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Cebu To Host 41st MILO Marathon Nationals

Servinio

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December 6, 2016

Cebu To Host 41st MILO Marathon Nationals

JUST AS the 40^th MILO Marathon season successfully concluded with the staging of the National Finals in Iloilo City, organizers were quick to the draw and immediately announced the schedule for the 41^st season in 2017. Newly-minted four-time MILO Marathon Queen Mary Joy Tabal will get the chance to go for a fifth straight title right in her home roads of Cebu City as the Queen City of the South has been awarded the hosting rights.

More 21-kilometer regional qualifying races will be held with new venues added to the calendar, upping the number to 17 from 13 races. The cities of Urdaneta, Antipolo, Imus, Tacloban and Roxas will now get to host a qualifier as the Philippines’ most prestigious running event scours the countryside for the best runners.

The choice of Cebu as host comes at the right time. Aside from being the home of the reigning MILO Queen, Cebu has consistently been the attendance leader among the regional races outside of Metro Manila plus local organizers led by Ricky Ballesteros has established a good track record of conducting sporting events.

The addition of nearby Antipolo and Imus gives Metro Manila-based runners more options and chances to qualify aside from the usual Metro Manila race held at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City since 2011. The past year has been tough for marathon and fun run organizers as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and affected city governments have become stricter in light of the worsening traffic problems hence the need to move events to non-traditional venues.

Tacloban City will also get their own MILO race as a fitting testament and tribute to their recovery from the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013. Scratched from the 2016 calendar are legs in Tagbilaran, Dumaguete, Dagupan and Batangas while Lipa, Angeles and Iloilo will host again after an absence of a season or two.

Here is the complete schedule for 2017 so start making travel arrangements and train to win:

41st MILO MARATHON (2017)
Date	Venue	Date	Venue
16-Jul	Urdaneta	17-Sep	Imus
23-Jul	Laoag	24-Sep	Tacloban
30-Jul	Metro Manila	1-Oct	Roxas
6-Aug	Angeles	8-Oct	Iloilo
13-Aug	Tarlac	29-Oct	General Santos
20-Aug	Antipolo	5-Nov	Davao
27-Aug	Naga, CamSur	12-Nov	Butuan
3-Sep	Lucena	19-Nov	Cagayan de Oro
10-Sep	Lipa	3-Dec	CEBU

Note: Schedule subject to change without prior notice.

Race Review: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2016 [HM] (by Lingderella)

Lingderella

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December 5, 2016

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Race Review: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2016 [HM] (by Lingderella)

Ask, and you will receive what you’ve ask for! X’mas came early for me! Thank you JustRunLah! for the race slots and I have another medal added to my collection ?

Now I really am thinking thrice before registering for any races and I feel that the race fee for SCMS is really too expensive, with this amount of race fee I can sign up for at least 2 or 3 other runs! ?

There is no train services at all this year, very troublesome for me as the distance from home to shuttle bus pick up point is more that 2km away but it’s ok, used to it already as many our runs also do not have pick up from Khatib. And I just want that extra 10 minutes of sleep and end up I sort of run there. Reaching the bus just nice at 1.58am and I’m already sweating a lot like I have already ran my race and that maybe subconsciously I already have the feeling of do not show for the run.

Thank you Rey, your art talent is very much appreciated ? Its good that they gave a grace time and left at 2.05am. Can’t remember which race, the shuttle bus left exactly just 1 minute after the stated pick up time. I think just like meeting with friends or even going out on a date there is a acceptable time frame to wait for the late ones although by right, don’t be late is the best thing ?

I bought the shuttle bus ticket at $5, there’s pick up at 3am but I choose 2am because I want to deposit my bag and hang around, I actually don’t want to bring bag as it’s troublesome as I remembered the van is parked very far away at SCMS205 and last year I ran the full marathon it was quite killing to walk after that. But I want to have slipper and a fresh set of clothes to change into as it’s really comfortable that after a run you get out from your soaking wet clothes.

I ran the half marathon category and I think its the best category among all because once I’m back in the race village, I have time to explore the race village really like a boss ? My legs is very ok, I walked around, eat ice creams, go around taking photos with the elite runners like a fan ?

Congratulations Dr Mok Ying Ren and Dr Ashley Liew on their podium winnings in the full marathon category! ?

I went to Raffles City’s toilet to change into a fresh set of clothes after collecting my baggage. I don’t even dare to think about portable toilet thought there’s no queue ? Great baggage deposits and collections, no queue at all though have to walk quite a distance to collect my baggage. In fact, all my friends is running the full marathon and the Ekiden category but I’m the only one doing the half marathon. As they are fast runners, its not a long wait and I think I’m pretty good at keeping myself entertained and occupied ?

I think the half marathon is the best category this year to run in. As there is no bottle necks, not like what I’ve expected and no shoulders rubbing shoulders at all since from the very start to finish. It’s a run that I looked forward as I feel that I can achieve a personal best and I had thought it will be a very good run for me. Though due to biological issues, its really not a good run for me as its a constant pain on and off throughout the entire race and I even have the thought of did not finish since the very beginning of the run. And I even thought that it should just be a did not show but now I’m glad that I turn up and got that beautiful medal. It’s really a beautiful medal, but its quite heavy that at one point I carry it sling across my shoulder

Hydrations point is great, though mineral water is not cold, but 100plus is cold. And the 100 plus available at the race village is very generous, free flow of super cold 100 plus! But heard that those who came back late didn’t have water at many hydration points! That’s really jaw drop, its 42km for many runners, how to go far without hydration? ?

Many of my friends who are running the full marathon feedback that it is too jammed at the last part of the run as by the time they returned, as many of the 10km runners were walking ? Hopefully next year the organisers can do something about it.

Race Entry Pack Collection

Collected my race pack on the first day of REPC. July accompanied me for the race pack collection and we have a lot of fun ? There’s no queue at all when I went in the evening at around 6pm.

July and I went to the Jaybird booth and play basketball. It’s in one minute time see how many shots you can score and the top scorer of the day will win their ear piece worth $200plus! I thought it’s easy, but it’s not ? But so nice lah, they still got a “thank you for your participation gift”, a draw string bag.

And thank you P_eace for the customised prints on my race singlet! ? Love it so much! We can choose from a few meaningful the designs template and customise our name on it. And the design that I choose is in Chinese characters, which means surpassing limits. Best thing is, it’s only a 10 minutes wait for me while I use the time to explore the race village.

My favourite part of the whole Expo is none other than the Madame Tussauds Mofarah Mannequin! ? Show the world some love! Recently I’ve been thinking of poses during running, so it’s not the common “peace” and “good” signs. Maybe I shall try sailormoon and ultraman pose if I spot any Photographers during my run. So Madame Tussauds have a contest to post a cutest caption to stand a chance to win a Fitbit.

Race Videos:

Tabal, Agravante Top Historic 40th MILO Marathon

Servinio

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December 5, 2016

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Tabal, Agravante Top Historic 40th MILO Marathon

ILOILO CITY – History was made at the 40^th MILO Marathon National Finals last Sunday (December 4) as Mary Joy Tabal became the first athlete to win the event four years in a row. The 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympian breasted the tape at the Iloilo Convention Center in a record time of 2:47:49.

