Pisces: What Does Your Horoscope Say About Your Health And Fitness?

By

-

December 27, 2017

The Pisces is creative, selfless and sensitive. This water sign is also intuitive, gentle and very spiritual. This sign should work with the fact that they are a water sign and the fact they enjoy alone time. Sports activities that are connected to the water element and has a peaceful element would be the kind of sport that interests this sign.

#1 Paddle Boarding

Photo Credits: Culture Trip

Low impact exercises that give you your own space is great for you. The Pisces will appreciate this peaceful meditative like setting. Paddleboarding works your core like mad. It isn’t as easy as it looks. You need to build a strong core to keep yourself stable and require great upper body strength to paddle forward and great lower body strength to keep you firmly planted on the board. It’s a great workout that works every inch of your body.

#2 Swimming

Photo Credits: Annie Emmerson

Swimming is another low impact relaxing activity that gives you a lot of time to yourself – just you and your thoughts. Water is nearly 800 times denser than air, hence, each kick and pull is like a mini resistance workout for your entire body.

#3 Hot Yoga

Photo Credits: Groupon

As mentioned, the Pisces appreciates a meditative-like setting. Immerse yourself in these peace-inducing stretches in a hot setting. The heat improves circulation to the joints and muscles. Sweat it out while stretching it out.

Aquarius: What Does Your Horoscope Say About Your Health And Fitness?

By

Mel

-

December 27, 2017

The Aquarius-born, on one hand, is shy and quiet but on the other hand can be eccentric and energetic. The sign is very inquisitive, curious and the most imaginative by nature. This is why new fitness regimes are great for the Aquarius-born. They need something to keep them on their toes – something fresh and new!

#1 Bounce Class

This class will bring back your childhood days. Bring out the inner kid in you jumping on trampolines. The bounce classes are a sure fast way to get your heart rate up and burns tons of calories. It’s a high intensity, low impact cardio workout that works all your muscles – giving you a toned body. The lifting and energetic soundtracks will keep you going through the whole session.

#2 Surfing

Photo Credits: Pantagonia Sports

It’s no secret surfing is fun and it makes us feel young, wild and free. It’s ridiculously addictive – being able to ride on waves. Surfing gives you that adrenaline rush that leaves you wanting more. It also gives you a great overall workout, working your core muscles especially to stabilize yourself. Give it a try – go on a surfing holiday!

#3 Piloxing

Piloxing is a fusion of Pilates and Boxing. It’s a combination of a high-intensity exercise with standing Pilates stances. It becomes an interval training with the rest interval being a Pilates movement that helps lengthen and tone your muscles. If you want more of a challenge, you can use weighted piloxing gloves to give you a tougher workout.

Read More: Piloxing – All You Need To Know

Justin Gatlin Finds Himself In The Middle Of Another Doping Scandal

By

Mel

-

December 26, 2017

Justin Gatlin is known for his long-standing rivalry with the fastest man on earth – Usain Bolt. He drew headlines this year when he beat Usain at the London World Championships. He, however, has often been cast as the villain as opposed to Bolt’s hero status. Gatlin has served a 2-time ban for doping.

He finds himself in the spectacle of yet another scandal. An investigation has been launched in light of allegations that Justin Gatlin’s coach – Dennis Mitchel and agent – Robert Wagner had offered to supply performance-enhancing drugs to undercover reporters.

According to the report, Wagner told reporters that the drug was widely used in the sport. He was quoted saying – “You think Justin is not doing this? Everybody does it!”. Upon revelation of the news, Gatlin has fired his coach and agent. He claims he was shocked and surprised and is not taking any performance-enhancing drugs, contrary to the allegations that implicate him.

Photo Credit: RT

However given Gatlin’s history, this is not good news! Gatlin has been met with boos and jeering at many of the World’s biggest competitions due to his history. Back in 2001, he served a 2-year ban for amphetamines which he said was used to treat ADHD. In 2006, he was slapped with an 8-year ban for testosterone. His ban was reduced to 4 years for his co-operation in an anti-doping investigation into his former coach, Trevor Graham. This time he said a massage therapist rubbed testosterone onto him without his consent or notice.

Gatlin has collected 5 silver and 1 gold World Championship medals after serving his ban.

Capricorn: What Does Your Horoscope Say About Your Health And Fitness?

By

Mel

-

December 26, 2017

The Capricorn sign is really disciplined, dependable and hardworking. It is a sign that represents responsibility and they are great managers. Capricorns are perhaps a little of an overachiever some might say. Hence Capricorns need a good challenge. Give yourself a good challenge with these workouts.

#1 Crossfit

Photo Credits: Crossfit Platinum

Crossfit is intense! Some people even call it a cult. Crossfit, in a nutshell, is being Jack of all trades and Master of none! What is special about Crossfit is that its’ specialty lies in not specializing. To be good at Crossfit, you have to be good at everything, and lies the great challenge.

#2 Obstacle Course Racing

Photo Credits: Spartan

Test your strength and endurance, both mental and physical! Sign up for the Spartan race or tough mudder or Viper Challenge! It’s tough but so much fun and really brings out the strength in you, perfect for a Capricorn always in need of a challenge.

#3 Bootcamp

Photo Credits: Rec Sports

As someone who loves a good challenge, bootcamp style workouts would suit you really well. Hit the ground for 50 burpees and then finish it up with 100 squats. These army style workouts will keep you wanting more. These are high intensity workouts that really challenge you fitness wise and mentally.

12 Familiar Resolutions For Runners [Part 1]

By

Mel

-

December 26, 2017

January 1st inspires all of us to dream big. We have great plans, and with that comes our new year resolutions. We are going to make it count this coming new year! Dreaming big isn’t enough. The dream is free but the hustle is sold separately.

Here’s how to kickstart your journey to your big goals this coming new year.

#1 Start Running Regularly

Remember that consistency is key. You want to be doing what is sustainable. Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting a schedule that you can’t follow. Start with a 3-day running week and make them non-negotiable. Remember, it only takes 30 minutes of your time. Set up a running schedule – plan which 3 days you are going to run and stick to it. Another tip is to have a progress chart. Once you start to see progress, this will fuel your motivation to continue running regularly.

#2 Lose Weight

Start with clearing out your kitchen off all the junk. Throw away all the crisp, chocolate and sweets. This will make it less likely for you to reach out for that unhealthy snack. Instead, stock up on healthy snacks such as fruit and nuts. This should be the first step. Don’t go for too drastic a change. This is because our body craves the safety of familiarity. Change is difficult – especially when you are overwhelming your body with a whole bunch of extreme changes. It can start to feel like a struggle and ultimately you give in to your old effortless habits – because it’s easier.

