After tapering from my run sessions, I have learnt to also appreciate other aspects of life. This time, I get to sit down with a table of food connoisseurs and enjoy a sumptuous Chinese New Year meal.
It may seem too early for some Chinese New Year dishes when Christmas mood only just sets in. However, come to think of it, Chinese New Year will be approaching in a blink of an eye, falling on 5-6 February in 2019.
Chinese New Year is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. The festival was traditionally a time to honour deities as well as ancestors, and the evening preceding Chinese New Year’s Day is frequently regarded as an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner.
For health-conscious sports and fitness enthusiasts, Chinese New Year goodies are always too much to take. They give these people the guilt and probably the mindset that all the past year’s hard work will go to waste.
We can, on the other hand, think of it as after one whole year (or years for some) of hard work, it should be time to reward ourselves, especially so for enjoying a good indulging meal with family and loved ones.
Even though we are to indulge anyway, we can still go somewhere which serves healthier food, not just for the sake of ourselves, but also for the young and the elderly.
The award-winning Gu Ma Jia is one such place that serves a hearty, mouth-watering reunion dinner, and at the same time adopts a philosophy of no MSG-added, less oil, less salt and less sugar where possible in their dishes. Known to be fully booked for their reunion dinner packages, we are advised to book at least 2 to 3 months ahead to secure their seats.
Some of the signature dishes which we tasted include:
Enzyme Drink
CNY Lo Hei
CNY Lobster Platter
Claypot Sesame Oil Chicken
Yuan Yang Kai Lan
Assam Fish Head
Flaming Pork Ribs
Flaming Pork Ribs
Lychee Sweet and Sour Grouper
Lala Bee Hoon
Crispy Brinjal
Salted Eggs Prawns
Peach Gum Beautifying & Nourishing Dessert
My favourites are:
Assam Fish (For people who can’t take spicy food well as their version is non-spicy)
Crispy Brinjal (Not easily available elsewhere)
Yuan Yang Kailan (Leaves fried to crunch crisp while the stems are succulent)
Peach Gum Beautifying & Nourishing Dessert (Less sugar and free from preservatives; helps to rejuvenate skin, cleanse the blood, boost immunity, lower cholesterol and balancing the pH levels in our bodies)
Their other signature dishes include:
Traditional Beancurd Soup
Salted Egg Crab
Yam Ring Pork Ribs
They also have the Roasted Suckling Pig for your selection especially during CNY:
Gu Ma Jia is located at 45 Tai Thong Crescent Senett Estate Singapore 347866. They are open Mondays to Fridays: 11am to 2.30pm (Last order 2pm) 5.30pm to 9.30pm (Last order 9pm) and Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays: 11am to 10pm (Last order 9.15pm).
* Disclaimer: This review represents the genuine, unbiased views of the author. The author was provided with free tasting. Gu Ma Jia’s products might currently be advertised on JustRunLah! via different channels, however, these relationships do not influence the editorial content of reviews.
Ho Chi Minh city Marathon powered by Taiwan Excellence is, as any other marathon, an individual-oriented and competitive race. However, the marathon aims to be a friendly and supportive role for participants, where different running levels are welcome. Check out what the biggest marathon in Vietnam is doing in order to grow the running community:
Spreading pure inspiration through personal and touching “Dream Big With The City” stories
Started since 2017, Ho Chi Minh city Marathon (HCMC Marathon) powered by Taiwan Excellence kicked-off the campaign in order to bring running and marathon closer to the citizen.
The main message “Dream Big With The City” has brought inspiration from the city and its people, with the aim to encourage others to be part of the dream, a dream to be one of the most lively urban and city marathon in Southeast Asia. Different marathon stories, from volunteers to runners, has been shared in order to inspire others:
Mrs. Nguyet or “Mama” as she calls herself, at the age of 58 years old, is one of the oldest Vietnamese woman participating in Triathlon and Marathon in Vietnam. “While you do have a lot of options when you are young, your health should still be the most important thing. I’m an elderly and I can still run which means, for sure you can too and even longer and faster! Meanwhile I can go slow because I’m old” – she expressed while laughing.
“First is Ho Chi Minh City Marathon in 2018, and next will be our wedding day!” is the story from a young couple which has inspired other runners to not run individually, but to run for a shared goal. The couple stated – “Ever since I met this special girl, my life has totally changed. To me, Ho Chi Minh City Marathon was about doing this together with my girl. We tried our first 5km in the first year of the race and in the second year, we upgraded to the 10 km distance. The third year, we made a promise that if one of the two could finish 21km, that’s when we would get married. Although it took me nearly 3 exhausting hours to finish the race, the moment I saw her smiling at the finish line, every pain and effort were worth it and… we are getting married soon. First will be Ho Chi Minh City Marathon, and next will be our wedding day!”
Educating families about the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle on kids.
Not only mom and dad get all the fun, kids can also run their race and be the finishers of the Ho Chi Minh City Marathon. The Kids Dash is designed especially for kids to encourage them to be healthy through participating in the 1KM (For kids from 6-10 years old) race route.
By sharing the story of the Trinhs Family, Ho Chi Minh City Marathon encourage parents to engage more into running in order to influence their kids to be more active as a part of their family healthy life
Becoming a global meeting point of every runner, from beginners to professionals, international to local athletes, from individual to corporates/companies.
Building a solid foundation of recognition and credibility through successful events since 2013, Ho Chi Minh city Marathon powered by Taiwan Excellence has been non-stopped improving the race itself to become the perfect occasion for corporates/companies to strengthen the team spirit and motivate their employees to run and have a healthier lifestyle.
With the constant increase in local participation, a huge amount of attention and interest generated by the audience each year, there are more than 70 companies have signed-up to join Ho Chi Minh City Marathon. Becoming a global meeting for runners from all over the world, from beginners to professionals, international to local athletes, Ho Chi Minh City Marathon powered by Taiwan Excellence is also a chance for brands and organizations to approach potential customers in Vietnam market and around the world, actively and passionately
List of top 10 corporates/ companies signed-up with most participation.
No one can represent the city more than volunteers and supporters
The marathon acknowledged that the spirit of the city marathon not only comes from runners but also created by volunteers and supporters, who are always ready to give support with a warm heart. Ho Chi Minh City Marathon wouldn’t be loved this much without them, the best supporters and volunteers.
Tremendous support from government, sponsors and partners since the very first year of HCMC Marathon
The HCMC marathon is the premier event in Ho Chi Minh City in terms of participation and number of editions held. Its history began with 5000 runners participating in the first edition in 2013 growing to over the 8000 runners who joined last year. Endorsed by HCMC Department of Culture and sports together with the Association of Athletics Federations in HCMC, the race annually is one of main activities of the city welcoming new exciting year ahead. This year, registration is close to sold out 2 months before the race day.
Accompany with the race for years, Taiwan Excellence – The title sponsor, Nike – Bronze sponsor, FV Medical – Medical partner, Canon Vietnam, 2XU, 100plus, Crescent Mall as partner have made the race as the biggest marathon in Vietnam. Not only big at participation or event scale but also at heart. HCMC Marathon also showed its influence by cooperating with other big marathons, such us Shonan International Marathon of Japan and Hanoi Half Marathon, Skyrun HCMC of Vietnam.
The race will take place in the Phu My Hung Area which is situated in the southern part of Ho Chi Minh City, touted as one of the best running areas due to its modern and urban setting. The event features 5 distances; Full Marathon (42km), Half Marathon (21km), 10km, 5km, and the Kids Dash (1km). Besides the Amateur category, an Elite category for federated athletes is also available as the race is officially listed in the Vietnam National Athletics Championships. Runners participating in the three longest distances will fight to conquer the most challenging part of the course, the Phu My Bridge, a 705 metre long bridge soaring across the Saigon River with a height of 145 metres.
Asia’s biggest night run, OSIM Sundown Marathon is set to return to Singapore on June 1, 2019, under the new event management of Infinitus Productions. Bringing a fresh perspective to Asia’s biggest night run, the team will preserve the unique characteristics that make the race a favourite amongst the running community, and yet expand its focus to highlight inclusivity in sports.
Reflecting on the brand’s success, Max Phua, Director, F4U Pte Ltd says, “the OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore is our flagship event and we are happy to partner Jeffrey Foo, Director of Infinitus Productions Pte Ltd who was one of the co-founders of Sundown Marathon when we first started.”
“We are thrilled to be working with F4U again and to continue our journey on Sundown Marathon. We look forward to contributing our experience and expertise to this well-loved and established race and to create an unforgettable experience for our runners, returning and new ones alike,” says Jeffrey Foo, Director of Infinitus Productions Pte. Ltd.
