16 Virtues to ace any race – #2: Discipline

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November 24, 2015

Morning run — Photo credit: Huffington Post

Now that you’ve decided to try, here are a few starting points for you.

What to wear for runs: Shoes are clearly going to be the most important and there are tons of options out there for you. Imagining the shoe construction – think about the amount of support you want (cushioned or minimal cushioning), the sole flexibility and its overall fit. One easily neglected part of the shoe is the shoe width, or the ‘toe box’ area. Giving your toes enough flexibility would help with a lowering the impact from a forefoot to midfoot strike (which is also a better form). This protects your joints and tissues when engaging in high impact sports such as running. For starters, pick up your regular pair of running/multi-purpose sports shoes. Do a few kilometers in them in a comfortable pace. This is to give you a feel of how your feet rolls off the ground and how your body maintains its form. As you gain more experience, you can then consider investing in a more elaborate pair of running shoes. It would then be good for you to make a trip down to the specialty store yourself. No amount of reading is going to make up for the understanding you get by trying those shoes on.

When to run: The best time to run is in the morning, and the second best time is whenever you’ve time. There’s really no ‘rule’ but running in the morning does have its benefits. It kickstarts your metabolism and leaves you more refreshed. You are also more likely to get your training runs in, instead of hiding behind excuses that have piled up throughout the day. If you’re not a morning person and waking up to run feels like you’re mistreating yourself, do some simple warm ups to get yourself in the mood.

How to start your run: Shawn M. Arent, an Associate Professor at Rutgers University, has been appearing in a trending video on Facebook this couple of weeks. He tells us that we shouldn’t stretch before a workout. It’s ironic but holding a stretch for 30s is ineffective for two reasons: 1) it doesn’t warm up our muscles or get up our heart rate to prepare us for the run; 2) it forcefully pulls at our short muscles, which might have been under-active from hours of sitting. Pulling at it is going to be like tugging at a stretched-out rubber band; it’s going to snap. Instead, do 2-3 sets of 10 lunges, squats and push ups.

Again, there are lots of resources out there for you and within Just Run Lah! website itself. If you can’t find them, just shoot us a comment!

See Virtue #1: Try.

16 Virtues to ace any race – #1: Try

By

Shereen

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November 22, 2015

Before any race, you might feel apprehension.

You might feel like you aren’t ready for this, or that maybe your body just isn’t designed for endurance. Even if you’re already used to lacing up your shoes and going out for a sweaty workout, you might not feel like running very much that day. From one runner to another, it’s normal.

From the time you decide to embark on a training program all through to race day, the process is probably going to be riddled with hesitation and exhaustion pushing you to the brink of giving up. That is why, running is as much a physical challenge as it is a mental one. Yet the most fulfilling pursuit we can embark on, is the journey of figuring out what you are capable of. You have never did a 10km or garnered up enough discipline for anything, but that doesn’t mean you can’t. The idea of signing up for a race is not suggesting that you buck up and start thinking of the impossible. It’s about giving yourself more credit and trying.

Running, like anything else, allows you to start slow. Walk 30 mins a day, for at least 5 days a week. If you find that it’s getting easier, walk the first 20mins and run the last 10mins. There are numerous modalities such as increasing workout time or distance for you to play with. Whether you’re planning to achieve a 15-second 100m sprint or finish a marathon under 4h, there are going to be different sets of challenges that you face along the way. It can be intimidating, but fret not – there are plenty of resources out there for you. Online resources can tell you how to stay safe, avoid injuries, or what to do if you’re too busy for a run. There are also professionals that can give you guidance. Along the way, you might discover the breadth of knowledge related to running. It could be about running surfaces or about cross-training. Most importantly, we have people who have been there done that and would love to share their experiences with others. As Claire (jogger turned runner) advises new runners, “Just Run Lah! You start by enjoying the experience.” The thing is, you aren’t going to be alone in this.

There is going to be plenty of support you can find out there, but before anything can happen, you need to allow yourself to try.

5 Things to Avoid before Race Day

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 21, 2015

Runners enjoy running. Being breathless and sweaty after overcoming another medium-distance training can leave us feeling exhilarated. So we easily assume that we’re invincible – we like to think that we don’t need resting, and just more compression gear should suffice. But like any other complex machinery, our body needs taking care of and proper maintenance is especially needed before race day.

We give you 5 tips to make your race day better.

The Mistake: Going for a final training run

If you’ve been training a few weeks for this race, it’d be even more difficult to pull in the reigns and allow yourself to rest. Your muscles and ligaments have worked hard these past weeks. Just like studying for your ‘A’ levels (here’s to those right in the midst of it!), you need to take breaks. Recharge. Give your body enough time to repair its muscles so that you may feel refreshed on race day. What you should do: Do dynamic workouts such as squats and lunges, and keep them light.

The Mistake: Carb loading

You organise a buffet session with your buddies to load up glycogen stores for the race. Sounds like a win-win situation. That only works if you’re planning on eating whole grains and nuts. These are the right carbs that would actually leave you feeling satisfied and energised for next day’s run. Otherwise, bad carbs such as pizza and fries are just going to give you a ‘sugar rush’ and leave you hungrier the next day. Furthermore, eating too much at one go might screw up your digestive system. What you should do: Make good carbs the main portions of your meals and eat just enough to feel satisfied.

The Mistake: New workout gear

Outfits that your body isn’t comfortable with might interfere with your race day performance. For new shoes, you might end up with blisters at the front of your foot or near the ankles. Your running gait might also change slightly due to the unfamiliar shape of the shoes. What you should do: Stick with what you trained for and are comfortable in.

