Press Release: STANDARD CHARTERED KL MARATHON WINS BIG AT KUALA LUMPUR MAYOR’S TOURISM AWARDS 2014

Marathon wins Kuala Lumpur Mayor’s Tourism Award 2014 Platinum Award for Events category

Kuala Lumpur, 24 June 2014 – The Standard Chartered KL Marathon is a proud winner of the Kuala Lumpur Mayor’s Tourism Award (KLMTA) 2014. The Marathon received a Platinum Award under the Events category, sealing its status as Kuala Lumpur’s most iconic running event. The award ceremony which was held in Shangri La Kuala Lumpur was graced by the presence of Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah and Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, YBhg Datuk Haji Ahmad Phesal Bin Haji Talib.

“It is a proud moment for the organisers of the event. The recognition is truly a testament to the impact the Standard Chartered KL Marathon has on the city of Kuala Lumpur, alongside the growing number of runners both from Malaysia as well as our international following,” said Rainer Biemans, Director of Dirigo Events, event owner and organiser of Standard Chartered KL Marathon. He continued, “This year, we return, bigger and better, with a new tagline, ‘Committed. Confident. Courageous.’ whereby we aim to encourage commitment to a healthy lifestyle, enhance confidence and most importantly, celebrate the courage of marathon runners.”

The Standard Chartered KL Marathon nabbed the award based on criteria such as the participation of more than 33,800 local and international runners, holistic marketing and promotion campaign that attained impactful print media, social media, broadcast and outdoor campaigns. Besides being endorsed by authorities such as the Ministry of Youth & Sports Malaysia and the Malaysia Athletics Federation and sanctioned by international organisations including the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), the event has also been delivered successfully in terms of safety to the public and environment.

Biemans also commented, “We have been the organisers for six years in a row and it is truly an honour to be able to work with the wide network which has made this event grow and continue to command its following. We would like to thank our sponsors, especially our title sponsor, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, organisations that are involved in the process of bringing the marathon to life and most importantly, our loyal participants.”

Osman Morad, Managing Director and CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia commented “Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia is proud to be the main sponsor of this iconic running event. We are delighted to promote healthy living and to bring together communities. It’s rewarding to see the marathon attain such a prestigious stature.”

The KLMTA 2014 is the second edition of the awards organised by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. The triennial award is designed to recognise levels of excellence and contributions to making KL an international tourist destination of choice.

For more information on the Standard Chartered KL Marathon, please visit www.kl-marathon.com or call +603 7886 1717.

Giveaway: The Cursed House Special Screening Tickets

THE CURSED HOUSE

This house… the living can’t stay… the dead can’t leave…

Ann with her family, husband and daughter and mother moved into a new house hoping to live a better live. Their lives take an unexpected turn when strange things start to happen in the house. Ann consults a shaman that senses evil in the house. Ann with the help from the original landlord must find the horrifying secrets before the evil consume the whole family.

Language: Thai

Release date: 3rd July 2014

Genre: Horror

Director: Teeratorn Chowvanayotin

Casts: Kamolnapatch Thanwong, Akara Amarttayajul, Suppakit Tangthatwasd



The generous people at RAM Entertainment is giving 20 lucky readers of this blog two tickets each to watch THE CURSED HOUSE - THAI HORROR FILM Special Previews Screening.

The Cursed House Special Screening
Date: 6 July (Sunday)
Time: 10am or 10.30am
Venue: Cathay Cineplex eCurve
Hall: 10

Here's how you can win. Complete this sentence

THE CURSED HOUSE - THAI HORROR FILM is a must-watch movie because... (30 words or less)

The 20 readers who come up with the most creative answers will win a pair of tickets each. Send your entry via email to runwitme@gmail.com with the subject "THE CURSED HOUSE" not later than 30 June. Winner will be contacted via email. Do include your full name and phone number.

Press Release: The Complete World Cup Experience at McDonald's Restaurants Nationwide

Limited-Time Menu, 24-hour Conveniences, Special Edition World Cup Fry Boxes, New GOL! App and Live Screenings of 64 matches at the Official Restaurant of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – (June 10, 2014) – With all eyes on the excitement taking place in Brazil, McDonald’s will be living up to its role as an Official Sponsor and the Official Restaurant of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ with the aim of bringing the complete World Cup experience to life for its customers. Malaysians will get to celebrate the spirit of the World Cup through the all-new Spicy Habanero Burgers, the redesigned McDonald’s Fry Boxes, the engaging augmented reality GOL! App and the live screenings of all 64 World Cup matches in High Definition at 24-hour McDonald’s restaurants nationwide.



