For our 55th Anniversary of National Service (NS55) feature this week, we spoke to Major (NS) Deric Lau, Commanding Officer (CO), Command Systems Battalion, HQ Signals, who came out second in the Backyard Ultra, a gruelling and unique "last-man standing" ultramarathon race format. ( #ICYMI - look back to our previous post on who came in first!)

As competing in such race formats requires immense physical and mental resilience, we check in with MAJ (NS) Deric on his secret behind balancing both his service to the nation while pursuing his passion in running, his family and his chosen career path.

Q: What is your secret sauce in keeping fit while balancing your day-to-day work?

My secret sauce in keeping fit boils down to the two phases in my running career. Previously, I had contemplated turning my passion for running into a possible career path. Ultimately, I made the decision based on my ability to maintain consistency as a runner. For instance, I was a regular at SAFRA Toa Payoh, where I ran at the running club on some weekdays and weekends. When I had eventually made the leap to my career path around 2019, the secret sauce towards keeping fit from then on was a lot of self-training. I have adopted a scientific approach towards my running. I made sure I did runs like track intervals, tempo runs and a long slow distance run on the weekends. As such, it was a combination of science-based, self-training and consistency made up my secret sauce for keeping fit. 

Running to keep fit

Q: What are some motivating factors in staying fit, and would there be any training tips you can share with us?

The motivating factor for myself is to have an objective and goal in mind when I want to train for running. Besides the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT), an annual affair for myself would be the overseas trail races. With the thought of having to run 100km for some of my Ultra races overseas, it is about planning the training programme, having regular runs at an easy pace for 80% of the time, some quality sessions for tempo runs — runs at marathon pace 20% of the time. Hence, I think those are the crucial factors in staying fit. 

As for training tips, I advise my fellow NSmen to be consistent. I think consistency is always the key, making sure that if you decide to train for the IPPT, to schedule time — 2 or 3 times a week go for an easy run but at the same time allocate 2 or 3 sessions towards quality training like intervals as well as tempo runs.

 
Q: With your most recent experience at the Ultramarathon, what are some thoughts and take-aways from the experience? 

The Backyard Ultra was a very unique experience for me. The competition format is quite interesting: the participants will run a pre-designated loop of 6.7km on the loop every hour. This means that there's no stop time. If you finish the 6.7km loop earlier, you can rest, eat or drink, but the idea is that you keep continuing until the last two people, and then the last person that drops out stops the race. 

I recalled when Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Joshua Toh from HQ Special Operations Task Force (SOTF), and I were the last two people left in the race, there was a lot of teamwork involved because the unique experience about this is that once one of us quits from the race, the challenge ends for the other person. I had no doubts that LTC Joshua could be pushed many more laps, but because I stopped, he had to stop. Hence, at the end of the day, I think this is more of a mental than a physical race, and I must say that LTC Joshua has really impressed me. He is mentally strong and physically very fit. It was a wonderful experience for both of us. 

Staying hydrated during runs!

Personally, I find it essential to take into account the nutritional and hydration aspects, getting the rest needed through micro naps and relieving muscles. 

I hope my experience has inspired some, especially for NSmen, to think, “Hey, as an NSmen, it’s possible to keep fit” and strive towards passing their IPPT. After all, I think as soldiers, one of the fundamentals is to keep fit. So I would encourage NS commanders, as well as NSmen of all ranks, to keep fit, and that’s really my sincere wish.

Running

Q: What does NS55 mean to you?

NS, to me, is something very personal. I ROVER-ed one cycle since my MR a few years back. To me, being able to stand up and be counted on when asked to serve NS is what keeps me going. 

The NS experience has been fantastic since I joined my current unit - the camaraderie with my fellow commanders and past leaders that have inspired me to take on the current position. The events in Ukraine, unfortunately, have shown me that we can only keep what we can defend. We can have the best allies in the world, but at the end of the day, we have to be the ones to protect our families and land. To me, it’s all about NS, given that the NS population is a lot bigger than the active part of our Army. Hence, I encourage all my fellow unit mates and other batches in the Army to give your best when you are asked to further your NS career whether through ROVER or in your NS cycle. The Army only asks for your commitment during this NS cycle, so it’s important that during this NS cycle, you give your best and when called upon to take on further leadership roles, you step up. 

Nothing beats a running session together with NS Buddies!

Q: As a seasoned runner, what are some of the most memorable moments during your run?

My most memorable moments would be running with friends on a social basis. In my current unit, one of the past commanders has started regular Saturday runs where all current and past commanders get together. That is a very nice run for me to get involved in because it’s not just about keeping fit; it’s also the chance to bond with my fellow commanders to find out how they are outside of the NS cycle. 

I also have another running club, the Exercise Trail Blazer Running Club. We are very focused on trail running in Singapore. It is interesting because we have people with running abilities joining us on weekend runs through different parts of Singapore, especially the less travelled paths, with some of them stretching all the way up to the north, as well as the pipelines leading all the way up to Johor and some parts of Bukit Timah which are less travelled upon. 

Warming up to avoid injuries during running

Q: Would you have any words for an inspiring runner following in your footsteps?

As an Ultramarathoner, the most important thing is to be prepared to make sacrifices. As most of my races are 100km, mileage is very important; I try to clock around 120-160 km weekly. It means waking up very early in the morning and running to work, clocking 21km. By the time I am done for the weekdays, about 75% of my runs are completed in terms of the total mileage. On Saturday, I run for a long distance, probably about 40-50 km at one stretch.

The other sacrifice you must make as an Ultramarathoner is to focus on your diet. This means no late nights, sleeping early, no binge drinking and watching what you eat are very important. My advice is to be prepared to make these sacrifices. 

Another important factor is having support from your family. I must thank my wife and my children for supporting me when I am out training or overseas for runs and unable to spend more time with them. It is the same in NS as well; the family is very important because while you’re out serving and defending the country, your partner becomes the pillar of support for your family. 

✍️ : PTE Sim Shang En (Army News)
📷 : LCP Nicholas Long (Army News) and contributed by MAJ (NS) Deric Lau