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Will Brooks Switch To Prime Running Vest Again?

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Gus Ghani

Will Brooks Switch To Prime Running Vest Again?

Popular Running Brand

Today, Penang Bridge International Marathon 2019 (PBIM 2019) displayed their running vest designs by Brooks for men & women (see photos below).

The Old Switcheroo

After Cyberjaya Twincity Marathon switch of brands from Brooks to Prime, runners are wondering if the same fate will befall PBIM 2019 participants.

Although, organisers reserve the right to make minor adjustments to the final event Tee designs, what made the previous Twincity Marathon switching of vest brand so ominous was that the announcement was made by Twincity Marathon organisers only 10 days before race day!

In Their Prime

Runners have always supported the running brand Brooks because Brooks is the pioneer major running apparel sponsor for Malaysian mass participation runs. Runners have virtually grown to trust and love the Brooks brand.

However, due to price-cutting by their local brand competitors, Brooks have seen their market share shrink significantly.

To compete against the cheaper local running attire brands, Paragon Vest S/B – the Malaysian sole distributor of Brooks – have decided to create this new brand Prime.

Which Is Superior?

I have never owned a Prime running vest, so I cannot gauge its quality. However, I believe that Paragon Vest is promoting Brooks brand to a higher end market compared to the more competitively priced Prime goods.

Are You Sure?

At the time of publishing this article, there has been no guarantees or assurances given by either PBIM 2019 Committee or by Paragon Vest S/B that the final official running vest will indeed be the stated Brooks brand.

In The Pink

On a funny note, I noticed one female netizen who commented, “Why the women vest colour must always be pink or purple like there’s no other colour that women can wear!”…

OFFICIAL PBIM 2019 VESTS DESIGN

Run Smart Together!

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Posted in 10km, 2019, 21km, 42km, Event Organiser, Full Marathon, Happy Runner, News, November, Official Apparel, Penang, Runners, Running, Running Event, Social Media, Sponsor, Sports | Tagged Apparel, brooks, happy runner, Marathon, News, PBIM 2019, penang, Running, Sponsorship, Vest | Leave a comment

Malaysia Women Marathon 2019 (MWM 2019) Runners Suffer Major Hiccups!

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Gus Ghani

Malaysia Women Marathon 2019 (MWM 2019) Runners Suffer Major Hiccups!

What’s The Problem?

Many frustrated runners complained about MWM 2019 race on social media after Sunday’s race which was held for the first time at Padang Timur, Petaling Jaya instead of the original Shah Alam.

The following are complaints cited by the irate runners :-

Insufficient Distance & Route Markers along the race route.
Lacking of road marshals along the race route.
Road marshals & volunteers gave wrong direction to runners in cases.
Runners were told to stop for traffic at certain junctions.
At certain location, runners felt scared because they had to run in the middle lane which was flanked on either side by moving road vehicles.
10km Runners were impeded by merging 5km runners.
Chaos when 42km, 21km, 10km & 5km merged near finish line.
No guidance by marshals/volunteers and signs to show the right lane for respective runners when approaching finish line which confused runners.
No guidance and proper signs to show where to queue for 42km, 21km, 10km & 5km medals.
Chaotic distribution of medals & tees caused 1 hour to 30 minutes waiting time under the hot sun.
Insufficient number of tables & volunteers to collect Medals & Tees.
No contingency plan for muddy race venue.
More long queues to collect goodies and carry with bare hands when goodies should have been distributed during race kit collection.
No effective control of goodies collection which meant some runners were able to take more giveaway items resulting from shortage for others.
42km Runners who opted for 30km chicken loop were not provided e-cert as promised.
Some 21km Finishers did not received medal and were told that the medals ran out.
Some 5km Runners were wrongly given 21km medals.
Some runners did not receive the finisher T-shirt and some were given wrong Tees.
REPC (Runners Entitlement Pack Collection) were held on weekdays only when some Participants can only collect on weekends. The last minute option to collect on Saturday race eve day is a long & inconvenient process.
Mobile toilets were too far and few along race route.
Many frustrated and tired runners left race venue early because they were just fed up by the lack of support from organiser, long queues and muddy shoes.

Recurring Fixable Problems

Every year, there are invariably complaints by MWM runners, and every year, the same old comments appear such as, “I hope the organiser learn from their mistakes, and improve next year”, or, “I’m going to boycott this event!”

Making mistakes is forgivable but repeating the same ones over and over again, especially if you’ve had 7 years experience is downright shameful for the Malaysia Running scene and outright insulting to the paying runners. Surely, being the only marathon for women, much more care and attention is required by the organisers to give deserving women the best running event of which Malaysians can be proud.

