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Running Events with odd distances RUNNERS love in Singapore & Malaysia

By
Mel
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The standard distances such as the marathon distance, half marathon distance, and 10 km are popular. You would always have a benchmark as to your time to beat for a half marathon or a marathon. But do you know your personal best for an odd distance, for instance, a 32 km or a 15 km? But, yet, these 4 odd distance races are really popular in Singapore and Malaysia. Bookmark them!

#1 32 km Newton Run, Singapore

The Newton Challenge is very popular and is a must-do race for many. The distance of 32 kilometers gives you a great opportunity to push yourself across a 32 km distance. It’s easier to push yourself during a race as compared to a training run on your own. You do not need to worry about your hydration needs because there’ll be water stations along the way. It’s basically a great way to get in a good long run training!

The Newton Challenge is also always strategically held a couple of weeks before the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. So, the Newton Run is a good training run and also provides you a good gauge as to your fitness before the big marathon!

We heard that the post-race food is amazing as well!

Read More: Race Review: Newton Challenge 2017 [32.195KM] (by maylindateo)

#2 15km Race Against Cancer, Singapore

This run is a run to save lives. Racing against cancer means coming out to make a statement against cancer, to minimize cancer and maximize life. Thing is, no one should fight cancer alone! So, this event invites people from all walks of life to stand with people who have been impacted by cancer. Run 15 km with possibly the strongest people you would ever meet! It’s a great cause – one that touches the heart of many runners, hence, making this a run that is much loved!

Read More: My Race Against Cancer 2017 (by Lingderella)

#3  20.5 km BDB Climb & Run, Malaysia

This run is a unique one but oh-so-much-fun! Challenge your limits with a 3.9 km uphill and a 16.6 km downhill run. You climb 3.9 km up via 4,287 steps all the way to the top of Gunung Raya which is the highest peak in Langkawi. It is misty, but right at the top, when the stunning view reveals itself, you will be in awe. Thereafter, you run downhill all the way right back to the finish line. Speeding downhill for 16 km – there’s no greater feeling for any runner!

#4 30 km Dragon Back Run, Malaysia

Runners somehow for some incomprehensible reason find joy in pain. It’s tough to explain why runners love this run, but they do keep coming back for more. The Dragon Back Run – as the name suggests – has a route like a dragon’s back. It goes up and down, and up and down, and leaves you wondering when the up would ever end. Yet people keep coming back for more. This year 2018, there’s even a 30 km distance.

Happening Next: 4th March 2018

For more races, check out our race calendar!

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My Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2018 [FM] (by Lingderella)

By
Lingderella
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It’s my runcation trip with Sabrina! ? Thank you Sabrina for accompanying me ? But it’s a dim sum and hiking trip for Sabrina as I’m the only one who balloted for the Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon slots ? Yup, other than running SCHKM, I enjoyed the hike at Violet Hill and Dragon’s Back and the dim sum most ?

Though I’ve just ran Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon last year, I decided to try to ballot and register for it this year as it’s a place I’m more familiar with and in the recent years I won’t be brave enough to run 42.195km in the humid and hot Singapore ? Hong Kong is cold, with a nice temperature to run in during this time of the year. Luckily when I was there, I didn’t experience any haze.

I think it’s baby steps for me to register for overseas races such as SCHKM, Osaka Marathon and Vietnam Mountain Marathon in Asia last year before going to places further, and I have Gold Coast Marathon in Australia coming July. I have a really long list of marathons I would love to run in mind and use running as a chance to explore other parts of the world as well ?

Last year I joined the SCHKM with a running club after unsuccessful in balloting and got a marathon slot won during a contest with a condition which was to purchase a travel package to the marathon with the running club. So accommodation and transport are taken care of and I didn’t have to make any plans at all. But this time, I’ve balloted successfully for a marathon slot, bought my own air tickets and booked the accommodation myself. It’s much cheaper and I saved about 50% of the money than what I’ve paid for than last year ?

It’s a pity that I didn’t manage to go to the race expo as it was held one week before the race unlike many of the international marathons which their race expo held just a few days before race. International runners only collect our race pack in Kowloon Park and there’s no queues when I went to collect my race pack.

It doesn’t seem real that I am running SCHKM, another 42.195km again just shortly after 2 months running the Osaka Marathon till I was in the start pen when they started counting down to flag off. Maybe that’s part of the reason why I didn’t train for this marathon. I wanted to rest, I was only doing my happy 5km or 10km runs. Too much LSD is just so scary ? To run happy is what matters most right? If it’s so gruesome then it’s too much for me to handle then I shall really cut down in running long distances? ???


The temperature is fine, about 17 degrees not very cold so I just turn up in singlet and went to deposit my baggage in the truck. The baggage deposit and collection is efficient and took only few seconds as there’s a bag given at race pack collection and it’s the same bag that we need to put everything in it and there’s a baggage tag with our bib number on it to retrieve it. But the queue for the portable toilet is crazily long ?

Theres different timing for the flag off and my flag off was at 7am. I heard that those who went to the the wrong wave could not get their official timing. I didn’t study the route but I think it’s the same route as last year. Many killer slopes and I started walking after 18km. There’s nothing wrong with me, legs no pain, not super breathless but I was just so not motivated to run and start doing the maths calculating the amount of time I can walk so that I can finish within the 6 hours cut off time. Yes, it’s a strict 6 hours cut of time but it’s really doable and there’s cut off times at various check points they will stop the runners who can’t meet the cut off times at the check points to board the sweeper bus back to the finishing. When I was at the last underground tunnel towards Central, I met this guy from Britain, he’s running his first marathon and we had a good chat, about an hour later I met him again and ran the last km towards the finishing. Thank you for motivating me, Eukon (Didn’t know how to spell his name but I hope the spelling is correct)

When the sun is out already, I tell myself I really need to start running already. The day before I was mistaken as from Nepal and Philippines. I’m so universal, previously people thought I’m Taiwanese, Indonesian ot Japanese ?

