Just Run Lah! - Singapore's online running community | JustRunLah! - Part 57
 
TICKETS

Under Armour Debuts HOVR Infinite in Singapore

Team JustRunLah!
-
0
Under Armour Debuts HOVR Infinite in Singapore

As part of its expansion in the Run footwear category, high performance sportswear label Under Armour (UA) will be launching the HOVR Infinite in February 2019, following its 2018 roll-out of the HOVR Phantom and HOVR Sonic Connected models across the world. The latest addition to UA’s digitally savvy “Connected” line and designed for high-impact, long-distance runners, HOVR Infinite enhances how consumers experience UA’s proprietary HOVR technology – its cushioning platform that features a sturdy foam compound, providing energy return and shock absorption with every foot strike.

Personalized Gait Coaching Amongst New Connected Features

Connectivity is the focus for the coming year. In 2019, the HOVR Infinite, alongside every HOVR performance running shoe around the world, will connect to UA’s “MapMyRun” application – allowing runners to track basic statistics introduced in 2018 such as running distance, pace and splits – but also more advanced gait metrics like cadence and stride length.

The Spring 2019 HOVR line will be where physical meets digital. The HOVR Infinite will include a feature that analyzes run data and provides runners with real-time, in-depth gait coaching; almost like a personalized run coach that all customers will have access to. Runners will be able to evaluate their precise progress and check their historical data, allowing for better pace prediction and planning for future runs.

“The sports industry is constantly being reshaped by technology, and digitalization is changing the way we interact with sports like running,” said Michael Binger, Chief Executive Officer, Triple Pte Ltd. “In 2019, we aim to elevate our customers’ running experiences by connecting them to digital platforms that will understand their needs and improve their performance. Our Connected Fitness investment gives us the unique ability to go wherever our runners are, via our digital community, and speak to them in a personal and intimate way.”

“Since we unveiled HOVR, all HOVR Connected workouts have tracked over 1 million miles in MapMyRun. In 2019, we are committed to continue investing in our Connected community – delivering a seamless digital running experience and building onto our current network of over 245 million users.”

The HOVR Infinite features a neutral cushioned model with 29 MM heel and 21 MM forefoot (8 MM offset), with the shoe’s foam designed to provide a sensation of 360 coverage for enhanced comfort – enabling runners to go further and longer with every run. It anchors a full suite of new HOVR running shoes that will be launched in January 2019 – the Guardian, Velociti 2, Sonic 2 and Phantom SE.

HOVR Infinite will be available for purchase in UA outlets at Orchard Central, Bugis Junction, and VivoCity. It will retail at 219 SGD. For more information, please visit http://www.underarmour.com.sg.

Upcoming SS19 HOVR Suite: The Power of the Connected Experience

UA HOVR Guardian

A stability trainer for the runner that needs support for overpronation. The UA HOVR Guardian features support elements in the heel and in the midfoot, which help to guide the foot into the most efficient kind of transition. The Guardian also contains a pronation decelerator chassis, with a dual density foam construction to help guide any overpronation and provide a stable ride.

Specs:

• Stability
• 26.5 MM Heel / 18.5 MM Forefoot
• Weight: Men’s 12 oz (340 grams) / Women’s 9.8 oz (278 grams)
• 219 SGD for the HOVR Guardian Connected

UA HOVR Velociti 2

A fast-tempo, lightweight trainer for the runner who’s focused on speed. HOVR Velociti 2 is an evolution of the original Velociti, which uses Charged cushioning.

Specs:

• Neutral
• 23 MM Heel / 15 MM Forefoot (8 MM offset)
• Weight: Men’s 9 oz (255 grams) / Women’s 7.5 oz (213 grams)
• 199 SGD for the HOVR Velociti 2 Connected

UA HOVR Sonic 2

An evolution of the original HOVR Sonic released in 2018, the UA HOVR Sonic 2 is designed to provide the smoothest ride for the everyday runner. It contains enhanced cushioning of the tongue for more lockdown over the top of the foot and offers an overall flexible, responsive and smooth transition underfoot.

Specs:

• Neutral
• 24 MM Heel / 16 MM Forefoot (8 MM offset)
• Weight: Men’s 10 oz (283 g) / Women’s 8.3 oz (235 g)
• 179 SGD for the HOVR Sonic 2 Connected

UA HOVR Phantom SE

Compared to the previous generation of UA HOVR Phantom, the Phantom SE (Sports Edition) offers a more anatomical shaping of the collar to add to that sporty edge, as well as more breathability with engineered mesh. It is built for the runner who wants ultimate plush cushioning underfoot and an overall luxury ride.

Specs:

• Neutral
• 24 MM Heel / 16 MM Forefoot (8 MM offset)
• Weight: Men’s 10.4 oz (295 g) / Women’s 8.6 oz (244 g)
• 229 SGD Connected

Strongest Elite Field Ready to Race at Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2018

Team JustRunLah!
-
0
Strongest Elite Field Ready to Race at Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2018

On Sunday, 9 December some of the top athletes in the world will be competing for a share of a SGD 420,000 total prize purse.

Professional field headlined by marathon winners from around the world, including Kenyan’s Gilbert Yegon and Stella Barsosio

The elite men’s category will see multiple marathon winners headlined by a strong group of Kenyan’s. This includes Paul Lonyangata, winner of the 2017 and 2018 Paris Marathon; Felix Kirwa, winner of SCSM 2016 and Antwerp Marathon; and Micah Kogo who earned a bronze medal in the 10,000m at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Speaking on decision to race in Singapore, Paris Marathon 2017 and 2018 champion Paul Lonyangata said “My decision to come here is so that I could win. I saw (the record) time here is 2 hours 11 minutes 25 seconds, so my aim is to lower that with a record time of 2 hours 10 minutes.”

In the women’s field, Kenyan Stella Barsosio enters the event after a fifth-place finish in Paris and ninth-place finish in Frankfurt this year. Fellow countrywoman, Agnes Kiprop was the winner of the 2018 Hannover Marathon, while Moldovan Lilia Fisikovici will challenge the field after a win at the 2019 Krakow Marathon.

All-new elite wheelchair category promises pulsating action

From Left to Right, Back Row: Ms. Jean Ng, Director, Sports, Singapore Tourism Board, Mr. Geoff Meyer, Managing Director, IRONMAN Asia and Mr. Lim Teck Yin, CEO, Sport Singapore. Front Row: Paul Lonyangata, Soh Rui Yong, Joshua George, Madison De Rozario, Eliza Ault-Connel and Zou Lihong.

The SCSM 2018 will see an all-new elite wheelchair marathon category, as a field of 11 elite wheelchair athletes, earning multiple marathon titles and 12 Paralympic medals between them, will race through the heart of Singapore on wheels.

Leading the men’s field is five-time Paralympic medalist Joshua George from the United States of America and Japanese athlete Hiroki Nishida, who clocked a personal best of 1:20:28 this year. The women’s field is headlined by 2016 Rio Paralympics double gold medalist (marathon and 4 x 100m) Zou Lihong (CHN) and Madison De Rozario (AUS) who won the Commonwealth Games Marathon and the London Marathon this year and also claimed Gold at the World Championships over 5,000m.

Impressive group of elite wheelchair athletes to debut elite wheelchair category at SCSM led by Joshua George (USA), Hiroki Nishida (JPN), Zou Lihong (CHN), and Madison De Rozario (AUS)

“I’m feeling great, I’m incredibly excited to be here, racing in a new city, in a new event. We tend to do the same races every single year, so it’s nice to get a new fresh one in. We’ve got a great men’s field here with a nice group of Japanese athletes, some of the top wheelchair racers in the world right now are coming out of Japan and they’re all here to line up on Sunday so that’ll be fun.” said Joshua George (USA).

Singapore’s fastest raring to go

For the second consecutive year, SCSM 2018 will double up as the National Championships – where top local runners will vie to be crowned Champion across four categories – the Men’s and Women’s Open and Masters. Team Singapore athletes such as reigning local winner and double Southeast Asian Games marathon gold medalist Soh Rui Yong, runner-up Ashley Liew and third-placed Evan Chee lead the field, while in the women’s category, Rachel See will look to defend her title against compatriots Mok Ying Rong and 2015 winner Neo Jie Shi.

“I’m glad to have the opportunity to race in this year’s SCSM. I’m excited by the new route and other new initiatives, such as having the wheelchair elite athletes in town. I’ve trained hard and prepared for this race and I hope to be able to cut my time and rank even closer to the leading pack of elite athletes,” said 2017 local champion, Soh Rui Yong.

The region’s marquee race kicks off this weekend

The brand new two-day race format kicks off tomorrow with the Kids Dash at Universal Studios Singapore, the re-introduced 5km category in partnership with the National Steps Challenge and the 10km race. The spectator friendly weekend festival continues Sunday with the Marathon, Half Marathon and Ekiden Relay that takes athletes through one of the world’s most iconic city skylines and past some of Singapore’s iconic landmarks such as Garden’s by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, the Esplanade, the Singapore Flyer, War Memorial Park, Singapore Merlion and Marina Barrage.

