IE Brown EMBA Application: Show us an activity you enjoy doing. Tell us how you think it contributes to your personal and professional development.

1. IE Brown EMBA
application
Show us an activity you enjoy doing. Tell
us how you think it contributes to your
personal and professional development

2. 2013: No longer
do I want to run
for myself…
Running has
defined me as a
person in life
and at work.

3. Circa 1981. The half-asleep child

4. 1.1
It all started with wanting to
see the world and meeting
likeminded people…

5. Adrenaline rush for cities in the world
ING New York
City Marathon,
2010

6. BMW Berlin
Marathon 2012

7. Auckland
Marathon 2013

8. Disclaimer: No professional athlete here…
Humbling journey here. Where you meet passionate runners who are eager
to share their experience – knowing that you have travelled THAT far to run
the same race.
At my first overseas race in NYC, a lovely couple from Memphis were so
ecstatic for me – they told me 2010 was their 7th NYC race. I was inspired.
Having ran three races in NYC, Berlin and Auckland, the most amazing feeling
was having school bands performed and supporters lined the entire
42.195km randomly cheering you by your first name, “Linda, almost there!”

9. 2.1
Then the motivation became
wanting to push my own limits

10. Discomfort
Apprehension
Fear

11. Relief
Pain
Cold
Overjoy

12. Brokenness in
the body
Excitement in
spirit
With shear
determination,
willpower,
strength and
discipline

13. Just. Euphoria.

14. Indeed, humans are tougher than we think. These are
qualities and emotions I know I can manage – in life and at
work. I’m trained.
• How is leading and running 8am meetings tough when I’m always raring to
go for my 5.30am races?
• How is managing difficult clients tough when I have the patience and
determination to train consistently for 4 months clocking crazy miles every
week?
• How can leadership be lonely when I just love my quiet time to clear my
mind while running?
• When thrown a larger-than-life growth target for the year with a tiny
team, I no longer have fear. I believe that with teamwork (community),
hard work (just that) and a few mistakes (a few injuries), we will get there.

15. 3.1 Likeminded
People + Community
Over the years, people
around me, have joined
my journey as they
learnt of these stories…

16. In Shanghai with co-workers
(who became friends)

17. In NYC with friends and
my lovely sister,
Charlotte

18. In Berlin with fellow
runners

19. In Auckland with the
best friend and family
(Dad and sister)

20. And sometimes, you meet an
unexpected friend along the
way. @36km, when my feet
were injured, an English girl, Jen
Creaser, picked me up and we
bonded over 8km of walking
after… and completed the race.

21. Back home in Singapore with
Team Wesley from church

22. Running has given me the opportunity to connect with
many – it is so simple and easy. Sometimes they are
just folks in your life taken for granted. They could also
be strangers and acquaintances you just met.
The connection is so powerful. At work, this has
transformed the way I connect with my colleagues.
They know they can always count on me to find out the
right shoes, race tips and yes, join them to kick-start
their newfound hobby.

23. 4.1 It is no longer about me and my conquests
or inspiring others
It will be about helping others achieve.