It’s nice to meet many friends from the running community that I know of on Instagram and Facebook along the way at the marathon and have little chats and just simple words of encouragement meant a lot when you’re running the 42.195km. I feel so tempted to board the bus to the end point at various check points, the bus with seats looks really so shiok parking by the side of the road and I was seeing it as if there’s red carpet inviting me to board it. I then convinced myself just finish it, I don’t want to have my first DNF. At times I really hope that Willis was with me by my side, maybe I will be more motivated.

There’s many hydration points along the way and each hydration points is like 100m long and spread out, there’s water, isotonic drink, peeled or not peeled bananas and chocolates along the way. Really love the chocolates but still, Osaka Marathon hydration points is my best experience I ever had so far. Maybe Nagoya or Tokyo marathon if I’m lucky enough next year? ? And interestingly, now then I realised that the little human on the medal can be taken out to use as a pendant for necklace! That’s so awesome! ? The medal was sponsored by Lukfook jewellery and the podium runners medals have real diamonds! ?

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Abbott World Marathon Majors – 6 Races EVERY RUNNER OUGHT To Check Out!

By
Mel
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The Abbott World Marathon Majors is a series of the 6 of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world. Together, they form the marathon global championships to determine the world’s best male and female marathon runner. The races take place in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City – making it a great race-cation opportunity. And, unless you are an elite or semi-elite runner, your fate lies in the hands of lady luck – you need to ballot for a slot.

The series qualifying races are as follows:-

#1 Tokyo Marathon – February

Tokyo Marathon is one of Asia’s largest marathons. Tokyo Marathon’s tagline is – the day we unite – bringing together the heart of runners, volunteers, and supporters. The atmosphere at the Tokyo Marathon is an experience of a lifetime in itself. The whole city shuts down and the people of Tokyo come out to show their support for all runners. The support is really like no other – people cheering you right from the very first kilometer right till the final kilometer.

#2 Boston Marathon – April

This is the bucket list marathon for one-too-many runners. To run in the oldest marathon comes with great prestige and honor. The race is filled with so much history. To stand and the start line of the Boston Marathon, you know you’re amongst the best. You have to earn your place to be in this marathon – you have to hit the qualifying mark. Many runners attempt tirelessly to qualify for this prestigious marathon to be part of the experience.

#3 London Marathon – April

Photo Credits: Visit London

The London Marathon is a fast course – many world records have been set and broken in London. It is, in fact, the 2nd fastest course after Berlin Marathon. The courses showcase many landmarks of London – starting at Greenwich Park, bringing you along River Thames, Canary Wharf and the Houses of Parliament. The marathon is a tour of London and there is no better way to experience this British City.

#4 Berlin Marathon – September

The Berlin Marathon is the fastest marathon course there is. If you’re looking to break a personal best, here’s your chance! Elite marathoners flock here to attempt the World record, where the rest come to attempt a personal best. The course is pancake flat with minimal turnings. And of course, the post-race meal of German sausages and beer makes the experience even better!

#5 Chicago Marathon – October

Photo Credits: Chicago Tribune

The Chicago Marathon is a fantastic way to see Chicago. The route showcases both city and suburbs and tours through 29 neighborhoods! It also brings you through several landmarks. You are guaranteed to see the very best Chicago has to offer. Thousands of spectators and volunteers will be there to cheer you on as you weave through the heart of Chicago.

#6 New York City Marathon – November

Photo Credits: NY Times

The New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world in arguably the greatest city in the world. The number of applicants is always at a record high. Your chances of getting a slot are much much lower as compared to the other World Marathon Majors. The run brings you through the 5 boroughs of New York City – Brooklyn, The Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, and Manhatten. You see the whole of NYC in 42.195 kilometers.

Looking for more races overseas?

Check out JustRunLah!‘s interactive bucket-list.

bucket-list-best-marathons-fb

Read More:

  1. 6 Races In Australia You Have To Run 
  2. I’m Cooler Because I Qualified For The World Marathon Majors 
  3. Runcation In Indonesia: 3 Races You Should Not Miss
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#RUNHOMESG with Income Eco Run 2018

By
Mel
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Some 100 runners gathered at One Marina Boulevard on the 16th January 2018 morning for the launch of #RUNHOMESG, an initiative launched by Income Eco Run to encourage everyone to pick up running as an alternative mode of transport.
Flagging off at 7:20 pm, runners headed off in four different guided routes – North East, East, West, and North – passing by major landmarks such as Kallang River, East Coast Park, Old Tanjong Pagar Railway Station and MacRitchie Reservoir. Led by pacers from Running Department, the Official Pacer for Income Eco Run, runners had the flexibility to alter and deviate from guided routes midway to reach their personal destination.

What?

The initiative aims to encourage an eco movement to reduce carbon footprint, in support of Income Eco Run’s quest to run towards Zero Waste. #RUNHOMESG aims to clock 10,000km by 27 April 2018, which is equivalent to 486 liters of fuel and can power-up a 4-room flat for up to three months! Take a step forward and run-commute home as a community to reduce your carbon footprint!

How? – Be A Part Of #RUNHOMESG

Following the launch of #RUNHOMESG, runners are encouraged to continue running towards the collective goal of 10,000km. Runners will stand to win attractive prizes along the way.

To participate, runners will need to track their runs with their respective activity trackers and upload screenshots of their completed runs on social media with the hashtag #RUNHOMESG by 27 April 2018. 10 winners will be picked every week from 16 January to 31 March. Income Eco Run has prepared some suggested routes from One Marina Boulevard, which are available at the following links: North East, East, West, North, and runners may engage with the community on the #RUNHOMESG Facebook page.