Bacolod City’s Jeson Agravante likewise made history as he used a final sprint to the finish to shock the favorites and take home his first MILO Marathon King trophy in 2:35:13. His fellow runners from Negros Occidental joined him at the podium with Maclin Sadia of Cadiz City coming in a close Second Place at 2:35:22 and 2006 MILO Marathon King Julius Sermona of Himamaylan City in Third Place at 2:37:27.

Tabal achieved her four-peat at the expense of four-time MILO Queen Cristabel Martes who checked in at a distant 3:10:11 and Third Placer Lizanne Abella at 3:14:27. The Cebuana dynamo is now tied with Martes and is one more victory away from matching the five crowns won by Arsenia Sagaray from 1992 to 1994 and 1996 and 1997.

Agravante earned his ticket to Iloilo by topping the regional qualifier held in Dumaguete City last October 2. Before that, his claim to fame was winning the Metro Manila 42.195-kilometer qualifier in 2012.

Both Agravante and Tabal will carry the country’s colors at the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon on May 28, 2017. The said race claims to be Canada’s fastest marathon and holds a special memory for Tabal as the venue where she qualified for the Olympics earlier this year.

A trio of Kenyans dominated the Open Category led by Josphat Kiptanui Too Chobei in 2:22:13 who nosed out former MILO King James Tallam (2:22:17) and Julius Kiprotich (2:22:27). Their compatriot Elizabeth Chepkanan Rumokol won the Women’s Open in 2:41:55 ahead of Tabal and Martes.

It was Tallam’s triumph in 2011 that prompted organizers to award separate prizes for foreigners (Open) and Filipinos (Local) starting in 2012 thus rendering Tallam as the only non-Filipino MILO Marathon King. Chobei and Rumokol pocketed PHP 300,000.00 each plus trophies.

Tabal was the day’s biggest winner with PHP 250,000.00 for placing second in the Open, PHP 150,000.00 for ruling the Local category and an additional PHP 50,000.00 for breaking her own MILO Marathon record of 2:48:00 set during the start of her reign in 2013 for a grand total of PHP 450,000.00 plus the foreign trip and trophy. Aside from running again in Ottawa, she is aiming for a gold medal at the 29^th Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia this August.

With another successful season in the books, fans and athletes can look forward to the 41^st season of the Philippines’ most prestigious running event. The MILO Marathon will also continue its advocacy of donating athletic shoes to poor but deserving public school pupils in partnership with the Department of Education with 10,000 pairs marked for distribution this year.

Other winners: Joseph Mururi and Alexandra Dumaran (21 kilometers Open), Jero Matheus Jaro and Alexandra Dumaran (21 kilometers Local), Alden Doronilla and Thea Anne Bagaforo (10 kilometers), Axel Catalbas and Kim Villaruz (five kilometers), and Kim Patrick Corsino and Lowellie Ann Basco (three kilometers).

Gear Review: Sony Extra Bass Sports Bluetooth In-Ear MDRXB50BS Headphone

Supertramp

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December 5, 2016

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Gear Review: Sony Extra Bass Sports Bluetooth In-Ear MDRXB50BS Headphone

In the box

The headphone itself
A Micro-USB cable
Long Hybrid silicone earbuds (4 sizes; SS/S/M/L with M fitted onto the headphone)
Arc supports (3 sizes; S/M/L again with M fitted onto the headset)

The headphone is available in 3 colours; black, red and blue. The one I am reviewing is in black.

Fit

Having never worn in-ear headphones before, I did not initially know how to wear them. However, they are surprisingly easy to fit into the ear and they fit snugly. Even when I shake my head left and right during runs the headphones remained firmly in place. And with its light weight of approximately 30gm, I hardly felt it during my runs. However, during my runs, I felt the cable sometimes tangling on the right of my neck and it was a little uncomfortable. But then this could be due to the cables being new so are still a little stiff.

Use

There are only 2 buttons on the headphone, which are located on the right ear piece.

1 round button to power on/off, play/pause and to accept phone calls. To power on, just press and hold the round button. A Blue LED will light up upon powering on. After which you may see a Red LED lighting up. Depending on the current headphone battery level, you will see either a quick flashing Red LED indicating battery level is critically low or 3 flashing Red LED with long pauses in between indicating battery level is still high.

unnamed-7 — Flashing Red LED indicates low battery level

Press the round button during play to pause or resume playing songs and to accept calls while in use.

The other longer one is for volume up/down adjustments and forward/backward selection of songs. A quick tap will raise/lower the volume. Upon reaching the maximum volume, there will be a soft beep notification that maximum volume had been selected.

To fast-forward to the next track or return to the previous track, hold the button until you hear a beep, and the song selection will change.

The headphone is stated as IPX4 splash-proof. So using it while in the rain or rinsing it under running water after use offers no problem at all. Just remember to keep the Micro-USB port cover close before doing these.

keep the Micro-usb port cover close before use or washing — Keep the Micro-usb port cover close before use or washing

Pairing with Handphone

Connecting the headphone to my handphone was easy. I just need to turn on my handphone’s Bluetooth connection, select the headphone, and connection is established within a second.

Sound Quality

I must say I am not an expert in this but the songs I played sound pretty good and clear. The noise isolation feature works pretty well too as I can hardly hear any outside noise. With this in mind, I would suggest taking this for runs at PCN running tracks or areas with less traffic where situational awareness is not so crucial.

Call Quality

Call quality was pretty okay with my friend at the other end hearing me pretty clearly and I hearing him well too.

Battery Life

This has to be one of the most important features for any wireless headphones. Based on Sony’s specification, the headphone can last for a maximum of 8.5hrs of playing time on a full charge. However, during my trial, on maximum volume, I found out the headphone actually kept on playing for almost 9.5hrs before it went flat. I must say this is pretty impressive considering 9.5hrs is more than sufficient to last a runner even for the 8hrs cut-off time afforded by the 2 local full marathon organizers. Of course you will also need to factor in the battery life of your handphone for this duration too. No point having a long lasting headphone but a short battery life handphone.

Apparently, iPhone users are able to see the battery life of the headphone using their phone. But as I am not an iPhone user, I was not able to test out this feature.

Charging the headphone from flat requires about 2.5hrs using my laptop’s 1A USB port. Charging using the newer 3.0 USB port should reduce the charging time.

Overall

The Sony MDR-XB50BS is priced at $119. I must say at this price point, it is really value for money. I had scouted out some other wireless headphones before but they are usually either priced higher or have shorter battery life. It is simple to use, easy to connect to my handphone, what with the pretty good sound and call quality thrown in, this pair of sports headphone is definitely worth a try without burning a hole in your pocket.

Thank you Sony Singapore for the review unit.

Though the review unit was provided by Sony Singapore, my review is based on my own unbiased opinion after trying it out.