The delectable Spicy Habanero Burgers, available in both Chicken and Beef variants, feature an iconic Soccer Bun, with the Habanero ranch sauce and an assortment of vegetables. The habanero is a small chili pepper from South America, and is considered as one of the hottest chili peppers in the world. To help customers cool down after a hot meal are the thirst-quenching Lime Fiesta McFizz, delicious Banana Kick McFlurry with Oreo, scrumptious Banana Pie and the delightful fan Sundae Cones available in the colours of green and pink. All of these products are available for a limited-time only throughout the World Cup campaign. For customers who prefer the convenience of home, the McDelivery service is available 24-hours a day. Football fans can also refuel with affordable McDonald’s breakfast from as low as RM4 every morning.

Globally, McDonald’s has changed the look of its iconic red French fry packaging with bold, new artwork that reflects the beauty and passion of the World Cup. There are 12 McDonald’s Fry Box designs, which are an exclusive collection of original street art produced by 12 artists from all around the world. The McDonald’s Fry Box also serves as a trigger for the augmented reality (AR) app, “McDonald’s GOL!”. Fans can look forward to “kicking” the ball with the flick of a finger on an augmented reality football field filled with obstacles. Customers can download the app from gol.mcd.com and begin play as soon as they have the specially-designed McDonald’s Fry Box in hand.

The Official Restaurant for Fans will also be screening all 64 FIFA World Cup™ matches LIVE in High Definition (HD) at its 24-hour McDonald’s restaurants nationwide. The complete list of restaurants can be found online at www.mcdonalds.com.my.



“As an Official Sponsor and the Official Restaurant of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, we will be serving up great times 24-hours a day,” said Stephen Chew, Managing Director of McDonald’s Malaysia. “We are committed to bringing the best World Cup experience to the fans in a holistic way – through our limited-time World Cup menu line-up, packaging that celebrates the passion of football, a new digital app to engage customers, live HD screenings of all 64 matches at our 24-hour restaurants, 24-hour McDelivery service and affordable Breakfast for fans to refuel after all the excitement.”

McDonald’s Malaysia will also be making a special McDelivery to two lucky fans as part of celebrating the FIFA World Cup™. The fans can expect a surprise visit from Syed Adney and Nazmi Faiz, two players who are part of the Harimau Malaya team. More details will be shared on McDonald’s Malaysia’s Facebook.

This year’s edition of the FIFA World Cup™ marks another milestone for McDonald’s, as McDonald’s has been an Official Sponsor and the Official Restaurant of FIFA World Cup™ for 20 years, since it first took on the role at the 1994 Tournament in the United States.

Runwitme Says: While munching on the delicious Spicy Habanero Burgers, we managed to talk to the McD's big boss about the OLYMPIC DAY FUN RUN 2014. It will be returning on 17 AUGUST 2014 2 NOV at DATARAN MERDEKA BUKIT JALIL. Details coming soon.
Stay tuned!

Press Release: H2OPE Run Fest 2014 Stirs the Heart of Young and Old

A Charity Run That Changes the Life of the Less Fortunate

Subang Jaya 14th June 2014 – The H2OPE Run Fest was held at Syopz Mall beside Taylor’s Lakeside in association with charity: water, an international based non-profit organization that builds wells and pipelines to supply water to the less fortunate all around the world.

H2OPE Run Fest was a two part event comprising of a 5KM Jerry Colour Run and Merchant Kiosk. The event saw 201 participants at the run in both the individual and pair category. The run was kicked off at 8.30 a.m with Dr. Toney, Deputy Dean of School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts of Taylor’s University leading the first round of the run.

Dr. Toney mentioned, “This run will mark a continuous initiative from Taylor’s University to bring student projects forward in the industry. I would also like to express my gratitude to charity: water for their gracious support towards this event.”



“They say that a drop of water is regarded as liquid gold in many parts of Africa, let our run flood their reserves with water!,” said Dr. Toney in his opening speech.

The event also opened its Merchant Kiosk at 10 a.m with the opening ceremony by Ms. Ameera Sazali the organizing committee leader for the event. The bazaar had many different sponsored vendors such as Good Morning Global, Red Box, Food Panda, Celebrity Fitness and more. Lucky draws and DJ performances were just one of many activities held at the bazaar.

The event came to a close at 2 p.m with a total of RM 5,000 proceeds donated to Charity: Water.



About X.O Project
X.O Project is student formed organization, made specifically to organize the H2OPE Run Fest event. Led by Ameera Sazali and Yeoh Ee Ning, young embodiment of energy, enthusiasm and a competitive appetite to succeed. X.O Project aims to bring student level projects to new heights by setting a new benchmark for the next generation of students.

