How to get in shape at home? This question strikes the minds of various housewives, freelancers and other people who spend most of their time at home. If you think that you cannot remain fit and active without going to a gym, you are totally wrong. It is absolutely possible to ensure your health, fitness, and wellbeing while at home. So, let’s get started and see how it is actually possible.
Don’t go on a diet
A friend of mine works at EduJungles he is a freelancer, and as you know, a freelancer has to work from home and focus on both their work and health. The name of my friend is Susan; she once told me that it is not mandatory to go on a diet. In fact, we should eat whatever we like, but in an appropriate amount. This means we can all have a healthy meal and have to ensure that we neither overeat nor remain hungry. We should just control our diets and include fresh and healthy things in our daily life. For example, we can eat fresh veggies, fruits and drink juices and milk. On the other hand, we have to quit junk meals and other unhealthy diets as these can never get us good results.
Find a way to enjoy your exercise
In order to get in shape at home, you have to find a way or two to enjoy your exercise. There are times when people feel bad about going outside for some workouts; if you are one of them, then you will never be able to get rid of the obesity of other problems. The idea is to enjoy your workout so that you can get maximum benefits. We suggest you bring home a machine or two and spare time to do some exercises without any need of going to the gym.
Spare time to play with the family
In addition to enjoying your workouts, you have to spare time to play with the family. You can check many essay samples on the benefits of playing different games. If you are married and have kids, then you can play indoor games with them for an hour or two.
Are home workouts effective? Yes, they are really very effective. In fact, by playing with your kids or siblings, you cannot only develop a strong bonding with them but also will be able to keep your body in shape and your brain sharp and active most of the time.
Prioritize your health and fitness
If you want to get the best and
most prominent home workout results, you have to prioritize your health and
fitness. It is a common observation that most people do not care about doing
exercises or focusing on their diets; in the beginning, they may remain
healthy, but when they grow old, it will become difficult for them to keep
themselves fit, energetic, active and healthy.
Thus, you have to prioritize your fitness, health, and wellbeing and should leave everything when it comes to doing some exercises or enjoying a game in the garden area. A friend of mine named John once made me understand that I should stop living a lazy and unhealthy life. No matter how much work you have to do, it is really very important to focus on your health and spare time for workouts or a walk. There is no need to remain busy with the work and forget focusing on your wellbeing, and physical and mental fitness.
Get proper sleep
How to stay in shape at home? If you think that getting proper sleep is not mandatory, you are totally wrong. Health experts have now proved that people who do not sleep well are likely to become obese in a few years. In contrast, individuals who get spare time to get enough sleep are likely to have a fit body and a sharp and active mind.
This means you should not be
working out at home all night. In fact, you should have your work finished
during the day so that you can have enough hours to sleep at night. Medical
experts recommend everybody to sleep eight to ten hours at least, depending on
one’s age and other similar things.
Try to stay active all-day
Finally, you should try to stay active throughout the day. If you have ever read an assignment online on the benefits of health, you will have an idea that people are required to remain healthy. This means you should not go lazy while at work or at home.
With these things in mind, it
will be easy for you to remain healthy, fit, active and energetic throughout
your life. Another thing that we have not discussed above but is really very
important to be told to you is that you should also focus on the health and
wellbeing of your friends and family members.
Mount Kinabalu is located at the west coast of Sabah, Malaysia. At 4,095 metres, it is the highest mountain in Malaysia and is one of the most important biological sites in the world. It was accorded UNESCO World Heritage Status in December 2000. The summit, known as Low’s Peak, can be climbed by anyone in good physical condition but must be accompanied by accredited guides at all times due to national park regulations.
Why I climbed?
Climbing Mount Kinabalu was in my ‘do list’. I had always been fascinated by its breathtaking scenery and massive rock formation. Not only is it unique but reaching the summit itself is a personal achievement. I have sometimes shared – if you live in S.E Asia and decides to climb just one mountain, surely there is no better option than Mount Kinabalu!
Difficulty Level
It is said climbing Mount Kinabalu is technically easier than the G7 mountains (mountains more than 7000 feet high) in West Malaysia. It is do-able hike even though the mountain stands more than 4000 m.
Some hikers consider this an advanced hike. Most parts of the terrains are very well paved. It is like walking up flights of stairs. You do not need to cross over fallen tree trunks or bash through thick undergrowth. In fact, I had a feeling of taking a stroll in a park during the hike. Personally, I feel the difficult part of the climb was on the second day – the final push of approximately 1.5 km to Low’s Peak after we reached the Sayat Sayat Hut.
Trail Map
Best Period to Climb
March to September is generally considered the best period to climb because of the dry season. The concern is on the second day’s ascent to the summit, where bad weather condition such as rain may result in the climb being cancelled due to safety reasons.
Training
I added staircase climbing after each short run to strengthen my leg muscles. Some hikers carry at least a 5 kg load to climb the stairs, while some do multiple loops at Bukit Timah Hill. However, there is no standard frequency or intensity in training. Know your own limits and just enjoy the process of training.
The main cause of altitude sickness is ascending in altitude too quickly which prevents the body from adapting to the decrease in oxygen at a specific altitude.
Most climbers will experience lightheadedness or a mild headache, while a small percentage of climbers will suffer from nausea or vomiting. The symptoms of AMS vary for different people but include dizziness, fatigue, confusion, difficulty walking, rattling breath and feeling extremely ill.
Keep the 3 golden rules in mind:
Drink a lot to keep hydrated
Acclimatize to altitude gradually and it is advisable to spend a night at highland areas before ascending Mount Kinabalu
Avoid rapid ascents by trekking at a normal pace and resting at the shelters (pondoks) along the way if needed.
I did a pretty slow hike, allowing my body to slowly acclimatize to the change in altitude and taking rest whenever I want. I did not want to go fast also because I know I probably will not be coming back again and thus want to take time to appreciate the scenery. Hence when I reached Panalaban Base Camp, I felt a mild headache. I took 2 panadol before sleep and the headache subsided overnight.
There is a prescribed drug (Diamox) for altitude sickness, but I had read it may come with some side effects (e.g. dizziness, nausea). So hikers intending to consume it should consider the risks and seek medical advice.
Hydration
It is good advice to take in lots of hydration during the hike. While it is not wrong, my opinion is “take what you know you will need”. I appeared to be ‘under-hydrated’ because I brought just 650 ml of water during ascent or descent as compared to others who brought at least 1.5 L. The reasons why I am confident this will be sufficient were based on my experience from previous hikes where the temperature was hotter and humid. The environment in Mount Kinabalu was much cooler. Hence, I did not perspire a lot nor felt exceedingly exhausted. Know that extra water is an excess burden to carry.
There is porter service to transport backpacks to Panalaban Base Camps. It is stated on the website that it costs RM 65 per way for a 10 kg bag. But on the actual day, the rate was RM 11 for every 1 kg for both ways. So I guess there may be changes and can only be confirmed on site.
Since my backpack weighed less than 10 kg, my friend shared some of his load with me to lighten his day pack which he would be carrying during the hike.
A Via Ferrata (or ‘iron road’ in Italian, plural via ferrate) is a protected mountain pathway consisting of a series of rungs, rails, cables and bridges embracing the rock face. It allows access to scenic sections of the mountains that are typically available only to rock climbers and mountaineers.
There are two ferrata activities at Mount Kinabalu – Walk the Torq (380 m) and Low’s Peak Circuit (1100 m). To engage these activities, you have to arrive at the starting points rather early – 7.15 am and 6.30 am respectively. This means you must have good fitness to reach the summit and descend for these activities relatively fast. Your time at the summit is therefore limited.
Selecting an Organizer
There are several hiking groups organizing trips to Mount Kinabalu. I decided to join Adventures Unlimited (AU) as they had a trip in March. AU has one of the most members in the local hiking community and they offer more varieties in terms of destinations compared to other organizers. However, I must put a disclaimer that I am not from AU and is just sharing what I observe.