Set to take place at F1 Pit Building, runners can look forward to striving for greatness beneath a starlit sky and cooler temperatures. Registration for the OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore will commence on December 5, 2018, online as well as at the roadshow launch at the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore Expo from December 5 – 8, 2018. Runners who register at the roadshow will enjoy a special registration rate and receive an OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore goodie bag. Loyal runners are also being looked after, with special loyalty rates available until January 31, 2019. The loyalty rates will be open to participants who joined the race from 2016 – 2018.
Race categories are the 42.195km Full Marathon, the 21.1.km Half Marathon, the 10km Challenge (individual and Team of 4), and the 5km category which is open for both adults and children. New race experiences include an immersive race pack collection at the OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore Expoand Sundown Summer Night Fest on race day.
This year, the OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore also aims to champion the cause of inclusivity in sports and the wider community and Infinitus Productions will lead by example and contribute funds to the ongoing charity initiative, Sundown with Love. Some of the beneficiaries include the Singapore Disability Sports Council, The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and RunningHour. For every race slot purchased, $1 of the registration fee will be donated to the adopted beneficiaries, and runners will also have the opportunity to donate additional funds to the causes via the official event website.
Phua further commented, “we are really pleased that we can promote sports inclusivity via our brand. We are proud that Infinitus Productions is aligned with us on our objectives aswe expand further afield, creating footprints in Southeast Asia, China and to the US.”
“2019 and 2020 are critical years which will see Singapore’s top athletes vying for qualification to the Paralympic and Olympic Games, the world’s most prestigious multi-sport events. This journey will be expected to be another tough cycle for us as a charity, as we support not only top para athletes like Yip Pin Xiu towards their Paralympic qualification, but also enable talented youth with disabilities like Wong Zhi Wei to continue their pathways towards achieving that dream some day. We cannot express our appreciation enough to the organisers of OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore, for giving us a lift towards our cause,” said Kelly Fan, Executive Director of the Singapore Disability Sports Council.
From strengthening community bonds in the present to building towards excellence in future, the race organisers are also setting their sights on being certified by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) by 2020, thus becoming the second race in Singapore to achieve this status. The upcoming event in 2019 is set to be the stepping stone for this prestigious aspiration, and Sundown Marathon invites the community to follow their journey towards greatness.
Lynn Tan, Deputy Managing Director of OSIM, title sponsor of Sundown Marathon since 2015, concluded, “OSIM is a home-grown brand that is now renowned internationally and synonymous with the pursuit of wellness. Through our activities and products, we aim to inspire well-being and encourage a healthy lifestyle, and as such the Sundown Marathon, which champions the journey towards greatness, is a superb fit for our brand. We are pleased to continue to be a part of the Sundown Marathon and support the growth of the Singapore brand on a global stage.”
Penang is a familiar place for me as its my parents and sisters birth place, we would visit Penang at least once a year to visit our relatives. I could remember those days when I was just about 5 years old, we would take hours of bus ride to Penang, and when my father got a car a few years later, he drives to Penang, at times stopping by Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Cameron highlands and sometimes even farther up to Hatyai and Phuket for holidays. I love those road trips ❤
I jio-ed Eleanor to go for this runcation with me, she’ve never been to Penang and I’m quite confident in showing her around Penang ? We could only go as a weekend trip as the both of us didn’t want to take leave for this trip. Due to what I considered expensive flights for a just a weekend trip, we only purchased the flight tickets back to Singapore which cost less than $70 per person, as the flight tickets to Penang with even crappy timing costing about $100 and more. It’s much more expensive than the bus tickets that cost about $45 to Penang. But if we decided to take the bus, it also meant that our whole Friday night would be burnt on bus, we might also have difficulty falling asleep or even get car sick. We planned to take the bus at first even after factoring in the siao 10 or 12 hours bus ride and the crazy immigration clearance at Woodlands checkpoint (or if lucky a bit will be at Tuas). Luckiky we hold on to buying the bus tickets and checked very frequently for cheaper flight tickets or promotions, just 3 weeks before race, we finally found a reasonable price by Jetstar which was about $60 ?
Eleanor and I registered for the half marathon category and opted for postage of our racepack directly to our home in Singapore at an additional cost of RM20 so we skipped the hassle and do no need to collect the racepack at the race Expo. We received it about 1 month prior to the race and the race singlet looks nice! ? When we touched down in Penang International Airport at 9 plus on Saturday, we literally have 24 hours in Penang as we will be flying back Singapore at 9 plus on Sunday ?
Once we reached Penang, we took Grab to find some food near our hotel and when we finally got ready for a little bit of sleep, we only left with close to just 2 hours of sleep before we head to the race site. We also realised many of our friends in the running community from Singapore is going to run PBIM as well ? The hotel we stayed in was Hotel Jen, it’s pretty far from the race village but it’s in Georgetown next to the komtar, the bus terminal in Penang. I chose hotel in that area because it’s more convenient to visit some attractions near by ?
Grab was just damn cheap so we travelled around by Grab. Flag off was at 3am near Queensbay Mall which was far away from the hotel we stayed. According to Google Maps, it’s about 25 minutes drive away. Eleanor and I decided on waking up at 1.45am as we were already in our running attire when we went to sleep, so once we woke up and slot in our shoes, we were ready to go. Grab arrived within minutes but the Grab driver told us to cancel the booking and go Komtar by taking the shuttle bus to race site instead as there was plenty of road blocks and it’s difficult to maneuver around. The Grab driver didn’t want to earn my RM15 ? Sibeh heng part was Komtar is just right beside the hotel, we walk there and paid RM2 each for the shuttle bus. Cheap Cheap ? Singapore’s shuttle bus to races cost about SGD6 at least.
We board the almost empty shuttle bus because the previous sardine packed bus of runners had just left. To our horror, we waited till 2.30pm, almost 20 minutes of waiting for the bus to be filled before it left for the race site ?
We will definitely not be in time for the flag off. The shuttle bus dropped us quite far away from the start line, it took us about 15 minutes of power walk to reached the start point ? We should have wake up earlier and left for race site since its not near but the Hotel Jen’s pillow and bed seduced us ?
Flagged off was punctual at 3am as a little while after, the elite runners flew past us already in the opposite direction of us walking towards to. It’s a single wave flag off. By the time I started my Garmin and ready to run, it’s 3.10am. I really clap clap clap for some runners, it’s just at the beginning of the run they were walking ? Hope they completed within the cut off time of 3 hours and 45 minutes and get their finisher entitlements. As I’ve read in the official PBIM Facebook posts comments that some runners did not get their finisher medals but I guess high chance it’s because they didn’t finish within the cut off time.
It’s seriously a people mountain people sea of walkers, it’s like 3 or 4 wide lanes of road but I still find it difficult to weave in and out of the runners as they were rather like have the entire time in the world. I was quite pek cek and disappointed as not much runners cared about keeping left if they decided to go slow or walk or even if Penang would have a culture of slower runners keeping to the right I wouldn’t know as well because left right center 90 percent are walkers, it only gets a little better when I ran to about 7km. Note to self, never be late ?
Can’t remember since when, there’s some slight drizzle. I thought the race was cancelled and cut short as its only about 11km or what on my Garmin when the distance marker showed 15km, now I guess it’s because they were for full marathoners only. I think it’s the only distance board I ever saw till I saw the last km board at the last km. It’s a international run and distance boards should be more prominent and be place at every km. Even if the organizer cancelled the run, we wouldn’t have any place to go as well because it’s on the expressway. I guess it’s almost 19km of expressway and bridge, not much of a scenery as its dark and then the thunderstorm ? If flag off would be much later we may get to catch some scenery.
Soon enough, it rained heavily. My eyes cant open and I blinked like 200 times per minute ? And when I got to a hydration point, I thought ponchos were given out to runners in the event of rain and was impressed a while but it’s just that I think too much already, those were not ponchos but trash bags ? When I realised its trash bag, I tore 3 holes and slot my head and arms through. Come, I clap for myself ? Though I thought of throwing it away since I’m all wet already and the poncho was making pretty annoying noises but I was using it to keep me a little warmer and praying that my phone will not get spoiled because of the thunderstorm. Luckily at the end of the run my phone’s still working. Some cute ones even took out their phones in this crazy weather and take videos and photos, maybe it’s waterproof phones.
It was my first time running in such crazy weather conditions, it’s quite scary but honestly I enjoyed the rain, it’s like in a shower with a super strong shower head. But it’s not just normal rain. It’s thunderstorm. Wind was damn strong, there’s so much of rain and it’s my personal best of most lightnings and thunders as well as blinking 200 times per minute in a run ? My eyes were pretty irritated as I was wearing contact lense. I tried to close my eyes and run then thought it’s a stupid idea as I might just trip and fall or simply just bam into another runner and thinking a lot of scary stuffs such as being the unlucky one to be strike by lightning. The pacer was indeed really lucky that the balloon saved his life. And then I came to know of another lucky person, my cousin’s wife’s sister won a car worth RM40000 in the lucky draw at PBIM ?