For more information, please contact h2ope.xop@gmail.com

Volunteers Needed: Mizuno Wave Run 2014

Anyone keen to be volunteers/crew for Mizuno Wave Run (24 Aug 2014)?

Please submit your details (ie, name, contact number, gender, age) to M5RunCrews@gmail.com

For more info about Mizuno Wave Run 2014, click HERE.

It’s Official! Energizer Night Race 2014 is Malaysia’s Largest Night Race

Full registration achieved in just three weeks, all eyes now on race day

Kuala Lumpur, 16 June 2014 – The Energizer Night Race 2014 achieved full registration on 11th June and is now officially The Largest Night Race in Malaysia! The fourth installment of the Energizer Night Race is set to be the most spectacular night run with each and every runner sporting the signature Energizer 3-LED Headlight to create a ‘River of Light’ at Kuala Lumpur’s iconic Dataran Merdeka on 9th August.

“We’re thrilled that The Energizer Night Race 2014 reached full registration within 21 days of opening. It will be the first large scale night race at Dataran Merdeka and it’s all about Positivenergy. We’re all highly motivated by the response from the running community and can’t wait to greet everyone at the starting line in two months’ time,” said Mike Foong, Managing Director of Energizer Malaysia and Singapore.

Together with race organizer Twenty First Century Sports Sdn Bhd, collaboration partner Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL), and sanctioning body Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Athletic Association (FTKLAA); the race registration was launched on the 22nd May. Its initial closing date was set for 8th July.

“It’s all made possible by our consumers and the running community, they’re such great, enthusiastic fans with lots of Positivenergy. In that spirit, I’m calling on all Energizer Night Race supporters to join in the fun at Dataran Merdeka where we’ll have activities by Energizer and its sponsors to engage not only the runners but also the public. So even if you’re not running, be prepared for high-energy fun and interactive activities on that evening,” added Foong.

The signature global race series first had its beginnings in South Africa in 2007. To date, it has been held in Peru, Philippines, Mexico, and Spain with more than 220,000 runners lacing up their running shoes to help make a positive impact through the Energizer Night Race for a Brighter World.

Supported by Banana Boat, Schick, Brooks, Evian, Jake’s Charbroil Steaks, GNC Live Well, 100Plus, HooHA! Asia, Milo, Nestle Fitness, PowerBar, Nikon, and Soleus Running Watches, the upcoming race is a key component of Energizer’s That’s Positivenergy implementation in Malaysia, and highlights its legacy of category leadership in bringing responsible portable power to the marketplace.

For more information, race details, and route maps, kindly visit the Energizer Malaysia website www.energizer.com.my and official Facebook page www.facebook.com/EnergizerMY.

Press Release: Legendary Kiwi IRONMAN, Cameron Brown heading to IRONMAN Malaysia

Photo credit - Delly Carr

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia (June 11, 2014) Legendary Kiwi IRONMAN, Cameron Brown has just been announced as Ambassador for IRONMAN Malaysia, Langkawi.

The event, a 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run, to be held this 27 September on Pulau Langkawi marks the return for IRONMAN to the island after a three-year hiatus.

Headlining the professional field and the ambassador of the event is New Zealander, Cameron Brown. Brown is the holder of ten IRONMAN New Zealand titles, a feat that no other athlete has achieved. The soon to be 42 year old recently added his eleventh IRONMAN title by taking out the win at the recent IRONMAN Cairns. The event in Queensland Australian on June 8 makes Brown the oldest professional athlete to win an IRONMAN event, proving that there is still a lot of life in the Kiwi’s legs.

"Extremely excited to be heading to Langkawi for IRONMAN Malaysia in September. I have raced a lot throughout Asia and love the people and diverse culture and am looking forward to being an ambassador for the return of IRONMAN Malaysia." – Cameron Brown.

IRONMAN Malaysia, Langkawi is one of 35 events worldwide that qualifies athletes for the IRONMAN World Championships. The event will offer 40 qualifying slots to the 2015 IRONMAN World Championship in Kaliua-Kona, Hawaii. Registration is still open but the final few spots are filling fast and the event is forecast to be a sellout.

For additional information on IRONMAN Malaysia, please visit www.ironmanmalaysia.com.

Press Release: MEANINGFUL MILES WITH STANDARD CHARTERED KL MARATHON 2014 AND MSIG INSURANCE

Gold sponsor of Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2014 pledges contribution to charity partners with every MSIG 10km category registration.

Kuala Lumpur, 10 June 2014 - This year, one of Malaysia’s premier running events, the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2014 plays another major role in contributing to worthy causes. Gold sponsor of the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2014, MSIG Insurance will be driving their own charity initiative by pledging RM 2 for every MSIG 10 km category sign up.