Face The Music

It’s ironic that Malaysia Women Marathon claims to champion the empowering of women, when the reality is a huge let down. I am sure that genuine women runners, like their male counterparts, are concerned about joining and supporting a running event which meets their basic demands of effective event and race management for the convenience, enjoyment & safety of all participants. After all, the materialistic value of a fancy medal or even Tees is zero when the basic runners needs are not first meant, and the Participants are left with unsavoury experience in the end.

A failed event let down all parties involved and associated to it, and the Organising Committee must take full responsibility for all the shortcomings for the sake of their current & future supporters.

Now, there must be a process of deep and honest self-analysis and self assessment before a new MWM blueprint is created because the old plan is clearly not working. A complete overhaul of MWM looks necessary in order to salvage and to steer their brand into the future.

Never Give Up

Organising a marathon event with thousands of Participants and co-ordinating with all the relevant authorities, partners, sponsors and suppliers is damn hard.

Organisers must have the acumen, skills, resources and money to stage a good, never mind, fantastic, running experience for the masses.

When MWM is still making basic mistakes after 7 years of race organising experience, this a bad sign that something fundamental is wrong at its organisational core. It’s not so much a case of back to the drawing board, but MWM must return to running event organisation kindergarten to relearn, re-organise and remake if the future of women marathoners is to be saved…

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Posted in 10km, 2019, 21km, 42km, 5km, Event Organiser, Family, Fitness, Full Marathon, Fun Run, Half Marathon, Happy Runner, Marathon, MBPJ, News, Petaling Jaya, Review, Road Race, Road Running, Runners, Running, Running Community, Safety, Selangor, Social Media, Sports | Tagged 10km, 2019, 5km, 7th Anniversary, Full Marathon, half marathon, happy runner, Malaysia Women Marathon, News, petaling jaya, Running, sports | 2 Comments

COOLEST TIPS FOR HOT RUNNERS

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Gus Ghani

COOLEST TIPS FOR HOT RUNNERS🏃🌞

oznor_soft

Editor’s Note

Without exaggerating, global warming is creating havoc across our planet with a surge in natural disasters and leaving a path of DEADLY CATASTROPHES in its wake.

In Malaysia, we are experiencing exceptionally HIGH TEMPERATURES today which the Meteorological Department warn will prolong until April 2019.

TOASTY RUNNER

I have suffered HEAT STROKE once in 2012, and if it was left untreated, I could have checked out from this life permanently. Looking back, I recall after I had finished a triathlon simulation, my body had overheated and my body was ACHING all over and I was SHIVERING with high fever. The pain felt so bad that all I wanted to do was curled up in a ball and die. Luckily, I managed to drag myself to a nearby clinic, and the Doctor immediately gave me a JAB to bring my body temperature down, and soon after, the aches & pain subsided and thankfully, I had recovered fully without any further treatments. Ever since that fateful day, I have been very MINDFUL about training under the SCORCHING SUN for long hours.

MULES CAN RUN

Unfortunately, runners are generally a stubborn bunch, and sometimes, our runner’s ego can lead us to take some FOOLISH RISKS which can put us in REAL DANGER of being hurt badly or worse. Given the current unusually high temperatures, I have jotted down below some of my favourite running safety tips for you to follow to BEAT THE HEAT.

QUACK RUNNER

BUT FIRST, I must clarify that these SIMPLE safety tips are based on my personal experiences of training in HOT weather, and I am not a qualified Doctor nor am I a professional athlete. So, although my TIPS work for me, they might not work for you because we all have different genomes and physics, and hence, we don’t necessarily REACT to things in the same way. If you are indecisive about your AFFINITY to running under the sun, always consult your doctor to be SAFE.

13 Hot Running Tips To Keep YOU Cool

What Can I Do To Keep Myself From Overeating While Running Under Extreme Heat?

When the temperatures are too hot, a safety-conscious runner should be able to make important adjustments to his/her running programme to minimise the risk of heat associated problems such as HEAT STROKE and DEHYDRATION.

Here are some of my suggestions & safety tips…

1) REDUCE frequency or duration of outdoor runs
2) Run & Train more INDOORS
3) Pick BEST time to run: Run very early morning, at night or whenever temperature is less hot
4) REPLACE some weekly running sessions with gym workout and swimming
5) DRINK 5 litres of water daily

6) Add more FRUITS with high water content fruit (eg watermelon) in your daily diet & avoid drinking too much coffee which is a dessicant & increases dehydration risk.