Itinerary
05 March: Arrive at Kota Kinabalu (KK) in the morning. Pick up and depart to Kota Kinabalu Park (KKP) for an overnight stay
06 March: Registration for the climb. Meet our mountain guides and transfer to Timpohon Gate and start trekking to Laban Rata Rest House
07 March: Trek to summit at pre-dawn after supper. Descent from the summit and check out from Laban Rata. Trek back to Timpohon Gate. Once back at KNP, transfer to KK City for overnight hotel stay
08 March: Depart KK and back to Singapore.
Day One – Arrival at Kota Kinabalu
We took Scoot. It was a 2 hours flight though there was a 1-hour delay before departure. We had a quick lunch at the airport and stock up on water. Bottled water at the KNP and Laban Rata Rest House is much more expensive, so you may want to buy any necessities here before proceeding to KNP.
It took us slightly more than 2 hours to reach KNP. We were originally arranged to stay at the Rock or Grace Hostels, but were upgraded to stay at the Nepenthes Villa and Suite instead. We were very fortunate as these are the premium accommodation at KNP.
Meals were served at the Balsam Cafe. There were choices of both western and eastern cuisines. The variety was decent and the food was delicious.
Day Two – Ascent to Panalaban Base Camps
After breakfast at Balsam Cafe, our organizer helped us register our climb at the KNP. We were issued ID Tags which bear our names, tag numbers and date of the climb. This tag was to be worn at all times. Those of us who engaged porter service left our bags to the porters, while some left their luggage in the storage room at the Reception Area.
Thereafter, we were transported in less than 10 minutes to the Timpohon Gate where we registered our entry using the ID Tags. We were introduced to our mountain guides and were given a debrief on what to expect during the hike. Once this was done, we commenced our ascent to the Panalaban Base Camps – a 6 km hike.
The route was well paved, akin to walking up flights of stairs. It was cooling at this altitude of more than 2000 m and a fine mist settled in the surrounding jungle. One aspect I appreciated was the presence of shelters with toilet facility at almost every 500 m along the hike. There were also trash bins in these shelters for hikers to dispose their trash.
While Mount Kinabalu is known for its wide biodiversity, I must admit I do not have much knowledge or keen eyes for fauna and flora, though I see some of them are really different from what I saw in West Malaysia mountains.
Along the way I saw hikers being stretchered down or piggyback by porters. These hikers were probably too tired to carry on. The fees to engage porters to carry (non-stretcher) is around RM 500 for every km.
Panalaban Base Camps consist of a few dormitories, such as the Laban Rata Rest House and the Pendant Hut. Pendant Hut is prioritized for participants engaging the via Ferrata activity while Laban Rata is the central location where all hikers come for their meals. Laban Rata also offers splendid views of the surrounding mountains. Many hikers gather here to enjoy the sunset amidst a sea of clouds.
Day Three – Summit Attack and Descent
We didn’t sleep much before waking up for breakfast at 2 am to begin the summit push at 2.45 am after another round of debrief by our mountain guides. Switching on our headlamps, we cautiously began our ascent. We were one of the last teams and it was surreal to view a trail of lights heading up the mountain.
We were very fortunate to have good weather. There was no strong wind and the coolness of the early morning was just right to keep us comfortable from perspiring. We reached Sayat Sayat Hut to register our entry to the summit. This registration for hikers is important because if by the certain cut-off time the hiker did not register his/her exit at Sayat Sayat Hut during the descent, a search party will be activated to search for the ‘missing’ hiker.
It is a 1.5 km ascent from Sayat Sayat to Low’s Peak. The distance doesn’t seem a lot but in fact, I feel this last push for the summit was most tiring as it was an upslope all the way. But as in any hike or race, slow down and rest when you are too tired.
The sun had already risen when I reached Low’s Peak. It wasn’t a big space at the summit and we had to descend after taking photos to make way for others.
The weather was perfect and we had good views of the surrounding peaks. The clouds were sparse and hence instead of walking down into a sea of clouds, we were able to see the ‘town area’ below Mount Kinabalu.
We registered our exit at Sayat Sayat and continued our way back to Laban Rata. We were required to check out from the dormitory by 10.30 am. After a late breakfast and catching some rest, we commenced our descent to Timpohon Gate. We have to reach Timpohon Gate by 4.00 pm, or else we would be liable to pay a ‘penalty fee’ (e.g. overtime charges) to the mountain guides. The descent was faster than ascent. However, it was taxing on the knees and we had to be cautious stepping on slippery rocks.
We reached KNP and after some rest, departed for our hotel, Cititel Express, at KK City.
Day Four – R&R and Departure
Next morning, we gathered at 9 am and took a 15 minutes walk from our hotel to Gaya Street Sunday Market. Every Sunday, Gaya Street is closed to traffic till 12 noon to allow hawkers to sell goods such as batik sarongs, arts and craft, souvenirs and even pets. It reminds me of Jonker Street in Malacca.
We had breakfast at a restaurant called Foo Yuen. While it served a decent variety of food such as dim sum, fried bee hoon and kaya toast, I feel one of their best is their kolo mee. Do try this dish if you happen to dine there.
After some shopping around, some teammates went for a good massage to relieve their sore muscles. I visited the famous KK Waterfront with others. It was a hot day and all the restaurants at the Waterfront had yet to open for business.
Time passed quickly. At 5 pm, we made our way to the airport for our return flight to Singapore. Some had chosen to extend their stay in KK to continue their adventures.
After-Thoughts
As with my teammates, we felt this had been a very good hike. Every one of us managed to reach the summit and we had tremendously enjoyed each other’s company. We had left our footprints in Mount Kinabalu and these memories will stay with us forever.
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RINCON ($189)
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GAVIOTA 2 ($249)
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ARAHI 4 ($219)
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SPEEDGOAT 4 ($259)
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Bintan Resorts, 10 March 2020 – The much-awaited launch of the Mandiri Bintan Marathon 2020 (MBM 2020) was held on 10 March 2020 at Lagoi Bay, Bintan. This event, the third in the series, will be held on 4 & 5 July 2020 at the scenic Lagoi Bay in Bintan. MBM 2020 boasts of new pollution-free run routes where participants can enjoy picturesque waterfronts, pristine beaches and nature reserves unlike run routes elsewhere in Indonesia and Singapore. The two-day event also promises to be a grand family outing with the runs, food bazaars and wholesome entertainment as the week also coincides with the Indonesian school holidays. Bintan Resorts together with Medianusa Permana and Orange Room who are the event owners have decided to go ahead with the planned race in their sports calendar. However, they are mindful of the current Covid 19 situation and are monitoring it very closely. Abdul Wahab, the General Manager of Bintan Resort Cakrawala. (PT BRC) highlighted that all parties agreed that we should go ahead with life and the event and not let Covid 19 dampen our spirits. However, he emphasized that all precautions are already in place in Bintan Resorts since the start of the virus and will be continued to ensure the safety and good health of all participants, supporters and visitors alike.
Among the highlights in this year’s event include a 1.2 km run for kids and a 3 km run for all new runners. This is in line with Mandiri Bank and the event organizers’ shared vision of encouraging running for all and from a young age. Mandiri Bank is the Title Sponsor for the second year running and registration is free for the kids’ race. The organizers are also making it an inclusive race having encouraged some disabled persons’ participation in these two events. These two fun runs will be held on Saturday, 4 July 2020. On Sunday, 5 July will see the routine Full Marathon (42,195 km), Half Marathon (21 km) and the 10 km runs be staged.
The event organizers are targeting about 5, 000 participants in all for this event, with about 70% of locals and the rest from nearby countries. Together with family members and supporters, there would be about 10,000 people over the two days in Lagoi Bay.
During the launch on 10 March, the organizers will also unveil the participants’ entitlements for this year’s event. They are based on the island of Bintan and the Malay culture which is predominantly part of Riau Island culture and traditions.
The running tee depicts the identity of the beautiful island of Bintan in Riau, characterized by the swaying coconut trees and the classic blue colour is inspired by the colour of the sea and its beautiful beaches.