The Mistake: Sleeping late

Catching up on TV drama till 5am in the morning is unwise. For obvious reasons, you don’t get enough rest. Ideally, give you the 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep. It allows other systems to go into standby and repair mode. That is crucial for endurance athletes and even more so before the race, when you need to feel as energized as possible. What you should do: Wind down for the night once dinner has ended and go to bed early

The Mistake: Alcohol

Drinking alcohol leaves you dehydrated and just 2 percent of dehydration can slow you down. Furthermore, it causes you to take more bathroom breaks. If it happens at night, it interrupts your sleep. If it happens during the race, it disrupts your race time. What you should do: Drink water throughout the day. Sometimes, you might continue to feel dehydrated, try taking electrolyte drinks then.

There are a couple of other things that might make you feel ever ready for your race. It could be a jolt of caffeine or getting up early and moving the next day. The general rule of thumb here is that you should avoid over-stimulating your body with anything too harsh (like running at the last minute) or too unexpected (like carb loading).

Why Trail Running and Off-Road Cycling is a Must in Sabah

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 21, 2015

‘Have trail, will travel’ — this is the motto for the new breed of adventure racers in Sabah who have taken to the hills, jungles, mountains and beaches to experience the exhilarating challenge of mind, body and spirits that only a good trail run can offer.

Trail runners can explore numerous easy to medium grade trails, or spend a few hours traipsing through various types of terrain for a close encounter with nature and an even closer encounter with the friendly locals along the route.

A huge plus point for trail running in Sabah are the foothills of the massive Crocker Range that runs parallel, close enough to its west coast, and are also easily accessible for leisure and competitive trail runners.

The Hills are Alive With Trails

The Kokol Hills is a beautiful hilly area just 30 – 45 minutes away from Kota Kinabalu city. The steep hills may be a challenge to your endurance; but the stunning sunrise on a clear day, and panoramic vistas of the surrounding rainforest and coastline makes the journey worthwhile. While the roads around Kokol Hills are mostly sealed to provide access to hillside resorts like Kasih Sayang Resort and Kokol Haven, you can add in a good few kilometers of off-road trail with a diversion to Kionsom where a nearby waterfall offer a cool respite from a hot and sweaty outing.

The Salt Route was an ancient trade route that used to connect the villages between the interior district of Tambunan and Penampang on the west coast for the purpose of barter trading. The route has long been abandoned, only used by a handful of villages for short trips today, and also trail runners who have found joy in running along the trail from Penampang to Terian and Buayan villages. The route is more demanding for novice trail runners, but it is a challenge only a passionate trail runner can appreciate and take on with gusto.

For those up for a longer drive, Ranau offers picturesque hilly trails with lowland tropical rainforest and farmland dotting the landscape. You will find the 3-hour travelling time worth the effort for the change of scenery and many tourist attractions to visit during your stay such as the Kundasang War Memorial, Poring Hot Springs, local markets, river fish spa and tea plantation. The annual Ranauthlon is held around November and is a great introduction race for those looking to participate in more rigorous trail runs in Sabah such as the TMBT (The Most Beautiful Thing).

A group of young trail running enthusiasts called Sabah Trail Seekers have been actively involved in growing the local community of trail runners over the last couple of years. Give them a buzz at sabahtrailseekers@gmail.com if you’re planning to include weekend trail runs into your next trip to Sabah.

The Long and Sometimes Winding Road

The coastal road that stretches from Kota Kinabalu city to Pantai Dalit (Dalit Beach) in the north is considered the ‘golden stretch’ for road running and cycling. The flat and sometimes undulating landscape holds enough promise to keep participants of the annual Borneo International Marathon and the KK Century Ride, coming back for more.

This stretch of road is perfect for road cycling and on weekends, you can see groups of cyclists working on their cycling techniques, speed and endurance. A side trip to Universiti Malaysia Sabah campus has some pretty decent hill slopes, which can give you that extra leg work before proceeding further up north towards Pantai Dalit (Dalit Beach) in Tuaran district. The KK Century Ride is for 100 km only and is a good mix of coastal highway, hills, flat stretches, narrow side roads and a couple of scenic bridge crossings. With more roads opening up or being upgraded in Kota Kinabalu in the next few years, cycling enthusiasts can look forward to riding up to 100 miles (160 km) along Sabah’s picturesque west coast.

For leisure cyclists not hell-bent on speed, a popular stop-over point at the Pantai Dalit area is the row of stalls selling ‘kelapa bakar’ or burnt coconut, where young coconuts are scorched over an open fire before its smoky-flavoured water is drunk. Off-road cyclists make this their jump-off point to explore the trails in the area, where the trails bring them through local villages, farmland, suspension bridges and hilltops for panoramic view of the surroundings.

The Cycling Association of Kota Kinabalu (CAKK), who is also the organizer of KK Century Ride, organizes regular weekend off-road cycling trips. Locals and tourists can contact patwyyh88@yahoo.ca for information on their rides and join in. Bike rentals can be arranged.

Soh Rui Yong ramping up his preparation to break National Record again

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 20, 2015

Soh Rui Yong had broken a national record for 10km race at USA’s Portland Track and Field Field Festival 2014 with 31:15:95, and another national record for half marathon at Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon earlier this year, with 1:07:21. But the 2015 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games marathon champion is not stopping on his tracks just yet.

Soh is currently ramping up his preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics, with his upcoming participation in the 69^th Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship on 6 December 2015 in Japan. He is aiming to re-write Singapore’s marathon record at the race in Japan. The current 20-year-old longstanding marathon record is at 2:24:22 by Murugiah Rameshon at the 1995 Southeast Asian Games.

“I enter Fukuoka with over 10 weeks of preparation under my belt. With more speed endurance and stamina than ever before, I am confident but not complacent. Referencing an analogy from school, ‘the studying is done, but I still have to go out there and score well in the final exam.’” said Soh, adding “But if I run well, the national record will fall.”.

Soh Rui Yong aims to re-write Singapore’s longstanding 20-year-old marathon record at the upcoming 69th Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship in Japan. Photo credit: Jordan Schilit.

