Active people are constantly down for new things and new places. We are constantly looking for new places to explore and discover. We like to run new places, we like to do new things, we like to run new routes. It gives us an excitement like no-other. Here are 3 new locations in Singapore all active individuals must explore and discover.
#1 Tampines Hub
New lifestyle mall – Tampines Hub is a good place for a full day out with friends and family for some good ol’ fun. Tampines Hub hosts an indoor climbing wall theme park. Choose from 19 different climbing walls, all at 8m high – not for the faint hearted. Afraid of heights? – James Bond your way around the Laser Quest Arena with your friends. Oh and did we mention an indoor running track on level 5 of the mall? – how much cooler can this mall get?
#2 Tanah Merah Coast Road
The new extended Tanah Merah Coast Road features a demarcated on-road cycling lane on both sides. It’s really wonderful because it’s a lane dedicated to cyclists, so at any point of time, cyclists can feel safe. They are not affected by oncoming vehicle traffic. They have their own lane. It is a 10 kilometre cycling lane – definitely to the delight of cyclists.
#3 Glow In The Dark Track
A stretch at the Rail Corridor lights up in the dark to give a starry effect. Four different surface materials each take up a 100m stretch of the track – grass and gravel, fine gravel, earth-coloured porous concrete and natural non-toxic light green strontium aluminate minerals, which absorb ultra-violet light during the day that enables the track to emit a soft glow at night. It’s definitely a luminous experience!
Ryzan Lacson (PHI) and Joseph Mururi topped the 1st Siargao International Marathon last July 23.
DEL CARMEN, Surigao del Norte – Joseph Mururi of Kenya and Ryzan Lacson of the Philippines were hailed as the champions of the First Siargao International Marathon held last Sunday (July 23). The footrace started and ended at the Del Carmen Elementary School via the Siargao Circumferential Road and passing the adjacent towns of San Benito and Santa Monica on the western coast of the island tourism hotspot.
Mururi, who registered just hours before the rainy early morning gun start, breezed throughout the 42.195 kilometers with a winning time of 2:43:43. Second Place went to Cris Aclo (3:22:54) while July Bandojo (3:37:19) took Third Place.
Lacson had a relatively easier time in the Women’s Division with her clocking of 4:21:19 almost an hour faster than closest pursuer Pam Apuhin (5:19:16). Third Place went to Sheila Mae Montero (5:31:27).
Aside from the full marathon, a half-marathon was also staged. Elmer Bartolo (1:15:38), Johnrey Tumanda (1:24:56) and Aldrin Batac (1:25:08) and Michelle Aclo (1:47:31), Madelyn Carter (1:55:30) and Andrea Calleja (1:59:17) landed podium finishes in the Men’s and Women’s Divisions respectively.
There was also a five-kilometer fun run exclusive for the youth and residents of Siargao. All the 42 and 21-kilometer winners received their trophies, cash prizes and gifts from sponsors at the post-race party held that same evening at the Boulevard in General Luna town.
The First Siargao International Marathon was staged in order to raise awareness and educate the public about propagating and preserving our mangrove forests. According to Mayor Alfredo Matugas Coro II, his town of Del Carmen is where one can find one of the largest mangrove forest in the Philippines.
The young mayor also expressed elation that the marathon was successfully completed and that another international sporting event has come to Siargao after Surfing and Game Fishing. The SIM 2017 was organized by RunRio Events of Coach Rio de la Cruz with the help of the Municipal Government of Del Carmen, Gov. Soledad F. Matugas of Surigao del Norte, Rep. Francisco Jose “Bingo” Matugas II of the First District of Surigao del Norte, Department of Tourism, Skyjet Airlines, H & M Sport, Pascual Greek Yogurt, The Live Fit Lab, Tetra Pak and Gatorade.
The fun does not end with the last runner crossing the finish line. A mangrove planting activity and talk will be held on July 25 (Tuesday) in Del Carmen with one seedling pledged in the name of every runner who signed up.
Always find yourself not having time to exercise? Looks like you’ve greatly estimated that amount of time required to keep yourself active and healthy.
The research examined the associations of running with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risks in 55,137 adults, between the age of 18 to 100, who received at least 1 extensive medical examination between 1974 and 2002. Out of 5,089 of adults who ran 51-80mins and 81-119mins reported a death rate of 29.7% and 29.8% respectively.
On the other hand, among the 42,121 sedentary non-runners, there is a death rate of a whopping 45.9%. Death rate due to cardiovascular diseases for non-runners is at 17.8%, compared to the mean death rate of 9.6 among runners of various intensity.
Moving is Key
PUT ON YOUR RUNNING SHOES: Even a slow jog around your neighbourhood for 20mins can lower your mortality risk. (Image: KOTB)
The key to a healthier lifestyle is to keep active. According to the aforementioned report, the group of participants who do not run accounted for 16% of all-cause and 25% of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.
Another study, The Copenhagen City Heart Study, done in 2015 also managed to support the report. The result from the later study claimed that “compared with sedentary nonjoggers, 1 to 2.4 hour(s) of jogging per week was associated with the lowest mortality”.
The reason behind this is simple. When you exercise, your heart beat increases in order to pump more blood to supply your muscle tissues with oxygen. Over time, such involuntary actions will help to expand both the atria (the top part of your heart where blood return from the rest of your body – except for your lungs) and the ventricles (the bottom part of your heart where blood is pumped out of your heart) to be enlarged. This is, therefore, help to increase the efficiency of your heart.
As more blood is able to be pumped out of the body, it will increase the flexibility of the arteries too. This is to allow more blood flow during exercise and also prevent arteries blockage even when you are in sedentary position. As a result, the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease (CAD) will be greatly reduced.
More doesn’t mean better
However, although we always encourage everyone to push their limits, it is advisable not to overdo and overexert yourself. It is especially so when your primary goal is just to be healthy.
