Press Release: Standard Chartered Reveals Plans For Standard Chartered Half-Marathon Brunei 2013

8 January 2013, Bandar Seri Begawan – Standard Chartered Bank today officially revealed plans for their upcoming Standard Chartered Half-Marathon Brunei 2013 at a press conference held at Radisson Hotel in the capital.

The Standard Chartered Half-Marathon Brunei 2013 will be held on Sunday, 7 April 2013 at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium and will feature four running categories- Half-Marathon, 10km, 5km and 2.5km.

Lai Pei-Si, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank said in her welcoming remarks:
“At Standard Chartered Bank, we are passionate about running. Across the globe, we feature 9 marathons in Bangkok, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jersey, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Nairobi, Singapore and Stanley and 4 races- Standard Chartered Great City Race, London; Standard Chartered Indonesia Half-Marathon, Standard Chartered Taipei Vertical Marathon and our Half-Marathon here in Brunei.”

“Marathon’s capture the essence of the Standard Chartered’s can-do attitude and our brand promise- Here for good. The sponsorship of marathons and races is not just about associating our name and logo with an event. It’s about how we can bring focus to a cause like Seeing is Believing and other causes. There are few events that can bring a community together like a marathon, whether people are participating, supporting or volunteering. At the same time, through our marathons and races, we have been able to build and deepen stakeholder relationships. Our staff for one are engaged through the opportunity to participate or volunteer. These events are also a great fundraising opportunity to contribute back to the local community. We are a long term supporter of encouraging individuals to lead healthier lifestyles and our runs are one way which we can make a difference.”

Standard Chartered Half Marathon 2013 is proudly sponsored by Official Sponsor- Great Eastern Life alongside official partners- GetFit CrossFit, Mixmediaworx, New Balance, Radisson Hotel, Royal Brunei Airlines, Soleus, Suci, Sunlit Advertising, 100 Plus, Borneo Bulletin and Media Permata. This event is also strongly supported by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and sanctioned by the Brunei Athletics Association. ThreeG Media Sdn Bhd is also a supporter.

As the Official Sponsor, Great Eastern Life has a special category named after them- the Great Eastern Women’s 10km Run. Participants in this category will receive a special Great Eastern Life gift in their running bags and also invitations to special Great Eastern Life events. On top of this, winners in this category will also receive special Great Eastern Life placement trophies.

Caroline Sim, Assistant Head, Brunei Branch, Great Eastern Life Assurance Co Ltd said:
“At Great Eastern, we’re no longer just a life insurance company, but a Life company. We believe that while insurance is important, each individual is irreplaceable and there will never be another you to love your family as you can.

Our Live Great programme is the first integrated health and wellness programme of its kind to actively help our customers live healthier, better and longer.

We are pleased to sponsor the Great Eastern Women’s 10km Run, one of the categories in the Standard Chartered Half Marathon, to empower women to take ownership of their health. The Great Eastern Women’s 10K Run is an excellent platform to promote the wonderful benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle. We believe that ‘Life is Great’ when one is healthy and well.

We would like to encourage as many women as possible to participate in our inaugural Run and start living great.”

Categories and prize table as below:



All winners will also receive a Soleus Running Watch.
Runners of the Half-Marathon and 10km categories will receive finishing medals and downloadable certificates.

Runners of the 5km and 2.5km will receive downloadable participation certificates.

Total participation is capped at 6000 participants and fees and maximum numbers are as below:



Highlights of the 2013 event includes:
 Increase in total prize money by over 60%.
 Addition of a veteran category for the Half-Marathon category.
 Special Great Eastern 10km Women’s Run that will include Great Eastern placement trophies alongside prize money and extra goodies for all participating in this category.
 Branded New Balance T-shirt for all runners and volunteers.
 Cheering competition.
 Soleus Running Watches for all winners

Charity remains a focus of the Standard Chartered Half-Marathon Brunei 2013 and this year, funds raised will benefit Learning Ladders, SMARTER Brunei and Seeing is Believing.

More information can be found at the official Standard Chartered Half-Marathon Brunei 2013 website at www.scbruneihalfmarathon.com or via calling Phone Banking at 265 8000. Online registration is now open while registration at Branches will open on 14 January 2013.

Press Release: Nike makes an icon more flexible than ever with Air Max+ 2013

A reengineered Nike Max Air unit makes a classic running shoe lighter, more cushioned and an even better fit.