Following this year’s Fukuoka International Open Marathon, Soh will spend the beginning of 2016 training in Kenya as he continues to chase his Olympic dream.

“I am dedicating the next eight months of my life to this dream, putting my career on hold and pursuing full-time training after getting my business degree from the University of Oregon this December,” Soh said.

“To excel, I have to try things I have never done before. I plan to travel to Africa and train in Kenya – home of the world’s best distance runners. Genetics aside, I think there’s a thing or two we can learn from their work ethic and their approach to life that makes them so successful at the sport. If I can raise sufficient funds, I plan to train there for seven weeks from early January to late February,” he added.

In preparation for the upcoming races, Soh has been doing faster marathon-pace workouts and lengthier long-distance runs than before. Adding to his preparations, Soh will also be looking forward to racing in the 120^th edition of the prestigious Boston Marathon in April 2016. Following his gold medal at the 2015 SEA Games men’s marathon, Soh’s aim of setting a new national-best marathon time in December’s Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship would mean shaving at least 1min 39sec off his personal best timing (2hr 26min 01sec). This will propel him closer to his dream of qualifying for the Olympics in Rio next year.

This will mean a new milestone in Singapore’s running history. We wish Soh Rui Yong all the best and we are looking forward to it!

An Open Letter to Running – From A Singaporean

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 20, 2015

Ever since I started running, it has helped made me a happier person and my body has never felt greater than before. Here is an open letter to running, which I hope can help encourage more people to start running like me.

You are tough

Like some of my peers, I stopped any physical activity as soon as PE teachers became non-existent in my life. I knew that I had to start running again for my own health and fitness, but I always chose to stay comfortably indoors.

Until that one day, I decided to get out of that comfort zone, put on my running shoes, and finally started running again. It was the toughest at the beginning – I could not even run 1km without stopping, but I continued trying anyway. Then, I took another big step to progressively bring you into my life and I started signing up for races. I started to run even more. I started to experience muscles aches. Most importantly, I started to experience strength. But sometimes, I had to stop for a few day or even a week. I learnt to be patient with myself. I learnt to endure. So I continued, I feel my heart again, hearing my breath in and out of my body.

You are more than just running

Whether it’s 30mins or 60mins, I have some time to myself to reflect on things. I have a chance to unload the burdens that I carry on my shoulders one by one on the runs. I met some friends and they have been the source of inspiration and motivation in my journey thus far. You gave me the running community that immediately embraced me. We meet for trainings and races. We may have different objectives in you but ultimately the person we want to beat at the end is ourselves.

I do not like oily food now. I prefer food that adds value to my well-being. Although I still indulge once awhile in local delicacies, I do not feel guilty like before.

I have quality fun time during kids run with my precious. I have quality buddy time with bros at obstacle races. My wife has quality ladies time at women run. I have quality colleague time at the corporate challenges and I have quality insight at the charity runs to appreciate all the people around us.

Running has brought me to many different places and I get to discover the world in a more intimate way. No matter where I am, I run to experience the smell, sounds and sight of each city under my feet.

You are my saviour

You make me more energised. I have become happier and positive. More importantly, I do not just see my 9-5 surroundings but I get a chance to explore places through you. I lost weight, I have a slight change in my daily wear. I do not engage in unhealthy habits but I look forward to bringing you into my other dreams.

Thank you for giving me a whole new life to explore, to experience and hopefully to excel! Thank you for all the sunshines and rain. Thank you for all the finishing medals. Thank you for all the shopping opportunities.

The next time I hear a person say “I cannot run”, I will ask that person to look at me. Thank you for teaching me the joy of running, and passing this joy to others will be my greatest reward in life.

From a Singaporean

5 Run-and-Eat routes for Singaporeans

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 20, 2015

We pride ourselves on our local foods – Laksa, chicken rice, satay, rojak.. They make up our culture and are intertwined in coffee table conversations, old friends meet ups and a lot more community experiences.

One thing runners like, apart from the muscle tightness we feel a good 10km, is food. Not just the eating to reward ourselves, but to get together with friends and celebrate the aftermath of a good workout.

We share 5 run-and-eat places that might be less known but we guarantee you die-die must go.

#1 Loyang Ave – Changi Beach

This route carries across Loyang Avenue, Changi Beach Park and all along to Changi Coast Rd. This road ends just opposite Changi Airport Terminals 2 and 3, which makes it incredibly convenient to just cross the street for fuel. You can also gain access to amenities (e.g. toilets, water points), and a transport home. The route itself boasts a good range of sights that’s sure to keep you interested during the long run. There’s the dull grinding of tractors against the gravel pathway at industrial estate along Loyang Ave, and lush greenery scraping the skies as you run through Changi Golf Club and Changi Beach. After finishing off the trail with aircrafts taking off against the familiar rush of wind, be prepared to take in variety of delicacies from Japanese Ramen to Penang Laksa at our national pride – Changi Airport.

#2 Kallang – Tanjong Rhu

This one’s more common. The route begins at Singapore Sports Council and takes you through Tanjong Rhu, before looping back and ending near Geylang River. Tanjong Rhu takes you through the familiar condominiums that have a place in many local races such as the recent SAFRA Singapore Bay Run & AHM. The terrain changes along its periphery as well, with the crunching sound of our shoes on dirt paths and on regular cement road. When you finish, cross the street and find yourself at Old Airport Rd Food Centre. Let’s not even start on the mouth-watering local delicacies that you’d get to savor. What’s more is that if you’re a morning runner, you might just get there before the crowd does.

oldairportrd — Photo credit: HungryGoWhere

#3 East Coast Park

Come on, you must know this. It’s an absolute haven for runners, especially distance runners, even if it’s painfully inconvenient for westies. At every leg of your training, you witness a different family of activity. There are cyclists all decked in compression gear pumping forward, children frolicking around with frisbee or secondary school students having one of their “outings.” This route is also commonly covered in big races such as OSIM Sundown Marathon and Standard Chartered Marathon. You can start at the Seafood Centre or Hawker Centre (for motivation maybe) and loop back along the track for 15km, or go up to more than 20km. More experienced runners might be a little nostalgic about the old location of Macdonald’s as a potential starting point. After your run, return to the Hawker Centre to join the just awakening families walking in to “eat good food.”