U-SHAPE RELATION: Studies suggest a U-shaped association between mortality rates and the amount of running you do. (Image: JACC)
In conclusion, as long as you put aside some time, be it 15 minutes, 30 minutes or 1 hour, to keep yourself active, you will find yourself leading a healthier lifestyle.
Looks like the excuse of having NO TIME TO RUN is no longer valid anymore.
Serdang, 22 July 2017– The largest and most anticipated night run series in Malaysia, the Men͛s Health Women͛s Health Night Run by AIA Vitality, attracted an eager crowd of 13,000 runners to this year͛s race. Participants from around the country gathered in high spirits on the grounds of the event͛s new venue, the Malaysian Agro Exposition Park, Serdang (MAEPS).
For this year͛s Run, Men͛s Health and Women͛s Health once again teamed up with AIA Bhd., who came in as the official title sponsor under the banner of AIA Vitality –a unique health and insurance programme that gives Malaysians the tools, knowledge and motivation they need to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Emceed by Natalie Kniese, the Night Run welcomed participants and their supporters to the Race Village as early as 5pm with a fun warm-up session hosted by Fitness First. An array of sponsor booths and food trucks greeted runners and supporters alike to enjoy some fun activities and F&B delights before the flag-offs. One of the main highlights was the interactive AIA booth, which provided guests with complimentary health checks as well as pre- and post-run games to encourage runners as well as their family and friends to keep active and stay healthy.
Patrick Brennan, Group CEO of Mongoose Publishing Sdn Bhd, the publisher of Men͛s Health and Women͛s Health in Malaysia said,
“We are delighted to bring back the Men͛s Health Women͛s Health Night Run by AIA Vitality for the third time, and encouraged to see that so many people have been inspired to join our journey towards health, wellness and fun. In addition to promoting wellness and health, it is our goal to make these runs exciting and memorable for every participant, and it is particularly gratifying to partner with title sponsor AIA, which shares our commitment to these goals.”
Eric Chang, Chief Marketing Officer of AIA Bhd., added,
“We are proud to have been part of yet another successful Men͛s Health Women͛s Health Night Run. As Malaysia͛s leading life insurer, we believe in empowering people to take charge of their health and to embrace what it means to be healthier Malaysians. Being part of the Night Run is an excellent way to get Malaysians started on their journey to better health. It was such a joy to see adults, and this time the young ones too, unite again for this purpose.”
The newest additions to the Men͛s Health Women͛s Health Night Run by AIA Vitality, the 700-metre and 3KM Kids Run categories, kick-started the #MHWHNightRun by #AIAVitalityMY at 6pm; while the 5km, 12km and 21km started from 7.00pm onwards. The last flag-off queued runners to endure their challenges through the lush green terrains and fresh air under the night sky. Prizes were up for grabs throughout the event, while Shaheed Naz of the electro DJ duo Dangerdisko kept the energy high for runners returning from their races with his up-tempo beats right until midnight.
Runners who triumphed in the competitive 12KM and 21KM categories received attractive prizes, while those participating in the non-competitive 5KM fun run had a blast sealing personal bests. Winners͛prizes were courtesy of Le Meridien Putrajaya, Schick, New Balance, Fitness First, Lo Hong Ka, Fossil, Compressport & Devers, and Energy Day Spa.
Familiar faces in the running crowd were Fuad Alhabshi, frontman of Kyoto Protocol, and Davina Goh, performer and plant-based lifestyle advocate. Both influencers went through a Fitness First journey preparing for their run and roped in their fans who won tickets from their social media contests. They joined Fuad for the 12KM race while Davina toughened up for 21KM.
Hopping on the bandwagon was the #ELLERunSquad, which comprised the ELLE Malaysia editorial team and their contest winners.
Organised by Mongoose Publishing Sdn Bhd, the 2017 Men͛s Health Women͛s Health Night Run by AIA Vitality was supported by title sponsor AIA and gold sponsor, Ultron. Bronze sponsors were Fitness First, Schick, Fossil, Compresport, Dever and Clear. Kids Run sponsors were Time Out Malaysia Kids, The Children͛s House, Club Med and Clarks. Official partners included Lucozade, Lo Hong Ka, Energy Spa & Wellness, The Children͛s House, Clarks, New Balance, Jussu and Le Meridien Putrajaya. Ticketing partner for the event was Twenty First Century Sports and venues sponsored by MAEPS and Atria. Additional prize sponsors include Club Med, Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa and SquEEEze Me Baby.
Runners are more often than not trying to lose weight. We either run to lose weight, or start losing weight to run faster – the idea of the perfect racing weight. And there are so many diet methods out there these days – man it can get confusing!
As a general rule of thumb, healthy weight lost is at 0.5kg – 1kg a week or 10 per cent of your weight over the course of 6 months. Anything more than that is considered unhealthy weight loss.
#1 High Intensity Interval Workouts
Interval workouts involve short bursts of high intensity training followed by brief recovery periods. It torches maximum amounts of calories in a minimum amount of time. It makes your body work really hard, but of course with hard work comes great reward. Speed intervals is a great example of a HIIT workout. Run 800m repetitions 8 times at a 6 minute interval for instance. Run as fast as you can for 800m. Your recovery time will be the time remaining to 6 minutes after you have completed the 800m distance. 8 sets is a killer but is great for burning calories.
#2 Muscle Strengthening Exercises
Engaging in regular muscle strengthening exercises will increase your muscle mass and this helps your body burn more calories while at rest. Although resistance training does not burn as much as cardio training, increasing your muscle mass means you’re increasing your resting metabolism rate. Your body burns more calories while at rest. Examples of resistance training are like push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, burpees, squat jumps, and the plank. Do a combination of 8-20 different muscle strengthening exercises, working the different muscles in your body.
