Also ex-military like Conor, Robert’s career was in British Airborne Forces. The one thing that Paras learn is that ‘nothing is impossible’. ‘Train Hard, Fight Easy’ is their motto, and many local trail runners know that Robert always applies this dictum to his own training.
Robert was a British Olympic Squad fencer in his younger days, and later played polo for Hong Kong. As a Jungle Warfare Instructor and Jungle Survival Instructor he has operated in most jungles, from South America, to Africa, to Asia. He is Winter Warfare Survival trained in the Arctic as well, just for the contrast. He commanded the Joint Services Parachute Centre, and was both a Free-Fall Parachute Instructor and a Relative Work Coach for more than 20 years. Robert was a dinghy instructor on Lasers, and also ran British Divisional and Army Ski Championships for several years. Robert is an FITM Certified Fitness Instructor.
He has been a life-long scuba diver, diving most of the best dives sites worldwide (well, the warm water ones, anyway!) – and now specialises in macro underwater photography. He is an enthusiastic Ultra Trail runner, and regularly competes in all the iconic Sabah races – TMBT, Climbathon, Borneo International Marathon, Ranauthlon etc., not to mention famous UK ones as well. Well known to most Sabah runners, he focuses on encouraging new runners, and proving to them that they can run the distance.
Robert was so impressed with Warrior Boot Camp in Penang, that he persuaded Conor to allow him to set up a branch here in KK. His aim is to bring health and fitness to those who have never had the opportunity before, and to encourage existing sportsmen/women in KK to go the extra mile!