I am Vanessa Teo and I will travel from my home in Singapore to Mongolia to participate in the Gobi March, a 250 kilometer/155-mile-long self-supported footrace that takes place over six stages and seven days. The race course follows the footsteps of Genghis Khan and it will take me through a mixture of open grasslands, sand dunes, rocky mountains, nomadic farmlands, wide rivers and ancient heritage sites.

The Gobi March is part of the 4 Deserts Ultramarathon Series which was named by TIME magazine as one of the Top 10 Endurance Competitions in the world. As a woman that enjoys challenges I have the determination to succeed!

Physical pain is a prominent aspect of ultra-running, and in this race I will need to endure it, avoiding the bad pain which leads to injuries, and embracing the good pain that will allow me to keep running. I also know that my mind will shift from extreme moods of feeling very bad to feeling good; and I will have to be patient with those lows because I have learnt that, eventually, I will get there, it is just a matter of time

I know that my mind and body will be tested to their limits but I also know that amazing things happen when I push the limits during an endurance event. In the last few years I have completed most of the Abbott World Marathon, a series consisting of 6 of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world (including Tokyo Marathon, Virgin Money London Marathon, TCS New York City Marathon, etc). And I can tell you that a unique sense of achievement comes from finishing a race.

But what really makes this race worth doing is having the opportunity to combine my passion for running with a good cause and being able to raise money for CWS, which is doing an exceptional job to protect and empower children in Nepal.

As a parent of two young kids, I truly believe that children are our future. All children have the right to be protected from violence, exploitation and abuse. Yet, millions of children worldwide lack basic opportunities, economic wellbeing, access to education, nutrition and safety. .  The optimistic side of me lives by “One person can make a difference and every person should try” – by John Fitzgerald Kennedy.  So I ask you to make a difference by making a donation, big or small, that will help vulnerable children in Nepal, giving them a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm.

Thank you!!