Cross Over Crunch

By

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August 4, 2015

A great exercise because it does not only target the abdominal muscles, but also the oblique muscles which run along the side of your ribcage. This makes it an excellent exercise if you are looking for a total core workout. It is not only effective in strengthening abdominal muscles, but can also aid in the treatment and prevention of lower back pain.

How to do:

Lie flat on the floor (on a mat)
Cross at a diagonal in front of your body, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee. Slowly lower your upper body back to the ground. Repeat the maneuver, but this time bring your left elbow to your right knee.

Tips:

Bring your shoulder up towards your knee rather than just your elbow and remember that the key is to contract the abs as you perform the movement; not just to move the elbow.

Thank you, Volunteers!

By

Peter Tan

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August 4, 2015

No race can happen without this group of special individuals – they come from all walks of life, have different commitments and jobs, and yet choose to come together to dedicate a portion of their time in doing good for the sports community, without expecting any monetary benefits in return. Race volunteers, you have our salute for all the work done before, during and after race events!

Volunteers and their roles

Most race participants only know of volunteers whom they see at the race pack collection booths, race day expo and hydration stations. However, there are many other volunteers who manage duties that are mainly behind-the-scenes, or do not engage directly with race participants. Some these silent heroes include:

Image credit: Spectrum Worldwide Volunteers

Transition Zone Marshals (Ironman/Triathlon/Duathlon)- They assume the role of traffic police during the race to direct participants at the transition areas and keep non-participants out of those areas. After the race, they continue to prevent non-participants from entry and must ensure that participants bring along the correct bike with matching numbers written on their arms. (Source: Triathlon Association of Singapore)

Sweepers – They track the last runner of the race and update the race organisers about his/her progress at every checkpoint so that no race participant will be left unattended to.

Photographers – These volunteers might or might not be affiliated with the race organisers but nonetheless, they carry their large photo equipment all around the race tracks to capture every precious moment of the race participants.

Finisher/Winner Spotter – With so many participants running towards the same finishing line regardless of their flag-off time or distance, it is important to identify the correct podium finishers and top rankings for the respective categories. These volunteers will station themselves at different areas near the finishing line, identify the winning race bibs and lastly cross-check among themselves, race officials and emcee to ensure accuracy and fairness.

Pre-race logistics – Start of the buzz

After closing race registrations and compiling all participants’ data, volunteers are delegated to their respective duties for race pack collection dates. It can range from manning the collection counter to being a runner for materials and even involved in crowd control.

While we might complain about the long queues ahead of us during collection, we should not forget that these volunteers have been standing even longer than us, repeating the collection routine for countless of times and some are even doing this job for several days!

Race day – Earliest to reach, Latest to leave

Be it rain or shine, these volunteers will also encounter the same experience as you, the race participant. However, before you even step out of your house to the race venue, these committed individuals have already started their day by setting up important booths for the race such as first aid, bag deposits counters, admin booths and hydration stations.

Rolling out the finishing line at Shape Run 2015

It does not matter if you are racing alone or with a group of friends because volunteers situated at the respective stations will be there to support you! Their contribution might be simple such as refilling drinks at hydration stations, cheering you on and giving you a hi-five or road marshaling at various race checkpoints. However, all these simple gestures are what it takes to complete a runner’s race experience and their significance are often underestimated.

After the race, the ones who are responsible for packing up and ensuring that the venue is returned to its original state are none other than the race volunteers once again. While race participants can head home for a rest or meal, these selfless individuals start to get busy again and tie up the loose ends of the race – managing waste and extra resources, handling lost and found items, attending to casualties and so on.

Stand in the shoes of volunteers, Show your appreciation

Many wonder why would these people work for free and are willing to dedicate so much time and effort for others who do not even know their names and faces. Well, the amount of satisfaction and pride in seeing one’s contribution making a difference in many other people’s lives is invaluable – You could be that volunteer who handed the champion marathoner a cup of water; you could have been the first-aider who saved someone’s life during a race; or even someone who inspired a runner to sign up as a volunteer like yourself for another race!

Therefore, as athletes, the most basic and appropriate thing to do in return as you receive your race entitlements, hydration or a direction guide, is to simply say ‘thank you‘. Those 2 words is enough to make a volunteer’s day because it makes him/her feel appreciated and efforts being acknowledged. After the race, perhaps you can offer a drink to the volunteers, make friends or even take photos together to keep this precious race memory alive.

From running to volunteering

Besides expressing your gratitude to volunteers involved in your race, why not take on a new role for your next race as a volunteer? Besides getting first-hand adrenaline rush and excitement by being the front-line personnel who interacts with race participants, it is also an act of giving back to the sports community. Yes, it is definitely going to be challenging and stressful at times. However, when you see fellow volunteers working together with you and race participants successfully completing a race which they had been looking forward to, all your exhaustion and pessimistic thoughts will ultimately disappear.

Once again, a huge thank you to all race volunteers, regardless of seasoned or new, for your effort, time and sweat in trying to make every race the best race it can be. Every race is unique and everyone involved in the race, be it runner or volunteers, has a story to tell. What will be your side of the story?

Interview with Lynette Lioh, super-fit Singapore Air Force officer and avid runner

By

Team JustRunLah!