“When runners register themselves for the MSIG 10km category, they have the option of selecting a charity organisation they wish to support. The options available are the charity partners of the Standard Chartered KL Marathon, namely the Standard Chartered Foundation (SCF), Hospis Malaysia, the Malaysia Nature Society (MNS) and the National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM),” explained Rainer Biemans, Director of Dirigo Events, event owner and organiser of Standard Chartered KL Marathon. He continued, “We would like to thank MSIG Insurance, for their long-standing support and generosity towards supporting the Marathon and growing with us throughout the years.”

Mr. Chua Seck Guan, CEO of MSIG Insurance Malaysia said, “Given our long standing relationship with the Standard Chartered KL Marathon, we look forward to always doing more with the event and the parties involved in making the Marathon a success, year after year. This year, apart from giving back to the society, we are committed to play a part in helping to increase the competitiveness of the marathon and encourage all runners to do better. Therefore, we will also be rewarding winners of the MSIG 10 km category with a trip for two to Osaka, Japan.”

The Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2014 will be taking place on the 12th October 2014. The prize pot offered for this year’s Marathon is USD 116, 740 (approximately RM376, 524); a 16 percent increase from the previous year, making it still the highest prize purse among all marathons in Malaysia.

For more information on the Marathon and MSIG Insurance’s pledge for charity, kindly visit www.kl-marathon.com or call +603 7887 4717.

Press Release: SCORE RUN 2014

IT’S A RUNNING LIFE & STYLE! FIRST EVER SCORE RUN 2014 PLUS AN EXCITING SERIES FOR 2015

Kuala Lumpur, 9 June 2014 – As a spin-off to SCORE 2014, Malaysia’s biggest and most comprehensive sports, fitness and outdoor recreation exhibition; came the inaugural SCORE Run 2014. Held on 8 June 2014 at Padang Merbok, Kuala Lumpur, the event flagged off 3,512 runners across two categories of 10km and 15km distance.

The 15km category were first to be flagged off at the crack of dawn, where 1,650 runners kicked off at 6:30am while 1,862 remaining runners followed up in the 10km category at 7:00am. The main running course at Padang Merbok gave runners a picturesque point-of-view of Kuala Lumpur as they breezed through the lush greenery of the inner-roads surrounding exclusive homes, tall trees and the Malaysian House of Parliament. The 15km category runners on the other hand, took the extra challenge as their extended course took them through a fairly steep climb up the Bukit Tunku loop.



Within fifty minutes into the run, the first batch of runners had crossed the finish line for their respective categories. Amidst the challenge, participants were high in excitement and in good spirits by the time they had collected their finisher medals and served with a line of refreshments. To top things off, the event had successfully brought together active Malaysians in support of SCORE’s philosophy of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports and outdoor recreation. The organisers had hoped to encourage more Malaysians to take up the sport of running as a healthy and enjoyable sporting pursuit.

“Ultimately, in line with our vision ONE PERSON, ONE SPORT, SCORE looks forward to many more exciting sports, fitness and outdoor adventure events to motivate Malaysians to embrace a healthy and spirited lifestyle,” says Patricia Tan, CEO of Mantra Experiential, the organiser of SCORE Run 2014.



The future shines brighter than ever with a host of upcoming activities made specially for running enthusiasts. Regular marathoners looking for a fresh challenge to push their physical limits would be thrilled to know that an exciting SCORE Run Series is all set to kick-off in 2015. This series will bring you a set of four challenges to be conquered in the year to complete your run series ultimate memento.

Organised by Mantra Experiential Sdn Bhd, SCORE is supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia and Malaysia Sports Industry. For more information, please visit http://www.score.my.

For more photos from the SCORE RUN, please click HERE.

Celebrity Fitness Indoor Fitathlon: Who's the Fittest Celebrity of Them All?

Kuala Lumpur, 4 June 2014 – It was an intense battle with riotous cheers echoing throughout the Cheras Sentral Shopping Mall Concourse recently. Eleven participants, each with a celebrity partner, pushed their fitness to the utmost limits. The goal was simple - to be the champion of the inaugural Celebrity Fitness Indoor Fitathlon, which offered prizes worth more than RM 38, 000 as a reward to deserving winners.



“Following the overwhelming response to the Celebrity Indoor Triathlon in 2012, we decided to come up with an interesting twist to staying fit by conducting this fitathlon in conjunction with our 11th anniversary – a welcome change from marathons and triathlons usually held quite often in Malaysia. To fulfill the dream of many to workout with their favorite celebrities, eleven lucky participants were chosen to participate based on slogans they constructed upon registration,” said Kris Malhotra, Country Group Fitness Manager of Celebrity Fitness Malaysia.