#3 Watch What You Eat But Don’t Go Overboard
You can’t expect to lose weight if your downing 5 pints and 10 hamburgers every time after you workout. It just won’t work. You need to watch what you eat. Fuel yourself well. Cut out the sugary drinks and deep fried food. Drink plain water instead of carbonated soda. Swap out the white bread for wholemeal. But you don’t have to go too extreme. Many people go out too extreme on their diet, to crash and burn and end up binging on all things they miss. Give yourself that cake as a reward for that extra hard workout session you put in. It’s all about balance!
So last Sunday (09/07/17), The Performance Series(TPS) – Malaysia, Race 1 took place at Penang, Malaysia.
As we all know, Penang is Malaysia’s food haven with it’s delicious food such as Char Koay Teow, Asam Laksa, Hokkien Mee, Cendol, Oh Chien, Lobak, Nasi Kandar and many more!
(First part of this post will be about our food adventure, if you would like to skip to the running part, scroll down to the second part.)
I would like to appologise for the late posting because I was lazy just had so much to write and too many pictures to share.
Eat, eat, eat
My group of friends drove up to Penang from KL for the weekend to participate in the run and also to satisfy their food cravings. They had planned this trip months back and everybody was so excited for the trip. Since I was based in Penang for work, it was convenient for me to meet up with them and become their local food guide(although not a good/adventurous one).
There were 18 of us so we booked the whole house/shoplot through Airbnb in Armenian Street, where most of the famous street art and food hotspots were closeby.
My friends arrived in Penang on Friday afternoon. After checking in to the hotel house, we proceeded to Air Itam for it’s famous Asam Laksa(beside the wet market). We also wanted to get some Sisters curry mee but it was opened until 12pm only.
Air Itam market Asam Laksa
Almost everybody had a bowl each, some shared a bowl as they were saving their stomachs for other food.
Yummy Asam Laksa
Ordered some lobak and fried popiah
Then of course, we went up to Kek Lok Si. Apparently it was under renovation and the pathway to the Pagoda was blocked and we only managed to visit the temple.
Group photo!
Next destination was Penang Road Teochew Cendol.
The cendol was soft and silky, coconut milk was cold, perfect for a sunny day. We were so tempted to order the Char Koay Teow(CKT) at the stall just beside it but decided to visit the famous one at Siam Road, ranked 14 on the World Street Food Top 50 list.
We arrived at Siam Road to see quite a number of people already waiting inside the restaurant. The uncle who sells the CKT was no where to be seen yet, so we ordered some drinks and waited in the restaurant. Apparently the uncle was on a 10-day leave and that particular day we visited was the day he “reopened”. As the clock hit 3:05, we see an old uncle pushing his cart to his usual spot, everybody started whipping out their cameras to snap a picture of him, he was like a celebrity! A queuing line started to appear right beside his stall.
We waited for almost an hour before we finally got to taste his CKT. I am no food critic, but the CKT was delicious nonetheless, serving size was just nice and the prawns were juicy and aplenty there are better CKT elsewhere #myownopinion.
Siam Road Char Koay Teow
We were also featured on StarTV, our local news portal, you can see us here.
For dinner, we went to New Lane, a street that is closed at 4pm everyday and turned into an outdoor hawker food centre. Again, not being a food critic, I felt that the food here is pricey and the standard is so-so only. However, there are many choices and one doesn’t have to travel elsewhere to look for their favourite penang dish.
Jiak aahhh
Chee Cheong Fun
Fried Oysters, Oh Chien
Chicken Wings
Ikan Pari Bakar, Roasted Stingray
Char Koay Kak
Koay Teow Theng
After filling our stomachs to the brim, we decided to have a walk and visited the “Secret Garden” of Tanjung Tokong. The garden beside the Tua Pek Kong temple was decorated with an array of LED lights, causing it to look like a garden from the movie AVATAR, so mysterious and magical. I will let the pictures do the talking.
Just me under some UV light, my shoes, shirt, and watch were LIT!
The next morning, I decided to do a short warm-up run at one of my favourite running spots – Air Itam Dam. We drove up all the way to the dam, I used to hike up to this running spot as the road leading to the dam was closed for almost a year due to landslide. Luck was on our side as the road was re-opened the day before.
Air Itam Dam
One loop around the dam is approximately 2.8KM and we managed to do one round. The air was fresh, plenty of greens everywhere, a few hills to climb, perfect place for running. We weren’t the only ones there, a group of hikers were seen getting their equipment ready for a long hike.
Part of my Running Group
3 out of 5 of us are FM finishers, 2 more in the making
After our run, we had breakfast at Air Itam market of course. This time, we got to order the famous Air Itam Sisters Curry Mee. I used to eat this when I was a little kid. My grandmother used to walk to the market from her house and buy us this for breakfast. The taste of the curry noodles were very familiar and the only difference is that the old aunty has more wrinkles on her face and her ever graying hair.
Sisters Curry Mee, some call it “bangku curry mee” cause the aunty sells it on her stool
Chee Cheong Fun at the stall beside sister curry mee wasn’t bad too!
After breakfast, went back to shower and got ready for our next food adventure.
We went to this cake shop – The Moody Cow Cafe. They had all kinds of cake: Durian, Nangka/Cempedak, Salted Egg. We ordered like 3 slices, they were huge slices enough to be shared among 17 people and each slices was around RM30? Nevertheless, it was creamy, salty, tasty, all in one.
After all the eating, we went back to our house. Hanged out around the streets and also went for a massage.
Came dinner time, we had seafood dinner at a nearby restaurant. We couldn’t drive out for dinner as the street was closed for some activities in conjunction with Penang Heritage Day.
“Mehhh”
The meal was not satisfying but it was enough to fill our stomachs. What is seafood without crab and prawns?! I guess everybody was quite full in some sense and were afraid the meal would be costly.