“The race has seen numerous improvements in processes across the board, including different initiatives leading up to the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. I would like to thank all runners, partners and stakeholders for the relentless support towards the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon,” said Geoff Meyer, Executive Race Director for Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon and Managing Director of Asia for IRONMAN. “As we continue our work towards creating a globally recognized event, we are developing and growing the running community not only in Singapore but across the region. Our commitment to this has seen new and significant partnerships while creating an unparalleled race experience for participants of all levels and abilities. We’re always looking at bringing something different and improved to the table and we look forward to having spectators coming out to cheer on their family and friends.”

Runners of all skill levels will enjoy a brand new route that includes additional hydration, cooling zones, and 30 entertainment points. The event is open to spectators of all ages with full views of athletes starting, and finishing from the F1 Pit Building and the Float @ Marina Bay. Full spectator information can be found here.

“Every year, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon inspires our community and enhances the experience of the runners and their supporters. The slew of improvements and additions that IRONMAN Asia has put together this year is remarkable. The concerted effort between public agencies, sponsors, runners, volunteers, stakeholders along the route and IRONMAN has also been superb. We wish all participants and those involved in putting together this two-day running festival a fantastic race experience,” said Lim Teck Yin, CEO, Sport Singapore.

SCSM 2018 participants are reminded to plan their route to the start line. Race participants or members of the public with enquiries about the road closures may call the SCSM Road Closure hotline at 6701 1230.

For information on road closures during the marathon weekend, please visit www.OneMotoring.com.sg

For more information, please visit www.SingaporeMarathon.com

* Adapted from Press Release

Income Eco Run 2019: Returns With New Initiatives

Team JustRunLah!
-
0
Income Eco Run 2019: Returns With New Initiatives

Southeast Asia’s premier eco run, Income Eco Run, is back for 2019 and to be held at the F1 Pit Building on 28 April 2019. Armed with results from the 2018 Green Assessment Report, Income makes further commitment to reduce waste and promote sustainability.

New in 2019’s edition:

Zero Waste 5km Run Category

Use of solar energy on Race Day

Zero Waste 5km Run Category

Eliminating the use of plastic-lined paper cups

In their continuing efforts to reduce waste at the race, Income is taking the bold step to
eliminate the use of plastic-lined paper cups at hydration points for the Zero Waste 5km Run. Instead, each participant of this category will be given a specially produced reusable cup. These reusable cups will be handed out to runners on the day of the race.

Foldable and easy to hold, runners can stash the cup in their pockets or clip it to their running vests so that they can use it for their hydration needs during the run. Runners also get to keep their reusable cups so that they will be encouraged to use them post-race and to keep up the momentum to reduce, reuse and recycle. Zero Waste runners in the other categories – 10km and 21.1km Half Marathon – will also have the option of picking up a reusable cup on race day for their hydration needs and to further support the cause.

Income began using partially plastic-lined cups for the annual race in April this year and also ensured that all cups used were recycled. The effort led to a reduction of overall waste
produced at the race and an increase in recycling rate. In 2018, 92.4% of waste generated at the race was recycled as compared to 62.9% in 2017 – a 31% increase in its recycling efforts.

With the introduction of the reusable cup, it is estimated that Income can save close to 20,000* papers cups. This will lead to a further reduction of 60kg in waste produced during the race. In addition, plastic-lined running bibs for the Zero Waste 5km Run participants will be replaced with paper wristbands, which are recyclable. Plastic packaging will also be removed from all running singlets, including finisher tees for all runners.

* Based on the estimation of the number of Zero Waste runners for the 2019 Income Eco Run and based on an average runner’s hydration needs of two cups of fluids every 5km.

Find out more about #ZeroWaste here.

Use of solar energy on Race Day

Offset up to 60% of energy consumed

Another new introduction to the race next year is the incorporation of solar energy on Race Day. This initiative will help offset up to 60% of energy consumed at the start area and will be powered by Singapore’s leading clean energy provider, Sunseap. This also means that Income Eco Run 2019 will be the first mass participation event that makes use of solar energy during the event.

The introduction of these initiatives gives Income the opportunity to encourage the community to adopt more environmentally sustainable habits. Our daily actions and activities directly impact the environment, and a little step forward goes a long way. Income tries to push the boundaries a little more at each edition of the Income Eco Run to challenge themselves and the participants. They aim to introduce more environmentally-friendly measures within the race each year and to encourage each other to embrace the changes and to do more for the quest towards zero waste. This is the spirit which Income Eco Run aims to drive across – to lead healthier lives and collectively build a sustainable future.

Register now

Embark on the journey towards zero waste

Early-bird promotion ends on 12 February 2019, so register now and join the run towards zero waste! There are also promotions for Zero Waste Runners and Running Buddies with more savings to be enjoyed!

Singapore Marathon 2018: Flag-off Times, Road Closures and Last Minute information

Team JustRunLah!
-
0
Singapore Marathon 2018: Flag-off Times, Road Closures and Last Minute information

Time flies and it’s happening this weekend! Singapore’s flagship running event is here and it’s your time to… JustRunLah! and put your hard work and determination to the test. Check out below important information for your racing weekend.

Flag-Off Times

– Marathon

Date: 9 December 2018 (Sunday)
Venue: F1 Pit
Flag off time: 4.30am onwards
Cut-off time: 7 hours
Race Village, Gear Bag Deposit & Pen Open: 2.00am
Gear Bag Deposit Close: 4.10am (Pen A – D) & 4.40am (Pen E – G)
Route Map: Click here for Google Map

– Half Marathon

Date: 9 December 2018 (Sunday)
Venue: F1 Pit
Flag off time: 4.30am onwards
Cut-off time: 4 hours
Race Village, Gear Bag Deposit & Pen Open: 2.00am
Gear Bag Deposit Close: 4.10am (Pen A – D) & 4.40am (Pen E – G)
Route Map: Click here for Google Map

– Ekiden

Date: 9 December 2018 (Sunday)
Venue: F1 Pit
Flag off time: 4.30am onwards
Cut-off time: 7 hours
Race Village, Gear Bag Deposit & Pen Open: 2.00am
Gear Bag Deposit Close: 4.10am (Pen A – D) & 4.40am (Pen E – G)
Route Map: Click here for Google Map

The Ekiden is a team relay, whereby five participants (of mixed or same gender) will compete in five stages of unequal distances, totalling 42.195km.

At the first changeover point, the second runner of the same team will receive a sash from the first runner; this relay will continue until the fifth / last runner of the team finishes the race.

There will be no bag drop service provided at the changeover zones. All Ekiden runners are strongly encouraged to travel light, if possible. Otherwise, Ekiden runners may consider the following:
– Drop bag off at Bag Deposit located at F1 Pit Building before race and use shuttle service to reach changeover zones (except for Ekiden Runner 4)
– Pass your bag to the next preceding runner when the sash is handed over at the changeover zone.

– 10km

Date: 8 December 2018 (Saturday)
Venue: F1 Pit
Flag off time: 7.00am onwards
Race Village, Gear Bag Deposit & Pen Open: 5.00am
Gear Bag Deposit Close: 6.40am (Pen A – C), 6.55am (Pen D – E) & 7.25am (Pen F – G)
Route Map: Click here for Google Map

– National Steps Challenge™ 5km

Date: 8 December 2018 (Saturday)
Venue: F1 Pit
Flag off time: 7.45am onwards
Route Map: Click here for Google Map

– Kids Dash

Date: 8 December 2018 (Saturday)
Venue: Universal Studios Singapore
Flag off time: 7.00am onwards
Meeting Point Open: 6.00am
Start Pen Open: 10 minutes before flag-off time
Information Guide: Click here to download

Kids Dash is a non-competitive fun run for young runners aged up to 12, with no timing chips issued. The race is designed to encourage kids to participate in a running event and take up the sport while they are young. Kids are encouraged to come out to have fun and be part of this momentous occasion.

Baggage Deposit Information

Please take note of the information and timings below:

Start Pen Information

The reporting place depends on which pen the runner is in. Make sure you report to the access point of the pen you belong to. You are able to find which pen you are in on your Race Bib.

Log your time at JustRaceLah! – The Free App for Runners

Keep track of your results and progress by adding any of the 2000+ races of our database to your own portfolio. Keep your running memories organised and see your timings improving!

 

4 Articles To Get You Going!

Getting to the race ground

Note that: Train services will not be available during the early hours of Sunday, 9 December.

To ensure a smooth journey to the Race Start for all runners, SCSM has partnered with ShareTransport to provide bus-pooling service from 47 pick-up locations, travelling point-to-point to Race Start.

Shuttle Bus Pick Up Points: Google Map, PDF

Each runner may purchase 1 shuttle bus ticket at $8 from 3 Dec onwards.
All purchase, payment and boarding ticket will be available on the ShareTransport app.

On Saturday 8 Dec, 5km and 10km runners may choose the 5:15am shuttle service or make your way down via other means. You may visit SMRT website for more information on train schedule here to plan your way to the Start Line.

On Sunday 9 Dec, Marathon, Half Marathon and Ekiden runners may choose between the 2am or 3am shuttle services or make their way on their own via other transportation options.

