Signed up for a race? Get your Newline compression wear at a special price!
A few days ago, we introduced Newline, a Danish brand producing quality running, cycling and triathlon gear which has just arrived in Asia.
Today, we are happy to bring a special promotion to all our readers:
If you have signed up for a race, stop by ACTIV360, at Novena Square #03-42, 238 Thomson Road,show your race BIB and enjoy 30% OFF your next compression wear!
Something new in the sports industry
The main focus of the company is and always has been continuous experimenting with functional product improvement to achieve highest possible comfort for the runner.
Details, comfort, functionality and high quality are combined with contemporary design to make fashionable products. Styles are inspired from fashion tendencies, and these are transformed into sporty combinations of prints and colors. Newline collaborates with some of the world’s best color and tendency experts to make sure that collections are up-to-date and innovative. Newline’s belief in the combination of function, fashion and differentiating design has opened doors to many markets worldwide.
Newline Asia has decided to partner with ZEN’YU Pacific, as they have established themselves over the years as one of the leaders in the running market providing a comprehensive range of products. ZEN’YU Pacific has also been active in sponsoring events and participating in running, cycling and triathlon races.
Have a look for yourself to what Newline has to offer at ACTIV360, Novena Square #03-42, 238 Thomson Road, (S)307683.
To check out Newline’s online catalogue, click here.
Life was dark for all visually impaired runners. Life was dark for all intellectually-challenged runners. Life was dark for all physically-challenged runners. How to stay active and lead a healthy lifestyle were a question none of them could answer. Likewise, a lot do not have the opportunity to interact with their peers, ordinary youth and adults to build bonds and widen their social networks. NOT ANYMORE! Love was found in the form of Runninghour.
Why Pink?
Since the founding of Runninghour, all visually impaired, intellectually and physically challenged runners have the chance of doing something once deemed impossible in the past. They have a chance to interact with the mainstream people, doing things and socialise like how mainstream people do. This JOURNEY Of LOVE, appreciation and trust will go on and on. Visually impaired runners, intellectually and physically-challenged runners are here to stay.
Run So Others Can
Have you been running for a while and been trying to find more meaning to running? Do you need more inspiration and motivation to your running journey? Running will never be the same again with Runninghour. Here, runners run for his/her buddy every step of the journey.
Why RunningHour 2015?
The first blind run in Singapore. Hand in Hand. Heart to heart, run to bond, run so others can. An inaugural national event that aims to use mainstream sports as a platform to promote integration and nurture an inclusive Singapore. The only race in Singapore where participants run alongside over 200 visually, intellectually and physically-challenged runners.
22nd March 2015
The Run will be a rallying call for all Singaporeans to come together and show their support towards integrating people with special needs. Last call for walk in sign up at City Square Mall tomorrow. See yar!
Kick-start your mornings with a vitamin-packed fruit and vegetable juice, or recover faster from your workouts with a fresh fruit and protein smoothie.
The Oster MyBlend personal blender comes in four bright colours and boasts a sleek look, but the true beauty of the Oster MyBlend personal blender extends beyond its appearance, and lies within its design. Its high speed function is ideal for crushing ice, giving you a smooth and tasty shake, while the one-touch blending makes it super easy to use.
Instead of pouring your drink from the blender to another container, the Oster MyBlend blender vessel doubles as a bottle you can drink straight from, so you keep every last drop of blended goodness. No pouring, no risk of mess, no cleaning up twice. More for you, less washed down the sink. The BPA-free 600mL reusable sports bottle is also dishwasher safe.
Making a quick snack or meal has never been easier.
Just fill the blender with your favourite smoothie combination, give it a quick whizz, swap the blender blade for the bottle cover, and you’re good to go!
Whether you’re off to work or play, the Oster MyBlend is great for the busy and health-conscious individual who is constantly on the move. The Oster MyBlend blender is the quick and convenient choice that saves you money, and your body will thank you for it.
Click here to get your Oster MyBlend blender now and benefit from the launch promotion – a free additional bottle!
After doing the Tokyo Marathon in 2014, a friend told me about the Nagoya Women’s Marathon and how this race was different from others. So last September, I bidded for an entry slot and was lucky to garner an entry to this largest women-only marathon in the world.
Here are some facts about the Nagoya Women’s Marathon:
Held on Sunday, 8 March in conjunction with International Women’s Day
Started in 2012, it is the largest women-only marathon in the world comprising 18,000 runners from 30 countries
Organised by Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF), Chunichi Shimbun
Starts and finish at Nagoya Dome (Course certified by the JAAF and AIMS)
Entry fee is 10,500 Yen (+ 600 Yen administrative fee) for foreigners
Time limit to complete the distance of 42.195km is 7 hours based on gun time
Feeling excited as it was my first real solo trip, I happily flew into Nagoya on 3 March and headed north to visit Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Hira Furukawa, which were all awesome in winter. I took a bus back to Nagoya city after two days of sightseeing and started to prepare for the marathon.
Race Pack Collection: 6 March 2015
Race pack pick-up started two days prior to the race and it was held at the Nagoya Dome (home of the Nagoya Dragons, their local baseball team). Here, various sponsors and partners showcased their products and services with Menard and Nike having the largest booths. Others sold running gear, power gel and isotonic drinks. The race expo however, was significantly smaller than the Tokyo marathon’s.
Race Day: 8 March 2015
I awoke at 6.30am to have a light breakfast before heading to the Nagoya Dome – the start point of the race. Boarding the subway proved a challenge as it was so packed on a Sunday morning with presumably everyone heading to the same place. The Japanese are known for their civilised and courteous behavior but when it comes to the subway, this is where they are most aggressive! J
Upon arrival at the Nagoya Dome-mae Yada station, hordes of people got off and there were volunteers carrying signs in Japanese, presumably leading the way to the Dome. The baggage drop off was relatively smooth as we were allocated sling bags to contain our personal belongings and we just had to drop it off at the pre-assigned sectors. Thereafter, we walked through the Dome, caught a glimpse of the finishing line before heading out into the carpark area to await the start of the race.
