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

By

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August 2, 2015

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cheers.

Do you know what’s your pronation type?

By

Team JustRunLah!

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August 1, 2015

pronation feet runner shoes — Image credit: 123RF

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

Types of pronation

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

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

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

Determining your type

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

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

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

Selecting the right shoes

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

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

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

By

SmallSteph

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August 1, 2015

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A friend who embraces your inner auntie.

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

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

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

A friend who encourages you every kilometer you complete.

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

A friend who understands the wonders of retail therapy.

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

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

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

Featured Image Source: Shape Singapore Facebook Page

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

By

Team JustRunLah!

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July 31, 2015

Cos durians are the best finisher rewards!

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

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

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

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

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

JRL: Tell us more about the Durian Run.

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

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

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

JRL : It is quite unique a concept.

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

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

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

JRL: Ah seems fun.

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

JRL: Are they passing durians?

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

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

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

JRL: Will it be a durian buffet?

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

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

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

More info / register:

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

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

By

Team JustRunLah!

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July 31, 2015

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One of our greatest enemies, the Side Stitch

By

Jarin T

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July 29, 2015

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

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

Causes of side stitch

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

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

Is there a remedy or treatment?

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

Tips to reduce side stitch:

Improve core and stamina

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

Sufficient hydration

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

Food intake time before race

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

Mind over body

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

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

Why You Should Travel for a Race in 2015

By

Team JustRunLah!

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July 28, 2015

Travel cartoon image — Image credit: 123RF

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

Race for a holiday!

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

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

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

Journey of self-discovery

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

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

Affordable airfares

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

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

Getting started

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

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

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

Kind and In Kind

By

Moses

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July 28, 2015

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

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

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

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

50, the Golden Number of 2 inspiring stories

By

Peter Tan

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July 28, 2015

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

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

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

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

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

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

50 Full Ironman Distances in 50 Days in 50 States

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

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

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

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

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

By

Peter Tan

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July 27, 2015

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

Orange Ribbon Run

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

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

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

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

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

Yellow Ribbon Prison Run

Image credit: Yellow Ribbon Prison Run

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

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

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

Pink Ribbon Walk

Image credit: Breast Cancer Foundation

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

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

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

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

More Ribbon Races to come?

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

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

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

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

Race Review: Tri-Factor Run 2015 [24km] (by MJ)

By

MJ

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July 27, 2015

The Tri-factor Run 2015 was held on 26 July 2015 and I had registered for the 24km category. But as the days drew nearer, I was having second thoughts as I had not been training consistently and the longest run I had was 15 km. But upon collecting the race pack, I made up my mind to just go for it and enjoy the run, also to take it as a practice run for the 2XU Run on 2 August 2015. And yes, it is another half marathon. It was not planned to be this way, having two long distance runs back to back within two consecutive weeks, but never mind.

The day came, and I jumped out of bed at 3am. Took a quick breakfast, put on my running gear and off I went in my car to the venue. I had wanted to park at the Indoor Stadium car park, but unfortunately, when I reached the vicinity, I realized the usual entrances to Sports Hub were blocked as there was another concurrent Shape Run on the same day! I had to take a huge detour and ended up parking near Kallang MRT, and took almost 30 minutes on foot to make my way to the starting point at Gardens by the Bay East, reaching at 5.15am. Phew….

Took a quick toilet break and there was the announcement to start the race. We were flagged off at about 5.40am. The first couple of kilometers, the paths were pretty narrow, but as the crowd thinned out, it was not an issue. It was rather a humid day and I was sweating profusely. The race was uneventful and eventually I crossed the Marina Barrage Bridge. From there, I increased my pace as it was breezy and conducive to run. But the thought of looping twice here was bugging me. Hah….So all the way I ran to Marina Bay Sands, did a U-turn and made my way to the Marina Barrage Bridge again to get back to Gardens by the Bay East for another U-turn. As I crossed the Marina Barrage Bridge for the 2^nd time, I saw the front runners (damn fast, my goodness!) that had already completed the U-turn at Gardens By the Bay East, and now racing on the Marina Barrage Bridge for the 3^rd time (opposite direction to me). I think my pace slowed down significantly at the thought of coming by the bridge again. Ha ha. I think doing U-turns in a long distance run really test one’s mental resilience. I shall not bore you with the loop back to Gardens by The Bay East.