I drank a lot of rain water and skipped a hydration point as I thought it’s no difference to drink from hydration point since it would be rain water as well. Then I stopped drinking the rain water and wonder of pollution and falling sick. But it’s OK runners, Google states that most rain waters are safe to drink and the pollutants it contains might even be lesser than the public drinking water supply ? When I got to the next hydration point, after u turn on the Penang bridge, I must really say the volunteers there were super excellent, they covered the water in the cups with their hands and pass us the water ❤ Thank you volunteers, deeply appreciate them to still be around in such weather conditions volunteering and cheering for runners.
I walked a lot since it started raining heavily. Many people walked as well and some even seek shelter under the bridge. But time still continues, cut off time for half marathon will still remain at 3hrs45mins and not magically increase. I can still run, but I’m just not motivated to because I feel the abrasions in both my thighs ? I’m actually pretty amazed I still end up in the top 15 percent of my category which showed at least maybe I did put in some effort to run ? When I was first start walking, I started a conversation with a men walking next to me, turns out he’s also from Singapore and this was his 6th PBIM, he said this was by far the worst weather condition and such runs won’t be cancelled as long as flagged off.
It’s only at the last km I realised that the thunderstorm became a drizzle. When we finished the run, the only thing we got is the finisher medal and a lucky draw coupon. I queued for the Milo in the rain and shortly found Eleanor in the shelter out of the people mountain people sea without the help of communicating through the phone. I only realised how cold it was when I remove the trash bag to take photos ? The thrash bag really was a life saver! And I didn’t fall sick after that like I thought I would.
We left shortly after some photos walking back to shuttle bus drop off point. We saw the 10km runners coming back from their start point at the other side. Their run was cancelled. Felt bad for them, they made the effort to turn up in this thunderstorm morning with a perfect weather to stay in bed and yet the run was cancelled and to proceed to collect a meaninglrss medal that they didn’t earn and sweat for. Though at that point of time and after the thunderstorm that the half marathon and full marathon runners been through, I felt that the weather was perfectly fine to go ahead with the 10km run.
When board the shuttle bus back to Komtar, no payment was collected from us at all. I’ve always think Malaysia’s men are super sweet ❤ When I told Eleanor “Sibeh leng ah” while going up the bus, the bus driver turn off the air-con. And then I when I told Eleanor “You see my goose bumps”, the guy sitting in front of us offered me his towel. ❤ Damn nice right? After shower and some rest, we checked out of the hotel and went food hunting and some sight see. It’s a fruitful 24 hours in Penang ❤
There’s still many aspects of the run that the organisers could do to improve the running experience of the runners. For me, this event was fine but I’ve read many negative feedback from PBIM’s official Facebook page. I wouldn’t be back to PBIM any years soon as there’s still many other place I would like to go and have my runcation and explore.
L-R Jessica Tan, General Manager UA Sports Malaysia (Under Armour), Engku Isyam, Sponsorship and Activation F&N Beverages (100Pl), Rainer, Abrar, Asthy Lee, Marketing Manager Thong Sia (SEIKO)
Dirigo Events and Standard Chartered Malaysia are pleased to announce a four-year extension to their title sponsorship agreement, taking the Bank’s partnership with the Standard Chartered KL Marathon through year 2022. The 2019 edition of the highly anticipated event will take place on 28 and 29 September and is expected to draw over 38,000 participants.
Standard Chartered has been the title sponsor of the event since 2009 and celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the bank’s involvement at this year’s event in April. The Standard Chartered KL Marathon’s (SCKLM) 10th Anniversary saw its biggest participation yet with 38,000 participants competing in 10km, Half and Full Marathon distances, with a 5km Fun Run and 1km and 3km Kids categories. The 10th Anniversary event also saw SCKLM being held over two days for the first time to cater to the growing number of runners, and this will continue in the next edition of the race.
“We are extremely pleased to be extending our association with this wonderful sporting event and delighted that we will be able to continue inspiring Malaysians to lead healthy, productive lives,” said Abrar A. Anwar, Managing Director and CEO of Standard Chartered Malaysia at a signing ceremony held today. “Over the last 10 years, SCKLM has grown to become the premier running event in Malaysia, bringing together participants from every state within the country and from over 70 countries. This is largely due to Dirigo’s excellent organisation of the event and we are happy to resume this successful partnership to take this event to even greater heights,” added Abrar.
The 2019 edition of SCKLM will also see the inclusion of new, as well as returning sponsors. SCKLM welcomes Under Armour and Banana Boat as first-time sponsors of the event. Seiko resumes its long-standing sponsorship while 100 Plus returns as beverage sponsor for the next 4 years.
“We are really happy to have secured our title and major sponsors for the 2019 edition of SCKLM well ahead of the event, which gives us ample time to plan and maximise the sponsorship agenda of our partners,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of SCKLM and Director of Dirigo Events. “As we persevere in creating a platform for running while bringing together communities to effect positive social change, it is heartening to note Standard Chartered’s steadfast support and confidence in the event and we are extremely grateful for their continued involvement, as we are of all our sponsors” he continued.
For more information and updates on SCKLM, please visit:
I’ve always wanted to participate in the Swissotel Vertical Marathon. I consider it as the marquee event amonsgst the local vertical races as it has been held in Singapore for more than 10 years and offers the highest building available for the public to challenge themselves. Also, there are not many vertical races locally (only 4 such races this year). Hence, I decided I got to try it at least once for the experience and memory.
I am also using this race as a motivation to kick start my ‘staircase climbing’ regime, in preparation for next year’s mountains hikings.
Training
Training is simply climbing stairs – 2 steps at a time. I did not plan to run up as I believe my heart will not be able to take the stress. I wouldn’t want to risk a cardiac arrest. Hence I took it easy – walk up stairs whenever possible and choosing my residential HDB block and a nearby point-block for the purpose of training. Well, you can have a nice view at 25th storey too, depending on where your location is!
Race Pack Collection
REPC was at TripleFit, Millenia Walk. TripleFit is the official fitness partner and thus not surprisingly, there are vouchers which relate to the purchase of merchandise items at the outlet. There are also F&B vouchers for dinning at SKAI and Stamford Brasserie as well, but alas, they are not valid on the eve and on holidays, else I may consider using them for the coming festive season.
The event shirt from Under Armour appears too large, though I managed to exchange it with someone to a smaller size. But even after the exchange, I still find it quite ‘flappy’. In the end, I decided to wear my own shirt for the race.
Race Day
I had hoped it rains on Saturday so that the possibility of raining on race day Sunday is lesser. But it was not to be. It started to rain at 6 am in the morning and I received an sms message notifying that the flag off times have been delayed due to the wet weather and lightning risk. Logging to the event facebook, there were a torrent of queries from runners seeking clarifications, such as the revised flag off times. But the organizer was not able to advise.
I took some more sleep, assuming the race will indeed be delayed. I woke up again just before 7 am and found that the race had commenced and that the flag off times were per normal! I hurriedly took my usual race day breakfast and took the train to City Hall. I reached at 8.20 am. By now, the rain had stopped.
I was taking part in the Mens’ Masters category, which was scheduled to flag off at 8.25 am. I did some warm-up exercises and thereafter joined the runners queuing in the start pen. Before long, I was flagged off with 5 other runners.
I slowly jogged to the start of the staircase and commenced my climb 2 steps at a time. It was really an enclosed space, so I didn’t expect to find any window to view nice scenery to describe here. It was a rather monotonous climb. However, I did not feel stuffy, though I had read some previous participants commenting on this. Perhaps the organizer had installed portable blowers to increase air circulation? There were volunteers stationed at every 4 or 5 levels, encouraging the runners to keep going. Soon enough I reached Level 69, where I was directed to the Finishing Point at the Skysuites. I was given my finisher medal and ice mountain bottled water for hydration.
I took some rest and pictures of the external scenery. It was nice, but I know it can’t be compared to what I will see at Level 73, Helipad. I had target to complete the race within 20 mins and I managed to do so in 14 mins 33 sec (provisional result). However, I didn’t feel really happy as I had wanted to finish at the ‘top of Singapore’, not in an air conditioned room.
After some time, I took the lift down to Level 4, and then to the race site at ground floor. I took a can of chilled 100 plus for further hydration. The next prize ceremony was scheduled at 1120 am, but I didn’t plan to stay. As I was about to leave, I heard the organizer announced the upcoming runners will be able to complete their race at the top floor. Well, lucky fellas!
Comments
1) The race fees are not cheap. But runners are willing to pay primarily for the ‘finish at the top’. So frankly, I am very disappointed not able to do so, even though the rain had stopped and there wasn’t any lightning. If we are limited to just 5 mins at the top for photo takings, I believe we should be able to take care of ourselves and stay accident-free within this 5 mins? I trust the runners in my category or before me would agree with me.
2) I think if the organizer announces there will be a delay to flag off times, they should stick to the announcement and let the runners know the revised flag off times. Runners will not mind a 30 mins delay in order to facilitate a safer race and a better finish.
3) Apart from the ice mountain and 100 plus drinks, there is nothing else for energy replenishment. Even though it is just a short vertical race and not the usual road races, I guess some fruits or even biscuits would be welcoming.
4) I wonder why participants have to pay for bag deposits?
5) I feel the booths for Hydro Flask and Raffles Medical were located too far from the lift point at Level 4. Most of us will turn right from the lift to proceed to take the escalator down. Therefore, I am afraid not many would have noticed these 2 booths on the far left.
I may have completed the race, officially. But somehow I feel the race is still ‘uncompleted’. It is akin to the feeling of climbing kinabalu without reaching the top.
In conclusion, if you ask me whether I will repeat this race next year or in the near future, after thinking through today’s events, my answer is – probably not.
Southeast Asia’s marquee annual road race, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) returns for the 17th edition on 8th & 9th December 2018.
In preparation for the race, organisers have made provisions to ensure minimal traffic disruptions and smooth access for the general public living and working along the race route and in the vicinity to go about their daily lives.
Key Changes to Note
For the first time, races will take place over two days with the flag-off at the F1 Pit Building and the finish line at The Float @ Marina Bay. The route will also pass through Nicoll Highway, East Coast Park, the Marina and Downtown Core, the Central Business District, West Coast Highway and Sentosa Gateway.
On Saturday, 8th December, affected roads will be closed from 12:01am – 11.00am for the National Steps Challenge (NSC) 5km and 10km race. On Sunday, 9th December, affected roads will close from 12.01am –2.00pm.
Facilitating a Smoother Traffic Flow
Race planning has been done in close consultation with relevant authorities, resulting in a route which provides a great experience for runners and minimises disruption for road users and those who live and work in the area. Routes to emergency/essential services such as hospitals shall remain accessible throughout the duration of the event.
To facilitate better traffic flow and access, organisers will progressively re-open roads once all participants have cleared each segment of the route. Traffic wardens will be deployed at all affected roads to help re-direct traffic and assist the public alternative routes to their destinations. Road closure information and re-directional signs will be put up along the roads from Monday, 26th November 2018.
Alternative Public Transport Arrangements
As train services will not be available during the early hours of the weekend, organisers have partnered with ShareTransport to provide shuttle bus services from 47 pick-up locations island-wide and take runners directly to the start point.
Members of the public are strongly advised to plan their journeys ahead of time, and are encouraged to use public transport during the affected times on 8th and 9th December 2018.
SCSM 2018 participants or members of the public with enquiries about the road closures may call the SCSM 2018 Road Closure hotline at 6701 1230. The hotline will be available from 9.00am to 6.00pm from 26thNovember to 7th December, and will be available 24 hours on 8th and 9th December. Members of the public may also wish to download Waze, a GPS navigation application, which will be updated to reflect road closures.
Information on road closures for SCSM 2018 can be found on all SCSM social pages andwww.singaporemarathon.com. Participants can also visit OneMotoring.com for further advice on commuting during the marathon weekend.
Trail races are getting popular in Thailand. Having some of the more interesting terrains and weather condition, plus the cheap and good Rest and Relax after that, Thailand is definitely worth to do a trail race in. Chiang Mai in the Northern part of Thailand offers rolling hills and abundance of nature for a good trekking and also trail races. The Pong Yaeng Trail (PYT) is one such race, began with only a few participants claiming the name of a boutique race, it has created strong interest for trail runners around the region and this year we see about 500 participants for 100Km just 3 years after it first started.
The race start point
PYT
A wet race pack collection
The trail race has 6 categories of different distances to chose from. The longest being the 100miles and shortest being the 10KM. All the categories start at the Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens in Mae Rim ( about 20 plus KM away from Chiang Mai city) only different day and timing. Registration is done on the official website itself. Runners will get a drop bag service, food and drinks throughout the race and start/finish point. Race bib and goodie bag with the event tee are all inclusive.
Official site: www.pyt.run
PYT 100km
Runners’ EntitlementRace Expo
I joined the 100Km ultra this time round, thinking it will be good to do a solo stint by myself. It was really fun and got to meet many like minded runners at the same time. It was also a challenge for me as a predominantly road runner doing distances up to a FM only. Trail running entails a very different level of fitness, it is even more cardio and I would say with good flexibility and core strength, it actually helps in trails as you will need to ascend and descend various terrain and slopes.
Staying at the Smile resort about 6km away from race site
There are total 11 check points in this 100Km race. Total elevation is about 4,800m. With 2 major descends in the whole race. The trail brings you to many interesting sights in this region and the check points are well stocked with hydration, food for replenishment and at times hot food, featuring local delights like Khao Soi, Phad Thai and Braised curry.
Race route map
Ambulance services are also spotted at some check points to assist injured runners. I must say their safety and emergency service is really good. A call and they arrive and further more along the main roads, there are consistent race patrollers to check on your alertness and ability to continue the race. This is especially important for the 100milers who might lose their consciousness due to pushing too hard.
Raining Cats and Dogs
Feeling cold in the forest
Call it unfortunate, for my race it rained throughout and it was only after I collected my finisher medal that the sun came out. The rain made the trail even harder to tackle especially with the slopes covered with muddy ground whether going up or down. With runners going through the same route, the grounds were mashed up and if you are the slower ones, you will get caught with more mud and sogginess. Made a right choice of bringing my pole this time however, it was only one side. I ended up taking a branch on my right hand to balance it out. I would say the view point at CP3 was breathtaking but when I was there it was already dark. This was also the time I found a similar pace Thai friend, Thongchai to continue the journey with me as we watch out for each other since we are both solo racers. Although I thought he might be good enough to carry on alone since he is a seasoned ultra runner.
Memorable Moments
Morning SceneFinisher entitlementsFinishing it with the special medal!
To cut this long 27 hours race for me short, just highlighting some of the memorable moments, the slope up to Mon Long which is A1 was the most tough leg for me. And once up you have to come down, that is trail 101. Mon Long is the extra leg up towards the end and it is also the most challenging for me since I was already out of energy and lack of caffeine made me walking in my sleep. Totally exhausted and we had to go up that hill. As it was already in the night , I could not see the surrounding of Mon Long, but apparently, this place is a cliff area with really good scenery. After the check point it was all the way down down down to the crossing into QSBG. By this time, we were all drained, the ending saw us going up the infamous flight of steps where you will be greeted by the organisers and supporters. It was amazing feeling , somehow in a dream and not as I was walking in my sleep since Mon Long.
Beginner luck
I guess before I built up that trail ability, all ultras will be considered a tough race for me. This race is no exception, but judging from its well organised team of volunteers, race support and most of all clear race route( despite heavy rain, the signs were well visible with “X” sign put up in the “not to enter” route), I will say it is a good start for beginners like me and ,well, the R&R after in Chiang Mai city is definitely worth it. Do sign up early as their slots sell out very very fast! One suggestion is to keep track of their Facebook Page to avoid missing out on the sign up updates.
Jaybird has always been a leading the charge for Bluetooth fitness earbuds for years, but I haven’t had the chance to use it. I have always felt comfortable using an earpiece, in terms of its fit and also its specs. Also, a common misconception I had about Bluetooth earbuds – it will drain my phone’s battery. But ever since I shifted to these set of wireless earbuds, I felt like its an entirely new world for me.
Finding The Perfect Fit
Setting up – Jaybird fills up the packaging with a variety of ear tips to accommodate different ear shapes. However, I took a while to set it up because i encountered troubles with the default set. It does not fit me comfortably. I also tried changing the different tips, but it still doesn’t feel right. Eventually, memory foam tips suit me the best since I can squeeze it and let it settle in my ear comfortably. You have the options to pick under ear or over ear as your fit and also, there’s a cinch and a shirt clip for you to secure your X4 better.
Jaybird X4
The memory foam earbuds feel light when I wear it, and it feels just right. Soft plastic wings slide easily into the ear to ensure maximum grip, and I don’t need to worry about them slipping off my ears.
Additionally, the Jaybird app even helps you to find the perfect fit by providing tutorials for you, and the amazing thing is that you can take a selfie of your fit and compare.
Tutorial at Jaybird App
To put the truly wireless headphones to a test, I carried out a short workout session at home and a jog around my neighbourhood. It was indeed an enjoyable session as I was able to blast my music without having to worry about wires being all tangled up and the earpiece keeps falling out of my ears. However, I feel a slight discomfort around my neck because of the cable.