At the start point of the Nagoya Women’s Marathon.
Here, I was greeted by a spectrum of colours as the women were dressed in bright sports gear. Popular colours were various shades of pink, purple, yellow and turquoise (this is the official colour of the marathon) and I was probably the most boring one in black. Like most races, there were several who also chose to don their favourite cartoon character or super hero outfits.
I must say the weather was excellent – sunny yet cool, nothing like the heat and humidity one would experience running in Singapore. However, the day was actually hotter than usual at 12-17 degrees Celsius as compared to other days of about 10. So while very few chose to wear a down jacket, I was left with little choice as it was my only top with pockets, and I needed pockets to carry my gel and gloves. I saw a smart girl wearing a cycling jersey and immediately thought that why didn’t I think of that as it would have been ideal – it was not too warm as a second layer, and had pockets to store stuff!
At 9.10am, the elite wave of women were flagged off and by the time it came to ordinary folks like me, it was about 9.27am when I reached the start point. I quickly snapped a few pictures, started my Runkeeper app, kept my mobile phone and started my race. The start was a bit slow as there were many runners, but I knew I had to keep to a good pace for my first half if I wanted to complete the race in a decent time.
So I zig-zagged a little, weaving in and out, attempting to pass some runners. I managed to do so until I hit the 15km mark. This was where the pain started to set in due to inadequate training (yes, yes I know, I deserve it). Nonetheless, with crowds cheering by the road side, I persevered, as no one stops running here in Japan! I also dared not stop (except to drink), for I feared that if I had done so, my legs would not start-up again 😛
From the Nagoya Dome, the race route took me past the Nagoya museum, Atsuta Jingu, Osu Kannon, Tsurama Park, Nagoya TV Tower, Nagoya Castle, Nagoya City Hall, Shachihoko and back to the Nagoya Dome.
At the end of the race, finishers were treated to a pleasant surprise – a Tiffany & Co. “medal” in the form of a Sakura pendant, all nicely ribboned-up in a box. Indeed, it is the best and most useful race medal I have ever received! This truly, is a women’s marathon.
The finisher “medal” we all looked forward to 🙂
What can be done to improve the event:
Have more English signs. As I don’t read nor speak Japanese, figuring out what was where was quite a challenge. Most of the time I had to use intuition or ask using my limited Japanese.
Have more portable toilets. I spent an hour queuing up just to use the loo prior to the start of the race.
Again, have clear signages to indicate where the changing rooms were. After the race, I did not see any toilets to freshen up and traveled back to my hotel (via the subway) in my drenched outfit. This is not ideal during winter. But also, because of the huge numbers, I figured that by the time I queued just to change into a fresh outfit, it would be faster just to head back to the hotel.
Highlights of the race:
Hardly anyone walked during the 42.195km so I was super motivated to keep moving.
The volunteers, who played a huge role in the success of the marathon. Without their enthusiastic cheers and logistical support, the race would not have been a smooth and enjoyable one.
Money can buy you a Tiffany jewellery but it is pure sweat and endurance (and pain) that will get you the coveted Tiffany Sakura pendant. Oh, and you get to pose and take pictures with handsome, hot bods too.
Although I could barely walk after the race, I still treated myself to sake and Izakaya to celebrate the completion of my 3rd marathon.
If you are thinking of doing the Nagoya Women’s Marathon next year, do remember to bid for your slot by early September this year. What are you waiting for? Just do it! 🙂
It was one of those days filled with trepidation and unfounded nervousness. I’ve been looking forward to this race for months but I couldn’t help thinking in the lead up to the event whether John and I have overstretched ourselves. We have never run anything longer than 10km and this event had a 14km running route. Add to that 9 obstacles and it was likely to be a physically demanding challenge.
The morning was abuzz with Urbanathletes and a quick glance at the post race activities such as the “drink all you can” beer station indicated a good Sunday morning. We settled into wave 2, geared up including our gym workout gloves. Looking at the description of the obstacles we figured it might be useful to wear gloves to protect our hands from rope burn. Looking around at fellow participants, it seemed we weren’t the only ones thinking that.
The gun went off at 7.30am with our wave delayed about 10min. In order to last the distance, we started with an easy pace. We tackled the first 1.5km around the sports hub towards Tanjong Rhu, and met our first obstacle, “The Tipping Point”. We had to climb up a narrow plank which at halfway point tipped and then climb down. Nothing complicated, a little balancing but nice warm up to what was yet to come.
Obstacle 1: The Tipping Point*
As we rounded our way beneath Benjamin Sheares bridge we came across obstacle two the “Bottom Line” which required us to traverse a slackline with the use of dangling ropes and then swinging onto a platform at the end of the slackline. I had to look up the definition of slackline to find out that it is a recognised balancing sport, except that it doesn’t use any ropes for extra help. Who knew.
Obstacle 2: Bottom Line
It takes my legs about 3km to warm up and take on the jarring effect of the pavement, so it didn’t surprise me when shortly after the second obstacle I needed to walk. As we reached the Marina Barrage bridge we picked up the running again until we realised that part of the run was tackling the up and down concentric footpath. We walked the up to reserve strength and energy and jogged it down.
When we reached midway of the footpath on the green roof of the barrage we saw the third obstacle the “Balance Sheet”. Made up of one sloping beam and four straight beams the challenge was balancing on the 4 inch width of each beam that gradually increased in height until the last one which was a drop of about 30cm onto the last beam. Given that I’m not fond of heights, I felt my heart rate raise with each beam I crossed and even more so when I had to step down on the last one. I was more than elated when I jumped off the end as the photo below can attest to.