tri-factor 2015 — Photo source: TRI-FACTOR Series Facebook Page

By the time I completed the U-turn there and was back at the Marina Barrage Bridge for the 3^rd time, the sun was already up and getting warmer by every minute (or is it me only?). By the time I did the 2^nd U-turn at Marina Bay Sands, I had slowed down to a trot after the water point station there. The sun’s heat was getting to me. My mind was wavering. Started to walk for a couple of hundred of metres and felt lonely as there were not many runners around me. Aiyah…dragged myself and starting a slow jog and eventually reached the Marina Barrage Bridge for the 4^th time. Thank goodness, it’s the last time as this was the last loop. Phew! After crossing the bridge, probably after a couple kilometers, I was distracted by a family of otters that made a sudden dash from the vegetation to the waters. A number of runners stopped by to take photographs as well. And yes, I stopped as well and could only walk after that.

When I looked at my watch, made a mental calculation and realized that I could possibly make it less than 3 hours (it was my target anyway) if I sprint for the final kilometer, I psyched myself, took a few deep breaths and started to run. My legs felt numb but I just went on and very soon the finishing point appeared on my right. Made a final dash though the gantry when I saw the timing board ticking at 2:59:11. This was like driving past an ERP gantry quickly when you realized that 7.30am is a few seconds away and you will get charged a dollar if the lights came on… ha ha ha….. And yes I made it! Collected my medal, but there was no more cold cans of isotonic drinks. Look around to collect my finisher tee, but there were no one handing out and I was too tired to look around for any booths that could be doing so. So I went over to the water station and gulped down almost 10 cups of cold isotonic drinks. Saw a fellow runner standing by, so asked him to help take a post-race photo for me. As I was too tired to hang around and the sun was burning hot and bright, I took a slow painful walk to my car which was half an hour away by foot. When I reached my car, then I realised that I had forgotten to collect my finisher tee. Wah……..I am so not going to walk back again. Too bad for me! What a waste…..

Overall, the race path was relatively flat and the water stations were well spaced out and well stocked with enough water. The only thing was the number of u-turns that I had to make. It was a test on mental strength. Anyway, need to rest well as next week’s 2XU Run is beckoning.

Race Review: Shape Run 2015 [10km] (by ‘runforfun’)

By

ser

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July 27, 2015

I Got A Personal Best!

With an official gun time of 54 min 03 sec (nett time of 53 min 43 sec) at my first Shape Run! This fulfills one of my running goals that I had created for at the start of the year (link). I am so excited that I managed to fulfill this goal which I actually think that I may not complete this year.

There are a few reasons that contributed to how I am able to go faster and finish stronger in this race. One, I finally incorporated more strength training to my lower body and abs. With more strength, I believe that it helped me to push stronger and further. Two, I went back to my favourite brand of shoe, Adidas. Even though the last Adidas shoes I had was about 2 years ago and they have changed alot, but the fit of the shoes feel like the one that I used to love. Luckily, I did picked up a Adidas Boost Response a few months ago and deemed that to be my racing shoe. I feel so light in it. Third and last, I have many friends who went into the race together which gives me loads of motivation and mental strength. Thanks ladies!

The Race

When we reach the starting pen, fitness instructors from True Fitness were doing warmups as me and my friends squeeze through the crowd to get a good spot just behind the 1hr pacers.

The race then started their flag-off at about 6.50am as I accelerated past the 1hr pacers and then to get into a comfortable speed. First 5 km was a quite a breeze to me. I could probably go faster in the next race. Then after, I started to try chasing after another lady who is ahead of me. I manage to get very close to her but I lost her after the 8 km mark where I started to feel fatigue after the 2 slopes. Also, all the turning around the sports hub area seems to be quite taxing on the mind as well. Nevertheless, I had a strong finish to the race.

