5 Drinks You Should Stop Buying!

By

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November 27, 2017

We run, and naturally, running makes us thirsty. You did a long run, you think you deserve that ice cold Coca-Cola. Thing is, not all drinks are great recovery fuels. Some are terrible!

#1 Ice-Blended Flavoured Drinks

Photo Credits: Blendtec

Yes, that Starbucks Matcha Frappe or Iced Hazelnut Latte should not be your go-to-drink. These are often laden with artificial flavours, many emulsifiers, preservatives and lots of sugar. You should avoid these drinks at all costs! In fact many of these artificial flavours are made in laboratories and include additives that have been linked to cancer.

#2 Diet Soda

Photo Credits: Business Insider

You’ve heard it – Diet Coke and Pepsi Zero may not be the better choice after all. These diet sodas use artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are far sweeter as compared to sugar. Once we become accustomed to these sweet drinks, healthy natural sweet tasting food such as fruits become tasteless and less appealing. You will find yourself picking high sugar food more often as your are accustomed to sweeter food.

#3 Concentrated Fruit Juice

Photo Credits: Boston

We may think fruit juice is healthy but if it says made from concentrate, avoid these at all costs. Taking in fruit juice increases the amount of sugar we take in everyday. Remember concentrated fruit juice are often use as sweeteners because of the high concentration of sugars. We take in the sugars, but we do not take in the fibre we require. We don’t feel full with fruit juices, making it more likely for us to reach out for a snack later in the day. If you must take fruit juice, cold press is better.

#4 Flavoured Water

Photo Credits: Simcoe Health Clinic

Just because it has water in it’s name, doesn’t make it healthy. Flavoured waters are loaded with artificial sweetener, sugars, and synthetic flavouring – which are all bad for us. It adds a lot of sugar to our diet. If you are really craving flavoured water, add some fruit into your water – lemon, strawberry or even a kiwi.

#5 Sweetened Flavoured Milk

Stay away from banana milk, caramel coffee milk or even strawberry milk. These milk are loaded with artificial flavouring and artificial sweeteners. The best is to go unsweetened. If you are up for it, start making your own nut milk. Or blend a banana with fresh milk to get your very own natural flavoured milk!

4 Foot Injuries To Watch Out For While Running

By

Mel

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November 27, 2017

Injured runner — Unrecognizable injured runner sitting on a wooden floor background

As a runner, we put our feet under immense stress and pressure. We are more susceptible to foot injuries. Here are 4 foot injuries to look out for while running.

#1 Plantar Fasciitis

The plantar problem is whereby you have a pain at the bottom of your heel. This is particularly bad first thing in the morning when you get out of bed. Your plantar is put under too much stress and hence causes a painful inflammation. It may be also caused by the weak calf muscles, causing an imbalance in other areas.

How To Treat It: Cross-train is the way to go. Avoid stressing your plantar out even more. You can also roll your foot on a tennis ball or golf ball or a frozen water bottle to ease the tension.

How To Prevent It: Foam Roll and strengthen your calf muscles. An example of an exercise to strengthen your calf muscles would be calf raises.

#2 Ankle Tendinitis

Tendinitis is where you feel a pain at the outside of your ankle, beneath the ankle bond that extend to the back of the joint. This is caused by inflammation of your tendons, and hence the pain.

How To Treat It: Avoid putting too much stress on your ankles, this means cross train! You can cycle or swim instead. Ice the inflamed area for 15 minutes at least 3 times a day.

How To Prevent It: Strong ankles will help prevent this problem. In order to have strong ankles, to foot eversions which really targets the ankle area.

#3 Stress Fracture

This is one injury that could take really long to heal. This occurs when the demand on your bones exceeds the stress your bones are able to take. This often happens when we go too fast too soon, or run too much mileage to soon. The pain will worsen over time.

How To Treat It: Do cross training. It is also paramount to see a doctor to get it diagnosed and see what’s the best course of action. Some people end up needing an air boot. Some people have to start physiotherapy. It all depends on the severity of the stress fracture!

How To Prevent It: Strengthening your muscles are very important in preventing a stress fracture. Do overall body strengthening exercises such as burpees, jump squats and lunges. Also, remember the golden rule of never upping your mileage by more than 10 percent every week.