Some popular activity trackers include:- Runkeeper, Strava Running & Cycling, Nike+ Running Club, Map My Run, Runtastic, iSmooth Run Pro, Footpath Route Planner, Sports Tracker, Runmeter, Endomondo, Rungo, Pumatrac, Google Fit

East

West

North East

North

Income Eco Run 2018 will take place on 29 April 2018 at the F1 Pit Building. Early bird registration for Income Eco Run 2018 starts from $15 and ends on 22 January 2018. For more information on #RUNHOMESG and to register for Income Eco Run 2018, please visit IncomeEcoRun.sg.

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Results: Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2018

By
Yvonne Siew
-

One of the popular races, Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2018 just happened last weekend, and some local elite runners took part the event. Big congratulations from JustRunLah! to all the elite runners, such as Neo Jieshi and her husband, Jackie Ho, Rachel See and her husband, Poon Zi Li, and of course, to all the JustRunLah! buddies for completing the tough race!

Especially, we would like to congrats our inspiring female runner from Singapore, Rachel See for winning the Half Marathon in Women’s Master 1 category (1:25:08)!

We know you can’t wait to find out the results. Here are the results of general position for you! Click here to find out the category position.

Marathon Challenge

  1. KENNETH MBURU MUNG’ARA (2:13:29)
  2. BONSA DIDA DIREBA (2:13:44)
  3. BARNABAS KIPTUM (2:13:52)

Marathon Run 1

  1. KWOK, MAN KIT (4:14:42)
  2. LEE, IAN (4:26:43)
  3. LAM, MAN YIN ANISSA (4:00:40)

Marathon Run 2

  1. CHAN, KING FUNG (4:00:08)
  2. CHAN, KING FUNG (4:59:21)
  3. LOK, SIN YIN (4:50:27)

Half Marathon Challenge

  1. LI, CHUNHUI (01:10:00)
  2. LIU , HONGLIANG (01:10:00)
  3. WANG, KUN (01:10:25)

Half Marathon Run 1

  1. WANG, RI (01:43:27)
  2. QING, YU (01:50:10)
  3. LO, CHUN MAN ERIC (02:19:29)

Half Marathon Run 2

  1. YIU, YAU HO DANIEL (02:29:33)
  2. 莫, 家煒 (02:54:50)
  3. CHOI, HOI TAT (03:01:16)

10 KM Challenge

  1. KOK, YU HANG (00:31:58)
  2. SHUEN, CHUN KIT (00:32:01)
  3. GI, KA MAN (00:32:05)

*The informations above are retrieved from Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon official website.

Looking forward to join Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon next year?

Photo credit: Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Official Facebook Page

Click here to subscribe JustRunLah! newsletter or follow our World’s Best Marathons Listing to get the updates! 

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Results: Twincity Marathon 2018

By
Mel
-

The first marathon of 2018 in Malaysia took place Sunday morning and kudos to the organizers, all finishers and volunteers. Over 8000 participants challenged their limits at the Twincity Marathon, and one couple even got engaged!

Now it’s time to wear proudly your finisher t-shirt, show your shiny medal, record your thoughts and photos on your running app, JustRaceLah!

Watch this space as we will be bringing you updates as soon as they become available. You can keep track of all changes in real time and add your own comments via our mobile app, JustRaceLah!

Congratulations everybody!

Results:

Here are the top 3 results:-

Men Open Full Marathon Results:

  1. Simon Rotich 2:44:17
  2. Ow Yong Jin Kuang 2:52:56
  3. Hisashi Kitamura 2:55:05

Women Open Full Marathon Results:

  1. Susan Merrie Swier 3:30:27
  2. Hitomi Haga 3:44:36
  3. Oo Yin Sze 3:50:38

Men Senior Full Marathon Results:

  1. Alan Toh Jin Joo 3:14:45
  2. Kok Meng Cheu 3:19:17
  3. Tan Chong Peng 3:23:22

Women Senior Full Marathon Results:

  1. Yap Yee Ling 3:32:09
  2. Maulina Binti Bueng 4:25:14
  3. Fitri 4:25:44

Men Open Half Marathon Results:

  1. Tan Yong Zhi 1:22:19
  2. Azwan Bin Bunjing 1:25:36
  3. Azrizal Bin Hussin 1:29:03

Women Open Half Marathon Results:

  1. Danielle Naant 1:34:10
  2. Chua Khit Yeng 1:38:09
  3. Yee Pei Ni 1:40:20

Men Senior Half Marathon Results:

  1. Suresh A/L Munianday 1:28:25
  2. Bernd Eckmann 1:29:15
  3. Tang Yew Choy 1:34:04

Women Senior Half Marathon Results:

  1. Chuah Cheng Ean 1:44:33
  2. Low Mei Ping 1:55:26
  3. Mayumi Hallas 1:56:29

Men Open 12 km Results:

  1. Looi Mun Fai 46:36
  2. Ahmad Sayuti Bin Abu Khuzafah 47:29
  3. Low Seow Chan 48:14

Women Open 12 km Results:

  1. Loh Chooi Fern 54:49
  2. Natasha Bt Nazamil 1:00:18
  3. Nordalela Saidu 1:05:48

Men Senior 12 km Results

  1. Jeffrey Ross 45:19
  2. Karmukilan Maniam 53:29
  3. Taha Bin Gisan 53:37

Women Senior 12 km Results

  1. Goh Bee Yin 58:52
  2. Sea Hui Thin 1:00:59
  3. Tan Chin Chin 1:02:06

Check Your Results here.

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The World’s Largest Marathons and Running Events in History

By
Andreas
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La Cursa del Corte Inglés 2015 // Photo: El Periódico, Albert Bertran

If you think that your last race was overcrowded, imagine yourself taking part in a running event together with another 100,000 people! We here take a look at history’s largest races around the world.