Obstacle 3: Balance SheetGrateful to get off.
With four obstacles complete and very much enjoying the experience, we set off past Gardens by the Bay and its Domes in a cheery mood and curious about the next location and obstacle we’ll be presented with. Ho and behold the smile got wiped off my face as I was faced with obstacle four the “Lateral Move”. Made up of two sets of parallel bars, the first one required to make our way across a pair of 6m-long parallel bars using our hands. Probably every girls nightmare as this activity required upper body strength and some seriously well developed triceps. Needless to say I failed it miserably. Each time I tried to move across it my arms would give way and I would drop onto the ground. I fumbled my way through it somehow to then maneuver down a second set of parallel bars, with my hands on one bar and feet on the other. The second set was easy even though at first I wasn’t too sure about the 1m distance between the two bars.
Obstacle 4: Lateral Move*John completing the second set.
Glad to move on it was time to wrap up the Marina Bay area and make our way back towards the sports hub via the Singapore Flyer and to my delight cross the 10km mark, the longest distance I’ve ever run. It was definitely a pic moment for me.
Feeling good and happy.
Coming onto obstacle five the “Workload” we found ourselves queuing in enormously long lines where we lost a good ten minutes. Here we had to carry two 10kg cement blocks and run 100m. Wow, I’m sure my arms were elongated a couple of centimetres but having a 20kg kid that still gets tossed around by both parents, we didn’t have too much trouble with this obstacle.
Obstacle 5: Workload (the queue)Running 50m in both directions with 20kg.
It wasn’t long after this obstacle that John started complaining about knee problems. Somewhat surprised given that it’s not something he has problems with, we had to change tactic by doing short bursts of running, followed by walking to ease the pain. Targeting points to run to helped push us along and stay motivated as the pain was niggling away at his knee.
Near the Kallang Riserside Park was obstacle six the “Wheel and Deal” where we had to squeeze through tyres of different heights feet first. The first and second tyre was easy given that it was at the lowest point. The third one was two tyres tied together, a bit fiddly squeezing through but okay. The fourth was a bit trickier just simply cause it was quite high. Perhaps not too difficult for John given his 6″1′ height but I needed to leverage off the pole construction holding up the tyre, use the rope to pull myself up and once my feet were through I wiggled my way through to the other side. I certainly felt for those who were not particularly tall.
At this point I couldn’t remember how many obstacles we had done or what they were but given that we had passed the 12km mark we figured there couldn’t be too many left. Most of the obstacles were approximately 1.5km apart and that created plenty of opportunities to rest between runs by tackling them. However, the last three obstacles were in much closer proximity.
Obstacle seven “Leap of Faith” is when we were most grateful for our gloves. Having to climb up a 2m high tower, at the end of the platform we had to grab a rope that was dangling 1.2m away, hang on to it and then lower ourselves without rope burn. John’s elegant descent was the complete opposite to my “oh man, I can’t hold on” and dropping unceremoniously to the floor. Imagine one of those comedies with the pro gliding (that was John) and the comic relief fumbling (that was me). Don’t be fooled by the pic demonstration. That’s just John’s good timing with the camera.
Obstacle 7: Leap of Faith
By now the novelty was starting to wear off and we were looking forward to the end or perhaps we just naturally think that way when we know we are reaching the end. I guess the troubling knee wasn’t helping to sustain our enthusiasm.
We soldiered onto obstacle eight “The Network” which required us to climb up and down a 3.2m high 3-tonne truck using a rope web. We observed some unique versions of tackling this obstacle but it was essentially a vertical climb up the truck, traversing the truck and descending the other side on a slope. I had my Spider(wo)man moment on top of the truck by wedging my right foot into the corner of one of the webs for stability whilst using my hands to crawl forward and my bent left leg to follow. It seemed to work without wobbling too much. Where I was completely ungraceful in the previous obstacle, I was much more coordinated on this one.
Obstacle 8: The Network*John’s descent.
And then came the big bang in more ways than I could have foreseen. We completed the remainder of the run with a shuffle, hobble, walk whatever got us to the last obstacle “The Mystery”. Oh yeah, I should have been scared but when I saw the potential fun, I was hanging for the queue to get cracking and move along. By this stage we were in the scorching sun and our supportive team watching from the sidelines quickly snuck in a couple of cups of water which were very much appreciated.
Obstacle nine was a crawl-climb-jump surprise. It was all fantastic till I got to the jump. The first section was a 10m prone position crawl beneath a platform just barely 30cm above ground. I was surprised how swiftly I could glide through. Incensed with confidence I climbed up the side of the construction, ran up the two sloped platforms and came to a screaming halt when I saw the 4m high jump I had to take to land on safety mattresses.
Commando crawl afoot.
I am petrified of these kind of heights and I did not take this into any consideration. I sat down on the edge and in nanoseconds contemplated the next move. Fear was edging its way through my veins and I knew if I didn’t push off now, I would be paralysed with fear. So without further ado, I throw myself onto the mats and land with an agonizing twist of my right ankle. With my face contorted in pain and the onlooking volunteer just staring at me, I told him to pull me off the mats so the rest of the participants could keep going.
John may have missed the whole kerfuffle but my girlfriend didn’t and photographed the whole sequence not realising what was about to happen. I had my suspicion as to what occured that was confirmed when I viewed the pics. Upon landing on the mattresses my right foot slipped through the cracks of the joining mattresses and took the whole brunt of my jump. Had I landed squarely in the middle of a mattress this ending would have been completely different.
John with a much more successful ending to his jump and unaware that I’m hobbling up ahead.
I was 200m from the finish line and there was no way they were wheeling me off. With what could be interpreted as a snarl and determined to cross that line on my own two legs, I said no to the wheelchair and with John beside me I hobbled my way across the Finish line and straight into the medical tent.
Finishing the race on my own two feet.
The medics were great. They stuffed me with painkillers, rubbed Tiger balm on, iced me, wrapped me up and when I was ready to go home about an hour later, they wheeled me to the nearest taxi rank put me into a cab and sent me on my merry way. The cabbie had a giggle in good gest at my misfortune and shook his head at my foolishness.
Yup I’m a Survivor and high on painkillers.
Never made it to the ‘all you can drink’ beer tent but after a much needed shower, I spent the next 6 hours poolside with my own cold beer, good company, high on painkillers, alcohol and ‘happy’ pills. I was far too jovial for someone with an injury and John was just waiting for the painkillers and alcohol to wear off and eventually they did.
It’s been 9 days that I’ve been housebound, couchbound and foot propped up. Can’t walk yet but the healing is taking place albeit a little too slow for my liking. Unfortunately, I had to miss the Green Corridor race but hopefully I can manage to make it to the Twilight Ultra at the end of the month. Not sure what I can accomplish but since I registered along with seven of the Team Costa crew, I’d at least like to participate.
Overall, this was a fun race regardless of the end. We enjoyed the obstacles that broke the monotony of running. The camaraderie amongst participants was friendly and courteous as we all waited for our turn.
We’ll certainly be looking out for more obstacle races this year and will be back for Urbanathlon 2016.
Proper nutrition is one of the cornerstones to improving sports performance and maintaining physical health. Most of the essential nutrients can be obtained from our everyday foods. However, with significant physiological differences between males and females, our needs subsequently differ. In this article, we will be exploring and analyzing the top 3 key nutrients for men runners, which are: vitamin C, zinc and potassium.
– Vitamin C
The benefits of Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, in supporting general health are plentiful, with its role in boosting immunity by stimulating antibodies formation, providing protection for the body against oxidative stress, tissue repair and bone development. Since men are more prone to heart-related diseases, adequate vitamin C is crucial for maintaining cardiovascular health.
More importantly for runners, Vitamin C aids in collagen production, which indirectly improves muscle and tissue flexibility and strength since collagen is a connective tissue that holds muscles, bones and other tissues in place. It also reduces bruising by maintaining the firmness of capillary walls and blood vessels.
An interesting experiment conducted by British researchers also revealed the role of vitamin C is post-exercise recovery. Subjects were made to perform an unaccustomed bout of exercise over two weeks; they found that those who were given a vitamin C supplement experienced less muscle soreness, better muscle function, and lower blood levels of the oxidative stress-induced molecule malondialdehyde compared to those given the placebo. Post-exercise elevations in levels of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 were also lower in the vitamin C supplemented group.
The richest sources of vitamin C in our diet come from fresh fruits and vegetables.
Fruits especially citrus fruits such as oranges, and vegetables such as tomatoes and spinach, are food sources rich in Vitamin C. Note that cooking in high heat reduces the vitamin C content of your food, so aim to include a wide variety of produce, both raw and cooked, to your daily diet.
– Zinc
Zinc is an essential trace element required in small amounts necessary for a healthy body. For men, zinc is a crucial mineral to maintain robust testosterone levels, and in order for prostate cells to function at its optimum, of zinc is necessary. Zinc deficiency impairs testosterone production and lowers male fertility and increases the likelihood of erectile dysfunction and developing prostate cancer.
Sexual health aside, the importance of testosterone for sportspeople are manifold. Testosterone helps maintain bone density, thus preventing osteoporosis. It also helps the body preferentially build and retain muscle, resulting in less body fat and higher lean body mass. Low testosterone levels can lead to fatigue and depression, ultimately leading to subpar athletic performance. This is not to encourage runners to start using steroids! With adequate zinc intake, the body is able to produce enough of this hormone.
Testosterone production aside, zinc is necessary for macular (eye) health, and a zinc deficiency can lead to visual impairment. Zinc assists in wound healing, treats a variety of skin conditions, diabetes, high blood pressure, and boosts the immune system. It is used by athletes to improve sports performance and strength because of it’s the repair, building and development of muscle tissue as well as energy production.
You should be able to meet your zinc requirements by consuming a balanced diet. Food sources rich in zinc are mainly found in meat, dairy and seafood, particularly oysters. Zinc deficiency is unlikely, and zinc supplements must be consumed with care, as they often contain cadmium, a mineral of which high exposure to can lead to kidney failure if consumed over an extended period of time.
– Potassium
Alongside sodium, magnesium and calcium, potassium is one of the four major electrolytes that maintain the fluid balance in our body. Its ionic nature is used for nerve transmission, active transport and muscle contraction. Potassium deficiency can result in arrhythmia, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, cancer, digestive disorders, and infertility.
Across the demographic, athletes are at higher risk of potassium deficiency, perhaps due to the loss of electrolytes during sports. Runners need to maintain an electrolyte balance in order to achieve optimal performances and trainings as an electrolyte imbalance will lead to higher frequency of muscle cramps and fatigue. Stiff, achy joints, muscle spasms, dizziness and nauseas are other symptoms of electrolyte imbalance which prevent runners from achieving what they are physically capable of.
When these symptoms arise during your run, it is recommended that you rehydrate immediately with a sports drink, as these are designed to restore the lost minerals.
The recommended daily intake of potassium is 4,700mg. A potassium-rich diet would consist of a variety of fresh vegetables (especially leafy greens) and fruits (especially bananas), nuts, seeds, dairy foods, lean meats, potatoes and whole grains. Certain methods of cooking, such as boiling, can significantly reduce potassium in foods so once again, aim to include a wide variety of produce, both raw and cooked, to your daily diet.
Try making these modifications to your diet today, and see if you feel the difference!
Yesterday was 8 March 2015. To all ladies out there, Happy International Women’s Day aka 三八妇女节!