The Sony MDR-XB50BS is available at all Sony authorized retail shops with a recommended retail price of $119.

From now till 2 January 2017, you can enjoy 10% off Sony’s NW-WS413 and discounts on other Sony products. Head over to www.sony.com.sg/sonydays or visit any Sony store or authorised dealers for more information on the Sony Days exclusive year-end promo.

Disclaimer: A free unit was provided to the blogger for review.

Race Review: Junior Spartan Obstacle Race 2016 (by ‘red3’)

red3

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December 5, 2016

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Race Review: Junior Spartan Obstacle Race 2016 (by ‘red3’)

I really wasn’t interested in registering my daughter, Trinity for this year’s Junior Spartan Obstacle Race. Certainly not at $55 given that last year when she did participate we only paid $30 for the event. I couldn’t figure why nearly double the price and in a location that was a fair way from home.

However, when I looked into her pleading eyes and her friends hopeful face it was hard to stick to my guns. With some extra research it didn’t take long to realise this is a great opportunity for the two girls to participate in an event that allowed mixed ages. Here is the thing. Trinity is 8yo and her friend, Michelle is 13. Besides the standard age related categories, this race had a mixed ages category for 8-13yo, which meant that this year would be the only time the girls could participate together in this race. Next year Michelle would be considered a youth and she’d have to join the main Spartan event. So hubby and I swallowed the $55 and just paid up.

The race was held at the Yio Chu Kang Stadium and when we arrived to the event site and saw the setup and obstacles we understood why we were paying nearly double the price. Last year’s event couldn’t even compare to the standard of obstacles provided at this year’s event. Higher, harder, longer distance (2km instead of 1km), bigger challenges are just some of the words that come to mind. Looking at the obstacles we knew the girls would have to work extra hard and hope they have the stamina to last the distance.

1 of 31

It would be difficult to describe the 13 obstacles they had to conquer but some of the highlights were the A-frame climb over, the cargo net climb, carrying pails of water, caterpillar crawl, pull a tyre by the chains, balance beams, rope climb ending with a bell ring, sack races and flip a tyre whilst running in between the obstacles. For any incomplete obstacle the racer had to do 20 burpees, which quite a few kids had to do on what I thought was the most difficult obstacle, being the climbing up a rope about 4m to ring the bell as a sign of completing the obstacle. Thankfully Trini has been doing gymnastics for 2 years where rope climbing was part of the curriculum and she was well trained for it.

As the race progressed, you could see the fatigue overtaking both girls. Each obstacle needed a pull, push, climb, run, crawl using every possible muscle in their young bodies. Their stamina and cardio was challenged and by the time they reached the end they were well and truly finished physically. Nothing that a block of chocolate couldn’t fix.

As a parent looking on, I think this kids obstacle race was spot on. It was well organised with challenging obstacles, contained in a good quality stadium. As parents we had just as much fun watching as they did participating.

Cheers

Race Review: Race Against Hunger 2016 [10km] (by Moses)

Moses

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December 5, 2016

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Race Review: Race Against Hunger 2016 [10km] (by Moses)

The inaugural Race Against Hunger is organised by Yum! Asia Franchise in support of the United Nations World Food Programme. I was glad to be supporting this race as all registration fees were to be dedicated to this programme 🙂 As with my other reviews, do look out for the font in italics as I highlight aspects of a race that I feel are important.

Race Category
This race offered a variety of categories, both non-competitive and competitive and both for the young in chronological age and the young (or not so young) at heart. I opted for the 10km Competitive category. It was priced at a relatively affordable price of $38 (and importantly, the registration fees are channelled towards a worthy cause!), considering that nowadays registration fees for a 10km run easily extend into the 50s or 60s.

Pre-Race Matters
Race entry pack collection was held on a single day on 12 November from 11am to 7pm at City Square Mall. Within the race tote bag were a couple of vouchers, the race tee, the race bib and timing device.

The Race Precinct

Gloomy skies! In for a downpour? Credit to Pink Apple Events. — Gloomy skies! In for a downpour?

I arrived a little earlier than my 7am flag off time as I was collecting my race pack on the day itself. It was a gloomy morning with a threatening weather forecast for the morning ahead. After collecting my race pack and using the baggage deposit, I grabbed some hydration (there were also fruits available), used a portable restroom (no queues!) and headed to the start pen.

Friendly volunteers at the baggage deposit booth. Credit to Pink Apple Events. — Friendly volunteers at the baggage deposit booth.

The Race
A very energetic warm-up routine was conducted before flag-off punctually at 7.00am. The race route wasn’t too different from any race organised near Gardens by the Bay. Runners would run past Marina Bay Sands and the Promontory before heading back, past Marina Barrage and towards Gardens by the Bay East, finally returning thereafter. The notable challenges of this predominantly flat route are the two ascents of Marina Barrage. In addition, due to the numerous construction works going on around the area, there were multiple twists and turns along the route.

The 10km race route. Credit to Race Against Hunger's Race Guide. — The 10km race route. Credit to Race Against Hunger’s Race Guide.

Hydration points were available at 4 points along the route, serving chilled water and isotonic drinks. Distance markers were pretty accurately labelled (though they came a little too early at some occasions). The weather was pleasant as runners enjoyed a mild drizzle and a gentle breeze.

Post-Race
After completing my race, I claimed my Finisher’s Medal and grabbed some drinks. There were packets of Milo available, along with fruits and hydration in cups. Interestingly, despite some fast food chains being organisers of this event, fast food wasn’t anywhere in sight. Not complaining though, these healthier options were appletising as well 😀

15122994_1317237071643402_2498952908349906471_o — Credit to Pink Apple (how coincidental) Events.

Hope this brief review was adequately informative! Feel free to check out my personal experience of this event here 🙂

Photo credits: Pink Apple Events.

Race Review: Great Eastern Women’s Run 2016 [21.1km] (by ‘red3’)

red3

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December 5, 2016

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Race Review: Great Eastern Women’s Run 2016 [21.1km] (by ‘red3’)

It’s getting increasingly difficult to keep up with my writing but I would be remiss not to record my first ever half marathon experience. So this comes a good three weeks after the event but in years to come I’ll be relieved I had captured the experience to some degree.

I took up running August 2014 and had a rollercoaster affair with the sport since, particularly throughout 2015 when I tore a ligament that took me out of some major events I was registered for and spent about 9 months recuperating from.

This is my third GEWR. Having my first 10km debut in 2014, then ran 5km post injury in 2015 (I wasn’t going to miss the 10th year anniversary event) and this year I’ve made a debut in the half marathon category. Certainly GEWR races will have a special spot in my heart.

It was a daring decision I made way back in August this year following a group organised mystery run I participated in and ran 22km. At the time I was only trained up to 10km and only in the early stages of my HM training program. It took forever to get to the end but I just focused on the big breakfast and cold beer. Whilst eternally slow with the end result, I was satisfied with my effort and figured I could try an official race to enter in the HM category.

Since I ran my first 10km at GEWR in 2014, it just seemed fitting to do the same with the HM. After the mystery run I went home and committed myself to it. It certainly helped with my training program now that I had an objective in mind.