Read: The One Big Mistake Women Make When They Start A New Weight Loss Plan

#3 Complete Your First Marathon

So, you’ve always wanted to run a marathon? Start with picking a race to join. You need an 18-week training block so pick a race that is at least 18 weeks away. Having registered for a race, you would be more committed to your training. Next is to devise a training plan – remember the most important run training for a marathon is the long run. You cannot skip your long run!

Read: Top 7 Rookie Marathon Mistakes

#4 Run A Personal Best For your 5km or 10km

Register for a race that plays to your strengths – pick a flat course! Try incorporating speed work into your training. This will help you achieve a personal best. Also, incorporate strength workouts and drills into your training. Strengthening help prevents your form from crumbling in the latter stages of the race. Drills help your running efficiency. These 2 come together to help you perform better on race day.

Read: 4 Favourite Speed Workouts Of An Elite Runner

TTDI v DBKL – TTDI Residents Want To Save Bukit Kiara From Irreversible Damage

By

Mel

-

December 26, 2017

TTDI residents want the construction of high-rise apartments in Bukit Kiara to stop! This development will cause irreversible damage to the luscious greenery Bukit Kiara has to offer. The land is developed in a joint venture with Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan, welfare arm of the Federal Territories Ministry.

The KL High Court has recently dismissed the stay application filed by TTDI residents to stop the proposed mixed development in Bukit Kiara pending a judicial review. The formal basis for dismissal is the substantial cost involved which is said to amount to MYR 115 million. The group is required to fork out MYR 40,000 in legal costs incurred for the stay application.

Photo Credits: Lemang Music

The #savekiara project is a public action out of public interest. There must be a consideration of the permanent effect of land clearing. The applicants have nothing to gain from the application, their sole interest is to not have high-end condos built on a green lung and to preserve a great public park.

It has indeed been an uphill battle but one with a worthy cause!

17 Runs In 2017 – Part One (by Ken)

By

Ken

-

December 26, 2017

17621800_1239527516102432_7369175247522321264_o — Photo credit: Official Sundown Marathon Singapore facebook page

As the year draws near to a close, I would like to share my one or two liners of 17 runs which I joined in 2017.

(1) Sundown Marathon 42.195km (25/3/17)

The first time I queued for an hour and a half for race pack collection, I was not looking forward to race day but fortunately it turned out well and the finisher T-shirt was very nice.

(2) 2XU Compression Run 21.1 km (2/4/17)

Just a week after Sundown Marathon, my body had not rested fully and it seemed like a recovery walk and run instead.
Nevertheless, it remained one of the 5 runs that I would sign up for every year.

Photo credit: Pink Apple Events facebook page

(3) The Music Run 5km (6/5/17)

With 5 stations playing different genres of music throughout the entire run, I had a super enjoyable time and certainly looked forward to joining the new 10km category in 2018.

Photo credit: The Music Run facebook page

(4) Run Free 10km (7/5/17)

The first time when I joined a 10km run without having to pay a single cent and yet had free shuttle service from Stadium MRT to the race venue, free running photos on Facebook and free isotonic drinks after the run.
Thank you X-Change Republic for organizing this wonderful run.

(5) Meiji Run 10km (20/5/17)

As if running 2 loops around Sentosa under the scorching sun was not bad enough, we had to queue up for around 30 minutes to collect our finisher hamper.
Fortunately, the finisher hamper contained many delicious goodies from Meiji eg Hello Panda biscuits, oat crackers, Yan Yan biscuits, yogurt drink, orange water and fresh milk etc which made the long queue worthwhile.

(6) DreamWorks Day Run 5km (24/6/17)

From wrong directions given resulting in some participants having to walk a few kilometers from Promenade MRT to the event venue, too few DreamWorks characters present at the event itself to runners having to pour their own water due to insufficient volunteers and made worse by the scorching weather, I had an enjoyable time, nevertheless.

(7) Nee Soon Fiesta 3TEN Run 10km (29/7/17)

Expecting a usual Saturday evening run, I was proven wrong by the undulating terrain of the golf course at Orchid Country Club. Although challenging, running upslope and downslope was never my cup of tea.

Photo credit: Nee Soon Fiesta 3Ten Run facebook page

(8) The Performance Series @ Punggol East / Coney Island 21.1km (13/8/17)

I did not have a high expectation of this run due to the late flag off timing for 21.1km at 7am.
Fortunately, the weather was cooling, the route was beautiful and I managed to achieve my personal best timing.

Photo credit: The Performance Series – Singapore facebook page

(9) Army Half Marathon 21.1km (20/8/17)

The run that I would definitely join every year because of 2 reasons: (1) discounted price for NSmen ($16) (2) excellent logistics.
Thank you, all the NSF and NSmen, for sacrificing your precious Sunday morning to volunteer at the event.

Photo credit: Run Gallery SG facebook page

(10) Puma Night Run 12km (26/8/17)

A refreshing night run at Seletar Aerospace Park, it was a pity that the beautiful colonial houses and private planes were not clearly visible in the darkness.

Photo credit: Running Shots facebook page

To be continued…

8 Best Places to Run in Kuala Lumpur

By

Mel

-

December 25, 2017

Take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur and discover what this great city has to offer. The great outdoors is calling for you and here are the 8 best places to run in Kuala Lumpur. Have you run them all?

#1 Bukit Kiara

Photo Credits: Poskod

Bukit Kiara has so many different terrains – flat, hills and even trail. It’s a true runners’ playground. You can run the flats for a quick speed work out or hit the hills for some hill repeats. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can go into the trails to get a good elevation training.

#2 Taman Saujana Hijau, Putrajaya

Photo Credits: Fam Cherry

Unbeknownst to many, this place is magical. Taman Saujana Hijau covers 41 hectares of land with rolling hills. The extraordinary greenery is a refreshing sight. But that’s not the best part. The best part is the Putrajaya city view it has to offer when you make it right to the top of the park. It’s a great place for a nice peaceful long run.

#3 Lake Gardens

Photo Credits: KL City Attractions

Lake Gardens is a great place to run not because of it’s surroundings but because it’s the place every runner runs. Practically every running group is here on a Saturday morning! You get to bump into all your favourite running buddies. Having someone to say hi to during your long runs can make your run a whole lot more fun! Some running groups even have a post-run potluck feast!