After our dinner, we walked to the nearby Chew Jetty. Most of the stalls were closed but we had a view of the Penang bridge and the sea, which was nice.
Then, we walked around the street we lived at and bought some snacks. We retired early as our run was to take place the very next morning.
Race Day
Woke up at 4am. Washed up and then had breakfast consisting of peanut butter and bread, bananas and plenty of water. As usual, tried to do a number 2, but end up only a number 1. Waited for the rest to get ready, and started walking to Fort Cornwalis at around 5:10am. It was a good 10 minute walk and we could already see people on Beach Street setting up their stalls; an empty club with a mix of smoke and alcohol stench filled our noses; some restaurants were already opened, ready to greet their ever hungry customers.
It was my first time in Fort Cornwalis, maybe some of them too. Many people could be seen sitting and standing at the stairs/stage. We decided to make that our meeting point. Flagoff for 21KM was at 6am. We found ourselves a spot near the starting line, did warmups and exchanged some last minute advice. My two buddies were running their first 21KM, kudos to them.
10 minutes to 6, announcer told us to get into the starting line. The starting and finishing line was at the entrance of Fort Cornwalis with the big ancient steel door, perfect for a great shot. I wasn’t feeling pumped up, felt sluggish, sloppy, probably due to all the good food I had been eating the past few days. I controlled my breathing, ignored my surrounding environment, started visualising the race route, visualised I was running easily, visualised how I would look and feel like crossing the finishing line.
Countdown initiated. With the pull of the trigger, the race has begun!
Started with a 6 min/km pace and maintained throughout.
The race route brought us through beach street and armenian street, the streets we took to reach the race venue. We also managed to pass by the famous “girl and boy on bike” street art and consequently our airbnb house.
The weather was fine, streets were still quiet enough to hear our footsteps and the panting of the runners. I was running hard but also trying to look at my surroundings, trying to familiarise myself with the streets of Penang.
We slowly made our way to Tanjung Tokong, passing the secret garden we visited the previous day. The road started to slowly ascend as we made our way up the slope towards Tanjung Bungah.
As the day started to brighten up, we began to see the beautiful coastline and sea of Penang Island. Before making a u-turn, saw my running buddy, Jo ahead of me and I tried very hard to chase her.
After the u-turn, it was a downhill slope and I quickly picked up my pace, still trying hard to catchup with Jo but to no avail. She was way too fast!
The last few KM brought us to Gurney Drive. Could already see many runners (non-participants) running along this route, probably completing their long run for the week.
1 more KM to go, still running very hard, trying to chase Jo but still couldn’t see her!
Fort Cornwalis was finally in sight, few hundred more meters to finishing line.
Posed for the photographer, again tried hard to smile and look good, still failed.
Oh poor nipples, I will wear another shirt inside the next time…
Crossed the finishing line but doesn’t feel like one because there was no timing display at the top of the gates. Checked my GPS watch to confirm the time, again less than 21KM, stopped the GPS watch anyway.
After collecting my finisher T and medal, rushed off to basketball court beside Fort Cornwalis and ran a few loops to complete 21KM on my watch.
Second HM for the year 😀
Felt very happy to have beaten my PB again. This time did 2:03:37 for 21.01KM. Made another stupid mistake, watch didn’t register new PB for HM because Half Marathon is supposed to be 21.1KM, less 900m oh my gosh. Fine, I guess I just have to do better at my next HM which is at Kuching, Sarawak.
Met up with my friends at the stairs. Met my running buddy Jo and immediately congratulated her. She completed her HM in under 2 hours and was placed 7th in her category(like her previous HM at Bukit Jalil, lucky seven?)! #transcendyourself
Waited for the rest of my friends running 21KM.
As soon as everyone has arrived, we took a group photo to celebrate our achievement.
Dab dab dab
Was extremely happy for everyone and hope this will continue for until who knows when, our first running/eating vacation.
Until then, happy eating and happy running! See you at TPS – Kuching Race 2.
*credits to my friends for some of the pictures and also to TPS – Malaysia.
The half-marathon is my favourite race among all distance events.
I’ve often felt that the half-marathon is an appropriate distance to challenge the mind, body, and soul: it does not tax the body too much as other endurance races, and yet it is long enough to dispel the doubts a person might have about his or her stamina levels. I usually join two to three half-marathons a year just to see where I stand in terms of fitness.
No effort was spared by the organisers in advertising The Performance Series. Smitten, I made the decision to run the 21 km race in Penang after the daily bombardment of advertisements on my Facebook wall. Being an ardent collector and wearer of race T-shirts, I was especially taken by the tee designed for this event. A plus point for this race was that it was being held in Penang, and I love running in Penang!
As all on race days, I could not help but feel a little nervous as dawn began to break at Fort Cornwallis on 9 July 2017. Loud music and bright lights electrified the air as race participants arrived at the event and began warming up. I chugged down the last of my sports drink and made my way to the starting point as the clock ticked down to 6 am.
The 21 km race began on time, with a gun sounding off the participants. The runners meandered through famous landmarks and World Heritage sites in Penang at the beginning and end of the race, making their way up to the almost zero-gradient Jalan Burma, Jalan Kelawai and the sloping hills of Jalan Tanjung Bungah before looping at the Flamingo Hotel and returning via Persiaran Gurney.
Running the route was a pleasant experience, especially made so by the cool temperature and low humidity level in Penang that morning. Safety personnel were amply provided at every junction along the race route to man the traffic flow as the race progressed. Five hydration stations were provided along the route for the 21 km race, all supplying water and Lucozade, and bananas at the 11 km mark.
I found full support as I raced along the route that day. Helpers at the event shouted words of encouragement as runners kept to their battles. Many regular Sunday morning runners and cyclists waved, smiled and called out their support to the race participants as well! Their support was a definite spiritual boost at the hilly Tanjung Bungah road, where many runners were depleted in strength after struggling up the hills in the first half of the race.
