The PURPOSE Podcast 14: Jeri Chua, from running the running trails to running a running company

If you’ve been in the Singapore running scene for a while, it is hard not to know who Jeri Chua is. She was the first Singaporean to qualify for the prestigious Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii in 1997.

Formerly a physical education teacher, she later moved to the United Kingdom for her masters degree in exercise and nutrition science. She didn’t return to Singapore immediately, choosing to work there in fashion retail.

Her plans to continue triathlons changed when she decided to stop cycling and swimming because of the cold weather. She then joined a running club in 2009 and got introduced to trail running and ultramarathons, which forever changed her life.

Jeri has gone on to achieve respectable results in ultrarunning, such as qualifying for the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB). She was also the first Singaporean woman to take part in the Ultra Trail Gobi Race – a 400km self-navigated trail race that took her more than 130 hours.

With all her experience, it was a natural progression that Jeri became a business owner of a running company, Red Dot Running Company, which sells all the useful gear and essential needs for runners, especially ultrarunners.

Listen to this episode on Spotify here with Jeri as she shares her wealth of experience, observations and thoughts on the ever-evolving scenes of endurance sports.