#4 KLCC Park

Photo Credits: Expedia

Want to go for a run after work? – KLCC park is conveniently located right in the city centre. KLCC park features a 1.1km track with rolling hills. It is generally filled with runners, joggers and leisure walkers throughout the day. It also has water fountains stationed throughout the route for your convenience.

#5 Desa Park City

Photo Credits: Propwall

Desa Park City is a residential area which offers a flat 2.2km loop for you to run along. This running ground is home to many runners and running clubs. If you’re looking to do a flat LSD, this is the perfect place for you. They also have a lot of amenities and great brunch places for a post-rub grub.

#6 University Malaya

Photo Credits: Roketkini

University Malaya has a killer hill known as Bukit Cinta or Love Hill. The climb is almost a kilometre long and will render you breathless but it is a great way to build strength. One loop around UM gives you a 4.6 km distance. Do 4 loops and you’ve got yourself a hilly long run.

#7 Taman Botani Negara, Shah Alam

Photo Credits: Findbulous Travel

Taman Botani Negara is yet another park filled with killer hills – great for hill repeats and a hilly long run to build strength. But you’ll be spoilt for choice with things to see in this park. There’s a 4 season house, a fruit orchard and a whole lot of flora and fauna. There’s even a Skytrex for a climbing adventure in the trees.

#8 FRIM (Forest Research Institute Malaysia)

Photo Credits: Tian Chad

FRIM is filled with luscious greenery – fresh, serene and full of nature. FRIM is a haven for all runners – road runners and trail runners alike. The trails here are very run-able and off roads that have gentle uphills. The green canopy offers a great shade. It’s a refreshing place to run, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Looking for other places to run?

4 Reasons Why Rest Days Are Important

By

Mel

-

December 22, 2017

Rest days are a very important component of training, yet, often neglected. There’s so much to do to get better, such that it becomes easy to skip a rest day. Your logic is the more you get done, the better you get. Why would you sit back and do nothing, when there’s always some kind of training you can do to get better. Here are 4 reasons why rest days are really important!

#1 You Become Stronger

When you undergo a tough workout, you are creating microscopic tears in your muscle fibers. The way your body responds to these microscopic tears is that it rebuilds your muscles to become stronger – to be better able to withstand more stress. The catch is your body needs time to rebuild these muscles. If you continuously put your body under stress, your muscles just keep breaking down. There is no opportunity to rebuild and strengthen your muscles. This hence negates all the hard work you’ve put in. Remember, you’re training to become stronger and recovery is a necessary condition for that.

#2 You Avoid Injuries

An injury is the bane of every runner. It puts us out for weeks, maybe even months. Rest is crucial in helping us manage injuries. If you keep putting your muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons under immense stress, sooner or later, it’s going to snap. You need to allow time for your joints and muscles to repair and get stronger. If it never has time to fully repair itself, you’re looking at an eventual stress fracture!

#3 You Don’t Overtrain

The dangers of overtraining cannot be stressed more. Overtraining can cause a decrease in performance despite increased intensity and volume of training. You are performing more than your body can handle. This is where rest days come in handy. Rest days keep you in check and gives your body a chance to recuperate. A scheduled once a week rest day can prevent overtraining syndromes. When overtraining happens, training do you more harm than good.

#4 It Gives Your Brain Time To Chill

Running is a stress relief method because it produces endorphins. However, if you’re constantly giving yourself pressure to progress, this becomes an additional source of stress. Instead of producing endorphins, your body produces cortisol – the stress hormone in the body. Your body confuses itself – are you running for fun or away from something? This increase in cortisol can lead to sleeping problems and irritability. Having a rest day helps prevent all these from happening!

Remember, recovery is part of training! Do not take it lightly!

The Love Hate Relationship Of Running In Loops For Runners

By

Mel

-

December 20, 2017

People who say that running in loops are so much fun are complete liars. Please explain what’s fun about running the same loop over and over again?

#1 It’s boring!

It’s always exciting to run new routes – everything is fresh and the kilometers just fly by, and before you know it, you’re done with your 20 clicks. But running in loops – it’s boring. By the end of your 5th loop, you would have passed that very same lamp post, that tree, and that litter of kittens 5 times. Even if the route offers a scenic view, by the 10th loop, you’d probably grow bored.

#2 It drives you crazy

Imagine doing a long run on a 1km loop. After running 5 loops, you tell yourself – I’ve got this, only 17 more loops to go. Whoah 17 loops is a lot more to go! You start counting down to the end of every loop – okay 500 meters to go, 300 meters to go! You know the loop like the back of your hand, you know every nook and cranny! You just keep going around in circles – and it certainly drives you nuts!

#3 You’re More Likely To Give Up

If you run a 20km loop, you’ve got no choice! You’ve got to run the entire loop back to your house or car – else you would end up stranded! It’s easy to give up running loops. You could give up midway and just walk to your car. With just 2 more loops to go, you could decide you’re too tired and head back home!

BUT THEN

Then again, we find runners signing up for races like the UM 24 hours. If you are not acquainted with the format of the race – it is looping a 400m track for 24 hours. The person who runs the most loops will emerge the winner. Who in their right mind would want to loop a 400m track for 24 hours – you must be kidding me!

We can only come up with one conclusion! Runners are crazy people! They complain about running in loops, yet very willingly pay to run loops for 24 hours! There can be no other explanation!

The Quick-Fire Guide to Starting Your Own Running Blog

By

Team JustRunLah!

-

December 20, 2017

runner-urban-female — Image source: mapmyrun.com

Have you been passionate about running for some time and now you want to share your knowledge and enthusiasm with the rest of the world? Maybe you’re new to running, and you want to share your experience as you go with people to inspire them to be fit and healthy as well.

Starting your own running blog is a great pastime to have, whether you’re running it as a hobby or with the anticipation of starting a business. However, starting a blog can seem overwhelming, but this doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, here’s everything you need to know.

Set Up Your Blog

Hosting and designing a website is much easier than it used to be in the past. As a rule of thumb, especially if you’ve got no experience in setting your own blog up, try a platform like WordPress that can get you set up and started. Both platforms work well with each other and come with 24/7 support to help you get set up and ready to blog. There are also countless tutorials online you can follow.

However, sometimes it’s best to join a blogging community of runners, so your posts with have the immediate reach and spark conversations. This is why JustRunLah! has its own free blogging platform which is open to anybody. To date, there are more than 100 bloggers sharing their content easily and without need to care about technical aspects. All blog posts are also shared on JustRunLah! Facebook pages that have over 150,000 followers. Click here to get started with setting up your own running blog!

