Written by Bryan Quan, Dylan Soh, Xavier Tan, Edited by Bryan Quan.
From October 12 to 13, our Year 2 Ventures participated in the Spartan Honor Trifecta Weekend in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Held at the former RMAF KL Air Base, this event was a stark contrast to the Singapore Spartan Race they completed in June. The Kuala Lumpur course presented a unique set of challenges, featuring long runs across rugged, hilly terrain, dense jungle grass, and thick mud—all under the relentless heat of the scorching sun.
Despite these daunting conditions, our Ventures demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination, successfully conquering the 10k Spartan Super, with Venture Chairman, Bryan Quan, conquering the full Spartan Trifecta.
This weekend was more than just a race. It was a journey of growth, teamwork, and perseverance. Our Ventures embraced every challenge head-on, supporting one another and pushing past their limits. The experience not only tested their physical and mental strength but also deepened their bonds as a team and reinforced valuable life lessons in resilience and adaptability. Below are some reflections and takeaways from our Ventures, capturing the essence of their journey.
Bryan Quan
Participating in the Singapore Spartan Sprint in June sparked a passion for challenging myself physically and mentally. That initial thrill led me to take on the KL Spartan Trifecta, a daunting series of races comprising a 21k Beast, a 10k Super, and a 5k Sprint over just two days. It wasn’t merely about testing my endurance but about breaking free from routine and embracing the extraordinary, testing the limits of both body and mind.
The Spartan Races stood out to me because it pushes participants to transcend their limits, both physically and mentally. For me, the most demanding aspect of the Trifecta was the mental resilience required. Completing all three races in two days was no small feat. The Spartan Beast, in particular, was the ultimate test—a 21k route with 30 obstacles that demanded every ounce of determination. Crawling through mud, enduring blistered hands, and tackling obstacles that many struggled to overcome pushed me beyond what I believed was possible. Each struggle became a lesson in perseverance, proving to me that I am capable of far more than I once believed, instilling a mindset of resilience that I will carry into future challenges.
This achievement was not the result of a single weekend but of countless hours of training and preparation. That discipline, cultivated over weeks and months, has become a part of who I am. The experience reminded me that growth requires consistent effort and that success is often the culmination of small, deliberate actions.
What made this journey even more meaningful was sharing it with my fellow ventures, carrying our Troop flag as a symbol of unity and determination. Together, we overcame every challenge, drawing strength from one another. Returning from this experience as a stronger, more cohesive team has left me with immense pride and the motivation to lead our Troop to even greater accomplishments.
This experience taught me that growth lies just beyond our comfort zones. By embracing discomfort and committing to the process, I’ve learned to welcome challenges as opportunities to uncover strength I didn’t know I had.
Dylan Soh
After we successfully completed the Singapore Spartan Sprint earlier this year in June, I never imagined that I’d be taking on another Spartan Race, let alone in a foreign country. Yet there I was, this time committed to overcoming the Spartan Super — a race with double the distance and more challenging obstacles than the previous.
Personally, the toughest obstacles were also the most physical. The Bucket Carry and the Atlas Stone pushed me to my limits, with the Bucket Carry being particularly gruelling. With a heavier load and a longer winding route than I had previously experienced in Singapore, the urge to quit felt almost overwhelming. Yet, each time I felt ready to give up, I kept going, dismissing any and all doubts in my mind, reminding myself of why I was there — to see the whole race through to the end.
When we crossed the finish line together, the sense of accomplishment we felt was profound. Knowing that I hadn’t given up, that I’d pushed through alongside my fellow Ventures, brought me a deep sense of pride and unity. It proved that we were capable of much more than we thought. The resilience we gained will serve us in every challenge ahead, helping to position Catholic High Scout Group to reach even greater heights in the future by setting a standard of strength and commitment for others to follow.
Xavier Tan
The buildup towards the race was no easy journey. As the upcoming race featured double the distance and more obstacles to overcome, we had to step up our training intensity to ensure we were adequately prepared. The training involved a combination of weight sessions in the gym and long distance runs, building up both strength and cardiovascular health respectively.
We put in the time and effort to follow through with the plan, going on long runs after long, busy days, and hitting the gym even if our muscles were agonising in pain. We even set individual milestones along the way to ensure our progress was tracked. It was this sense of commitment that drove our bodies to be ready for the event, and emphasised the importance of hard work and dedication in achieving success.
The race hit us with a multitude of challenges and obstacles, but personally, I believe teamwork and camaraderie was a crucial element that allowed us to prevail. The trail’s unpredictable terrain required us to work together to navigate through the unknown. Be it scaling towering steep hills, being stomach height in pools of muddy water, or navigating through slippery mud courses, we offered support towards each other, to ensure that we not only crossed the finish line alone, but together.
“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” I was never able to truly understand this African proverb attributed to Cory Booker, but it was only after the race, where I was able to resonate with it. Through being there for each other amidst the unknown, were we able to pull through as a group to achieve success together for our Troop.