7) CARRY water bottle on runs

8) Consume BOTH water & electrolyte drinks during exercise

9) Apply SUNSCREEN lotion & wear eye SHADES when running during sunlight
10 ) AVOID high intensity or endurance workouts under the sun when temperatures are too high
11) CHECK weather forecast when planning your runs
12) CHOOSE shaded running route when possible

13) SWAP black colour running attire to white ones because black absorbs sunlight, while white reflects heat better.

I hope that you find my above article useful, and never take your health & safety for granted just for running sake!

dav_soft

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Posted in 2019, Fitness, Happy Runner, hydration, Runners, Running, Running Tips, Safety, Training | Tagged dehydration, Fitness, happy runner, Heat Stroke, Hot Weather, Running, Safety Tips | Leave a comment

The Official Ballot Draw For SCKLM 2019

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Gus Ghani

The Official Ballot Draw For SCKLM 2019

Editor’s Note

Hi Runners, the moment that you are waiting for is finally happening Friday, 22 Feb 2019. To be precise, at 11:25am, our new Sports Minister YB Syed Saddiq will ACTIVATE the computerised random ballot selection whereby more than 20,000 runners will be vying for a total of 10,000 running slots across all categories. Already, approx. 30,000 slots have been picked up by the returning runners earlier.

This is the first time such ballot system has been CONDUCTED by Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon & Event Organiser Dirigo Events.

Due to the heavy OVERSUBSCRIPTION of running slots, most of the ballot Participants will walk away empty handed. Look on the bright side, at least after the results of the draw are announced, those unlucky ones can get on with their lives.

Anyway, I hope everything will go smoothly, and wish every lottery ticket holder the BEST of luck!

As always, Happy Runner will be covering all the EXCITING & latest SCKLM happenings, as well as giving you EXCLUSIVE & up-to-date running news on our FB Happy Runner page. Of course, leave us your comments and do like/share our posts because we would love to receive your comments and opinions too….

*Press Release*

The Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2019 will for the first time in its history adopt a balloting process for public registrations as the initial loyalty registration period accounted for a much higher percentage of total available running slots than in previous years. This is testament to the event’s increasing popularity and the ballot format has been implemented to give everyone an equal opportunity to secure a race entry. A total of over 10,000 slot across all categories will be made available for the ballot.

The computerized random ballot selection will be activated by YB Tuan Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Minister of Youth and Sports at the Official Ballot event on Friday, 22 February 2019.

*End*

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VIDEO – CHATTING WITH RUNNING COACH MARK ON THE SCKLM 2018 ROUTE BUS TOUR

Posted in 10km, 2019, 21km, 3km, 42km, 5km, Blogger, Dataran Merdeka, DBKL, Dirigo Events, Distance Running, Event Organiser, February, Full Marathon, Half Marathon, Happy Runner, Kuala Lumpur, Marathon, Media, Official Launch, Registration, Road Running, Runners, Running Function, SCKLM, September, Social Media, Sports, Sports Minister, Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur, Writing | Tagged 2019, Ballot, Dirigo Events, function, happy runner, kuala lumpur, Marathon, Media, Minister, Registration, Running, SCKLM, sports | Leave a comment

The Balloting Of SCKLM 2019

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Gus Ghani

The Balloting Of SCKLM 2019

Editor’s Note

Approximately two-thirds of the total running slots across all SCKLM 2019 categories have already been taken up by the returning SCKLM 2018 runners who were given the privilege of grabbing slots before it is launched to the open public on 13th Feb 2019.

This week, Dirigo Events dropped one helluva bombshell by introducing a ballot system for the remaining 10,000 running slots for the open public.

I DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING

Some runners find this new ballot system unnecessary and unjust, while others welcome this new initiative as it prolongs the registration period and hence, prevents the computer system from crashing. However, I imagined that most runners were initially shocked at the news because now, they have extra homework to figure out what it all means & what will be the ramifications of the ballot system.

DO YOU FEEL LUCKY?

If you’re not a returning runner and you want to participate in SCKLM 2019, how lucky do you need to be in order to obtain a race bib? That will clearly depend on how many other runners will compete for the limited available slots. To give a simple analogy, if the number of subscribers is 20,000 or double the number of 10,000 available slots, then you have a 50:50 chance to earn a guaranteed slot. Yes, it does sound like the tv episode of the Wheel Of Fortune, but don’t forget that your chances of “winning” a coveted SCKLM 2019 slot will be exactly the same as the next guy.

