Friends of Freshpod: SEA Games Athlete: Nicole Low

Some athletes discover running early; others find it almost by accident. For Nicole, a Singapore National runner currently training for the 5000m in the upcoming SEA Games, the journey began not on a track, but on a netball court.

“I first dabbled in long-distance running just to get fitter for netball,” she recalls. “Then I won the 3000m at my school’s sports day in Secondary 4, and that’s when I realised I might have potential. Netball was fun, but distance running was where I truly saw my potential.”

She represented Singapore for the first time in 2015, at the Asian Junior Championships.

“It was an eye-opening experience,” she says. “The competition was fierce, and the athletes were incredibly strong. But it showed me how much more I could grow.”

Today, she trains seven days a week, with 2–3 hard sessions and the rest easy runs. As both an athlete and a running coach, she has the rare advantage of understanding her own training needs deeply.

“I can adjust my sessions according to how my body is feeling. It helps me stay consistent while avoiding burnout.”

That’s where freshpod has become a game-changer.

“I generally eat quite healthily, and freshpod fits my palate perfectly. The convenience, the quality of the ingredients, and the ability to customise my bowl make it easy to fuel properly. I also love that I can see the nutritional values, it helps me stay accountable.”

Her go-to?

A customised bowl of salmon, broccoli, corn, carrots, and cucumber: simple, balanced, and performance-friendly.

The dream doesn’t stop at SEA Games.

“I want to keep improving my PBs and hopefully qualify for competitions beyond the region. There’s so much more I want to achieve.”

Of course, every runner needs a training partner. Hers just happens to have four paws!

“Mr Ruffles is great, for recovery runs especially. He keeps me honest and makes sure I don’t run too fast. He holds me accountable in his own way."