Choosing Your Topics

It’s easy to say ‘okay, well I’m going to write about running’ but there are so any more topics involved in this that you’ll need to break down into.

For example, you could be reviewing running events, talk about your running process, nutrition, workouts, running news, running gear and equipment or simply just opinion pieces. Before you get started writing, simply list out all the topics that you’ll want to cover on your blog, so you always have something to work from.

Research Your Target Audience

When it comes to the running industry, you’ll want to learn about who your audience is that you’re writing too. Are they children, teenagers and young adults? Are they people who run to keep fit or professional runners that run races all over the world.

You’ll need to identify this audience in your mind when you’re writing, so you know what language to use, what style and what tone of voice. For starters, have a look at JustRunLah! Facebook pages to understand what people are interested in.

Using Tools When Writing

Not everybody is a born writer, and it can take years to master the art of actually writing professionally. Until you get to that stage, there are plenty of tools you can use both pre and post writing to help your blogs sound professional.

Grammarly.com
This is a free browser extension that will help you catch and correct typos, syntax issues and more.

Grammarix / What is a Metaphor
These are two blogs you can use to improve your grammar skills, so your blog posts are professional and read well.

Essayroo
An online writing agency that can connect you with professional writers for all your writing-related advice.

Word Counter
A free online tool for actively tracking and monitoring the word count of your blog posts.

Essay Help
An online writing service that can help to guide you through the blog writing process, as featured by the Huffington Post.

Cite It In
A tool for professionally formatting quotes, references and citations into your blog posts.

PhD Writers
An online writing community where you can connect with other aspiring bloggers to support each other.

State of Writing / Let’s Go and Learn
A free online blog full of writing resources and posts to help you improve your writing skills.

Your Opinion Matters

Remember when you’re writing your blog posts that running can be quite a personal experience and this will need to be reflected in your blog posts. What makes you stand out from the rest of the running blogs that are out there?

“Feel free to express your opinion clearly with your readers as this will bring personality to your posts, the personality that your readers are looking for,” shares Michelle Brown, a health writer for Elite Assignment Help.

Connect with Other Bloggers

When it comes to promoting your blog, be sure that you’re connecting and communicating with other similar bloggers that can spread awareness of each other. You’ll also be able to support each other and work together to get everybody’s blog off of the ground.

* Guest post by Mary Walton. Mary provides thesis help for PhD students, and blogs on Simple Grad, her website on education and college life. She enjoys providing writing consultations and tutors on business communication. Mary proofreads content at Write My Paper, website for Australian students.

Race Review: Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2017 [10KM] (by Rebekah Ong)

By

Rebekah Ong

-

*Best Viewed With Google Chrome*

Time really flies and we are almost coming to the end of the year. I know this review is a tad late but I thought it would still be good to pen down my thoughts for my last run event of 2017. This is my first time joining SCSM after the new organiser Ironman Asia became the organiser.

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) is one of the biggest and most popular run events in Singapore. Currently SCSM’s is in its 16^th year running and this year’s event attracted 48,400 participants comprising 126 nationalities which spans over all categories. It was also interesting to read that out of the 48,400 participants, 48 per cent of them were non-Singaporeans.

Earlier this year, SCMS announced its bid to join six of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world – London, Berlin, New York, Chicago, Tokyo and Boston – as an Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM) event. Currently, the Singapore marathon has been recognised as a Gold Label event by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) since 2012 for its world-class excellence in global sporting significance, organisational quality, athletes’ safety and compliance with the IAAF Rules and Regulations.

Race Entry Pack Collection (REPC) – (30 November 2017 to 2 December 2017)

As SCSM attracts lots of international participants, the REPC was held on race week so that it would be more convenient for the overseas participants. The race expo was held at the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) Expo and Convention Centre and this was the first time that was held there. The organisers plan to have the REPC for SCSM there for the next 2 years (until 2019) as they aim to offer SCSM runners a bigger and better race expo, while facilitating convenient and seamless pick-up of race packs.

I went to collect the race pack during the Friday lunchtime hour with a colleague of mine. MBS Expo and Convention Centre was just a short kilometre away from my office so it was very convenient for us. Upon entering the expo hall, I was just wowed by its sheer size.

Organised Collection of race packs – Participants were quickly filtered through clearly labelled lanes that lead them to their respective race categories for collection of the race packs. We did not have to wait long for our turns. Collection should be an easy and fuss free process but this time, it was slightly different. Normally for locals, presenting your NRIC would normally suffice, however this time, even though she had found my record, she wanted me to present my confirmation slip which had a QR code to verify who I was. In my opinion, I thought this step was redundant as the NRIC is an official document.

My feedback would be for the organisers to look into this as this “extra verification” step as it does take up extra time (additional 1 to 2 mins tops). If there were lots of participant collecting, this would definitely increase wait times and eat into what limited and precious time the participant has to spend and explore the huge expo awaiting them.

Plenty of Photo Opportunities – After collecting the race packs, the next section was the Race Info Zone. The huge letters #SCSM and oversize medal standee immediately caught my attention! Check out my photos below. There were also other nice photo boards with the SCSM branding and the route maps of the different categories there.

A suggestion would be to place volunteers near those photo opportunities so that they can keep the space clear and help to take photos for participant. This will definitely enhance the photo taking experience.

[Photos (Above) from UA South East Asia Facebook Page]

Vendors Galore – As we moved out from the Race Info Zone, we skipped the Standard Chartered Zone and headed right for the Under Armour (UA) and Race Merchandise Zone. We walked past the UA Virtual Race Screen, it looked really cool but I was too shy to have a go even though there were UA goodies to be won. Walking round the UA area was really hard not to be tempted by the 20% they were giving off their products. I bought the UA Bandit 3 and 2 caps! The Race Merchandise Zone was also very tempting and I had to stop myself from buying more things. What caught my attention were the caps and the category tees which had participants name on them.

[Photo: Sample print of the name category tee]

After all the shopping done at the UA and Race Merchandise Zone, we had to walk past the Market Place section of the expo. I went to check out the Sundown and 2XU Run Event booth but a little bit disappointed that they didn’t have any further promotional pricing or attractive freebies other than the rates on their website. As we exited, there were sooo many other booths offering great discounts/deals but thankfully we didn’t succumb to any more purchase!

Race Pack and Contents – One of the things that I liked about this year race pack was the new and improved design of the bag. It’s definitely more functional and more comfortable when carrying. The sponsored contents in the bag for this year are also pretty good. I had high expectations for the event tee but I was disappointment was with the sizing as it was too big and the poor quality of the material. I had used the measurements provided during registration on the website but still it turned out to be too big.

