Tommy Ishida - Athlete Ambassador

Please tell us about sporting events you have taken part in or have coming up.

I've taken part in road running races (5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Full Marathon distances), trail running races (10K and Half Marathon distances), and obstacle course races (5K and 10K distances). This year I have the Los Angeles Marathon and the Berlin Marathon coming up. I'm also running Bay to Breakers (San Francisco) in May and hoping to sneak in a few other shorter distance races!

What are your training goals now?

My current training goal is to enjoy my relationship with fitness and hopefully achieve a few personal bests along the way!

Tell us one unusual fact we wouldn’t know about you:

I previously dabbled in both Kendo and Muay Thai.

What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?

Find a positive gym/fitness community that genuinely supports your goals. They will help you in not only elevating your fitness game but also your knowledge.

Do you follow a specific nutrition plan? If so, what/when do you eat?

I generally prefer a pescatarian diet but I don't meticulously calculate my intake. I like food and I don't want to make it a job! But I do try to make sure I have a carb heavy meal two nights before a race or a particularly long run. The night before a race or a long run, I keep it light and make sure it's a low-fibre meal.

Do you have any top tips to keep motivated?

Motivation from within can be difficult when you're not feeling it. Tips would be:

1. Set a goal for yourself for the week. Once you know you can accomplish that, you may be more motivated to continue.
2. Start a workout/run. Sometimes just taking one step can motivate you to continue.
3. Be inspired. It's an external influence but various inspirations can sometimes be helpful in finding your own motivations.
4. Have accountability buddies. A good community can help your motivation.
5. When all things just don't seem to work, don't pressure yourself into "being motivated." Take a break! Relax! A good rest day might make you feel rejuvenated and motivated after!

Talk us through your training regime.

Currently, I keep to running five (5) times a week. Sometimes twice a day, depending on the time available to me.

How do you keep your fitness knowledge up to date?

I talk to my running community and research topics that may have come up that interest me. I also follow social media accounts that have provided well curated contents. At the end of the day though, I usually hear something interesting and end up researching on my own!

What are your top 3 trainer tips?

I'm not a trainer but I would say:

1. Be clear of your expectations and what you're looking to do.
2. Do your own research as there is a lot of information out there that may be helpful or actually harmful. 
3. Everyone's fitness journey is different - don't compare your journey to someone else's.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

This is a really tough question. My answer this week would be Sushi!

Why work with Sundried?

Sustainable, quality, and affordable active gear - seems like it would be easier to find but it really isn't. When running by the beach or on the trails, I'm inspired and motivated by the scenery. Why wouldn't we want to preserve that? There are a lot of companies that promote sustainable wear but it's unaffordable. How do you promote sustainability when it's out of reach for many people? Sustainability should be for everyone to take part in!

Favourite fitness quote:

It's not a fitness quote but I like to think of an idiom 大器晩成. It means "Greatness takes time." It reminds me that it's never too late to start and you may not be there yet but you can get there.