Journey to the extra mile: Pawanrat Punnikul shares her passion for running

Passion and energy paired with a strong optimism are the best ingredients for running marathons.

When did you first get into running?
I have been running for 4 years now. I’ve always been a sports girl. I like going to the gym 3 to 4 times a week where I run on the treadmill. I once saw the advertisement for the King of the Road race across Southeast Asia, sponsored by Adidas. I wanted to get the t-shirt and after I got it, I thought it could be a good idea to join a marathon.

You ran 42.2km at the Bangkok Marathon on November 15th 2015; can you tell us more about your experience on that day?
I trained for a month for my first full marathon experience last year. The longest distance I have been able to run was 30km, so it was a bit risky to try to complete 42.2km. On the day of the race, my knee started to hurt at 30km. Although it was challenging to continue, I kept running and running to prove myself that I could finish this. 

What makes you go the extra mile during a race when you begin to feel tired?
Every time I finish a race I feel overwhelmed so whenever I hit a though moment in a race, I think about that particular feeling and this makes me go on. I am very proud of my running achievements and I love that feeling, so when I am tired, I think about that.

What parallel do you see between running and UD Trucks (transport industry)?
Running is moving forward. If you want to finish a race, you need passion and energy. You also need a good attitude in order to reach your goal. UD Trucks is the same. The trucks are built to run for the customers. They are moving forward in order to reach their destination for the customers.

One last thought?
Anyone can run a marathon. If you have the passion and if you train enough, you can do anything!