Follow the ShareTransport steps here to purchase your shuttle bus ticket now.

Road Closure Advisory

Various areas are affected. Click here for more details.

8 December 2018, Saturday

9 December 2018, Sunday

Information is taken from: www.singaporemarathon.com

Please check the official website as details might change any time by the organisers without warning.

Runners From Across The Globe To Compete At 2018 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon

Team JustRunLah!
-
0
Runners From Across The Globe To Compete At 2018 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon

· Approximately 50,000 registered runners to converge in Singapore on Saturday and Sunday, December 8-9

· Paralympic champions and elite marathon winners form strongest elite field to date

· One of 50 global events slated as qualifier for inaugural Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Championships

· Enhanced Race Entry Pack Collection and all-new Foodtastic Village brings unparalleled pre-race experience

Approximately 50,000 runners from around the world will take to the streets of Singapore when the 17th annual Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) takes place this weekend.

For the first time, the region’s only IAAF Gold Label race will be held over two days, 8 and 9 December, bringing together a diverse field of athletes aged one to 88 from 127 different countries, regions, and territories.

“We are incredibly excited to bring a brand new two-day event format to go with a new course design and all new 5km distance,” said Geoff Meyer, Executive Race Director for Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon and Managing Director of Asia for IRONMAN. “We look forward to taking this event to the next level and would not be able to do so without the support and partnership of Sport Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board, and Standard Chartered Bank. We look forward to welcoming the approximately 50,000 runners to this incredible place and showing Singapore off to the world.”

Singapore is the most represented nation with over 23,000 registered competitors, followed by Malaysia (4,905), India (3,632), China (2,556), Philippines (2,545), Japan (1,967) and Indonesia (1,758). The United Kingdom is also bringing more than 1,200 athletes while others like the United States, South Africa, Israel, Brazil, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mayotte, Peru, Estonia and Honduras are traveling around the globe to compete in Singapore.

Highlighting the field is the Marathon elite category, including 2018 Paris Marathon Champion, Paul Longyangata, and also Marathon wheelchair athletes such as five-time Paralympic medalist Joshua George and 2016 Rio Paralympics marathon gold medalist, Zou Lihong.

Flying the Singapore flag, Rachel See and Soh Rui Yong will be defending their titles against more than 20 Team Singapore runners such as Ashley Liew or Neo Jie Shi. They will flag off with the elites and vie for their chance to be crowned national champion and earn their share of the new S$420,000 total prize purse.

On 8 December, participants of all ages will kick off the weekend-long festival when they take to the Kids Dash at Universal Studios Singapore or run the re-introduced 5km category in partnership with the National Steps Challenge and the 10km race.

This year, friends and family can support participants, and track their progress with the new improved live-app that can be downloaded free from the App Store and Google Play Store. Designed in partnership with Tata Consultancy Services, the app offers unparalleled tracking capabilities and real time updates of each participant’s progress by simply keying in their names or bib numbers.

SCSM 2018 Fun Facts

Additional historical facts and stats for this year’s Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon:

  • Approximately 50,000 registered runners over the course of the two-day event
  • 127 countries, regions, and territories represented
  • 64 percent of participants are male
  • 36 percent of participants are female
  • 35 is the average age of registrants this year
  • 236 athletes will be celebrating their birthday on race weekend (115 on Dec. 8 and 121 on Dec. 9)
  • 58,500 bananas, 147,000 litres of water, 49,000 litres of isotonic
  • SGD $420,000 total prize purse
  • An unprecedented 30 entertainment points throughout the course, including performances by local bands, street performers, and cheerleaders will amp up energy levels and spur on runners.
  • More than 4,000 volunteers will help make the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon a success

Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Championships

The 2018 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon is one of 50 events across the globe providing age group athletes the opportunity to qualify for the inaugural AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships, being held as part of the Virgin Money London Marathon in 2020.

The AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings launched in September 2018 at the BMW BERLIN-Marathon and gives Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon competitors aged 40+ the opportunity to represent their countries with pride and passion by earning a place at the start line of the prestigious and much sought after 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon.

Participants in AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Ranking qualifying races, such as Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, will earn points according to their age, time and gender, aligned with the following age groups for men and women: 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+.

For more information on the scoring system and world rankings, visit www.worldmarathonmajors.com/agwr/how-it-works/.

Race Entry Pack Collection and Expo

The SCSM Race Entry Pack Collection and Expo opens daily from 5 December to 8 December. In addition to collecting their Race Entry Pack, runners can spend their day interacting with over 130 brands where they can learn more about running and nutrition take part in VR and AR challenges while being the first in Asia to try on an all-new shoe by Under Armour.

The SCSM Race Entry Pack Collection and Expo is open to the public.

Date: 5th to 8th December 2018
Time: 4.00pm to 10.00pm (Wednesday)
10.00am to 10.00pm (Thursday – Friday)
9.00am to 7.00pm (Saturday)
Venue: Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre (1 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018971)

Foodtastic Village by SCSM 2018

An all-new F&B and entertainment offering set along the beautiful Marina Bay waterfront brings participants and the public a combination of nutritious meals and entertainment from 6 to 9 December 2018. Indulge in everything from burgers to meat balls and experience race week like never before.

Foodtastic Village by SCSM 2018 is open to members of public.

Date: 6th to 9th December 2018
Time: 3.00pm to 10.00pm
Venue: Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza
Price of food: From $5 and above

For more information about the 2018 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, please visit www.SingaporeMarathon.com.

5 Health Apps Which Reward You For Being Active

Team JustRunLah!
-
0
5 Health Apps Which Reward You For Being Active

You have heard about activity tracking mobile apps or devices. You will be pleased to also know that there are some apps/programs which reward you for your active lifestyle.

Below are 5 of the many apps out there which you may want to check out if you own a Garmin fitness device. If you have yet to get one, you should check out your email inbox for the Super Value Garmin Year-End Sale exclusively for JustRunLah! subscribers. Not yet a subscriber? You can subscribe here.

Garmin Connect (For anyone)

First of all, you will need the Garmin Connect App before you embark on the fitness apps below. Garmin Connect is your online training tool to store, analyze and share all your fitness activities. If you have logged the miles, clocked hours, walked the steps and pumped the heart rate, you should be rewarded with tools and features to keep track of your progress and train towards your goals.

There are dozens of ready-made reports available on the Garmin Connect app which make it easy to track your average lap pace over time, tally your monthly mileage, or compare your average heart rate to your average pace for the year.

You can also access training plans based on your fitness level and your target event, where workouts and rest days are prescribed by expert running, cycling and multisport coaches. You can even send your training plan workouts to your compatible Garmin device for step-by-step guidance.

When your workouts get a little ho-hum, a new course can spice things up. Search any corner of the world for courses created by other Garmin Connect users. Use the colour-coded heat map overlay to see how busy an area is and what types of activities are most popular there.

Whether you are competitive or just curious, you can connect to your friends, foes or pros to see how they stay active. Give a friend props for her latest PR or razz her for a super slow transition.

Healthy 365 (For Singaporeans/Permanent Residents)

Healthy 365 is a health and diet tracking mobile application brought to you by the Health Promotion Board (“HPB”) of Singapore. The free app enables you to track your daily steps count and calculate the corresponding calories burned as you move. It also helps to track your daily food & drinks intake and the corresponding calories consumed.

By putting together the concept of caloric balance, the Healthy 365 app provides an overview of your overall daily calories consumed and burned, aiding you in your weight management journey for a healthier lifestyle.

With this app, you can sign up for the HPB National Steps Challenge. You will then be rewarded with Healthpoints based on the number of steps you take each day and/or time spent on moderate to vigorous physical activities (based on heart rate). You can then redeem/exchange Healthpoints for sure-win rewards/vouchers.

All you need to do is to link your activity tracking device/apps (such as Garmin Connect) to your Healthy 365 app.

AIA Vitality  (For AIA Insurance Policyholders)

AIA Vitality is a wellness programme that works with you to make a real change to your health. It keeps you motivated by adding up the benefits of every healthy choice you make, however small. So, you can live a healthy life that’s rewarding in every way.

AIA Vitality saves you money with cashback and discounts as you get healthier. You can enjoy a bonus of $150 once you achieve Platinum status, discounts from gym memberships, airfares to health screening packages. You also get to enjoy free additional coverage or get up to 15% premium discount as you get healthier, giving you more motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

All you have to do is know more about your health, work towards improving it and get rewarded along the way. Link your activity tracking device/apps (such as Garmin Connect) to your AIA Vitality app to start getting rewarded.

GETGREAT (For anyone)

GETGREAT is a platform from Great Eastern which allows you to start your journey to greater health with GERI, the first-ever AI-hybrid wellness coach.

With the guidance and motivation by GERI, you will be able to: 1) Achieve your wellness goals, 2) Get rewarded when you take on challenges, by yourself or with friends, and 3) Receive health tips every day.

Link your activity tracking device/apps (such as Garmin Connect) to your GETGREAT app to start getting rewarded for your daily steps taken.