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August 4, 2015

Lynette managed a 2.4km timing of 8m:49m, 73 sit-ups and 69 push-ups, a perfect 100 points for the female IPPT age group under 22 years old. She also holds the record for being the only female Officer Cadet to have won the Overall Best Physical Training (PT).

Two weeks back, she came in 2nd for Shape Run 2015 (15km) with 1:07:23. In this interview, JustRunLah! catches up with this superwoman:

JustRunLah!: We know you have superior physical fitness attributes. How will you introduce yourself to Singapore running community?

Lynette Lioh: Just an ordinary local runner that have an obsession with the gym!

JRL: When did you first pick up running (what age) and what inspired you to do so? And run so fast?

LL: I joined my first running event in 2009. My close friend asked if I was interested to join the race with her as I have been actively running on my own to keep myself in shape.

From then on, it was my start of my running journey. Back then, I joined quite a number of races to discipline myself to run long distance.

I have always had a deep passion for keeping myself physically fit — having been involved in canoe polo, track and field and touch rugby during my school days.

After I joined Air Force, I wanted to be stronger, fitter and faster. That sense of satisfaction of achieving my goal grew me into a more disciplined individual.

JRL: Would you say that one needs to have a certain mindset to take up running as a sport/exercise activity? If so, how must a runner – whether a newbie or experienced – prepare himself or herself mentally?

LL: Yes. I feel that a person’s attitude/discipline is what defines a person. Discipline means inner strength, self-control, mental stamina, physical toughness and perseverance. As long as he/she will have that level of discipline to uphold and maintain what he/she to prepare.

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

LL: During my officer training course, I won the overall best PT in the PT excellence challenge for the cohort in OCS. I was the first female in history to have won the award. I was unaware that a female could even stand a chance of winning the award. I wanted to achieve a personal best ippt result before I commission as an officer.

JRL: You ran a very impressive 8:49 for a 2.4km, 73 sit-ups and 69 push! How long did it take you to train for that?

LL: During my officer training course, I had the privilege of staying in Air Force Training Command(AFTC) where they provided trainees with track and gym facilities. I had a strict training routine that I follow to improve and maintain my fitness level.

JRL: What advice would you give to someone taking that 2.4km test?

LL:
– Set their targeted award.
– Set a targeted score that he/she wants to achieve from the 2.4 km station
– Set realistic goals for themselves and give yourself sufficient time for training
– Most importantly, having the mindset of wanting to achieve the end goal

JRL: Do you have any pre-race rituals? What goes through your head every time you run?

LL: I will set a few realistic goals for myself to achieve. I will mentally prepare myself through the race, setting a realistic timing and pace for myself.

I will repeatedly remind myself that how I must not disappoint myself and this is all that I have and what I have been training for so I must put up a good race, not only meeting the goals but challenging them.

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

LL: As I sacrificed a lot for my training, I will constantly remind myself why I started this and that I must not give up and disappoint myself.

For my family and friends know how much I sacrificed, I don’t want to disappoint them and I want to prove that the sacrifices I make are worth it.

JRL: What do you think makes a runner, especially someone who keeps at it, put feet to the ground day after day?

LL: Everyone is a runner. Every individual whether they do it competitively or leisurely, as long as they have the strength and courage to put on that pair of running shoes. There is nothing that should dictate how or what a runner should be 🙂

JRL: Thank you very much Lynette. Finally, could you complete the sentence for us: “Running is…”

LL: Running is a gift!

Back to back weekend Races?

By

Amateur Runner

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August 4, 2015

Managing back to back weekend races is the last thing I wanted to do. I ran into such a situation last year (2014), Newton Challenge 18km on 26 Oct 14 and CSC Run by the Bay 15km on 2 Nov 14. I suffered badly during the 2^nd race, CSC Run by the Bay. Apart from the timing being affected, my legs hardly can stride after 10km. It was painful and I risk having injury.

Hence after the experience, I keep reminding myself that back to back weekend races must not happen again. All was well, races start to be scheduled for 2015, getting early bird and loyalty invites from races that I had participated in previous years. The races seem well spread out, having 2 to 3 weeks gap in between.

So there were these races that I will almost immediately register when I received the email invites (as long as they have 2 weeks gap in between), Marina Run, 2XU, Run 350, Sundown, Tri Factor Run, Straits Times Run, Race Against Cancer, Newton Challenge, CSC Run By the Bay and StandChart. After charting out, everything look great, I registered 2XU (21km) and Tri Factor Run (24km) back in Dec 14, then being scheduled in Mar 15 and Jul 15 respectively. However, due to the national mourning week, 2XU had been rescheduled to 1 week after Tri Factor Run.

The situation of having back to back weekend races in 2014 happen again, this time really due to unforeseen circumstances. Hence I need to make a decision, to forgo one and focus on the other? Or forgo training between the two races to rest? In the end, I made a greedy decision. I wanted everything, I want to do well in Tri Factor Run (24km), I want to train and meet the weekly 40km regime and I want to do well in 2XU (21km).