The motive on the medal is the ‘Lancang Kuning’ boat, a Malay’s traditional type of boat. The word “lancang” is derived from the word “kencang” which means fast and kuning is the yellow colour. Lancang Kuning boats were used by the Malay kings as their war vessels and these vessels symbolize greatness, glory, power, and heroism of the Malay rulers.
Some running communities from our neighbour island of Batam have been invited to be directly involved in the launch. This will give them an opportunity to see the race route and meet up with the event’s KOLs such as Jauhari Johan; an Indonesian runner who has achieved success at both national and international competitions and won a gold medal at the SEA Games 2019. Apart from that, there will be the husband and wife team of Arthur Tong and Elaine Young from Elevated Performance Coaching. Arthur is a Singapore-based coach with over a decade of experience training soldiers in the Singapore Armed Forces as well as triathletes from the Singapore Triathlon community.
The Mandiri Bintan Marathon Organising Committee has also prepared a variety of food, fun and entertainment programs on these two days apart from the main marathon events to encourage participants and visitors alike to partake in.
Ever since I started using Jaybird Sports Headphones, I have never looked back. I did a review about 1.5 years ago whereby I compared my first set of Jaybird X3 and the second pair of Jaybird RUN. Back then, the greatest upgrade for me was from a semi-wireless sports headphones to a truly wireless one.
After trying out the Jaybird VISTA for 3 months, I finally managed to put up this review. Although the Jaybird RUN and Jaybird VISTA are very similar in many ways, the VISTA brought the truly wireless sports headphones up another notch.
Design & Comfort
The VISTA is more compact, and lighter than the RUN by about 1g. This is very important especially when most sports enthusiasts like me will be putting those headphones on for prolonged periods. The earbuds are fitted with size 2 (medium) eargels out of the box, which fitted my ears snugly and comfortably. There are also 2 more sizes of eargels, small and large, included in the box. This will ensure that the fit will suit almost everyone, even if you need a different size for each ear.
The charging case is slimmer and smaller, which makes it more portable and fits easily into pockets. Once paired with your device, the earbuds connect automatically once removed from the charging case. The magnetic connection points between the earbuds and the case make it swift and easy to put the buds back in place too.
Sound Quality & Features
When the fit of the earbuds is good, the passive noise cancellation ensures that there is minimal outside noise when I am listening to music while exercising or running. One of the greatest features is that I can customise the sound settings via the Jaybird mobile app and also save pre-sets to be used for different environments or moods.
Another big improvement in the VISTA over the RUN headphones is the reduced latency and stronger connectivity thanks to the enhanced chipset and Bluetooth. This improvement addressed the reported issues with the Jaybird RUN, such as sound lag/syncing when watching videos and disconnection from the music device even when kept at a reasonable distance.
Performance
The battery life of the VISTA is about 5 hours and 45 minutes on a full charge, plus about 10 more in the charging case. A quick five-minute charge will also give about an hour of playtime. Although the VISTA cannot be used for swimming, it is IPX7-rated (IP Code definitions), which means that is it waterproof (immersion in water up to 1m depth for 30 minutes) and sweatproof.
Conclusion
The Jaybird VISTA is both practical and stylish as a companion to enthusiasts who put in hours of sports activities regularly. The design is also versatile and timeless, which makes one look good in or out of sports activities.
* Disclaimer: This review represents the genuine, unbiased views of the author. The author was provided with a free unit. Jaybird’s products have been and might currently be advertised on JustRunLah! via different channels, however, these relationships do not influence the editorial content of reviews.
Heart diseases rank among the world’s top killer diseases, yet some people do not give these diseases the attention they deserve. With too many proven ways of keeping human heart-healthy, it doesn’t make much sense as to why too many people are being diagnosed with and killed by heart diseases. It all boils down to eating right, exercising, and avoiding substances that negatively affect blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Maintaining a healthy body weight has also been proven to cut back on heart disease risk factors.
Here are 5 more habits that will help you keep your heart healthy and live a long, fulfilling life.
1. Eat healthy fats
There are healthy fats and then there are trans-fats. Healthy fats exist naturally in foods, e.g. nuts and avocadoes. Some are polyunsaturated, others are unsaturated, and some are saturated. These fats are important in your diet because they improve your good cholesterol levels (HDL) and reduce unwanted cholesterols (LDL). Your body also needs these fats to facilitate the efficient flow of blood all over your body. All these benefit the heart by ensuring that it isn’t overworked, consequently maintaining its health.
Trans-fats are the exact opposite of healthy fats. They lower your HDL and hike your LDL levels, interfere with the smooth flow of blood, and increase your chances of suffering stroke later in life. These fats are in almost every packaged baked product, margarine, snack, and fried fast food you eat. Cut them from your diet.
2. Exercise regularly
Regular physical activity significantly cuts your risk of heart disease and other related diseases. It is recommended that every adult exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, but it is best if you can push that to 60-90 minutes if your schedule allows. If you cannot exercise for a compact 30 minutes, probably due to an underlying health issue or your schedule is overloaded, you can always exercise in small bits of, say, 10 minutes each. Opt to cycle to work rather than drive if you don’t live too far from your workplace. If you must drive to work, make a habit of parking half a mile from the office and walking the rest of the distance. Ditch the elevator and use the stairs instead. Walk to and from the grocery store. Any physical activity that will make you sweat and raise your heart rate is fine.
Regular exercise can also be in the form of outdoor sport. Take cycling, for example. This sport will help you socialize with your loved ones or exercise buddies and on top of that, keep cardiovascular problems at bay.
3. Avoid skipping breakfast
Don’t just drink a cup of coffee or one glass of juice in the morning and call that breakfast. A healthy breakfast keeps your heart healthy by lowering the chances of atherosclerosis (irregular narrowing and excessive hardening of the arteries). Atherosclerosis is believed to stem from excessive buildup of plaque in and around the arteries, which, by extension, results from unhealthy morning meals.
Multiple kinds of research suggest that people who skip breakfast are more susceptible to drinking alcohol and smoking during the day. Also, skipping breakfast increases your cravings for unhealthy treats throughout the day, which, in turn, can increase your weight and leave you vulnerable to heart disease.
4. Practice good dental hygiene
Gum disease has been found to cause inflammation in the blood vessels if it finds its way into your bloodstream. One simple way of preventing this is flossing and brushing your teeth daily. It is also important to visit your dentist immediately you realize that you have periodontal disease, or as regularly as your budget can accommodate. At Foothills Family Dentistry, they will ensure that they will give proper evaluation and assessment of your oral status to make the appropriate treatment to address any oral condition that could lead to severe problems.
5. Quit smoking
People who smoke are more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those that don’t. You need to quit smoking ASAP if you are to lower your chances of suffering a smoking-related heart attack.
Conclusion
Let’s face it: You don’t have a spare heart and you cannot survive without one. With this realization, therefore, you have to do everything doable to make it last. Integrate all the heart-healthy habits we’ve discussed and you will surely add years of life to your all-precious organ- heart!
Guest post: Rilind Elezaj is a devoted career specialist who trained at Animas Coaching. He helps people make career choices that feel genuinely right for them. He usually helps the individual evaluate their background, curiosities, passions and training so that they can choose a job, business or type of further education that helps them be successful and fulfilled. When he is not helping others, you can find him exploring the deepness of nature.
References:
Glen D. Lawrence, Dietary Fats and Health: Dietary Recommendations in the Context of Scientific Evidence, Advances in Nutrition, Volume 4, Issue 3, May 2013, Pages 294–302. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.113.003657
Liu, A.G., Ford, N.A., Hu, F.B. et al. A healthy approach to dietary fats: understanding the science and taking action to reduce consumer confusion. Nutr J 16, 53 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-017-0271-4
Darren E.R. Warburton, Crystal Whitney Nicol, Shannon S.D. Bredin, Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence, CMAJ. 2006 Mar 14; 174(6): 801–809. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.051351
Matthew A. Nystoriak, Aruni Bhatnagar, Cardiovascular Effects and Benefits of Exercise, Front Cardiovasc Med. 2018; 5: 135. Published online 2018 Sep 28. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2018.00135 PMCID: PMC6172294
Hitomi Ogata, Momoko Kayaba, Yoshiaki Tanaka, Katsuhiko Yajima, Kaito Iwayama, Akira Ando, Insung Park, Ken Kiyono, Naomi Omi, Makoto Satoh, Kumpei Tokuyama, Effect of skipping breakfast for 6 days on energy metabolism and diurnal rhythm of blood glucose in young healthy Japanese males, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 110, Issue 1, July 2019, Pages 41–52. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy346
Ohrn, Kerstin. (2004), The role of dental hygienists in oral health prevention. Oral health & preventive dentistry. 2 Suppl 1. 277-81.