#4 Fort Canning Park

Fort Canning Stairs — Photo credit: Expat Living

Remember Shakespeare in the Park? This route allows you to circle around the Singapore Peranakan Museum, Gothic Gate and the old Liang Court. Add an extra oomph to your run, add some stair climbing. This place is perfect for the city lover who also craves a whimsical escape into history. Afterwards, drop by Liang Court for Saizeriya (tax-free Japanese restaurant) or for a more artsy-fartsy choice, go for The Fabulous Baker Boy just opposite Liang Court.

#5 Ulu Pandan Park Connector

This is for those sharing the same annoyance that all lovely running routes seem to only reside in the east. Ulu Pandan Park Connector starts at Commonwealth Ave, and extends across Clementi Ave 4, Ghim Moh Estates, Dover MRT station and Holland Grove Estates. Certain routes have the rustic charm of the derelict KTM railway, while others have the beauty of flowers streaming down the running path. It certainly owns an unrivalled neighbourhood charm. When you’re done, head to Sunset Way and choose from its selection of higher-end restaurants and your regular hawker centre (which sells pretty good chilli crab). This route would be ideally explored in the evenings, since the place is not as well shaded and most food areas open at night. More importantly, it’s the time when kids get walked home from nursery, senior citizens arrive with their bicycles and couples wind down together with an evening run.

sunsetway — Photo credit: SG Food on Foot

You might be looking for a picturesque view, delicious food after, or the availability of amenities and transport. When we go for endurance runs, we like to see activity. Whatever your preference might be, there’s a remarkable selection of routes in Singapore to choose from. The city lovers to Arts devotees, we’ve something for everyone.

Team Costa #7 – Fort Canning

By

red3

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November 20, 2015

Haze, haze and more haze. That was September and most of October. Our September scheduled Team Costa run was cancelled. The air pollution index was so high that we all just rolled over and went back to sleep.

As the haze eased up we snapped up the opportunity to tackle our 7th run in the series with an easy or what was meant to be an easy, meaning short, run around Fort Canning.

12088311_10153331460443585_8060385677305551998_n — Sometimes lipstick is necessary.

But why on earth I thought it would be easy beats me. I should remember last year’s SMU Mile race at Fort Canning. The 4.8km was pure torture (and only my second running race ever). Hills, stairs, hills, stairs, more hills and more stairs. Well it was tough for me but I wouldn’t say the same for Michelle. Whilst I was hyperventilating from exertion, she was chatting on the phone as if she was taking a stroll. I did still manage to put on a fabulous smile for the photographer.

Anyway, after a brief from Chris regarding the route, meet-up, options, Vika, Michelle and I took off up the endless tiers of stairs just to reach Raffles Terrace and double over to catch my breath. What a way to start.

What you’re not seeing are the other tiers of stairs.

No matter how hilly, how many stairs or how tough it is for me to run this terrain, Fort Canning is a special place. Historically, besides Sir Raffles building his first residence and the first botanical garden on the hill, Fort Canning is largely remembered for its military role complete with barracks, hospital, fort and arms store. It held this role for a century having passed hands from the British to the Malay to the Japanese (not a good time), back to the British and finally where it belongs in the hands of its people, the Singaporeans.

Now a park in the downtown city area, Fort Canning is a “unique blend of historical relics, lush greenery and expansive lawns”.

Gothic gates, art installations, 9-pound cannons, archaeological excavation site are just some of the attractions that reside amongst the sky-high tree and shaded paths.

Shortly into the run, John and I split from Chris, Michelle, Vika and David. Perennially the slowest in our group, I opted for a shorter route but my appreciation of the park and all its interests has caused far too much distraction and ultimately we just walked, photographed and enjoyed the glorious morning.

The others on the other hand figured the park hills not enough of a challenge and on Chris’ brilliant suggestion agreed to run up the stairs, then up a hill, then down the hill and around again. If that wasn’t enough a few lunges, step-ups and sprints were tossed into the mix.

Not surprising by the time John and I caught up with them, they looked as if they ran a marathon even though it was only 7km. Then again it’s 3km longer than what John and I completed. Ah, if I wasn’t so easily distracted by the scenery around me.

12108161_10153331460923585_2018974480267439934_n — When paved hills and stairs are no longer enough.

We finished off with a short jaunt to Boomarang Restaurant at Robertson Quay to inhale a hearty breakfast and down a pint of fresh orange juice and some beer of course.

12115778_10153331460373585_8004356270577979954_n — Till the next time. Cheers.

3 race slogans Singaporeans must know

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 19, 2015

sundown2013 — Photo credit: Sundown Marathon Facebook Page

What are you truly running for?

It’s probably one question that requires more thought. ‘Health’ is an easy one, but what for? And for whom? You might also be running as an opportunity to get together with friends, but what’s keeping you going further? What’s making you want to run faster?

Running, like any sport, can be a mental journey as well. We’ve 3 slogans here that show you just why.

“Show your true colors”

The slogan of OSIM Sundown Marathon 2013 elucidates a value of running. Apart from clocking a personal best and waving your victorious flag of a new distance covered, running strips you down to what’s raw and genuine. It helps you discover yourself as a person – how you deal with failure, exhaustion; how you learn resilience; and how to challenge yourself. It’s about understanding your heart too, it’s regularity and noticing it’s irregularities; and familiarising with your muscles, it’s power and the discouraging seep of lactic acid into it. Whatever it is, running gives you the chance to truly understand your body. Quite literally as well, it strips you down to bare minimum. Usually it’s simple shoes and shorts because you can’t get far with anything more.

