It's less than five years since Pearl Tam became a triathlete, but the 42-year-old is now one of the sport's keenest advocates in Hong Kong.
The physical transformation aside (her waistline is notably slimmer, she says), this regime of swimming, cycling and running has had a host of health benefits, too. 'I used to have back problems, little health issues were creeping up as I grew older,' she says. These days, she no longer has those aches and pains, and is rarely ill.
Before her foray into multisport, she used to run just for fun in gyms or outdoors around Sha Tin. Then, in 2007, she joined Titan Triathlon Club and, for the first time, had a proper training programme to follow. 'I grew more focused. I worked out harder,' she says. 'I work harder in my office, too, as I'm more focused and goal-oriented.'
Tam, who lives in Tai Lam, enjoys working out on the trails and riding around the country park in that area. 'In a gym, you can run and run, but you're going nowhere. In the countryside, there's a goal in sight, a beginning, middle and end. You feel like you've accomplished something after every run or ride.' Did triathlon seem overwhelming in the beginning, especially since you came to it so late?
Maybe, but I'm one of those people who want to meet a challenge head on. When I decided I was going to work out harder, stronger and better, I didn't let anything stop me. It's both a mental and physical challenge, in equal measure. For some people, getting up early to work out is hard as they don't want to get out of bed. I usually train at night because of my day job [at a toy factory] and busy mornings. So even when I'm tired after work, I say to myself: 'It doesn't matter; I must work out.' And then I take the 10-minute drive to the location, change and go for it.
What's been the biggest challenge?