See more about stress fractures here.

#4 Morton’s Neuroma

This injury is whereby you feel a burning sensation at the ball of your foot. This tingling sensation extends towards between your 2nd and 3rd toes. This is caused by inflammation when the front of your foot is constricted.

How To Treat It: You should avoid running as running constantly lands on the ball of your foot. If there is a pain at the ball of your foot, naturally you would change your stride to avoid pain. This means you’re running form will no longer be natural and may cause you other injuries. Ice your foot to bring down the inflammation.

How To Prevent It: Never use shoes which are too tight! Ensure they have enough room for your toes to wiggle about.

5 Mistakes That Are Keeping You Fat

By

Mel

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November 27, 2017

I go for that body combat class and grit class back to back everyday, every week, why aren’t my abs showing? – sounds familiar? It is often said abs are made in the kitchen – only 20 percent exercise! Here are 5 eating habits that will help you get there! Try to abide by these habits one at a time – make a lifestyle change. Target one habit at a time because we only have so much willpower. Trying to break several bad habits at a time can become too overwhelming and we may be setting ourselves up for failure.

#1 Skipping Meals

Don’t skip a meal! Skipping a meal can mess with your body’s ability to control your appetite. It would mean it is more likely for you to reach out for that pizza or bag of crisp! Regulating yourself is a brain activity which requires glucose. Sometimes, restriction leads to overeating. You know your body requires about 1800 – 2200 calories a day. Break these up into small meals throughout the day. Do not exceed the amount of calories necessary!

#2 Eating Too Fast

According to a research done, it is said our body releases hormones that make us fuller if we take the time to savour our meal. Whereas if you chow down your food too fast, your body doesn’t have the time to process this and let you know you are already full. You thus move on to the next course. So, slow down, and savour your food!

#3 Pigging Out On Weekends

So, you’ve been good on the weekdays and you think you deserve weekend cheat days? Well, restricting yourselves so much on the weekdays may lead to binging on the weekends. Some people eat as much cake as possible to make up for the weekday restrictions. You end up getting thrown off the bandwagon and you tell yourself it’s okay I can eat as much as I want and I’ll start on Monday! Doesn’t this sound familiar? You go way overboard! Remember, everything should be in moderation. It’s okay to have one slice of cake, but not the whole cake!

#4 Drinking

Yes, that beer belly! Drinking can cause an excess consumption of calories. Take two cans a beer a day and that gives you an additional 2000 calories a week. That’s one day worth of calories! Burning off 2000 calories isn’t easy either – unless you’re running a marathon a week! Try to cut down on drinking slowly!

#5 Snacking On Crisp

Salt is the main culprit of our snacking habits. Sodium causes us to eat unconsciously. Go on a reduced sodium diet and cravings can go away! It’s really that easy! Try snacking on healthy things instead – fruits instead of chips for instance, or snacking on nuts instead!

Guide To Your First 50km

By

Mel

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November 26, 2017

So, you’ve conquered the marathon distance – what’s next? Some of us would want to hit a better personal best, conquer the elusive sub4 or sub3 mark, but some of us would like to take on a greater distance. Here is a guide to your first 50km. It may sound like just 8km more, but 8km is a lot.

Run While Fatigue

You need to train your legs to run while tired. The long runs are a must – and should at least be 30km in distance. To train your legs to work in a tired state, incorporate a tempo run the day before your long run. This really help simulates the fatigue you will go through in the later stages of your race. Remember the key goal of the workout is to develop your aerobic capacity and enable your legs to handle the distance.

Also, strength workouts are a must. To be able to handle the distance, you basically need to be strong. Incorporate some trail running sessions or pick hilly route to do your long runs on. The strength gained from hill running makes a runner much stronger, and this strength also turns into speed on the flats.

Nutrition And Hydration Needs

Many ultra runners face gastrointestinal problems. This is because blood is drawn away from your digestive system to your working muscles, i.e. your quads or hamstrings. Digestion is interrupted. This causes GI issues that many ultras face, leading to vomiting and diarrhoea. Remember to always try out your nutrition and hydration strategy during training.Make sure you nail it during training and mimic it as closely as possible during a race.