Race Day – 3 December 2017

I took part in the 10KM category for this year’s edition SCSM and the flag-off timing for this category was 07:15 hrs as stated in the runners guide. I woke up around 04:50hrs as I need about an hour to prepare. Yes I’m slow and I get distracted; I was reading a few well wishes messages from friends that I received during the course of the night wishing me a good race later. Normally there aren’t such messages but this being the last and biggest race for most; I was pleasantly surprised but encouraged by those messages. Now you know why I need time to prepare haha…

[Above: Arrived at City Hall MRT Station]

One thing about having later flag-off timing is that I can take the MRT to the race site rather than taking GRABHitch or a cab. I boarded the 06:05 hrs train from Yishun and arrived at City with more than enough time to use the toilets and walk to the race site.

Entry to Pens – Entry point to the start pen was not clearly labelled, but my friend, Cheng Yee and I managed to find the entry for START Pen C. It would have been helpful if there were signs denoting the opening to these START pens, at least participants would have a visual and walk towards that direction. The security personals were efficient in ensuring that participants were filtered into the correct pens. Once in the START pens, the waiting game begun!

LONG wait time for Flag-off – As Cheng Yee and me had been auto assigned to Pen C because of our estimated finish timings; our flag-off was a long wait from what was stated in the runners guide. The organisers had flagged-off the first group promptly at 07:15hrs but it was after more half an hour then we got flagged-off. Initially we were super pumped for the race but the long wait just killed off that excitement. We were soooo bored in the pen and even though the emcee was trying to keep the spirit of the participants up, his charm wasn’t enough! Finally the time (07:52hrs) came for us to be flagged off, off we went! Because of the long wait, most of us had started off the first KM too fast and were also parched upon flag-off.

Here are a few suggestions that I think the organisers should consider to DECREASE WAIT TIME:

Revert back to the first in first out concept for 10KM – Being the last and latest category to be flagged off, the sun was already out in full force which made it a difficult race especially at the Benjamin Shears Bridge and Esplanade Bridge where there’s the least shelter.
List the various pen flag-off timings in the runners guide and open them accordingly – This would help to decrease wait time in the START pens. I think participants will be more than happy to get a few more minutes of beauty sleep.

Well planned routes – This is the first time that I’m running this route and I did enjoy the first 4KM before the Benjamin Shears Bridge. Though it was scenic when on the Benjamin Shears Bridge, the long up slope was a killer though the gradient was gradual. There was not much shelter there and the late flag-off did not help! I really liked that we got to see different landmarks which kept the run interesting for me.

At the 8KM mark near the Pit Building there was a mist gantry and that was the first time that I ran through one. I thought these mist gantries would be like passing by a room which has air-conditioning on and supposed to cool you down when passing through but it was way far from that. It was like mist in humid air and it did not help in cooling me down sadly but it was an interesting experience.

[Photo: Me in action – FinisherPix]

Hydration stations were position at strategic points of the 10KM route and were well-stocked serving cold drinks which were refreshing on a super-hot and humid morning!

The distance markers were placed clearly and the encouraging quotes are always nice to read when you need motivation to continue.

Post-Race Experience

Finishing this race was not an easy one especially with the sun showing no mercy and the extra 300m. I crossed the FINISH line with an official nett timing of 1:14:15. All participants were filtered to clearly mark out lanes to collect the Finisher entitlements.

The Finisher entitlements included my hard-earned Finisher Medal, two fruits (apple & banana), a bottle of mineral water, a can of non-carbonated 100PLUS and lastly a super cold towel which was much welcomed by all! I really liked that ice-cold towel as it was a nice relief for my sweaty self.

The walk to the race village was crowded and there was a bit a jam. It took me forever to walk like a 100m. When I reached the race village, I saw 7-time SCMS winner, Dr. Mok Ying Ren, as well as, Jed Senthil at the 100PLUS booth. It was really nice seeing both the co-founders of ONE (RunONE & ONEathlete) and I went to say hi to them. It was double Happiness for their team as Ashley Liew & Evan Chee (both managed by ONEathlete) won 2nd & 3rd respectively, in the Local Men’s Marathon Category!! More info can be found here.

[Above Photo Credit: RUNOne]

I then headed to the Cenotaph to meet up with a few more friends and take some photos before leaving the race site. It’s always nice seeing familiar faces. SCSM 2017 was definitely a good race to end off 2017! Though tough, it was enjoyable to run a new route. Like all races, there is always room for improvement and that step of becoming a world major is much nearer. Till my next write-up, happy holidays and keep training!

[Above: Catching up with Friends after the event]

Race Review: Great Eastern Women’s Run 2017 [10KM] (by Rebekah Ong)

By

Rebekah Ong

-

Cover Photo Credits: Dave Poh (Pictureart Gallery)

*Page best viewed with Google Chrome*

Long overdue review of 2017’s Great Eastern Women’s Run (GEWR). I was sooo busy and the reviews had to take a back seat for a while. Anyway, hope you guys and gals enjoy the read!

The Great Eastern Women’s Run (GEWR) is a run which I have been participating since 2015. This marks GEWR 12th year of unifying women in health and fitness! I always enjoy participating in GEWR run because it’s really fun and well organised!

In this review, I’ll highlight what makes GEWR soooo popular that keep participants coming back for more.

LEAD UP TO RACE DAY

GEWR Mobile App – Introduction of new elements to spice up a run event is a great idea! For this year’s lead up, the GEWR team launched a new mobile app which they encourage their participants to download. It’s a simple Mobile App which tracks your daily step count and participants have to complete monthly challenges to win attractive rewards. I personally downloaded the app and managed to win 2 Boost $5 E-vouchers. Though a small reward, it’s actually nice to receive these small treats to motivate you to get active! The GEWR team is definitely moving in the right direction to prepare participants for the actual race day. The app also keeps you up to date on the latest information about the GEWR by notifying you of all the fun and exciting activities available. My feedback on the app was that it didn’t sync with Samsung Health, unlike the Healthy 365 App by HPB where the pairing options are plenty.

[GEWR Mobile App Printscreens]

Fringe Activities – GEWR is also known for its fun Fringe Activities. There was one in particular event that caught my attention which was the Breakfast Run on the 26 Aug 2017. Participants had a training run followed by a breakfast session of pancakes and waffles at the South Beach. What a way to work out and have a nice breakfast thereafter! I couldn’t make it for that event but when I saw the photos on Facebook, I wished that I was there. The other fun activities included group exercise classes and seminars. Hopefully next year I can join them for one of those sessions.