The franchise that started a revolution releases its 2013 edition totally designed for runners’ needs. The Nike Air Max+ 2013 features the most advanced heel-to-toe Nike Max Air unit ever to provide lightweight, soft cushioning and more flexibility than any previous version.



The Nike Air Max team emphasized natural motion in their design. They started by reconstructing the Nike Max Air unit to ensure the softest, most comfortable ride possible. The unit’s internal walls are minimized to encourage airflow, and internal tubes move with the foot to provide more flexibility than in previous Nike Air units.



Nike Hyperfuse construction is used throughout the shoe to create a lighter, more breathable upper and a reduced overall weight, without sacrificing on comfort. Open hole mesh on the upper serves the dual purpose of generating allowing increased ventilation for comfort on the run and a sleek appearance.



A notched inner sleeve wraps around the foot, while a molded collar supports the ankle to create an improved fit that feels virtually seamless. Whether on the street or the treadmill, dynamic Nike Flywire technology ensures that the midfoot stays secure and supported at all times.



The Nike Air Max+ 2013 takes its place as the latest incarnation of the Air Max franchise. As both a timeless statement of innovation and a perennial sports classic, visible air has set Nike apart for almost a quarter of a century.



As the first shoe to feature visible air, the original Air Max 1, designed by Tinker Hatfield, revolutionized an industry and reshaped the design landscape for running footwear. In the late 80's, the idea of running on air was an innovation that not only had never been seen before but also delivered a fit and level of comfort that changed the game. In the years following, Air Max shoes have become the epitome of running performance and style.



Visible air continues to be one of the most relevant and revolutionary innovations Nike has ever created. The reinvented Nike Air Max+ 2013 represents the evolution of Nike Running.

The Nike Air Max+ 2013 is sold at all Nike retails stores, and will retail for RM599.

Source: Official Press Release from Nike Malaysia.

Colour Rush - Help Kids Fight Cancer @ Kuching, Sarawak

What? Colour Rush

Where? Kuching Integrated Recreational Centre (KIRC)

When? 23 Feb 2013 (Saturday) 7:00am

Who? Organised by Sarawak Children Cancer Society

Why? Colour Rush is a run for a cause, for children with cancer, in conjunction with the International Childhood Cancer Day 2013.

How far? About 5km

How much? RM30

How to register? Click HERE.

Runwitme Says: Participants begin the run at the start line like a brand new canvas. Putting on the provided white SCCS T-Shirts to show off the new logo. Each runner is given a pink, blue or yellow coloured powder.

The Colour comes in the form of edible powder, representing our hope, faith and strength for these children. Our run will consist of runners from all walks of life regardless of your background.

Before they start running, they get to colour-bomb each other! At the end, they will look like they slid down a rainbow! This sounds like LOTS of fun!

The Pisang Relay @ Taman Rekreasi Bukit Jalil

What?The 1st Pisang Relay

When? 12 May 2013, Sunday, 7:30am

Where? Taman Rekreasi Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

How far? 2.72km per lap Route: http://www.mapometer.com/running/route_2621286.html

How to get more info? Click HERE.

Runwitme Says: Having successful runs (pun intended) in Singapore, this fun running relay event aimed at promoting the spirit of friendship, teamwork & bonding regardless of speed, height and gender is now crossing the Causeway to Malaysia. Bananas will be used as batons for relay team of three. Each member will take turns to run 1 lap and each team shall complete a total of 6 laps (each member shall run 2 laps, non-consecutively).

Form your team and start training with bananas NOW. ;)

Active and Burning Calories (ABC) Run 2013 @ UCSI University KL

What? Active and Burning Calories (ABC) Run 2013

Where? South Wing, UCSI University, KL Campus

When? 27 January 2013 (Sunday), 7:00 am Flag Off

Who? Organised by UCSI University, KL

Why? The raised funds will be used to organise UCSI University's 12th Annual Public Health Campaign, which is a community service.

How far? 5km run along Persiaran Alam Damai and the Taman Connaught housing area.

How much? RM30 for UCSI students/staffs and RM35 for others

How to register? Click HERE.

1Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Heritage Xplorace 2013 @ KL Tower

What? 1Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Heritage Xplorace 2013

When? 23 Februari 2013 (Saturday)

Where? KL Tower

Who? Organised by Menara KL

How to register? Download form HERE.

Malaysia Women Marathon 2013 Registration is Now Open!

What? Malaysia Women Marathon 2013

Where? I City, Shah Alam
GPS coordinates 3.064753, 101.485391? +3° 3' 53.11", +101° 29' 7.41“

When? 7 April 2013 (Sunday)

Route:
The Route will traverse the the city of Shah Alam. This is the capital of the state of Selangor in Malaysia and is located about 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur.