Remember the key is to always eat before you are hungry and drink before you are thirsty to prevent hitting the wall and bonking.

Tune Up Races

It is good to do a couple of tune up races to know where you stand fitness wise. It is also a great opportunity for you to test your racing gear and nutrition strategy for your upcoming ultra. Remember this is a tune up race, not your big race. Don’t go all out. It’s meant to be a training run. Keep your eyes on the prize!

Pacing Is King

Ultra running is a game of patience. If you go out too fast in the first half of the race, you will pay the price for it in the second half of the race. Remember 50km is a very long distance. If you target to average a 5 minute pace, don’t go out at a 430 pace for the first 10km. It’s better to feel comfortable and go faster in the later stages, if you are feeling good. Pacing is really important when it comes to ultras. It is so long that you don’t want to bonk at 42km do you?

Good luck for your first 50km!

3 Pacing Strategies To Your Next Personal Best

By

Mel

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November 26, 2017

Running a personal best is a delicate thing – all things must come together in the right manner.

Look at Kipchoge’s attempt at the world record in Berlin! With his Monza performance, his coach Patrick Sang was confident he was at his peak. But, weather conditions proved too tough for a world record attempt. By the 15km mark, everyone knew Berlin 2017 was not the day a new world record would be set. Pacing is a very important component to setting a personal best – and one you can control.

Make sure all the controllable factors are under your control to maximise your chances of a personal best. Here are 3 different pacing strategies and when to use them!

#1 Even Splits

Running even splits mean, running at the same pace for the entire course of the race. If you’re planning to run a 3 hour 30 minutes marathons, this means running at a 5 minute pace for every kilometre of the race. This is a conservative pacing strategy and very suitable races of greater distances. Long distance races is really a game of patience. If you go out too fast, you will pay the price for it in the second half. So, it’s better to start off conservative.

#2 All Out And Hang On

Photo Credits: Strength Running

For the more adventurous and risky, you can go all out, and try to hang on to this suicidal pace for dear life. Start faster than your goal pace, and see what you are capable of doing. It can get paid off in the form of a huge personal best. Of course, you risk failing miserably. This strategy should only be used when you think you’re in good shape and think a personal best is likely. This strategy is recommended for shorter races such as the 10km and under.

#3 Negative Splits

For most runners, negative splits are the best way to attempt a personal best. This method is where you run a faster second half as compared to the first half. For example, you would run the last kilometre of your 5km race as your fastest split. This strategy is employed best fro the 5km distance up to the half marathon distance. You start off conservatively, and progressively get faster as each kilometre passes. You conserve your energy and kick later on when you are feeling good.

But whatever the strategy you employ, trust in your training. Remember to always trust the process and enjoy the race! Don’t put too much pressure on yourself!

Explore your Hood!

By

Jacques De Wet

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November 25, 2017

Are you bored with the same running route each day? Feeling the need to shake things up? Or have just moved to a new home and not sure where to run?

It’s time to get into your running gear and explore because running is probably the best way to see your hood! It is faster than walking, you can go a fair distance in a reasonable amount of time, you can stop anytime to look around or just look and run, and you can go places a bike can’t, like stairs or a shortcut along a canal.

But like any intrepid explorer you will need a map. Luckily technology has improved in leaps and bounds and we don’t have to worry about falling of the edge of the earth. There are so many mapping apps and programs available that it is hard to keep track of them all. I use Google Maps, Citymapper, Strava, and Movescount (for Suunto watches). But all of them are good for purpose.

First thing is find where you are going to start your run. It could be your home, work, or a hotel in a new city.

Then decide what you want to see along with your run. Use the maps to look for tourist attractions nearby, parks, rivers, or that great looking neighborhood that you saw from the bus the other day. Many mapping programs will give you the shortest distance by walking there. Remember to double the distance, if it’s a loop run, and add some more for a good explore. If the distance is too short, the fun starts, as you now start adding “long”cuts. By going down quiet roads away from the main routes, you can have more pleasant running, and your lungs will be happier. You will also start discovering little treasures of running paradise. Places that seem to be for you, and you alone!