BUY A RABBIT’S FOOT

Before, you try to calculate your odds to secure a lucky slot and give yourself a mathematical headache, let me share with you below some Hacks to increase your chances of running in the prestigious SCKLM 2019….

SCKLM 2019 REGISTRATION HACKS

Know Your Game: Use the extra days for registration to read through the information provided on KL Marathon website, and in particular the FAQ section which has been updated, in order to understand the complicated registration process and thus, avoid making unnecessary mistakes and poor judgement.
Make sure that you are definitely available to race on 28th or 29th September 2019.
Make sure you have properly budgeted for payment registration, so that if & when you receive registration confirmation by email on 22 Feb 2019, you can affect payment immediately. If you’re not given a guaranteed slot, then why not use that money & take your partner, family or friends for a nice meal.
Follow & Like the FB pages & IG profile of all the EVENT SPONSORS because sometimes, they will offer free SCKLM running slots via online CONTESTS, but you must be alert to such notifications.
If you believe in KARMA, make sure you do something good for somebody or rescue & adopt a stray cat, and after that, if you’ve still not got a slot, then at least you can pat yourself on the back for spreading positive vibes around you.
If you believe in the laws of attraction, keep thinking and talking about how you deserve to run in SCKLM 2019, and the UNIVERSE might just grant you your wish.
Since SCKLM have an official BIB TRANSFER policy, if you cannot get your own slot, ask around the running community and groups for runners who are willing to transfer their bib to you, but please read the organiser’s small print on bib transfer first because there are strict procedures to follow.
Do Not Under Any Circumstances Print Your Own Race Bib or Acquire FAKE Bibs, no matter how desperate you get, because you’ll be punished by public shaming and possibly lifelong ban by the organiser.
If after trying every legitimate channel and you still cannot secure a race bib, then perhaps, you might consider to be a race VOLUNTEER or just simply, go out there on race day to CHEER on your running buddies which will automatically elevate your social status.
If you have found this article interesting or useful, please feel free to comment & share it, and it won’t take a minute of your time to make this writer’s day…

KEY FAQ UPDATES

How much does it cost to cast for a ballot?
When casting for a ballot, no payment is required.

I have secured a race slot, but I am unable to run. Can my friend/family member register with my entry?
No. Successful applicants are not allowed to transfer their ballot entry to another party or change their category under any circumstance.
Anyone attempting to register or run using another person’s entry will be disqualified and banned for life from the Standard Chartered KL Marathon.

What happens to applicants who have secured a race slot, but did not complete their registration and entry fee payment (drop-outs) by 5 March 2019? Is there a waiting list?
There is no waiting list to make up for race slot drop-outs. However, we have made provisions to ensure all race slots are confirmed for Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2019.

For complete FAQ & more event info.. https://www.kl-marathon.com/about/faq/

*Official Press Release*
STANDARD CHARTERED KL MARATHON OPENS BALLOTING FOR PUBLIC REGISTRATIONS

Due to the overwhelming response to the loyalty registration period for the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2019 (SCKLM2019), there is a reduced number of slots available for public registrations as compared with the year before. There are a total of over 10,000 slots available across all categories and in order to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity of getting a race slot, public registrations for the SCKLM 2019 will be in the form of a ballot.

Runners will be able to cast their ballots from 10.00am, 13 February 2019 to 11.59pm 19 February 2019. Ballot selection will be completely random and computerised, and will be activated by YB Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Minister of Youth and Sports on 22 February 2019. Successful applicants will then be notified by email and will have until 5 March to complete registration by making payment. Each person is only allowed one ballot entry.

“We’ve taken some learnings from our 10th Anniversary edition last year and to prevent situations where potential participants couldn’t register due to network congestion or poor internet connections, the balloting period will ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity of earning a race slot for SCKLM2019,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of SCKLM and Director of Dirigo Events. “We apologise to the running community as we’ve had to institute this system in reaction to the unexpected volume of take-ups during the loyalty registration period but moving forward, we will be using the ballot system for all registrations from 2020 onwards. There will be a guaranteed quota for 2019 registered runners and those who are unsuccessful in the loyalty registration ballot in 2020 will be automatically included in the ballot for public registrations, giving you two opportunities to secure a race slot,” added Rainer.

The multi-award winning Standard Chartered KL Marathon will be held on 28 and 29 September 2019 at Dataran Merdeka.