Nothing change before the week of 20 Jul 15, I just maintain my 40km weekly regime (weekly regime of 40km to maintain my weight, I easily grow fat) and push ups. On the week of 20 Jul 15 onwards (Tri Factor Run), I front load the mileage. Completing 34km from 20 to 22 Jul 15 (Mon to Wed), and leaving 23 Jul 15 (Thurs) with 6km at an average pace of about 5:00 per km. This allows me to have a good 2.5 days of rest before the race on Sunday. And on the week of 27 Jul 15 (2XU), I adopted almost exactly the same tactics, front load mileage for 2.5 days of rest at a slower pace of 5:30 per km.

I couldn’t have asked for a better result in both Tri Factor Run (24km) and 2XU (21km). For Tri Factor Run, it was the 1^st time since 2011 that I had attempted race that is more than 21km, I managed to come in at 1:58:23. And for 2XU, PBed, coming in at 1:41:50 (previous PB achieved during Run 350, 1:43:10).

For 2015, there are still 6 more races to come. More training, more push ups but no more back to back weekend races. Run NUS, Race Against Cancer, Newton Challenge, CSC Run by the Bay and StandChart, standby for Amateur Runner…

Race Review: 2XU Compression Run [21km] (by TheMinionGoesRunning)

By

TheMinionGoesRunning

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August 3, 2015

This race was supposed to be held in March. However, due to national mourning week, Pink Apple (organiser of 2XU Compression Run) decided to postpone it to 2 August. The organisers could have just cancelled the event as all races would state in their terms and conditions: “The organiser reserves the right to cancel the event due to unforeseen circumstances”, however, they didn’t. They decided to postpone the race instead for the benefit of the runners. Many arrangements were made to accommodate the changes, such as collection of finisher tees for runners that are unable to make it on 2 Aug, the refund of bus tickets, finding a new venue and planning a new route within such a short period etc.

The venue of the race village yesterday wasn’t that convenient too, as it was a short walking distance from Marina Barrage. However, that was not much grumble from most runners as most understand how difficult to re-organise the race.

Flagged-off punctually at 4.30am for the 21km category. I would say that the route was rather narrow for the first 3km of the run, and that kind of slow down the traffic at the start. Turned into East Coast Park after Fort Road, which is the usual route for Sundown or Standard Chartered Marathon 42km. Plenty of water points throughout the whole ECP area.

The perk of starting the race early- if you managed to cross the finishing line before 7am, you will get to witness the beautiful sunrise near the barrage area. 🙂 Sitting by the coastal area with the finisher medal in your hand, enjoying the sunrise and sea breeze- most wonderful experience ever.

This year’s 2XU Compression Run basically sums up the struggles and experiences of a runner- there could be times that you miss trainings due to unforeseen circumstances (sick, bad body conditions, weather etc), but as long as you preserve, continue to work hard, you will get to experience the final victory. Cos every running experience is bitter sweet.

Race Review: 2XU Compression Run 2015 [21km] (by Zhiyong)

By

Zhiyong

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August 3, 2015

Initially the thought of waking up at 2am and starting the race at 4.30am was daunting. However, on hind sight, it was actually great as the weather remained cooling throughout the race.

Getting to the event venue was quite challenging for drivers as there were limited parking lots at Marina Barrage and near Marina Mall. Despite the organiser’s advice to park at near The Float with shuttle service provided to transport runners to the start point, there was quite a bad traffic jam along Marina Gardens Drive towards Marina Barrage. Luckily, runners were flagged off in waves and hence did not pose much problem for those who could not reach the start point at 4.30am

The holding area was very spacious but the uneven ground was not conducive for a warm-up jog. After some stretching exercises, runners were ushered towards the start point in an orderly manner. I was fortunate to be in time to start in the first wave.

I sprinted off at the start but held back to my target pace soon after. The route was generally flat, mainly within the East Coast Park. Distance markers were clearly and accurately placed. Hydration points were also adequately provided along the route.

Having completed the Gold Coast Marathon earlier last month with a 3hr flat timing, I was conservative and kept to a slightly faster pace this time, factoring in the humidity in Singapore. Eventually I managed to keep to a consistent pace and finished the race in personal best time of 1hr 27min. Many runners also achieved their personal bests at this race. I credit this to the cooling weather and the flat course.

Runners were then greeted with a magnificent view of sunrise at the end point. It added a very beautiful backdrop to the runners’ photographs.

Race Review: Singapore International Triathlon (by ‘red3’)

By

red3

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August 2, 2015

It’s 9.45am and a small team of Costans are nervously waiting for their wave to commence. Michelle, working on becoming a seasoned triathlete (this is her 4th mini-triathlon in less than 12 months) is joined by triathlon newbies Paul, Caitriona and Maree.

It’s a terrific morning, great weather albeit a little hot given the hour but thankfully the we are well shaded as we wait. My job today is not as participant but photojournalist. Not too difficult given that I love taking photos, they are all good friends and the event is 300m from home. I am joined by several friends from the condo and half the Little League contingency here to support their mums and dad.

Finally the female category is flagged-off and a group of 46 women take off into the sea. The course was a little strange in its triangular course but at least the tide was in, unlike the Nila Swim race we experience a couple of months ago.

As the Costan girls reach sand again Caitriona comes out first, followed by Michelle and then Maree. A typical issue in an open water competition is being blocked by other slower participants. Each one of them encountered being blocked by breastroke swimmers who were swimming parallel with another thereby limiting any opening to those behind. Short of swimming over them as some of the more serious triathletes might do, those seconds lost in trying to outmaneuver slower swimmers in front, costs in the overall timing.