Various distance races

In the top of the list, we find “A Run for the Pasig River” that was held in Manila, The Philippines, on October 10, 2010. A massive 160,000 runners registered for this event, out of which 116,086 finished the race. Run for the Pasig River was certified by The Guinness World Records as having the most participants in a racing event on December 26, 2010. It should be noted, though, that this event included multiple categories and as such, the number of participants per category was diluted.

In terms of a single-category race, the “Bay to Breakers” race that was held on May 18, 1986 in San Francisco, California holds the record of most participation with 110,000 runners.

The largest Marathon

Unsurprisingly the record comes from one of the world’s most famous marathon, that of New York City Marathon, and specifically, its 2016 edition. Early morning on Sunday the 6th of November 2016, 51,388 runners crossed the finishing line, an amazing percentage out of 51,995 people who started.

The top 10 largest Running Events

Position Race Name Location Date Distances Participation*
1 A Run for the Pasig River Manila, Philippines 10 October 2010 10 km, 5 km, 3 km 116,086
2 Bay to Breakers San Francisco, California, United States 18 May 1986 12 km 110,000
3 Cursa El Corte Ingles Barcelona, Spain 5 June 1994 11 km 109,457
4 Broloppet Malmö / Copenhagen, Sweden / Denmark, 12 June 2000 Half-Marathon 92,266, 79,837
5 City2Surf Sydney, Australia 14 August 2011 14 km 86,696, 68,930
6 Dam tot Damloop Amsterdam, The Netherlands 20 September 2009 10 miles, 4 miles and kids runs 74,020
7 Hong Kong Marathon Hong Kong, Hong Kong 15 January 2015 Marathon, half-marathon, 10 km, 10 km wheelchair race, 3 km wheelchair race 73,070
8 Round the Bays Auckland, New Zealand 10 March 2013 8.4 km 70,000
9 Lilac Bloomsday Run Spokane, Washington, United States 5 May 1996 12 km 61,298
10 United We Run Beirut, Lebanon 10 April 2005 5 km, 60,000

 

* bold indicates number of race registrants, and italics the number of race finishers
** “Kahit Isang Araw Lang Unity Run” (Just For A Day: Unity Run) was a running event held in The Philippines on January 22, 2012 that reportedly had over 300,000 participants. That would bring it to the top of the list, however, the event was spread to different venues and there is no proper documentation.

Sources: Wikipedia.org

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Close to 10,000 runners at Run For Hope’s 25th anniversary

By
Team JustRunLah!
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Singapore, 21 January 2018 – Run For Hope 2018 celebrates its 25th anniversary as Singapore’s largest run for cancer awareness and research. Co-organised by Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, Regent Singapore, A Four Seasons Hotel and the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) since 2008, Run For Hope has raised close to $1.5 million in nett proceeds for the National Cancer Centre Research Fund. A new logo was unveiled to commemorate this milestone, using the design of a silver ribbon emblazoned across the iconic Run For Hope logo, symbolic of a runner crossing the finishing line. The logo illustrates and represents medical breakthroughs, a will for victory and a determination to reach a desired goal, both in a personal capacity for patients and their support network.

This year’s run was graced by Mr Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Health, Communications and Information, who flagged off the 10km category and participated in the 3.5km run. Joining in the good cause were Team Singapore athletes as well as celebrity Paul Foster, Daniel Yun (local filmmaker) and Eden Ang (YouTube influencer), who all ran along the stunning city view route that passes through the Kallang Bay area, Marina Barrage and Gardens by the Bay. In addition, 23 children from the Singapore Kids Philharmonic Orchestra played the violin, viola, flute and trumpet as they greeted runners at the finish line.

Cancer survivor ambassadors who were present at the run, shared their personal stories to raise awareness on cancer research:

  • Esther Sim, a 67-year-old retiree and a two-time breast cancer survivor. She now regularly keeps herself active through dragon boat and tai chi.
  • Paula O’Callaghan, a 50-year-old interior designer at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. She is a stage one breast cancer survivor who has undergone lumpectomy in 2015.
  • Wan Petom, a 51-year-old mother to a 8-year-old son, is currently battling multiple cancers including stage four breast cancer.

Ms Sherona Shng, Run For Hope 2018 Chairwoman and Hotel Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Singapore said, “For our Silver Anniversary, we wanted the focus to be on our cancer survivor ambassadors and their support network. Each year, more than 12,000 people in Singapore are diagnosed with cancer, and chances are we might know someone dear to us who is affected by this disease. Cancer research has resulted in a higher chance of survival and our contributions today give hope for a cancer-free tomorrow. We are grateful for the support of close to 10,000 attendees at this year’s Run For Hope and we thank all for their commitment to this meaningful cause.”

* From Press Release

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Review: Taipei Marathon 2017 – Run To Dream (by Col Ray)

By
Col Ray
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The Dream

The sound of the alarm clock startled me from my dream and my eyes opened slowly whilst adjusting to the dim light of the table lamp that I have left on throughout the night. It was 4 am on a Sunday morning of 17 December 2017 at Taipei, Taiwan. I have decided to end the year on a high note by participating in an overseas marathon and challenging myself to run in the cold weather having been running in the sweltering heat in Singapore. The day before, I had checked in at The Tango Hotel that is just a 10-minute walk to the Taipei City Hall Plaza, which was also the starting point for the Taipei Marathon 2017. I got myself ready and contacted Sam who was another running buddy of mine and we decided to meet at the 24-hour lounge in the hotel for our breakfast. Having filled up our “tanks”, we set off on foot at 5.30am and immediately the cold air rushed all over our bodies the moment we stepped out of the hotel. It was 9ºC and the cold spell had just hit Taipei. The both of us who were only clothed in our t-shirts with an additional singlet donned on the outside provided by the main sponsor, Adidas and with our running shorts and caps on, braved through the already rainy weather and wet roads to the “battleground.” Soon joining us, we saw similar participants hurrying to the destination despite the coldness. Crazy us came through both our minds as we could have lain lazily on our beds and hibernate off comfortably in this weather. We looked at each other and shook our heads.