Come race day and I was up at 4.15am to get ready and get to the event site. Thankfully I was only 15min away from the race location given that 4am is such an unappealing time of the day. It didn’t help that I couldn’t sleep the night before due to jitters so I was running on about 3.5 hours of rest. However, I was in good spirits and it seemed so were all the other HM ladies present.

Whilst I’d like to think that 5.30am is a sensible time to start a race, it’s difficult to consider that time of the morning as sensible but just the same we flagged-off right on time. Several thousand ladies in red tees took off to complete what is a momentous distance.

With a nice and easy attitude, I settled into my pace and started working at knocking off one kilometer at a time. The first 10km was going as expected since up to the GEWR race I had already participated in about seven 10km races, not to mention all the training sessions along the way. However, as I reached the 11th km I hit a brick wall mentally, perhaps for a couple of reasons. One, I was running towards the East Coast which is the opposite direction to where the finish line was. Really messes with your mind. Secondly, my legs were getting fatigued and stiff. I was running on 3.5 hours sleep and one banana on a section of the route that wasn’t particularly stimulating.

Reasonably fresh looking given the lack of sleep

Proudly sporting my finisher tee and swanky medal

I know every corner of this route like the back of my hand

Luckily at the 12th km the hydration station was well stocked with cold water, electrolyte drink and bananas. I took the opportunity to eat, hydrate, rest and stretch. By the 15th km I was walking and I was breaking the race down by the location of the water stations. I used each water station as the milestone to run to, hydrate and then walk about 250m before I would start running again to the next station. Breaking down the race in small chunks made it easier to cope with. Instead of focusing on distance left, I would just focus on the next 1.5km to the next water station.

Things were well and truly looking up when it dawned on me that I reached the 18th and then the 19th and on the home stretch. There’s this realisation that no matter how slow or how painful it all is, the end is so near that if I had to slither my way to the finish line there was nothing that could stop me from reaching the end. As you can imagine this kind of positive thinking had a wonderful effect on me physically, spiritually and mentally. And when I saw the 20km marker, all I thought was “I got this”.

Aching, stiff but in excellent spirit I pushed that last kilometer and was met by my wonderful friends, who’d completed their 10km category, cheering as loud as possible. Needless to say I was grinning ear to ear and crossed that finish line.

This was a marvellous experience for my first HM and it’s a sign of changes for future races. Having a racing time baseline, I can now work on improving it and getting better at the next HM in March when I participate with my husband in the OSIM Sundown Marathon race.

Cheers for now.

46,000 Runners Flood the Streets of Singapore for SCMS2016. Clean Sweep for Kenya

Team JustRunLah!

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December 4, 2016

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46,000 Runners Flood the Streets of Singapore for SCMS2016. Clean Sweep for Kenya

[Press Release] The Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS) 2016 saw Kenya continue its 15-year domination of the event as debutant Felix Kiptoo Kirwa became the twelfth Kenyan to take home top honours winning the Men’s Open with a time of 2.17.17.

Trailing close behind was fellow Kenyan, Paul Kios Kangogo and David Kipkorir Rutoh who kept pace all the way till the home stretch before Kirwa broke away and clinched the title with an impressive sprint finish on the home stretch.

Commenting on his win, Felix Kiptoo Kirwa said “I was not expecting to complete the run in this timing as it is very hot and humid in Singapore…last year they finished in 2 hour 17 minutes, and i was not sure I could do the same. We have so many runners and they are so competitive. When I arrived at 40KM,that was when I realised I may have won the race.”

In the Women’s Open category, Kenyan Rebecca Kangogo Chesir took home the title after clocking 2:43:03 to clinch Gold. Throughout the race, Cheshir was pushed by a resilient chasing pack comprising Yator Viola Jelagat, and Peninah Jerop Arusei who finished in second and third place respectively.

Into its 15th year, Asia’s preeminent gold-label race flagged off a half-hour earlier at 4:30am, a change by first-time organisers IRONMAN Asia to improve the race experience by giving runners a cooler, more conducive race environment before sunrise.

The earlier start time proved beneficial to Team Singapore athlete, Mok Ying Ren who won the Local Men’s category with a time of 2:41:05. The win is an unprecedented seventh for Mok making him the most accomplished local runner in SCMS history.

Sharing his thoughts on the victory, the 28-year-old said “It’s a good achievement. Coming into this race I just started working 4-5 months ago, and have settled into a routine of running once a day, running home from work. I’ve retained some of my fitness from my overseas training.”

He also shared his thoughts on the consolidated start point saying “I’ve taken part in races where the half and full marathon started together, personally I like the feeling of so many runners starting together, and there are so many people to feed off for energy with the half marathoners going all the way to 12km.”

Both the half and full marathons were flagged off in waved starts, giving runners an opportunity to enjoy the first 12km of the route together under the Christmas lights, while running amongst individuals of a similar pace group.

Flagging off the race was Mr Lim Teck Yin, CEO of Sport Singapore who shared that, “I’m glad to see that SCMS, over the 15 years, has grown into what it is today where it continues inspire runners from all walks of life to come together to give themselves a fitting finale to the year through sport. It is also the first year with new organisers IRONMAN, and we are pleased to see that they have incorporated new ideas to keep the event fresh and interesting for the community. We applaud all participants – runners, volunteers and especially our Team Singapore athletes for their effort and achievements.”

Participating in this year’s race were marathon ambassadors Paul Foster and Jaime Teo, who had both signed up in pursuit of personal fitness goals. Upon completion of his first-ever half marathon, Paul said “I’m really glad to have completed my first ever 21km, it wasn’t easy but I’ve been training for this over the past six months, and it’s comforting to see that the training has paid off. I hope that this will encourage others to pursue their fitness goals too. If I were to pursue my bucket list, the next step would be to pursue a full marathon.”

A total of 46,000 participants took part across five different categories, the Kids Dash, Ekiden, 10km, Half and Full Marathon. Commenting on the numbers, Managing Director of IRONMAN Asia Geoff Meyer said “I’m pleased with the turnout and success of the event this year. The event is one that has been largely popular among the local and regional community and the numbers certainly showed. This is our first time at the helm of the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore, and whilst we are happy with the outcome, we will strive to make it even bigger and better, and work towards our goal of making SCMS a leading marathon globally.”

You might want to read:

Cover image: Full Marathon Men’s winner from Kenya, Felix Kiptoo Kirwa crossing the finish line. Photo credit: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore

Results, Photos and Videos: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2016

Team JustRunLah!

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December 4, 2016

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Results, Photos and Videos: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2016

Congratulations to all participants of SCMS 2016! It has been a great weekend with a total of 46,000 participants taking part across five different categories: the Kids Dash, Ekiden, 10km, Half and Full Marathon. JustRunLah! was there bringing you highlights of the race.

Post your comments below and share your running experience with our community.

