Shamel is definitely not your ordinary traveller, he’s a man with a mission! Read to know more:
T: A short bio about yourself, A 3-4 lines that best describe you, what you do for a living and so…
S: My name is Shamel and I’m from Subang Jaya, Selangor. Currently working in the media industry but I wish I could quit my job so I can travel the world and run marathons full time!
T: Where have you been?
S: My travels in the past 5 years were mostly being planned around running marathons and this has taken me to some of the major cities like Paris, Sydney, Berlin and Chicago to name a few. My ultimate goal is to complete all of the six World Marathon Majors so I still have Tokyo, London, New York and Boston in my ‘to run’ list.
T: What’s your favourite place so far? Why?
S: I love places with beautiful architectures and rich in cultures like Paris, New York, Istanbul, Prague and India. Paris will always be at the top of my list since it’s where I ran my first full marathon. It was quite challenging but a good experience nonetheless as it wasn’t easy to focus on my running and to enjoy the city’s iconic landmarks at the same time. I couldn’t help it but to make some photo stops along the way, therefore I didn’t do too well in terms of my timing but it was all worth it somehow.
T: One unforgettable travel experience or incident that sticks in your mind…?
S: Kuching, Sarawak in August 2015 for my fourth marathon where my mom and sisters came along with me for the trip. The best part is, of course, to have them at the finishing line after completing the run and it was still my best timing to date. Proudest moment ever!
T: What was the most challenging thing about travelling?
S: Language barriers as it can be quite frustrating at times when you don’t speak their language.
T: What place is top of your bucket list?
S: South Africa for the Big Five Marathon. The race is like a marathon and a safari combined whereby you’ll be able to run with an up-close view of antelopes, giraffes, zebras, and lions. But looks like the wildlife will just have to wait for now until I’m done with the six World Marathon Majors.
T: One advice for travellers?
S: Take plenty of photos as they make the best souvenirs!