Embarking on two journey’s can prove to be difficult. That’s exactly what i found when i tried to train for the Nike human race and take a trip to Borneo, Malaysia.

In the past 3 weeks my training for the race has taken a backseat and instead I’ve tried to keep my fitness level up.

How was my trip to Borneo? Fantastic. I went diving on Sipidan and Mabul Island, both of which are top 10 destinations for diving in the world. I have never seen so many turtles, marine life and amazing diversity of coral in my life. I also went into the “Heart of Borneo”, Danum Valley, where I experienced being in a remote primary rainforest. It was awakening to see wildlife, such as orang-utans, pygmy elephants, deer, monkeys, etc, in their natural habitat.

WWF’s work in Borneo is inspiring. Their focus on engaging the local community is evident everywhere, with WWF logo’s on many events such as reef clean ups. But they have a hard task ahead of them with changing behaviours in regards to recycling and general handling of rubbish. It was truly disheartening to see piles of rubbish swept up onto pristine beaches and reefs. Not to mention the endless hectares of palm oil. Apart from conservation areas, most of the land was planted with palm oil.

However, WWF’s presence in Borneo is strong and the locals are very supportive of WWF and its work. Many times mentioning WWF would result in friendly talking and excitement about the local project the individual was working on. The work in Borneo is critical. With their primary forest, pristine reefs and high biodiversity, it’s key we protect this area.

Now back in Sydney I’m back into training. Truthfully, it’s been mentally challenging running for about an hour. But, with the race only 2 days away the motivation is there. Hope everyone else’s training is going great!
Kasia @ WWF