With slightly over 3 minutes in the transition area, the girls embark on their 12km cycling race consisting of two loops of 6km. With them on their way I race back to the swimmers hoping to catch Paul in his category but the fella is way too fast for me and I barely catch him as he makes his way into the transition area.

Taking position in the cycling arena, it’s not long before Michelle knocks off her first lap. Fast as a bullet I’m thankful she’s wearing bright and recognisable gear otherwise I may have missed her flying by. At an average 30km/h Michelle’s cycling was a vast improvement from her 2014 effort and first outing in the triathlons. A new bike and regular bi-weekly 50km rides are definitely paying off.

Finding the others on the cycling track wasn’t quite so easy given that they were all wearing black and found myself shooting complete strangers thinking it was them. Eventually I narrowed down Caitriona with her pink belt, Maree with her blue helmet and Paul another speedy bullet with his charming good looks.

I nearly missed Paul on his second lap as I was expecting Caitriona to come through. In the last second I see him overtaking his wife and barreling down that finishing line at 30km/h like a man on a mission. Shortly after Caitriona enters transition and a few minutes later Maree.

Changing position again, I settled near the Finish line camera on the ready with the sports function in full mode. Not surprisingly anymore, it wasn’t long before Michelle showed up and finished her race in 43 minutes, shaving off 7 minutes from her previous triathlons.

Miss Smiley, as I came to consider Caitriona, given that she smiled throughout each leg of the race came behind her hubby Paul and shortly after followed Maree.

I really enjoy participating in races but I also experience just as much pleasure out of watching my friends challenging themselves. This was a great event, besides the extra bonus that it’s in our backyard in terms of home proximity, and there was an even greater pleasure to be had watching Michelle take podium and accept her First Place trophy.

For the first time triathletes, they weren’t too shabby I have to admit. Paul came in 4th in his category and so chuffed with himself he signed up for the Sprint version of the Trifactor Triathlon in 3 weeks. Caitriona came in 5th in her category and Maree who raced for the first time in Singapore and a triathlon at that came in 8th. An incredibly good morning for all.

So incensed by their experiences both Maree and Caitriona have registered for the Trifactor Triathlon in the Freshmen category. The buzz and excitement has spread itself amongst our Costa team that two more people have signed up for the next triathlon. This brings the Team Costa contingency to 13 participants making it the largest racing gathering since its beginning a year ago.

Cheers.

Do you know what’s your pronation type?

By

Team JustRunLah!

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August 1, 2015

pronation feet runner shoes — Image credit: 123RF

Pronation is the inward roll of the foot while walking or running. It is part of the natural movement that helps the lower leg to deal with shock. An ideal foot-strike is the neutral pronation, which is a slight inward movement of the ankle-bone during stance (when the foot is in contact with the ground). However, some people pronate more or less than others and as long as the degree of pronation remains within certain limits, it can be considered normal.

Types of pronation

Neutral pronation occurs when the foot experiences a normal, healthy amount of pronation. In a healthy movement, more of the toe area will be used when pushing off than in unhealthy movement. For neutral pronation, the weight distributes fairly evenly among all of the toes with a slight emphasis on the big toe and second toe which are better adapted to handle more of the load.

Overpronation is considered as the gait which one tends to push off almost completely from the big toe and second toe. As a result, the shock from the foot’s impact will not spread evenly throughout the foot and the ankle has trouble stabilizing the rest of the body. An unnatural angle forms between the foot and ankle, causing the foot to splay out abnormally.

Underpronation (or supination) occurs when the foot impacts the ground and there is insufficient “inward roll” in the foot’s motion. The weight of the body cannot all be transferred to the big toe, forcing the outside of the foot and the smaller toes, which cannot handle the stress as well, to take the majority of the weight instead.

Determining your type

Your pronation type strongly affects the way your shoes wear out. So before you throw your last sneakers out, have a look at their soles.

If the soles of your shoes show wear in an S-shaped pattern, from the outer (lateral) heel to the big toe you are likely to be a neutral pronator. The shoes of an overpronator will show extra wear on the inside of the heel and under the ball of the foot, especially the big toe, while those of an underpronator will wear mostly near the outer parts.

Moreover, there is a simple test to help you find out your gait type, namely, the Wet Feet Test. The wet footstep you leave on the floor is a good indicator on how your foot absorbs the shock of the impact with the floor. So the next time you step out of the shower, take notice of how your footsteps look and compare them with those for each gait type, found at most-right column of the table below.

Selecting the right shoes

Neutral pronators have the widest variety of shoes to choose from. Overpronators should look for maximum support or structured cushioning shoe, while underpronators need lots of cushioning to avoid impact injuries.

Running shoes are designed today specifically for different pronation patterns and most running shoes manufacturers have implemented a model selection guide on their websites. When you pick your next pair of running shoes, always remember to find out and use your pronation type to choose the perfect pair!

Race Review: Shape Run 2015 [15km] (by ‘SmallSteph’)

By

SmallSteph

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August 1, 2015

shape start pt by Shape Singapore FB — Source: Shape Singapore Facebook Page

Friends from my #fitfam praise Shape Run as one of the better ladies-only runs in Singapore, and I agree, but I couldn’t nail down the exact reason until I completed my second Shape Run on 26 July 2015.