The Shape Run is very well organized with 3 water points and no bottleneck whatsoever. The route is a rather easy and flat terrain with two small slopes at the later half of the race. They have many volunteers who are well-informed and enthusiastic to guide us runners to the finish point.

Congratulations to Shape Magazine for organizing 10 years of Shape Run.

Next up for me: 2XU Compression Run 2015!

-runforfun.justrunlah-

Videos from youtube.com/JustRunLah

What Inspires You To Run?

By

Peter Tan

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July 27, 2015

Beachside running sunrise or sunset — Image credit: 123RF

Singapore has a growing total population of 5.47 million and out of these millions, runners form a huge portion where we run for leisure, health and even competitions. Many have made life-changing decisions by taking their first step into competing for races, joining a local running community and finding themselves becoming someone who is healthier and fitter like never before. Runners come in various shapes and sizes and definitely have different running preferences such as time of the day to run, venues and distances. Regardless of your runner’s identity, there must be something or someone who inspired you to take the first step. Here, we explore the various sources of inspiration that created the runner you are today:

1. Brand Ambassadors

Just like the entertainment industry, there are some people whom we admire or even idolize because of certain skills, charisma and personality they possess. In sports marketing for running products, companies select brand influencers who are reputable athletes because they not only possess commendable running abilities but also understand the demands and concerns of the running community. Many supporters usually gather and form fan bases to support their celebrity athletes, which also creates brand awareness of the product represented by the athlete.

One such example is Jenny Huang, an ultramarathon athlete sponsored by New Balance. Jenny has been an inspiration for the running community with her abilities to multi-task between career, role as a mother and dedicating time to train as a competitive runner. She became the fastest woman in the 2013 Sundown Ultra Marathon, clocking an impressive 10:38 performance for her first 100km endurance race.

2. National Athletes

Nothing inspires you more than seeing the dreams of your national athletes come true after all the training and time they have put in! Not too long ago, we had witnessed our national marathon representative, Soh Rui Yong, clinching the gold medal at the 28th SEA Games with an impressive timing of 2:34.56.

soh-rui-yong-data — Image credits: Channel News Asia

His victory has created a new wave for running among Singaporeans and caused many to take a step back and re-look at our chances of fulfilling the Olympic dream. Soh has also inspired runners all over Singapore to train harder, smarter and never give up on their dreams.

3. Running Clubs

Running Department, Team Fatbird, Safra Running Club and Gei Gei Running Club are just some of the various running clubs established all over in Singapore. These running groups allow runners to gather and train on weekly basis, where running stories, experiences and tips are exchanged among running professionals and amateurs. Many established runners started from these running communities because they provide great running foundation, motivation and atmosphere!

Be it your fellow colleagues, family members, neighbours or even the regular runner you meet at the park, these running buddies from all walks of life can also form your source of running inspiration! Sometimes you might feel lazy or exhausted, but the thought of abandoning your running mate makes you feel guilty and so you drop that thought and head for the running session nonetheless. Having someone to cheer you on and push you harder is certainly a great running motivation and inspiration!

4. Running Portal

With constant and daily newsfeed all about running related contents, as well as a running Q&A channel to answer your questions and problems encountered during your training and races, JustRunLah! is the largest running portal in Singapore! Runners can also read about reviews of products, races and daily running lives of fellow runners. Equipped with comprehensive running information and exciting race event news will definitely motivate you to train hard, well and smart for upcoming race events or your bucket-list races!

5. Running Events

Not to forget, with over 100 races organised in Singapore annually in recent years and averaging to 2 races per weekend, race events of various themes and concepts can definitely get you hyped up and ready to train for these events! From challenging trail runs to fun runs, every runner will be able to find one that suits their running preferences from the races listed on our informative race calendar.