A great relief washed over me as I made the final loop at Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah and headed back into Fort Cornwallis, with a time of 1:51:30 (gun time). I was immediately given a medal, a potential podium finisher card and a finisher tee, as well as food and drinks a few steps away from the finishing line. Participants of the 5, 10 and 21 km race began to arrive in droves at the finishing line. Everyone mingled and relaxed as the organisers scurried to prepare the results as fast as they can.
Venue of the race.
The writer huffs and puffs as she approached the finish line.
The writer smiles widely as she receives her winner’s entitlements.
Winners of the Women Closed category at The Performance Series Penang.
The organisers of the race did not dally in announcing the results, as the first batch of prizes were given out at 8.30 am. I was surprised and thankful to discover that I was the champion of the 21 km Women Closed category. I was gifted with RM 200 and an RM 300 shopping voucher from Qoolmart.com. I was also fortunate to have been asked to comment on healthy lifestyle choices by Pride Foundation Malaysia, a charitable organisation that champions efforts to enhance awareness and improve accessibility to treatment and care of breast cancer.
The event wrapped up at around 9.30 am, with most runners scrambling to look for breakfast joints in the local food paradise located just a short jog away from Fort Cornwallis.
As I was halfway back home, I realised that I misplaced my winning bib number and potential finisher card at Fort Cornwallis in my excitement of winning the race.
Oh well.
Images sourced from https://www.facebook.com/ThePerformanceSeriesMY/
This year is the fifth year of the Straits Times Run. Straits Times decided to do something special by partnering with SCMS (standard Chartered Marathon Singapore) and also offer a gift to those who signed up for both Straits Times Run and SCMS half or full marathon run. I didn’t sign up for SCMS run as I don’t have enough confidence to complete a half marathon at that point of time. There were 3 categories to choose: 18.45 km, 10 km, and 5 km, I chose the 10 km one.
The run was held at the Padang on 16 July 2017, flag off timing for the 10 km runners was at 6:30am. This was my second 10 km race and also my first time waking up early for a race. My first 10 km race was the Star Wars Run Singapore which started on a Saturday night. Took some supplements such as an assortment of vitamin B3, B6, B12, and C before I left my house. Thankfully, I managed to take a cab that came straight away and reach the race venue at 6am.
When I arrived at the race venue, I could find any of my friends who also signed up for the run. So, I went to deposit my bag at the bag deposit counter and make my way to the start pen alone by myself. The flag off for the 10km runners wasn’t delayed. I was flagged off in the second wave of runners which was 10 minutes apart from the first wave.
During the run, everything was good until I reached the 2 km distance marker where I felt soreness on my right calf muscle. Thankfully though, my stamina never fail me throughout the entire race. Despite of the pain, I ran most of the time, stopped only at the water points along the race route to rehydrate and stretch whatever sored muscles.
My official nett time was 58 mins and 10 secs but on my Garmin watch it recorded 59 mins 14 secs because I didn’t stop the tracking on time.
I didn’t expect a good 10 km timing as I didn’t sleep well before the race. I was really happy and satisfied with my timing and it was also my personal best for a 10K race. Timing for my previous race was about 11 mins slower.
After the race, I decided to stay back for the lucky dip. Though I waited for over an hour, it was worth it, I won a steam iron from the lucky dip. It Took me about 3 days to recover my sored muscles after the run. After all, It’s God who enabled me to achieve my PB (personal best) and blessed me with the steam iron as my lucky dip prize.
The first half of 2017 has quickly came and gone. Just the first half of this year I have taken part in 6 run events, my last one being Run Free which was at the beginning of May 2017. Though I may not have any run events lined up till August 2017, I have been keeping to my weekly running routines.
Not having any run events doesn’t mean it’s an excuse for me to stop running. Having recently read an article titled “Losing Motivation? Here Are 5 tips To Keep You Training, Running and Racing!” on JustRunLah website, I thought “Tip #5 – Find A Running Buddy/ Running Group” was is a really useful tip. For those that follow me on Instagram, you will know that I recently joined the Superhero Runners for their weekly Tuesday training sessions.
TRAINING WITH THE SUPERHERO RUNNERS
The Superhero Runners were founded by four friends (Nelson, Neyton, Sebastian and Paul) who loved running and wanted to encourage running as an exercise, and to inspire others to adopt a healthy lifestyle. With their prominent superhero outfits, they are easily spotted at local run events!
Joining this group has kept me motivated to keep running! I might have mentioned that I am not a fast runner in my previous posts but with the Superheroes giving me the encouragement, I do see myself wanting to do better. During these training runs, I would be one of the last few runners to finish but that does not discourage me because I know I have put in the effort in trying.
After the running portion of the training, there’s normally a short core training or stretch session but sometimes it could be a combination of both! Though these sessions are short, they do pack a punch especially after a training run. These are essential for us as it helps train and strengthen the other parts of your body. I find these sessions helpful as sometimes I lack the discipline to do them on my own.
Joining the Superhero Runners is also a great way to make new friends. Arrive early, during runs or after training session are fantastic opportunities to mingle with the group. They are a fantastic bunch and super friendly! Conversations are never boring and definitely filled with laughter!
If you would like to join the Superhero Runners, be it you are a beginner or veteran, all are welcomed to drop in every Tuesday to enjoy an evening run with the group. You can follow the group on Instagram @Superherorunners or Facebook at SuperheroRunnersSG. The Superhero Runners are the motivational run leaders at 2017 Singapore edition of The Performance Series. So keep your eyes peeled and catch them at The Performance Series!
TRY SOMETHING NEW: AQUA AEROBICS CLASS
Another that I did to keep myself active and not slack was to sign up for an Aqua Aerobics class.