Design
It’s waterproof and sweat-proof. I don’t need to worry if I get caught in the rain, or I drop these in the pool since the feature of this x4 includes an IPX7 rating which means I can submerge it for up to 30 mins in up to a meter of water.
Minimalist design with the controls with three buttons – volume buttons and power button.
Minimal design
The box also includes a small pouch and a USB charging cable.
Features
EQ Presets – I love the fact that jaybird has a variety of EQ presets for you to choose from. I tried using the flat version at first and felt like something was missing. So I went to explore their preset options and for a moment, I was spoilt for choice! There were thousands of frequency presets from different athletes and DJs. You can also explore and customize yourself. But I decided to go with Audiophile’s Dream (Expert). Additionally, I love the fact that this jaybird has noise-cancellation, which means I can’t hear the outside world.
Jaybird App
Bluetooth – Pairing process requires less than 30 secs once I’ve switched on the Bluetooth. The connection is generally stable only at times when I was commuting to work, and there will be intermittent pauses in between. But most importantly, it does not drain my phone’s battery!
Battery
Jaybird claimed its 8 hours of constant playback. Based on my experience, its about 7 hours. I used this to commute to and fro to work, used it for my short workout at home and also watch my dramas at night. By the end of the night, the battery will usually end up to about 7%.
Charging time is relatively fast. About 2 hours to get full battery again
What’s in the box
Final thoughts
I think overall I feel satisfied using the earbuds – commuting to work, simple workout sessions and watching my drama. The sound is good, and battery lifespan is perfect for a day. Besides it being a little uncomfortable on my neck during my workout sessions, it is all good! It is indeed an evolution, for me.
It’s sometimes just nice when you found out about about a race, registration was closed just the day before ? Luckily, registration reopened ? When Eleanor and I went directly to Woodlands Community Club to register,the run was just the next day ? Though even when registration wasn’t close yet, there’s no online registration available as I know of ? Not much information is available online as well other than the poster below, didn’t know if there would be any baggage deposit or what’s the route but I expect it to be well organised as it involves the community club and it would be fun as there’s stage performance, a carnival and National Step Challenge Roadshow that may draw a huge crowd.
It’s a run I wanted to run because the start point was at Republic Polytechnic. A memorable place which I used to dread to go in the past. I took my diploma there and I almost couldn’t graduate. During my first-year school term break, I took up a part-time job at KBox as a receptionist to pass time and loved the job damn much till I converted full time. Many times after work my ex-colleagues and I would stay back to sing and drink. Sibeh enjoying till can’t resist working there! ? Work starts at 6pm and ends at 2am. By the time I’m home, I only have a few hours of sleep before school at 8am. Many times I was absent from school that’s why it took me 5 awful long years than the normal 3 years to get my diploma. I don’t know how is it now, but attendance during my time plays a great deal to grades. My GPA almost got me a “Thank you for your participation” towards the end of the 5 years. Luckily, I graduated with a GPA of 2.02 ? This is already my 2nd “Luckily” I’ve used, I’m lucky. Blessed!
The run was organised by Republic Polytechnic, collaborating with People’s Association and Woodlands Community Club. Registration fee was only $6 which cost even less than a cup of Starbucks, upon paying for the registration fee, we collected the event tee-shirt(blue/green/orange colour to choose from) and a matching colour running headband with the tee-shirt colour you chose with a ticket which shows the running route, according to it, it’s just a 4.5km route and not 5km.
No matter what, it’s cheap cheap, I like ? It’s a fun run, and I find that usually fun run distance would be shorter than the actual distance stated.
On event day 17 November 2018, Eleanor and I reached Republic Polytechnic just a while before 4.30pm. As the event bib stated the event time is from 4.30pm to 8pm, we expected flag off for the run will be at 4.30pm but it’s at 5pm. No where states the flag off time as well ? We went to the toilet to pass time and saw counters to collect the step tracker with no queue! So shiok lah, I remembered last year I queued about an hour for it ? It’s a new step tracker with heart rate monitor, returned participants and new participants(Singaporean and PR) of the National Step Challenge can collect the new step tracker for free ?
It’s a colourful event in a sea of green, blue and orange. Quite a big turnout, with many families participating together and that’s quite sweet. While waiting for flag off, instructors from Active SG which I feel did a rather awkward warm up ? It’s really awkward and I guess many participants don’t know what are they “stretching” or doing as well ? At 5pm, we were flag off by the Grassroots Advisor of Woodlands GROs. Weather was awesome, not sunny like I thought it would be.
It’s a new route to me as I don’t usually run in this area. It was well organised and we ran on the tarmac roads, one lane of the road was cordoned off for the run. There were volunteers and traffic police around directing traffic and we were pretty safe as the entire(other than exits and bus stops) 4.6km showed on my Garmin we’re protected by water/sand barriers. Though there’s many lorries and air was bad at as it’s at the construction site.
It’s a big loop back to the end point and there’s one hydration point at about 2.6km into the run which I didn’t stop for water. At a last turn, I heard the volunteer said I was the second female runner and I chased though its a fun run with no prize ? Finally I overtook her at the last hundred metre of the run just feeling a sense of accomplishment that treasure knife haven’t old ?
After the run we collected the finished race pack inclusive of medal(though quality not very good but at least there’s medal and it’s just $6 we get so many other goodies as well?), bottle of water and 100 plus, and collected muffin, yogurt and a sandwich(which I ate on the spot). We left soon though there’s stage performance and carnival as Eleanor needs to go One North Run REPC and me to Santa Run REPC.
I would want to participate in the run again next year if there is! I think it’s the cheapest running event ever(other than free runs) and all the things I’ve gotten altogether seems worth more than $6 already ?
“If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon.” Kathrine Switzer, the first woman in history to run Boston Marathon (1967)
As my lethargic feet sprinted past the finishing line of Balik Pulau Marathon on 7th October 2018, a mixed feeling of joy and sadness overwhelmed me.
Joy because I achieved my target of 10 marathon medals within 2 years, as well as another Sub4 Personal Best and Top 10 finishing.
Ten FM medals tribute to my dad
Sadness? Well…. there’s a reason for that. Someone once asked me “Why do you run marathons?” It was a simple, innocuous question, yet it set my memory rolling back almost three decades ago. This marathon goal has been a personal emotional journey for me.
Perhaps this is a story begging to be told!
The year was 1988 when I was only 17 years old. After a few successful short runs, I felt somehow brave enough to attempt Penang Bridge Run 21km, hence I asked my dad for permission to register for the event.
Despite my lack of long-distance training, I assuredly told him that I should finish the race within 2 hours. Call it what you want – teenage bravado, youth hubris and exuberance. Yet my dad listened intently, but said nothing to burst my overinflated bubble of confidence.
So on the event day, in the wee hours of the morning, my dad woke me up, got me ready for breakfast and then fetched me to the Start Point, which at that time was Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
Penang Bridge Run
Once the run started, I rushed to the fore, full of energy and vigour. As I passed the half-way mark within 50 minutes, I was highly confident of achieving my goal.
However the lack of practice began to take a toll on me & barely after Km12, I suffered severe cramps all over my legs. Despite my attempt to walk and run, I was forced to make my way back to USM half-limping, where my finishing time was expectedly well beyond 2 hours.
With tail between my legs, I arrived home to inform dad that I failed to achieve my target. After listening to my tale of woe, he sat me down and looked me in the eyes.
“Son, maybe this time, you didn’t train enough; but next time, when you really train hard, you can do it! Believe in yourself!”
“Papa – thanks! I promise that I will achieve that one day in the future, but perhaps not now!”
As a 17-year-old teenager, I guess, the disappointment of failure hit my confidence real hard. Ever since that incident, I didn’t run that often anymore. And though I still occasionally pounded the pavement during my university days, most of my attempts were limited to short distances, about 10-15km. Even when I summoned enough courage to try Half Marathon (HM), I usually finished beyond 2 hours.
Of course, once I started my working life, spare time became a premium and I also found other new pastimes. My running interest was temporarily locked up in the vault of history.
Fast forward to 27 years later – it was around late-2015 that my dad’s health gradually began to deteriorate, ever since he was discharged from hospital for an accident. Once a picture of strong healthy man, my beloved father became alarmingly frail and I was somehow alerted to his mortality.
It suddenly dawned on me that I still had an unfulfilled promise. If I were to rekindle the fond memory of finishing my run, I must do it soon. I wanted him to know that he was the one, whose inspiration was behind my life and running interest.
But this time, I stepped up the challenge, instead of HM, I would attempt Full Marathon (FM).