Timing results can be found at: www.multisportaustralia.com.au/Live/Index/6001

Full Marathon & Half Marathon

Photos

Video

Champions

Full Marathon Male: Felix Kiptoo Kirwa – 02:17:17
Full Marathon Female: Rebecca Kangogo Chesir – 02:43:03
Half Marathon Male: Henry Kipkurui Kipsang – 01:07:17
Half Marathon Female: Lindsey Scherf – 01:14:27

1st Singaporean in Full Marathon men: Mok Ying Ren – 02:41.03
2nd Singaporean in Full Marathon men: Ashley Liew
3rd Singaporean in Full Marathon men: Fang Jianyong

1st Singaporean in Full Marathon women: Jasmine Goh
2nd Singaporean in Full Marathon women: Qi Hui Anne
3rd Singaporean in Full Marathon women: Rachel See

10 km

A fresh new route for our 10km begins now! Breathe in the dawn and zip around Singapore’s most iconic spots on our 15th anniversary. pic.twitter.com/N5UfekCA56

— MarathonSG (@MarathonSG) December 3, 2016

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Kids Dash (3 December 2016)

The 15th edition of the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS) got underway as close to 5,000 children raced down the iconic Orchard Rd under the Christmas lights.

The blue and white hues set a festive tone for the evening as children of all ages donned their elf outfits and raced their way from the start point outside Ngee Ann City, to the finish line outside ION Orchard in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere which was enjoyed by all.

Photos:

Video:

With their metal cookies, looking proud and glee ?? #scms2016 pic.twitter.com/Pcj6lC2NLP

— MarathonSG (@MarathonSG) December 3, 2016

Read also:

Official race website: www.marathonsingapore.com

Iloilo Ready For 40th MILO Nationals!

Servinio

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December 3, 2016

0

ILOILO CITY – It will be the turn of this city in Central Philippines to be engulfed in a sea of green as they host the 40th MILO Marathon National Finals this Sunday (December 4) at the Iloilo Convention Center. The elite of the elites of Philippine running will go all to claim victory in the country’s oldest and most prestigious footrace.

All eyes will be on defending MILO King and Queen Rafael Poliquit and Mary Joy Tabal as they try to retain their crowns against a stellar field consisting of former winners and a gritty contingent of overseas entries. A windfall of PHP 300,000.00 each awaits the winners plus the chance to represent the country in an international marathon in 2017.

Aside from the elite runners, an estimated field of 20,000 has signed up for the side events of 21, 10, five and three kilometers. A fast, straight and easy course traversing the Iloilo Radial before making a u-turn approaching Zarraga is expected to yield fast times as runners go for personal records.

Over a thousand runners earned slots through the series of regional qualifying races. Among the prominent names in the start list are Eduardo “Vertek” Buenavista and Cristabel Martes, multiple MILO winners who hope to further add to their already legendary status.

City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has thrown his all-out support to ensure a successful hosting, the first time that the event will be held outside of Luzon. Last year, the MILO Marathon was staged outside of Metro Manila for the first time in Angeles City to positive reviews thus prompting organizers to choose a provincial venue anew.

Elite Runners Share their Ambitions for SCMS 2016

Team JustRunLah!

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December 2, 2016

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Elite Runners Share their Ambitions for SCMS 2016

Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore today held an elite runners press conference at the Singapore Expo where two-time SCMS winner Kenneth Mungara and IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Tim Reed shared their thoughts on running the race this weekend.

Mungara guns for unprecedented third win at the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2016

Press Release – The 15th edition of the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS) will see two-time winner Kenneth Mungara from Kenya attempting to win an unprecedented third title on the island nation. He will be joined by IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Tim Reed, as well as over 27 other elite runners on 4th December 2016. The elite entry list which revealed a mix of debutants, veterans and Team Singapore athletes was announced by IRONMAN Asia today.

43 year-old Mungara took victory at the 2016 Gold Coast Airport Marathon in July, and will be racing this edition of the SCMS against Singaporeans Mok Ying Ren and Ashley Liew, who made a name for himself at the 28th SEA Games and is the only Singaporean to receive the very renowned Pierre de Coubertin World Fair Play Trophy.

A very confident Kenneth Mungara Gunning for his Third Title. Photo credit: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore

“I am happy to be back and I hope to do very well. The different course will not change anything for me as I have trained very hard for this. The problem is not that you are in danger if you don’t have enough training, but is when you don’t have the proper training. I am very confident for this Sunday’s race”, said Kenneth Mungara at the elite runner press conference held today.

The Half Marathon category will see IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Tim Reed make his race event debut in Singapore. The 31-year-old Australian clinched the title following a successful 2016, where he beat German Sebastian Kienle by less than a second in Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast in September.

Reed shared his thoughts on racing in Singapore, saying “The SCMS run really appealed to me and I am very excited to be here. As a triathlete, I don’t necessarily train at top end speed for running too much. My running will not be much faster from the usual this weekend, especially with the training I do, and the muscle mass muscle I carry. I must say that it will be difficult to match up to an athlete that purely run, as the last time I ran was when I was 20 years old. I want to go out and enjoy myself this Sunday. This is a real bucket list experience for me; it’s like going to several different countries when in Singapore.”

SCMS 2016 will see some 19 elite athletes from around the world arrive in Singapore to participate in the Marathon. For many of these athletes, the trip to Singapore continues to be an important fixture on the global running calendar due to its iconic routes and its status as the only IAAF Gold Label event in Southeast Asia. Organisers IRONMAN Asia are confident that with several adjustments to the route and start timings, this year’s SCMS will be the best one yet.

Commenting on race improvements, Geoff Meyer, Managing Director of IRONMAN Asia said “We’ve made some improvements to the race this year to enhance runner experience, with earlier start times, wider routes, and waved starts, we’re confident the runners will have an enjoyable, and better race experience.”

This year, more than 46,000 runners will compete in the Marathon, the Half-marathon,10km Run and Kids Dash. Starting at the same Start Point with waved starts, the Half and Full Marathon, and Ekiden Race will begin in the heart of the city – Orchard Road. The 10KM run will Flag Off at the Esplanade Theatres by the Bay and will end at the Padang, together with the other categories.

JustRunLah! is at Singapore Expo. Come see us at booth #36!

jrl-booth-scms2016-expo — Come say hi at our booth #36 at SCMS2016 expo. Photo opportunities and more surprises await you!

Cover photo: Ashley Liew, Rebecca Kangogo, Kenneth Mungara, Tim Reed at the Press Conference. Photo credit: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore.

REPC: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2016 (by Lingderella)

Personal

Lingderella

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December 2, 2016

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REPC: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2016 (by Lingderella)

Hoseh bo? Wish everyone who is running SCMS all the best and run happy!