JustRaceLah!  (For anyone)

JustRaceLah! is the app for all runners and active individuals who enjoy taking part in marathons and road races in Asia – Pacific.

You can build your own race calendar, shortlist your favourite events and keep track of your race results. You can also browse race reviews, read and bookmark running articles, or view photo galleries. You will get rewarded with access to exclusive discount codes, contests and freebies too.

Upload screenshots from your activity tracking apps (such as Garmin Connect) or photos to keep track of your timings and cherish your running memories.

Review: Santa Run for Wishes 2018 (by stargazer)

stargazer
-
0
Review: Santa Run for Wishes 2018 (by stargazer)

The Santa Run for Wishes is organised by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, with its objective to grant wishes to children with life threatening medical conditions. It is held at the Sports Hub, OCBC Square on the 2 Dec. The run originated in Arizona, USA, and is now held in many countries around the world in the name of charity.

There are 3 categories to this year’s edition: 2.5 km fun run, 5 km fun run and 10 km competitive run. My friend Skye and me are taking part in the 10 km category.

Event Shirt

There are 2 designs: the santa for adults and elf for kids. The designs, which I believe are standard in the same race in other countries, are in line with the theme of the run. Though I feel that it could somewhat only be suitably worn during this run or when you go shopping and sight-seeing at Orchard during the Christmas period.

Race Day

We had originally planned to meet at Kallang Wave Mall at 6.45 am. But I overslept (first time for a race) and reached at 7.30 am. After some consideration, we decided to run the 5 km route instead, as the 10 km runners had already been flagged off at 7 am and would now be in their return leg. Also, we didn’t want to wait for the 5 km flag off at 9 am as we felt it was quite late and we had more than an hour before 9 am.

Wasting no time, we commenced our run after some warm up exercises.  I had been here for the past races so I was quite familiar with the usual race routes; whereas this is Skye’s first race. I shared with her some of my race experiences, as well as the joys of running in Gardens By The Bay East. In my opinion, it is more enticing to run here in the evenings to enjoy the beautifiul night scenery this area has to offer. We passed the first hydration point outside Passion Wave and turned back when we reached the 2.5 km mark. By now, the 10 km runners were heading back towards the Finish Point and we joined them for the rest of the distance.

We rested a while, before proceeding to the Start Point to witness the flag-off for the 5 km and 2.5 km run. There was really a much bigger crowd of participants here compared to the 10 km run, with many families and their young kids in tow.  I had initially wondered why there was a 2 hr time difference for the flag offs between the 10 km and 5 km runs, but now I believe the organizers arranged thus so that the timed 10 km runners have an unblock passage of way.

There was a host of activities at the OCBC Square: a bouncy castle, carousel and stalls selling nice ornaments.  We lingered a while before taking our breakfast at ‘My Kampong’ at level 2. It was around 10 am when we left. Skye commented she had a fruitful morning and that she is keen to participate in other races. I said, ‘why not’?

Comments

I think 9 am is a bit late for the 5 km and 2.5 km runs. I suggest the following categories and flag off times: (1) 10 km competitive run and 5 km fun run – 7 am (2) 2.5 km fun walk – 8.30 am.

Reasons for Running a Marathon

Juan Koss
-
3
Reasons for Running a Marathon

If you’ve never run a marathon, you probably can’t imagine what in the world possesses those that do run them to do so. Even those that run regularly may not understand the appeal of running a full 26.2 mile course all in one day. But there are many reasons to consider running a marathon, or even a half marathon.

When I turned 40 I found myself in strange and unexpected place in my life. I hadn’t accomplished many life goals, I had gained weight after having two wonderful children, I had no particular hobbies and I was completely uncertain, for the first time, of where my life was headed. I knew it was time to make a list of all of the things that I wanted to accomplish in life and start checking items off the list. I started by training for my first triathlon, which had been something that I had wanted to do since I was in high school. As you probably know, a triathlon is made up of three events, swimming, biking and running. Since I wasn’t a runner, this training was more challenging that I might have imagined. During my first triathlon, I completed the run portion as more of a run/ walk. Finishing was mostly satisfying, but I made up my mind right then that I would never finish another triathlon during which I had not run the entire last leg of the race. It was a silly pride thing, but it was important to me.

It was that experience that sparked my running career. Before I knew it, I was training for longer and longer runs. In 2017 I completed my first ½ marathon and in 2018, I entered my first full marathon, finishing with a time of 4:50 on a very hilly course. For me, the impetus to enter the marathon was likely born out of a midlife crisis of sorts. But there are other reasons that inspire people. Maybe somewhere in this list, you’ll find your inspiration.

Reasons for Running a Marathon

RUNNING FOR CHARITY

There are no shortage of charities out there looking for ways to raise funds. Choose the charity of your choice and use your running efforts to raise funds. You’ll be amazed at how many people you can reach through your social networking circles, by email, blog and through other outreach efforts. Ask people to donate a set amount or make a per-mile pledge. You might consider contacting the local paper, television or radio stations to alert them as to your fundraising efforts. Many have short time slots available for human interest stories and would be happy to give you coverage. You may even contact the charity of your choice and let them know about your efforts. They might be able to feature you in an upcoming newsletter, flyers or other mailings that may further your fundraising efforts.

RUNNING FOR YOUR HEALTH

Running is a great cardiovascular workout. You can burn lots of calories, strengthen your aerobic and cardiac conditioning and lose weight. It can also be hard on your joints, especially hips and knees, so it is best to consult with a physician before beginning a new running regime. Couple your new fitness program with improved nutrition and you’ll be seeing a whole new you in no time!

RUNNING FOR COMPANIONSHIP

Running clubs can be found in all kinds of communities, large and small. Running apparel shops, triathlon gear shops and other sporting good stores often have running clubs that meet regularly and offer opportunities for people to run in small groups, large groups or even 1:1. There are also clubs that meet, offering singles the opportunity to meet other singles who also enjoy running. What better way to meet someone special than joining a club with people who enjoy the same types of activities and healthy lifestyle that you do?

RUNNING FOR GOOD MENTAL HEALTH/ SELF-ESTEEM

Running a marathon or half-marathon is an enormous accomplishment and while many people have pulled off such a feat, there are a far greater number of people who have not, could not and will never even try. This places you in an exclusive club, so enjoy it! If just finishing a marathon can give you such a feeling of accomplishment, just imagine how great you’ll feel if you are healthier, leaner and perhaps even running for charity! The process of training toward your first marathon can also really improve your mental health and sense of self-esteem. Just getting out on the trails or city streets, listening to the sounds of nature or your favorite play lists, and breathing the fresh air is a great way to reduce or eliminate the stresses of the day, lower blood pressure and gain a fresh perspective. For busy parents, it also provides an opportunity for much needed respite from responsibility that can be quite cathartic.

RUNNING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

People that are working full time, raising families and have other commitments will find that carving out time for training can be a challenge. Why not consider making runs to and from the office part of your training? You’ll not only get regular runs in, but you can eliminate the use of automobiles, reducing carbon emissions and fuel consumption, and having a positive overall effect on the environment. Maybe you can even start a running pool as an alternative to the traditional car pool with coworkers. This can increase your environmental improvement efforts as well as the overall health of persons that you work with.

RUNNING FOR THE MEDAL AND THE GOODIE BAG

Okay, I admit it. Sometimes the best reason for picking a particular race is just to get the good stuff! Many races offer quality commemorative medals that are worth running the race in and of themselves! In addition, most races offer t-shirts and a variety of other goodies such as water bottles, lip balm, power gel, coupons and more. I always save my bibs too. They make great memorabilia.

Learning To Run In The Rain? A review of Penang Bridge International Marathon 2018 by Paradigm Runner

Paradigm Runner
-
0
Learning To Run In The Rain? A review of Penang Bridge International Marathon 2018 by Paradigm Runner

The heavy downpour during Penang Bridge International Marathon 2018 (PBIM18) has certainly raised a storm of angry protest among its runners. Rightly or wrongly, even keyboard commentators also rained down (pun intended) criticism on its organizer.

What began as an almost-perfect flag-off of this international marathon has somehow exploded into a drama of various issues that has left runners disgruntled, PBIM18 organizer chided, run cancellation queried – and a pacer nearly struck by lightning!

So much has been posted on the social media; ranging from the frustration of 10-km participants, the wrath of terrible weather, the inaccessible mall, to the long queuing time for parking and medals, the Chips’More-size 10-km medals, the late-comers who demanded their medals and many more.

Consequently, accusations were thrown at PBIM18 organizers for their alleged incompetence and lack of contingency plans. The question was whether all the flak was thoroughly deserved or just a proverbial storm in PBIM18 teacup.

PBIM18 with friends

As a PBIM18 Full Marathon (FM) finisher, let me objectively offer my assessment. I will not touch on all the issues, but focus my review on 3 key areas:-

  1. The decision to cancel 10-km run, but continue with FM and HM (Half Marathon)
  2. The long waiting time for the medals
  3. The manning of water stations

TO CANCEL OR NOT TO CANCEL, THAT’S THE QUESTION!