[Photos from GEWR’s Facebook Page]

Introduction of new elements – For this year 5km Live Great! Fun Run, the organisers introduced New Features like:

Win a Solitaire at 5km Live Great! Fun Run
Instagram-worthy photo walls
Colourful ball pits en route

[Photos of the 5km Live Great! Fun Run Ball Pit from GEWR’s Facebook Page]

I thought these were really interesting because it takes the stress of running and encourages participants to have fun! I did not get to see these new features as I took part in the 10KM category.

The introduction of the rose gold-plated medal for 21.1KM finishers was a genius idea! I personally saw the medal and it just made determined to do 21,1KM for the 2018 edition. This year medal design differed from previous years and even though the 10KM participants received a gold-plated medal, I still loved it!

[Photos of the 21.1KM & 10KM medals from GEWR’s website]

RACE ENTRY PACK COLLECTION (REPC)

REPCs for GEWR are something to look forward too rather than being dreaded. This year REPC this was held at Marina Square Atrium and like other years, it was very well organised! I collected my race pack with my friend, Kalsom on a Saturday late morning before lunch. The collection was really fast and efficient though there were a few ladies in front of us.

[GEWR REPC]

The highlights of the REPC were the following:

Generous goodies in race Pack – The race pack was heavy but that’s a good thing because that means that there are goodies inside! I always like to be surprised by what’s in the race pack and this year was no different. The race pack contained goodies from Tsubaki, Bengay, Heliocare, SPH etc. just to name a few. Check out the race pack goodies.

[GEWR Race Pack Contents]

Gerbera Flowers – A stalk of Gerbera was given out to each participant that collected her race pack. This has been a norm at every GEWR REPC and I love this little touch as sometimes the simplest thing like a flower can put a smile on your face. I love Gerberas! They are hardy and most of colourful and beautiful.

Cosy section to meet your GEWR pacers – There was a section set up for participants to get to know the pacers for both the 21KM and 10KM categories. I loved how the organisers made it so cosy by putting a few bean bags where the ladies could get comfortable and have that chillaxed chat with the Pacers.

Awesome volunteers and staff – Having enthusiastic and helpful volunteers and staff on REPC really makes a difference! They set the tone for the event! At the GEWR REPCs, both volunteers and staff never failed to greet you with a smile or have any qualms about answering queries about the event. Here’s a shout out to the volunteers and staff for a job well done guys!

Facebook (FB) contests – Like last year, there were FB contests that were held during the REPC period. I like this idea because it engages and excites participants who are there. It’s a like a form of a daily lucky draw.

[GEWR FB contest]

Photo booths – I love visiting the photo booths because of the little-printed photo souvenir! These are memories that I know I will keep.

RACE DAY

Flag-off for the 10KM category was at 06:30 hrs. It’s always a love-hate relationship for me when I have to go for run events. Waking up early definitely is not the most fun part of the experience but it becomes worthwhile only after you’ve completed the race! For GEWR, Share Transport was the vendor for the shuttle bus I took to the race site. The bus pick-up was at 05:00hrs and the journey was a long one but thankfully I did manage to catch a bit of a shut eye on the way.

[Before entering the START Pen – Photos By Terence Ang]

Upon reaching the race site, I walked over to the Singapore Flyer which was the START point to meet-up with Terence, Yi Hsiu and Priscilla. Initially, I was supposed to meet 5 other friends but 3 of them had fallen ill and decided it was best to give the race a miss. Terence had come down earlier to support his girlfriend for her very first 21KM and he being a photography enthusiast decided to try his hand at sports photography at the same time. After some introductions and photo taking, the three of us (ladies) headed into the START pen and Terence headed to his spot at MBS to take photos. We were glad that we managed to get into the first wave and were starting off close to the START line. The emcee, Ross, and the flag-off party started the race exactly at 06:30hrs.

Yi Hsiu and I decided to run the race together as she wanted to go for that Personal Best (PB) timing and I thought it would be nice to have company as that would motivate me to keep moving. Along the way, we met Yi Hsiu’s hubby, Zhiyong and he was there to support Yi Hsiu in her journey. We ran together until the 4KM mark where I told her to continue as I needed a short walk break. From then onwards, it was catch-up race for me because I could only jog and brisk walk.

Race Route – The 10KM route was a familiar one as many races use it. Participants would run past iconic Singapore landmarks and they would have fantastic views of the Singapore skyline. The parts that I hated most were slopes at Crawford Street and the footbridge beside the Double Helix Bridge. Slopes just wear you out really quickly and they do slow you down quite a bit especially for a person like me who doesn’t like slope training.

[GEWR 10 KM Route]

Hydration Stations – The water points were well spaced out and well stocked. Volunteers mended these stations superbly and handed out the water efficiently to the participants. There were no jams at the water points.

Photographers – Along the route, especially near the FINISH line, there were sooooo many photographers! I think it’s the most I’ve seen in a run event ever! Big thanks to all for capturing those moments; be it picture perfect or unglam haha… They are memories that I will keep and treasure.

[Photos from various photographers]

Supporters/Motivators – Like the photographers, were also lots of people along the route that were cheering the participants on. Special shout out to Lexxus and Zhiyong for the encouraging words and support that definitely gave me the extra push to go a bit faster.

POST RACE

I crossed the FINISH line with an official net time of 1:11:1. Nice numbers for a finish timing right? I was happy just to have completed the race. Yi Hsiu had just finished a few seconds ahead of me and she got her PB! Congrats gal! You did fantastic by keeping pace and pushing forwards! We collected our Finisher entitlements and headed to the floating platform to catch up with some other friends and enjoy the ongoing festivities.

Race Village – The race village was situated on the Floating Platform. There were lots of activity zones and stalls that were giving out freebies to the ladies after the race. My friends and I had queued to get our free breakfast sets, yoghurt, carbonated water etc. Though the queues were snaking, they moved pretty fast. We initially wanted to stay and enjoy the festivities but it started to drizzle which quickly developed into a heavy downpour. We quickly left the Floating Platform to find for shelter at a nearby shopping centre.

[Post Race Fun]

Overall it was a fun race! The organisers did superb from the organisation of the Pre-Race Events to the Post Race experience (Too bad it had to be ruined by the downpour). Knowing their strengths of the previous edition and the successful introduction of new elements to the event was a nice touch in keeping the event constantly refreshing and fun. Two thumbs up to the organiser! I’m definitely looking forward to next year event where I’m aiming to do the 21KM Category! Until my next review! Let’s all Live Great and stay healthy!