This is my second year joining Venus Run and it was held in the morning unlike the previous year where it was in the evening. And therefore, my friends were late. Without having to do any warmup prior to the race, we left the starting point at about 5 min after the flagoff timing. Since being slightly late, there is a slight human jam till about 2 km of the route.
At about 1 km into my run, the top runners like Vanja Cnops and Mok Ying Rong have already u-turned and completed about 3 km of their run. Every one of us along the other side of the route were all clapping and cheering for the returning runners as we continued running.
Sadly, I was unable to hit my goal timing of 25min that I aimed to do this year. Partly it is due to human jam but I think most of it is due to lack of training and warmup prior to the race. All in all, this race is good to join with friends and have fun.
The most sociable alarm call for a race in Singapore;
I was woken by my clock at around 0715 for this year’s Green Corridor Run. Headed down to Tanjong Pagar Station in a taxi with The Claw. It’s our last build up run for the upcoming TransLantau 50k in Hong Kong (more on that in a future post) and whilst a 10k run along an old railway line isn’t perfect prep for 2700m of mountain running, we are both very fond of this race, so there was no way we were going to miss it.
I’m running back home after the race, so no baggage drop for me, straight into the starting pen around 0810 and it’s like Norm in the bar at Cheers.
Virtually every runner I know in Singapore seems to be here, Lexus, Stu and the F1 gang (30 F1 runners in this event!), the rest of the Mount Sinai Striders (Ben, Rob, Jeremy), Conor (my strava segent chasing nemisis) and Azlan (fellow Nuke Optic TransLantau runner) & many more. After I while I spot our estemmed JRL Co-Founder Peter, also sporting the very funky JustRunLah! vest and we exchange a quick ‘good luck’.
Flag-off time
The VIP did a good job with a short and to the point speech and we were flagged off on time. Quick comment on the start time. The first year of Green Corridor, we went off at 0700 – good for runners, but apparently not so good for Everton Park residents who (I am told) complained about the noise and so got the start moved back to 0900 last year and this year. Thing is, this means that the slower runners are running at 1030/1100 and that’s just too late, too hot.
I hope the organisers can reach a compromise with Everton Park and maybe start at 0800 from next year. It really is the only negative point about this race!
Back to the race itself. I was torn as to a strategy today – on the one hand I am running 50k next saturday, so it’s probably not a great idea to waste any energy beforehand, on the other hand, its a race and I can’t not race a race.
So I decide to use today to try the ‘steady and build’ race plan, which is not one of my strengths – so it could do with some practice. I set off at a decent but not stellar pace, avoid a mishap in the argy-bargy of the first kilometre, plan is to hold that pace thru 5-6k then try to pick it up.
This works out pretty well and I am at Buona Vista before I really have time to think about it. Then I remember that Peter said the JRL photographer would be around 6.5km, so I’m trying now to focus on looking good for the cameras in my awesome JRL vest. I saw him just on the trail in Ghim Moh – and I have to say I’m delighted with the result!
Pushing on up past Holland Road I am now playing a game of ‘pick them off’ – where I look up the trail, pick 1-2 runners in the distance and just focus on catching them up, nothing else.
This works out well and I overtake a few more guys before the final stretch into Bukit Timah. This is very familiar territory for me, I know exactly how far it is from Jelita to the finish, so I can push on with confidence
Last year I was too hesitant with the final push, this year I am feeling great, no fatigue, no heat problems, so I push on and finish strong with Stu yelling at me from the sidelines. 42.40 on the watch, 5 and a half minutes faster than last year and finishing very comfortably with next weekend’s run in mind.
Two bottles of water and time for a post race catch up with Lexus, Stu & Ben. Then one by one my other running buddies come over the line. A great vibe at the finish area, just as there was down in Tanjong Pagar an hour earlier.
Highlight of the finish area was a catch up with Jason (The Reawakened Runner) who is here cheering his buddies and taking pics – great to see you man.
What is it about this race?
Seems to bring out the best in everyone – great etiquette, great performances, great camaraderie.
With no finish line downpour this year, I wander off with Jeremy and The Claw for a recovery run home. For Jeremy this turns into an epic – he runs to Keppel Bay via the Southern Ridges (!), for me it’s a 6k jog back to Mount Sinai and a cold shower.
Still my favorite race in the Singapore Calendar, still an awesome place to run. With each year I know a few more runners – and so far, I am shaving off a few minutes each year as well! Can’t wait til Green Corridor 2016!
Stats as below. 42:40 for 25th place (unconfirmed).
It has been a long time since I wrote last, but I would like to say Captain Canada is back! I hope you all missed my antics as I have missed writing about them. This is my second race of 2015, but there cannot be a better race to write aboot eh!
Where do I begin with this one? Well I guess it all starts with my anticipation to running this event. I read some great blogs from last year’s race that had me pumped up to run. Being my first official trail race I’m sure all the runners our there could feel my joy of getting off the mean streets and enjoying nature.
As a Canadian fellow there are a few things that I truly enjoy in life:
1) Nature- The smell of the trees, the sound of the animals and the cool breeze flowing through my hair.
2) Friendship (see last blog).
3) Competition- Or in the case of trail running a competition of who can trip least over anything and everything.
So without further ado my review of the Green Corridor Run 2015.
After a late Friday night packed full of misadventure and delicious beer my stomach was felt like it was on trial for mischief. As Saturday night came around Captain Canada in true form pulled himself together and got his head in the game.
Off goes the Old Car Horn Alarm again and I shoot out of bed like an Apollo mission with 1 goal in mind… What is that goal….. Destroying number 2 (Friendship) from above with number 3 (Competition). Now I know everyone who participates in a running event will never admit it, but when we see anyone especially our friends passing us on the course a secret rage grows from within. LOL.
