City Spin & Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2017

Diversity is beautiful – everyone is unique, yet we should celebrate the difference. Due to it’s immense popularity, history, and significance, SCKLM 2017 is one of the highlights for most runners. Never have I ever seen a running event which brings thousands of people from various background, fitness level, and goals! The beauty of diversity among runners was highlighted and deeply appreciated both before and during the event.

Before The Big Day

My running group, Kyserun Krew, organized a friendly, fun run called City Spin 2017. It was a short 4.5K run around KLCC and Jalan Ampang, giving runners a quick tour of KL and what to anticipate for tomorrow’s event. Everyone had a good time, taking photos of the iconic buildings and landmarks in the city. Thankfully, the morning rain was starting to subside so the weather was good too!

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Besides shaking out the butterflies in your stomach before the big day and to stretch out those legs, the main aim of this event was to gather various running crews through out Malaysia, as well as welcome those who came from abroad such as Indonesia, Korea, and other countries. After all, what better way to break the ice among runners other than to run? Every running crew might have different principles and culture, yet united by the same, common love for running.

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All photo credit belongs to Syahiran of Kyserun Krew. Thank you!

On the Big Day

At 4 in the morning, I found myself catching the train among a sea of blue sleeveless tops. I was glad that I will be able to arrive early and not worry about parking at the event venue. On the train, I can hear different conversations; some were really serious yet confident, discussing about their strategies and training for the past few months, while others were nervous, excited, or sleepy. Yet, everyone had a single goal in mind: To complete SCKLM, in whatever distance that they chose.

Never have I ever seen so many runners congregate in a single location, except at SCKLM events! Besides runners, the crowd was overwhelming; the streets were packed with not only runners, but supporters, curious on-lookers, and security enforcers too. SCKLM has turned into an event that should be celebrated and inclusive to everyone. To overcome the massive crowd, take advantage of the facilities that the organizer have provided for this event, such as the free train service (my favorite part of the event), bag drop (pack everything that you need, it’s going to be a loooong day), and freebies from the sponsors. Most importantly, come early and prepared, at least 45 mins before your starting to time so you are not rushed to go to the bag drop counter, do your pre-race rituals, and get into the correct starting pen.

Year after year, SCKLM has been a good and memorable experience for me. What I love most about it was not the route or the medal, but the high spirit and energy through out the event. Every runner will feel like a winner! Without a doubt, I will definitely be back again for more next year.

A familiar face that requires no introduction

A familiar face that requires no introduction

One with my Krew!

One with my Krew!

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Thanks to Nashata’s Iman Hijab range, you can now match your hijab with your bib number too!

Read about last year’s SCKLM 2016 experience here

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner

Introduction to lifting techniques at Fuel Athletics

I have always felt that weight-lifting is still a male dominated sports. Just look around you at the gym; somehow women will gravitate towards the cardio equipment and machines, while male will congregate at the free weights section. Maybe because women are scared that they are not strong enough to lift, or they fear that they might bulk up and lose their curves, or they just simply do not know how to use weights. Weight lifting should know no gender boundaries. God has created men and women to look different for a reason, and women will never lose their curves no matter how heavy they lift or how much protein they take. In fact, lifting weights will give women a leaner, healthier looking body as it reduces body fat and increases muscles, so your clothes will fit better without the flabbiness. Oh, and having flatter abs is always a plus point too!

 

At 8am last Saturday, I was thrilled to see many strong ladies (and gentlemen) from my running group who were eager to learn more about some basic lifting techniques at Fuel Athletics. We started off with some basic warming up, like squats, jumping jacks, burpees, and mountain climbers.

  DSCF7854We love the open-air vibe of this gym, a refreshing taste from the normal concrete walls. The glass walls give a very spacious illusion to the space, and blends in with the greenery outside (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

DSCF7813Warming up outside the gym (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

After warming up, we started with deadlifting. Deadlifting was a basic method of carrying the bar from the ground. As easy as it sounds, it was not that simple. The coach ensured that everyone had the right posture, such as activating your hamstrings and keeping your chest up and straight. I also noticed that this should also be the correct way of carrying heavy things instead of bending down to prevent back ache.

 

DSCF7873“So, does anybody know how to deadlift?” *crick crick crick* (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

DSCF7946  There is absolutely no point of trying to keep a straight face while lifting (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

Then, we proceeded to power clean. This movement was more complex than deadlifting, as it involves some explosive movement of catching the bar and simultaneously going into a squat position. Most of us have never even heard of this technique, but after a few round of practices, we managed to get a hold of it.