“Try Not Hard”

A counterintuitive slogan from the Tri-Factor 2013 series is capable of causing any English student yank out their hair. If you’re unfamiliar with this campaign, it’s inspired by the Singaporean lingo. It challenges people to tread out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves by taking on something new. It could be a new distance, or a new leg in the triathlon race. Either way, it speaks the little encouragement we might need to sign up for a 21 km instead of a 10 km and a 42 km instead of a 21 km next time round. Even during your training itself, there’s a lot of unfamiliarities that you have to acquaint yourself with. For example, tapering down before a race might feel uncomfortable, and the rebellion of your gut when you don’t feed it enough or you feed it at the wrong times is another thing you’d come to learn.

“Race Against Racism”

This slogan would probably ring familiar to most people. It’s the Orange Ribbon Run, which advocates unity in diversity. Running can sound like a pretty isolating sport, but take look at the race galleries and you’d think otherwise. The most resonating ones are the ones of people running as one, whether it’s for a common charitable cause or a common interest. The slew of running clubs sprouting up also show otherwise – people training together, stretching through cramps together, and becoming friends in the process. More over, the countless permutations of organised runs, running gears and techniques mean that there’s always something you can learn from the fellow runner beside you. It’s not just about you.

Learning to run is more than just learning to put one foot in front of another. Even if you’re just beginning, you’d already have a series of experience to share with us.

How many races have you taken part in? Singapore runners have their own App now! Log your finishing times, your personal notes and photos, and save your memories with JustRaceLah! – Get it now for free for iOS / Android phones on www.justracelah.com

New Guinness World Records to be Broken at SCMS 2015

By

Shu

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November 18, 2015

scms-rubiks-cube-vijayan — Photo credits: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore

The biggest marathon everyone Singaporean is looking forward to— Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2015 is less than a months’ time away. This year, there will be a little twist to the marathon. It is neither about breaking the world record in longest distance ran nor the fastest time clocked for a marathon race — software engineer Vijayan is going to break the Guinness World Record for the most number of Rubik’s Cubes solved in a marathon.

Most Rubik’s Cubes solved while running a marathon

The current record for most Rubik’s Cubes solved whilst running a marathon is 175, and was achieved by Shane White (USA) at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon in Savannah, Georgia, USA, on 3 November 2012. Shane clocked a time of 4 hr 53 min 39 sec at the marathon, which is under the five hours required to make a valid attempt at this record.

For some of us who only played Rubik’s Cubes leisurely or has not even solved a Rubik’s Cube before, this is definitely an incredible feat. In fact, Vijayan is undaunted by the current Guinness World Records holder, and is confident of doing even better. He aims to solve at least 300 cubes during the Standard Chartered marathon.

Rubik’s Cube as distraction while running

It can be difficult to stay motivated throughout a long distance run when you have to tackle boredom and also your mind’s chattering to give up and just stop running. Many runners have their own distraction tricks, whether it is repeating a jingle in your head, counting lamp posts, or talking to yourself, but how many of us have seen someone playing a Rubik’s Cube while running?

Vijayan said it was the monotomy he experienced as a new runner that inspired him to combine his passion for solving Rubik’s Cubes with his love for marathoning. In fact, running with a Rubik’s Cube allows him to run longer distances without stopping.

Breaking the record

Vijayan competed in his first race with a cube in hand in Standard Chartered Half Marathon last year. While the cube was merely a diversion to keep him occupied, this brightly colored cube will hold a different meaning for him this year. He will no longer be running alone with his Rubik’s Cube, as he will be followed by a photographer, videographer, two pacers and a helper to hand him “scrambled” cubes. (Source: The Straits Times)

Singapore has achieved 105 Guinness World Records to date, and one of them was coincidentally, the record for fastest time to solve a Rubik’s cube whilst juggling. If any of you are running past Vijayan during the marathon, do give him your support and let’s look forward together to a new world record being made at the biggest running event in Singapore!

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Cover photo credits: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore

5 Secrets from the Elites

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 17, 2015

You’re scared. The amount of time you’ve invested in training up has created an expectation and in 42km, a lot can happen to cause a lapse in performance.

You might have 4 weeks, 1 week or just a night before your race day. If you’re participating in the upcoming SCMS, you’ve slightly less than 3 weeks. And we’re here to give you some reassuring last minute advice for you to kill the race.

#1 Elite runners eat carbs

Carbs is the main fuel for your body and running helps you lose the calories you take in. You’ve heard it before but that doesn’t give you the license to broaden your belly with pizza and white rice. Especially so for everyday nutrition, go for whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa and whole oats. They contain fibre and keep you full for a longer period of time, AND gives you the energy you need during a training. For the day before your run, make carbs the main portion of your meals and lunch the most important meal of your day. This would also help those who have trouble waking up at 3am to have a meal before their 5am run. If your stomach allows it, replenish your glycogen stores by consuming low-fat, low-fiber meals about 1-2 hours before your run.

#2 Elite runners do MORE than running

SweatTheStyle_SoulCycle_13 — Photo credit: Sweat The Style

Running wears out your body, especially when you weave in pace runs and speed work. To prevent your joints and connective tissues from going on strike, cross-train. Hitting the elliptical, swimming and rowing can train your aerobic fitness. They also build upper body strength, which helps you maintain proper form during your runs. Other options would include Yoga, Pilates or an introductory session to Martial Arts.