My Colleagues had the chance to move to Wave 1 which I had been too late to do before racepack collection. As we walk up to Wave 1 security I was shaken down and told I cannot enter the first wave. I am very impressed by the security team and they should be given jobs immediately at the airport security desks… Hats off my friends… You win this time.
So lonely I wait and wait and wait for the second wave to begin. Under the 9 Million Degrees Celsius (Or in American 150 Million Fahrenheit) I was baking like a White potato haha. The only complaint I have at all is the fact that the crowd was cheering more to “Start the Race, Start the Race” then the announcers Lame-O Jokes lol.
So off I go front of the pack. I will say I felt like a real champion for about the first 5 km as only a small group of us stayed out front. I will say I absolutely loveeeee trail running, but hateeeeeee the weather here. Flashbacks of the Standard Charter Full were dancing in my head as I felt the temperature rise.
Sun Sun Sun more Sun and here we are at 9km. I was impressed with myself for hitting the 9km Mark in around 48 minutes or so…. Then….. Disaster strikes. I don’t know how this happens, but I would love to hear from others, but it felt as if I were about to spontaneously combust into flames. At this point there was no other option for me but to take a 2 minutes walking break, or have a friend write my obituary lol.
2 Minutes go by and the competitive nature of being a Canadian kicked in as the CEO of my company whom I had beat in the bull charge went flying past me. What he doesn’t know is I actually enjoy my job and beating him twice is as good as a pink slip on Monday morning.
10km and them 10.5km and Done! Dizzy and spent I wonder if the race volunteers handing out water realized they saved a man’s life this fine day.
With a time on the Polar watch of 56.49 I am happy, but not satisfied and am looking forward to improving on this next year.
All in All minus a few small hiccups I give the Green Corridor run a 7 out of 10. Please start this earlier next year. 10 AM is absolutely painful to run in for a pasty white Canuck.
Despite the cheap and easy option of 24-hour food courts or hawker centres, perhaps you’ve made the decision to cut down on eating out. After all, the best way to control what goes into your food is to prepare it yourself. But if it’s been a while since your last trip to the supermarket, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by aisles of discounts, endless choices and temptations. In this article, we’ll share some basic guidelines on on how to best fill your shopping basket, as well as tips to get in, get what you need, and get out, and back to running!
Back to the Nutrition Basics
Like the fashion industry, many diet fads and nutrition advice have a short shelf-life. As experts are busy contradicting each other or changing their minds, it might be easy to feel overwhelmed and confused. Don’t worry! The fundamental principles of sound nutrition are timeless, sane, and easy to follow. If your grandparents were eating it 70 years ago, it’s probably good for you. Remember:
Unless you have a serious food allergy, it is important to include all the basic food groups every day: fresh vegetables and fruits, meat and fish, cereals and grains, nuts and seeds, dairy, and healthy fats. Miss out on any one category and your diet becomes unbalanced, and unsustainable in the long term.
Choose minimally processed options: the closer a food is to its original form, the better it is for you. Plain Greek yogurt is better than non-fat sugar-free fruit-flavoured yogurt. Oranges are better than UHT orange juice. Fresh chicken and pork are better than frozen chicken nuggets or sliced ham.
If it sounds like basic common sense, that’s because it is. All the complicated food rules, like demonising of certain macronutrients, or obsessing over micronutrients are simply driven by the billion-dollar food and pharmaceutical industries that stand to gain from our paranoia and insecurities.
As runners, we need carbohydrates to fuel our runs, protein to build our muscles, and contrary to fat-phobia, fatty acids are essential for a range of body functions, including vitamin absorption, hormonal production, cell reparation, maintenance of immune health, and the list goes on. A balanced diet also eliminates the risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Remember, you only get out what you put in; don’t expect to run your best if you are not giving your body what it needs!
To make things even easier, here are four tips to help you tackle the weekly supermarket trip.
#1: Come Prepared (make a list)
Instead of wandering around the aisles searching for inspiration, come armed with a shopping list, and you will know exactly what to buy, in which quantities. This way, you are less likely to be distracted by promotions or bargains, which may trick you into making poor food choices, or bulk-buying with its “value-for-money” hook.
#2: Come Alone
Any parent who’s taken a toddler shopping in a supermarket will understand the battle against targeted marketing by the food industries as they repeated say “no” to unnaturally colourful, sugary cereals, snacks or sweets. After dozens of times of saying “no”, or if a child starts throwing a tantrum, it is easy to give in and say “yes”. Even significant others or friends can influence our shopping choices, so unless they have the same healthy-eating intentions, it is best to come alone.
#3: Set a Time Limit
The bright lights, pop songs from the 90s, and the smell from the bakery… hang around the supermarket long enough and you’ll eventually feel compelled to buy more than you need. Instead of spending Saturday afternoon grocery shopping, go in and get what you need, then get out quickly and go for a run!
#4: Set a Budget
If all else fails, determine in advance how much you are willing to spend on the trip, and start by filling your basket with the basic food groups mentioned above. Eating healthy is affordable since seasonal and local fruits and vegetables are not expensive. If you find yourself with a few dollars left to spare, it’s no reason to reach for those chocolate biscuits or potato chips! Why not splurge on salmon, or upgrade from regular to brown rice?
The Bottom Line
You only have to say “no” once to unhealthy choices at the supermarket, but if you buy it and bring it home, the temptation will always be there. Don’t be misled by perceived value-for-money bulk buy bargains – if you buy more than you need, it will end up as waste, or on your waist. Preparing a healthy meal begins with making healthy choices at the supermarket, and with these tips and guidelines on hand, you’re well on your way to nourishing your body, mind and soul!
You run at the crack of dawn, in the midday heat, even in the dead of the night.
You run through the mud, you run up hills, and you run even when the road falls away.