Registering for the Shape Run was like making a new friend…

A friend who gives you weekly tips on how to prepare for the race:

Weekly for 10 weeks leading to the Shape Run, a Shape Exclusive email would appear in my inbox with tips by experienced runner Andrew Cheong to psych me up for my first 15km run. This weekly countdown also nudged me to train consistently!

A friend who ensures your race pack collection is as efficient as possible.

Race pack collection lasted from Friday to Sunday. I went after work on Friday, mentally prepared to queue way past dinner time and endure grumbles from my fellow queue members, but neither happened. There were 8 counters, and volunteers made it clear that all queries (including changing of singlet sizes) be directed to the information counter, so the line progressed swiftly and picking up my race pack was a breeze.

A friend who embraces your inner auntie.

Pay 40-odd dollars for two sports tops, a durable drawstring bag, product samples and discount vouchers? Yes please! However, the two tops didn’t fit most ladies very well as far as I observed on race day. Perhaps organisers may wish to consider a more “Asian” cutting. I didn’t exactly like the iPhone 6 armband too, because my phone is too small for the armband to be practical. Something that most people could use, like headbands, microfibre towels or storage belts, would have been better appreciated.

A friend who regularly posts on social media to fire up your excitement for your run.

Check out the Shape Facebook and Instagram accounts and you’ll know what I mean!

A friend who encourages you every kilometer you complete.

Each kilometer marker along the race not only tells you the distance you’ve achieved, but also adds in encouraging words. My personal favourite was “Smiles await 1 kilometer ahead!” at the 14km mark. Volunteers on duty along the route were also liberal with cheers, which definitely helped raise spirits.

A friend who understands the wonders of retail therapy.

Both the race carnival during race back collection and the actual event day carnival had attractive offers abound. Discounts on masks, supplements, compression wear, gym memberships, shoes, and even professional photo-taking services.

A friend who loves you, and the people you love.

Witnessing mummies and kids on the 1.8km run was really heartening! All in all, I felt like a valued participant at Shape Run. It was more than just a running event, it was a celebration of ladies going beyond their comfort zone and achieving their goals. The finishing point was crowded with supporters, generous with love for us who come back all flushed, sweaty and with messy hair.

Featured Image Source: Shape Singapore Facebook Page

Interview with Ah Siao, the crazy guy behind Official Durian Run Sg!

By

Team JustRunLah!

-

July 31, 2015

Cos durians are the best finisher rewards!

Today we sit down with Ah Siao, one of the Go50 runners and the crazy man behind the Official Durian Run Sg! Sit back and enjoy this unique interview.

JustRunLah: Hey congratulations on the Go50 run! Doing 50km everyday for 50days is quite mental.

Ah Siao: I was just a shadow lurking behind. Barely hanging on to the main runners. Lim Nghee Huat and Yong Yuen Cheng are the doyens of Singapore’s ultra running scene. It was an honor for me!

JRL: So now you are a star huh! That video you did for the Durian Run was hilarious.

AS: … indeed 5000 views and 150 shares later, I am gunning for Golden Horse next. We are just glad Ah Seng Durians is with us in this run. We just want a smile on the runners. Offline and online !

JRL: Tell us more about the Durian Run.

AS: My team is always wondering why do people want finisher medals so much as we are not the usual medal collectors. There is a stash I have from all the runs I did. Why not do something different? A durian seems perfect because thats what most Singaporeans enjoy.

JRL: Durians as an alternative to finisher medals… Seems ridiculous!

AS : Precisely! And fun too. Not to mention durians are perfect recovery foods. You would find a whole load of scientific literature backing me up. (editor’s note: Click here to read about durian’s benefits to runners).

JRL : It is quite unique a concept.

AS: It must be! Why would you want to do something everyone does? So we made it vague on what kind of stuff the runners would get after the run. We hope to attract a crowd that values the experience. “Oh sounds fun, lets go!” – this is the kind of response we want from the runners. The increasing consumerism of runs is definitely alarming. There is always a place for some quirky fun.

JRL: So it’s just run and eat durians?

AS: Oh not really. You form a team of 4 or if you are short, we form a team for you. Strangers at the start, friends at the journey’s end. 4.8km per person and 1.2km at any time before relaying. So you can imagine how epic it would be.

JRL: Ah seems fun.

AS: It’s hard to put it in words but a relay like what we did when in school was full of squeals and thrills. Speed doesnt matter because you have so much fun that at the end you just grin from ear to ear.

JRL: Are they passing durians?

AS : Hahaha no. My team does not have the gumption to face lawsuits coming our way if anyone trips and fall on durians. They will be passing a baton.

JRL: I guess people still need to know where their money goes. What kind of durians?

AS: Yeah. Totally. People asked. Bulk of it goes to the durians. Quality ones. Mixture of D24 and Mao Shan Wang. We are partnering with Ah Seng Durians from Ghim Moh. If you know Ah Seng, he is an honest man. His exact words “I will not disappoint” That puts my heart at ease. A smile on every runners face, that’s our mission and definition of success for this event. Profits are kinda secondary and even mythical for this edition.

JRL: Will it be a durian buffet?