The lucky participants were:

Celebrity	Participants
Sazzy Falak	Zulhusmie Aripin
Nazril Idrus	Muhammad Azri
Yasmin Hani	Fakhrul Azhan
Azura Zainal	Ariff Syafik
John Oh	Stephanie Ho
Jason Phang	Kathryn Soo
Aenie Wong	Lee Yan Kar
Jojo Goh	Vincent Lok
Thanuja Ananthan	Hong Xiao Yun
Iz	Mohd Soleh Ahmad
Tony Eusoff	Ahmad Daud

During the competition, all 11 pairs were put through three stages in the competition. In the first stage, each pair had to complete 11 High Interval Training (HIT) challenges which included the Kettlebell squat, BOSU balance and Isometric Squat Hip Shake. The teams would then proceed to the Cardiovascular Conditioning stage, followed by the Core Conditioning stage where their stamina and body balance were put into test.

Participants had to complete two rounds of these stages within 30 minutes. The team that performed the most reps was crowned as the grand winner.



“My partner and I did our very best. Halfway through the second round, I could feel my muscles giving in, but I refused to let him down so I pushed forward to finish it. Sometimes we didn’t need any encouragement - the sound of my partner’s heavy breathing was strong enough to make me push through my own limits,” said Sazzy Falak with conviction.

All teams gave their very best. However, at the end of the day, only three teams stood out from the rest.

Team John Oh emerged as the ultimate power duo, walking away with a Celebrity Fitness 5 Star Makeover Personal Training Package, a 4D/3N cruise courtesy of Star Cruises, a GINTELL i-So 3D EZY Fitness Machine (GT888), Horley’s products worth RM1,500, a 2D/1N stay at Silka Cheras KL for 2 and a Strip treatment voucher.



Meanwhile, Team Iz emerged as the first runner up, winning themselves a three-month membership at Celebrity Fitness, a buffet dinner for two at Silka Cheras KL, aGINTELL G-Guasa Foot Massager (GT280), and Strip treatment sessions. Team Azzura Zainal emerged second runner up and they received Celebrity Fitness 1 Month Gym Membership, buffet lunch for 2 at Curvz Café, Silka Cheras KL, 1 session of underarm IPL treatment, and GINTELL G-Tappy (GT660) Massager.

Those who did not make it to the top three spots walked home with Adidas merchandise.

The Celebrity Fitness Indoor Fitathlon was made possible with the following partners: Cheras Sentral Shopping Mall, Silka Cheras KL, Star Cruise, Gintell, Horleys, Adidas, Strip, Boost Juice, CR2, Kinohimitsu, Lecka-Lecka, Watsons Malaysia, Mr. Bean, Permanis, and Kakao Talk.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CELEBRITY FITNESS, CLICK http://www.celebrityfitness.com.my/

For more photos from the Celebrity Fitness Indoor Fitathlon, head over to our Facebook page HERE.

Press Release: RM 55,500 collected at The Frankathon in aid of Cancer Research in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, 6 June 2014 – M+ Pharmacy presented a cheque amounting to RM30,000 to Prof. Dr Teo Soo Hwang, Chief Executive Officer of Cancer Research Initiatives Foundation (CARIF) at the closing ceremony of The Frankathon on the 1 June in Bangsar Village 1 Shopping Centre.

The Frankathon is a running event introduced by CARIF in support of Frank Chong, a cancer survivor who ran the 89.28km Comrades Marathon in South Africa for the third time today to raise funds for CARIF. This initiative was launched in partnership with Celebrity Fitness Malaysia, M+ Pharmacy, M&C Saatchi and Priority Communications, under the banner of the ‘Be Frank’ Campaign.

“Cancer is a disease that affects thousands of families across Malaysia every day. We launched The Frankathon to give the Malaysian public inspiration to fight cancer by raising funds for cancer research. The funds raised through The Frankathon will be used for research to identify new therapeutics for treatment of head and neck cancer, research into the discovery of new breast cancer loci and to look for pathway-specific anti-cancer compounds from our natural resources,” said Prof. Dr Teo.

CARIF unveiled the ‘Be Frank’ campaign in May 2013 to provide an avenue to empower the public to reach out within their communities to raise funds and cancer awareness. The word ‘Frank’ is used to encourage Malaysians to be open about cancer.



Proceeds of The Frankathon were from the sale of the ‘Pledge a Kilometer’ vouchers at CARIF and M+ Pharmacy. Additionally, a total of RM25,500 were also raised from the online donations and pledges of The Frankathon Team and Individual Challenges.

