Monday, August 22, 2016

PUMA NIGHT RUN 2016



August 20, 2016 , 8.00PM

Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam
Selangor D.E.

10KM
Competitive & Cruise




The 1st and 2nd editions of PUMA Night Run were held at Setia Alam with approximately 3,000 runners. The 2016 edition is by far the biggest race with 10,000 runners signing up for the event in a new venue. And I personally think that is not a very wise choice especially on a busy Saturday evening running in the middle of the town with many residential area without an alternative route for motorists.

At 5.00pm, I took a cab to Subang Jaya to picked up my race kit from my friend and have an early dinner with my godson and his family. Then at 6.30pm I asked his uncle to drop me at the race site. Upon arrival, the place was crowded and I made my way to the Info counter to enquire about the media counter or secretariat counter but the crews  seem to be clueless.

Then I decided to just changed into my running shoes and put on that race bib and head towards the baggage counter. And I just realised something don't seem to be 'normal'

The Race Site

  • There were 3 Food Trucks smacked right in front of a row of canopies that housed the Redemption Counter, Info Counter, Winners' Tent and Baggage Counter which cramp up the already congested area due to space constraint.
  • Perhaps due to lack of experience and without a supervisor, (tho' the crews do their best to serve) were too slow to disperse the crowd
  • The baggage counter were just too small and should have been located away from the main area. A
    20ft x 20ft canopy definitely not sufficient to cater for such a huge crowd. And it was so unnecessary to create another baggage number (when runners can be identified by their running bib) which made retrieving the baggage another snail process.
  • Lack of drinking water after the race.
The crews struggled to retrieve the bags

The Route

The road is definitely (a little) too narrow to accommodate 10,000 runners.
First 2km - the street was ill lighted and the safety cones place in the middle of the road were a hazard to runners with quite a handful tripped over as it was almost impossible to notice the presence of the cones.

After KM3, runners were sharing the road and running alongside with motorists.

Runners' Safety
  • There wasn't sufficient road marshals on ground to man the road especially at the many junctions.
  • All water stations couldn't cope with the large turnout where some runners have to resort to taking the bottle and start pouring and a few just took the bottle and walked away leaving it down the road for another runner picking up to get a few sips.
  • Ambulance was hardly seen on the ground patrolling. A casualty at KM5 waited for almost 15 minutes before an ambulance was despatched to the scene.
Race Organisers should strive to put forward a 'Quality over Quantity' road race. I would just as happy participating in a run without all the prom and fancy so long the very basic safety care is in place.

You may read more about the run at  Lina's Blog 

Should the organiser intend to keep the numbers, maybe they should reconsider the venue. Shah Alam is surely not THE place for a night run with such a huge crowd.

After this night run, I think I'll just keep to my makanthon instead.



Monday, August 15, 2016

SCORE RUN 2016 : CONQUER THE CITY


Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

SCORE Run 2016 is back for another year, this time with a city run set at the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s commercial district – Berjaya Times Square aptly themed, Conquer the City – this run navigates its way through KL’s Golden Triangle and is open to all aged 16 and above. Participants will get to experience running through towering skyscrapers and luxurious world-class shopping malls as Kuala Lumpur city come alive on the morning of 30 October 2016.


With an estimated 6000 runners this year (however 7,500 tickets were sold out to runners), SCORE Run 2016 aims to encourage more people to take up running – professional runners, running enthusiasts, and fun run fans alike. In conjunction with our government’s call to promote a healthier Malaysia, SCORE aims to provide an exciting platform for a convenient, challenging and great cardiovascular exercise.

The limited edition event t-shirt and medal

Participants will receive a limited edition Running Tee, Finisher Medal and goodie bags. Winners stand a chance to receive attractive prizes from the various key sponsors.

The Official Timepiece Sponsor, "ICE-WATCH" will be giving away watches as lucky draw prizes. Top 10 Winners in the 15km category will also receive the watch.


About "ICE-WATCH"

"ICE-WATCH" is about Colors – Bright and Bold! It is lightweight and water resistant up to 10 ATM /100 meters which make it suitable to wear for work or workout in the outdoor. Its elegant packing also makes it an ideal gift for men or women who loves a little bit of sparkles. It is also available in 110 countries For more info on "ICE-WATCH", you may login to -



-       Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icewatchmy

Other key sponsors for SCORE Run 2016 include;
 Perskindol (Bronze Sponsor)
Revive (Official Beverage Sponsor)
Zespri International (Official Kiwifruit Sponsor)
Berjaya Times Square (Venue Partner)
Yogood (Sponsor)
KT Tape (Sponsor)
MILO and Nestle Fitnesse (Sponsor)

Media partners include - Running Malaysia, Natural Health, A Healthy Lifestyle.

For those who have signed up for the run, its time to train for the race. And if you did not manage to get a slot, do check out other events by the same team (organiser).