AS: Haha if we have a buffet, then it will be chaos. More aptly put, there would be enough durians to satisfy everyone. Oh there are other stuff. Dinner. Ice cream. Sports bottles. Prizes for the top teams. Beautiful certificates. Little touches that come from the heart of the team

JRL: If you could summarise this event in a sentence, what would you say?

AS: Can I have more than one sentence? A reasonably priced run. Done from the heart. Brought to you by runners for runners whose sole mission is your smile. An epic relay format catering to all runners, fast slow, round, skinny, tall short. United by a love for running AND durians! And most importantly done at an awesome venue. Sembawang Park is really a lovely place more people should explore for their runs.

More info / register:

– facebook.com/DurianRunSG
– eventnook.com/event/durianrunsg

17,000 Women will be flooding the streets for GEWR 2015.

By

Team JustRunLah!

-

July 31, 2015

Great Eastern Women’s Run 2015 is now Fully Subscribed!

The Great Eastern Women’s Run (“GEWR”), commissioned by Great Eastern has established itself as Asia’s largest all- women’s run and the first all-women’s half marathon.

The run caters to women from all walks of lives. Featuring the 5km, 10km as well as 21.1km race distances, Great Eastern aims to make the run accessible to female runners of all levels. A series of dedicated pre-race fringe activities will be organised for the women in a bid to better prepare them for race day.

Great Eastern Women's Run 2015 — Image credit Great Eastern Women’s Run 2015.

This year marks Great Eastern’s 10th year of unifying women in health and life. The run caters to women from all walks of lives. Featuring the 5km, 10km as well as 21.1km race distances, Great Eastern aims to make the run accessible to female runners of all levels. A series of dedicated pre-race fringe activities will be organised for the women in a bid to better prepare them for race day.

A great turnout for the Great Eastern Women’s Run 205 is to be expected as all 17,000 race slots have been subscribed as of 31 July 2015. There will not be an extension of race slots across all categories- 21.1km, 10km, 5km and 100m Princess Dash.

For those not participating in the race, a race village will be open to the public at The Float@Marina Bay, where they can partake in fun activities and support their loved ones.
For more information, please visit www.greateasternwomensrun.com.

One of our greatest enemies, the Side Stitch

By

Jarin T

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July 29, 2015

Abdominal-Pain-While-Running — Image credit: medicmagic. net

During the midst of your run, you increasingly feel a stingy pain on the side of the lower edge of your ribcage and wonder what exactly is this piercing sensation that is preventing you from pushing on? In most cases, that stabbing, annoying pain is known as a “Side Stitch”.

Causes of side stitch

While some might blame themselves for eating too much before a run or perhaps even the hot weather, the real cause to this pain still remains a mystery till date.

According to an interview with Australian scientist, Darren Morton, his research shows that the stitch afflicts about one in five participants in a typical distance race. Although the pain can be rather intense when one tries to continue running against it, the stitch is not life-threatening and does not result in severe injury or death, according to sports experts.

Is there a remedy or treatment?

Side stitches apparently require no medicine for recovery because it often disappears after a period of continued activity. Morton had also found of that side stitches also occur in motorcycle riders and equestrians as well.

Tips to reduce side stitch:

Improve core and stamina

Studies have also shown that beginner runners or people who run on a less frequent basis tend to experience this pain as compared to veterans. As such, one way to reduce these cramps from affecting your performance is to strengthen your core muscles and stamina by doing other forms of core exercises.

Sufficient hydration

Hydrating yourself sufficiently and doing proper stretching before race, can possibly aid in reducing the impact felt by side stitches during a run. In addition, while this does not apply to everyone, there have been feedback from some runners that eating bananas before a race resulted in a side-stitch, while apples did not. This could possibly result from undesirable interactions among the food and liquid contents in our digestive system.

Food intake time before race

Eating way too close to the starting race time might possibly play a part in inducing that pain. Therefore, runners are advised to take note of your meal time before a race. Most runners recommend a 2.5 to 3 hours time gap between your meal time and race starting time. When experiencing side-stiches during the run itself, you can try to take deeper and more frequent breaths to increase your oxygen intake. This process has been known to reduce the pain resulting from the cramp.

Mind over body

While it is hard to predict when and how the side-stitch interferes runners during a race, it is pretty much a mind-over-body issue because it is an unavoidable problem that many runners face. And yet, this does not stop runners such as Deena Kastor, an Olympic bronze medalist, and a U.S woman marathon record-holder, from emerging victoriously in both national and international competitions.

So the next time you experience side stitch, do not panic and try your best to endure or take a break from your run! It is totally normal and every runner will encounter this at some part of their trainings – Keep calm, and Just Run Lah!

Why You Should Travel for a Race in 2015

By

Team JustRunLah!

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July 28, 2015

Travel cartoon image — Image credit: 123RF

It’s the time of the year again where you start making plans for the year-end vacation by reviewing your bucket-list items and travel packages. Instead of being a typical tourist doing sightseeing, food-tasting and other touristy activities, why not assume a new and different role this year as a travelling runner?

Race for a holiday!

Most people have 14 – 25 days of annual leave, and yet most subject these limited days to traditional package tours where the tour guides simply move the tour group from attractions to attractions according to the itineary. At the end of the trip, what you have brought back are photos, memories and souvenirs which are no doubt precious, however the same as everyone else who had been to that destination.