Thus I set myself 3 goals – to run my first FM in 2016, achieve Sub4 FM by 2017 and complete 10 FMs by 2018. An action plan was immediately drawn up for 2016. To prepare for the marathon, I jogged averagely 3 times a week and began to join at least 1 run event almost every month. To bridge the gap between HM & FM, I participated in runs beyond 21km, just to condition my body for the rigorous distance.
Putrajaya Night Marathon 2016 – my first full marathon!
My first goal was achieved, when I completed my maiden FM (Putrajaya Night Marathon) in November 2016 with timing 4:25:22. My dad was the first person that I shared my medal with, as I regaled him with the stories of my first FM.
I also committed to him that I would train hard and attempt my second goal (Sub4 finishing), most likely by mid-2017, during Standard Chartered KL Marathon (SCKLM17). That achievement would be the perfect gift for my dad, as well as a redeeming moment for myself since Penang Bridge Run.
Unfortunately the fateful phone call came in on 5th May 2017 – “This is from the hospital. We are sorry to inform you that your father has died this morning.”
Sadly my father passed away, just about 2 weeks before SCKLM17. I was devastated. His demise took away the spring from my steps and I lost my will to continue training.
During the funeral, as I stared down at my serene-looking father in the coffin, bidding him a final goodbye, I was in two minds – whether I should fly down to KL for SCKLM17. “Does it even make any difference now?”
After a week of serious thinking, I eventually strengthened my resolve to go for it. “Let’s achieve Sub4 in the memory of my father” I mouthed silently to myself.
Standard Chartered Marathon Kuala Lumpur 2017
Come May 21, 2017, there I was, standing amidst thousands of marathoners at Dataran Merdeka and waiting for the flag-off of SCKLM17. There was a carnival-like atmosphere, with loud music playing and the event emcee cheering the runners before the start.
I still remembered the morning breeze caressing my face – soft and cold, yet refreshing. Perhaps due to the lack of training during funeral, I felt a bit nervous, but somehow still determined to complete the race.
Once the starting horn was blown, I again raced to the front & stuck to my planned pace. At an hour mark, my tracking device showed a run distance of 11.5km. After that, my speed slightly slackened when I clocked 22.6km after 2 hours, but I realized that this dream of Sub4 was still much alive, as long as I stayed within the current pace.
The next 15km would be crucial, as I prayed hard that I didn’t hit the wall. Somehow soon I began to feel my thigh and calf stiffening – a symptom of impending cramps. “Stay focused” I muttered, as a Salt Stick pill was quickly swallowed to avert the pain.
As Km30 marker appeared after 2:41:02, I knew that an average pace of 6 minutes per km for the last 12km should clinch it. However disaster suddenly struck! I felt a jolt of ‘electricity’ coursing through my right hamstring, promptly followed by a sharp pain – the much-dreaded cramp! I slowed down a bit to reduce the agony, fully aware that I must still keep the required pace.
At first, the cramp dissipated, but as soon as I accelerated, the excruciating agony returned. As I hobbled to the nearest Aid Station, the sight of Red Crescent staff with anti-pain spray was such a relief. Precious seconds ticked away, while the medical personnel attended to my cramp, animatedly spraying both my legs.
The next marker showed another 8km to go (which included the last hilly stretch), which I only had less than 50 minutes. Not much time, but sufficient, if only I can find a way to overcome the pain.
“Mind over matter” was the usual mantra for runners. Right at this moment, the mental image of my father motivating me, 30 years ago re-appeared. “You can do it – believe in yourself”. The memory was somehow comforting, as well as invigorating. While the cramp momentarily diminished, I summoned the remnant of my energy to ascend the hill.
In the last few kilometers, the pain struck again several times, but each time these happened, thankfully the soothing thought of my dad cheering me from heaven, managed to assuage the cramp and spur me towards completing the race. “Believe in yourself” I held on to his encouraging words, as I focused on planting one foot in front of the other.
Finally my first Sub4 finishing!
When I finally crossed SCKLM17 finishing line, I glanced up at the display clock!
Time stood still for a while – 3:55:52!
It was such a breath-taking sight! I managed to overcome what I thought was impossible, my first FM Sub4! Somehow I believe that up there, my beloved dad would have looked down, beaming with pride and probably said “Son, you kept your promise! You did it!”
“Thank you for everything, papa!” I whispered softly, as I gazed skyward.
The Asia Pacific Publishing Awards (APPA) and MPAS Awards 2018 — organised by Media Publishers Association Singapore — took part last night, the 8th of November 2018, in One Farrer Hotel Grand Ballroom, Singapore.
On its 12th year, the awards ceremony was attended by over 35 publishing companies and 180 stakeholders in the industry.
Recent elected President of the media association, Mr John Thet said, “The MPAS and APPA Awards represent the best of industry practice in published media – whether it is in print, online, or across a variety of platforms.”
“Our industry is facing its share of disruption, but it’s also loaded with creativity, boldness, and a love of hard work that is helping many businesses to thrive in difficult times. It’s heartening to know that so many media members of the association look forward to our annual awards gala dinner,” said Miss Chrystal Wong, Executive Director of MPAS.
JustRunLah!(www.justrunlah.com) is honored to have won two MPAS awards this year: Sports and Recreational Media of the Year – GOLD and Consumer Website of the Year – SILVER. “Thank you MPAS for acknowledging our hard work. We love what we do and we hope to continue to inspire more people to get fit and healthy through our content.“, said Mr. Brian Liu Zhiyong, co-founder of JustConnect Pte Ltd, holding company of JustRunLah!
Photo credit: MPAS.org.sg
The awards were judged by a panel of 6, ranging of veterans in the creative sector, public relations and media publishing. The panel also includes fresh faces like James Lim, Creative Director of Hakuhodo, Dean Carroll, Publisher of Mumbrella Asia, James Hewes, President and CEO of FIPP and David Tay, former President of Photographic Society. Miss Lynda Williams, Managing Director of Vim & Vigour, was one of the only 2 judges retained from last year’s panel, together with Ms Marina Mathews.
ASIA PACIFIC PUBLISHING AWARDS WINNERS
Business/ Professional Media of the Year – GOLD
Asian Banking & Finance
Charlton Media Group
Food Media of the Year – GOLD
epicure
Magazines Integrated
In-Flight Media of the Year – GOLD
Smile
INK
Integrated Media of the Year – GOLD
ScubaDiver Ocean Planet
Asian Geographic Magazines
Lifestyle Media of the Year – GOLD
We the Pvblic
News Media of the Year – GOLD
Mumbrella
Mumbrella Asia
Media of the Year (Original Content) – GOLD
Asian Geographic
Asian Geographic Magazines
Luxury Media of the Year – GOLD
Prestige Singapore
Burda
Men’s Media of the Year – GOLD
AugustMan Singapore
Burda
Special Edition of the Year – SILVER
India needs proper Biosuppliers’ ecosystem
MM Activ Sci-Tech Communications
Special Edition of the Year – GOLD
ScubaDiver Ocean Planet : Celebrating Sharks
Asian Geographic Magazines
Special Interest Media of the Year – SILVER
Insurance Asia
Charlton Media Group
Special Interest Media of the Year – GOLD
ScubaDiver Ocean Planet
Asian Geographic Magazines
Sports and Recreation Media of the Year – GOLD
ScubaDiver Ocean Planet
Asian Geographic Magazines
Trade Media of the Year – SILVER
HRM Magazine Asia
HRM Asia
Trade Media of the Year – GOLD
Mumbrella
Mumbrella Asia
Travel Media of the Year – GOLD
Asian Geographic Passport
Asian Geographic Magazines
Personality Awards
Art Director of the Year
Marlon Espino
INK
Blogger of the Year
Nic Tse
SeriouslyMan
Editor of the Year
Stefan Pertz
Asian Trucker Media
Designer of the Year (Runner up)
Justin Tin Htwe
Asian Geographic Magazines
Designer of the Year
Tio Pei Moon
MIMS Pte Ltd
Journalist/ Writer of the Year
Melinda Murphy
Expat Living Publications
Digital Awards
Consumer Website of the Year – SILVER
JustRunLah! – www.justrunlah.com
Just Connect
Consumer Website of the Year – GOLD
Expat Living – www.expatliving.sg
Expat Living Publications
Trade Website of the Year – GOLD
Underwater 360 – www.adex.asia
Conference/Exhibition of the Year – Silver
Underwater360: ADEX Singapore 2018
Asian Geographic Magazines
Conference/Exhibition of the Year – Gold
MillionaireAsia Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Summit – The Future Of Money MillionaireAsia
Event/Party of the Year – Gold
ONE: Unstoppable Dreams
ONE Championship
Feature Article of the Year (Consumer) – Bronze
AUGUSTMAN Singapore – Wild Nights: The Women of Thai Discos
Burda Singapore
Feature Article of the Year (Consumer) – Silver
Asian Geographic – Back from the Dead