Race Report: SPARTATHLON 2017 – The Ultimate Ultra-distance Race of 246 km

By

Team JustRunLah!

-

December 20, 2017

We are glad to share David Christopher’s amazing story of SPARTATHLON 2017. For the uninitiated, Spartathlon is a 246 kilometre (153 mile) ultra-marathon race held annually in Greece. It began in 1983 and is run between Athens and Sparta. This year, it was held on the 29th and 30th of September 2017.

The historical context of this event is glorious. The Spartathlon race attempts to trace the footsteps of Pheidippides, the Athenian messenger sent to Sparta in 490 BC to seek support against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon. Pheidippides, according to the account of Greek historian Herodotus in The Persian Wars, arrived in Sparta the day after he departed from Athens.

Only 390 runners are allowed entry to participate from around the world. David was the only entrant from Malaysia this year and the only Malaysian to ever successfully finish Spartathlon.

PRELUDE

I did the 24H 2017 ultramarathon and managed to complete a distance of 187 km. I applied for Spartathlon 2017 and after a couple of months, the application results came back. I got in.

TRAINING

My training plan overwhelmingly focused on MILEAGE. The longest distances I’ve run are 187 km in 24 hours and 200 km in 32.5 hours which were 8 months and 2 ½ years before Spartathlon 2017 respectively. Thus, the emphasis of mileage.

The entire duration of the training plan was 14 weeks. This worked out to a planned weekly mileage in km of 76, 88, 103, 50 (easy), 119, 139, 50 (easy), 161, 161, 50 (easy), 161, 161, 31 & 13 (taper). The first few weeks comprised of daily single runs i.e. 7 runs/week. As the mileage increased, I scheduled Doubles for 5 days/week i.e. 12 runs in total per week. I forced myself to commit to these Long Runs by signing up to 4 local Ultramarathons and using these as training runs.

In addition to the running specific trainings, I wanted to drop weight from 70.8 kg (BMI 22.4) to 60.0 kg (BMI 19.0) in about 3 months. The changes that I made to my regular diet, which is largely a plant based high carbohydrate diet, were only in quantity. I managed to drop to 62.8 kg (BMI 19.9), which was nevertheless the lightest I’ve ever been in adulthood.

RACE STRATEGY

My thoughts: I cannot ‘wing it’. I cannot go by feel and hope for the best. I will start slow and conservative and remain slow and conservative. I cannot be too close to the closing time of any of the Check Points (CP). I cannot afford to sleep because sleep takes time away from the course. I will either run or walk.

RACE DAY

On race morning, I woke up early and had my usual pre-race cup of coffee to get me started and made my way to the chartered bus which would take us runners to the start line. Soon after 6 am, we left for Acropolis, about 20 minutes away. The race starts at 7 am on Friday morning and ends at 7 pm on Saturday evening. 36 hours of running at most.

RACE

I ran based on a perceived low exertion level. The race begins at the main tourism parts of Athens and works its way to the main busy commercial areas of Athens city. After about 1 kilometer, trouble sets in! I feel distinct tightness in both my calves. I keep going, hoping for things to work out on its own. I reach the first CP at 4 km. The distress with my calves is not improving. This is a disastrous way to begin. I consumed 2 Panadols and hope for the best. Some minutes later, without me realising it, the pain in my calves just disappear. I figured that my calves and the rest of my legs were merely not warmed up.

The fuelling strategy was to consume the minimum amount of calories necessary to minimize the likelihood of GI distress. I planned to consume about 100 calories and no more than 150 calories per hour for as long as possible. The CPs were very well stocked with raisins, fruits, salty chips, biscuits, wafers, gummy candy, bread, chocolate, salted nuts, etc. For hydration, plain water and cola were ever-present.

I still diligently keep track of my splits at all CPs and reach the Half Marathon point in about 2:11 and the Full Marathon point in 4:19. More importantly, I felt great – full of energy, no physical pains, no GI distress, hydrating well and eating well.

After a few hours of winding roads, I reach the small city of Elefsina. I am greeted with high-5s from the outstretched tiny hands of children from the nearby school. The children are given a release from school to cheer the runners through. This was very heart warming, memorable and energising. Hours later, I find myself running on coastal roads with the beautiful Saronic Gulf coastline on my left. As night fell, I reached the villages of Zevgolatio and Halkion. Children were lined up sporadically along the sides of the village roads with their notepads requesting for the runner’s autograph. Another heart-warming moment.

After many long hours, at about 4am, I reached the 159 km mark which is the base of Mount Parthenion. Mount Parthenion measures almost 4 km in length, 1220 meters in elevation gain an at a 20% gradient. The path is rocky, narrow and with many sharp abrupt turns. Visibly was dreadful because of very harsh fog. Anything ahead beyond 2 meters is entirely a blur. It was getting strikingly cold now, with every breath exhale leaving a cloud of mist. After some time, I reach the mountain peak at CP48. With no time to waste, off I went to face the downhill section. The terrain on the downhill section is wide enough for a car, fully gravel with loose rocks the size of ping-pong balls. And as thought my problems weren’t abundant enough, it began to rain! I reach the base.

As daybreaks, I was happy that I made it through the night. However, from about 9 am onwards, the ankle region of both my legs were weakening. Dorsiflexion and plantar flexion movements were very quickly getting impaired. Downhills were much more painful to negotiate. I had more than 60 km remaining; 1 ½ marathons remaining. I literally cannot walk-it-in to the end because I would never finish this race within the COT this way. Conversely, I have worked too hard & too long to quit. A small consolation for me is that I’m not alone in my misery. Every runner around me also seems to be struggling. I’m just running and walking for what feels like forever.

Upon reaching CP73 at 240.5 km, I did the math and figured out that at the current pace, I’ll finish just minutes over 35 hours. I did not come to Greece to walk, jog or limp my way to the finish line, I’m here to run. If I can somehow manage a sub 6 min/km pace, I’ll make the finish line in under 35 hours.

I start running and my ankles cooperate. I start overtaking many runners. I keep going; passing city roads, navigating traffic, crossing street blocks. Only about 2 km remaining! After a few more road crossings and turns, I see the race finish line about 200 meters away. I see national flags of the runners along the street. I run as fast as I can with a big goofy grin on my face. Ahead, I see a small staircase leading to the statue of King Leonidas and beside the statue are women dressed as ancient Greek priestesses and hundreds of people all around. I stopped running at the feet of the staircase, carefully walk up the stairs and cross over the timing mat to officially finish my Spartathlon race.