So, what else is there for the travelling runners? RACE tours! It is the next big thing where it is a holiday and a race trip with all your accommodation, transport and race administration settled by the race tour agency! Not only do you get to enjoy the time of your life in a new place, timezone and culture, your running experience will be brought to whole new level like never before! Race tour is the combination of creating special racing memories with the comfort of traditional package tours.

Recently, a number of Singaporeans flew to Australia to compete in the Gold Coast Airport Marathon from 4-5 July 2015 and some of them even qualified for the prestigious Boston Marathon 2016! Read about their overseas race experience here!

Journey of self-discovery

Most of us travel across countries for family holidays, business trips or a DIY tour. However, your role as a tourist usually limits your curiosity and opportunities to discover more about yourself due to the travel plans made by your travel agent or recommendations from fellow travelers.

For an even more authentic travel experience and memories of the destination, you should always do what the locals do! Participate in their local races and get a chance to interact and communicate with the locals! While some races require pre-registration before a certain date, there are always local races that allow on-the-spot registration for the travelling runners like you! Taking part in local races provides you the rare chance to engage with the community, enjoy the scenery and immerse yourself in the tradition the race has to offer. Who knows, you may just learn more history and travelling perks of the place from your fellow runners than you ever will from a guided tour!

Affordable airfares

Not all of us are able to have fractional ownership jet to enable us to fly private (although there are ways to fly private without this, and it may not be too different in price to a first-class ticket if you know what to look for). However, for those who don’t have this kind of money to spare, budget airlines are everywhere and affordable flights can be easily purchased via computers and mobile apps. It may used to cost a small fortune in the past, but now travelling to nearby countries can be cheaper than a night of hotel stay! All you need to do is to pack light, book a flight and ensure that the race registration dates and race dates are in your favour.

Running in a new destination is arguably the best thing to see, hear, feel and know everything that the place has to offer. So, why not run the world this year? One race at a time.

Getting started

For the upcoming September and year-end vacation period, we have handpicked several bucket-list races around the world for you to take the first step in becoming a traveling runner!

Angkor Wat International Half Marathon (Cambodia, December)
ASB Auckland Marathon (New Zealand, November)
Athens Classic Marathon (Greece, November)
Bali Marathon (Indonesia, November)
BMW Berlin Marathon (Germany, September)
Chiang Mai Marathon (Thailand, December)
Great Barrier Reef Marathon Festival (Australia, November)
Koh Samui International Marathon (Thailand, December)
Macau Galaxy Entertainment International Marathon (Macau, China, December)
Melbourne Marathon Festival (Australia, October)
Niagara Falls International Marathon (Canada, October)
Osaka Marathon (Japan, October)
Penang Bridge International Marathon (Malaysia, November)
Shanghai International Marathon (China, November)
Standard Chartered Bangkok Marathon (Thailand, November)
Sydney Running Festival (Australia, September)
TCS New York Marathon (United States, November)
Yunnan Puzhehei International Marathon (China, October)

Must Do Marathons Bucket List World — Click here for the best marathons around the world.

Kind and In Kind

By

Moses

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July 28, 2015

As I conclude my “season” – essentially the first half of the year – I look back at my experiences.

I went through a series of disappointing injuries. Often these were not overuse related, such as strains. Instead, the variety came in the form of single-episode injuries triggered by the most tragic of reasons, such as a shoe that was too tight (putting me out of running for more than a month?). Furthermore, I wasn’t able to meet my time goal for this season.

Nonetheless, disappointments and frustrations aside, I probably experience some of the sweetest blessings. They’re arguably simple, yet the simplicity can be meaningful. For one, I received a Garmin Forerunner 15 from my classmates. This undoubtedly aided me in my running journey, having managed to track my many runs on Strava. In addition, I was offered a free foam roller from a kind running forum user. I’m still not certain if it provides any significant physiological benefit, though the psychological benefit is present. Last but not least, a kind runner offered to sell me a brand new, yet heavily discounted Garmin HR Monitor for my FR15, fuelling my interest in understanding the science of running.

The running community is kind – I’ve received its blessings in kind. I’ve gradually come to run for aspects far greater than myself or my goals. I do want to pay the kindness forward – within the community and beyond. When suitable opportunities come along, I’ll seize them, kindly.

50, the Golden Number of 2 inspiring stories

By

Peter Tan

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July 28, 2015

For Singaporeans, 50 is a special number this year as Singapore celebrates 50 years of independence and birthday, with SG50 festive events islandwide. For the running community, this number has also surfaced in many meaningful race events where it bears a special significance as seen in the following sports stories in particular:

GO50 – Singapore ultramarathoners Yong Yuen Cheng and Lim Nghee Huat finish 2,500km run in 50 days

On 16 April 2015, teacher Yong Yuen Cheng, 43 and media producer Lim Nghee Huat, 61, embarked on their first 50km run as part of their 2,500km challenge in 50 days to celebrate Singapore’s 50th birthday and commemorate the resilience of the nation’s founding fathers. After 50 days of gruelling runs and overcoming their physical and mental endurance limits, the proud Singaporeans crossed the finishing line on 4 June 2015 at 10:32am.