Post-PBIM18, some participants predictably vented their frustration and disappointment over the internet, chastising the wisdom of 10-km cancellation and citing the extent of training and expenses they had undertaken in preparation for the event.

Before coming to a conclusion, let me share my experience of the storm! After the flag-off of FM (1.30am), ominous clouds soon gathered in the sky.  The weather took a turn for the worse, when it began to rain around 4.30am. What took everybody by surprise was how fast the drizzle abruptly erupted into a squall – with flashes of lightning and claps of thunder.

Abetted by the strong sideways wind, the heavy downpour incessantly assailed the marathoners left, right and centre. Every raindrop felt like a sting on the skin and at times, the participants ran into headwind. There was no shelter from the ‘assault’, especially for runners out in the open on the bridge, where they were completely at the mercy of the elements.

Perhaps the thought of discontinuing did cross the mind of the marathoners. Frankly speaking, the option of stopping on the bridge amidst the thunderstorm was equally unattractive; hence my decision to press on!

Despite what others may say, my personal view is that the bold decision to cancel 10km run should be applauded, instead of hammered! The overriding factor should be the runner’s safety. It would be much worse if the 10km run had continued and a few runners were injured during the tempest. A few also argued that the rain has already subsided around 630pm (10km flag-off time), but who could guarantee that the storm would not return with a fury?

We certainly don’t need a repeat of runner’s accident! Perhaps we still recall the unfortunate demise of marathoner Evelyn Ang from Klang City International Marathon 2017 and the mishap of participants in Pahang Marathon 2018.

Running in the rain during PBIM18

Some also asked why HM & FM runs were not called off during the downpour and comparisons were inevitably made to the recently-cancelled Putrajaya Night Marathon 2018 (also due to bad weather).

Well….. perhaps this is something that PBIM18 organizer should come out to explain! In all honesty, I was expecting the run to be stopped; hence I could only half-guess the reason for their decision.

A possible flow of thought was that most HM and FM runners should be either just approaching the bridge, or somewhere near the mid-span, when the thunderstorm struck.

The million-ringgit question was if PBIM18 organizer abandoned the entire marathon, could they somehow promptly mobilize many sweeper buses to fetch thousands of unsheltered runners stranded on the bridge? Unless they readily worked out a contingency plan (eg dozens of buses already on standby), this could trigger a logistic nightmare and may even expose the runners to the additional risk of more vehicles plying the bridge during the storm.

Remember that with hindsight, everything is always 20/20.

THE WAITING GAME

The long queue for the medal seems to be a perennial problem of PBIM plaguing this run for several years. With this matter still fresh during PBIM17, it was a surprise that this issue still reared its ugly head this time. Was there any valid justification for the waiting game?

Let’s examine what has happened!

It should be anticipated that upon the 10-km-run cancellation, its participants would make a beeline for their medals. Unlike the gradual arrival of finishers, this time there would be a sudden bottleneck of 11,000-plus queuing runners.

Given the task magnitude (unless somehow PBIM18 organizer can instantly have additional counters and helpers), it was understandable that there should be some waiting time for 10-km medals.

Runners queuing up to collect their medals (Photo credit: The Star)

However what truly puzzled us was the feedback that some exhausted FM runners also had to wait at least 20-30 minutes in the rain for theirs. Perhaps more helpers or stations may be needed in future.

How about pre-packed goodies bags (medal, finisher tee, food etc)? And the collection lanes created based on T-shirt size (as conducted by other established marathons)? This would surely minimize the checking and shouting of T-shirt size and last-minute packing of goodies bags, which may cut down waiting time.

Perhaps PBIM organizer could learn from the experience of other run organizers – for example despite higher participation (38,000 runners), Dirigo Events (the organizer of Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon) seemed to handle the medal distribution rather well. No congestion or complaint of long waiting time, with the medal collection process rather smooth flowing!

MUSIC TO MY EAR

One plus point about PBIM18 was the numerous water stations along the run route! These stations were about 3-4km apart, with a few perhaps about 2km away from the next one.

A special mention must also be made about the volunteers and kids who were in charge of these water stations. Despite the tempest, they steadfastly remained at their assigned sites.

As a marathoner myself, nothing dampened the spirit of runners, more than the sight of abandoned water stations. Not only did these volunteers distribute the much-needed food and drink in the rain, they also loudly encouraged the tired runners to persevere.

Indeed their cheering voices sounded like music in the rain and helped to lighten the dire situation. Their enthusiasm has definitely won much admiration from everyone, especially the marathoners!

On behalf of all runners, my utmost appreciation to these unsung heroes again – “kudos for your dedication and a job well done”!

Runners on the bridge (Photo credit: The Star)

After all is said and done, so where does that leave us now?

In my opinion, PBIM18 organizer surely has to improve on certain aspects of their event, but not all censure from their critics was warranted.

In his PBIM18 message, YAB Chow Kon Yeow (Chief Minister of Penang) said that “I am confident that the new PBIM committee will continue PBIM’s reputable legacy and take the PBIM to greater heights”; hence the onus must fall on PBIM committee to do the right thing to scale that lofty altitude!

In view of the mounting criticism from runners and public, it will be wise if PBIM18 organizer positively takes the feedback from public on various issues, critically analyze their processes, build on their strength and look for areas for improvement. If necessary, try to benchmark with other world-standard marathons, as well as consider whether to change the event date to avoid the raining season.

Perhaps they should make a public announcement on their findings and how they intend to improve for PBIM19. Only then will they be able to restore public confidence and receive continuous support from the running community. “Keeping silent and hoping people will forget” should not be their modus operandi!

As the motivational saying goes “Life is NOT about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to run in the rain!”

Ratings for Penang Bridge International Marathon 2018

Food Review: Gu Ma Jia Private Kitchen

Zhiyong
-
0
Food Review: Gu Ma Jia Private Kitchen

After tapering from my run sessions, I have learnt to also appreciate other aspects of life. This time, I get to sit down with a table of food connoisseurs and enjoy a sumptuous Chinese New Year meal.

It may seem too early for some Chinese New Year dishes when Christmas mood only just sets in. However, come to think of it, Chinese New Year will be approaching in a blink of an eye, falling on 5-6 February in 2019.

Chinese New Year is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. The festival was traditionally a time to honour deities as well as ancestors, and the evening preceding Chinese New Year’s Day is frequently regarded as an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner.

For health-conscious sports and fitness enthusiasts, Chinese New Year goodies are always too much to take. They give these people the guilt and probably the mindset that all the past year’s hard work will go to waste.

We can, on the other hand, think of it as after one whole year (or years for some) of hard work, it should be time to reward ourselves, especially so for enjoying a good indulging meal with family and loved ones.

Even though we are to indulge anyway, we can still go somewhere which serves healthier food, not just for the sake of ourselves, but also for the young and the elderly.

The award-winning Gu Ma Jia is one such place that serves a hearty, mouth-watering reunion dinner, and at the same time adopts a philosophy of no MSG-added, less oil,
less salt and less sugar where possible in their dishes. Known to be fully booked for their reunion dinner packages, we are advised to book at least 2 to 3 months ahead to secure their seats.

Some of the signature dishes which we tasted include:

My favourites are:

  1. Assam Fish (For people who can’t take spicy food well as their version is non-spicy)
  2. Crispy Brinjal (Not easily available elsewhere)
  3. Yuan Yang Kailan (Leaves fried to crunch crisp while the stems are succulent)
  4. Peach Gum Beautifying & Nourishing Dessert (Less sugar and free from preservatives; helps to rejuvenate skin, cleanse the blood, boost immunity, lower cholesterol and balancing the pH levels in our bodies)

Their other signature dishes include:

They also have the Roasted Suckling Pig for your selection especially during CNY:

Gu Ma Jia is located at 45 Tai Thong Crescent Senett Estate Singapore 347866. They are open Mondays to Fridays: 11am to 2.30pm (Last order 2pm)  5.30pm to 9.30pm (Last order 9pm) and Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays: 11am to 10pm (Last order 9.15pm).

For more information, you can also check them out via their Website: www.gumajia.com.sg, Facebook: www.fb.com/sg.gumajia or Instagram: @gumajia.

* Disclaimer: This review represents the genuine, unbiased views of the author. The author was provided with free tasting. Gu Ma Jia’s products might currently be advertised on JustRunLah! via different channels, however, these relationships do not influence the editorial content of reviews.

How the Ho Chi Minh City Marathon built and connected the running community in Vietnam

Team JustRunLah!
-
0
How the Ho Chi Minh City Marathon built and connected the running community in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh city Marathon powered by Taiwan Excellence is, as any other marathon, an individual-oriented and competitive race. However, the marathon aims to be a friendly and supportive role for participants, where different running levels are welcome. Check out what the biggest marathon in Vietnam is doing in order to grow the running community:

Spreading pure inspiration through personal and touching “Dream Big With The City” stories

Started since 2017, Ho Chi Minh city Marathon (HCMC Marathon) powered by Taiwan Excellence kicked-off the campaign in order to bring running and marathon closer to the citizen.