Individuals and various organizations participated in this exciting four-day event at Bangsar Village 1 by running on treadmills to collectively achieve 89.28km. Apart from this, the general public also ‘donated’ their kilometers by uploading selfies on the Be Frank Facebook (www.facebook.com/befrank.my). To date, an impressive 4,685.99km was achieved from the social media posts.

“The M+ Pharmacy team at Bangsar Village 1 believes in wholistic living and that cancer research is the key to finding a cure for cancer. We are proud to be a partner of The Frankathon and play a role in raising funds for cancer research,” said Datin Khoo Su Min, M+ Pharmacy, partner of The Frankathon.

After the cheque presentation, a prize giving ceremony was held for the winners of The Frankathon Team and Individual Challenges who conquered The Frankathon. Team Bursa Malaysia took home the grand prize, while Team LYN Runners and Team Saucony garnered 2nd and 3rd place for The Frankathon Team Challenge. Mohd Nuurul Al-Hafiz and Niam Siau Foi on the other hand received the 1st place position for The Frankathon Individual Challenge Male Category and Female Category respectively. Mak Chin Kow and Liew Azrul Mohd Khalib also didn’t walk home empty handed and received 2nd and 3rd place positions from the male category while Liew Seow Chin and Woon Foong Yee received 2nd and 3rd place positions in the female category.

To find out more about The Frankathon and how you can support CARIF, please visit the ‘Be Frank’ Facebook page (www.facebook.com/befrank.my) or email us at info@carif.com.my.

Attention Singles: Brooks Running Survey Reveals Majority Believe Running Increases Sex Appeal!

Survey Also Finds Running Fuels Some of the Best Ideas

Seattle – June 4, 2014 – To celebrate National Running Day, Brooks Running Company connected with runners across the country to find out what its favorite sports means to others. The company’s second annual Brooks Run Happy Nation Report, reveals the positive (and sometimes steamy) impact of running both on and off the road.

Could the running path lead to love? If you’re lucky! According to the survey, 76% of all runners (84% of males) believe that people look sexy when they’re running and three-quarters agree that they’d be more attracted to someone if they found out he or she was a runner. Turning thoughts into action, half of all surveyed (51%) have used running as their pick-up line.



Running even has the power to get the muscles in our brain working. Have you ever hit the pavement in search of inspiration? You’re not alone. The survey found 83% of respondents agree they come up with their best ideas while running. So, the next time you get stuck, lace up those shoes and hit the road.

“Our mission at Brooks is to inspire everyone to run and be active, and I can’t find much better inspiration than the results of this survey,” said Heather Snavely, Brooks Senior Director of Global Brand. “Who doesn’t want to feel healthier, smarter and sexier? And all you need to do is put on a pair of running shoes and log some miles? What are we waiting for, let’s lace up and go!”



More fun revelations about motivators, must-have gear and other sex and relationship tidbits were uncovered just as the temperature heats up for summer running season:

RACE TO THE BEDROOM
Runners are getting hot and sweaty, on and off the road:
· The couple that runs together stays together. An overwhelming majority (71%) of guys and gals believe running together as a couple plays a part in their sex life, for better or for worse. Surprise, surprise - more men (75%) than women (68%) bragged that logging miles together as a couple, increased their mileage between the sheets.

· Performance on the road trumps performance between the sheets according to 57% of respondents. Ladies more so than their male counterparts (63% vs. 37%) admit to being more confident while pounding the pavement.

TAKE A RUN, JOG THE BRAIN
Sure, running keeps you fit, but the other reasons for jogging run the gamut:
· Are you city or country? According to the survey, where you run may impact your idea-generation. City dwellers reported more run-fueled thoughts than rural residents (88% vs. 79%).The fresh air is also key with more respondents reporting their ideas came to them in the great outdoors (85%) vs. inside (76%).

· Just need to clear your head? More than half of respondents (56%) run to clear out the cobwebs and hit refresh.

· Rain or shine, getting out of the house ranks high as a motivator for 45% of female respondents, compared to 37% of males.

ON TRACK WITH TECHNOLOGY
Tapping into technology on the running path is a must for most:
· Always connected? An overwhelming majority (78%) of respondents consider technology a running staple. That number rockets to 92% among the younger generation (18-24).

· Smartphones lead the pack as the must-have piece of running technology for 41%, with iPod (36%) and stopwatch (19%) closely following.

· Asked to pick a top tune to play on repeat for all 26.2 miles of their marathon, 59% chose the classic “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey.


A DASH OF STYLE
A flair for fashion fires up runners:
· Almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents agree that attractive running gear motivates them to get up and out the door.

· Dress to impress! Frequent racers (who are accustomed to having fans cheer them on) are more motivated by attractive running apparel than those who compete infrequently (88% vs. 58%).