You are a runner, and there is nothing you love more than running…
Except of course, the people you love. Your friends. Your family. Your country.
The land you have promised to protect and serve.
The land in which you were born, and you are proud to call home.
Perhaps your spouse serves in the Police Force. Perhaps you are a parent or a sibling to someone who serves in the Civil Defence Force. Perhaps it is YOU who is serving your motherland.
The HomeTeamNS REAL Run for Real Runners
These identities need not be separate. In fact, this very multi-facet nature within you is celebrated at the HomeTeamNS REAL Run. The REAL Run is one that challenges you over different terrains (road, sand and trail), in different conditions (sunny and rainy), and at different locations (Sentosa and Changi), ultimately bringing out the best in you as a runner.
Originally conceived 20 years ago by the Singapore Police Association for NSmen (SPANS) with the aim of promoting healthy lifestyle among the SPF National Servicemen through exercise, the HomeTeamNS REAL Run has proven immensely successful with both NS men and the public, and within two decades, has expanded internationally to embrace like-minded athletes from various countries.
The HomeTeamNS REAL Run is the only race in Singapore that takes you over three different terrains. The race route presents participants with a combination of winding trails, hard asphalt, and the energy-sapping sand. The challenge is only compounded with inclement weather, but of course, it will take more than a downpour to discourage Singapore’s running society, as proven in previous editions. Rightfully earning its title as Singapore’s toughest 10K race, it is the ultimate running experience.
Unleash the Hero in You
This year, with the introduction of the Hero Series, REAL Run invites runners to Unleash the Hero in You. Competitive runners can choose from the 5K or 10K HERO Trail, while recreational runners may prefer the 5K Fun Run distance. Want to honour and strengthen the spirit of National Service? Run the 5K as a torch-bearing relay in the 3-Generation NS Family, a 3-men team with at least one member currently in the Home Team (NSF or NSmen). This will be a family event, which means children need not miss out on the action – with the 500m Kids Beach Dash open to boys and girls in two separate categories, ages 7-9 and 10-12.
Whoever you are, whatever you do, so long as you’re a running enthusiast seeking to test your limits with an extra challenge, the HomeTeamNS REAL Run is for you. HomeTeamNS REAL Run is happening on 17 May 2015. Will you be up to the challenge?
Find out more information about the race and register now at realrun.sg!
JustRunLah! is the Official Online Media for Real Run 2015
Newline brings Danish design, function and comfort to Asia
The Danish fashion biking, running and triathlon brand Newline are launching in Asia. For over 30 years, Danish brand Newline has been designing and producing running, cycling and triathlon gear. Now, Newline is set to launch in Asia, bringing the brand’s expertise to the Asian market.
Founded in 1981 by a Danish Special Force soldier, as he was suspended in his parachute between earth and sky, he started wondering why his suit was wet and the parachute still dry. Using his background from the Special Forces, a focus on military precision, and many years as a runner to create an innovative range of functional products, he created one of the first ever functional running suit from parachute fabric with a focus on details and comfort. Since then, Newline has achieved great success on the international sport scene, with distribution across Europe and in Russia, the US, India and Australia.
ZEN’YU Pacific Pte Ltd appointed the distributor for Newline in Singapore
Right now Newline is expanding to the Asian market and their goal is clear: “We want to provide the best running, cycling and triathlon gear to the Asian markets as well as rest of the world”, says Mr. Chong, CEO of Newline Asia.
This spring, Newline starts distribution in Japan and in July, distribution will be launched in Hong Kong and Singapore as well. Newline Asia has decided to partner with ZEN’YU Pacific, as they have established themselves over the years as one of the leaders in the running market providing a comprehensive range of products. ZEN’YU Pacific has also been active in sponsoring events and participating in running, cycling and triathlon races.
Newline’s goal is to provide the sports industry with something new
Newline design and produce two yearly collections, featuring its basic line and accessories.
Its main focus is and always has been continuous experimenting with functional product improvement to achieve highest possible comfort for the runner.
Details, comfort, functionality and high quality are combined with contemporary design to make fashionable products. Styles are inspired from fashion tendencies, and these are transformed into sporty combinations of prints and colors. Newline collaborates with some of the world’s best color and tendency experts to make sure that collections are up-to-date and innovative. Newline’s belief in the combination of function, fashion and differentiating design has opened doors to many markets worldwide.
A look at this season’s collection
Enjoy the wild beach, the wind pressure, the large horizon and dune grasses able to whithstand sand abrasion. Colors are inspired by the beach’s botanic plants and herbs, late afternoons’ low sun, cold dark clay, the light sky, salty water and windy straw.
Colors are expressed in prints, embossings and color blocks, which can be combined and layered to create this season’s key look.
To continue browsing the Newline range, visit their website: newlinesport.com.
Water points: Shops along the route (Please bring some money)
This route brings you to the heritage buildings/sites at George Town, from the Fort Conwallis, Penang Town Hall, Convent Light Street, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Khoo and Yap Kongsi Temple, St George’s Church, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Residence of Ku Din Ku Meh to the Clan Jetties of Penang and more. One can also rent a bicycle at one of the shophouses and enjoy a ride along the streets of George Town.
Catch the excitement as runners from around the world gather at Malaysia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site for the annual Mt. Kinabalu International Climbathon. It’s a race like no other! While casual climbers may take an average of two days to scale the mountain, professional mountain runners can clock as fast as 4 hours.
There are two routes to choose from: The first option is the Adventure Race (23km) and this category is open to all. However, only qualified participants can register for the second route – the Summit Race (33km), which takes them from Kinabalu Park all the way to the summit of Mount Kinabalu before concluding at Kundasang.
Join us at the flag off in Kinabalu Park and cheer for the runners at the finishing line in Kundasang Town!
Event cancelled due to earthquake – Refund is provided by the organiser.