The next level up is using running heat maps. Heat maps is where all logged runs are aggregated into wickedly cool maps where the density of the runners’ routes is shown by brighter lines on a dark map. I use Movescount and Strava for these but Garmin, Nike and others also have heat maps. Look for routes nearby and start with the brighter ones, but as with all things exploring, the fun comes as you go further off the beaten path. Make sure to set the heat maps to running as cycling is often the default setting.

Once you are comfortable exploring while running, start creating fun routes. I have one starting from my front door where I string 15 embassies into a 12km run. It’s totally pointless, and that’s the point!

Each weekend go for a run in a new part of Singapore. The island might be small but perfect for running. Hint- there are over 300km of Park Connectors, try to run them all.

You will become more aware of your surroundings and have more fun doing it, and running will never be boring again.

5 Foods To Avoid Before Your Next Big Race

By

Mel

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November 23, 2017

With a big race, with putting all our hard work, determination and effort into a big race, we want to minimise the chances of things going wrong. Already so many things can go wrong! Here are 5 foods to avoid before your next big race. Don’t let a toilet break stand in the way of you and your personal best.

#1 Caffeine

Photo Credits: Belief Net

Many of us are coffee addicts. We need to have our daily dose – what more when we need to be up at 230 in the morning and out on the streets running a marathon for a couple of hours. This is because caffeine can expedite the transit time of food in the GI tract, causing us gastrointestinal problems. Don’t put your run in danger of a bowel problem. Research has in fact shown that munching on an apple is just as effective a morning-pick-me-up as coffee. So pick up an apple for that energised run instead of coffee!

#2 Cereals With Fruits

Remember to always go low fibre before your run. Don’t take breakfast with berries, grapes and what-not. It’s healthy we know, but the fibre could make you need a mid-run toilet break which won’t be comfortable. Instead go for a high-carb energy boosting breakfast instead. Go for toast with peanut butter and a banana for instance. It will give you the kick of energy you need, minus the toilet break.

#3 Gum & Sorbitol

Have you ever had one too many gum and had a tummy problem? This is because there is a possible laxative effect with things containing sorbitol. Sorbitol is used in many products to replace sugar to reduce the calories. Thing with sorbitol is that it isn’t fully absorbed by our body. It remains in our digestive tract. When blood is directed away from our digestive system to oarless, this could cause us to have diarrhoea. If you’re craving something sweet, go for an electrolyte drink instead.

#4 Spicy Food

We all know how our digestive system can react to spicy food. It can be nasty. Spicy food tends to irritate the lining of out stomach, causing tummy upsets and the urge to expel all the nasties. You love your spicy food and chilli but try to tone it down and save it for your post-race meal.

#5 Dairy Products

Some of us are lactose intolerant, but even for those of us who aren’t, dairy products can cause us stomach upsets. Basically the combination of fat and lactose could possibly spell a recipe for disaster. If you are craving a creamy beverage, reach out for a dairy replacement for instance nut milk – almond milk or hazelnut milk. Save your creamy chocolate milk for your post run.

#6 Beans, Lentils, Legumes

Photo Credits: Breaking Muscle

These are now trending as health foods. They are gaining much popularity. However, although they may not look like the traditional vegetables and maybe you won’t associate them with high fibre but, they are really high in fibre. Too much and they have the tendency to cause bloating.

How To Buy Your Next Pair Of Shoes

By

Mel

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November 22, 2017

We’re so spoilt for choices when it comes to buying shoes. We don’t even know where to begin. But, know that it is worth taking the time to pick the perfect shoes for you. Running shoes these days don’t come cheap. If you’re going to fork out your dough, make sure you make your monies worth. It is crucial we find a suitable pair of running shoes.

#1 Feel Or Float?

Know the type of shoes you are most comfortable in. Some people like to feel the ground. Some people like shoes that have more cushioning. Generally speaking, people with a heavier built tend to welcome the support and cushioning. However if you are one that likes to feel light and agile, you may find the cushioning a tad to heavy for you.