1    1)    SCORE FitMob Festival 2016 (12 November 2016)
2    2)    SCORE Amazonian Race 2016 (7 January 2017)

For more information, head over to the official website www.score.my / www.heyjom.com



Tuesday, August 9, 2016

STANDARD CHARTERED KL MARATHON 2016 - WINNERS' LIST


PRESS RELEASE 


Kuala Lumpur, 7August2016 –As Standard Chartered KL Marathon welcomed its last runner across the finish line, many runners were already exchanging tales of strength, perseverance and motivation. Such was the scene at Dataran Merdeka where 35,000 runners took part across various categories.

Flagged off byTan Sri Datuk Mohd. Sheriff Mohd. Kassim, Chairman of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, Ajay Kanwal, Regional CEO ASEAN & South Asia of Standard Chartered Bank, and Mahendra Gursahani, Managing Director & CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, at the break of dawn, the runners made their way through the city; absorbing the vista of Kuala Lumpur’s iconic landmarks such as the Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Parliament of Malaysia, the National Museum, Menara Standard Chartered and Dataran Merdeka which served as the race village.

The Marathon also saw Kennedy Kiproo Lilan from Kenya defending his title for the fifth time in the Standard Chartered KL Marathon, and Hirut Beyene Guangul from Ethiopia crowned champion of the Full-Marathon Women’s Open category with the respective times of 02:18:57and 02:39:02.

The day was made even sweeter as Sheela A/P Samivellu set a new national record of 01:24:33[1], securing the first place in the Honda Half-Marathon Malaysian category.

Enjoying the victory, Kennedy said, “I am so happy to win the Standard Chartered KL Marathon again. It was a great race and everything went really well and I am very thankful for that.”

Expressing her joy, Hirut said, “It was a challenge from start to finish,but I enjoyed it a lot. Winning is always special and I am still buzzing from the excitement of crossing the finish line.”

Completing the top three in the Full Marathon Men’s Open category are Tonui Kiprop from Kenya with a time of 02:18:59 and Luka Kipkemoi Chelimo from Kenya with 02:19:24. While in the Full Marathon Women’s Open category are Naomi Jepkogei Maiyo from Kenya with a time of 02:39:14 and Elizabeth Jeruiyot Chemweno from Kenya with 02:41:09.

Malaysian Full Marathoners also put up a brave display with returning champion, Muhaizar Mohamad winning the Full Marathon Malaysian Men’s title with the timing of 02:39:23 and Yuan Yu Fang taking the Malaysian Women’s category with a time of 03:19:04.

At the press conference with the winners, Rainer Biemans, Director of Dirigo Events, Race owner and organiser of Standard Chartered KL Marathon, said, “As a race organiser, we are delighted with the outcome of the race. We are humbled by the support shown by the runners today and inspired by their endurance and spirit in taking on the challenges. We look forward to continue to make Standard Chartered KL Marathon the premier race in Malaysia.”

Making the race a true platform for people to do extraordinary things were 60 visually impaired runners with their running buddies taking part in the 5 km Fun Run category,36 runners with autism together with their parents in the 3 km Kids Dash and over 300 Standard Chartered Bank staff running in red tutus across different categories. 

Their participation in the race was supported by Standard Chartered Bank in their efforts to tackle avoidable blindness, raise awareness and educating the public on autism and HIV.

Under Standard Chartered KL Marathon’s “Run For A Reason” initiative, a total of RM444,848.00 was raised for the beneficiaries Standard Chartered Foundation, Hospis Malaysia, Yayasan Sejahtera and IJN Foundation. The funds were raised collectively by approximately 364 runners and Corporate Challenge participants who also did their part in raising awareness towards the beneficiaries they selected.

Managing Director and CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, Mahendra Gursahani, said, “Standard Chartered Bank is proud to provide a platform for people from all walks of life to accomplish extraordinary goals. These acts are a brilliant demonstration of what personal empowerment can do for the human spirit. We salute all runners that took part in the marathon, and we thank them all for the great support shown.”

Completing the race experience over the weekend, the event organiser and owner, Dirigo Events held a Friendship Run and Pasta Party before race day to foster a sense of camaraderie and fellowship amongst runners from around the world.

This year’s edition of the race also marked the first time Standard Chartered KL Marathon implementing a new checkpoint system commonly practised in international marathons. The purpose behind this was to ensure the safety of the runners and that the roads were handed in a systematic manner. Other changes included an extended seven-hour cut-off time.

Both moves were welcomed by the relevant authorities as Standard Chartered KL Marathon looks to achieving higher international standards from a sporting and organising perspective. A total of 5,595 runners finished the Full Marathon within seven hours, 8,160 finished the Honda Half Marathon within 3.5 hours and 12,804 finished the 10KM, 2,400 finished the 5KM and 750 kids completed the Kids Dash categories. 

The Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2016 is made possible by title sponsor Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, along with event owner and organiser, Dirigo Events Sdn. Bhd. and co-organiser Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur.

Supporting the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2016, are Gold Sponsor, Honda Malaysia; and official partners Seiko, 100 Plus, adidas and Pacific Regency Hotel Group.

Standard Chartered KL Marathon is sanctioned and supported by Malaysia Athletics Federation (MAF), Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Athletic Federation (FTKLAA), International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and Association of International Marathons, Distance Races (AIMS).

[1]Subjected to Malaysia Athletic Federation (MAF) endorsement

Winners of the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2016

Full Marathon Men’s Open
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
Kennedy KiprooLilan
KEN
2:18:57
2nd
TonuiKiprop
KEN
2:18:59
3rd
Luka KipkemoiChelimo
KEN
2:19:24

Full Marathon Women’s Open
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
HirutBeyeneGuangul
ETH
2:39:02
2nd
Naomi JepkogeiMaiyo
KEN
2:39:14
3rd
Elizabeth JeruiyotChemweno
KEN
2:41:10

Full Marathon Malaysian Men
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
Muhaizar Mohamad
MAS
 2:39:25
2nd
Mohd. JironiRiduan
MAS
 2:39:57
3rd
Tan Huong Leong
MAS
 2:41:54

Full Marathon Malaysian Women 
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
Yuan YuFang
MAS
 3:19:04
2nd
TahiraNajmunisaa Bt. Muhammad Zaid
MAS
 3:28:01
3rd
Melissa Lim Yi-Xin
MAS
 3:31:29

Full Marathon Veteran Men
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
 Joseph MwangiNgare
 KEN
 2:25:57
2nd
 Jonah KipseremTarus
 KEN
 2:38:04
3rd
 Julius Kimtai Rotich
 KEN
 2:45:29

Full Marathon Veteran Women
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
 Margaret Njuguna
 KEN
 3:04:01
2nd
Cochet
 FRA
 3:25:19
3rd
 Caroline NdutaNgugi
 KEN
 3:29:19

Honda Half Marathon Men Open
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
 Charles MunyuaNjoki
 KEN
 1:07:44
2nd
 Samson Kiplagat
 KEN
 1:11:10
3rd
 Samuel Muya
 KEN
 1:12:12

Honda Half Marathon Women Open
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
 Hannah WaberaGathingi
 KEN
 1:22:20
2nd
 Tabitha Wambui
 KEN
 1:22:42
3rd
 Sheela A/P Samivellu
 MAS
 1:24:44
Honda Half Marathon Men Veteran 
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
 Nakamura Tsubasa
 JPN
 1:25:13
2nd
Guianus Bin Salagan
 MAS
 1:28:18
3rd
 Chan Shan Ching
 HKG
 1:28:53

Honda Half Marathon Women Veteran
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
 Rachel Pepper
 NZL
 1:44:59
2nd
SivabhaliniThevendiraraj
 MAS
 1:45:03
3rd
 Joanne Poh Leng Grange
 MAS
 1:46:23

10km Speed Men Open
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
 James Karanja
 KEN
 0:33:32
2nd
 Azwan Bin Bunjing
 MAS
 0:35:48
3rd
 Chew JeeKeng
 SIN
 0:36:38

10km Speed Women Open
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
Mak Rainbow
 CAN
 0:40:50
2nd
 Danielle Nant
 NZL
 0:41:46
3rd
 Tan Sok Hue Sumiko
 SIN
 0:45:20

10km Speed Men Veteran
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
 Jeffrey Ross
 GBR
 0:36:37
2nd
 Lim Khon Seng
 MAS
 0:37:38
3rd
 Khoo Hua Seng
 MAS
 0:41:22

10km Speed Women Veteran
Position
Name
Country
Time
1st
 Tan Pei Leng
 MAS
 0:49:13
2nd
 Lorna Wong
 MAS
 0:49:27
3rd
 Leong Poh Yeng
 MAS
 0:51:45

Corporate Challenge
Position
Name
Time
1st
 Turner International Malaysia Sdn Bhd
 2:48:33
2nd
 IDC Market Research (M) Sdn Bhd
 3:07:56
3rd
Valuecap Sdn Bhd
 3:29:20

Ministries Challenge
Position
Name
Time
1st
JabatanPenyiaran Malaysia
 2:31:25
2nd
 Department of Irrigation and Drainage
 2:34:43
3rd
JabatanPerangkaan Malaysia
 2:37:32

Universities Challenge
Position
Name
Time
1st
UniversitiPertahanan Nasional Malaysia
 2:06:26
2nd
Taylor’s College Sri Hartamas
 2:38:13
3rd
Universiti Tenaga Nasional
 2:46:46