Ask, and you will receive what you’ve ask for! Thank you Just Run Lah! for the race slot! Because now I really am thinking thrice before registering for any races and I feel that the race fee for SCMS is just too expensive, with this amount of race fee I can sign up for 2 or 3 other runs but actually it can’t be compared this way because even for chicken rice there’s $3 or the $30 ones. But seriously I don’t really understand why the flag off for 42km and 21km is together. Really got no eyes see ? Hopefully no bottlenecks and not chaotic at all. Or they got plan swee swee liao so all these will be avoidable? Just hope everything will go smoothly for the runners on race day. And this year there is no train services but lame excuse from SMRT that SCMS never informed them earlier and due to track maintenance, cant do that on the rest of the 364 days? And then why SCMS never inform earlier leh? Since every year SCMS is at about the same period right or must be the cost to activate train service over budget? So anyway, I bought the shuttle bus tickets at $5, which will be picking me up super early at 2am because I want to deposit my bag, I don’t want to bring bag as it’s troublesome but I want to have fresh set of clothes to change into and slipper, it’s shiok that after a run you get out from your soaking wet clothes. Just a reminder to those who purchased shuttle bus tickets to remember to collect the wrist tag for the shuttle bus during the race pack collection ?

Last year, I hero signed up for the full marathon alone while my friends ran the half marathon. The race singlet and finisher tee is Adidas, and very difficult to go wrong with black so the finisher tee is super nice, so I guess for last year, its what makes the race fee worth it and also running a full marathon is one of the item on my bucket list and it have been long that I want to strike that off from my bucket list and finally able to clear it last year. Maybe life is also about making your dreams come true. A few weeks ago, I was at Sportslink and I saw the exact same Brooks race singlet selling on their racks ? It’s not exclusive anymore and don’t know why people will buy it if they are not running unless they are collectors.

I’ve only know that Standard Chartered Marathon races is available in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Taipei. So far, I’ve ran Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Next year, I will be running in Hong Kong, which makes me a Wonder Woman again wondering that I shall go to Taipei Standard Chartered in 2018 maybe? ? Can’t believe it that just for a piece of medal I decided to run 42km instead of the 21km. And I’ve got only 2 more months to prepare for it! OMG! ? Still better than Sundown marathon this year, I ran a full marathon in a 1 day notice ?

SCMS is one of the largest running event of the year in Singapore and the race pack collection is at Expo. It’s at Hall 4 and when I reached at 5.30pm on the first day of REPC after work there is no queue at all! Phew! But many of my friends were complaining of long queues for their collection. But don’t know what they mean by long queues since our tolerance level of queues is low nowadays, but should not be that long I Guess ?

Thank you P_eace for the customised prints on my race singlet! Love it so much! We can choose from a few meaningful the designs template and customise our name on it. And the design that I choose is in Chinese characters, which means surpassing limits. Best thing is, it’s only a 10 minutes wait for me while I use the time to explore the race village.

July and I went to the Jaybird booth and play basketball. It’s in one minute time see how many shots you can score and the top scorer of the day will win their ear piece worth $200plus! I thought it’s easy, but it’s not ? But so nice lah, they still got a “thank you for your participation gift”, a draw string bag.

My favourite part of the whole Expo is none other than the Madamn Tussauds Mofarah Maqnequinn! ? The pose is cute right? Show the world some love! ❤️ Recently I’ve been thinking of poses during running, so it’s not the common “peace” and “good” signs. Maybe I shall try sailormoon and ultraman pose if I spot any Photographers during my run ? So Madamn Tussauds have a contest to post a cutest caption to stand a chance to win a Fitbit. But if it’s a “valentine day challenge” think my pose may qualify for the cutest pose, the boyfriend will feel so much love right? ? So the #buddybuddy and #friendshipgoals can use this as reference ?

There’s many things but I only get some hair bands, shorts and the sports bra is only at $20 each and it’s nice!

(Loading with Pinoy-Sg Runners after the race pack collection)

(With Ying Tian, one of the pacer from Running Department pacing the 5hr15mins)

(With Coach Arnel)

Do’s and Dont’s for a Better Time and a More Enjoyable Race

Danielle Moran

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November 30, 2016

1

Do’s and Dont’s for a Better Time and a More Enjoyable Race

It’s that time of year again- the biggest races of the year are imminent! Whether you’re doing a full or half marathon, 10k or 5k race these tips might just help you to a better time and a more enjoyable race!

Pre-race

1) Sleep and rest well.

Coming up to the race it’s important you get good rest for your body to recuperate after your preparation runs and to be fresh. As a general rule your last long run should be around two weeks before race day and you should taper down from there.

2) Increase your carbohydrate intake.

Notice I did not mention ‘’carboloading’’! – often people overindulge the week before a race leaving the body working hard to process the change in diet and feeling sluggish. A small and gradual increase in carbs (exact quantity depends on how long your race is) starting a week before will improve glycogen stores for use on the big day.

3) Go for a ‘’shakeout’’ run the day before.

Yes, I did say to rest well but a light 15-20 minute jog is a great way to keep your muscles loose, get the blood flowing and increase your confidence for the next day.

4) Drink up.

Start hydrating well the day before the race so that by race day you only need to maintain your already good hydration.

Race day

1) Wake up bright and early.

You want to get there at least 60 minutes before the race to physically and mentally prepare. Also you need to make sure your pre-race breakfast is at least 2-3 hours before you start running.

2) No flashy new kit.

Now is not the time to break in a brand new pair of trainers or try a hot new pair of shorts that may cause nightmare chafing!

3) Food and drink- don’t overthink!

Often people stress about what special pre-race meals they should be having but the best policy is to just to keep doing what you’ve been doing before all your previous runs. Your body doesn’t like change and won’t be able to cope with heavy carbs or a huge influx of liquid if it hasn’t been conditioned to do so.

4) Stay hydrated.

This could not be more important than in Asia. You will lose a lot of fluids as you run and these need to be replaced. (This does not mean you should stop at every drinks station however- having a belly full of liquid does not make for a comfortable run!)

And most importantly- enjoy the day! There’s nothing like race day atmosphere and buzz. When the going gets tough just think of how amazing it will be to cross that finish line- regardless of the results.

Debunking 3 Popular Pre-Race Myths

Mel

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November 30, 2016

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Good advice comes from bad experiences. Here, I’ll save you the bad experience and bad advice. I’ll let you learn from my bad experiences, and trust me, I’ve learnt the hard way.

#1 I don’t warm up – I don’t want to get tired

I’m sure quite a number of us are guilty as charged! We’re going to save our energy for the real run. Well I have been through this phase – I’m not going to waste my energy on this thing they call the warm up. Boy could I not have been more wrong. Jogging 10 minutes prior to your race will not make your tired! On the contrary, warming up has significant benefits for us runners. Warming up increases our body temperature and helps loosen up our muscles. This will prevent the occurrence of injuries and cramps during your race. Trust me, I’ve been there, done that.

#2 I rest before race day

The day before a race is so important – so important that I just rest and do nothing. I need to be fully rested so I can perform my best, right? Contrary to popular belief, this is what you should not do. Now my routine is totally different. I rest 2 days before my race and the day before my race I go for a short fast run and stretch.

This run serves to prep myself mentally and physically for my race the next day. There will be an increased blood flow to my muscles and more oxygen delivered. My muscles are loosen up. And this short run also serves the purpose of topping my glycogen store. Instead of feeling fatigue and lethargic, you will feel refreshed and more than ready for your race!