6. Running Beliefs -Knowing that running brings more positive than negative

Running is a sport that has made positive impacts in many lives -It gets you moving physically, relieves you emotionally and boosts your overall well-being. Yes it might be tiring, exhausting and sometimes even boring because you run alone or lack motivation, however, always think about why you started in the first place and how it kept you going thus far. It is never too late to start nor too late to realize its goodness because you can run anywhere and at anytime.

6 unique races not seen in Singapore… yet

By

Team JustRunLah!

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July 27, 2015

As we browse through races around the world, there are some which we think to ourselves: Could this race be brought to Singapore? With our race venues, available resources and demographic of runners, here are some races that made us stop and think:

Men-Only Race

Women-only races in Singapore are extremely popular as it celebrates the power of females. Will the same apply to men-only races? No doubt the difficulty and type of race categories will be modified due to physiological differences between males and females. However, the success of races also lie on the cause and goal of organising the race, be it for charity, festivals or significant events. Man On The Run is one of such races which has raised a total of £26,041.46 last year in aid of cancer research UK.

Indoor Marathons

How mentally strong are you? This race is not for those with low determination because participants have to run endless number of loops around the typical running tracks to clog a total marathon distance. The Icebreaker Indoor Marathon & Half Marathon is one such race event which is organised to keep the spirit of Olympics.

Skirt Chaser

As the race name suggests, in the Skirt Chaser Run, women gets a head start in this race and men chase after the ladies. This event is only for singles and participants can expect a whole day of fun, laughter and possibly unexpected romance…

Undie Run

Well, such a race where participants run in their undies might not be possible in Singapore as it might cause some members of the public to feel uncomfortable and probably would stir controversies over the Public Order and Nuisance Act of the law in Singapore. Besides the interesting and rare concept, the Undie Run is all about running for charity, with their race slogan “Philanthropy just got sexy”.

Marathon du Medoc

Medoc is the place of wine production in France and the Marathon Du Medoc Marathon is essentially France’s long-distance drinking race. Instead of water as race hydration, wine are served to runners as they complete their marathon. If this race is to happen in Singapore, it will definitely be the most expensive one in town. Wine lovers, what do you say?

Wings for life world run

Are you ready to run for those who can’t? The Wings for Life World Run is a global running and wheelchair event which starts at a set time around the world and finishes when the last person is caught by the Catcher Car. This is the only race where you define your own finishing line for a meaningful cause. 100% of the race fee will be donated to spinal cord injury patients and research.

Are you ready if the above races reach Singapore’s shore? Which race do you anticipate the most? Will you sign up for them? Let us know!

Race Review: Shape Run 2015 [10km] (by Ah Girl)

By

Ah Girl

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July 26, 2015

Shape Run is Singapore’s first all-women’s run and this year they have new race categories such as 15km and family fun run to allow more people to join in the fun! I have been looking forward to race day as the race collection was superb; smooth queuing system and plentiful goodies in the race pack. Also, its finally my chance to see how I have progressed for a 10km since my last race back in 2013…

Pre-race

(Video by JustRunLah!)

It was around 6 am when I reached the Kallang practice tracks and there were already music, bright lights and masses of fit and fun ladies around all eagerly waiting for their flag-off timings. The road marshals and race event volunteers seemed to be all busy getting ready for the races and were friendly in directing incoming participants. Mobile toilets, food and beverages were given free at the sponsors booths and many ladies are already warming up along the tracks. The starting point is located away from the tracks and it seems like supporters of race participants do not really have access to areas near the starting pen. Most of the supporters stood across the overhead bridge to show their support, which was a heartwarming sight.

In the race pen, we were led by fitness instructors for warming exercises and the atmosphere was great! The race was flagged off smoothly and on time at about 6:50am.

Race Experience

I was quite lucky to be in the first quarter portion of the running crowd, just before the 1:00h pacers and the roads were absolutely clear, litter-free and the cooling morning was perfect for the race. There were several U-turns in the 10km route and distance markers were clearly placed every km. I did not experience any bottlenecks because the roads were relatively wide and race volunteers could be seen at almost every km, all enthusiastically cheering us on.

11781882_10153016962193671_7962527003957366055_n — Happy runner with my finisher’s medal!