The Taipei Marathon 2017 attracted 27,000 participants of which 3,500 of them were foreigners. There were 7,000 participants for the full marathon and the remaining 20,000 for the half marathon. Registration for the marathon started in early September 2017 and selection of the participants was by way of a lucky draw. Both Sam and I were lucky to have been picked by the lucky draw that was announced after the registration date. Before the Taipei Marathon 2017, I had participated in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2017 and almost immediately after this, I flew off to Taiwan to acclimatize to the cold weather and started on my training, days before the event.

The Run

We reached Taipei City Hall Plaza at 6am and the event site was already jam-packed with participants and we had to wriggle ourselves through the narrow and tortuous barricades to get to the start pen. The coldness we felt earlier became warmness soon after due to the massive heat generated by the bodily temperatures of the other participants that stood close to each other whilst waiting for the marathon to start. Sam and I wished each other good luck and we took our positions in our different zones promising to meet later at the finishing line. The marathon kicked off at 6.30am sharp and was flagged off by the Taipei City Mayor, Mr. Ko Wen-je with much fanfare from both the participants and spectators.

The Taipei Marathon 2017 relived the experience of going back and forth through the historical and modern parts of Taipei City. This includes cultural and historical sites like the North Gate (Cheng-En Gate), East Gate, (Jing-Fu Gate), South Gate (Li-Zheng Gate), Auxiliary South Gate (Chong-Xi Gate), The Grand Hotel Taipei, National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Park (Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall), Taipei Expo Park, Taipei 101, etc. Along the running routes, there were supporters both young and old and some with motivational placards that stood along the roads cheering on the participants despite the early morning coldness and wet rainy weather. It was raining and cold winds blowing at us throughout the entire race but our spirits were not dampened by it as our bodily heat generated by our runs had dissipated the cold and the goal of completing the race as our end in mind. The highest temperature recorded that day was 11ºC and the cold air actually dries your throat off easily during the run and hence, I have to constantly replenish myself with water and sports drinks whenever I chanced upon a hydration station. You are still dehydrating even though you are out running in the cold. There was almost a hydration station at every 3km mark and besides, there were also bananas, crackers and chocolate cookies as giveaways to participants who wish to replenish their energies. At one particular station, the MacArthur Bridge (Mai Shuai Er Qiao), there were also free giveaways of Brands’ Essence of Chicken as well. I could never imagine myself drinking a bottle of this during the run despite it being thought to be an energy booster with its high nutritional value, as I would probably be nauseous and throw up after that.

As this is the largest annual running event in Taiwan since its establishment in 1986, all affected roads were closed and there were police officers directing and controlling the traffic as well as marshallers guiding the participants that made the marathon safe and secure. The running routes were also well demarcated with distance markers and proper directional signage for the full and half marathon. The roads are wide enough to accommodate the participants with its scenic views as well. However, there were strict rules that participants have to adhere to. There are certain roads that will have to be re-open to traffic at certain timings and participants who are unable to reach the destination point in time will be disqualified from the marathon and be picked up by a vehicle and brought back to the finishing line. This is because of the high traffic intensity in Taipei and any further delays in re-opening the affected roads will definitely cause disruptions and inconveniences to the city. Moreover, those who did not complete the race within the stipulated time of 6 hours for the full marathon and 3 hours for the half marathon will not be entitled to the finisher medal and finisher towel.

Run to Dream  

Despite being inexperienced running in such cold weather, we still managed to complete the marathon on time and thanks to my constant training, I too have achieved a Personal Best that I am guessing that the weather must have played a part too J

Besides both the finisher medal and finisher towel, there were also many goodies stored in our goodie bags such as sports drinks, biscuits, fruits, lunch box, sandwiches, chocolates, etc. which I collected at the race village. Hot tea was also served to the participants, which was indeed heartwarming. There were many happy faces and I stayed a while longer to mingle with some of the other participants and also to soak in the atmosphere of our achievements as finishers. It was indeed a run to remember and a Run To Dream. Thereafter, both Sam and I celebrated the successful completion of our marathon to a warm and hearty hotpot meal. An item checked off my bucket list! And will I do it all over again? Yes, of course.

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My New York City Marathon 2017 Relived (by i_Sam)

By
i_Sam
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And I’m back (not so fresh) from New York City and I will be sharing about my NYC marathon experience with Team For Kids as promised.

Race Expo was held at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Eleventh Avenue, between 34th and 40th streets, in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City.

Race Expo. The Marathon Expo presented by New Balance was so huge that I had to go back at least three times I guess just to make sure I was able to check everything. It was a 3-day expo if I am not mistaken and I was so busy the whole 3 or 4 days as Team For Kids has program invites for their fundraisers and it was quite tiring too walking here and there, rushing and getting lost like most of the time. I went to Jacob K. Javits Convention Center where the expo is half an hour before it closed on its first day. I was back there again before the Parade of Nations the next day to collect the 5 km Abbott Kids Dash bib and one last time after the TFK breakfast on Saturday, a day before the big race.