The main message “Dream Big With The City” has brought inspiration from the city and its people, with the aim to encourage others to be part of the dream, a dream to be one of the most lively urban and city marathon in Southeast Asia. Different marathon stories, from volunteers to runners, has been shared in order to inspire others:

Mrs. Nguyet or “Mama” as she calls herself, at the age of 58 years old, is one of the oldest Vietnamese woman participating in Triathlon and Marathon in Vietnam. “While you do have a lot of options when you are young, your health should still be the most important thing. I’m an elderly and I can still run which means, for sure you can too and even longer and faster! Meanwhile I can go slow because I’m old” – she expressed while laughing.

“First is Ho Chi Minh City Marathon in 2018, and next will be our wedding day!” is the  story from a young couple which has inspired other runners to not run individually, but to run for a shared goal. The couple stated – “Ever since I met this special girl, my life has totally changed. To me, Ho Chi Minh City Marathon was about doing this together with my girl. We tried our first 5km in the first year of the race and in the second year, we upgraded to the 10 km distance. The third year, we made a promise that if one of the two could finish 21km, that’s when we would get married. Although it took me nearly 3 exhausting hours to finish the race, the moment I saw her smiling at the finish line, every pain and effort were worth it and… we are getting married soon. First will be Ho Chi Minh City Marathon, and next will be our wedding day!”

12 stories of runners, volunteers and supporters have been shared on HCMC Facebook. Click here to check them out and be inspired!

Educating families about the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle on kids.

Not only mom and dad get all the fun, kids can also run their race and be the finishers of the Ho Chi Minh City Marathon. The Kids Dash is designed especially for kids to encourage them to be healthy through participating in the 1KM (For kids from 6-10 years old) race route.

By sharing the story of the Trinhs Family, Ho Chi Minh City Marathon encourage parents to engage more into running in order to influence their kids to be more active as a part of their family healthy life

Becoming a global meeting point of every runner, from beginners to professionals, international to local athletes, from individual to corporates/companies.

Building a solid foundation of recognition and credibility through successful events since 2013, Ho Chi Minh city Marathon powered by Taiwan Excellence has been non-stopped improving the race itself to become the perfect occasion for corporates/companies to strengthen the team spirit and motivate their employees to run and have a healthier lifestyle.

With the constant increase in local participation, a huge amount of attention and interest generated by the audience each year, there are more than 70 companies have signed-up to join Ho Chi Minh City Marathon. Becoming a global meeting for runners from all over the world, from beginners to professionals, international to local athletes, Ho Chi Minh City Marathon powered by Taiwan Excellence is also a chance for brands and organizations to approach potential customers in Vietnam market and around the world, actively and passionately

List of top 10 corporates/ companies signed-up with most participation.

No one can represent the city more than volunteers and supporters

The marathon acknowledged that the spirit of the city marathon not only comes from runners but also created by volunteers and supporters, who are always ready to give support with a warm heart. Ho Chi Minh City Marathon wouldn’t be loved this much without them, the best supporters and volunteers.

Tremendous support from government, sponsors and partners since the very first year of HCMC Marathon

The HCMC marathon is the premier event in Ho Chi Minh City in terms of participation and number of editions held. Its history began with 5000 runners participating in the first edition in 2013 growing to over the 8000 runners who joined last year. Endorsed by HCMC Department of Culture and sports together with the Association of Athletics Federations in HCMC, the race annually is one of main activities of the city welcoming new exciting year ahead. This year, registration is close to sold out 2 months before the race day.

Accompany with the race for years, Taiwan Excellence – The title sponsor, Nike – Bronze sponsor, FV Medical – Medical partner, Canon Vietnam, 2XU, 100plus, Crescent Mall as partner have made the race as the biggest marathon in Vietnam. Not only big at participation or event scale but also at heart. HCMC Marathon also showed its influence by cooperating with other big marathons, such us Shonan International Marathon of Japan and Hanoi Half Marathon, Skyrun HCMC of Vietnam.

The race will take place in the Phu My Hung Area which is situated in the southern part of Ho Chi Minh City, touted as one of the best running areas due to its modern and urban setting. The event features 5 distances; Full Marathon (42km), Half Marathon (21km), 10km, 5km, and the Kids Dash (1km). Besides the Amateur category, an Elite category for federated athletes is also available as the race is officially listed in the Vietnam National Athletics Championships. Runners participating in the three longest distances will fight to conquer the most challenging part of the course, the Phu My Bridge, a 705 metre long bridge soaring across the  Saigon River with a height of 145 metres.

For more information, you can check at www.hcmcmarathon.com or follow www.facebook.com/pg/hcmcrun/

Contact [email protected] for any inquiry.

OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore Returns Under New Event Management

Team JustRunLah!
-
0
OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore Returns Under New Event Management

Asia’s biggest night run, OSIM Sundown Marathon is set to return to Singapore on June 1, 2019, under the new event management of Infinitus Productions. Bringing a fresh perspective to Asia’s biggest night run, the team will preserve the unique characteristics that make the race a favourite amongst the running community, and yet expand its focus to highlight inclusivity in sports.

Reflecting on the brand’s success, Max Phua, Director, F4U Pte Ltd says, “the OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore is our flagship event and we are happy to partner Jeffrey Foo, Director of Infinitus Productions Pte Ltd who was one of the co-founders of Sundown Marathon when we first started.”

“We are thrilled to be working with F4U again and to continue our journey on Sundown Marathon. We look forward to contributing our experience and expertise to this well-loved and established race and to create an unforgettable experience for our runners, returning and new ones alike,” says Jeffrey Foo, Director of Infinitus Productions Pte. Ltd.

Set to take place at F1 Pit Building, runners can look forward to striving for greatness beneath a starlit sky and cooler temperatures. Registration for the OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore will commence on December 5, 2018, online as well as at the roadshow launch at the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore Expo from December 5 – 8, 2018. Runners who register at the roadshow will enjoy a special registration rate and receive an OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore goodie bag. Loyal runners are also being looked after, with special loyalty rates available until January 31, 2019. The loyalty rates will be open to participants who joined the race from 2016 – 2018.

Race categories are the 42.195km Full Marathon, the 21.1.km Half Marathon, the 10km Challenge (individual and Team of 4), and the 5km category which is open for both adults and children. New race experiences include an immersive race pack collection at the OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore Expo and Sundown Summer Night Fest on race day.

This year, the OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore also aims to champion the cause of inclusivity in sports and the wider community and Infinitus Productions will lead by example and contribute funds to the ongoing charity initiative, Sundown with Love. Some of the beneficiaries include the Singapore Disability Sports Council, The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and RunningHour. For every race slot purchased, $1 of the registration fee will be donated to the adopted beneficiaries, and runners will also have the opportunity to donate additional funds to the causes via the official event website.

Phua further commented, “we are really pleased that we can promote sports inclusivity via our brand. We are proud that Infinitus Productions is aligned with us on our objectives aswe expand further afield, creating footprints in Southeast Asia, China and to the US.”

“2019 and 2020 are critical years which will see Singapore’s top athletes vying for qualification to the Paralympic and Olympic Games, the world’s most prestigious multi-sport events. This journey will be expected to be another tough cycle for us as a charity, as we support not only top para athletes like Yip Pin Xiu towards their Paralympic qualification, but also enable talented youth with disabilities like Wong Zhi Wei to continue their pathways towards achieving that dream some day. We cannot express our appreciation enough to the organisers of OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore, for giving us a lift towards our cause,” said Kelly Fan, Executive Director of the Singapore Disability Sports Council.

From strengthening community bonds in the present to building towards excellence in future, the race organisers are also setting their sights on being certified by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) by 2020, thus becoming the second race in Singapore to achieve this status. The upcoming event in 2019 is set to be the stepping stone for this prestigious aspiration, and Sundown Marathon invites the community to follow their journey towards greatness.

Lynn Tan, Deputy Managing Director of OSIM, title sponsor of Sundown Marathon since 2015, concluded, “OSIM is a home-grown brand that is now renowned internationally and synonymous with the pursuit of wellness. Through our activities and products, we aim to inspire well-being and encourage a healthy lifestyle, and as such the Sundown Marathon, which champions the journey towards greatness, is a superb fit for our brand. We are pleased to continue to be a part of the Sundown Marathon and support the growth of the Singapore brand on a global stage.”

My Penang Bridge International Marathon 2018 [HM] (review by Lingderella)

Lingderella
-
2
My Penang Bridge International Marathon 2018 [HM] (review by Lingderella)

Penang is a familiar place for me as its my parents and sisters birth place, we would visit Penang at least once a year to visit our relatives. I could remember those days when I was just about 5 years old, we would take hours of bus ride to Penang, and when my father got a car a few years later, he drives to Penang, at times stopping by Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Cameron highlands and sometimes even farther up to Hatyai and Phuket for holidays. I love those road trips ❤

I jio-ed Eleanor to go for this runcation with me, she’ve never been to Penang and I’m quite confident in showing her around Penang ? We could only go as a weekend trip as the both of us didn’t want to take leave for this trip. Due to what I considered expensive flights for a just a weekend trip, we only purchased the flight tickets back to Singapore which cost less than $70 per person, as the flight tickets to Penang with even crappy timing costing about $100 and more. It’s much more expensive than the bus tickets that cost about $45 to Penang. But if we decided to take the bus, it also meant that our whole Friday night would be burnt on bus, we might also have difficulty falling asleep or even get car sick. We planned to take the bus at first even after factoring in the siao 10 or 12 hours bus ride and the crazy immigration clearance at Woodlands checkpoint (or if lucky a bit will be at Tuas). Luckiky we hold on to buying the bus tickets and checked very frequently for cheaper flight tickets or promotions, just 3 weeks before race, we finally found a reasonable price by Jetstar which was about $60 ?