#3 The perfect game plan

Racing, as with life rarely goes as plan. Remember to have a plan b, c, d, e and f. Things can go very wrong. I’ve had stomach cramps, calf cramps, ankle sprains and even food poisoning. And just like that, your perfect plan A goes out the window. There is no such thing as the perfect race. Try visualizing as many race circumstances as possible – think of what may go wrong and how you may overcome it. This way you won’t be caught off guard and stay on top of your game – come what may.

Most importantly, remember, people have good days, people have bad days. We’ve just got to remember, end of the day what matters is for us to learn to manage the bad days!

Blog: My Weekend at The North Face 2016 [13km]

Personal

Lingderella

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November 30, 2016

0

Blog: My Weekend at The North Face 2016 [13km]

This isn’t my race. I’m just suppose to go and show support to my friends who are running and do a short run then go home continue with my “beauty sleep”. Somehow, I have a little bit of of regret that I didn’t signed up and I become Wonder Woman now how come I didn’t signed up ? Must be because the thought that I have to cut down on races since August when during July and August I have a total of 9 races! That’s about 1 every weekend! That I have to forgo one of my favourite activity to nua on bed during weekend ? I thought I’m not what they call a medal slave, to run for medals but now I look back I think I’m indeed one medal slave ? See my signature pose: Sorry to damage your eyes because seeing too much of me ? Apparently I really am a medal slave since I’m quite sad that I have to go home without a medal and have to borrow Rey’s medal for a photo ? Moral of the story is: Just register lah! ?

Anyway there is this Run Free run next year. It is a free run! Free! But includes nothing, wonder if you run past their hydration point can even take water to drink or not ? It’s concept is interesting, if you want to get anything from them can buy. You can buy the baggage deposit at $2, can buy their accessories like singlet and medal and bib. Singlet I will consider as it’s quite nice, but do I need it? ? I have so many race singlet already which my wardrobe is about to burst ? Don’t say it’s bluffing you it’s a free run because you need to buy medal and bibs and etc, you can don’t buy what. A medal slave like me will definitely and willingly buy the medal which cost $9.90 and I think I will buy the bib too which is also $9.90, a “hoarder” like me keeps bibs and medals for all my runs ? Though I must say my medals and bibs didn’t wash and contains my sweat as I didn’t wash or even wipe ? MUAHAHA!

The coming standard chartered marathon in Hong Kong only have medals for runners who run full marathon and have to finish within a cut off time of 6 hours! That’s what makes me so undecisive of which category to sign up for because it’s too risky for me that I may probably finished more than the cut off time ? But I want the medal! So how eh? Just run lah?

Luckily I reached just in time to see the 50km runners to flag off at 7am. So while Kelvin and I went to video the flag off so that our friends will have some snap shot of the video as photos but the super noob me only realised after like 3 minutes that I didn’t press record on my phone ? Think I didn’t fully wake up yet and was still dreaming ? I did manage to video the 25km and 13km runners at least ? I have created a photo album for photos of TNF2016, I may have captured you ? Is not I try to be consoling to myself that the blur photos is lousy but I think it turns out to be actually quite nice and artistic because there’s some part is focus and some part is blur ? It’s your perception that determines what a good photograph is, just like how people have different taste and view in beauty and food ?

I still remembered my cross country in my secondary school which was also at MR. I was in secondary 2 that year and I shocked a lot of people that someone with no CCA can even get a trophy for coming in as the top few runners. Because the rest of the top runners are either the Netball girls(my school Netball girls used to be super strong) or girls who are in the sports team. I don’t run last time but I play basketball in the neighbourhood basketball court very frequently with friends since I was in primary school, which I backside itchy choose a secondary school without girls basketball team. That’s my only achievement in running other than coming in 5th (there’s only 5 runners, just kidding lah ? At the very least also more than 100 runners estimated) from my company’s running event last year ? (What a typical “street basketballer” looks like in those days. I remembered we love to wear slippers to play basketball and wear those No Fear, No Rules T-shirt we get from Pasar malam ? The right one was me when I was 12 years old ?)

So, according to different category they have different requirements to have hydration bag/pouch with them and weigh in before going into the start pen. After Chiu Ping Zeh Zeh goes into the start pen, I have about 5 mins to chiong to another spot because I wanted to capture runners running with a different scenery. Like I said beauty is subjective, I think it’s a nice background of the Reservoir with people at the back Kayaking ? (Photo Credits: Me ?) Love this photo of Chiu Ping Zeh Zeh as this is what a genuine run happy is!

After that I went for a short run myself as I have about 1 hour plus before the 13km runners flag off. One thing I like about running in MacRitchie Reservoir is I always sweat more whenever I run there, soaking wet with sweat, I like! Must be because of the slopes that makes it tougher. So the plan was after the short run, waited after the 13km runners flag off I’ll go home sleep then go pole class and attend my company’s dinner and dance in the evening ?

So after my run die me run, I went to look for the rest of my friends who are running the 13km. I was very happy to be covered with sweat, feels really good. Then I suddenly have the thought why not run with them? It will be fun and this place is open to public right? I can just run with them! Plus considering I ate KFC for the past two days, and I need more stomach space for feasting at dinner and dance the night so why not just run together with them? ? Considering doing the “beautiful beautiful pace” with Serene Zeh Zeh and think I can still reach home on time and go to pole class ??

(Baggage deposit, spraying inspect repellent, part time photographer and route navigating/familiarising ?) After they go in the start pen, there’s only about 10 minutes to flag off, I rush to Mushroom Cafe to get myself Ice Milo and gulp down. I really need it because I didn’t had any food yet only ice teh much earlier and I saw coach Arnel and the rest of the Pinoy-Sg runners and manage to get a photo with them before rushing off to camp at a spot to video the 13km runners ?

Running on trail is not easy, there’s rocks, there’s mud and there’s upslope and downslope. All are potential fall risks so have to be extremely careful so I’m always very humji to run on trail, which I think I only ran before at (if Green Corridor is also considered)Green Corridor, MacRitchie Reservoir and Bukit Timah Hill. Saw many runners went Cameron Ultra recently at Cameron Highlands running the 25km and 50km that I’m also tempted to go next year. Even the leave for it is approved already although it’s next year July but still see how first. Not I kiasu, is my company kiasu that every year November have to plan and ballot for the leave next year already ? But still I’m quite scared to go run on trail because I worry of “I want to play a game” or 127 hours may happen that I fall and get stuck I will need to cut a part of me to stay alive. Or got kidnapped and get hidden under the kidnapper’s basement. Always imagining the worst case to die, sibeh sadist. Watched too much gore and horror movies already ? But what’s living with fearing to die? Means that I haven’t live enough to welcome death yet. But first thing first! Bungy jump I’m coming! Recently I’m very interested in going overseas to run, even if it’s just the next door Malaysia I will be happy. Maybe I’m bored with Gardens by the Bay and East Coast Park already. I was supposed to run Penang Bridge but I decided not to go anymore since I’m lazy to run 42km so I decided that I will definitely be happier running 21km at SCMS. Registered for it at first because I thought Penang is my hometown because my parents are from there and I’m giving up Malaysian citizenship so I thought it is quite meaningful as I was saying bye bye to blue ic and hello to pink ic. I was born in Singapore so Singapore, I grew up here so here is my hometown. I will leave the 42km to places like Japan, Taiwan or Hong Kong. But even just thinking of 42km is torturous, really respect the ultra runners. So much perseverance and determination is needed.