One of the highlights during the 50days challenge included an impressive timing of 4 h 47 min on day 47, which was the fastest timing ever accomplished by the duo. The most excruciating run took them 9h 51 min to complete on day 24. The scorching heat and merciless sun were the main factors that affected their running reserves and timings during this period of the year where heat in Singapore is at its peak.

Processed with VSCOcam with hb1 preset — Image credits: Channel News Asia

Some heartwarming moments were also witnessed during the challenge as supporters from all walks of life, including students and working professionals, ran together with them for part of or the whole of their 50km journey. The humble duo hopes to inspire Singaporeans to “make sports a part of [their] lifestyle” and proved that “ordinary guy like [us] can do things that are extraordinary – like running 50km daily in 50 days”.

50 Full Ironman Distances in 50 Days in 50 States

James Lawrence began his quest on June 6 to complete 50 iron-distance triathlons in all 50 states over 50 consecutive days. “My goal is to simply to inspire others to challenge themselves and to be more active. Together with the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation we can all be part of the movement to fight obesity.” (Lawrence, Ironcowboy)

Initially, many were skeptical about the possibilities of overcoming logistical issues of travelling from one state to the next while trying to recover from energy lost in the daily 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run. However, on July 25, Lawrence successfully achieved his unbelievable 50-50-50 goal, which sums up to a total of 120 miles of swimming, 5,600 miles of biking and 1,310 miles of running. Lawrence’s end goal in all of this is to raise America’s health awareness and to inspire people of all ages to make healthier choices.

Lawrence’s admirable and unbelievable feat is an inspiration to all and his success has proven that man can achieve the impossible as long as he never gives up.

All staff from JustRunLah! would like take this opportunity to wish Singapore an awesome and happy 50th birthday! Majulah Singapura!

Orange, Yellow and Pink Ribbons: Do you know their significance?

By

Peter Tan

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July 27, 2015

Have you ever wondered what do the different colored ribbons stand for in the race event logos of ribbon races? In Singapore, there are 3 major ribbon sports events organised annually by various communities where race participants gather to run for their respective causes and movements. Let us find out what the story behind these ribbons:

Orange Ribbon Run

Image credits: One People.sg — Image credits: OnePeople.sg

The Orange Ribbon has been adopted by various countries and groups of individuals as the symbol of harmony, equality and freedom. As for Singapore, the Orange Ribbon is adopted as a symbol of respect, understanding, trust and friendship.

The Orange Ribbon Run is a signature event organised by OnePeople.sg, the voice and main resource centre on race relations in Singapore. This race event aims to promote understanding, appreciation and trust among Singapore’s multi-cultural and multi-religious society.

It is also Singapore’s only Run against Racism, where Singaporeans gather and make a stand to show their support for a united and harmonious multi-religious and multi-racial society we call home.

This year, the Orange Ribbon Run 2015 will be held on 29 August 2015. Participate in this meaningful and fun event by registering via the link here.

Yellow Ribbon Prison Run

Image credit: Yellow Ribbon Prison Run

The Yellow Ribbon concept was inspired from the 1973 Tony Orlando and Dawn hit song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree”, which aptly describes a released prisoner’s desire for forgiveness and acceptance.

The annual Yellow Ribbon Prison Run is part of the Yellow Ribbon Project, which aims to create awareness and promote a more accepting society; a society that is willing to give ex-offenders a second chance at making good. It is important that we help unlock the second prison for our inmates, even as we let them out of the physical one.

This year, the Yellow Ribbon Prison Run will be held on 13 September 2015. Register for this event by clicking the link here.

Pink Ribbon Walk

Image credit: Breast Cancer Foundation

The Pink Ribbon has been used as an international symbol of breast cancer awareness. Similarly in Singapore, the Breast Cancer Foundation organises the annual Pink Ribbon Walk and ‘Wear the Pink Ribbon Campaign’ during the Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

These campaigns aim to attract participation and support among the public, and to emphasise the importance of a healthy lifestyle to reduce the likelihood of contracting breast cancer. Proceeds collected from the events will also be used to enhance Breast Cancer Foundation’s support group programmes and awareness outreach.

Image credit: Pink Ribbon Walk — Image credit: Pink Ribbon Singapore

The 2015 edition of Pink Ribbon Walk will be taking place on 3 October 2015. Show your support by registering via the link here.

More Ribbon Races to come?

There are many more ribbon symbols and with the booming running industry in Singapore, there is a huge chance of seeing new ribbon races being introduced in the years to come!

Purple Ribbon is another commonly used ribbon worldwide to raise awareness for more than 30 over causes. This includes raising awareness for domestic violence, International Women’s Day, Alzheimer’s disease, Anti-gay bullying, animal abuse and pancreatic cancer.

Red Ribbon has been used internationally as the symbol for the prevention of drunk driving and also solidarity of people living with HIV/AIDS. Also, the red ribbon was the first ever ribbon symbol, inspiring later versions such as the pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness. The 2 main organisations that utilize the red ribbon symbol are The Red Ribbon Foundation and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Supporters of MAAD tie red ribbons on their cars or visible areas to represent their commitment in safe and sober driving during the holiday seasons.

With the knowledge of these colored ribbons and their significance, be a charity runner today by signing up for the ribbon races!