Eleanor and I registered for the half marathon category and opted for postage of our racepack directly to our home in Singapore at an additional cost of RM20 so we skipped the hassle and do no need to collect the racepack at the race Expo. We received it about 1 month prior to the race and the race singlet looks nice! ? When we touched down in Penang International Airport at 9 plus on Saturday, we literally have 24 hours in Penang as we will be flying back Singapore at 9 plus on Sunday ?

Once we reached Penang, we took Grab to find some food near our hotel and when we finally got ready for a little bit of sleep, we only left with close to just 2 hours of sleep before we head to the race site. We also realised many of our friends in the running community from Singapore is going to run PBIM as well ? The hotel we stayed in was Hotel Jen, it’s pretty far from the race village but it’s in Georgetown next to the komtar, the bus terminal in Penang. I chose hotel in that area because it’s more convenient to visit some attractions near by ?

Grab was just damn cheap so we travelled around by Grab. Flag off was at 3am near Queensbay Mall which was far away from the hotel we stayed. According to Google Maps, it’s about 25 minutes drive away. Eleanor and I decided on waking up at 1.45am as we were already in our running attire when we went to sleep, so once we woke up and slot in our shoes, we were ready to go. Grab arrived within minutes but the Grab driver told us to cancel the booking and go Komtar by taking the shuttle bus to race site instead as there was plenty of road blocks and it’s difficult to maneuver around. The Grab driver didn’t want to earn my RM15 ? Sibeh heng part was Komtar is just right beside the hotel, we walk there and paid RM2 each for the shuttle bus. Cheap Cheap ? Singapore’s shuttle bus to races cost about SGD6 at least.


We board the almost empty shuttle bus because the previous sardine packed bus of runners had just left. To our horror, we waited till 2.30pm, almost 20 minutes of waiting for the bus to be filled before it left for the race site ?
We will definitely not be in time for the flag off. The shuttle bus dropped us quite far away from the start line, it took us about 15 minutes of power walk to reached the start point ? We should have wake up earlier and left for race site since its not near but the Hotel Jen’s pillow and bed seduced us ?

Flagged off was punctual at 3am as a little while after, the elite runners flew past us already in the opposite direction of us walking towards to. It’s a single wave flag off. By the time I started my Garmin and ready to run, it’s 3.10am. I really clap clap clap for some runners, it’s just at the beginning of the run they were walking ? Hope they completed within the cut off time of 3 hours and 45 minutes and get their finisher entitlements. As I’ve read in the official PBIM Facebook posts comments that some runners did not get their finisher medals but I guess high chance it’s because they didn’t finish within the cut off time.

It’s seriously a people mountain people sea of walkers, it’s like 3 or 4 wide lanes of road but I still find it difficult to weave in and out of the runners as they were rather like have the entire time in the world. I was quite pek cek and disappointed as not much runners cared about keeping left if they decided to go slow or walk or even if Penang would have a culture of slower runners keeping to the right I wouldn’t know as well because left right center 90 percent are walkers, it only gets a little better when I ran to about 7km. Note to self, never be late ?

Can’t remember since when, there’s some slight drizzle. I thought the race was cancelled and cut short as its only about 11km or what on my Garmin when the distance marker showed 15km, now I guess it’s because they were for full marathoners only. I think it’s the only distance board I ever saw till I saw the last km board at the last km. It’s a international run and distance boards should be more prominent and be place at every km. Even if the organizer cancelled the run, we wouldn’t have any place to go as well because it’s on the expressway. I guess it’s almost 19km of expressway and bridge, not much of a scenery as its dark and then the thunderstorm ? If flag off would be much later we may get to catch some scenery.

Soon enough, it rained heavily. My eyes cant open and I blinked like 200 times per minute ? And when I got to a hydration point, I thought ponchos were given out to runners in the event of rain and was impressed a while but it’s just that I think too much already, those were not ponchos but trash bags ? When I realised its trash bag, I tore 3 holes and slot my head and arms through. Come, I clap for myself ? Though I thought of throwing it away since I’m all wet already and the poncho was making pretty annoying noises but I was using it to keep me a little warmer and praying that my phone will not get spoiled because of the thunderstorm. Luckily at the end of the run my phone’s still working. Some cute ones even took out their phones in this crazy weather and take videos and photos, maybe it’s waterproof phones.

It was my first time running in such crazy weather conditions, it’s quite scary but honestly I enjoyed the rain, it’s like in a shower with a super strong shower head. But it’s not just normal rain. It’s thunderstorm. Wind was damn strong, there’s so much of rain and it’s my personal best of most lightnings and thunders as well as blinking 200 times per minute in a run ? My eyes were pretty irritated as I was wearing contact lense. I tried to close my eyes and run then thought it’s a stupid idea as I might just trip and fall or simply just bam into another runner and thinking a lot of scary stuffs such as being the unlucky one to be strike by lightning. The pacer was indeed really lucky that the balloon saved his life. And then I came to know of another lucky person, my cousin’s wife’s sister won a car worth RM40000 in the lucky draw at PBIM ?

I drank a lot of rain water and skipped a hydration point as I thought it’s no difference to drink from hydration point since it would be rain water as well. Then I stopped drinking the rain water and wonder of pollution and falling sick. But it’s OK runners, Google states that most rain waters are safe to drink and the pollutants it contains might even be lesser than the public drinking water supply ? When I got to the next hydration point, after u turn on the Penang bridge, I must really say the volunteers there were super excellent, they covered the water in the cups with their hands and pass us the water ❤ Thank you volunteers, deeply appreciate them to still be around in such weather conditions volunteering and cheering for runners.

I walked a lot since it started raining heavily. Many people walked as well and some even seek shelter under the bridge. But time still continues, cut off time for half marathon will still remain at 3hrs45mins and not magically increase. I can still run, but I’m just not motivated to because I feel the abrasions in both my thighs ? I’m actually pretty amazed I still end up in the top 15 percent of my category which showed at least maybe I did put in some effort to run ? When I was first start walking, I started a conversation with a men walking next to me, turns out he’s also from Singapore and this was his 6th PBIM, he said this was by far the worst weather condition and such runs won’t be cancelled as long as flagged off.

It’s only at the last km I realised that the thunderstorm became a drizzle. When we finished the run, the only thing we got is the finisher medal and a lucky draw coupon. I queued for the Milo in the rain and shortly found Eleanor in the shelter out of the people mountain people sea without the help of communicating through the phone. I only realised how cold it was when I remove the trash bag to take photos ? The thrash bag really was a life saver! And I didn’t fall sick after that like I thought I would.


We left shortly after some photos walking back to shuttle bus drop off point. We saw the 10km runners coming back from their start point at the other side. Their run was cancelled. Felt bad for them, they made the effort to turn up in this thunderstorm morning with a perfect weather to stay in bed and yet the run was cancelled and to proceed to collect a meaninglrss medal that they didn’t earn and sweat for. Though at that point of time and after the thunderstorm that the half marathon and full marathon runners been through, I felt that the weather was perfectly fine to go ahead with the 10km run.

When board the shuttle bus back to Komtar, no payment was collected from us at all. I’ve always think Malaysia’s men are super sweet ❤ When I told Eleanor “Sibeh leng ah” while going up the bus, the bus driver turn off the air-con. And then I when I told Eleanor “You see my goose bumps”, the guy sitting in front of us offered me his towel. ❤ Damn nice right? After shower and some rest, we checked out of the hotel and went food hunting and some sight see. It’s a fruitful 24 hours in Penang ❤

There’s still many aspects of the run that the organisers could do to improve the running experience of the runners. For me, this event was fine but I’ve read many negative feedback from PBIM’s official Facebook page. I wouldn’t be back to PBIM any years soon as there’s still many other place I would like to go and have my runcation and explore.

Standard Chartered Malaysia Renews Title Sponsorship of KL Marathon

Team JustRunLah!
-
0
Standard Chartered Malaysia Renews Title Sponsorship of KL Marathon

Dirigo Events and Standard Chartered Malaysia are pleased to announce a four-year extension to their title sponsorship agreement, taking the Bank’s partnership with the Standard Chartered KL Marathon through year 2022. The 2019 edition of the highly anticipated event will take place on 28 and 29 September and is expected to draw over 38,000 participants.