The Route will take you through a majestic Blue Mosque, the Sultan of Selangor palace, 2 grand stadiums, 2 beautiful lakes, an old museum and the beautiful shell shaped Royal Theater of Selangor. Not to miss on challenges, there are lots of inclines but who says women cannot live up to challenges. The route will be measured and sanctioned by a sanctioning body in Malaysia.

Special Feature of the Marathon:
We will have Katherine Switzer to flag off the event. She will be here to give inspirational talks and meet all the participants. We have a 2 days pre event program that will encompass from a women dialogue session of women in running where we have in the session, numerous women race directors who have organised runs of their own (some for which are ultras); to an award giving ceremony for a woman runner who has through her running injected some sense of empowerment and inspirational feature for other women to follow; and of course we are planning a fashion parade. Many more programs. Stay tuned.

Race Categories:

Full marathon Start Time : 430am
- Women open : age 18 – 39years old
- Women Veteran : age 40 onwards
- Couple Category - registration is done for 2 persons by the woman participant ie with 2 registration fee.

The distance for the full marathon is 42.195km and the cut off time allocated to complete the distance shall be 7 hours. Slightly challenging route but we wont be surprise to see all ladies finish before this time.

The couple category is open for women who would like a pacer who are either their husbands or their personal trainer (pacer) not being a female to run with them. She will have to register two registration under her name where her bib will be issued in a pair. There will be timing chip for both runners in this category. The male is also entitled to the race benefit other than winning prizes. They may stand a chance to win other consolidation prizes.

Half Marathon Start time : 530am
- Women open - age 16-39 years old
- Women Veteran : age 40 years old
- Couple category – registration is done for 2 persons by the woman participant ie with 2 registration fee.
The distance for the Half marathon is 21.1km and the cut off time allocated to complete this distance shall be 4 hours.

The couple category for women who would like a pacer who are either their husbands or their personal trainer (pacer) not being a female to run with them. She will register two registration under her name where her bibs will be issued in a pair. There will be timing chip for runners in this category. There will be timing chip for both runners in this category. The male is also entitled to the race benefit other than winning prizes. They may stand a chance to win other consolidation prizes.

8km fun run Start time 7am
- Women open – age 16-39 years old
- Women Veteran : age 40 years old

The Fun run distance is 8km. The runners where will be issued a bib but will not be given a timing chip. MWM will record only the top 30 runners of the 8km women open and veteran for the result list. A certificate without timing will be given at the end of the race to the runners

To register click HERE.
For more info, please click HERE.

Running Legend Katherine Switzer To Flag Off the Inaugural Malaysia Women Marathon 2013

Woot! Woot! We are so excited now! We have been keeping this secret for days because we have sworn to secrecy of this fantastic news. Finally, we get the green light from the race director to announce it to the world!

She will be in Malaysia to flag off the Inaugural Malaysia Women Marathon 2013 on 7 April in Shah Alam.

Kathrine Virginia "Kathy" Switzer (born January 5, 1947) is an American author, television commentator and marathon runner and best known as the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entry.



While attending college, Switzer entered and completed the race in 1967, five years before women were officially allowed to compete in it. Her finishing time of approximately 4 hours and 20 minutes was nearly an hour behind the first female finisher, Bobbi Gibb (who ran unregistered).

She registered under the gender-neutral "K. V. Switzer", which she insists was not done in an attempt to mislead the officials. She claims to have long used "K. V. Switzer" to sign the articles she wrote for her college paper.

Race official Jock Semple attempted to remove her from the race, and according to Switzer said, "Get the hell out of my race and give me those numbers."However, Switzer's boyfriend Tom Miller, who was running with her, shoved Semple aside and sent him flying. The photographs taken of the incident made world headlines.

As a result of her run, the AAU barred women from all competition with male runners, on pain of losing the right to compete. Switzer, with other women runners, tried to convince the Boston Athletic Association to allow women to participate in the marathon. Finally, in 1972, women were welcome to run the Boston Marathon officially for the first time ever.

For more info about Malaysia Women Marathon, please click HERE.

Source Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathrine_Switzer

Save Our Rainforest Race 2013 @ Chamang Waterfall in Bentong, Pahang

What? Save Our Rainforest Race 2013

Where? Chamang Waterfall in Bentong, Pahang

When? 2 March 2013 (Saturday)

Who? Organised by PEKA MALAYSIA (Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam)

How far? 10km adventure race styled event.