RISE AND RUN
Runners have strong opinions about when, where, and with whom they run:
· When? Early risers lead the bunch with 42% preferring to run before the sun rises. Scattered Sprinters – those who run whenever they have the time – follow with 29%, trailed by Lunchtime Lungers (16%) and Night Owls (12%).

· Where? Open trails and scenic views are calling. Forty two percent have, at least once, picked a vacation for its bevvy of running options.

· Who? Partnering up is preferable, with 59% saying a jog with a buddy makes it easier to stay on track.

Study Methodology
The Brooks Run Happy Nation Report was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18+, who run at least once per week, between April 4th and April 14th, 2014, using an email invitation and an online survey. The margin of error for this survey is 3.1 percentage points.

Visit www.brooksrunning.com for more information or follow us on Twitter (@brooksrunning) and Facebook (www.Facebook.com/brooksrunning).

Press Release: HOPE worldwide Malaysia Kicked Off Third Bolathon with its Maiden 10km Fun Run

Kuala Lumpur, 1 June 2014 – The addition of HOPE worldwide Malaysia’s maiden 10 kilometres Fun Run to its Bolathon – Charity 3km Masquerade Walk 10km Fun Run on its third anniversary held in conjunction with FIFA World Cup once every four years, had over 2800 football aficionados and enthusiasts gathering before sunrise on a Sunday morning.



There were best-dressed prizes up for grabs for individual and group category whereby, participants were encouraged to have their photo taken at the Photo Booth tent to take part in the contest. Grazingtheir presence at this year’s Bolathon was a family of Superheroes with the toddler attending to mischiefas Superman. Also present were Captain America, Spiderman, Minions and other well-known characters.



“My kudos goes out all those who participated and supported the fundraising event. It is tremendous to have so many enthusiasts who rise up and unite for an initiative to better serve the underprivileged communities in Malaysia. It was a sensationally calm morning with minimal noise pollution to also enjoy the perks of DBKL’s Car Free Morning.



The proceeds from Bolathon will be channelled towards HOPE’s flagship programmes centred on Health, Education and Nutrition such as Free Health Clinics, Reading and Food Distribution”, said Darick Wong, Country Director of HOPE worldwide Malaysia.



Participating for the first time, Nor Athirah from Kota Kemuning said, “I feel extremely excited to join other participants for a great cause. It is a good initiative for the public as it improves our well-being and also an opportunity to bond with family and participate in Bolathon together”.

HOPE worldwide Malaysia will look forward to host the Fourth Bolathon in 2018 and continuously identify opportunities to enrich as a unique family-friendly event and the 10km Fun Run is here to stay.

For more info about HOPE Worldwide Malaysia click HERE.

MORE PHOTOS FROM BOLATHON HERE.

Rock to Rock Run 2014 @ Hard Rock Hotel Penang

Mark your calendar! The Hard Rock Hotel Penang's signature event, Rock to Rock Runis back to rock cha!

What? Rock to Rock Run 2014

When? 26 October 2014 (Sunday) 6:30 am

Where? Hard Rock Hotel Penang

Who? Organised by Hard Rock Hotel Penang

How far?
Fun Run: 3.8km (Hard Rock Hotel Penang – Tropical Spice Garden – Hard Rock Hotel Penang)

Competitive Run: 10.2km (Hard Rock Hotel Penang – Penang Butterfly Farm – Hard Rock Hotel Penang)

How much? RM70.00 (For Fun Run & Competitive Run)

How to register? Click http://deltaevents.com.my/event/info/index/Rock_to_Rock_Run_2014

Press Release: The Color Run (“Happiest 5K on the Planet”) Malaysia 2014

Thousands of runners expected to participate in the Kuala Lumpur edition of The Color Run™

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 June 2014 – CIMB Bank today announced it is the presenting sponsor of The Color Run™, a five-kilometre fun run that gathers participants to run through showers of coloured powder in a celebration of health and happiness when it hits the streets of Kuala Lumpur on 17 August 2014. Dubbed the “Happiest 5k on the planet”, the untimed event organised by IMG will be held at Padang Merbok and is expected to attract 13,000 participants.

“I am delighted that The Color Run has come to Kuala Lumpur; it’s reflective of our city and its diversity in terms of the people, cultures and heritage. This is a good opportunity for Malaysians to put aside the stresses of daily life and just have fun. Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur will provide the necessary support to ensure participants have an enjoyable experience,” said Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib, the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur.