Standard Chartered has been the title sponsor of the event since 2009 and celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the bank’s involvement at this year’s event in April. The Standard Chartered KL Marathon’s (SCKLM) 10th Anniversary saw its biggest participation yet with 38,000 participants competing in 10km, Half and Full Marathon distances, with a 5km Fun Run and 1km and 3km Kids categories. The 10th Anniversary event also saw SCKLM being held over two days for the first time to cater to the growing number of runners, and this will continue in the next edition of the race.

“We are extremely pleased to be extending our association with this wonderful sporting event and delighted that we will be able to continue inspiring Malaysians to lead healthy, productive lives,” said Abrar A. Anwar, Managing Director and CEO of Standard Chartered Malaysia at a signing ceremony held today. “Over the last 10 years, SCKLM has grown to become the premier running event in Malaysia, bringing together participants from every state within the country and from over 70 countries. This is largely due to Dirigo’s excellent organisation of the event and we are happy to resume this successful partnership to take this event to even greater heights,” added Abrar.

The 2019 edition of SCKLM will also see the inclusion of new, as well as returning sponsors. SCKLM welcomes Under Armour and Banana Boat as first-time sponsors of the event. Seiko resumes its long-standing sponsorship while 100 Plus returns as beverage sponsor for the next 4 years.

“We are really happy to have secured our title and major sponsors for the 2019 edition of SCKLM well ahead of the event, which gives us ample time to plan and maximise the sponsorship agenda of our partners,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of SCKLM and Director of Dirigo Events. “As we persevere in creating a platform for running while bringing together communities to effect positive social change, it is heartening to note Standard Chartered’s steadfast support and confidence in the event and we are extremely grateful for their continued involvement, as we are of all our sponsors” he continued.

For more information and updates on SCKLM, please visit:

Facebook       : http://www.facebook.com/SCKLmarathon

Twitter            : www.twitter.com/SCKLmarathon

Instagram      : https://instagram.com/SCKLmarathon

Website          : www.kl-marathon.com

Review: Swissotel Vertical Marathon 2018 (by stargazer)

stargazer
-
4
Review: Swissotel Vertical Marathon 2018 (by stargazer)

“Seize the Day, Catch the Sunrise”

I’ve always wanted to participate in the Swissotel Vertical Marathon. I consider it as the marquee event amonsgst the local vertical races as it has been held in Singapore for more than 10 years and offers the highest building available for the public to challenge themselves.  Also, there are not many vertical races locally (only 4 such races this year). Hence, I decided I got to try it at least once for the experience and memory.

I am also using this race as a motivation to kick start my ‘staircase climbing’ regime, in preparation for next year’s mountains hikings.

Training

Training is simply climbing stairs – 2 steps at a time. I did not plan to run up as I believe my heart will not be able to take the stress. I wouldn’t want to risk a cardiac arrest. Hence I took it easy – walk up stairs whenever possible and choosing my residential HDB block and a nearby point-block for the purpose of training. Well, you can have a nice view at 25th storey too, depending on where your location is!

         

Race Pack Collection

REPC was at TripleFit, Millenia Walk. TripleFit is the official fitness partner and thus not surprisingly, there are vouchers which relate to the purchase of merchandise items at the outlet. There are also F&B vouchers for dinning at SKAI and Stamford Brasserie as well, but alas, they are not valid on the eve and on holidays, else I may consider using them for the coming festive season.

The event shirt from Under Armour appears too large, though I managed to exchange it with someone to a smaller size. But even after the exchange, I still find it quite ‘flappy’. In the end, I decided to wear my own shirt for the race.

Race Day

I had hoped it rains on Saturday so that the possibility of raining on race day Sunday is lesser. But it was not to be. It started to rain at 6 am in the morning and I received an sms message notifying that the flag off times have been delayed due to the wet weather and lightning risk. Logging to the event facebook, there were a torrent of queries from runners seeking clarifications, such as the revised flag off times. But the organizer was not able to advise.

I took some more sleep, assuming the race will indeed be delayed. I woke up again just before 7 am and found that the race had commenced and that the flag off times were per normal! I hurriedly took my usual race day breakfast and took the train to City Hall. I reached at 8.20 am. By now, the rain had stopped.

I was taking part in the Mens’ Masters category, which was scheduled to flag off at 8.25 am. I did some warm-up exercises and thereafter joined the runners queuing in the start pen. Before long, I was flagged off with 5 other runners.

I slowly jogged to the start of the staircase and commenced my climb 2 steps at a time. It was really an enclosed space, so I didn’t expect to find any window to view nice scenery to describe here. It was a rather monotonous climb. However, I did not feel stuffy, though I had read some previous participants commenting on this. Perhaps the organizer had installed portable blowers to increase air circulation? There were volunteers stationed at every 4 or 5 levels, encouraging the runners to keep going. Soon enough I reached Level 69, where I was directed to the Finishing Point at the Skysuites. I was given my finisher medal and ice mountain bottled water for hydration.

I took some rest and pictures of the external scenery. It was nice, but I know it can’t be compared to what I will see at Level 73, Helipad. I had target to complete the race within 20 mins and I managed to do so in 14 mins 33 sec (provisional result). However, I didn’t feel really happy as I had wanted to finish at the ‘top of Singapore’, not in an air conditioned room.

After some time, I took the lift down to Level 4, and then to the race site at ground floor. I took a can of chilled 100 plus for further hydration. The next prize ceremony was scheduled at 1120 am, but I didn’t plan to stay. As I was about to leave, I heard the organizer announced the upcoming runners will be able to complete their race at the top floor. Well, lucky fellas!

Comments

1) The race fees are not cheap. But runners are willing to pay primarily for the ‘finish at the top’. So frankly, I am very disappointed not able to do so, even though the rain had stopped and there wasn’t any lightning. If we are limited to just 5 mins at the top for photo takings, I believe we should be able to take care of ourselves and stay accident-free within this 5 mins? I trust the runners in my category or before me would agree with me.

2) I think if the organizer announces there will be a delay to flag off times, they should stick to the announcement and let the runners know the revised flag off times. Runners will not mind a 30 mins delay in order to facilitate a safer race and a better finish.

3) Apart from the ice mountain and 100 plus drinks, there is nothing else for energy replenishment. Even though it is just a short vertical race and not the usual road races, I guess some fruits or even biscuits would be welcoming.

4) I wonder why participants have to pay for bag deposits?

5) I feel the booths for Hydro Flask and Raffles Medical were located too far from the lift point at Level 4. Most of us will turn right from the lift to proceed to take the escalator down. Therefore, I am afraid not many would have noticed these 2 booths on the far left.

I may have completed the race, officially. But somehow I feel the race is still ‘uncompleted’. It is akin to the feeling of climbing kinabalu without reaching the top.

In conclusion, if you ask me whether I will repeat this race next year or in the near future, after thinking through today’s events, my answer is – probably not.

Overview of Road Access for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2018

Team JustRunLah!
-
0
Overview of Road Access for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2018

Southeast Asia’s marquee annual road race, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) returns for the 17th edition on 8th & 9th December 2018.

In preparation for the race, organisers have made provisions to ensure minimal traffic disruptions and smooth access for the general public living and working along the race route and in the vicinity to go about their daily lives.

Key Changes to Note

For the first time, races will take place over two days with the flag-off at the F1 Pit Building and the finish line at The Float @ Marina Bay. The route will also pass through Nicoll Highway, East Coast Park, the Marina and Downtown Core, the Central Business District, West Coast Highway and Sentosa Gateway.

On Saturday, 8th December, affected roads will be closed from 12:01am – 11.00am for the National Steps Challenge (NSC) 5km and 10km race. On Sunday, 9th December, affected roads will close from 12.01am –2.00pm.

Facilitating a Smoother Traffic Flow

Race planning has been done in close consultation with relevant authorities, resulting in a route which provides a great experience for runners and minimises disruption for road users and those who live and work in the area. Routes to emergency/essential services such as hospitals shall remain accessible throughout the duration of the event.

To facilitate better traffic flow and access, organisers will progressively re-open roads once all participants have cleared each segment of the route. Traffic wardens will be deployed at all affected roads to help re-direct traffic and assist the public alternative routes to their destinations. Road closure information and re-directional signs will be put up along the roads from Monday, 26th November 2018.

Alternative Public Transport Arrangements 

As train services will not be available during the early hours of the weekend, organisers have partnered with ShareTransport to provide shuttle bus services from 47 pick-up locations island-wide and take runners directly to the start point.

Members of the public are strongly advised to plan their journeys ahead of time, and are encouraged to use public transport during the affected times on 8th and 9th December 2018.

SCSM 2018 participants or members of the public with enquiries about the road closures may call the SCSM 2018 Road Closure hotline at 6701 1230. The hotline will be available from 9.00am to 6.00pm from 26thNovember to 7th December, and will be available 24 hours on 8th and 9th December. Members of the public may also wish to download Waze, a GPS navigation application, which will be updated to reflect road closures.

For the full list of affected roads, kindly refer to the appendix below or visit: https://singaporemarathon.com/road-closure/

Information on road closures for SCSM 2018 can be found on all SCSM social pages andwww.singaporemarathon.com. Participants can also visit OneMotoring.com for further advice on commuting during the marathon weekend.

1...565758...213Page 57 of 213