#2 Know Your Size

Photo Credit: New York Times

Your running shoes should feel snug, not tight and definitely not way too loose. Get your feet measure properly. Don’t go a size bigger or smaller just because the shoes are on sale. You risk an unwanted injury. Make sure there is space in the toe box for your toes to wiggle around, but also not too big such that your shoe feels like slipping out with every stride. Always try them out – run up and down the aisle. Does it rub against your toes? Could it cause a blister? Test it out thoroughly before forking out your dough!

#3 Never Buy A Shoe For It’s Colour

I mean this is pure logic, but one that many tend to oversee. It may come in your favourite colour, your favourite style and matches your favourite running outfit, but, it may not be the right pair of running shoes for you. Remember, always comfort before looks and fashion when it comes to running!

#4 Running Shoes, Only For Running

Photo Credits: Brooks Running

Remember that you should not use your running shoes for everything else. When you buy your shoes, have in mind that they should only be for running! – not cycling, not walking! Using them for other purposes changes the wear of the outsoles. The would wear out sooner than they should. Using worn out shoes can lead to overuse injuries. So bear in mind that when purchasing a new pair of shoes.

#5 Shop Smart

Don’t buy the nike breaking 2 shoe, just because everyone is buying it. Does it really suit your running gait and running form? Know and understand your feet. There is no best shoe, but only the right shoe for you. Go to a specialised running shop. You can get your running gait analysed and get some expert opinions on what shoes suit you. If you go to a generalise store, you probably won’t get much advice!

All the best shopping for a new running companion!

4 Biggest Problem Areas For Runners

By

Mel

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November 22, 2017

Runners need to be strong in certain areas. This allows to run better, faster, stronger and more efficiently. With a strong form, your form won’t falter easily. A bad faltering form is a recipe for injury. When our form falters we tend to put pressure on muscles, tendons and ligaments that aren’t used to taking that much stress. We hence risk injury. Here are 4 areas runners face a big problem with.

#1 Hips

It’s easy to strengthen your quads, your hamstrings, or even your upper body by doing simple squats and pushups. However, the hips are often neglected. Weak abductors and adductors actually affect your running – a lot! These affect proper running alignment.

Photo Credits: The Exercist

To have strong hips, do clams – lie on your right side with your knees bent slightly. Lift your left leg up till about 60 degree and bring it back down. You can also do the side plank hip lifts.

#2 Glutes

To run well, you should have a strong butt. Strong glutes help stabilise your pelvis and and knees. Weak glutes have been linked to IT Band problems, Achilles tendon problems and shin splint issues.

Religiously do your squats to strengthen your glutes. You can do a lot of squat variations such as squat jumps and single leg squats which really help target your glute muscles.

#3 Hamstring

The hamstring work together with your glutes and quads in every stride. If you have hamstring problems this could mean your lower back is not strong enough, hence causing hamstring overuse. This means you need to strengthen the back. On the other hand, weak hamstring problems could lead to quad, calf and glutes overuse, or even ankle problems.

Photo Credits: Girls Gone Strong

Do single leg deadlifts to strengthen your hamstring and lower back muscles. Progress by holding on to a weighted plate. This also trains your balancing and stability. Standard deadlifts and glute bridges are also helpful.

#4 Ankles

Ankles are so delicate. Injuries to the ankle are very common – and sometimes it could be just bad luck! The best way to avoid ankle injuries is to strengthen the ankle. This could make the difference between a very bad sprain and something you can just run off!

Photo Credits: Kesson Physio

Do ankle aversion and inversions. This really helps you strengthen your ankle area. You can also do bosu ball balances by standing on one leg on a bosu and balance.

Closure of section of Rail Corridor to be extended

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 22, 2017

Missing to run or walk along the Rail Corridor between Holland Road and Commonwealth Avenue?

Sadly to tell you that the closure of this section of the Rail Corridor will be extended to the second quarter of 2018, which is initially planned to be reopened in the fourth quarter of this year. Yet, the positive note from PUB is that this extended closure is for enhancement works to make the corridor more inclusive and accessible.

According to the national water agency, the extended closure also covers the completion of pipe laying works for a section of the 22km Murnane Pipeline to meet future water demand in the city area.

