SINGAPORE - He has dedicated to Singapore runs to both Mount Everest and the North Pole. While this year's run is not under extreme conditions, there is just as much passion behind it.
Known as Singapore's "Blade Runner" due to the prosthetic leg he runs on, Mr Shariff Abdullah will be spending National Day (Aug 9) running 55km in honour of the Republic's 55 years of independence.
Taking part in marathons came late in Mr Shariff's life.
He was born in 1968 without a left foot. Growing up during what he calls his "kampung years", he was seven years old before his father was able to provide a prosthetic leg.
"The moment I got that leg, I felt so much happier because I could run and play catch with my friends," he told The Straits Times.
Yet it was in 2008 - when a skin infection led to his left leg being amputated - that was both his darkest moment and his turning point.
"I really wanted to give up," he said.
"I thought that the amputation would put me in a wheelchair. And then, who would feed my family, my children?"
But it was seeing South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, who was able to run on two prosthetics, that provided inspiration for Mr Shariff.
"I told myself that if he could run on two prosthetics, why couldn't I run on one?"
Mr Shariff was donated a running prosthetic in 2009 and he became an avid runner. He has since discovered that running has provided benefits for both mind and body.
"I believe running helps your mind to work out the challenges and problems you are facing," he offered.
Soon after, Mr Shariff set out on more extreme runs.
"In 2016, I managed to climb to the Mount Everest base camp and fly our national flag to say 'happy birthday' to Singapore."
Mr Shariff added: "In 2018, I was invited to take part in the FWD North Pole Marathon. It felt amazing to cross the finishing line, flying the national flag."
The 52-year-old did have a plan to run up Mount Kinabalu this year but the Covid-19 pandemic caused a rethink.
"Then I had the idea of running together as a team because this year the NDP theme is about togetherness."
Along with his team, the Northern Pacers of Singapore, their National Day run will begin at Block 745 Yishun Street 72 and finish at Our Tampines Hub, where Mr Shariff and his team will recite the National Pledge.
Along the way, the runners will stop at both the Yishun Community Hospital and the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital to pay tribute to healthcare workers.
In line with the theme of this year's National Day, Mr Shariff is dedicating the Aug 9 run to everyone helping in the fight against the coronavirus.
"We salute you. We say 'thank you' to the doctors, the nurses and all the front-line workers. They, too, are the heroes of our nation."