Too bad my phone decided to sleep and my unofficial timing was not captured. Along the race, I was pacing with some other ladies and it was a good run because I only stopped once for a water break. One regret I had was accelerating at the 8km mark; I sprinted up the slope as I thought it was an opportunity to move up the ranks and I did manage to overtake a few participants.

However, after the overhead bridge, I saw the 8km mark once more and realised that the remaining distance was longer than I thought. But in any case, Iopened my strides as big as I could with all my might towards the last stretch at the tracks and felt like a champ 🙂 And once again, another regret was not to look up at the huge digital timer on my right for an estimated timing because I was simply too engrossed in finishing my best. I did hear the emcee saying that it was under one hour or something…

Oh wells, I guess I just have to leave it to the official release of results on Tuesday! All in all, I was satisfied of myself for not giving up and giving my all towards the end 🙂

(Video by JustRunLah!)

Post-Race

The amount of goodies and sponsors spotted at the Shape Run carnival came in many forms apart from the finisher’s medal and singlet – from free towels, bread, box of cereals, facial masks, polaroids and many other stage activities that made participants continue being active even after the race!

Kudos to male suppporters who were awake since the early morning!

I felt that this race was very well-organised, logistics and manpower were sufficient and definitely a success. What a way to celebrate Shape Run’s 10th anniversary with a successful race event!

5 Benefits of Body Combat

By

Team JustRunLah!

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July 23, 2015

Looking for an alternative cardio sport besides running that allows you to kick, jab, clinch and master self-defence techniques in a non-contact environment? Body Combat is an action-packed workout activity that encompasses all of the above, which guarantees to make you sweat it out and get your heart racing. Inspired by martial arts and a huge variety of disciplines including Muay Thai, Tai Chi, Boxing, Taekwondo and Karate, here are 5 benefits that Body Combat can offer:

1. Sports Conditioning

When selecting a cross-training activity, athletes should consider the aerobic intensity as well as the risks of injuries from the sport. Body combat offers comparable stamina training as to running with its explosive workouts and the non-contact nature reduces the chances of sustaining unwanted injuries. The workouts are usually conducted in timed intervals and of different speeds, hence allowing for participants to maximize their heart and lung capacities.

2. Weight Loss – Excellent Calories Burner

According to body combat clubs, a 50 minutes Body Combat class allows you to burn an average of 740 calories! While the amount of calories burned is based on one’s fitness level, height and weight, this amount is higher than most cardio activities and definitely qualifies as an elite fat-blaster activity. This is great news for anyone who wishes to shred off those extra pounds and sweat it out during each short and intense session.

3. Agility and Reflex

The elements of martial arts in body combat focuses on the physical form, execution, and mental strength. With fast-paced and varied movements choreographed in a series of routines, participants have to change their body postures and positions within a short period of time. This trains the reflex time of our body to adapt, recover and be ready. While running is already an active sport, body combat brings the cardio intensity to a whole new level, putting one’s agility, physical and mental reflex to the test.

4. Muscle Toning

First you jab, then you kick, next you defend and so on – when combined and repeated in regulated pace and intensity, body combat forces you to utilize various parts of your muscle groups when executing the different movements. In comparison to running, the martial arts component trains both your upper and lower body, which essentially translates into a full body-workout. As such, body combat could possibly be your secret and solution to achieving defined muscles and toned body shape!

5. Stress-relief and build self-confidence

Sometimes, we just need a channel to relieve stress, rant or simply overcome the insecurities we have inside. While violence and aggression should not be solutions to resolve our problems, heading for an intense, power-packed body combat class can actually be a therapeutic experience. This is because you get to channel your inner negative emotions via a fiercely energetic yet safe physical activity. With improved physique and reduced negative feelings after a body combat class, you will feel better about yourself and therefore boost your self-confidence and self-esteem.

So what are you waiting for? Body Combat is an increasingly popular cardio activity that is suitable for anyone and everyone to join. Sports or athletic background is not needed to join a body combat class ; only commitment, endurance and an open-mind to accept challenges!