(Photo Credits: Me ? Another really nice photo that I like! Serene Zeh Zeh’s run happy smile!)
The 13km category have really a lot of runners and I ran with Serene Zeh Zeh the 13km entirely ? Thank you for sharing water with me and give me ice cream to eat after the run ? It is super enjoyable chit chat run except that some runners is not graceful and kept yelling. I heard one uncle even shouted: “Hello! Uneducated is it? Don’t know how to keep left ah?” Just nice I saw this at the photo booth at my company’s Dinner and Dance that evening. Seriously I’m not happy about that uncle ? It’s really not nice and there’s so many foreigners in this run, the image he is giving out about Asians and Singapore is not very nice. It’s a run, not a matter as big as life and death. It’s nature and nature is a peaceful and happy place. I’m sure everyone tried their best to stay left but it’s just that the path is too narrow, the terrain is also not easy to navigate and there is too much runners.

The weather is good though at one point I thought it will rain as the sky turns very dark but luckily it didn’t. Some parts of the route is very muddy due to the rain the previous day. There’s one hydration at about 4km for the 13km runners. Consider it 2 hydration point since the return journey also will also pass by the same hydration point. But there’s a ranger station just a little more than 1 km which have water cooler so water should be enough for the runners. There’s food like Subway, ice cream and banana for the runners.

So, after the run I rush back home immediately for a bath then head out to go pole class with all my barang barang for dinner and dance. I didn’t want to attend pole class at first as I was too tired and pole class is getting disheartening. Last week we learnt shoulder mount and dismount which is simply cruel and torturing to my collar bone and shoulder. As predicted, I attended pole class with no strength to do the moves. I’m hungry, I didn’t had any solid food yet since previous evening’s KFC. I’m considered at “advanced” class but I just feel very weak and like a beginner and after class I still even asked my instructor that after this term if I’m still lousy will I get “retained”? ? But I was told not to be silly and that everyone progress at their own pace ?? (Participating in our dance studio contest ?)

After pole class headed directly to City Hall and meet my colleagues to go Dinner and dance. Totally forgot that it says door opens at 6.30pm does not means that food will be serve on time, waited till 8pm then the first dish is serve, after the so hardcore run and the so hardcore pole class makes me so hungry and finally first solid food for the day! Hungry and angry (Hungry woman is also angry woman! Roar!!) (Picture Credits: 300) Seriously this is me when the food comes and luckily 2 of my colleagues didn’t turn up so so I no need paiseh and eat ah! Meow! ?

By right the next day I’m meeting Sabrina for a run, but luckily she gladly welcome the idea to change it into “Exploring Singapore Day” ? And we seriously took a minimum of 500 photos and I’m not exaggerating! ? We were out since 8.30am in the morning and our first stop is at Changi Airport. Inspired by Justina’s beautiful photo at Changi Airport with #buddybuddy and #friendshipgoals so I also want to go there and take photos ? Had been aiming the Hello Kitty cafe for a long time at Terminal 3 and secondly because of the super big Pikachu. It’s cute although I have never watched a single episode of Pokemon in my life and I’ve never downloaded Pokemon Go in my phone. But I can’t resist cute things, just like Hello kitty, I’ve never watch a single episode of Hello Kitty or even Winnie the Pooh, or did I even watch Micky Mouse before?

The Hello Kitty cafe is at T3 and open 24 hours! I find the food and dessert nice! Especially the pink velvet cake, will never say no to dessert and definitely want to go again to try other desserts ?

After that we went to the Singapore Art Museum, Fort Canning Park, National Museum and the National Gallery. And wow, thank you so much for reading to the very end! ? Hope what I’ve written is entertaining for you during your toilet break or transport journey and now let the pictures do all the talking ?

(Changi Airport)

(Singapore Art Museum: An Atlas of Mirrors)

(Singapore Art Museum)

(Singapore National Museum: What is invisible is not invisible)

(Fort Canning Park)

(Singapore National Gallery)

3 Common Tapering Mistakes

Mel

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November 30, 2016

0

After day in and out of training, we all look forward to tapering week, no? The main objective of tapering is to give your body a chance to rebuild and refuel such that your body muscles feel at its peak, yet at the same time being in top cardiovascular shape. However, tapering is a skill people find difficult to master – you can’t under-do it, nor overdo it. There is a fine balance to tapering. People make a lot of mistakes – be it too little running or too much eating.

#1 Dropping Mileage

The biggest mistake runners make is to rest too much too soon. They over-taper. This will often lead to a sluggish lazy feeling instead of making you feel good. Of course it is wise to drop mileage but, to perform your best, you need to maintain your aerobic fitness without exhausting your body. Dropping your mileage about 20 – 30 per cent a week will be sufficient. Don’t completely take the week off running.

It is also important to maintain some kind of intensity during training. Although the hardest workout days are now behind you, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t sneak in a hard run. Personally, I like to do a hard 10 km run exactly a week before my marathon.

#2 Getting Off Your Normal Routine

Our body responds best to consistency. Straying from your normal routine can actually have a real detrimental effect to your performance on race day. First of all you may feel sluggish on race day. Secondly and more importantly, getting off your standard routine may reduce your confidence going in the race. So if you’re used to running 5 times a week, go ahead with the same routine but go lighter with the workouts. This way, you can go into a run feeling physically and mentally good.

#3 Expecting To Feel Good

Sometimes we have a little too much faith in tapering. We expect to feel at our best. Well, we rested so much, our legs should not feel fatigue. After tapering, some people may expect to feel like superman. Well, if you think that way, you are definitely in for a rude awakening. Running hard hurts, always! Be prepared to hurt! Tapering does not take that pain away. Thing is when it starts to hurt, instead of having the confidence to push through, athletes may start to give up and question their training instead. This has been the cause of many DNFs.

You have got to prep yourself mentally to face these adversities. No race will come easy! Trust the process but also do not forget that you have to push through the pain!

Get the tapering right and be on your way to your next marathon personal best!

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Mungara guns for unprecedented third win at the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2016

JustRunLah! is at Singapore Expo. Come see us at booth #36!

Pre-race

1) Sleep and rest well.

2) Increase your carbohydrate intake.

3) Go for a ‘’shakeout’’ run the day before.

4) Drink up.

Race day

1) Wake up bright and early.

2) No flashy new kit.

3) Food and drink- don’t overthink!

4) Stay hydrated.

#1 I don’t warm up – I don’t want to get tired

#2 I rest before race day

#3 The perfect game plan

#1 Dropping Mileage

#2 Getting Off Your Normal Routine

#3 Expecting To Feel Good