We’ve heard of FIFA World Cup — the quadrennial football world championship, and the Rugby World Cup — the quadrennial rugby world championship. Despite the popularity of these events, participants are only restricted to professional athletes representing their country.
Yet, there is a World Cup that is happening next month where even recreational ‘athletes’ like you and me can represent your own country and fight for bragging rights.
The Vitality Running World Cup is the event for everyone.
Going into its third edition this year, the Running World Cup is a mass running movement designed to encourage people to move more and get more active. This global competition enables participants to run alongside national teams captained by Olympics Gold Medallist Usain Bolt (Jamaica), Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill (United Kingdom) and Wayde van Niekerk (South Africa).
The global event will kick-off on 5 March and it is open to everyone of every nationality.
Participating in the competition
is simple; individuals can register via www.runningworldcup.com
Participants are to register their runs via a smartphone or fitness device which is at least 3km within 30 minutes, contributes towards their country’s total. As the weeks go by, countries with the highest number of kilometres run relative to their country size and device penetration will progress to the knockout stages.
Each person who completes their first qualifying run (3 kilometres in 30 minutes) will receive a digital goody bag with over $100 of vouchers and discounts for exciting brands and services. Even if a country is knocked out of the competition, participants can still accumulate kilometres as part of a weekly Vitality goal and be rewarded for it.
Our Singapore team will be led by Asia’s top Obstacle Course racer Natalie Dau, a regular podium finisher, twice winning the Spartan World Race Championship for elite racers. Also known as rockstararms, the 47 year-old mother of one is also the founder of fitness website The Daily Escape and the producer and host at Keeping It Real.
Of course, apart from Natalie, I will be taking part in the Running World Cup! So let’s start running and bring keep Singapore’s flag flying high!
A treadmill may be seen as only suitable for the gym, but having one in your home can give you the best exercise options. It can be used at home when you don’t have to go to the gym because of the lack of time or can’t get outside for other reasons. Whether it’s a low-cost treadmill or not, they will all do the same functions. But before you decide to purchase a low-cost treadmill, consider the following factors.
Budget for a treadmill
Budget is probably the most important factor you have to consider before purchasing a low-cost treadmill. This home fitness equipment should have the highest quality for the money you’re ready to pay for it. The best treadmill should be easy to use, comfortable, and durable.
For a low-cost treadmill with great horsepower, it can have an impact on your workouts. A treadmill with a continuous-duty horsepower of 2.5 to 3.0 can be ideal for frequent exercise. Besides, depending on your weight, you should consider finding a treadmill with a powerful engine. Here are more specifications you should look for:
Size of the belt. Consider having a belt of 48 inches long and 18 inches wide for the treadmill you want to use for running.
Speed. For running, find a treadmill that can go up to 10 mph or more.
Incline. A treadmill that has an incline of 10 percent or more is ideal. It’s even better if it has a decline feature that helps you to feel like you’re running outdoors.
Cushioning. A treadmill should be stable, meaning it shouldn’t shake while running or walking on it.
Workout space and size of the treadmill
It makes sense to plan for space where you want to place the treadmill before you purchase it. Therefore, you should measure the floor space you want to put the treadmill. This space is also important for doing other various exercise activities. Remember that treadmill dimensions are published, making it easier for you to determine if the treadmill will fit well with your floor space measurements.
Once you have figured out how much space you require to have a treadmill, you can choose the right treadmill. Standard treadmills usually measure 7 inches long and 3 inches wide. However, you might also find folding treadmills that are shorter but need plenty of floor space.
Try a treadmill before you buy
It might be challenging to find the right treadmill that meets your expectations. However, you should research and try different models of treadmills before you purchase them. For this reason, list a variety of treadmills that you are interested in and call the sellers to find out if you can try them.
When you visit the shop, spend a couple of minutes on the treadmills to make sure that they are quiet and stable while running or walking on them. The quality of the treadmill can also be determined by the manufacturer’s warranty. Hence, a lifetime warranty or a minimum of 10 years inscribed on the frame and motor might reveal its quality.
Have you ever used the services of a Pacer in a distance running event? Was it because you wanted to finish at a certain time or because you needed the encouragement, motivation and advice that an experienced Pacer could provide? Those are usually the main reasons why runners decide to follow a Pacer during an event but collectively, the Pacing team of a particular event play a significant role in getting as many runners as possible to achieve their finishing time goals. Pacers also perform an unofficial role as ambassadors and advocates of the event.
The Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) began its Pacer programme in 2010 with the intention of raising the quality of the event, and it has grown to become a crucial ingredient of KLSCM ever since. Becoming a Pacer for the premier distance running event in Malaysia is a serious responsibility so this year, Dirigo Events, the owner and organizer of KLSCM, decided to invite and conduct open trials for all those harbouring aspirations to be a Pacer.
Out of an initial 247 applications, 116 runners were shortlisted for the Trials which took place over two consecutive Sundays. Both sessions were held over a 1km loop at the LHDN offices in Jalan Duta. The candidates were required to run consistently timed loops without the aid of watches or any electronic devices. The intention was to get the candidates to run by “feel” as consistently as they could, with the Half Marathon hopefuls doing 10 loops while those trying for the Full Marathon had to complete 18 loops.
“For the 12th edition of KLSCM, we felt we needed to freshen up our Pacer Team with some new blood and so we decided to conduct the Open Trials,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of KLSCM and Director of Dirigo Events. “The response was great and we had some really good performances over the two Sundays, which gives us a bit of a headache to select the best participants. But that was a nice problem to have,” added Biemans.
Biemans and the Dirigo Team have now analysed all the results and have come to the difficult decision of selecting 30 Pacers for KLSCM 2020. Congratulations to all those who were selected to be a KLSCM 2020 Pacer! Keep training and keep the KLSCM Pacer flag flying high! The successful candidates are listed below:
Half Marathon
Munintaran Sundram (2:00) / Nur Helmi b Nor Halim (2:00) / Siti Shuhaizam bt Mamat Raduan (2:30) / Shirley Chan (2:30) / Rosaline Tee Min Jy (3:00) / Nor Amalina bt Mohd Yunus (3:00)
Full Marathon
Puaa Wen Piao (3:45) / Lionel Lee San Loong (3:45) / Lim Yew Khuay (4:00) / Richard Tang (4:00) / Malcalm Chew (4:30) / David Christopher (4:30) / Teoh Beng Jun (5:00) / Chua Soon Ee (5:00) / William Chung Wei Lam (5:00) / Ahmad Hadafi b. Jus (5:30) / Loh Kien Waei (5:30) / Mohd Fazli Izwan b Abd Jalil (5:30) Seah Leong San (6:00) / Annliza Alexander Alibar (6:00) / Joel Lawrence (6:00) / Yeoh Ching Ya (6:30) / Sim Kuan Kuek (6:30) / Kee Chai Soon (6:30) / Radiah Kalia Abdullah (7:00) / Azieziah Abdul Rahman (7:00) / Look Swee Yit (7:00) / Low Chooi Wan (7:15) / Wong Sing Haow (7:15) / Tan Kok Hee (7:15)
Please bear in mind that the selected Pacers will be making appearances at the KLSCM 2020 Running Clinics, which will commence later this month, right up till May 2020. If you have a time goal for this year’s KLSCM, do find out who the Pacers are for that timing and attend the Running Clinic that they will be at to get to know them and seek their advice. Follow the KLSCM FB page to find out who will be at which Clinic!