I previously mentioned that I was keen to try out an aqua spin class but there was none that fit my schedule and budget! I was lucky to find an alternative which was Aqua Aerobics from the ActiveSG website! The Aqua Aerobics class would be held at Yishun Swimming Complex for a period of three months and it starts in August 2017. Aqua aerobics is a low impact aqua workout with music accompaniment that requires no swimming skills. I used to do traditional aerobics during my gym days and I wonder how different it’ll be from the norm which I’m used to. I’m actually excited for that class and will probably share more of my experience when the time comes.
TRY DIFFERENT RUN ROUTES
Besides the training with the Superheros Runners on Tuesday and the upcoming Aqua Aerobics class, I still do my weekend runs with my awesome running buddy, Cheng Yee! To keep things interesting, we make it a point to run at different places and try different routes. We do enjoy a change once a while and it motivates you to get up and keep moving. So far, we have ventured to the Marina Promontory, Bishan Park, MacRitchie Reservoir Park etc. Other places in the works would be Woodlands Waterfront, Lower Pierce Reservoir etc.
Well, hope with my sharing you’ll be able to find that motivation to keep that workout routine alive and fun! I’m definitely looking forward to my next run event and as always, I’ll share with you what I thought about the event. Till my next write-up! Let’s all #RunHappy to stay happy!
The wisdom of running doesn’t always just come with spending your time pounding the pavement. Sometimes, it is moments spent curled up on a couch reading a good run book that takes your running a step further. Books may not give you a runners high, but it may give you a different perspective – something for you to contemplate on to become faster and stronger. Here are 5 books every runner must read.
#1 Running With Kenyans: Discovering the Secrets of the Fastest People on Earth
This book unfolds Adharanand Finn’s incredible journey to the elite training camps of Kenya. His goal was to uncover the secrets of the fastest people on earth. Finn travelled to the Mecca of distance running to run with his childhood heroes. It is an interesting read – his take on barefoot running, his running with Olympians, his running with young hopefuls and his practical advice on distance running given the time he spent in Kenya learning from the best.
#2 Alberto Salazar’s Guide To Road Racing: Championship Advice For After Timies From 5K To Marathons
Alberto Salazar has crafted a great name in the running world. Just his name holds so much prestige. Former marathon world record holder, Coach of the Nike Oregon Project, Coach of Mo Farah and 2016 Bronze Medallist Galen Rupp, Jordan Hasay – he really has built quite a name for himself.
This book arms the novice and veteran runners with a great programme to run further and faster. He draws on his experience to offer tailored advice based on his own experiences. He gives advice on how to tailor your own workouts for maximum mental and physical fortitude. Looking to improve your timings? – this is the book to read!
#3 Scott Jurek’s Eat & Run
Scott Jurek has been a dominant force in the endurance running scene. In this book Scott talks about his life as a running champion athlete with a plant based diet. His vegan diet inspired runners at so many levels. His vegan-ism challenges the stereotypes on what an athlete should eat for optimal performance. It is interesting to read how being vegan helped him with his performance. you can even get some of his recipes from his book. This book expands your food horizons. It is a shockingly inspiring memoir.
#4 Meb For Mortals
Meb Keflezighi cemented his legacy with a historic win in the Boston Marathon 2014, in addition to his 2009 New York City Marathon Champion title and an Olympic Silver. How did someone turning 39 beat the best field in Boston Marathon history to come out on top? Meb really showed that old is gold. This book unfolds how Meb implements training, nutritional and mental principles that have guided him through his running career.
#5 The Perfect Mile: Three Athletes, One Goal, and Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It
Like breaking 2, there was once when running the mile under 4 minutes was considered to be beyond the limitation of the human body. This was considered to be the elusive holy grail of sport. Read about the quest of 3 athletes, defying all odds in pursuit of something everyone deemed impossible. It is an interesting read because the book draws on exclusive interviews and makes the technical stuff more accessible to the reader. You gain a better understanding of the training and analysis involved – lactate counts and fartleks.
Stomach problems – the bane of every marathoner! We runners tend to have to deal with many unique complications and shitting just happens to be one of them. Don’t worry, you’re not alone in dealing with this.
Why This Happens?
When we run, there is a surge of hormones in our stomach lining due to all the bouncing that happens during a run. These hormones affect how often we need to shit and also the permeability of our stomach lining. All these factors combined causes the urge to shit midway during a run. Also blood flow is increased to the muscles – away from our stomach. The decrease of oxygenated blood flow to our stomach may sometimes cause indigestion (of our pre-race meal or gel intake) and hence the urge to defecate.
#1 Improve Your Running Form
Vertical oscillation is how much your body is bouncing upwards when you run. The lower your vertical oscillation, the less your body bounces and the less intestinal jostling there is. This will help lessen the likelihood of pooping. There is also an added bonus. A lower vertical oscillation means a more energy efficient run. Energy is spent pushing you forward instead of pushing you upwards. Many devices these days track vertical oscillation for example the Garmin forerunner 635 or the Garmin Running Dynamics Pod. Try imagining a ceiling an inch above your head when you run and try not to hit when running.
#2 Taper Your Fibre And Fat Intake
Reduce your fibre and fat intake before your are day. Fat slows down digestion. And while running, blood is drawn to your muscles away from your stomach. This may cause indigestion to happen and hence a mid porta-loo break. While fibre is great to keep your toilet habits regular, pre-race jitters and race-length workouts may just cause diarrhoea. So remember, avoid fatty foods like KFC Chicken and the cruciferous vegetable family such as broccoli, cauliflowers and bak choi.
#3 Watch Your Coffee Intake
Photo source: Habitat Coffee
Many runners have a love-hate relationship with caffeine. While caffeine does give us a good kick to keep us high on alert during our runs, it can also cause our gut to go on overdrive. Coffee is associated with 2 other compounds – gastrin and cholecystokinin. These compounds speed up how fast things move through our gut. So make sure your espresso shot is taken at least an hour pre-race. This way, you have time to empty your bowels before race. Checkout the best coffee makers from Coffee Channel to prepare your race day coffee!