The entire experience of fundraising was just so humbling given over 6 months of publicizing through different platforms, asking and knocking from friends and strangers repeatedly, even to those whom I have just met, runners and non-runners alike. I am so much grateful for everyone’s participation and for the immediate response when I reached out especially at those times that I felt hopeless and desperate. It wasn’t I who was given hope actually but the kids who for sure you have impacted a lot and made a difference in a special way on their lives through the donations made for Team For Kids. Let me take this platform and allow me to use this opportunity to thank my donors. You all know who you were. Singapore running community in general, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

Anonymously; Theresa Castaneda-Ward (USA-PHI); Elgincolin Family (CAN-PHI);
Joseph and Jenny Cabugon (USA-PHI); Ronald Seah (SIN); Gerlie Valdez (SIN-PHI);
Alan Morley (USA); Nicky Nah (SIN); Muruganandam Ramupillai (SIN); 
Noel Bautista (SIN-PHI); Dan Gilbert Co (SIN-PHI); Reynaldo Po (SIN-PHI); 
Noel Galang (SIN-PHI); Meiting Ng (SIN); Mark and Mai Bondoc (SIN-PHI); 
Richelle Valdez (SIN-PHI); Glenn and June Cosue (SIN-PHI); Edmund Baey (SIN); 
Riana Montisano (SIN); Rosalie Serrano (SIN-PHI); Ray Marshall Bautista (PHI); 
Celerino Mercado (SIN-PHI); Tsurayuki Murakami (SIN); James Ong (SIN); 
Zhiyong Liu (SIN); Cindy and John Gomez (SIN-PHI); Jena Tan (SIN); 
Corrine Kang (SIN); Grace Bautista (UK-PHI); Ashraf Ali (SIN); 
Holly Puno (USA-PHI); Ressylene Canta (USA-PHI); Sheril Labog (USA-PHI); 
Joanna Mae Bascarra Serrano (USA-PHI); Lourdes Manuzon-Torifiel (USA-PHI); 
Zayda Zafra (USA-PHI); Chiela Harris-Loyola (USA-PHI); Juana Lee-Lim (SIN); 
Ralph Jose (UK-PHI); Glaiza Requinto (SIN-PHI); 
Charissa Layosa-Pontanoza (SIN-PHI); Thomas King (SIN)
Been fortunate to be the Philippines flag bearer during the Parade of Nations

Parade of Nations. A month before the race I was chosen to represent my country to be a flag bearer during the opening ceremony on the November 3, 2017. It was an extraordinary experience leading the pack of runners from my hometown. Through this event, I met a few runners I followed and started to follow on social media, something surreal. It was participated by runners across the globe to celebrate diversity. Delegate countries were welcomed one by one in alphabetical order and the event, which lasted for over 4 hours was ended by a spectacular fireworks.

5 KM Abbot Kids Dash. Marathon runners and the public were also invited to run the Kids Dash on November 4, 2017. I did sign up too expecting for another medal but there was none. It was participated by a fairly large crowd. I regarded it as something like a shake out and familiarization run. We were late though as we lost our way to the start pen. What I am more excited with that day was the Marathon breakfast where Team For Kids fundraisers have VIP seats at the Marathon Pavilion.

TFK Marathon Breakfast. After the shake out run, we headed straight to the Marathon Pavilion for the TFK invite only breakfast.

Team For Kids Alumni 2017-18

Representative fundraisers from all over the world were recognized as well as first time runners for Team For Kids. I learned that some of the runners have been raising funds for over 10 years now as well as how TFK and New York Road Runners are contributing to the society. I also learned and listened to Meb Keflezighi who ran his last marathon, as he gave a speech on giving back and his advocacy on youth health, education and fitness.

Cool Finds at the Marathon Pavilion.

Race Day. The most exciting part! I had a good dinner on the night before November 5, 2017. We were reminded to adjust our clocks for the Daylight Savings and tucked in early. It was freezing at slightly below 10 degree Celsius with a little wind. TFK buses are waiting between 6th and 7th Avenues. Pick up time was as early as 5:30 AM and took us an hour or more to reach Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island where the race started.

It was cloudy and was expected to get a slight downpour. My flag off was at 10:15 AM and had to wait 3 hours at the TFK tent at the race village.

The TFK tent was warm, complete with entertainment as in some runners share experiences on mic, encouragements from the coaches and last minute tips. Runners are all seated comfortably inside the enormous tent equipped with warm air blowers housing hundreds of TFKers offering unlimited bagels and all sorts of refreshments including coffee, tea, water, energy gels, disposable ponchos, etc.

Runners at every wave were assisted to their respective corrals with warm up exercise conducted by assigned coaches before they were set to the base of the Verrazano-Narrows bridge. I managed to take a few photos at the start and proceeded to run as keeping still made me really feel colder intensified by the crosswinds at the bridge. (Read More)

With Singapore Runner Amanda right at the finish.

Team For Kids Runner Feature Article: Why Sam Ancheta is Flying 9,500 Miles to Take on 26.2

New York City Marathon 2018 application for drawing has opened. Click here for more info.

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NCAA Solidarity Run on January the 28th

By
Servinio
-

RUN AND help the City of Marawi rise again by joing the “NCAA Solidarity Run 2018: Bangon Marawi” to be held on January 28 at Plaza Rajah Sulayman along Roxas Boulevard.  An estimated 5,000 students and alumni of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s 10 member schools and fun run enthusiasts are expected to answer the starting gun at 4:00 AM.

“We want to help our brothers and sisters in Marawi recover from the siege last year,” said Fr. Glynn Ortega OAR of San Sebastian College.  “We also want to promote physical fitness to our students and to everyone as well by joining fun runs like this one.”

Runners can choose from 10, five and three kilometers.  Special kiddie races of one and three kilometers for those aged seven to 10 years will also be held but members of the school’s Track and Field varsity are not allowed to join.

Registration fee is set at PHP 500.00 for all distances.  The race kit consists of a singlet and race bib plus all participants will be treated to a rave party immediately after the run.