Another good news to our active readers, “the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will strengthen the sub-base of the trail along this southern half with suitable materials to make it more resilient to wet weather and use. The trail surface will also be improved with a material comprising a mixture of earth from the Rail Corridor and cement to retain the rustic character of the Rail Corridor trail,” PUB said.

The above works will take six months to complete, and according to the announcement of URA and the National Parks Board, visitors can enjoy continuous connectivity along the entire 24km Corridor by 2021!

So let’s look forward to seeing a new look of the Rail Corridor trail! Meanwhile, check out some other nice trails in Singapore here:

Discover The Tampines Heritage Trail – 3 Trails, 3 Difference Experiences

How Many Calories Does Running Burn?

By

Mel

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November 22, 2017

It’s quite simple actually. Most experts suggest that a person of an average weight burns about 100 calories every mile he runs. You burn more if you are a less efficient runner. You burn more if you weigh more. This is because you would require more energy to cover the same distance. On the contrary, it is believed that this number remains the same regardless of how fast you run.

Generally speaking of course, the faster you run, the more miles you would cover. So this means you would burn more calories in the same given amount of time. For example, someone running at 6 minute pace will cover 10km (6.2miles) in an hour whereas someone running at 5km (7.4miles) pace will cover 12km in an hour. So the person running at 6m pace would burn 620 calories in an hour whereas the person running at 5m pace would burn 740 calories in an hour.

However, note that walking is a different kind of movement and motion. So walking burns less calories as compared to running. Running involves a bit of a jumping motion – propelling yourself forward. So walking burns less calories per mile as compared to running.

Residual Calorie Expenditure

Photo Credits: Red Bull

What is fundamental here however is the calories you continue to burn post-workout. This is known as residual calorie expenditure. After you run, you do not instantly return to your resting state. You are breathing fast, your heart is pumping hard and so you are still burning more calories. You are in this state longer if you run a hard mile as compared to a slower mile. It raises your base metabolism rate for about 24 hours.

However, this doesn’t mean you should go all out during all your runs in order to burn more calories. Your body may only be able to take intense running about 1-2 times a week, if not you risk burning out. When you burn out, you won’t be able to do much running and end of the day, end up burning less calories than intended.

4 Reasons Why You Can’t Lose Body Fat

By

Mel

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November 22, 2017

Been there, done that! We all probably have been through, yet we find ourselves in the same position time after time. You start to wonder what you’ve been doing wrong, or are you even doing anything right at all? Somehow or rather, we can’t see the changes we were hoping for. Here are 4 reasons why you aren’t losing body fat!

#1 You Are Eating More Than You Think

Are you tracking your food intake? If you aren’t how do you know your calorie intake is less than your calorie output? Your calorie intake must be ideal. Eating too much means you probably would be gaining fat. Your body does not have the opportunity to burn them. Eating too little however makes your body switch to survival mode. Your body clings on to unwanted fat for life. Both this situations aren’t ideal for fat loss.

#2 You Aren’t Active Enough

Most of us have a very sedentary lifestyle. We may dedicate an hour, 3-4 times a week to physical activity, but that’s about it. We need to keep ourself moving. If you only have an hour, maybe do a High Intensity Interval Workout which helps torch the calories much more as compared to a slow steady cardio workout. Build strength and muscle to help increase your body metabolism!

#3 You Don’t Sleep Well

Sleep is very important. When you sleep, your body produces hormones that help you recover and rejuvenate. It is also when you sleep that your body burns fat. Lack of sleep affects your hormones in your body. This can mean those late night cravings for cake, ice-cream and crisp. Your ability to make healthy food choices will be compromised.

#4 You Aren’t Consistent

Many people take the all or nothing approach. They go all out. They cut out everything, going on a very strict diet, but to fall off the band wagon a couple of weeks later. They decide to start again on Monday. So they have a couple of days to binge again. This does not work and this is not sustainable. Instead, remember that consistency is key and everything in moderation. It’s okay t have that slice of pizza, but have 1 instead of 5. It’s okay to have that ice-cream once a week, instead of every 2 days!