Physical literacy is a very important aspect of any child’s proper development. That is why parents have to understand that some things that might sound quite “natural” to be learned by kids by themselves, such as running, require attention. So, parents should be teaching kids to run a proper way.
The Basics
1. Personal Example
A child should learn how to run a proper way, and it is advisable to begin teaching this at the age of 7, as a kid will be able to memorize everything relatively easily and develop the proper technique. So, the basic premise is to show a kid the running posture through a personal example. Elbows at 90-degree angle, head in a still position, and a proper breathing technique. It is imperative to tell a kid that you have to use both nose and mouth to breathe.
2. Start Slow
Slow and steady wins the race. The basic workout for your kid should be as simple as possible. This way, a child will be able to get used to the pace and other things. So, I advise to accompany child run and watch for mistakes. Begin with 4-minute runs and then return to the starting spot. This way, a kid will be able to develop correct running habits without getting annoyed by exhaustion, which is important for any new activities that children try out.
3. Keep a stable pace
The thing with running is stability. I strongly advise all parents to give their kids a habit of maintaining a consistent running pace. This practice is imperative for avoiding exhaustion, injuries, and annoyances. And, when your child suffers an injury while running, it’s understandable that you’ll panic. Get them to the emergency room if it’s apparent that they need it. If you are unsure whether to go to urgent care or needs paediatrician walk-in appointments, an excellent first step would be to call the doctor’s office and look for a paediatrician near you. Furthermore, having a consistent pace during a run is beneficial for one’s cardiovascular apparatus, which transforms into a longer and healthier lifespan.
4. Increase the distance
After getting used to the short-distance trips, begin considering longer runs for your child. So, while your child is on the way to learn how to run, you can begin to enhance their stamina. Basically, you should try and pick a route that is fun. For example, a run to the park, a local landmark, playing ground, or that ice cream shop. By gradually increasing the distance while keeping it fun, your child will develop proper technique in no time.
Other important things
5. Proper equipment
Wish I knew some of the things I am about the list here long ago and I would pay someone to do my research paper about running a couple of years ago. However, personal experience is the best teacher. It is imperative to buy your child a pair of proper shoes that are designed for running, the same goes for the socks, which should be moisture-wicking. After all, adequate footwear will ensure that a kid will not suffer from joint problems and blisters. Also, never forget that a child grows, so it is important to keep up with footwear.
6. Make use of technology
Getting a fitness tracker or smartwatch is an interesting idea as well. Considering the possibilities of the latest technologies, you can track your child’s progress and even things such as heartbeat rate and distance traveled. Furthermore, if you decide to let your kid go for a run alone, giving a child this fitness tracker is also a safety reassurance.
7. Hydration
Your child run training sessions should be always supported with packed water. The reason is quite simple – proper hydration is just important. This statement is multiplied several times when you are participating in intensive physical activities. Dehydration is very dangerous, and you should protect your child from this risk at all costs.
Develop their habits
8. Consistency
When it comes to running, consistency is the key. Take your kid out for a run at a regular schedule and do so frequently. This way, a child will get used to cover greater distances with every run. Trust me, one day you will notice that your kid will outrun you even at long 3 to 5 km races! This will not only make a parent proud personal coach, but will give a child the so-needed confidence, not to mention the health benefits.
9. Healthy diet
While this is a no-brainer, healthy eating habits can greatly enhance the quality of your child run. Eating something light and easily digestible two hours before running is important to maintain adequate energy levels and avoid exhaustion. I would suggest food that is rich with carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables. Even more, a child should have a snack immediately after a race to refill energy levels.
10. Social running
Running with others is important, especially for kids. They will feel company, fun, and a feeling of healthy competition. So, encourage your kid to call friends for a jog, or accompany them yourself. This way, a child will be motivated to cover greater distances and keep up with others while having a good time.
Conclusion
Teaching kids to run is an important activity that will give them long-term benefits in many aspects of life. So, these tips should serve as a basic guiding line for those parents that want to enhance the quality of life for their children. After all, it is a healthy and fun way to bond with your child, so have fun.
There’s an old Roman proverb that indicates a direct correlation between a healthy body and a sound mind. In our time, however, there’s a wide misconception that athletes are not the most successful students which kind of contradicts the ancient Roman wisdom. If these few words have put you in a conundrum, you might consider putting both theories under the test and take on jogging as the simplest form of physical exercise and track your academic progress to establish the truth.
Nevertheless, before you put on your tracksuit and hit the local park, let’s see what the science says about the influence of jogging on learning abilities.
Improved concentration and self-confidence
Focus is of paramount importance on our ability to learn as it allows us to dedicate our full attention to the subject at hand. A recent study conducted among 210 students of medicine shows that those who took on recreational activities such as jogging felt more confident in the face of their college challenges. Furthermore, the participants engaged in physical exercise scored a higher percentage of above-average marks, while their counterparts noted average and passing marks.
While filling in the reports, students reported that their focus was improved, which enabled them to be more efficient while learning. The fact that with each passing week they could run faster and longer improved their self-confidence and sense of personal progress, so they approached each test and exam with more self-belief.
Stress relief
Coping with academic challenges like essays, exams, homework, and research papers requires a lot of time and effort. Pushing our minds through all these tasks can put us under a lot of stress, especially when deadlines get close. Some students turn to online help services, many of which hire international staff which enables them to write essays for Aussies as well as provide homework to Russian or American students.
Jogging is also an astonishing stress reliever, as it allows us to free our minds of all the pressure and just concentrate on our breathing while we rest our eyes over the landscape. When our mind is under a lot of stress, we aren’t able to adopt new knowledge because our cognitive function is diminished. Studies show that people who regularly run possess higher cognitive flexibility, which means they can easily adapt versatile knowledge and take on different intellectual tasks.
Feeding our brain with oxygen
Oxygen is an essential element in our cellular metabolism process, it improves our cellular growth, therefore benefits our entire body. The more oxygen we pump in our brain the better it works, improving our overall body functions. As a result, our cognitive functions improve, allowing us to switch between diverse mental challenges and come up with various solutions to different problems.
When we jog for a certain amount of time, our lung capacity improves, which allows more oxygen to get into our bloodstream. The positive effects of jogging on our pulmonary system are long-term, and the results keep improving as we maintain regular exercise. In extent, physical and psychological wellbeing induce higher levels of dopamine, which keeps us calm and more eager to face academic tasks that college life places before us.
Improving motivation
Disregarding where you come from, what’s your social status, or any other personal trait, some basic human characteristics are the same for Australians, Americans, Germans, or any other people anywhere in the world. Competitiveness is one of the essential human traits, forcing us to do better than ourselves and our peers.
The lack of motivation is often the main reason why students fail at certain classes or decide to procrastinate when they should be engaged. With each passing jogging session, you’ll notice your results improving and your natural impulse to do better will kick in. Once you restart your motivation and self-confidence, it will easily transcend from physical activities to your academic endeavours.
Conclusion
As we can see, jogging has a massive influence on our ability to learn, as well as on our physical state. It’s a simple form of exercise that doesn’t require any special conditions; all you have to do is get out and start running. It doesn’t matter if you take on jogging on your won or in the company of your friends, although group running sessions are an amazing motivator. Now that you know what science has to say about it, it’s time to get out and do your research.
Guest post: Joshua Robinson is a freelance content writer dedicated to topics that include college essay writing, student lifestyle, and health. As a writer, Joshua tends to deliver practical value to his readers and applicable pieces of advice. With each new post, Joshua seeks to inspire his readers and expand their knowledge using trusted resources and the latest studies.
Though some say Ultra Marathon is any distance longer than 42.195km and some say its a distance above 50km, but to me, to make that Ultra Marathon more worthy and memorable with effort, it should be more than 50km. Been running since 2015 and the longest single run was 42.195km. I really had no courage to register myself for an ultra-marathon as its already so torturous to do a 42.195km marathon. But last year, I’ve made running an ultra marathon as my bucket list item to do and taaaadaaaaa!!! I’ve completed a freaking 52km at one go! ?