How much? RM160 per team of 2 ie. RM80 per person.

How to register? Click HERE.

Runwitme Says: The 10km route will be packed with many exciting activities, challenge stations and most excitingly, TREE PLANTING at the location!

Check out this shocking video below:



Support & Follow PEKA Official Social Media Networks:
http://www.pekamalaysia.org/
http://www.facebook.com/PEKAMALAYSIA
http://www.twitter.com/peka_my
http://www.instagram.com/pekamalaysia

Official Hashtags: #SORR2013 #NatureLovers #hutanhujan #rainforest #SaveOurRainForestRace

Larian FAMEMAS 1Malaysia 2013 @ Bukit Jalil

What? Larian FAMEMAS 1Malaysia 2013

When? 3 Feb 2013 7:30am Flag off

Where? Stadium Mini (Pintu C) Majlis Sukan Negara, Bkt Jalil, KL

Who? Organised by Kelab Penyokong Sukan Malaysia (Famemas)

How far? 3 & 7 km

How to get the entry form? To Download click HERE.



NOTE: REGISTRATION CLOSED.

MAKNA Founder's Run 2013 @ Padang Merbok

What? MAKNA Founder's Run

When? 31 March 2013 (Sunday) 7:00am

Where? Padang Merbok, KL

Why? Your participation gives someone a meaning to life. Every mile you conquer and dollar raised will give our cancer patients hope for tomorrow

Who? Organised by MAKNA (Majlis Kanser Nasional or National Cancer Council)

How far? 3,7 & 12km

How much? RM60 (7 & 12km) and RM50 (3km). Early bird discount of RM5 from the entry fee until 31 Jan 2013.

How to register? Click HERE.

Run for Sight 5km - Blindfold Run 2013

What? Run for Sight 5km - Blindfold Run 2013

When? 10 March 2013 (Sunday) 6:30am

Where? Central Park, 1U Damansara Utama

Why? The 2 main objectives of Run for Sight is to increase the awareness of Glaucoma among Malaysians and to raise funds for the setting up of the country first Glaucoma Community Eye Care Centre to serve the under privilege Glaucoma patients.

Who? Persatuan Glaucoma Malaysia and Save Ones Sight Missions, held in conjunction with World Glaucoma Week.

How far? 5km. One member will need to blindfold and the other member will act as the guide, this require teamwork.



How much? RM30 (student) / RM50 (adult) per team of 2.

How to register? Click HERE.

Exclusive: An Interview With MPIB CEO - Mr Ong Kok San

Mr. Ong is the CEO of Multi-Purpose Insurance Berhad. He is 64 years old and will be lacing up again for the MPIB 12K Run this coming Sunday at Padang Merbok. Last year he finished in 1 Hour 20 min 43.6 seconds in the same run. We talked to him about his passion in running.

1) How long have you been running? 26 years

2) Do you still remember your first run? Tell us briefly what you remember. I started running in 1986, joining the small Sunday runs organized by the Rotary Club in Penang – and of course in Penang, the highlight will be the food after!

3) Why do you run? To detox and de-stress

4) How was 2012 to you in terms of running? Not much running in 2012 due to work commitment and travelling

5) Where do you run? How often? How far? Around Ara Damansara area and I will try to do 8 km at least during the weekends and public holidays when I am not travelling

6) What are the must have items that you carry/ have during your run ? Pedometer to check speed & distance and watch to check heart rate

7) What are the memorable (funny, proud) moments in your running experience? It was no doubt the first full marathon that I have completed – it was Penang’s first MAS Marathon that started in the late 1980s. I did it under 5 hours – it was very satisfying! And you know, I didn’t even use proper running shoes back then.

8) What is your 2013 running/ fitness goal? No particular goal but generally, to be able to run as much as possible as age is catching up



Mr. Ong is one of the few CEOs in Malaysia who is still running strong! Can you guess his finishing rank for Total 12km Category Run in the upcoming MPIB Run 2013? Closest entry will win a pair of New Balance shoes.

Enter the Facebook Page contest here: http://on.fb.me/SHnXt7.

Photos: Dato' Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim Won Second Place in Larian Tahun Baru 1Malaysia 2013

Unlike other VIPs in the past who came, did the flag off and left, our "beloved" Information, Communications, and Culture Minister, Dato' Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim decided that he would win some trophies for himself and his family.