 

DSCF7963The assisting instructor showing us how it’s done (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

After learning the basics, we did a mini-Crossfit training with 40 reps of deadlifting, 500m of sprints, and 10 reps of power clean with our partner. All of these must be done in 4 sets. By the end of the 4th set, all of our arms and feet have definitely turned into jelly!

 

DSCF7975WOD (Work out of the Day) as prescribed by the coach (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

DSCF7928DSCF8018 We look forward to working out in their new outlet in Shah Alam after Ramadhan is over! (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

According to the coach, ideally women should deadlift about 80kg, so we still have a long way to go from today’s 30kg of lifting. Clearly, we have serious work to do here. So, ladies (and gentlemen), lets incorporate the weights for a stronger, leaner, and healthier body!

For more info, head to http://fuelathletics.com.my/ or http://www.fuelprimecrossfit.com/

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner

Lucozade Sport™ ‘Fuel Your Performance’ Campaign Launch

On 23rd April 2016, I was thrilled to be invited to attend the launch of Lucozade Sport’s™ ‘Fuel Your Performance’ Campaign Launch and Running Clinic.

  • What is the campaign about?

As adapted from the official news release, this event is a kickstart to a series of campaign activities designed to engage with Malaysian runners and an on-going effort to bring it’s scientifically-proven formula to Malaysians.

They also introduced their ‘Fuel Your Performance’ Advocates – exceptional individuals who have accomplished many goals in addition to the demands of work and family. These Advocates serve as inspirational role models for aspiring runners to kick-start their own dream, because they are living proof that dreams can indeed become a reality.

To learn more about ‘Fuel Your Performance’ campaign, head to www.lucozadesport.com or www.youtube.com/lucozade.

'Fuel Your Performance' Campaign Launch + Clinic by Lucozade Sport with (from left): * Dr Mahenderan Appukutty, exercise & sports nutritionist, Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation from Universiti Teknologi MARA  * Edan Syah, 'Fuel Your Performance' Advocate & the fastest marathon runner in Malaysia for 2016 * Lee Hon Tong, Regional General Manager, Suntory Beverage & Food Malaysia, Singapore & Hong Kong * Mohamed Allie Helmy, 'Fuel Your Performance' Advocate and army corporal-triathlete champion  * Alex Au-Yong, 'Fuel Your Performance' Advocate and marathoner-XtraMiler  *Not in the picture is the 4thAdvocate, Mohd Amran bin Abdul Ghani, as he was attending a race

Rodney Tan, Head of Marketing, Suntory Beverage & Food Malaysia shares during the Q&A session while (from far left) Dr Mahenderan Appukutty, Edan Syah, Lee Hon Tong and Alex Au-Yong look on.

*Not in the picture is the 4thAdvocate, Mohd Amran bin Abdul Ghani, as he was attending a race

 

 

  • Why do I like this product?

In my personal opinion, it tastes great when its cold. The orange flavour is refreshing, almost like an orange juice. I felt recharged after a long run because of the electrolytes and carbohydrates were replenished. And the best part is that it’s not carbonated, so you don’t feel bloated or abdominal discomfort after drinking.

According to Mr Lee Hon Tong, Regional General Manager, Suntory Beverage & Food Malaysia, Singapore & Hong Kong, they have plans in the future to bring more flavours and products in the future. I’m excited to see to what they have in the pipeline!

IMG_3762Thumbs up to Lucozade Sport™ from us!

 

  • What did I learn during the running clinic?

It was more of a Q&A session with the panels, so we had a chance to learn a lot.

 

Some key points from Dr Mahendran Appukutty, exercise and sports nutrionist:

–      Read the label and do your research on sports drink. Not all sports drink or supplements are created the same. Thankfully, I can be assured that Lucozade Sport™ formulated based on scientific evidence.

–  For serious athletes, BMI are not applicable to them because their muscle mass is heavy. They should measure fat percentage instead.

–  To lose weight, the right amount of carbohydrate should not exceed the size of your palm. Stay away from fried foods

–  Runners should lift weights and cross-train to tone their body and build strength.

 

Some key points from Edan Syah, fastest marathon runner in Malaysia for 2016:

–  Serious athlete should participate in only 2 marathons per year to allow time for recovery and ensure their optimum performance

–  Take your time to train, and take care of your body for the long term. Edan Syah took 4 years of training before he qualified for Boston Marathon.

–  Not training means you are not respecting the distance

–  If you find it hard to stick to a training plan, build a running routine first until running becomes a habit. Then the training programme will follow through.

–  Malaysia should focus on training to qualify for the Olympics, as there are a lot of potential among the younger generation.

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Edan sharing some tips

 

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner