Interview with the Running Doctor: Derek Li

With a busy schedule as a doctor, this does not keep Derek Li from becoming one of the top marathoners and most well-known names among the running community in Singapore. Flight Centre Active Travel chats with Derek on his life as a “running doctor”.

FC Active Travel: Hi Derek! Thank you for agreeing to do this interview with Flight Centre Active Travel Singapore. The running community might know you as one of the top marathoners in Singapore, but what they might not realize is that you also work as a doctor! Tell us a little about how you fit training into your daily schedule, and the challenges you face as a “running doctor”.

Derek: A few years back when I was still working in the government hospitals, it was certainly harder to train, because working hours were erratic and my on-call days meant that I had to miss training at least 1-2 days a week. When I made the decision to leave the public sector, having a more predictable work schedule that allows for more consistent training was part of the reason.

I’m currently a family physician with a private GP group, so I have relatively fixed working hours, and that allows me to schedule my runs before and after my work. I also negotiated with my employer to allow me to work afternoons and evenings instead of the usual 8-5 fare, and that makes it easier for me to get in up to two training sessions as day. I currently work 12:30pm-9:30pm most days. Part of my contract involves working every Sunday, though, and that makes it a bit tedious, especially if I have an early Sunday morning race.

Normally I make sure my Sunday workouts are lighter so I am fresher for work; Sundays are my busiest work day. Another downside to my work hours is that I am seldom able to join group training sessions as those are often held on weekday evenings. As such, almost all my running is done alone. Every once in a while, both worlds do collide, and I get people who come to see me for sports/running-related ailments. While I am reasonably confident of managing the simple injuries, I am mindful that I am not formally trained as a sports medicine specialist, and so managing expectations can be a little tricky at times. I think one of the strangest encounters was when a patient told me he followed my Instagram feed at the end of the consultation.

FC Active Travel: We noticed that you are scheduled to race the Tokyo Marathon in Feb 2016! That is really exciting. What are your goals for that race and how are you preparing for them? Any reason why you picked Tokyo over the many other marathons on the calendar?

Derek: I generally enjoy the atmosphere of the major marathons. Perhaps I have been somewhat spoilt by the atmosphere of Boston when I ran there in the aftermath of the bombings. I had failed to get into the Tokyo marathon in both 2014 and 2015 by the general entry ballot and 2016 is the first time they have included a sort of semi-elite category for foreigners and I was fortunate enough to get a spot.

I am also keen to run Tokyo because it is historically a cold race in the 0-10deg Celsius range, and that suits me very well. The timing of Tokyo isn’t all that ideal, as I would prefer an April race, but there are actually pretty few cold races in April. I would probably start training in December for it, as I’m getting married in November, so that gives me about 12 weeks to get in shape, which is just about enough I think. I also plan on doing NYC in 2016 if I can, but that’s a slow course so all my PB eggs will hinge on Tokyo for next year.

FC Active Travel: Where did you set your personal best in the marathon and which race did you do it at? Tell us about that race experience and the factors that combined to produce that great performance.

Derek: I set my personal best at the 2014 Boston Marathon. That race will always be remembered as the year after the Boston Marathon bombings, and the year Meb won it and the race itself was extremely charged with emotion. I managed to get the BQ with a 2:47 at the 2013 Gold Coast Marathon in July, but before Boston in April 2014, I also did the 2013 SCMS in December and the 2014 Dubai marathon in January. That left me about three months to get ready for Boston. I admit I was a little rushed for time! Dubai was a sort of rebound race as the SCMS did not go well, and I signed up for Dubai on a whim and did 2:47 again off about 4 weeks training, and got a 7s PB there.

Training had gone reasonably well, though I picked up a left hamstring strain in January, that would eventually dog me for over a year, but I was feeling pretty damned invincible by the time race day rocked around. The Boston race itself was quite an experience. My family went up with me and we arrived a week early and stayed on a week after the race. The first couple of days were crazy cold and windy; I was wearing a raincoat to run and tucked my hands in the pockets during my taper runs. The Wednesday before race day, it was so windy in the finishing straight that I saw a bus rocking in the wind as it halted at a traffic junction. The race expo was huge, and took me nearly six hours to cover all the stalls. Fortunately it warmed up by race day, maybe even a bit too much as a got a horrible sun tan on my shoulders and my forehead where my headband had been.

My race was an exercise in patience. With a rolling course, it’s difficult to go by a set target pace, so I ran mostly by feel and kept my breathing easy all the way until the 34km mark when I had crested the last big hill on the course. The crowd was absolutely mental in some parts of the course and I found myself subconsciously running faster than warranted at some points and had to consciously slow down. Unfortunately, I totally missed the famous Wellesley girls along the course and never got any love from them. I had hit the halfway mark in 1:20ish so I knew then that my initial goal of 2:40 was out of the question as the second half at Boston is much harder and net uphill. After the last big hill, I got a little carried away and starting winding it up a little early and bombed down the hill with a 3:35 lap split. I paid for it later on as I started tying up from km 39 onwards and I just barely had enough juice left to make it look respectable in the last couple of hundred metres to the finish line.

All in all, I was very satisfied with my time, as I only had a +1:40ish differential between the first and second halves considering the differing difficulty. In my mind, I paced it almost perfectly, and I think it will take something special to beat that performance.

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FC Active Travel: Has your medical background helped you plan your training schedule or nutritional needs in any way? Do you have any tips for factors that are sometimes overlooked (eg. Fueling for training needs, importance of iron, etc.)

Derek: In a way, yes, because we do learn some basic nutritional science in university, and I did do some exercise physiology modules during my pre-clinical studies. In terms of how it molds my training, well, I guess I understand why we need to train at different zones to develop different types of systems for example. For example, the bulk of our body’s sugar stores (glycogen) are not in our muscles, but in our liver, and the average person has about 300kCal of that in the liver (a little more if you are well trained) and hence there is a need to continually fuel yourself during a marathon which is done at essentially a fine line between fat-burning and sugar-burning intensities, and why a negative split strategy might work better than an even split or even positive split strategy. I tend to do my morning runs on an empty stomach (I do drink lots of water) to try to make my body more efficient at burning fats, and I think it does help with my long run fitness a little.

In terms of fueling, I recommend getting in regular meals every day. If you have erratic meal times, then there will be big swings in your body’s sugar levels, and the body responds by raising its stress hormones and that can affect your weight, and your ability to train.

Iron is an interesting topic. In medicine, we test for iron deficiency by testing blood iron levels, transferrin levels, and TIBC (total iron binding capacity). We never rely on Ferritin, because Ferritin levels fluctuate in response to inflammation (guess what? Exercise is pro-inflammatory). Transferrin is a protein in the blood that carries iron around and TIBC is the capacity for Transferrin to carry iron. Think of Transferrin as a bus. Each bus can carry e.g. 20 iron passengers. If your buses are full, TIBC will be low, so you are not iron-deficient. If your buses are near empty, then TIBC will be high and you need supplements. Simple right? Strangely, when you look at what elite athletes are testing and what they talk about when they want to supplement iron, they are always talking about Ferritin, and Ferritin only. Very strange. I can’t explain it.

Another issue is that athletes may not be iron-deficient at all, and it is believed that because athletes have a higher blood volume (which is an adaptive result of exercise called plasma expansion), this has a dilutional effect on the numbers and makes it appear as though you are iron-deficient but really aren’t. Here’s an example. If you have 1 litre of blood and 100 units of iron, your blood iron level is 100U/l. But if your blood volume increases 10%, You have 1.1litres of blood and still only 100 units of Iron, then your blood iron level becomes 100/1.1 = 90.9U/l, so it looks like your iron levels went down. Here’s something else. Iron only serves to build red blood cells. If your red blood cells aren’t low, would it even matter if your blood levels showed low iron? Iron on its own has no effect on energy levels or fitness. So if you are concerned about iron levels, the first thing you should ask is “am I anaemic?” If your red cell numbers are healthy, then there is no need to check your iron levels are all.

I don’t take any supplements on a regular basis by the way. I probably should take glucosamine but I have very poor compliance.

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FC Active Travel: As an athlete facing the demands of working life in Singapore? What is your training philosophy like? How should athletes in Singapore adapt their training programmes to best achieve a good training-work balance?

Derek: I am a big fan of the Lydiard method. I sort of did it by accident when I trained for the 2013 Gold Coast marathon, doing 7 weeks of volume without speed work and a longest run of only 24km, and I responded very well to it. I’ve since refined it a little to include some speed work at the tail end of the training cycle but my philosophy is simple. Run far, run often, and don’t get into oxygen debt. Do this for long enough, and the fitness will come.

As for achieving a work-life balance, I think the first thing is to decide for yourself how important this is to you. Is your aim just exercising to stay healthy, or to complete a particular race distance, or do you want to be as close to your physical potential as possible. Once you have decided, then comes the tricky part: accepting that different goals require different levels of sacrifice. Exercising for health is the easiest. Medical evidence advocates 30mins of light exercise five times a week as an absolute minimum to maintain health. If you want to finish a particular race distance, then the requirements may be more than that.

Everyone has the same 24 hours to play with, and sometimes it is as simple as being very organized with your time to squeeze out that extra bit of time to get more training in. I know people who wake up at 4am and sleep by 8:30pm just so they can train and perform at a high level with an 8-5 job. Others use their easy runs to commute between home and work. Ultimately, you need to prioritize some things over others, and that may mean cutting back on social engagements, or passing on professional advancements, or even spending less time with family. The list is endless, but it should not only be seen as a sacrifice, because you are banking that time and effort towards a goal that you have already decided for yourself is important. Exercise isn’t easy, not even for Kenyans, and that’s part of what makes the end result more meaningful.

Personally, I have chosen a career path with less room for professional advancement (at least for now), and given myself the best possible opportunity to find my limits, and I am happy in the knowledge that I have made the best decision, and I am very grateful for my family’s support in that regard, for I know that fitness wanes at a much earlier age than intellect.

FC Active Travel: Any training groups that you are a part of? Any favorite runners to train with and why?

Derek: Due to my working hours, most of my runs are done alone. I don’t join any official training sessions with any group because I’m usually still at work when their workouts start. The only run I try to do with a group is the weekly long run. Generally, it is difficult to find a regular group to do long runs with because we have different target races, but I do most of my long runs with Andy Neo at the moment, and occasionally others will join in, if it suits their training plan, like Gen Lin, Devathas, Melvin Wong, Ramesh P. , Alvin Loh, etc. I enjoy doing long runs with Andy because he also follows the Lydiard approach to marathon prep and we are very similar fitness-wise so we have very similar target pace zones. It doesn’t hurt that he can really lock down a target pace too!

FC Active Travel: What is one race you have never done that you would like to do and why?

Derek: I would like to try an ultra distance race at some point that is not too technical. The Comrades marathon in South Africa for example. I think I could do well it that race because it is mostly on road. The Comrades is an A-to-B course and is run in alternating directions every year. It also has a significant net gradient in one direction, so there is an uphill record and a downhill record. I generally run well on extended downhills so that would be a good race try as a first Ultra. I was also quite keen to do a Sundown Marathon 100km in Singapore, but that has not been held since 2013, and I have no idea if it will ever come back. The all comers record for that distance in Singapore is around the 8-hour mark which I believe is possible with a bit of luck. I am not keen on technical races because I am absolutely horrible at trail running. I once nearly rolled my ankle doing a taper jog in Macritchie going at 6:00/km pace! I also have flat feet, which means that if I land on my forefoot a lot, which you invariably do on a technical descent, my arches will hurt like crazy.

FC Active Travel: Thank you for your time Derek! Best of luck in your upcoming races!

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Singapore’s Corridor – A Railway to Run, Reminisce, Revive and Reflect

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Unique Starting Point: Bukit Timah Railway Station

Photo by Cheng Kiang Ng, Flickr
Photo by Cheng Kiang Ng, Flickr

This railway station used to be owned by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM), the main railway operator in Malaysia. Over the recent years, it has been converted into a conserved recreational building and serves as a crossing loop in Singapore.
In 1903, the Bukit Timah Railway Station opened on the dismantled Tank Road mainline. The station was rebuilt on the current Singapore–Johor Bahru KTM Intercity mainline in 1932. Eventually, the Jurong Line was shut down and became a crossing loop station in the late 1940s before the station closed down entirely.

Singapore’s Corridor: Run, Reminisce, Revive and Reflect

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This unique corridor is a green passageway stretching from Bukit Timah to Tanjong Pagar and connects many green spaces together along the way. The entire route distance is approximately 10km and boasts a variety of running surfaces including tarmac, grass, woodland trails. Challenging as it may sound, the adrenaline rush and exciting trail environment are what draws runners from all over Singapore and beyond to set foot on this green pathway.
Besides, the tranquil and scenic trail route has no traffic roads or junctions, which provides runners a safe, uninterrupted and peaceful run.

Unique Ending Point: Tanjong Pagar Railway Station

Photo by Malvina Tan, from sg.asia-city.com
Photo by Malvina Tan, from sg.asia-city.com

The Tanjong Pagar Railway Station was opened in 1932, a period in Singapore’s history where rail travel was regarded as a luxury and a hotel was built right above the railway station to offer tired travelers convenient and glamourous accommodation options.
As an icon of modern architecture with Neo-Classical and Art-Deco influences, the TPRS was announced in 2011 as a national monument in recognition of its architectural and social significance.

Head for the Compressport Rail Corridor Run 2016!

Be the first to experience a race from the historic Bukit Timah Railway Station via Singapore’s corridor to Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. Embark on a 5km or 10km heritage trail, a journey that guarantees one a race they will never forget.

Sign up for the Compressport Rail Corridor Run 2016 for a unique heritage trail experience and wonderful runners entitlements here!
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3 Ways To Keep Your Race Bibs!

Every race bib is a symbol of achievement, memory and glory and is unique to each race that a runner had participated in. Do you simply chuck them aside, store them in a folder or have interesting ways to collect these pieces of precious race memories?

With some creative juice, craft materials and effort, bib collectors around the world have come up with some wonderful ideas below!

1. Race Bib Artwork Gallery

Transform your room or house into your personal race-bib gallery by creating and framing bib collages or even hang them on clips! Visitors to your home will be awed by your achievements. In addition, these artpieces serve as a daily motivation for your running journey too!

Image credit: pleasval.k12.ia.us
Image credit: pleasval.k12.ia.us
Image credit: Yas G, Pinterest
Image credit: Yas G, Pinterest
Image credit: fit-personality.tumblr.com
Image credit: fit-personality.tumblr.com

2. Race Bibs Upcycled!

Used race bibs are given a new life when you upcycle them – bib bags and bib coasters are just 2 of the many upcycled products that creative runners have come up with for a practical purpose, while safekeeping their accomplishments. These one-of-a-kind, customizable yet pragmatic products will definitely become a conversation-starter and attract attention when one carries it out and about!

Bib Bags

Image credit: pbfingers.com
Image credit: pbfingers.com

Bib Coasters

Image credit: goneforarun.com
Image credit: goneforarun.com

3. Bib-Folio/Running Journal

Every race bib is a page in your running journey. As collectors flip their bib-folio page by page, race memories, lessons, adrenaline and reflections flood their minds and soul. Some runners even scribble their post-race reflections on the back of their bibs and file them into a diary to track their progress and thoughts.

Image credit: frugalbeautiful.com
Image credit: frugalbeautiful.com
Image credit: notfastbutnotlast.files.wordpress.com
Image credit: notfastbutnotlast.files.wordpress.com

Bonus: Decorate your Christmas Tree With Medals!

Image credit: ernestoburden.com
Image credit: ernestoburden.com

Inspired to create one of your own? Snap a photo of it and share it with us on our Instagram @JustRunLah or Facebook Page!

Sponsored by Drummond Printing Pte Ltd.
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Urgent Run Singapore 2015 – Why So Urgent?

The Urgent Run Singapore is back again this year on Saturday, 7 Nov 2015! Join in the 5km fun run at Angsana Green, East Coast Park and become an advocate for sanitation issues worldwide. With a strong and urgent message, the Urgent Run is held to commemorate the UN World Toilet Day, which falls on 19 Nov 2015.

It’s Urgent Because…

Proper sanitation facilities in a country reflect the quality of life of its people. While Singaporeans enjoy easy access to clean water everyday, there are 1 in 3 people in the world that do not have a clean, safe toilet. The Urgent Run is celebrating 15 years of UN World Toilet Day this year and hopes to draw attention to the global sanitation crisis. All funds raised from the race will go to World Toilet Organisation (WTO)‘s crucial advocacy work for effective sanitation policies to ensure health, dignity and wellbeing for people all over the world.

Photo Credit: World Toilet Organisation
Photo Credit: World Toilet Organisation

It’s Fun Because…

The race will be held from 8am to 12pm, with an invigorating warm up session conducted by Fitness First to kick start the day. Following that, participants will get together to do The Big Squat before the race starts. Led by the WTO founder Jack Sim, The Big Squat symbolises solidarity with the 1 billion people who face the indignity of defecating in the open.

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Photo Credit: World Toilet Organisation

This year, participants get to explore their creativity and dress up for the optional sanitation-themed fancy dress competition, having fun while promoting the importance of sanitation. There will also be live performances at the carnival, a Instaprint booth and an exhibition on local and global sanitation issues.

It’s Important Because…

To have access to clean water and basic sanitation facilities without any diseases or harmful bacteria is basic human rights. A lack of clean and safe toilets at schools leads to higher dropout among girls once they reach puberty. Diarrhoeal diseases – a direct consequence of poor sanitation – kill more children every year than AIDS, malaria and measles combined.

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Photo Credit: World Toilet Organisation

Urgent Run Singapore aims to engage local communities with toilet and sanitation conditions, and to join the global ‘movement’ to end the sanitation crisis worldwide. Let’s make an even bigger global ‘stink’ for sanitation in 2015!

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Santa Run For Wishes 2015, Largest Christmas Run in Singapore!

Christmas is the season of giving without the thought of getting. Make your Christmas a meaningful and extraordinary one by joining the Santa Run for Wishes 2015! On 28 November 2015 at Sentosa, transform into a Santa and be part of the largest Christmas run in Singapore to show your support for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Run for a Claus this Christmas!

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As part of the Care and Share Movement by the Singapore Government and in conjunction of SG50 celebrations, all of the registration and donation proceeds will go to Make-A-Wish Singapore, matched dollar-for-dollar.

There are 2 event categories: 2km and 5km Fun Run where both adults and children can take part solo or in groups of 4. In addition to the Christmas fun, all participants will get to enjoy free entry to Sentosa and exclusive park access after the run into Universal Studios Singapore for exciting rides and attractions!

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Put on your best Christmas outfit on event day and stand to win a Bali vacation trip in the Best-dressed Instagram photo contest! For early-bird signups, there will be lucky draw prizes to be won as well!

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Santa Run Pack

Make-A-Wish Foundation Singapore

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Established in 2003, Make-A-Wish Singapore is the only wish granting foundation in Singapore that aims to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions between the ages of 3-18 years. Each wish experience can make a difference to a child’s life and enrich it with hope, strength and joy.

Season of Joy and Giving – Be a Santa!

Santa Fun Run 2014 - Dennis Leong (286)

Besides dressing up as Santa, you can become a real Santa by bringing a gift for children (age 3-18) of Make-A-Wish Singapore during your race pack collection! The gift collection area will be situated at the race pack collection venue at HarbourFront Centre Central Atrium on 14-15 November 2015, from 11:30am to 9pm. Be creative and give these children a magical and memorable Christmas!

Run for a claus and make more wishes come true this Xmas. Sign up here!
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Bliss-Out 2015, Singapore’s Largest Yoga and Music Night Festival!

Bliss-Out: Best of Both Worlds

For the first-time ever, Bliss-Out 2015  will draw Yogis and music lovers all over Singapore and beyond for a spectacular yoga and concert night-out on 12 December 2015, at The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay from 5pm till late.

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Be prepared to escape into a whole new reality as you combine your body, spirit and musical soul. This unique event will kick off with yoga practices led by renowned yoga teacher, Sianna Sherman, and instructors from Space & Light Yoga catered to yogis of all levels. As night falls, music lovers join in and be enthralled by captivating performances from Auckland indie electronic band, The Naked and Famous, as well as euphonious tracks from our homegrown singer-song writer, Inch Chua.

By opting for the “Yoga & Concert” package, participants are entitled to all yoga sessions, Bliss-Out Yoga top, goodie bag and concert entry!

Yoga For Everyone

Yogis from beginner to intermediate levels are welcome for an evening of stretching, meditating and fun! The Yoga Glow will be led by Lynn & Sumei from Space & Light Yoga, along with music specially curated by DJ Amanda Ling. Relax your mind, heart and soul as they guide you through a potpourri of asana (yoga poses) and bring out the glow in you. Lynn & Sumei have been avid students of yoga for more than a decade. They are meticulous teachers of alignment-based hatha yoga, specifically in the style of Anusara yoga, always teach together, and instruct with clarity and humour.

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Regular yoga practitioners of an intermediate level will be able to experience a ‘Fire & Nextar – Tantra Vinyasa’ session led by Sianna Sherman to ignite your heart vision with a dynamic flow of asana, mantra, mudra and meditation. The practices of yoga both ignite and nourish the creative energy within the yogi. Sianna is an internationally celebrated yoga teacher, evocative storyteller and passionate speaker at conferences and festivals throughout the world.

The Naked and Famous – For One Night Only!

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Indie music lovers and fans listen up! Kiwi electronic band, The Naked and Famous is finally coming to Singapore to bring you their latest tracks from their new album – In Rolling Waves. The Auckland-based band will be performing some of their hottest singles, including Young Blood, Punching In A Dream, and Hearts Like Ours, providing a combination of darkly nuanced, intricately rocking electro beats!

Inch Chua – Singapore’s Indie Rock Artist

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Be mesmerized by homegrown singer-songwriter Inch Chua as she brings you her harmonious blend of indie-rock melodies. The 26-year-old has gained global attention from music critics ever since she released her debut solo in 2009 – The Bedroom, which paved way for her to be invited to the SXSW Music Festival in 2010, the first Singapore singer-song writer to have done so. Inch was also awarded the Best Live Act by JUICE Magazine in 2010.

Exclusive Deal for JRL Readers

If you are reading this post right now, you are in for a treat! All JRL readers get to enjoy an exclusive 10% off registration fees by using this code: BLISSOUT10OFFJRL upon checkout!

End the year in bliss, be part of Bliss-Out!

JustRunLah! is an Official Partner of Bliss-Out 2015.
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The Naked And Famous in Singapore this December!

Since 2008, New Zealand indie electronic band, The Naked and Famous (TNAF) has been making waves in the Indie/alternative music genre with their addictive electro-pop tunes, including their hit single, “Young Blood” which debuted on the New Zealand chart at number one in 2010 – the first New Zealand artist in three years to do so. Their first album, Passive Me, Aggressive You, sold 500,000 copies worldwide, and the Kiwi quintet has been playing more than 250 shows in 24 countries to 600,000 fans and counting.

Songs in Popular Culture

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Band members: Aaron Short – keys, Alisa Xayalith – vocals, keyboards , Thom Powers – vocals, guitars, David Beadle – bass and Jesse Wood – drums

Fans of popular Amercian Television Series such as The Vampire Diaries,  movie Pitch Perfect, as well as gamers of EA Sports’ FIFA 12 video game will find TNAF’s “Punching in a Dream” familiar. In addition, award-winning drama Grey’s Anatomy, and popular teen series Gossip Girl have used TNAF’s tracks for their episodes which are viewed by millions of people worldwide.

With their booming popularity, fist-pumping hits and interesting music concepts, TNAF has won multiple music awards since their debut, including the 2011 and 2014 New Zealand Music Awards for Best Group, Album of The Year, Breakthrough Artist, People’s Choice Award, Single Award and more.

One Night Only Performance at Bliss-Out 2015!

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Watch and party with The Naked And Famous perform their hottest tracks live this coming 12 December 2015 at Bliss-Out 2015!

Enjoy 10% off registration fees by using code: BLISSOUT10OFFJRL upon checkout!

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10% Discount for Ubin Wayfinder 2015

Get off the beaten track!

Ubin Wayfinder offer racers an opportunity to explore the vast nature landscape that Ubin has to offer – Areas that tarred roads cannot reach. SO, what you waiting for?

Save 10% with JustRunLah!

All JRL readers get to enjoy an exclusive 10% off registration fees by using this code: UBINRUNLAH upon checkout!

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Interview with Leo Fang Jianyong

Having started running at a very young age, Leo has come a long way as an athlete and setting a national record. During this interview session with Flight Centre Active Travel, Leo inspires us with his determination for success .

FC Active Travel: Leo, thank you for agreeing to do this interview with Flight Centre Active Travel Singapore. For a national athlete and a SEA Games representative, you have indeed taken a very unique path. Not only are you self coached, but you have also run good times in every event from the 800m (1:53) to the marathon (2:38). Please tell us a little about your journey as an athlete. How did you start running, and why the diversity of events contested?

Leo: The pleasure is all mine! In Primary School, I was picked by my physical education teacher to join the Track and Field club and thereafter started representing the school.

800m is my pet event, while running long distances gave me a great sense of satisfaction and achievement. I also believe that having the opportunity to try out the range of events during my schooling days gave me the confidence and affirmation that I can excel in any discipline if I’m willing to put in the hard work.

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FC Active Travel: Please tell us a little about you being self-coached. What is your coaching philosophy? What are the advantages and disadvantages of being self-coached? Any athletes/coach you model your training philosophy after?

Leo: I started training on my own towards the last year in Polytechnic and throughout the two years in army. It is definitely not easy right from the start as I’m so used to getting spoon-feed by my former coaches. And most of the time we do not question or get told why we are doing a particular set of workout, and in that sense we are missing a lot on understanding the science behind our running.

I believe self-coaching let me get the most out of this running journey. From being more responsible in taking up the ownership of my workouts to being more disciplined in carrying out them. There are also more benefits to self-coaching. To name a few, no one knows our weaknesses and strengths better than we do, the flexibility in planning the workouts to suit our schedule and you’re able to race as frequently as you wish!

On the flip side, not having a coach to give you constant advices and monitoring, helping to path the way towards your goals might be tough, especially those new to running.

I wasn’t self-coached right from the start and I wouldn’t be able to do it without the teachings from my former coaches. If opportunity presents itself, I’m still willing to go under tutelage of a coach that can help me reach my full potential!

Personally I like the legendary distance coach, Arthur Lydiard’s way of training. He focuses a lot on strong endurance base and periodization and my body reacts well with it.

FC Active Travel: Runners often feel that training in groups beats training alone. What is your view on this? Do you mostly train alone or in a group? Any favourite runners you like to train with and why?

Leo: I’m not against this saying but rather I’m an advocate of group training. The same pace magically feels easier when done in a group and there’s someone to cheer you on when the going gets tough! I usually do my track intervals with my running group, consisting of Ying Ren (now training in Colorado, USA), Russell Ericksen, Kien Mau, Colin, You Boon and Danny. I love how we might be training for different events, but still able to work together towards our separate goals.

If I had a chance, I would like to train with the Dibaba sisters or Jenny Simpson. It always motivates me knowing how fast these ladies are running!

FC Active Travel: So you’ve set a national indoor record in the 800m and represented Singapore at the SEA Games in the 1500m, but have also run a highly-respectable 2hr 38min at the 2014 Gold Coast Marathon. Tell us, where do you think your future lies? Road or track? You seem to prefer racing on the roads even with your success on the track, any reasons why?

Leo: I’ve being missing out participating in the local road races for almost a year due to committing to the recent SouthEastAsia Games. But I don’t see myself getting back to the mad road racing days two years back, focusing more on quality races now. (If not how to catch up with Mr RunSohFast! Haha)

I would probably still be doing the middle distance events until 2017 SEAGames at least and one or two road races during my base phase.

No real preference over track or road racing. On the track, we’re racing for personal bests or trying to do the nation proud most of the time. While on the road we are running as part of the bigger running community. Both present their own set of challenges and rewards. But I’ll see myself doing more road races in the long run when my legs aren’t able to take anymore hammerings from the speed workouts!

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FC Active Travel: SEA Games marathon champion and FCAT Singapore athlete Soh Rui Yong has spoken highly of you as possibly the most talented and most versatile athlete in Singapore today given your impressive range. Would you agree with that statement? Should there be an exhibition race for running fans, what do you think would be a fair distance for both of you to square off at? 1500m? 2.4km? 3000m?

Leo: Haha thanks bro! I wouldn’t say I’m the most talented but probably one of the more driven and passionate one in the local running community. I’ve seen as versatile runners such as fellow middle distance runner, Hua Qun, Mok and Rui Yong himself!

Let’s do the 2.4km since most Singaporean can relate to this distance. It would be quite a “Kiprop vs Mofarah” although we’re not as fast of cause. I would imagine myself sitting at his back and trying to kick his butt if it comes down to the last 100m! lol

FC Active Travel: Any training tips for members of the Singapore running community who look to you for advice?

Leo: Make running a way of life. Whether it is for the friends you meet up during running sessions, the adrenaline you get from running fast, running far, or the satisfaction you get from beating your own personal bests, find your own right and joy in running!

FC Active Travel: Thank you for your time Leo! Any parting words?

Leo: When the going gets tough, look back and see how far you have come!

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Singapore’s Running Scene: Survey results & Infographic

A few months ago, we hosted two surveys, trying to capture the pulse of Singapore’s running community. A total of 722 people responded – all of them enjoyed discount vouchers, kindly sponsored by Running Lab. Today, we present you the results!

The Who is Who of runners

The majority of runners are between the ages of 30 and 39 years, followed by those aged 40 to 49. Men outnumber women by 58% to 42%, and occupation-wise, it seems that running is most popular amongst executives and managers who, together, comprise more than 50% of the sample.

When it comes to motives, the majority of people see running as a means to stay fit and active (76% responded “very true”) and a considerable amount of people use running to lose weight.

17% of people said they strongly prefer running in groups, while 50% have neutral feelings about it. Racing has become a habit for runners in Singapore, with 61% respondents saying that they really enjoy taking part in races and running events.

While most said they are passionate or at least neutral about running, only a mere 16% sees themselves as an athlete, and even less (5%) as a triathlete. The majority of runners clock between 10 and 19 km every week as part of their training.

Racing preferences

With over 120 running events this year alone, runners are spoilt for choice when it comes to racing. Singapore has it all, from themed runs to ultramarathons, and from road races to multisport events.

The majority of runners join 4 to 6 races per year, while a considerable number takes part in over 7 events in a year. The most important factor in choosing a race was reported to be the distance and categories offered, followed by the finisher t-shirt.
Price and finisher medal followed, and other key factors were found to be the route and event organiser.

The most favorite race category with runners in Singapore is 11 to 21 km events (including Half Marathons), which is preferred by almost 40% of the people. 6 to 10 km is also popular (30%), while only 2% amongst us prefer ultramarathon distances.

Shopping

Running might not come cheap to all of us, with 47% of the people owning and buying three or more pairs of shoes. Still, however, the driving factor for choosing the next pair was found to be price, followed by support.

Most runners said that they prefer to find a shoe that works for them and stick with it, with only 15% being more open to experimenting. Interestingly, men tend to shop more when it comes to running! Men have an average of 2.7 shoes in their collection, while women are slightly behind with 2.4 pairs.

We hope that you enjoyed reading this study and saw yourself in it! Let us know which type of runner you are and share the results with your buddies!

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You, Events and Haze. What it is all about.

Race date, venue, flag-off timing? Checked.

The night before every race, runners will automatically go through this mental flowchart to ensure that they have got all the important details right and hopefully get a good night’s sleep without pre-race jitters.

For this coming weekend however, there is still one more thing you to take note before stepping out of the house – PSI.

What’s PSI?

PSI stands for “Pollutant Standards Index”, an index to provide daily levels of air quality. The higher the number gets, the poorer the air quality of a region is. PSI is computed based on 24-hour average of PM2.5 concentration levels, among other pollutants. PM2.5 is the dominant pollutant during haze episodes. (Source: NEA)

PSI

As such, the lower the PSI, the better the air quality of that particular region.

How should runners use PSI information?

Runners should always check the 3-hour PSI (depending on how far one is away from race venue) for the most recent PSI updates 1-2 hours before the race activity in order to make adjustments to their daily workout schedule. The 24-hour PSI readings are usually used by health advisories in Singapore and studies on the health effects of short-term exposure to PM.

Another thing to check is the PSI reading according to the geographic location of the race venue (North, South, East, West, Central) of Singapore.

Source: NEA
Sample 3-hour PSI reading chart (Source: NEA)
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Sample geographic PSI map (Source: NEA)

Happening This Weekend

races

Garfield Run 2015 will be held at Sentosa Island on Saturday, 19 September 2015 from 4pm. A race where children, families and adults are involved, runners should be more alert about the haze situation by checking updates from the race organizers regularly and NEA.

Haze contingency plan on Saturday (19 Sep):

  • At 12PM: If PSI readings exceed 100, the 1KM, 4KM, and 6KM Races will be cancelled. The 4KM Fun Run will be converted into a Fun Walk, and participants are welcome to join the walk flagging off at 5.30PM.
  • At 2PM: If PSI readings exceed 150, the 4KM Fun Walk and carnival will be cancelled. (Source: Garfield Run)

SMU Mile Run 2015 is taking place on Sunday, 20 September 2015 at SMU from 7:30 am, featuring a loop route around Fort Canning Park.

Haze contingency plan on Sunday (20 Sep):

  • At 6am: If PSI readings exceed 150, all categories are cancelled; If PSI 101-150, Men and women’s open run converted to walk.
  • At 7am: If PSI readings exceed 150, all categories are cancelled;  If PSI 101-150, team and family run converted to walk. (Source: SMU Mile Run)

Kung-Fu Run will take place at the Chinese Garden on Sunday, 20 September 2015 at 7am. Runners are advised to check Gei Gei Running Club‘s updates on Saturday 6pm for the latest PSI updates.

Just like being in a relationship, one’s actions will affect the others involved in many different ways. As such, in this ‘love’ triangle with the weather condition and our running passion, we have to make time and effort to manage our ‘relationship’ in order to get the best race experience possible as our ‘happily ever after’!

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10% Discount for Bliss-Out 2015, inc. The Naked And Famous / Inch concert

Bliss-Out: Best of Both Worlds

For the first-time ever, Bliss-Out 2015  will draw Yogis and music lovers all over Singapore and beyond for a spectacular yoga and concert night-out on 12 December 2015, at The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay from 5pm till late.

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Exclusive Deal for JRL Readers

All JRL readers get to enjoy an exclusive 10% off registration fees by using this code: BLISSOUT10OFFJRL upon checkout!

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Interview with Compressport Ambassador – Singapore Blade Runner, Md Shariff Abdullah

Brand ambassador at Compressport Singapore, Shariff is first mobility impaired marathoner in Asia. born with a single leg before having it amputated further up to his thigh. Shariff began his journey as a runner after a failed suicide attempt; in this interview we speak with Shariff about his passion for running.

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

Shariff: Md Shariff Abdullah Peters, also known as Singapore Blade Runner.

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

Shariff: At the age of 40 years old, my stump was amputated due to skin infection; after 3 months of recovery, I was inspired by South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius and started running to inspire everyone.

11779871_871298809619041_8264791092493377537_oJRL: Would you say that one needs to have a certain mindset to take up running as a sport/exercise activity?

Shariff: Running is one of the healthy sports to stay healthy, fit and strong. You need to have courage to start, strength to endure, resolution to finish and never give up.

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

Shariff: My biggest achievement is to be qualified and having participated in the prestigious Boston Marathon for 4 years since 2012.

JRL: How has Compressport products assisted in your training and achievements?

Shariff: Compressport products really help me on my performance and recovery. Ever since I started to wear the compression, I have no muscle cramps on the calves and tights. During the run, I had no pain, cramping and tightness in my calves which I almost always have. My legs still feels fresh at the end of runs and I continue to wear them for a few hours afterwards. On the following day, my legs still felt good, as if I had not ran the day before. The calf sleeves certainly did make a difference for me! It does not only help me with races but also with recovery!

JRL: What are your future goals?

Shariff: My goals are to run the Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon in May 2016 and also taking up courses to become a coach for para-athletes.

10636069_10152466733578471_2606383123334975031_nJRL: One reason why runners should join Compressports Rail Corridor Run 2016?

Shariff: Get the experience running on the trails and lookout for the beauty of rail corridor and historical places.

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

Shariff: Join me, the Singapore Blade Runner, in running through the rail corridor on a trail instead of concrete pavements! Escaping into the woods or meadows gives you an experience of nature that road runs cannot provide. Also, the running surface of trails are softer, which gives your body a break too. The benefits of trail running span across the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual areas of your life.

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

Shariff: Nothing is impossible when you believe.

JRL: Finish this sentence: Running is…

Shariff: … my passion – Born to Run, Live to Inspire

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Still undecided? Here are 3 reasons why you should join the race!
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Interview with Yvonne Lin

Once touted as Singapore’s brightest spark for running events in her secondary school years, Yvonne Lin has continued to run competitively and clinching titles in races. Flight Centre Active Travel had the opportunity to chat with her about her races this year and on how she juggles her training, work and lifestyle.

FC Active Travel: Hi Yvonne, thanks for taking the time to chat with us at Flight Centre Active Travel. How has things been for you lately?

Yvonne Lin: Things are good. I’ve started racing more this half of the year. Work has been well too.

So far in this half of the year, I’ve participated in races of various distances (5km, 10km and 21km). The races are Sundown half marathon, Mizuno Ekiden, Pocari Sweat Run and Asics City Relay. Among these four races, I enjoyed the Pocari Sweat Run the most as it was not oversubscribed. The route was simple and straightforward which I believe made it enjoyable for both competitive and leisure runners.

FC Active Travel: Some awesome races there. How have the results been?

Yvonne Lin: The following are my race results: – Sundown 21km Women Open: 8th – Pocari Sweat 5km Women Open: 1st – Mizuno Ekiden: Team 4th – Asics City Relay Running Club Category: Team 1st

I will be participating in a few other races in the coming months, namely the Orange Ribbon Run, Newton Challenge, Great Eastern Women’s Run and CSC Run by the Bay.

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FC Active Travel: Plenty of racing! Great to hear. Tell us a bit more about the Pocari 5km. How did the race go more specifically?

Yvonne Lin: The race route was friendly. Although there were overlaps between both the 5km and 10km race route, I didn’t experience any jam as the route was clear. I could focus on competing as I didn’t have to weave through a crowd. The path was also wide for groups of runners to run through.

FC Active Travel: That sounds ideal. How has training been lately? What does a normal training week look like for you?

Yvonne Lin: Training has been only about 3 to 4 times a week ever since I started work. There will be a day dedicated for intervals, another for strength training and other one or two for long/easy runs. I’m planning to work on increasing my mileage.

FC Active Travel: What are your favorite interval workouts? And how far are your long runs and at what speed?
Yvonne Lin: I enjoy doing 500m and 1km intervals. long runs are between 10km to 15km between 5:15 to 5:30 per km.

FC Active Travel: Good stuff. So on a more personal level, what do you feel are some of the key factors in your success as a runner? Do you have any training rituals or diet secrets that you could share with people aspiring to be at your level?

Yvonne Lin: I believe that managing expectations and adjusting running goals from time to time would be some of the key factors in my success as a runner. They help to reduce the psychological stress experienced during competitions and enable me to enjoy running. Also, having a dedicated training team and coach motivates me to stay on track.
Eating frequent but light meals on training days works well for me – For example, Yoghurt/milk with granola, sandwiches and sushi In preparation for races, I increase my carbohydrate intake, with pasta as my preferred choice. As for training rituals, other than doing a short light jog, I perform a set of dynamic exercises as warm-up.

FC Active Travel: Thanks very much for the insight into your training and lifestyle!  Who coaches you? And what do you think creates that dedicated team environment?

Yvonne Lin: You’re most welcome! My coach’s name is Elangovan S/O Ganesan. I believe to build a dedicated team environment requires a strong group of committed seniors/runners to lead the juniors in familiarising with the team routines and dynamics. They set the expectations and examples right for the young ones such that some would be inspired to take on the seniors’ role in the near future. I would say, building friendships and our accountability for one another anchor our commitment to the team and the sport.

FC Active Travel: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us Yvonne!

Yvonne Lin: Thanks for having me!

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Berlin Marathon (Germany)

41. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

#11 in top 25 Destinations, TripAdvisor 2014 Travellers’ choice

The BMW Berlin Marathon is a major running event held every September in the German capital. The 43rd BMW Berlin Marathon will be held on 25 September, 2016. Ranked as one of the top five World Marathon Majors alongside New York, Boston, Chicago and London, Berlin rates high on the bucket list of most running fanatics.

The marathon was first run in 1974 with a somewhat smaller field of only 280. Since the city was divided in two, the event was limited to West Berlin. Sixteen years later on September 30, 1990, the Berlin Wall had come down and athletes were able to run through the Brandenburg Gates and explore the unified city taking in east and west. Berlin has become a hub for marathoners thanks to its reputation as a fast course. Elite athletes looking to break the world record flock here year on year to take advantage of the flat landscape. There are simply no hills, which makes it ideal for record fast times and a perfect introduction to marathon running for newcomers.

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Kipsang breaking the world record for men’s marathon at Berlin Marathon 2013. (Image credit: www.iaaf.org)

Three interesting facts about Berlin:

  1. Fancy a scenic running route around Berlin’s bridges? Venice may be known as the city of bridges, but Berlin has about 1700 bridges whereas Venice only has a measly 409!
  2. Berlin is home to the largest department store in continental Europe.  Kaufhaus des Westens or KaDeWeas it is more often known, has over 60,000 square meters of display space spread over 8 floors.
  3. Berlin is the greenest city in Europe. Parks, lakes and forests comprise around one third of Berlin’s total area. This makes Berlin the perfect destination if you want to combine your city sightseeing with some nature related activities like cycling, kayaking and hiking or even if you just want to lie under a tree and read a book.
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(Image credit: The Telegraph)

One close-by race you may be interested:

The Berlin International Triathlon.

Where can you run:

Berlin’s best running route is in the Tiergarten. Berlin’s second largest park, it is an extensive, sights-filled public park where runners can enjoy over 22km of paved and packed gravel paths. It is so clean and litter-free that it seems as if someone vacuums the place every night. Forget mileage, instead, run for time and romp off on any path or toward any monument that looks interesting.

Another favourite running route in Berlin is the Volkspark Friedrichshain. At 150 years old, Volkspark Friedrichshain is Berlin’s oldest park and a must-go for Berlin runners. The fountain of fairytales “Märchenbrunnen” at the entrance adds to the park’s magical appeal. It offers the perfect playground for runners — you can go for miles without running the same trail twice and you are never far away from Mitte and its post run recovery options. This is also a good place for runners who like to include hills in their run for additional challenge.

Cover photo credits: www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com
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Boston Marathon 2016 – World’s Oldest, Most Prestigious Road Race

Image credit: Boston Magazine

The 120th Boston Marathon will held on 18 April 2016, and has been the world’s oldest annual marathon since its inception in 1897 by the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.). The Boston Marathon continues to rank as one of the world’s most prestigious road racing events and is one of the six World Marathon Majors. Registration for this premium road race is now open for runners who meet the qualifying criteria.

Race Uniqueness

Image credit: Boston Marathon
Image credit: Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon has been known for its longevity, traditions and method of gaining entry into the race. Not everyone can qualify and not all qualifiers get to race due to the capacity limit of the marathon, therefore making it a valuable opportunity and privilege to run this race. Registration is done on a rolling admissions basis beginning with the fastest qualifiers according to the qualifying standards, with the race capacity set at 30,000 entrants.

Image credit: Boston Marathon
Image credit: Boston Marathon

Registration schedule are as follows:

  • Monday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m. ET: registration opens to runners who have met their standard by 20 minutes, 00 seconds or more.
  • Wednesday, September 16 at 10:00 a.m ET: if space remains, registration opens for runners who have met their standard by 10 minutes 00 seconds or more.
  • Friday, September 18 at 10:00 a.m. ET: if space remains, registration opens to those who have met their standard by 5 minutes, 00 seconds or more.
  • Registration will close for the week on Saturday, September 19 at 10:00 p.m. ET.
  • If space remains after the first week of registration, registration will re-open for all qualifiers from Monday, September 21 at 10:00 a.m. ET through Wednesday, September 23 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Marathoners around the world gather in Boston annually to be part of the legendary race and top qualifying marathons used by participants include: Berlin Marathon, New York Marathon, Chicago Marathon, New York Marathon, Ottawa Marathon, Grandma’s Marathon, Philadelphia Marathon and California International Marathon.

Image credit: Boston Marathon
Image credit: Boston Marathon

Marathon Route

Image credit: Boston Marathon

The legendary Boston Marathon course follows a point-to-point route from Hopkinton to Boston, and is certified per the guidelines set forth by the IAAF and USA Track and Field. (Source: Boston Marathon)

Participants can expect on-course hydration and nutrition stations, digital clocks positioned at every mile and 5K mark, as well as sweep buses and first aid centers for runners who wish to drop out or experience difficulty in completing the race. The B.A.A. will also provide participants with a Heatsheet® Warmth Retention Cape for warmth after the race.

Beautiful Boston

The City of Boston is the capital and largest city of Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States and offers an array of exciting performing arts, site-seeing tours, athletic events, and shopping areas.

Racing in the Boston Marathon is a dream for many runners around the world  because of the prestige, honour and achievement. Make this your running goal to work towards and be part of the marathon history!

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