(Credits: Google)
Can’t remember who jioed who, Eleanor, Rey and I registered for the Garang Warrior Ultra. Malaysia’s Ultra-Trail Marathons is too scary for me to attempt with their crazy elevations. There isn’t many organisers organising ultra marathons in Singapore so we registered Garang Warrior Ultra. It’s held at Macritchie reservoir and it’s a 12 hours event to run as many 4km loops of about half on road and half on trail. I thought I must do at least 13 loops so I can get the title of Very Garang ?
(Credits: Garang Warrior Ultra)
And it kena the Covid-19 period. Honestly, I was hoping that event organiser might postpone or cancel the run as, since the outbreak of the virus, I’m in no mood to do my regular runs and stressed myself up for whatever the reasons. Many other runs were either postponed or cancelled already. I was 50/50 about DNS for the Garang Warrior Ultra as I’m in no conditions for such a long-distance running, didn’t do any LSD at all, being stressed and tired with work as well, and last month’s Taipei Standard Chartered Marathon was just still so recent and I’m still so tired from it ? Many many excuses and reasons, but Eleanor was so poisonous and reassuring. Positive vibes ?
The day prior to the race, I packed Vaseline, snake powder, plasters, 3 sets of shirts and shorts, brought 2 pairs of shoes, 2 pairs of sunglasses, 3 caps, 2 small towels, 2 arm sleeves. It looks like I’m packed either for a vacation or a fashion show ? I’d actually intended to wear this cap to protect myself from getting burnt ?
I look like Japanese soldier ? In the end, though I brought this cap with me, I didn’t wear it as I thought I might suffocate ? Maybe I should have just worn it so I wouldn’t get pigmentation or get much more orh lu lu ?
On race day, we reached before 6.30 am to take temperature and to deposit our baggage as well as to collect our bibs and timing tag. Just trying my luck whether I can get Chinese characters printed on the bib ?
Flag off was on time at 7 am and Rey and I go slow together when Eleanor zoomed off from the start, our strategy was to walk every upslope to conserve energy and we did the first 8 loops together then I was on my own.
(Photo credits: Tekko from Running Shots)
Brought enough clothes machiam going for a 3 day 2 night vacation but I ended up only changed my clothes once and I must say it was really shiok to change out of my super wet clothes after completed 5 of the 4km loops.
(Credits: Run, Don’t f/Stop)
There’s food prepared such as boiled eggs, cup noodles, biscuits, bread as well as fruits such as bananas and watermelon. Didn’t really eat much but it was awesome to have Coke. I’m not a gassy drink person actually. I drank the most coke this day my entire life. Though there’s energy drink like Tailwind as well as water, I only took Coke. Throughout and my last 4 loops, I was chewing on ice cubes as well as drinking coke all the way like a boss ? Honestly the best part was chewing ice throughout as the weather was insanely hot ? Heat is definitely not my friend ?
(Credits: Run, Don’t f/Stop)
(Photo credits: Tan Guan Kiat)
I was pushing myself to keep going since the 6th loop. My legs were already very sore and jelly. But I kept going. Then I was so tempted to give up and DNF. Completing 44km was good too since the minimum to complete is 1 loop so it’s not considered DNF right? But it’s not what I’d set out for. Then I saw a female runner whom I’ve met along the way giving me encouragement to keep going, just 2 more loops to go. But And I was so tempted to give up and DNF. Completing 44km was good too. wasn’t merely too more loops, I was at snail pace. It means almost another 2 hours out there. Convinced myself that I’ve already done this far, just persevere.
My NB shoes served me well over it’s “retirement age” and the sole finally came off during my 11th loop, though I’d another spare pair of shoes, I decided to wear slippers to continue the last two loops. My legs weren’t mine anymore.
Eleanor accompanied me at my most torturous last loop ❤️ Luckily I got her.
The feeling of pengsan feeling was real. Good enough, I finished the race without any injuries, saw a few runners with bloodied knees ? Ouch ouch! But they are so mentally strong and they keep on going ?
It’s the most expensive local race I’ve ever paid for. A total of $123 for the race entitlements and as well as for the finisher tee and medal which is not included in the entitlements and have to be purchased separately. Though I have countless of medals and finisher tees already, but for this crazy distance which I’ll be covering, I deserve a medal! ? Due to the outbreak of the virus, we are not able to get the finisher medal on the event day due to the medals are from China, the organiser will announce the collection of the medal ? Erm, I felt that we paid for something that is only very memorable and touching to get immediately after the run. Should post it to us instead of asking us to collect?
(Credits: Garang Warrior Ultra)
And on 15/02/2020, I was so prideful that I did my first ultra-marathon and earned myself a “Ultra Trail Marathoner” title, which today on 16/02/2020 I felt so what use do I have earning the title? Can it be eaten? ?
The funny thing was during the entire run, I was sibeh negative. I even said things like I’m retiring from long-distance running, no more full marathon, no more half marathon and I’ll happily run 10km races. Now, it’s just less than 24 hours after the race, and I was thinking simi ultra to next? ? #NeverLearn
The Western Australia (“WA”) State Long Course Championship was originally held in Collie, before moving to Rottnest Island. However, it wasn’t long before the event outgrew Rotto and in 2002 found a new home in Busselton where it has been held since, with the support of IRONMAN. The ‘Busso Half’ has been a staple of the West Australian Triathlon calendar and often has acted as the end of season celebration for triathletes in the state.
Organised by Triathletes, For Triathletes
Such is the popularity of SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton that non-triathletes know or have completed the event, fitness enthusiast have it on their bucket list and many have already ticked it off. The event grew to be the largest Half-IRONMAN triathlon in the Southern Hemisphere.
Owned and operated by Triathlon WA since day one, the race is the only IRONMAN in Australia owned by its governing body meaning it is delivered by triathletes with their enjoyment as a priority.
About Busselton and the Event Course
Set in Busselton, around two hours’ drive from Perth, the City has developed into the event capital of Western Australia. With the famous Margaret River region, a stone’s throw away, the region welcomes tourism and benefits from fantastic weather nine months of the year.
From inception, the course was designed to provide a challenging yet fast and enjoyable experience for participants and to feature local scenery. The event starts and finishes from the same location, Barnard Park, on the Busselton foreshore. A Kids triathlon, FunMan distance and relay event round out the weekend’s activities, providing the opportunity for participants of all ages and fitness levels to enjoy taking part. In 2020, sponsors, suppliers and Triathlon WA teams will be joined by the local community, schools and groups in the FunMan team event as Busselton locals are encouraged to be a part of the Festival of Triathlon.
Highlights in 2020
In the event’s favour this year is the increased focus on World Championship qualifying spots available to age-group participants. The World Championships this year is being held in Taupo, New Zealand in November, making this event one of the last qualifying opportunities for an event that is particularly appealing due to its ‘local’ status. The event also carries double the number of qualifying spots and we see this carrying significant appeal to the triathlon audience.
Further opportunities are on offer to bring interstate and international audiences to the 2020 event thanks to new transport routes. A direct flight from Melbourne to Busselton will be in place by early 2020 and a new direct Perth to Tokyo direct flight opened in September 2019, making travelling to IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton easier than ever.
About the Event
The SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton is held on Saturday 2nd May 2020 starting with an ‘M’ shaped swim alongside the historic Busselton Jetty, followed by a ride through the Tuart Forrest before finishing with a half marathon along the ocean foreshore, looping through the athlete village for maximum spectator exposure and a great experience for all athletes involved. Roads are closed for the duration of the event and swept prior to ensure a safe race for participants and the beaches are cleaned offering a spectacular view of a famous white Western Australian beach.
For those not up to taking on the full event, there is a relay event which we provide the opportunity to team up with friends, family or colleagues to complete a single leg of the race each as part of a team.
The following day, the FUNMan Triathlon provides a great recovery session for those up for it, whilst offering novices, juniors and those involved in the event a fun way to finish the day by completing a short distance triathlon where the focus is truly on fun and participation. For this event, all sponsors, suppliers, staff and volunteers will also form teams to experience the sport. A Kids Triathlon will round out the day’s events before visitor’s head home with great memories of their weekend in Busselton.