*The End*

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Posted in 10km, 2018, 2019, 21km, 42km, Competitive Run, Dirigo Events, Event Organiser, February, Full Marathon, Half Marathon, Happy Runner, Kuala Lumpur, Media, Premier Event, press release, Preview, Registration, Runners, Running, Running Event, Social Media, Sponsors, Sports | Tagged Dirigo Events, Hacks, happy runner, kuala lumpur, Marathon, Registration, runners, Running, SCKLM 2019, tips | Leave a comment

April Full Marathons 2019

Posted on February 6, 2019 by Gus Ghani

April Full Marathons 2019

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Editor’s Note

This April must be a good month for marathons because for the first time, 3 Full Marathons will take place simultaneously in Pahang, Perlis & Sabah on the same weekend.

To impress their friends, I would imagine some Marathoners will even try to run both Perlis Marathon on Saturday & Kuantan Marathon on the next day!

Although, it’s nice to have more Marathons in different States, it’s too bad that 3 of them have conflicting dates despite the fact there are 52 weekends from which to choose.

Last Big Clash

The last time such a big clash of Marathon dates happened in 2014, when Putrajaya Night Marathon 2014 took place on Saturday 11th October, and for some unknown reason, Dirigo Events decided to change SCKLM 2014 date to Sunday 12th October!! Oh brother, there were so many zombies running in Kuala Lumpur that fateful Sunday – including me!

Hellish Sore Feet

Two hours after having finished the first 42km in Putrajaya, when all the pain-numbing adrenaline had vanished, the unstoppable and massive lactic acid build up had manifested itself into the mother of all muscle soreness, and I remember every part of my body screaming in pain! What had I gained from having endured such unbearable pain?

It was a great lesson for me to run back-to-back full marathons for my first and last time. The agony of running 2 consecutive marathons was much worse than running 84km Penang Round Island Ultra, and the key difference between the ultra & fm x2 challenge was the long break between finishing PNM 2014 & starting SCKLM 2014. When you try to run after the muscles have cooled down and you’re in recovery mode, your legs become so sluggish, numb and even detached. It felt like gravity had increased 10-fold and everything moved at half the speed – a surreal feeling.

Searching New Challenges

The unknown pain & soreness of your virgin Full Marathon is unforgettable because you have never felt such unique pain like that before, and you’ll never feel it like that ever again because muscle memory kicks in when you run in subsequent marathons. I guess there’s a masochistic streak in some of us who feel the constant need to raise the running bar for new pain by increasing the challenge & distance. Could this be part of the reason why some marathoners move on to ultra running?

Entering Uncharted Territory

Despite knowing very well the hardships of running a single 42km, I suspect that some runners will still push themselves to run two marathons in two days out of curiosity and to test their strength when pushed to their absolute physical & mental limits, and beyond.

Getting Battle Ready

Here’s my 2FM Wish List, if I ever decide to run back-to-back marathons again :-

Train adequately to run one full marathon beforehand.
Prepare two full sets of running gears, including two running shoes.
Double up on the onboard electrolytes & energy gels/bars.
Run the first marathon at a comfortable pace, and imagine the first 42km as a elongated halfway point.
After first marathon, start eating and drinking for recovery & energy within 20 minutes after crossing the finish line.
Have a cold shower after first marathon to reduce muscle soreness.
Massage & rub muscles with deep heat.
Secure 6 hours uninterrupted sleep between the two marathons.
For second marathon, start first 3-5km at slow running pace.
Spare 30 minutes allowance before cut-off time in case of emergencies.
Be absolutely focused and only think about putting one foot in front of the other.
Don’t let other runner’s pace distract you.
Be very determined & stubborn to override the feeling of wanting to stop or give-up.
Keep pushing yourself with inspirational quotes and positive thoughts until you see the finish line.

Foolish Thoughts Again

After writing this piece, I have unexpectedly pumped myself up to run more marathons.

How can I test my theory if I haven’t even registered for any marathons in 2019? I wonder where and when will be my next marathon challenge…

FM Start & Cut Off Times

Malaysia Women Marathon

Date: 04 March 2019

Start Time: 3:00am
Cut Off Time: 6 hours 30 minutes

Perlis Marathon

Date: 27 April 2019

Start Time: 00:01am

Cut Off Time: 7 hours 30 minutes

Run Out Kuantan

Date: 28 April 2019

Start Time: 3:00am
Cut Off Time: 7 hours

Borneo Marathon

Date: 28 April 2019

Start Time: ??
Cut Off Time: 7 hours

Penang Bridge International Marathon

Date: 25 November 2019

Start Time: 1:30am
Cut Off Time: 7 hours

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