Log on to www.tinyurl.com/ncaapreregistration to register and pay fees via bank deposit to Banco de Oro account 004550210934 under the name San Sebastian College-Recoletos Manila Inc.  Keep the deposit slip for kit claiming.

Fr. Ortega added that this is only the beginning.  The NCAA, the Philippines’ oldest school-based sports organization, is expected to hold similar activities with a charitable cause in the future.

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Twincity Marathon 2018, all you need to know for this Sunday!

By
Mel
-

It’s happening this weekend! The very first marathon of the year is taking the streets of Putrajaya and Cyberjaya!

As we are psyched for the flag-off, here are some important last minute information for all runners.

Flag-off times

Route & Hydration Information

Log your time at JustRaceLah! – The Free App for Runners

Keep track of your results and progress by adding any of the 1000+ races of our database to your own portfolio. Keep your running memories organised and see your timings improving!

Download for free of iOS and Android via: www.justracelah.com

Pacers

Parking Venues

We hope you have a great race experience! Don’t forget to tag your photos with #justrunlah on Instagram!

See you at the finish line!

 

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Check Out The New Routes For Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2018

By
Mel
-

To mark the 10th edition of the Standard Chartered KL Marathon, there will be 10 new race features. The 10th feature is – to introduce new marathon and half marathon routes. To keep the race fresh and challenging, the Full and Half Marathon categories will have a new route that navigates around more of Kuala Lumpur’s iconic landmarks.

Check out the new routes!

42 km Route

21 km Route

10 km Route

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Build habits, not chase goals

By
Zhiyong
-

I look forward to building more positive habits than to achieve goals, and surprising myself with positive outcomes.

We are halfway into the 1st month of 2018. I feel very encouraged to see an increased number of people at the parks exercising during the early part of the year. Many should share the same new year resolution of “Keeping a healthier lifestyle” or “Losing weight”.

Unfortunately, to a certain extent, this number often drops throughout the year, as seen from every other year. Reasons are usually “too busy at work”, “too busy with other commitments” or “I don’t see any results”.

Let’s be honest with ourselves, how many of us actually follow through a goal or resolution which they set out to achieve at the beginning of the year? Some studies globally actually showed that about 40% of people followed through for up to half a year and only 8% confidently expressed that they stick to their resolutions for the whole year. Are people lazy, over-ambitious or they simply cannot find the motivation to press on?

Set goals, plan and get into action

To me, setting goals (“Want-to”) is the first step to a more purposeful life. However, goals without action plans are just wishes.

Planning the actions to be taken (“What-to, How-to, Where-to, When-to, Who-to”) to achieve those goals is the next step. However, some people only think of what they want to achieve without thinking further into the actions, while some plan actions which are not realistic or measurable.

The process does not stop here. And ACTUALLY taking action makes the whole difference.

I’m not an expert in the areas below but I would like to use them as analogies of how one can consider when setting their goals, planning and getting into action.

Example 1:
Goal: I want to run faster
Plan: What distance? How, where, when to train and who to train with/consult?
– Half marathon
– Run xx km or xx hours a week
– At the track, along rolling hills, at the park or at the gym
– Morning before work or lunch time
– Run with motivated and like-minded friends/groups
– Consult an experienced friend or expert for advice/tips
Action: Take action progressively and build it into a habit

Example 2:
Goal: I want to hit xx sales per year
Plan: What target audience? How, where, when to approach and who to brainstorm with/consult?
– Business-to-Business
– Research on active clients within target segment, gather xx leads a week, follow up with xx potential clients a week, and/or attend networking sessions xx times a month
– Brainstorm ideas with team and gather feedback to improve process
– Consult experienced friends or mentor
Action: Take action progressively and build it into a habit

Personal thoughts from 2017

I’m someone who is motivated by the journey and not the destination. I choose to believe that results will follow when the actions are taken consistently. Rushing to get the end results often lead to burn-out, and/or disappointments. These negative impact may come in both physical and mental forms.

I learnt in 2017 that small changes in my lifestyle can have a significant impact and are more sustainable.

Referring to one of the many aspects of my life: health & fitness. I set a reasonable yet challenging weekly mileage target and stick to it for 4 weeks. It became a habit which I constantly strive to achieve. Whenever I feel lazy or exhausted, I’ll remind myself that if I don’t do it today, I will need to make up for it tomorrow or during the rest of the week.

On a similar note, I reduced (it is more realistic than to abstain totally) sugar intake by having less coffee which I usually take during my daily breakfast. Setting a weekly quota helped to curb my craving for coffee as well.

I also constantly remind myself to spend time with my loved ones, by setting aside quality meal times with my wife and friends. I adjusted my schedules for other things so that I allocate dinner times on weekdays and lunch/dinner on weekends with important people.

There were no specific goals in mind but I enjoyed the journey, constantly looking forward to outcomes which surprise me.

Some positive outcomes which I experienced include better run performances (slowly but surely), reduced body fat and a more positive mind. I get to spend more time with people who sometimes highlighted to me that I did not spend enough with them.

Going into Year 2018

For 2018, I wish to bring my health & fitness to another level, while improving other aspects of total wellness.
– Reading a book at least 3 times a week, 20 minutes each time (keeping it realistic as I was never a book person)
– Doing core workouts at least 3 times a week, 10 minutes each time (never a core workout person too)
– Adding some high-intensity workout 1 time a week
– Listening to inspirational or educational podcasts at least 3 times a week

In order not to overwhelm myself and go into burn-out, I have planned to build the habits with the limited time I have daily by doing them concurrently. For example, I will read before bed-time or during lunchtime, listen to a podcast while warming up on the treadmill before the core workout session, and slot in a high-intensity workout as part of a usual run session etc.

With the same approach of weekly targets/quota, I am constantly motivated to achieve those actions with the same mindset “if I don’t do it today, I will have to make up for it tomorrow or during the rest of the week”.