#3 Elite runners have training plans

It’s easy to wave your hands and talk about winging it. After all, running is just a tad faster than walking, which is something you’ve been doing all your life right? Wrong. Running works your hamstrings a lot more to complete the gait cycle and requires good ankle dorsiflexion. With impaired mobility at your ankle, knee and hip joints, compensatory movements tend to result. These can lead to muscle imbalances and injury. So if it’s your first time taking on a marathon or half-marathon, we encourage you to look for what experts have to say.

#4 Elite runners know how to taper

In the final weeks leading up to the race, drop your mileage by 25 to 50 percent. Sounds appalling and for those engineered for physical activity, it’s going to make you feel like a million ants crawling under your skin. But the whole idea for it is to make sure your musculoskeletal system is refreshed for the race. Start tapering 2 weeks before your half-marathon and 3 weeks before your marathon. Keep the same pace runs and speed work, just with reduced mileage.

#5 Elite runners never scrimp on warm ups

SweatTheStyle_MelodyLe_18 — Photo credit: Sweat the Style

While you’re quenching down your electrolyte drink, do some dynamic stretches. Deep squats, forward/side/back lunges and throw in some ankle rotations. It raises your body temperature, opens up your hips and braces you for the hard run ahead.

Remember, experts all started somewhere and more often than not, it’s the discipline to keep to basics that helps them maintain a strong foundation for continued improvement. So don’t worry about starting slow or being too slow, there’s something for every runner.

5 Common – but inaccurate – recovery methods

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 16, 2015

celebrating_jrlhometeamns — Photo credit: Just Run Lah

Running is the most popular sport among active Singaporeans. There are over 150 races per year. OSIM Sundown Marathon attracted 26,000 participants this year, while Great Eastern Women’s Run had 17,000 participants. From more established races such as Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore to niche events such as Color Run and Illumi Run, Singaporeans are given so much more options to be engaged in running activities. So much so that the excesses of races have caused run organizers to experience a stagnation in the number of participants, says Mok.

In the frenzy to complete these races, we thought to share the 5 most common but inaccurate post-race recovery methods we engage in.

#1 Soaking in Ice

You’ve just finished the first marathon and your heel is stabbing pain. It’s agonizing and after just having exhausted yourself in the race, you just want to plunge your feet into an ice bath while flicking through the TV.

Does it numb the pain? Yes.

But pain is an indication that there is an inflammation happening at that area. Applying ice to an inflamed area shuts down communication with the nervous system. Instead of having the lymphatic vessels carry excess tissue fluid away, these vessels become ‘leaky’ and tissue fluids end up pouring into the inflamed area. This leads to more local swelling and pressure, and potentially greater pain!

#2 Having a feast

Singaporeans love our food. Especially after a good run, we head to the nearby hawker centre and order our favorite carrot cake or Laksa. Re-fuelling is good but what’s better would be to eat food that speeds up your recovery.

Recall that after a race, your glycogen stores are depleted and your muscles cells are worked and damaged. Good carbohydrates include brown rice, corn and oats (essentially, the ‘whole grain’ family). Glutamine is the amino acid that restores vital fuels for your system. When you consume good carbs together with protein, glycogen replenishment occurs faster than when carbs are consumed alone, and muscle repair occurs faster than when protein is consumed alone.

This is time-specific too – within 1 hour after the run would do you good.

#3 Laying on the couch

Contrary to the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, elevation), movement does a lot to your circulatory system. It keeps your blood flowing and blood carries antioxidants that would neutralize the oxidative molecules produced during exercise. It also brings essential minerals that would help you intake water and hydrate better. Instead of slothing out on the couch, why not take a walk at the local park connector or engage in an active recovery exercise such as Pilates.

#4 Roll back-and-forth the foam roller

trigger-point-therapy-foam-roller-for-runners — Photo credits: http://www.therunningcompany.com.au/

One obvious trend in the fitness industry is using the foam roller. Not much is fully understood about it, and those new to foam rolling end up laying over it with a phone held above their heads. That’s not doing as much as it potentially could in relieving tight muscles.

When you want to alleviate any pain in your overactive muscles, there are 2 good methods to try:

Static Stretching requires you hold your stretch for at least 30s. Go slow at first and while holding the position, keep your breathing steady.
Self-Myofascial Release (which is Foam Rolling)

#5 Celebrating

Don’t misunderstand – celebrating after a race is your well-deserved right. But it becomes a concern when you a) forget to sleep enough and b) drink alcohol. Matt Fitzgerald, if you read his book, warns against drinking alcohol after races because it interferes with rehydration.

If you’re running to keep fit or running to lose weight, you won’t want the post-run activity to contradict your intentions. If you’re running to challenge yourself or running for the fun of it, you won’t want to negate your run achievement by destroying your body in the aftermath.

Either way, you’ve heard it before – “Take care of yourself because it’s the only one you’ve got.”

Finished a race? Log your result and keep track of your progress with JustRaceLah! – Singapore’s Running App available for free for iOS and Android. More info: www.justracelah.com

Interview with Chin Wei Chong

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 16, 2015

Having completed the “toughest footrace on Earth” Marathon Des Sables for charity last year, Chin Wei Chong continues to push himself in running despite his multiple commitments. He shares with JustRunLah! what inspires him and how he keeps himself motivated when running.

JustRunLah!: How will you introduce yourself to Singapore running community?

Wei Chong: I’m a husband, father, marketer, trail runner and mountaineer wannabe, in that order. That about sums up my priorities in life!

My day job is a Regional Marketing role with a US background screening company called First Advantage.

Off work, I am a typical weekend warrior. And one who’s fortunate enough to have a wife who understands my “crazy hobbies”. It helps that my two beautiful little boys think that I’m their hero, for now!

JustRunLah!: When did you first pick up running (what age) and what inspired you to do so?