Then came the ceremonial finish rituals that I have been reading, dreaming & wishing about for months – a Greek priestess hands me a goblet filled with water to drink, and I drink from the goblet. She then crowns an olive wreath over me. She leads me to the statue of King Leonidas. I kiss the feet of King Leonidas (cover photo). This is the ceremonial finish of my Spartathlon race.

POST SPARTATHLON

Both my feet were swollen by at least 1 ½ shoe sizes from the morning after the race onwards. I intended to let the swelling go down on its own but after 12 days, I grew impatient and took some water pills (diuretics).

CLOSING

This has been the furthest I’ve run, the longest I’ve run & the fittest I’ve ever been. Everything about this race is BIG. Big distance, big length of time, big crowds, big support, big reputation and (very) big talents. By far, this is my proudest, favourite and most treasured running experience ever. I feel so honoured and privileged to have run in Spartathlon 2017.

Color Manila Paradise Run 6 on January 7

By

Servinio

-

December 20, 2017

LOOKING FOR a good way to jumpstart your fitness journey in 2018? There’s no better way than to join the sixth edition of the Color Manila Paradise Run, the Philippines’ biggest fun run set for the morning of January 7 at the SM Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City.

This year’s theme is “Paradise” as the race route will be decorated to resemble a beach resort complete with palm trees and many more as color powders are thrown at the participants. The traditional Color Festival will cap the event as all will gather at the race village to throw more colored powders at each other.

For the second straight year, organizers have included a 21-kilometer category for advanced runners and those who wish to level up. It is a tribute to all those loyal Color Manila participants who have raised their game since the first race back in 2013.

Of course, the usual 10, five and three-kilometer races will be there for runners of various levels. Through the years, Color Manila has successfully introduced more Filipinos to the running and active lifestyle via a truly fun run with emphasis on the fun.

Online registration is now ongoing at www.colormanila.com where additional information can be found regarding onsite registration. Organizers are hoping to top the 12,000-strong attendance of a year ago with 15,000 runners this time via enticing promos and big discounts for group registrations.

Fees for the 21-kilometer category start at PHP 1,900.00 for the Deluxe Kit that includes a race shirt, bib number, timing chip, sunglasses and color packet. There is also the option for the VIP Kit at PHP 2,500.00 which consists of everything in the Deluxe Kit plus a bag and headwear and access to the VIP lounge and special parking area.

For the other distances, the fee is PHP 950.00 for the Deluxe Kit (shirt, bib and sunglasses) and PHP 1,500.00 for the Rock Star Kit (Deluxe plus headwear and bag). All finishers will be awarded medals.

Runners will also get the chance to share the road with surprise celebrity guests. Through the years, the Color Manila Run has been graced by the presence of stars from the worlds of entertainment and sports and other newsmakers.

The Color Manila Paradise Run is the organizing company’s flagship race will also serve as a prelude to the big Color Manila calendar for the rest of the year as they conduct fun runs all over the Philippines. By the way, a Color Manila race kit makes for a good Christmas gift so sign up for one or sign up a friend now.

5 Ways Running Improves Your Health

By

Team JustRunLah!

-

December 20, 2017

Running and walking both are some of the most popular outdoor physical activities which help to keep you in shape and fit without any extra efforts and expenses. Outdoor activities can be just as effective as working out in a gym. If you don’t believe then just try it out. It comes along with lots of health benefits. Some of them are discussed below in this article.

– It gives you Better Knees

Knees give you a full support system as one of the latest research mentioned that Running really helps in preventing the knee from osteoarthritis which is one of the most common disease these days. Many athletes and sportsmen work mostly on their knees in order to increase the thickness of cartilage present in the knees.

How one can take better care of his or her knees? The answer is running belt which helps in giving comfort while running. It is very important for the runner to be most comfortable while running so they don’t feel tired or uncomfortable at all. The best part is that it carries all of your essentials along with it in a single belt which keeps you away from any hassle.

One good thing about this belt is that it runs for a longer period of time so don’t need to buy latest fitness gadgets every other day.

– It helps in having a stress-free mind

Continuous and daily running gives a mood-boosting effect on our minds. It is actually due to the production of the high amount of endorphin in the brain due to this practice. When the amount of endorphin is high in brain, it helps to reduce the level of depression and anxiety to a maximum level by accelerating the neurons which help to fight the feeling of stress.

Stress in both its forms, acute and long-term, have some pretty bad effects on your body. Acute stress comes on fast and typically doesn’t last very long. It can be triggered by anything, from an auto accident to bumping into an old flame you weren’t prepared to see. Most of your body systems are negatively affected by acute stress. Over time, your heart will have to work overtime, and your immune system will weaken and send your fat straight to your waistline. Arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and aging all take a hit when you live with chronic stress for the rest of your life.

Running actually results in the expansion of our arteries which really helps in generating the positive vibes all over and feeling lighter. It also slows down the whole process of aging and regular athletes and runners usually don’t face bone and muscle loss. The imbalanced lifestyle can lead to osteoporosis. The active runner will always remain strong and flexible.

– It also helps in having a sharp and clear mind

The best thing about Running is that it helps to have a sharp recalling memory. You would feel changes in your memory. Your brain power would grow amazingly. Running stimulates the creation of new nerve cells and blood vessels within the brain. Similarly, it also increases the volume of midbrain which is responsible for your hearing and vision.
It really helps the brain to generate new cells by increasing the brain capacity and thought process as new cells are generated. It gives a very positive effect on the mind. Regularity in running improves management skills and consistency to do a work with a constant flow. Running can be termed as one of the most influential anti-depressing activity so, never take it for granted and try to do as much as running you can.

– It helps to have a longer life

No, not only 10 or 15 minutes – you can live more 3 to 5 years longer if you start running today. You can beat the risk of heart diseases, cholesterol and other such chronic illness. The researchers calculated that, hour for hour, running statistically returns more time to people’s lives than it consumes. Similarly, it makes them more positive and more concerned towards their lives.

– It helps to regain your Confidence level

Running will get you feel fabulous about yourself because a person who is physically fit will be confident enough to hit the world with a high head. It really helps in increasing your self-esteem. Similarly, you would become happy with yourself and would feel comfortable enough to move in social circles.

Guest post – Author Bio
Wesley is a professional engineer and runner. He graduated from the University of Florida with the degree, Master of Engineering. He currently practices engineering all over the United States where he has also been able to participate in a myriad of running events like trail runs, triathlons, and half-marathons (no full marathon…yet!). His real passion is just being outdoors and he regularly blogs about it at www.TheRunnersBackpack.com