Connecting Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park and Kent Ridge Park, the Southern Ridges is a 10km stretch of connecting trails, architectual bridges and diverse vegetation. The Ridges provide panoramic views of the city, the harbour, the Southern Islands and the Strait of Malacca. For nature lovers and within easy commute, Southern Ridges is a haven open to exploration.
What was sure to be a challenging run, the hills, hills and more hills and all those stairs were unanticipated to some degree. The relief however, was in knowing that what goes up must come down, and there was plenty of that too.
Easiest starting point is the Marang Trail and it’s not because the trail itself is easy. It’s easy simply because it starts outside HarbourFront MRT thereby making it easily accessible. The trail is an upward stairs climb of about 70m for about 800m in length. The usual under 6 pacers took off like ‘Lightning Jack’ whilst the rest of us heaved ourselves up the stairs one slow step at a time.
All fresh at the starting point.The subtle entrance to Marang Trail. All guns blazing.And then there were these stairs.
Leading into Mount Faber Park through Faber Walk, we are met by city views stretching as far as the eyes can see. Standing at 106m high, Mount Faber is the fourth highest hill in Singapore and known for the cable car attraction and scenic views whilst dining.
We finished on Mount Faber with the Merlion Sculpture at Faber Point. The Merlion is Singapore’s mascot depicting a creature that is half lion, half fish. This one is 3m tall and one of five on the island. The tallest is on Sentosa Island and stands at 37m high.
CBD skyline in the distance.Stan and Michelle leading the way on Faber Walk.Merlion @ Faber Point
With one out of three parks completed, we moved onto Telok Blangah Hill Park via the architecturally designed Henderson Waves Bridge. At 274m long and 36m above ground this pedestrian bridge “has a wave-form made up of seven undulating curved steel ribs that alternately rise over and under its deck. The curved ribs form alcoves that function as shelters with seats within.” [Wikipedia]
Worth taking the time to enjoy the surroundings, the view and the structure of the bridge, a return visit is on the cards with a better camera and more time on my hands.
Entering Henderson Waves Bridge
As the bridge leads us into Telok Blangah Hill Park, we come upon the Forest of the Giants, where giant native trees tower over the canopy of the secondary forest. Primarily planted to teach people about reforestation there are now 600 plus trees that can reach up to 80m when they mature.
The nearby restroom and water fountain was an excellent area to refresh before pushing onto the Forest Walk, a raised zig-zag steel walkway that treks through the forest for 1.3km. The walkway was a welcomed reprieve as we jogged downhill towards the next connecting bridge.
The final bridge connection was the Alexandra Arch at 80m long featuring “a curved deck and tilted arch like an opened leaf” [Wikipedia]. Another pitstop for the mandatory group shot and much needed rest to catch our breath before tackling the last trail to our end point.
Skipping HortPark we scrambled our way up to the Canopy Walk and made our way to Kent Ridge Park. During WWII the park was once the site of one of the last and fiercest battles fought by the Malay Regiment against the invading Japanese army. It became known as the Battle of Bukit Chandu.
With a final push uphill we arrived to our destination some 45 minutes later, sweating, thirsty and relieved to be able to sit down. We covered about 6km in total. That was definitely sufficient on this hilltop.
The highlight at the end was the portable cooler laden with anything you want: beer, isotonic drinks, spirits and even cocktail mixes. If there was any water in there I paid it no heed, nor did anyone else.
The cooler. Our saviour.Nothing beats a coldie after a run.
With drink in hand and good company we closed off our evening with a sunset. Can it get better than this?
It has been exactly 3 years since I started SG Unfit Runners and we are running into one of the biggest challenge of our blog: Finding an area in the central area which we have not covered yet and is acceptable by all the Unfit Runners who live all over Singapore. We spend sometime huddling over Google Map, enlarging the map, looking out for pathways or possible running routes which we can share with our readers. Working from the Marina Bay area, we spied a small walking track from Marina Bay East up along Geylang River. That route looks like a possible runner’s dream with minimal traffic crossings.On top of that, one of the best food market in Singapore, Old Airport Road Market is along the way.
SG Unfit Runners gathered at Dakota MRT and we headed south towards Kallang. The run is a scenic one with a good mix of modern condominiums, old HDB estates and expensive landed property. I have ran along many small rivers and canals in Singapore and many of them exhibit the same problems for runners: The smell of stale water and rotten garbage.
Geylang River is one of the PCN networkOne of the cyclist/runner friendly overhead bridgeOne of the old HDB buildings along the west bank of the riverCondo, HDB and landed property along the Geylang RiverLight pedestrian traffic
The Geylang River does not exhibit the same problem and we even encountered some Singaporean doing some fishing along the way. The path we took is part of the Singapore PCN network and true to our expectations, there are underpasses and sloped overhead bridges which are extremely friendly to both runners and cyclists. There is minimal elevation along the route and there are minimal pedestrian traffic along the way. Other than a few dog walkers, this fantastic route seems to have been forgotten by Singapore Runners. The running traffic started to pick up in earnest as we hit the Kallang stadium area. You can view the Kallang BayEast route here.
Kallang Stadium and Tanjong Rhu in sightObstacle 6: Tipping pointMen’s Health Urbanathlon 2015
We encountered the runners challenging the Singapore Urbanathlon when we reached the Kallang River stretch with the runners challenging Obstacle 6. We had a great time waving at the runners and urging them on!
The Geylang River route is one beautiful, smooth and runner friendly route dotted with MRT stations and some of the best eating spots in the east. If you are looking for a morning and evening run and end with a satisfying meal, Geylang River is probably one of the best route to try out.
Visit SG Unfit Runners for more routes for absolutely unfit people. Don’t visit us if you are very fit and do ultramarathons without breaking a sweat! SG Unfit Runners is a finalist at the Singapore Blog Awards.