Wei Chong: I started running a little harder during my NS days to get my hands on the elusive IPPT gold pin. These days I run to declutter the mind. My favourite runs are the long-drawn ones, plugged in to my podcasts and putting one foot ahead of the other for hours on end. It never fails to rejuvenate my mind.

JustRunLah!: Would you say that one needs to have a certain mindset to take up running as a sport/exercise activity?

Wei Chong: Almost all the runners I’ve met have that extra mental toughness edge in them. We just don’t give up!

JustRunLah!: What would you consider to be your biggest running achievement so far?

Wei Chong: That would be completing the Marathon Des Sables. It was the single toughest thing I’ve ever done!

JustRunLah!: How has Compressport products assist in your training/achievements?

Wei Chong: I particularly love the incredibly well designed calf sleeves R2. It is a valuable part of my running outfit and helps tremendously with recovery too! It didn’t hurt that the Compressport products are so much more aesthetically pleasing than the other brands. I am also a big fan of the Compressports full socks v2, which I pull up snugly over my feet and calves on the planes, whenever I’m travelling.

JustRunLah!: What are your future goals?

Wei Chong: Keep running, keep competing, and hopefully I will not be too far behind my boys on the trails when they are all grown-up!

JustRunLah!: One reason why runners should join Compressports Rail Corridor Run 2016?

Wei Chong: The race pack and runners’ entitlements look awesome. Its simply the most value for money run in Singapore!

JustRunLah!: What advice would you give to all participants at Compressport Rail Corridor Run 2016?

Wei Chong: Preparation, preparation, preparation. Get acquainted with the heat, train across the distance and know how your body will react to the conditions. And always to keep a positive frame of mind regardless of the odds. The best part about this race is that January is not very hot as compared to other months.

JustRunLah!: What is your mantra for when the going gets tough in a race?

Wei Chong: I remember getting my Achilles hurt during one of stages of the Marathon des Sables. There was a dull throdding pain screaming up the back of my left heel in every step I took. I suffered badly during the next stage which was 80km across a tough stretch of the Sahara desert.

My mantra is to keep to small goals. Mentally, I just keep myself focused on reaching the next check point. I celebrate small milestones and get my morale up through running and speaking with fellow competitors. Somebody once told me “you got to keep moving!”

JustRunLah!: Finish this sentence: Running is…

Wei Chong: Such a joy. It gave me the opportunity to meet many wonderful friends and accomplish goals I’ve never dreamt of doing previously.

Click here now to sign up for the Compressport Rail Corridor Run 2016!

Effective hydration for competing in hot & humid climates

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 16, 2015

Preventing dehydration in hot and humid climates is essential during both training and racing. Dehydration adversely affects your performance during training and slows your ability to recover for your next workout. In extreme cases of dehydration while exercising you risk nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fainting or disorientation. This should never be considered a ‘normal’ consequence of training in a hot climate. With proper hydration and sports-specific nutrition while you train and race, you can easily prevent the onset of these adverse conditions. Not only will you perform better, but you will enjoy your race far more.

How does our body react in hot conditions?

One of the worst conditions an athlete can face is a hot, humid and windless one, in which exercise occurs at a high rate of intensity. This can put the body under extreme pressure, which can in turn affect performance.
Our bodies deal with extreme heat through thermoregulation. This helps us to stay at a consistent core temperature (36 to 37.5ºC). However hot and humid conditions can disrupt our thermoregulation. We can help to prevent this stress on our bodies by correctly hydrating and refueling. So if you’re out exercising in these conditions, you need to alter your nutrition strategy compared to when you train in cooler climates. This will help to ensure your body continues to correctly thermoregulate, even with the added stresses of the climate and your training intensity.

It’s all about the sweat!

The way our bodies deal with increased temperatures or humidity is by sweating. Sweat is evaporated on the skin surface and heat is lost, therefore our core temperature remains regulated. When you sweat, your blood volume decreases, so less blood returns to your heart. As a result, the amount of blood your heart pumps with each beat decreases, consequently less oxygen-rich blood reaches your working muscles. Your rate of aerobic energy production decreases, and you must exercise at a slower pace.

However in hot and humid climates heat exchange between the body and environment is substantially impaired, which can lead to serious performance reductions and increase risk of heat illness. If we don’t prepare ourselves for this sweat loss then our core temperature usually increases and this can lead to negative side effects such as dizziness, nausea, and disorientation. Definitely not what you want during your race!

When you sweat, your body loses the essential electrolytes (mineral salts) sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. These electrolytes are important for maintaining normal muscle function (e.g. preventing muscle cramps) and for supporting your immune system.

Therefore your ideal nutrition strategy for training and racing in hot and humid climates should be focused on 3 key elements combined (not at the exclusion of each other):

Water
Electrolyte replacement
Carbohydrates

Adequate intake of carbohydrates and electrolytes during long or intense events can help to prevent these nasty side effects and maintain a safe core temperature so our bodies can work more effectively.

How to prevent dehydration

As well as having effective carbohydrates during training and competition, attention should also be placed on appropriate fluid intake. This is especially important in hot environments.

When we are in a cool and dry environment such as in an office or at school, it is much easier for our bodies to stay at a steady core temperature and thermoregulation is less important. However when we train or compete outdoors in a hot and/or humid climate our bodies are put under more stress so we need the right fluid and fuel to cope with this stress. This means that you need to alter your hydration strategy when you’re exercising outdoors compared to when you are indoors within a climate controlled environment.

For these reasons, plain water by itself is usually not enough to prevent dehydration while exercising longer than 1 hour in hot conditions. Your body needs proper fuel to continue functioning at peak performance over the prolonged or intense period of time.

