I joined Cisco in Feb 2022 as a Undertaking Specialist with CX APJC, and the expertise has been wonderful to this point. Among the many many issues I really like about working at Cisco is how supportive the corporate is in direction of volunteering and giving again. Cisco offers each worker 10 annual ‘Days to Give’ in an effort to contribute to the causes that imply probably the most to us; not solely that however Cisco additionally matches any donation we make to charity, greenback for greenback.
When I’m not at my desk, I’m an avid runner who has participated in lots of marathons (42.195km), each domestically and abroad. I ran my first marathon again in Dec 2018 on the Normal Chartered Singapore Marathon and it was a life-changing expertise. Whereas I suffered and hated myself for signing up, I noticed the great thing about the gap and was decided to coach correctly and cut back my time.From there, I set my objective to run the Boston Marathon.
Being the oldest marathon on the planet, it’s also probably the most prestigious due to its stringent qualifying occasions for runners in addition to being one in all six World Marathon Majors. Aspiring Boston Marathon time qualifiers have to attain a sure timing at one other marathon earlier than they’re accepted into the race. As a result of this motive, Boston is commonly considered the “holy grail” of newbie marathoning.
My journey to qualifying for Boston was positively not simple, it required plenty of perseverance, sacrifice, and self-discipline, coupled with the fixed doubts in my head about whether or not I’ll ever make it. After years of placing within the work and never giving up, I ultimately ran a Boston qualifying time of two:59:16 on the 2022 Gold Coast Marathon.
Previous to the Boston Marathon, I knew that there was an avenue the place I might make my efforts not simply to get to Boston, however my a few years of coaching might depend to much more. My plan for this was to arrange a giving alternative on Cisco’s new Group Affect Portal which permits me to lift funds for a charity of my selection. I used to be stoked at this chance, because it was an incredible method to do one thing I really like and in addition to present again to one thing better than myself.
With that, I made a decision to lift funds for the Viva Basis for Kids With Most cancers. I’ve at all times liked youngsters, and I really feel that these few years of rising up are the perfect years a baby can have. I used to be blessed with a wholesome and robust physique rising up, which allowed me to pursue my goals right now. Nonetheless, not each little one is lucky sufficient to have that, and I hoped that this giving alternative would assist to alleviate the consequences of most cancers on these youngsters and their households.
On April seventeenth, 2023, I grew to become part of historical past books as I accomplished the 127th Boston Marathon in a time of three:02:58. With the assistance of supportive managers, colleagues, and mates, collectively we managed to lift a complete of SGD $17,393, together with Cisco’s 1:1 donation matching. I used to be so humbled by the quantity of help I obtained from the individuals round me, the influx of congratulatory messages for my feat at Boston in addition to the fundraising achievement was overwhelming. I wish to take this chance to thank everybody who supported my giving alternative, particularly crew Cisco SG and CX APJC.
In case you are on the lookout for numerous causes to help, be it giving again through volunteering or donations, the Group Affect Portal is the perfect place to champion that. I hope you discover the means to present again in any means you can, regardless of the magnitude. I’m already trying ahead to my subsequent marathon and fundraising marketing campaign!
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