Stay for the Fun
Just three hours’ drive south of Perth and only 110km from end to end, Your Margaret River Region is one of Australia’s most compact, yet strikingly diverse holiday destinations stretching from Busselton and Dunsborough in the north of the region, down to Augusta in the south. It’s an enticing mosaic of pristine natural wonders, premium wineries, relaxed microbreweries, world-class restaurants, spectacular beaches, towering forests, inspirational artisans, warm and friendly locals, and a laid-back persona all of its own.
From the tranquil waters of Geographe Bay in the north, down the ancient cave-carved Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, through picturesque vineyards and karri forest of the heartland, to the desolate beauty of Cape Leeuwin in the south, this is a place of astounding natural contrasts. There are just so many things to do in the Margaret River region you’ll need at least a few days to explore it. Take advantage of our stunning range of accommodation throughout the region in Margaret River, Dunsborough, Busselton, Augusta, Yallingup and throughout the South West.
Register for the SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton now!
Event: SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton Race Date: Saturday 2 May 2020 Minimum Age: All athletes must be 18 or older on race day
* The 2020 SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton event has 80 qualification spots for the 2020 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships that will take place in Taupo, New Zealand.
Event: Funman Teams Triathlon Race Date: Sunday 3 May 2020 Minimum age: 10 years of age on race day
* Funman Individual Entry: one individual completing all three legs; Funman Teams Relay: 2-3 individuals completing 1-2 legs each (one participant per leg); Funman Teams Challenge: 3 individuals completing all three legs (finish time is taken as the final participant of the team crosses the line)
Event: SunSmart Kids Triathlon Race Date: Sunday 3 May 2020 Minimum age: 7 years of age on race day for the short distance and 10 years of age on race day for the long distance
Register for the SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton now!
Sir Roger Bannister was a British middle-distance runner. He broke the 4-minute barrier on 6 May 1954 at Iffley Road track in Oxford, England. He was 25 years old at that time and was studying to become a doctor. Bannister’s accomplishment was reported all over the world and he was crowned as the greatest distance runner of his time. He was knighted in 1975 and lived till the age of 88. This is the story behind the world-famous Iffley Road Track, where history was made. 66 years on, the legend of this famous venue still lives and breathes in all runners. It played a significant role in shaping the world of running and is a symbol of athletic performance and glory.
If you want a piece of history that you can carry with you, to showcase to your fellow running buddies that you hold true to the values and virtues of the sport of athletics and distance running, Iffley Road’s running kit is highly recommended. Iffley Road is a running apparel brand from the UK. They produce high quality and stylish running kits suited for runners of all levels. They believe in producing sustainably to limit their impact on the environment, which is something that I, myself am an advocate of. Claire Kent, co-founder of Iffley Road was kind enough to send over the Sidmouth Striped Half-Zip Top, together with some other products, to me for a review. This review will focus on the design, performance and comfort of the half zip top.
Before going into the specifics, I would like to talk a little bit about the packaging. The half zip top came neatly packed in a cream coloured drawstring muslin pouch with the Iffley Road logo embroidered on it (which I absolutely loved!). What I really liked about it was that the pouch came in handy especially when I needed a place to put my dirty running kit, post-run/workout. It also did not take up much space in my gym bag. It made transporting my gear easy and hassle-free.
Design
After
removing the half zip top from the pouch and opening the protective wrapping
paper, I examined the design of it. My first impression was that it looks simple
and that it will not attract the same kind of attention that the other
conventional running brands would. The colour of the half zip top is stated on
the online store as “Night Sky,” which is a colour that is very new and
different. Iffley Road believes
that running is timeless, just like their style.
Their kit is designed to look smart and at the same time, give you all that you
need to have a good workout. I instantly knew that the half zip top would look
great, not only in the gym and on the track, but around the office as well. If
you are the type that goes for a run before heading straight to the office or if
you do your runs after work, this kit is certainly for you. The Iffley Road design
and style is perfectly suited for those who want to lead a balanced lifestyle.
The Iffley Road logo is printed on the zip pull giving the kit a subtle touch of class. The classic tri-stripe ribbon is sewn on to the back of the kit on the inside and outside. According to Iffley Road, the tri-stripe ribbon pays tribute to the original Amateur Athletics Association (AAA) colours from the 1950s. In my opinion, this is a unique feature that brings back history and serves as a reminder of the trailblazing glory of the old days.
Performance
The most distinctive technical feature of the Sidmouth Striped Half-Zip Top is the bespoke drirelease® piqué fabric that Iffley Road states on their website to be lightweight, soft, durable and effectively wicks away perspiration.
I ran a total of 30 km wearing the half zip top. The distance covered was a mixture of track, trail and city running. In my opinion, this is the best way to make a fair judgment on the performance of the half zip top. In the hot climate of Singapore, I must say that Iffley Road has done a great job in creating their own special fabric. It was great at keeping my body dry and its texture and pattern brought about by the weaving technique used in manufacturing pique fabrics, which is the material of the half zip-top, made it breathable. It is also durable, and you do not have to worry much about wear and tear. I usually like to do static exercises as part of my pre and post-workout routine. I found that it is perfectly alright to get down and dirty even on rough surfaces with the half zip top. It is able to maintain its shape and form even under moderately rough conditions. However, do take note that the highly absorbent material means that it will absorb rainwater pretty easily.
From my experience, the half zip top is suitable for trail running. The material is thin, giving it a lightweight feel (approximately 300g) but not too thin to prevent twigs, leaves and insects from getting to your skin. Despite it covering approximately 75% of the upper body, I did not find it to be restricting my movement. I could move my hands freely (jumping jack test), bend down and stand back up straight (toe touch test) without feeling the fabric tighten around my mid-torso area and I could twist my torso with ease without feeling it tighten around my lower torso area (torso twist test). While running, the half zip top fit well and did not cause drag by bouncing from side to side.
I also realised just how useful the in-seam pocket was. It can nicely fit a car key, some cash and my credit card. Other than that, a nutrition gel can be also be snugly fit inside the pocket in case you need it while on your long runs. It has ample space; the zip is smooth and does not get caught in the fabric making it easy to zip and unzip. Same goes for the neck zip.
Comfort
The half zip top fits well. The soft fabric is not harsh on the skin especially during those long runs and it does not cause chafing on the underarm and neck area. The stitching lines did not cling to my body causing discomfort. This is an essential characteristic for me because over time and constant use of the kit, the stitching lines may trap bacteria. If the lines cling to the body, it may cause skin irritation and reddish lines will form on the skin that made frequent contact with the stitching lines. Apart from that, the tri-stiped logo appears to be securely sewn on and does not irritate my skin while I run.
Final Words
So far, the half zip top checks all my boxes. I was also glad to know that Iffley Road offers repair services for damage due to wear and tear, at a reasonable charge so that it can last a lifetime. Awesome! The Sidmouth Striped Half-Zip Top may not have flashy looks like the off the shelf running products that you see in the store or online, but it surely does take the lead when it comes to quality, durability and sophistication. One drawback of the half zip top would be that it is designed for a slightly cooler climate and using it in the tropics may not sit well with some runners out there.
Be that as it may, if you are as sentimental as I am, the Sidmouth Striped Half-Zip Top should be your number 1 choice. Stand out from the crowd and show off your passion for running. The half zip top is sold on the Iffley Road online store (https://www.iffleyroad.com/collections/half-zip-tops-and-polo-shirts) at a price of £70. They offer complimentary international shipping for orders over £75.
A piece of running gear for the dynamic and sophisticated individual who values leading a healthy lifestyle. What do you think about the Sidmouth Striped Half-Zip Top? Feel free to comment down below!
Fitness enthusiasts work out even when they are sick. Not so enthusiastic gym-goers, on the other hand, will find the slimmest illness excuse to skip the gym. But between these two groups of people, who is right? Is working out while sick a positive or negative thing? Well, working out on a regular basis helps you to remain healthy and minimize the effects of chronic illnesses such as heart conditions and diabetes. Regular exercise is also known to boost body immunity. That is why this post focuses on exercises, how they help you recover from illness, and how to do it best for optimal benefits.