Asian Geographic Magazines
Feature Article Of The Year (Consumer) – Gold
Asian Geographic – China Manufactures the Future
Asian Geographic Magazines
Feature Article of the Year (Trade) – Bronze
Asian Trucker Singapore – Challenges & Opportunities in Timor-Leste
FCowan Media
Feature Article of the Year (Trade) – Silver
TTG Asia April 2018 Issue
TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd
Feature Article of the Year (Trade) – Gold
SilverKris – Wild Kitchen
INK
Front Cover of the Year (Consumer) – Bronze
NÜYOU December 2017 Issue
SPH Magazines
Front Cover of the Year (Consumer) – Silver
Prestige Singapore August 2018 Issue
Burda Singapore
Front Cover of the Year (Consumer) – Gold
Asian Geographic 2017 Issue 126
Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd
Front Cover of the Year (Trade) – Bronze
MIMS DOCTOR February 2018 Issue
MIMS
Front Cover of the Year (Trade) – Silver
H4ufme June/July 2018 Issue
Colour Symphony
Front Cover of the Year (Trade) – Gold
MIMS DOCTOR July 2018 Issue
MIMS
Illustration of the Year – Bronze
SilverKris – Curators
INK
Brand Awards
Business/Professional Media of the Year (Print) – Gold
Singapore Business Review
Charlton Media Group Pte Ltd
Business/Professional Media of the Year (Online) – Gold
The Luxury Network Magazine
The Luxury Network Singapore
Closed Circulation Media of the Year – Gold
Audi Singapore
Edipresse Media Singapore
Custom Publication of the Year – Bronze
Ascent Magazine
Media Group
Custom Publication of the Year – Silver
Sands Style Edipresse
Media Singapore
Custom Publication of the Year – Gold
Audi
Edipresse Media Singapore Pte Ltd
Food Media of the Year – Silver
T.Dining by Singapore Tatler
Edipresse Media Singapore Pte Ltd
Food Media of the Year – Gold
epicure
Magazines Integrated
Fashion Media of the Year – Silver
FEMALE
SPH Magazines Pte Ltd
Fashion Media of the Year – Gold
Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore
SPH Magazines
In-Flight Media of the Year – Gold
SilverKris
INK
Integrated Media Brand of the Year – Gold
Expat Living
Expat Living Publications
Lifestyle Media of the Year – Bronze
Expat Living
Expat Living Publications
Lifestyle Media of the Year – Silver
Sands Style Singapore
Edipresse Media Singapore
Lifestyle Media of the Year – Gold
Singapore Tatler Homes
Edipresse Media Singapore
Luxury Media of the Year (Online) – Silver
The Luxury Network Magazine
The Luxury Network Singapore
Luxury Media Of The Year (Online) – Gold
SingaporeTatler.com
Edipresse Media Singapore
Luxury Media Of The Year (Print) – Bronze
Singapore Tatler
Edipresse Media Singapore
Luxury Media of the Year (Print) – Silver
Portfolio Magazine
Media Group
Luxury Media of the Year (Print) – Gold
The Peak
SPH Magazines
Media of the Year (Original Content) – Silver
Go! Singapore Magazine
Go! Asia Magazine
Media of the Year (Original Content) – Gold
Expat Living
Expat Living Publications
Men’s Media of the Year – Gold
AUGUSTMAN SINGAPORE
Burda Singapore
Parenting Media of the Year – Gold
Sassy Mama Singapore
Sassy Group Singapore Pte Ltd
Special Edition of the Year – Bronze
D+A Annual 2018 & 100th Issue
Media Group
Special Edition of the Year – Silver
Expat Living City Guide
Expat Living Publications
Special Edition of the Year – Gold
Kids’ Guide
Expat Living Publications
Special Interest Media of the Year – Bronze
The Peranakan Magazine
The Peranakan Association Singapore
Special Interest Media of the Year – Silver
Square Rooms
Media Group
Special Interest Media of the Year – Gold
Singapore Tatler Generation T
Edipresse Media Singapore
Sports and Recreational Media of the Year – Gold
JustRunLah!
Just Connect
Trade Media of the Year – Bronze
Asian Trucker Singapore
Asian Trucker Media
Trade Media of the Year – Silver
HRM Magazine Asia
HRM Asia
Trade Media of the Year – Gold
Asian Power
Charlton Media Group Pte Ltd
Travel Media of the Year – Bronze
Asian Journeys
FCowan Media
Travel Media of the Year – Silver
Travel By Lightfoot
Lightfoot Travel
Travel Media of the Year – Gold
SilverKris
INK
Women’s Media of the Year – Gold
HER WORLD
SPH Magazines Pte Ltd
The average athlete will burn through 2822 calories during a marathon, which is roughly the same as your recommended daily intake when sedentary. Even if you aren’t planning on running a marathon, the physical exertion for any race will leave you feeling hungry. However, runners don’t just need energy, but the right nutrients as well. A fast food burger and fries may have enough calories to last 26.2 miles, but you won’t perform on that alone. Trying to consume the right amount of calories and ensuring that it is nutritionally valuable is a difficult task for any runner, but below are two hacks which can really help out.
Snack Regularly
For people trying to lose weight, snacks are usually the first thing to go. However, the danger of being a regular runner is that you may enter a calorie deficit. Therefore snacks are essential. While a full meal is a quicker way to consume calories, it will leave you with a blood sugar crash later in the day, making running difficult. You may also feel fatigued as you try and digest all the food in one go. By stocking up on healthy foods, such as fruit and protein bars, you will maintain stable energy levels and find it easier to consume a range of vitamins. Snack on superfoods like blueberries and avocado, focusing on calcium to protect bones, protein for muscle growth, and replenishing sodium which is lost through sweat.
Monitor Your Water Intake
Like three quarters of Americans, you may be chronically dehydrated. Most people don’t realize just how lacking in water intake they are. The stuff is freely running from the faucet, so there is no excuse not to be getting enough. As a runner, you will never perform without proper hydration. If you can’t seem to get past your runner’s wall or experience post-workout headaches, then lack of water is probably the cause. While you should be drinking around two liters of water on a rest day, this should be at least doubled when you are going for a run. Increasing water intake is so simple, yet could prove extremely valuable.
By taking on board these two simple daily habits, you will find reaching your athletic goals much easier. Always having a healthy snack around ensures that your energy levels stay stable and allow you to gradually meet your nutritional needs. Meanwhile, tracking your water intake will keep your body functionally properly between workouts, so that you can always perform at your best.
One week after TPS, 21 Aug, I was back at The Meadow, Gardens By the Bay. Coincidentally, this seemed like a rehearsal for me. The Saturday before I was at Gardens by the Bay for YOLO and then Sunday for TPS at East Coast, both 10 km races. This time the half marathon route of HomeTeamNS Real Run will bring me from Gardens by the Bay (Meadow) through East Coast and then back.
I have a free slot from JustRunLah! (Thank You!) for this half marathon race. This complimentary slot has not affected my evaluation and if anything, I took every race seriously, paid or unpaid. My philosophy is simple – given my age and my amateurish status as a runner, I only want to improve and if in the process, I could share and motivate one more person to take up running or run better, I’m inspired myself.
Back to the race: the race pack collection again saw me completing within 5 minutes, no queue. I believe this is the new trend – 3 races in a row that I just walked in and collected the race pack right away and not seeing any others at the queue. Or this is month of October, Halloween and folks don’t come out in crowds ?
Jokes aside, I thought I would share what I did before this half marathon after a few months’ of inactivity. Looking back at my Garmin, I did a total of 38.2 and 28.86 km respectively in August and September, doing up to max of 10 km (13 km once) but usually between 3.5 to 4.3 km. By October, I had stepped up to just under 100 km before the half marathon without a real intensive plan. As I didn’t want to aggravate my back injury, I just went on short runs usually between 3.5 to 4.3 km. I did squeeze in a 13 km distance though I’ve remembered wrongly as 12 km mentioned in the previous blog.
So as I started to go into the week of race, I was back to just doing short runs. Perhaps less is more. One thing though different since March of this year, had been that I was hitting the target of walking at least 13500 steps each day. This was in conjunction with a paid research programme and I was one of the guinea pigs. If I am able to keep up a week of meeting the target of 13500 steps per day then I would be paid $14 each week. But it is drastically reduced should I miss by a day, in other words it has to be consecutive days without breaks – a break would reset the count. In the process, I find that walking is a good way to keep the body active. As this had become a habit, I took it as allowance for just being able to move. Not too bad ! (?) I was quite surprised recently when I saw all the other participants who turned up for the follow-up survey recently, were young working men! Do they really need the incentives to exercise?