Exploding in popularity since its January 2012 launch, it has taken the world by storm and grown from just over 50 runs with 600,000 participants in 2013, to over 100 international events. It debuts the ASEAN runs in Singapore in 2013 and subsequently held its second ASEAN run in Jakarta in January 2014, attracting nearly 30,000 runners from both cities.

Effendy Shahul Hamid, Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, CIMB Group enthused, “CIMB is no stranger to The Color Run in ASEAN. We’ve previously brought it to Singapore and Jakarta with great success, as it reminds us of the wonderfully diverse and colourful cultures that ASEAN is home to. We’re so pleased to be able to now bring it to Kuala Lumpur. It’s a wonderful event, great for both families and running enthusiasts, and stands for friendship, fitness and lots of fun. We look forward to sharing this with the community at large.”

“IMG would like to thank our Presenting Sponsor, CIMB for their support in making this event possible in Kuala Lumpur. The people of Malaysia are truly spirited and will no doubt embrace The Color Run™ with great enthusiasm as they do so in many other international events that take place in this wonderful country,” said Robbie Henchman, Senior Vice President, IMG Asia Pacific.

Registration for the Kuala Lumpur edition of The Color Run™ opens on Monday, 9 June 2014 at 9 am. Registration fee is at RM 75 per participant. To be a color runner, log on to www.thecolorrun.my.

The first 2,000 CIMB Bank Credit Card, Debit Card and Kwik Account holders will enjoy a 10% discount. Customers who sign up for a CIMB Kwik account between 9 June to 14 July 2014, will receive a further RM60 cash rebate if they register 4 entries in addition to the 10% discount. For more information or for the full terms and conditions of the CIMB Color Run promotions, log on to www.cimbbank.com.my.

Here’s a short video to give you an idea of what The Color Run is all about!



To keep updated on The Color Run™ Malaysia, visit the local Facebook page and follow the official Twitter.

IJM Land Run 2014 @ Seremban

What? The IJM Land Run 2014

When? 21 September 2014 (Sunday) 6am

Where? IJM Land Berhad - Seremban Office

How far? 12km and 5km

How much? RM18-53 Depending on categories and early bird rates.

How to register? http://ijmlandrun.com/event-info.php

Runwitme Says: Don't go home after the run is over because there will be lucky draw with prizes worth more than RM20,000 in total with products such as Samsung S5, Ipad, gift vouchers and many more!

TAYLOR’S UNIVERSITY H2OPE RUN FEST 2014

SUBANG JAYA – H2OPE Run Fest will be happening for the first time in Taylor’s University on Saturday, 14th June 2014. The event will be held at Syopz Mall beside Taylor’s Lakeside Campus. The open event is targeted towards the general public and is expected to attract around 500 participants from all over Klang Valley.

H2OPE Run Fest is a charity event aiming to raise fund for Charity: Water, a non-profit organization in order to provide underprivileged people with better access to clean and drinkable water. The name “H2OPE” derives from a creative combination of H2O and “hope”, which signifies the privilege of accessible clean water to the ones in need.

Fun Run (from 8.00am to 12.30pm) and Bazaar (from 10.00am to 2.00pm) will be the two main highlighted components of this event.

H2OPE Fun Run is built on the concept of combining a ‘jerry can run’ with a ‘color run’. The objective is to educate the participants and the general public about the importance of water. There are two main categories: individuals and pairs.

H2OPE Bazaar features a wide range of activities, varying from face painting, photo booth, eating contest to henna, clothing bazaar and many more.

The event’s official beneficiary is Charity: Water. Founded by Scott Harrison in 2006, the American organization has been funded for more than 11,500 projects in 22 countries. They have been featured in several international newspapers such as CNN, The New York Times, Vogue, Forbes, Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, etc. Charity: Water then ensures 100 percent of the donation will be sent to the needed people.

H2OPE Run Fest is organized by X.O Project (X.O.P), a group of final year students from School of Communication (SOC) and School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts (TCHT) who strongly believe in making a difference. Through this project, we hope to initiate a comprehensive understanding not only about Charity: Water but also educate the community about the water crisis.

The registration has already been opened. People who are interested can either download the online registration form on http://bit.ly/H2OPERegistration or approach our organizing committee members at our booth located in front of The Grand Hall on 2nd and 4th June and in front of Student Life Centre (Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus) on 6th, 9th, 11th and 12th June 2014.

For more information, we are always reachable on our official website at http://h2opexop.wix.com/h2opetu

A'Famosa Charity Fun Run 2014

What? A'Famosa Charity Fun Run 2014

When? 15 June 2014 (Sunday) 8:00am

Where? A Famosa Condo D-Savoy

How far? 10km

How much? Early Bird RM30 (individual) RM60 (Family). Normal RM50 and 80 respectively.

How to register? Download entry form HERE.