#4 Pre-Race Poop
Photo Credits: Wikipedia
The pre-race poop is actually really important. Try to schedule a pre-race poop. This way you till have less food in your gastrointestinal track. We all know blood is diverted away from our stomach when we run. Emptying your stomach means there won’t be indigestion and no mid-race poop.
#5 Slow Down Your Fuelling
Overwhelming your stomach with gels too quickly can cause gastrointestinal problems as well. With limited amount of blood flowing to your stomach to help with digestion, too much food quickly will cause indigestion and thus lead to pooping. Sip your gels slowly. You may take a quarter of a pack of a gel in 15 minutes intervals instead of an entire gel every hour.
Come join Singapore’s pioneer triathlon event – Singapore Triathlon 2017! Happening on the 10th September 2017, come swim-bike-run the Lion City. With a mini, sprint, standard olympic and kid distance – there is a distance for everyone. Come challenge yourself with this 3 discipline sport!
Register Now and Stand a Chance to Win a Suunto Aviator F Series Chronograph
Great news for JustRunLah!readers! 3 lucky winners will stand a chance to win a brand new Suunto Aviator F Series Chronograph AVW8974G76 when you register for the Singapore International Triathlon 2017.
If you’ve already signed up, just fill in the form below to stand a chance to win! If you haven’t registered, just follow the steps below:
In 2016, with its slogan #TranscendYourself, The Performance Series (TPS) had brought some 27,000 participants from more than 50 nationalities, aged 6 to 81, through unique iconic landscapes including Oasis / Island, Lake, City, Reservoir and Farm, in Singapore.
In 2017, TPS is now bringing the #TranscendYourself spirit to Malaysia! This time in the inaugural Race 1 of The Performance Series Malaysia edition, 2000 runners brought back with them a unique experience in their running journey while going through the heritage landmark – George Town! Participants were flagged off by Mr Govind, Technical Committee Chairman for Penang Amateur Athletic Association (PAAA) at the break of dawn. The runners then made their way through Penang’s heritage right from the start at Fort Cornwallis.
Participants were in for a treat as George Town is an excitingly diverse city that is crammed with the juxtaposition of locals, expats and travelers. It is truly a food paradise and from backpacker budgets to splurging high society jetsetters there, there is no lack of food options. The run course even brought participants through the heritage buildings as well as the famous murals. It helped runners completely disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the city life.
The event also saw many participants achieving their Personal Bests in this enjoyable route, complimented with the relatively flat roads.
All finishers in 21km, 10km and 5km categories each received a uniquely designed medal. Participants who signed up for the entire series will also be able to piece them together into a collectable set! The Performance Series team hopes that this medal collage will be a symbol of achievement to remind participants how far they had pushed through and encourage them to continue to #TranscendYourself!
Photos are available on the Official Facebook page:
URDANETA CITY – Former champions Julius Sermona and Cristabel Martes showed that they can still match strides with the new generation of runners by ruling the inaugural regional qualifying race of the 41st National MILO Marathon Sunday morning (July 16). They will also lead the first batch of qualifiers for the National Finals set for December 3 in Cebu City.
Sermona, the MILO King way back in 2006 and a soldier in the Philippine Air Force, clocked 1:15:31 in the 21-kilometer race that started at the old City before proceeding to a round trip along the MacArthur Highway and finally ending at the Urdaneta Cultural and Sports Center. He was followed by Hernani Sore (1:17:21) and Romulo Balinas Jr. (1:20:45).
Martes showed the strength and form that gave her four MILO Queen titles with a time of 1:23:45, almost 24 minutes ahead of runner-up Rowena Valdez (1:47:12) and 31 minutes over third placer Isabel Milagros Quipsie (1:54:10). So dominating was Martes that she placed fifth overall with only four males faster than her in the field that attracted 12,000 runners.
In last year’s Nationals hosted by Iloilo City, Martes finished in second place to Mary Joy Tabal thus allowing her to match the former’s record of four titles. Sermona landed in third place behind eventual champion Jeson Agravante.
The next regional qualifier will be hosted by Laoag City a week from now on July 23. What follows is the highly anticipated Metro Manila qualifier to be held at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City on July 30.
I spent my Saturday morning running MSIG Singapore Action Asia 50 trail race. Road running can be rather boring at times although it’s much easier compared to running in the forest with really brutal terrains. You risk falling down, spraining your ankles, falling trees, suffering cuts or stumbling upon snakes…. But hey! “Life is an adventure, live it! (MSIG Singapore Action Asia 50 slogan).
This trail race was held on 15 July 2017 (Saturday) with 3 race categories to choose from: 10KM, 21KM or 50KM ultra. Race village was at 31 Hindhede Walk open space outside Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Race route would cover Chestnut Avenue, Zhenghua Park, Bukit Panjang Park Connector, Central Catchment Park Connector, Rifle Range Road, Durian Loop, etc.
21KM Race Route extracted from my Garmin
I signed up for 21KM as this was my first trail race. All my past races were all on the road. I was tempted to take up 50KM ultra because of the generous cut off time of 12 hours. However, I backed off after seeing the flag off time which was at 0530 AM which means I had to run in the DARK forest for 1.5 hours before sunrise, with just a headlight. I think I was not ready for that yet. So I went for 21KM which flagged off at 0630 AM. I respect those who braved the dark for this ultra distance.
I still put on a headlight because the first 30 minutes would still be dark and wore a hydration pack with 2L of water! Official advice was just to bring a bottle of water for 21KM and at least 1L of water in the hydration system for 50KM runners. I was just being “kia si” (afraid to die) or rather, afraid to die of thirst. But hell… no, volunteers at various CPs (Checkpoints) were doing a great job by helping to refill water bottles and water bladders in a fast manner. This was a “no cups” event so own water bottles/hydration systems were mandatory.
