and 29
How did you first get in to OCR?
Jay signed up to a Spartan Race to scare him back into fitness and forced Ilona to do it with him as motivation. Ilona begrudgingly agreed swearing it would be ‘just this once’.
What is your favourite race or OCR experience?
J: TOUGHEST, Nordic race series I never shut up about it
I: Spartan World Champs 2018 - jumping in to the famous lake swim and realising it wasn’t as cold as I had feared and I would finish the race I was scared would be my first DNF. Finishing the race and realising this sport has pushed me to go so far out of my comfort zone and continues to help me grow.
Favourite obstacle?
J: rope climb, I’m tall and can usually do it it in 1-2 movements
I: monkey bars / multi-rig - completing them still feels like an OCR right of passage
Biggest achievement?
J: mountain beast in Canada, hardest race I’ve ever done and I saw a bear on the course!
I: winning the SEA Series, my goal for the year was to podium in a single series race, so it taught me to aim higher and trust my training
OCR must have item?
J: grippy shoes
I: compression socks / leggings - I have so many scars on my shins from early races!
Favourite post race snack?
J: a whole pizza counts as a snack right?
I: peanut butter sandwich 😋
When is your next race and why did you choose it?
J: Sentosa sprint, hard not to choose it when it’s on your doorstep!
I: Sarawak super - I’m excited to run more of Borneo’s trails!
What is your workout mantra / favourite saying when things get tough?
J: Be a Shark. Keep swimming or you’ll die.
I: Run your own race. Keep pushing.