Anyway, after Sunday’s TPS, I ran on Tuesday – 1 km repeated twice, Wednesday – 4.4 km, Thursday 2.1 km, then 3 km. So rest days were Monday and Friday, Saturday. When race day – Sunday morning came, 45 minutes before 5.30 am I was at The Meadowstart line once again. This time, there wasn’t any rain. It was humid and the air was still. As I waited, some folks tried to make their way towards the front of the start line. These are probably the faster runners and I recognized one of them as a fellow blogger. I stood aside to let them pass. I recognized faces more from either reading the blogs posted or had seen them in previous races. After a while you tend to know who is who (by face, maybe not by name) in races. They didn’t know me which was good.
I am common Joe, there to run against myself. I was hoping to stick to an average pace of 7.5 min/km making it just 2:38 which was my usual finishing time before injury. Break 2:40 was my mission, my focus for this race, possibly the last half marathon this year (number 13th half marathon).
On flagoff, I started the Garmin as I got past the start line. I felt stiff and the windless humid weather didn’t help. After about 1 km, I glanced at my watch and thought I saw close to 8 min pace. I thought this was not too good. I fastened my pace but at the same time, I felt heavy. I tried to pace by feel after that. I skipped the hydration stops the first 10 km. It felt more windy only when we got to East Coast. Still, luckily it was early morning and there was no sun.
I kept reminding myself to keep a certain momentum regardless of what the watch was telling me. Other than the initial stiffness in the back, I felt fine after the first few km of warm up. Then towards the end, I could feel a drain on my energy level. I had taken a packet of energy gel at the beginning and then near the 10 km hydration point. After 10 km, I allowed myself a quick cup of Pocari Sweat at each hydration point till the end.
Photo Credit : Runcapture
I felt myself slowing down with just 3 km to go. Then I kept up the pace with as much energy as I could muster for the last 2 km. There was no bottleneck and probably also because I was in wave 1 there was no unnecessary obstruction of any kind. Got myself shot by both Runcapture and Running Shots (Sotong) at the race. Missed my running friend/photographer Terence as I was too ‘spent’ at that point to call out in advance and wanted to get to my target set from start.
Photo Credit : Running Shots (Sotong)
Was happy to complete with average pace of 7:30 and better. It was quite a stretch of a few hundred metres to the medal collection for this race. Still, I thought it worked out fine as runners took time to cool down and this helped to distribute the crowd of runners coming in at the more ‘popular’ time.
In the end the official net time showed a PB for me post-injury, it was probably the second best time I have for a half marathon – 2:34:56. This was a good time to beat for the next half marathon target should I be up to it.
Finisher Medal
Finisher Medal
Mission accomplished for this race. The race was well organized and reasonably efficient in logistics. The medal was one of the better-designed ones this year (other runners’ comments besides mine). Hydration was adequate and volunteers were superb as usual.
The next run would usually be classified as a fun run. It is the Lunghi Run but it was held this year in memory of Ali Akbar, the founder who had passed away due to cancer recently. I have no plans at this point to write about it, as I thought I would just go for a quiet run for this man whom I got to know better only just last year, because of the Lunghi Run itself. We shall see, in the meantime, run safe and run happy.
Photo Credits to Running Shots and Runcapture, thank you for being always there.
(Parting Notes: just wondering if I should also Break 6 this year or next – more in next blog perhaps…)
There seems to be a hype about truly wireless headphones recently since Apple started the AirPods. However, there are always questions about how well they fit in the ears and how stylish they look. As a fairly sporty person, I will definitely want a pair of headphones which will not drop off easily while I enjoy my music and the sport at the same time.
I came across the Jaybird X3 Wireless (not totally though) Sports headphones about a year ago and have been using them for my gym runs and workouts. Before I embarked on the wireless headphones, I had doubts about the sound quality through Bluetooth connection as compared to wired earphones. Other concerns include the durability of the material due to my active (sweaty) lifestyle and the comfort of the headphones during vigorous workout routines.
Jaybird X3
Wireless Headphones (X3 VS RUN)
Jaybird RUN
The sound quality is great especially when I use the foam ear tips (as pictured above) and I was able to customise how I would like my music to sound through the Jaybird mobile app’s equaliser setting.
The build of the headphones are also pleasantly durable and easy to maintain as I do not see any signs of wear and tear (except the foam ear tips losing their spongy feel) after frequent use in sweaty conditions. The headphones are also pretty comfortable at the ears (when you have fitted them with the right sizes of ear fins and tips). The only imperfection was the restrictions I felt when moving my head as the cord runs behind my neck even after I tucked it nicely using the cord-shortening accessory which came with the headphones.
Now that I own a pair of Jaybird RUN headphones, I am excited to hop on the truly wireless headphones trend.
Design & Comfort
Jaybird RUN
I love the headphones from the moment I got them out of the box. The design looks stylish and elegant which I would use them for my daily commute. Similar to the X3, the Jaybird RUN headphones come with various sizes of the ear fins and tips which I can match to my comfort. Lucky for me, the headphones suited me like a charm right out of the box. They also feel very light on my ears.
Sound Quality & Features
As I was used to the sound setting on my X3, the Jaybird RUN’s sounded flat when I first put them on. I then found out that “flat” was the default sound setting. I would then switch on the Jaybird mobile app and put my favourite settings on with a few clicks. However, I feel that the sound quality could not match up to the X3 even with similar settings. I reckon that it may be due to the ear tips being less noise-cancelling (silicone vs foam) and perhaps the cable between the 2 buds of the X3 helps to improve sound transmission. Nonetheless, the sound quality is still acceptable to me as I use them for my daily commute and sports activities more than for any theatrical enjoyment.
There are 3 great features which I like about these truly wireless headphones. One of them is the ultra-portable fast charging case. They are small and easy to bring around, acts as both storage and on-the-go charger for the headphones. The 2nd feature which I find useful is to be able to listen to music or answer phone calls by just switching and putting on one side of the earbuds. This adds some flexibility to my usage for different situations. The third feature will be the “Find My Buds” function accessible via the mobile app. It works like “Find my iPhone” feature so that I will not misplace my earbuds that easily.
Performance
For performance, I also see it from 2 aspects. Firstly, battery life is relatively short at 4 hours of continuous playback. For sports people who are going to engage in long-duration endurance sports like marathons or ultra-marathons, they will have a problem having music for the full duration and the mobile charging case will not be helpful in this case. On the other hand, the Jaybird RUN headphones serve its purpose very well in providing me full range of motions during my workouts while fitting snugly in my ears.
To put the truly wireless headphones to a test (compiled a short video below), I carried out my routine set of High-Intensity Interval Workout and I must say it was very enjoyable to have music to company me when I needed the extra push, and without having the slightest discomfort of a wire dragging behind my neck or feeling of the buds jumping or dropping off.
Conclusion
Sound quality is not fantastic but is acceptable for daily commuting and exercise and the battery life may not be feasible for long-duration sports. Nonetheless, I like it very much for its design, comfort and lightweight. The Jaybird RUN also lives up to its name as the “True Wireless Sports Headphones”.
* Disclaimer: This review represents the genuine, unbiased views of the author. The author was provided with a free unit. Jaybird’s products have been and might currently be advertised on JustRunLah! via different channels, however, these relationships do not influence the editorial content of reviews.
Singapore Aquathon 2018 attracted an 800 participants athletes racing while Singapore National Athletes took top spots across their age group categories. 21-year-old Singapore Bryce Chong claimed the championship for the standard distance of 1.5km swim and 10km run with a formidable time of 1 hour 10 minutes and 44 seconds. 44-year-old British Timothy Kelsall and 47-year-old Singaporean Danny Lim took second and thirds spots with a time of 1 hour and 12 minutes and 1 hour and 14 minutes respectively.
Singapore YOG representative Emma Middleditch took the top spot for the sprint category with a time of 35 minutes and 27 seconds racing ahead with her father coach James Middleditch who also took a podium spot at the sprint category with a time of 40 minutes and 1 second. Nicholas Rachmadi was crowned champions in the sprint category with a time of 34 minutes and 10 seconds ahead of French Valentin Van Wersch and Singaporean Samir Varma who finished second and third spot.
This event is specially designed to be fully inclusive for all fitness levels and ages, with physically challenged Emma Oldager completing the 750m swim leg of the Sprint relay category along with friend Laura Young who finished 11th place with a time of 48 minutes and 24 seconds.
Managing Director Orange Room, Elvin Ting mentioned: “As the years go by, the Singapore Aquathlon goes from strength to strength. This year’s race is a dazzling display of how far multisport has come in our nation and we hope to continue encouraging everyone to tap into their competitive spirit, get healthy, and enjoy this amazing sport.”