I was informed race was cancelled due to stormy weather (Cat 1), when I was eating the super sweet oranges at CP 2. But that kind of weather with just one sound of thunder and some rain was considered as Cat 1? I was not too sure. I was disappointed upon hearing that but the volunteer said we could still continue if we want and some runners also voiced out that they wanted to continue as a fun run. So I was happy again because I could continue and didn’t need to turn back. I came to run the distance I signed up for, I was determined about that. After enjoying the sweet oranges, I carried on running into the trails and had so much fun! There was fallen tree along the trail that blocked the entire path and the only way to get across was to bend really low on a small “exit” pathway to almost a crawl in order to cross it (didn’t take photo). That was amazingly FUN.
CP2Fun terrains
Due to the heavy rain on Friday, the trail was wet, muddy extremely muddy and slippery. I nearly sprain my ankle thrice on the rough and rocky terrain but didn’t. I slipped a few times on the slippery and “slopey” course but I was lucky I did not lose balance and fall. I said sorry to the plants for stepping on them in order to avoid the muddy path. I let out a loud “woah!!!” when my right foot sank deep into the mud pool because I was shocked at how deep the mud pool was. My foot submerged entirely into the mud till above the ankle deep. Where would you find such fun (run) on the road? 🙂
Look at the mud line on my right foot to diagnose the depth of the mud.
Although race was cancelled but there were still marshals directing us to the right direction, held our hands and helped us to cross the traffic barrier. Volunteers were still working tirelessly at CPs manning the fruit tables and helped to pump water into my water bladder. Thumbs up to all the volunteers!
I completed my supposedly 21KM race but with slight shortage because my Garmin clocked only 20.4KM. A few other runners on Strava also clocked less than 21KM for this run so I guess the course was shorter?
Someone actually put on the medal on my neck when I crossed the finish line. First time I encountered this pleasant surprise as in all my other races, I had to collect the medal in a plastic small pouch by hand. 🙂
All runners were entitled to packet food and 1 popsicle per person. I chose the chicken teriyaki rice and was told there were chicken cutlet and vegetarian food too. Other runners had nasi lemak which I didn’t know exist at the race village.
Food box and sour plum popsicleChicken teriyaki and rice
There was prize presentation on the stage which puzzled me. If race was cancelled, how to determine the winners? 50KM distance was shortened to 21KM (not cancelled) so I guess it was still logical to dictate the winners but 21KM was supposed to be cancelled and why they were still announcing who were the winners? I sat there eating my rice and remained puzzled.
Upon collecting my bag, I realised my bag was entirely wet and all the extra clothes, towel, money and cards were all wet!!!
MSIG Singapore Action Asia 50 medal 2017 (accidentally dropped the medal on the ground at the RV, which explains the mud).
Whether you are looking to improve your 5km or 10km, the marathon distance or the ultra distance, running on the road or in the trails, Bukit Kiara is the perfect training ground for you. Bukit Kiara has so many different terrains – flat and hills, road and trails, great for so many different types of training.
#1 Easy Run
Running around the Kiara lake gives you 1.1km. On your recovery days, loop the lake for a short 30 – 45 minutes at an easy pace. Remember, recovery runs are a very important but easily forgotten component of training. A true recovery run should not be difficult – this is to facilitate recovery preceding a hard training. Often we runners are obsessed with training volume – mileage. The recovery runs allows us to strike a balance between training volume and training stress – preventing us from overtraining or even injury.
#2 Speed Intervals
Try this – a 6 x 1.1km with a 3 minutes rest in between each set. This would mean running 1 loop around the lake, 6 times. The saying goes – if you want to run fast, you’ve got to run fast. Speed intervals help improve your speed, your running economy and strengthens your cardiovascular system. So you want to get faster? – it’s time to incorporate speed intervals into your training.
#3 Hill Repeats
From the 1st guardhouse all the way to the top of Kiara hill is an 800m steep climb. Doing 5 sets of hill repeats would be enough to kill you. If you’re looking to do a longer hill repeat, run from the post box all the way up to the top of the hill which will give you a 1.3km uphill climb. Hill repeats are an excellent way to built strength and improve running economy. It also gets you heart pumping.
#4 The Hilly Run
Start at the postbox and run pass the first guardhouse. Continue running your way up to the 2nd guardhouse. Go straight across to do the anti-clockwise loop of Kiara Hill. This is a straightforward hilly loop that will bring you back to the 2nd guardhouse. Upon coming back to the 2nd guardhouse, run back down to the postbox and repeat the loop. Do 3 loops to give you a hilly 15km mid-long run.
#5 Elevation Training
Looking to do some elevation training – hit the trails. Here’s a suggested loop to do. Start from Kiara Park and run up Upper Carnival. Go onto Lung Buster and run along Shriner’s Convention. Then run up twin peaks. It’s a 2km uphill climb all the way up to twin peaks. Run down TNT and then dirty deeds. Run across to boulder and run down to wasteland. Here you hit and uphill gravel all the way back up to the boulder area. Turn left into Snake and Ladders. Take the first right after the bridge and go up Sodomy Up all the way back up to Twin peaks. Then turn left to run along roller coaster all the way back down to lower carnival and back to the starting point. This 6km loop gives you a 380m elevation gain.
It is time to pay Kiara a visit. It’s really an all-in-one training ground.
DEL CARMEN, Surigao del Norte – Joseph Mururi of Kenya and Ryzan Lacson of the Philippines were hailed as the champions of the First Siargao International Marathon held last Sunday (July 23). The footrace started and ended at the Del Carmen Elementary School via the Siargao Circumferential Road and passing the adjacent towns of San Benito and Santa Monica on the western coast of the island tourism hotspot.
Photo Credits: Wikipedia