This blog is for sharing of personal views and does not represent any expert opinions. For those who often feel burn-out or even get de-motivated after trying very hard to stick to their plans towards their resolutions, I hope my sharing can help to put things into a different perspective.

I’m looking forward to developing more positive habits than to chase goals, and surprising myself with positive outcomes which I may not even think of achieving.

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These Are The Most Beautiful Places To Run In Asia Pacific

By
Mel
-

There are many epic places that make our heart skip a beat. And it’s just standard runner intuition protocol to want to run at these picturesque places. Come satisfy your running bug and your wanderlust at the same time with these jaw-dropping beautiful places to run. Here’s a list of the most beautiful places to run in Asia Pacific!

#1 Singapore – Southern Ridges

Photo Credits: Lonely Planet

The Southern Ridges is a 10 kilometer stretch of greenery spanning Singapore’s most popular parks and hills. They are interconnected by beautiful ridges and bridges that allow you to walk amongst the trees. Run the trails, admire the beautiful skyline, enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds of the exotic flora and fauna, and have a breathtaking experience.

#2 Malaysia -Kinabalu

Photo Credits: Borneo Adventure 

There is no view more spectacular than what you get standing on the highest peak of the highest peak on the Crocker range. Watch the sky go ablaze with fiery red as the sun rises above the pillows of clouds – it is truly stunning. It’s a challenging climb but one that is well worthwhile when you reach the summit.

#3 Australia – Bondi To Coogee

Photo Credits: Concrete Playground

The Bondi to Coogee walk is a 6 km walk in the Sydney suburbs. It is a cliff top coastal walk with magnificent sensational views of the beach, rockpools, and cliffs. The route starts from the famous Bondi beach and takes you through a coastal walk with, hands down, the most beautiful ocean-side scenery in the whole of New South Wales. With that view, you could run forever.

#4 Indonesia – Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park

Bromo gives you some out of the world views! The sunrise amongst the mysterious clouds illuminating the sky with an intense fiery red against the backdrop of a magnificent Bromo mountain is out of the world! There are so many mountain views in Indonesia, but, Bromo is really extraordinary.

#5 New Zealand – Milford Sound

Milford Sound is a Fjord in the Southwest of the South Island. It is incredibly grand and fjords sheer cliffs attract awe, admiration, and apprehension. People fall head over heels over Milford sound. The indigo water with towering mountains and clear blue skies become the focal point of many photographers. It’s so peaceful and beautiful, you could run forever here.

#6 Hong Kong – Sunset Peak

Photo Credits: Lonely Planet

The gorgeous sunset peak stands at 869-metres above sea level located on Lantau Island. The journey up has always been described as arduous and difficult but rewarding. It is a great epic hike or run up, with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

#7 Thailand – Doi Inthanon National Park

Photo Credits: Adventure in you

This national park is home to the tallest point in Thailand and is a great escapade into the great beauty of mother nature. The mountain stands tall and offers picturesque scenery and cooling weather, making it a great place to run. The park also offers a great number of trails and scenic waterfalls.

#8 Philippines – Osmena Peak

Photo Credits: Cebu Tours

Osmena peak is the highest point in Cebu Island. Standing 1,013 meters above sea level, this stunning site offers a dramatic view of jagged cliffs with a view of the sea in the distance. The view does remind you of the famous Chocolate hills located in Bohol. A great place to run, with greater views.

Read More:

  1. 15 Most Epic Places To Run 
  2. 5 Hikes In Asia That Should Be On Your Bucket List
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4 Great Places To Run In Penang

By
Mel
-

Penang has one of the best street foods in the world – from the aromatic Char Kuey Teow, to the amazing Prawn Mee, to the sourish Asam Laksa. It’s no wonder Penang is a popular food-hunting destination. Don’t forget to run just because you are on a holiday. Plus, we’ve got to burn off what we eat, to eat even more right? Here are 4 great places to run in Penang!

#1 Penang Botanical Gardens

Photo Credits: Holiday Go Go Group

The Penang Botanical Gardens is also known as the Waterfall Gardens. It is very popular among Penang Islanders for their daily walks or runs. The area is well landscaped with a huge variety of exotic plant species. But, do mind the wild monkeys as well! You can run around the park, or if you’re looking for something more challenging, take the trails through Moongate all the way up to Penang Hill. Great views of Penang await you from atop! The best part is the Coconut Shake at the refreshment stalls after your workout.

#2 Pearl Hill

Photo Credits: Penang Projects

Pearl Hills is dubbed the Kenny Hills of Penang. It is really like Kenny Hils – an expensive residential area with plenty of hills. It represents runners with a great hill challenge. It’s perfect for hill repeats or a long run on an undulating course. It’s a great place for a nice quiet run.

#3 Youth Park To Jesselton

Photo Credits: Penang Monthly

The route is largely shaded with the abundance of trees. The terrain is relatively flat. It is also a little quiet and secluded, making it perfect for a peaceful run to clear your mind and calm your thoughts. The Jesselton neighborhood has only very light traffic, making it a favorite running route of most runners. To and fro gives you about a 5km loop, so many runners do a looped long run along this route. Be sure to say hi to a fellow runner!

#4 Air Itam Dam

Photo Credits: Malay Mail Online

The Air Itam Dam is an oasis of peace and nature. It makes a beautiful walk and a great date with mother nature. The view from here is breathtaking. On a nice clear day, you are greeted with views of Butterworth across the straits while running. The mountainous fresh air is another reason why runners love coming here to run. However, during the rainy season, runners have to take extra caution as landslides often happen.

Read More:

  1. 5 Attractions In Penang You Should Not Miss 
  2. 5 Local Food You Must Try In Penang
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