How Runners Should Deal with Toenail Fungus

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 22, 2017

Toenail fungus is a common fungal infection, which affects runners quite frequently. The constant moisture, inadequate hygiene, and sturdy footwear are among the factors favoring the appearance of such infections. As an athlete, whether professional or amateur, the most important thing is to be able to train regularly. Unfortunately, fungal infections can slow down your training, causing a lot of discomforts. Keep on reading and discover how you should deal with toenail fungus so that it does not affect your running and training in general.

Prevention of Favoring Factors

The first thing you need to do is eliminate the factors that might aggravate the toenail fungus. It is recommended for you to change your running shoes frequently, throwing those that are worn out away. You should also wear sweat-absorbent socks and apply special powder inside your shoes. Maintain excellent hygiene and avoid sharing objects of personal health with other people (fungal infections are highly contagious).

Topical Treatments

Toenail fungus can be treated with topical antifungal medication, such as creams, gels, spray or powders. These contain substances with active, antifungal properties, working to eliminate the fungus and improve the overall appearance of the affected nails. Efficient topical treatments are applied directly on the toenails, requiring several weeks until they deliver the first results.

Oral Medication

Oral medication is recommended for more severe toenail fungal infections, which have proven resistant to topical treatments. The treatment with oral antifungal medicine can last for a longer time and, unfortunately, it can cause some side-effects. In the situation that you present discomforting symptoms, it is essential to consult your doctor and request an alternative to the given medication.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy is highly efficient when it comes to treating toenail fungus, requiring only several sessions to provide the desired results. The procedure is entirely safe and effective, is especially recommended for runners who want to get back to their training as soon as it is possible. As the healthy nail begins to grow, the difference is visible. To determine if you are suited for such types of treatment, it is for the best to schedule a consultation with your doctor.

Natural Remedies

Some natural remedies can be used to get rid of toenail fungus, many of which are conveniently found inside your home. Among the most recommended choices, you will find apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, and baking soda. You can also use white vinegar, oregano oil, and garlic; lemon juice, lavender and orange oil have proven out to be useful as well. With natural remedies, you do not have to worry about side-effects or allergic reactions, being able to escape the fungal infection rapidly.

Conclusion

Runners have to deal with lots of problems, including plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the plantar fascia), toenail fungus and various injuries. It is essential to have the accurate diagnosis and take the necessary measures to return to an excellent state of health. Once such problems are solved, you can get back on the running track and enjoy your results.

References:

Article by Amanda Roberts of feetremedies.com

Tolentino, Zabala Best of MILO CdeO

By

Servinio

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November 22, 2017

CAGAYAN DE ORO – Former champion Jerald Zabala is back on top of the podium after ruling the 41^st National MILO Marathon Cagayan de Oro qualifiers last Sunday at the Centrio Mall. In the distaff side, veteran campaigner Ailene Tolentino showed the way by easily outdistancing the opposition.

Zabala clocked 1:12:42 to beat out challengers Bryan Quiamco (1:13:12) and Ramil Neri (1:14:55) and retain the title he last won in 2014. Zabala’s winning time is also the year’s fastest after completion of all 15 21-kilometer regional qualifying races.

Tolentino of the Philippine Army was too fast at 1:26:18, a time almost good to make the Top 10 in the Men’s category. Coming in at second was Esterlita Organiza (1:31:28) followed by Evamie Villarin (1:34:59).

Tolentino’s time is only the second fastest for the year. Former MILO Marathon Queen Christabel Martes registered the fastest time among the females at 1:23:45 in taking the season-opening Urdaneta leg last July 16.

In the side events, last year’s leg champion Keenan Lou Caburnay opted not to defend his title and instead took home the 10-kilometer race in 33:05 together with female winner Jhelie Mansueto (42:10). The five kilometers was ruled by Erwin Mancao (17:16) and Emmalyn Taypin (21:50) while the three-kilometer kid’s race was won by Jason Gumamo (12:07) and Sophia Psalm Belican (13:19).

This marks the final race to determine participants in the National Finals scheduled for December 3 in Cebu City. Reigning MILO Marathon King Jeson Agravante and Queen Mary Joy Tabal are already seeded and set to defend their titles and aiming for the PHP 300,000.00 grand prize plus the chance to represent the Philippines in an overseas race in 2018.