How Can You Know If You Are Too Sick To Exercise?
Workout experts say that the best way to know whether or not you are too sick to exercise is to pay attention to the extent of your symptoms and their location. If the symptoms are below your neck, it is to your best interests not to exercise. If they are from your neck up, it is relatively safer to engage in physical exercise. The illnesses that you can have and still exercise include sore throat, mild headache, or running nose. Working out will aid your recovery process in that case.
However, if you have a productive cough, fever, stomach upsets, or a tight test, vigorous exercising can easily exacerbate the illness. Such illnesses need your body to focus all its energy on fighting and trying to recover from whichever infection that has rendered it sick. You. cannot afford to waste any energy on muscle function. The key is to listen to your body, take a break from exercise if you must, or jump on your classic bicycle if you feel okay.
Sweating Out a Cold or a Flu
Sweating out a cold or flu is okay, but you need to be careful not to dehydrate your body while at it. When your body is fighting a cold, what it needs most is tons of fluids to loosen the congestion that comes with the infection, keep the mucous membranes in your respiratory tract fully functional, and to reduce the itchy feeling on your throat. Note that you lose a lot of water through sneezing and watery eyes. The bottom line here is to sweat the flu out, but drink plenty of water while at it.
Important: When sweating a cold out, be sure to clean your equipment thoroughly immediately after use, then wash your hands. That will prevent the gathering of germs on the equipment, which would be risky as flu is a viral infection that spreads extremely fast.
How Exercise Can Help You with Cancer & HIV Therapy
Oncologists recommend exercise therapy for cancer patients for two reasons. First, exercise is known to effectively modulate a patient’s immune system. Secondly, there is an unconfirmed possibility that regular physical exercise increases NK cell activity for patients with cancer and boost lymphocyte proliferation. For HIV patients, on the other hand, regular exercise boosts cardiovascular health and increases CD4+ cells. That, in turn, prevents muscle wasting, improves mood, and helps patients to live a happier life.
How Does Exercise Affect Your Immune System?
We have mentioned on several occasions that exercise may play an important role in our immune system. But how does that happen? Well, brief vigorous exercise such as morning jogs and biking boosts both our innate and our adaptive immune response. The strength of your adaptive immunity is particularly dependent on moderate, regular exercises, while innate immunity grows with an increase in your chronic resistant training.
How often should you exercise for an improved immunity? Scientists have varied opinions as to how much training is too much, but most of them agree that exercising vigorously (say running a marathon) once a month is okay. On the other hand, 3 mild exercises per week are fine, although there aren’t any conclusive findings that show negative effects on the immune system due to everyday training. To be safe, ride your classic bicycle to work every other day.
Conclusion
The takeaway point here is that working out when ill will not necessarily lower your immune system, but there are times when it is unwise to waste too much of your energy on exercise. Don’t make things worse just to prove a point to your close associates that you are a workout animal. Find a way of reaching your fitness goals without jeopardizing your health.
Guest post: Ron Utrilla is a bicycle tester at BikeBerry. He is a big advocate that everyone should be more active in their lives. He works really hard on his projects and tries to find ways that everyone can get into fitness in an easy and approachable way.
The race was planned just after four weeks after my marathon in September (here is the previous race report). So the short term training plan aimed mainly to transfer from the passed race to a new, shorter one. For that, I gradually increased MPW from 20 to 35 during the first three weeks of four available, leaving the last one for tapering with slow-paced recovery runs. The first three weeks were in the spirit of Hanson Plans, with the rotation of tempo, sprints and long endurance runs, each followed by a recovery. Of course, I was mostly leveraging the fitness base I made before the marathon (again, Hanson-style approach with peak 70 MPW), the only goal was to actuate it before the half-marathon. A day before the race, I had a brief 2-miler with a few short (400m) MP-stretches.
Pre-race
The transition plan seemed to work well, and I felt quite rested & ready for the HM. The only potential problem was the weather forecast: whilst not rare for British October, it was stating rain showers for the whole day. So my pre-race was all about mentally preparing for puddle running and planning dry change clothes. Hopefully, I had an advantage here since the race was local to me: so I could quickly get to the start and get back home after finishing.
As for fueling, I went typical carb load starting two days before HM, and had pre-race granola breakfast roughly two hours before the start. I wanted to run without refuelling, with just catching water stations.
Speaking of plans: my previous (first) HM was about 1:33:31 and I definitely wanted to go faster, hopefully, less than 1h30. I also set a stretch goal of 1h25 which surely was very ambitious, nearly 4:00min/km. To achieve the goal, I had tactics to stick to the 1h30 pacer for the first half of the race and then go faster, up to my LT, finally going full gas on the last 5K.
Race
It turned out, the forecast was right and it was already raining cats and dogs when I woke up. I took my showerproof jacket and jogged to the race village trying to keep wait windows as minimal as possible. Made a warm-up, changed clothes, went to the starting line and was already completely wet to that moment. Actually, spotted a nice trick: some guys were using black plastic waste bags with holes made for arms & neck; not sure it protects well from the rain but at least seems to delay a moment of getting entirely wet.
So I started in the second from the front group and tried to follow the 1h30 pacer. This lasted for about 3-4K until I rushed a bit forward to escape from the queue on the water station, and decided not to return back to the pacer group. With lessons learned from the marathon, I was continuously monitoring my HR to stay below my LT for the first 10K. Then, I went a bit faster and got into LT zone for the next quarter of the race. Exactly at this moment, the weather got worse: there was literally a wall of water, with streams all around on the road. Immediately got soaked to the skin, laughed at the “car wash” style refresher that I passed by.
On the last 5K, I slowly moved to the “red zone” above my LT, and the racecourse entered the city park area with gravel & sand pathways. They were obviously full of puddles, leaving nearly no chance to miss one and step on the solid ground. Hopefully, it wasn’t that muddy, and even my road running flats weren’t slippering much. On the last mile, we go: an asphalt section and then about 1K on the few centuries-old pavements in the historical centre of Oxford. Final rush to the finish line and 1:26:39. Nearly 7 minutes washed away since the first half-marathon I did this May.
Post-race
The first thought, “cool, I actually made it as planned!”. Just a few seconds later, “wait, I’m not completely wasted as I was last time, I should have probably run faster!”. Feeling happy and a bit disappointed at the same time. On the other hand, I can’t easily what went wrong i.e. where I should’ve speeded up. The best guess I have is, perhaps, the first half could be closer to the LT lower limit so I’d maximise the efforts here…
I’m generally happy how the race was organised. With about 7000 participants running, Virgin Sports did a good job keeping the race safe and providing water & electrolytes on the course. The course was quite flat, maybe a bit too much packed into the same streets, with dual-way running. I think my only concern is, since the race village was in the park and it was raining cats & dogs, the entire territory around tents was wet and muddy. Even with gravel covered pathways, it was barely possible to get in or out without collecting the mud on your feet. Thinking out loud, some plastic/rubber mats could to the job, if properly placed on the pathways… But I get it, maybe it was hard to predict & plan such things in advance.
Goody Bag
This year, Oxford Half goodies came in linen cloth bags and mainly consisted of a blue t-shirt, snacks and bars from sponsors, extra-light beer (meh…), and — I still have a strong feeling that I accidentally got a ladies bag — dry shampoo and brow corrector. This year, finisher’s medal was in a polygonal shape, somewhat reminding me of a manhole cover or spider’s web, but that’s alright.
Overall, I’m happy with the race and planning to go further next year. I’m twice as happy that I managed to do the season without any injuries or overtraining, despite that I made a half & full marathon for the first time. Thinking of pushing harder on the speed & strength training this year and making my sub-3 next spring.
![My Garang Warrior Ultra 2020 [52km]](https://www.justrunlah.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_20200215_172642-768x1024.jpg "My Garang Warrior Ultra 2020 [52km]")