Tips for maintaining hydration while training & racing:

Start your exercise well hydrated (such as having a minimum of 750ml of water)
Drink plenty of fluids from the time you wake up and keep drinking to a plan all day. Steady drinking throughout the day/night will have you better prepared than drinking large amounts of fluid irregularly. Binging on fluids immediately prior to exercise will only make you feel bloated and your body won’t have enough time to process the fluids effectively for performance gains.
Include carbohydrate-rich beverages such as PURE Electrolyte Hydration drinks to continually top up carbohydrate stores and maintain fluid balance. The carbohydrates are essential to replacing glycogen stores in your muscles which are lost during exercise.
Ensure your sports nutrition includes electrolytes, to replace those lost during sweating. This will help your muscles perform effectively during exercise and assist with preventing cramp.
Keep fluids cool with ice (alternatively, freeze drinks the night before allowing them to defrost slowly over the day of competition). Cooled drinks will help regulate your core temperature.
Still beverages may be better tolerated than carbonated fizzy drinks, especially if you find you are nervous before the event.

To try our range of PURE electrolyte hydration drinks before the Standard Chartered Marathon come and find us at the Standard Chartered Marathon Expo – Booth 5 or check out our range of products at JustShopLah!

Article is provided by PURE Sports Nutrition. The PURE brand stands for high quality, natural products that work. Our aim at PURE is to provide high quality sports nutrition products with no artificial ingredients or colours. We are lucky to live in a part of the world where you can get some of the best ingredients for sports nutrition products. At PURE we don’t make average products with cheap ingredients, good is never good enough – we aim for great.

Introducing JustRaceLah! – The mobile App for all runners in Singapore and Malaysia.

By

Team JustRunLah!

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November 15, 2015

We are delighted to announce the release of the first-ever mobile app designed specifically for runners in Singapore and Malaysia.

Introducing JustRaceLah! – an app that helps runners and active individuals to get more out of their running experience. For the first time ever, you, the runner will be able to create your own personalised calendar and race portfolio. After every race, you can log your finishing time, record personal notes as well as upload photos, allowing you to track and monitor your progress race by race.

You are now able to look back on your past races to track your progress and see how far you’ve come as a runner! Not only that, the personalised race calendar allows you to select and shortlist upcoming races you intend to join and plan your running agenda ahead. Our app works with all the 600+ Singapore and Malaysia races listed in our database, going all the way back to 2006.

What’s more, you will be able to browse and comment on unbiased race reviews published by our team of bloggers, and enjoy access to exclusive discounts for race slots and sports products. Since the app is synced with our website, it will deliver all the important news, stories, race reports and videos from our media team straight to your phone!

With this move, we have made another step in implementing innovative technologies to promote a healthy lifestyle and spread the awareness of running in Singapore. This app is created by runners, for runners and parts of its features are inspired by feedback of our readers. We are here to listen the needs of the community and we are committed to deliver.

The app is available for free on iTunes and Google Play for iOS and Android smartphones, respectively.

More information and download links can be found on www.justracelah.com

Race Review: SGX Bull Charge 2015 Charity Run [5 km] (by ‘Ah Girl’)

By

Ah Girl

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November 15, 2015

The 12th SGX (Singapore Exchange) Bull Charge 2015 Charity Run saw many working professionals bull-dozing through the busy financial district area of Singapore on Friday, 13 Nov 2015, in their sports attire and signature SGX Bull Horns Caps.

As the final event of SGX’s fundraising efforts this year, where other events include the Charity Golf and Charity Futsal, SGX aims to raise $2.5 million for their adopted beneficiaries. One interesting fact about the SGX Bull Charge -it is the only corporate charity run that brings the financial industry and all SGX-listed companies together for a common cause – to empower communities through financial literacy and promote sustainable societies. (Update: A total of $2.9m has been raised this year!)

There are 2 race categories: 3km Chief Challenge and 5km Mass Run. Chief challenge run is only open to CEOs or chief of companies and their participation is at a sponsorship fee of $5,000 per runner. Mass Run allows employees of SGX-listed companies and the financial industry to participate and head for a meaningful after-work run!

As a first year participant, I was looking forward to racing with my colleagues and buddies in this meaningful race and experiencing a rare opportunity of running on the busy roads of the CBD area during peak hour (6pm!)

Race day – Sunshine came in time

SGXbullcharge2015_3 — Dark clouds looming over the Marina Bay area – another cancelled/postponed race?

One of the worst things that can happen on race day is none other than a race cancellation or postponement due to inclement weather (yes, the series of race cancellation due to haze season still haunts us all). As you can see from the photo, the sky above Marina was already filled with dark clouds and there was slight drizzling around 3:50pm. The flag-off timing for 3km Chief Challenge is scheduled to be at 5:45pm and 5km Mass Run at 5:55pm. The race organizers made a good move of sending out event notification texts to race participants about the weather and provided a final confirmation text an hour before the flag-off time.

And lucky us, the skies cleared up just in time for the flag-off! Check out the routes below:

For a 5km race, hydration is not really a big issue but there were sufficient drinks along the course. Due to multiple road bends and turns, I’ve seen many runners cut corners and running out of boundaries to overtake during the race. I know such issue is rather trivial in non-competitive, mid-scale races but I do hope that runners run safe, right and proper.

Overall, the route was quite fun and challenging because it involved a few slopes up and down bridges, stairs and multiple running surfaces – concrete, tar and pavement.

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset — Busy people finishing a busy run!

All finishers were given a goodie bag containing vouchers and daily care samples.

Post-Race Carnival

I’ve heard my colleagues saying that the post-SGX Bull Charge carnival is one of the best race carnivals they’ve been and I do agree with them! There were plenty amount of pasar-malam themed food and games booths in celebration of SG50. The atmosphere was lively and I even managed to bump into my university mates as well!

SGXbullcharge2015_coupon — Food and games coupon

Overall, the SGX Bull Charge 2015 Charity Run was well-organised and a great way spread the sports culture and inculcate social corporate responsibility amongst working professionals. I would love to take part again next year as a even speedier bull-girl!