International runners can still join by submitting a certification of time and finish from any AIMS-accredited race completed not earlier than December 3, 2016. For more information, visit www.milo.com.ph or www.runrio.com.

My ‘The Performance Series’ Race 3 2017 [10km] (by SwimmingRunner)

By

SwimmingRunner

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This is the last performance series race for year 2017 and also my first time joining the Performance Series race. It was held at Changi Exhibition Centre. I signed up for 10km category. I decided to join this race because of its unique race route.

I missed the collection of my race pack because I wasn’t notified by the organiser and I didn’t check out the race pack collection period. So I had to proceed to the organiser’s office (near Tai Seng MRT) to collect my race pack on the following Tuesday or Wednesday during office hours which I did. When collecting my race pack, I realised that Esprimo is the organizer for this race.

It rained in most parts of Singapore the night before the race. I didn’t concern myself too much this time with the weather forecast. I Took Uber to the race village at Changi Exhibition Centre at around 6am. I arrived at 6.20am, deposited my bag, used the toilet cubicle and arrived at the same time when 1st wave flagged off at 6.30am. Bag deposit was swift as there was no one queueing at that point of time.

The 10km race was flagged off in time. The ground was wet and the skies were still dark but the weather was cool and there was some wind at times. It was a pretty simple route, 5 km to and fro.

Before the race started , I was only expecting to run slow and complete my 10km in 1 hour or more as I had little sleep the night before(3 hours).

After I finished the race, I realised that the distance was slightly short of 10 km. My Garmin watch measured a distance of 9.77km. I completed it in around 56 mins. I was surprised, never thought I could do it. Managed to run most of the time and stop only at water points. That’s even better than my previous personal best of 58mins 10secs which I got during straits times run 2017 (but the distance measured at exactly 10km)

Hydration consists of water and Lucozade but the water points wasn’t evenly spaced. First water point was at about 1.5 km and just over 2 km or so. Subsequent water points was spaced even further away because of the U turn. I didn’t have much issue with this but I guessed some runners may find it challenging if they started later (due to the heat) or took longer time. The race results were released almost immediately! I enjoyed the race because of the unique scenery and flat terrain which is good for PB (personal best). I transcended myself with an official timing of 56 mins 22 secs which is my new PB.

Finally, a big thank you to JustRunLah! for offering 5% off promo code for this race. I’m sure many will also look forward to what the new series will bring too next year! Transcend yourself!

Review: Family Walk & Jog @ Pasir Ris Park 2017 (by Stargazer)

By

stargazer

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November 22, 2017

19^th Nov was a good day for the outdoor activities. There were showers the previous day, which resulted in an excellent weather condition for the 500 or so participants starting the walk & jog at 7.30 am at the Pasir Ris Park.

The event was organized by the Tampines Central CSC at $ 8 per pax, very affordable considering that the perks included event tee, isotonic drinks, buns and the finisher medal. There were even lucky draws at the end of the event! ?

The Walk & Jog

Participants were led to do warm up exercises before the start-off, after which runners chiong at the front while walkers like myself and my family started at the back.

The route began from the Central Plaza to Camp Site 1, U-turn and heading towards the other end of the park before turning back to the finishing point at the Central Plaza.

Along the walk we passed by mangrove swamps and were treated to scenic view of the sea. There were people enjoying the beach as well as cycling on the track. One plus point is you also get a feeling of ‘holiday mood’ when you see Downtown East and the chalets! ☺

We also saw chickens running around, though I am not sure if they were wild or domestically kept. There was no sign of wild boars too, even though we saw a sign board advising caution.

At the finishing point, we were given lucozade ? , sunshine buns, bottled water (this was also provided during hydration points) and the finisher medal. The lucozade wasn’t cold, but I guess it was all right as I just walked and wasn’t ‘shack’.

The lucky draw took place once all participants were back and rested. There were 10 prizes of Capital Land vouchers, ranging from $ 10 to $ 80.

Closing Thoughts

Though this event may not be as ‘glamourous’ as the usual races, I think it was well organized with sufficient volunteers and hydration points along the route. The park is scenic, without being too crowded in the early morning. Definitely a recommendation for families looking to bond together in a healthy lifestyle mass event!