So, he turned up with his wifey, Datin Seri Utama Masnah Rais and two kids - Ku Ariff and Ku Lin. Could anyone verify the identities of the two kids? We think they are Rais' grandchildren.



Warm up exercise. Can you spot Zed Zaidi at the back?



So, off they went running sight-seeing one loop around Dataran Merdeka (about 1km) while the rest of the runners did 7 or 5km depending on the category.



Dato' Jalaluddin Hassan was in the same VIP category too but he must be heartbroken for having beaten by a boy and Rais. Huhuhu!



Hwaaaaarrrr! I'm the king of the world!



VIP Men winners: 1st - Ku Ariff, 2nd Dato' Seri Utama Dr.Rais Yatim (Information, Communications, and Culture Minister), 3rd Dato' Seri Kamaruddin Siaraf (Secretary of The Ministry of Malaysian Information, Communication Culture)



First prize female VIP - Ku Lin. Good girl!



Second prize goes to wifey.......Datin Seri Utama Masnah Rais!



VIP Women winners: 1st - Ku Lin, 2nd Datin Seri Utama Masnah Rais (wife), 3rd Datuk Dr Rothiah Omar (Deputy Secretary of Information Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture)



What do you think? Do you think they won the trophies by their running power and stamina? FYI, This IS a road race aka running competition!

There are a few other dubious @$$-kissing categories were presented to the VIPS.

This fler won the most sexiest runner. Can you believe this? Perhaps he was picked by the number on his bib??? Mercy!



And this makcik won the most "comel" (cute) category?
All the winners bring home huge hampers like this.



From our observation, the trophies for the VIP are much more intricate in the design and expensive looking compared to those won by the real runner, which look like those cheap plastic trophies from the school sports day.



You can throw the tagline "Rakyat didahulukan, Pencapaian diutamakan" out the window this 2013 and adopt "VIPs didahulukan, kroni diutamakan". Sigh!



Anyway, this will be out last post for 2012. Let's do something with our votes next year!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2013!

For more photos, please click on our Facebook page (268 photos) -> http://www.facebook.com/celebrunner

Complete List of Marathons in Malaysia 2013

Yes. The most complete list of marathons in Malaysia you will ever get. It's not that many to start with. Heheh!
FYI, We are leaving out the dubious ones like Taiping and the Langkawi Geopark "International" Marathons.

Malaysia Women Marathon @ Shah Alam

Making its debut this year is the Malaysia Women Marathon. Celebrating femininity in the world of running, this race will take place on 7 April in Shah Alam. Not much info is available at moment but do like their FB page: http://www.facebook.com/MalaysiaWomenMarathon for future updates.

The Island Ocean Marathon @ Langkawi Island

A "spin off" from the first ever boutique marathon in Malaysia, River Jungle Marathon. Run along the beach, coast and witness these amazing sights in the legendary island, Langkawi. 21 April 2013. Find out more HERE.

Borneo International Marathon @ Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Getting popular year by year. Marathon runners from Peninsula Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore are flocking to Sabah for this run. We heard that they are working on a new route in 2013. 5 May 2013. Register HERE.

Standard Chartered KL Marathon @ Kuala Lumpur

One of the best ways to see Kuala Lumpur on foot! Heheh! Very well organised and offers lucrative cash prizes.30 Jun 2013. Registration opens in Jan 2013. Info HERE.

The River Jungle Marathon @ Hulu Langat

The second half of the boutique marathon series. Into its fourth year, this race brings to you the marvelous views of the Semenyih Dam, mountains and traditional Malay villages along the route. 1 September 2013. Find out more HERE.

BSN Putrajaya Night Marathon @ Putrajaya

If you have intense fear of sunlight, then this race is for you. Flagging off at 8pm, the race will allow you to enjoy the gorgeous night sceneries around the majestic Putrajaya. Tentative date: 19 October 2013. Info HERE.

Allianz Penang Bridge International Marathon @ Pulau Pinang

The most popular and the biggest marathon in the North! In 2013, the race will take place on the new 2nd link bridge from Batu Maung. 17 November 2013. Info HERE.

So, there you have it, the complete listing of marathons in Malaysia in 2013. For those who have not heard the news, Energizer Night Race is NOT making a return in 2013. Detail HERE.

We also heard from a little bird that there will be a women only marathon coming in Putrajaya soon. But we can't list it up until we get further confirmation. Do follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook for updates.

UPDATE: For 2014 List, please click http://runwitme.blogspot.com/2013/12/complete-list-of-marathons-in-malaysia.html

We Went Shopping at Brooks Today.....

We went shopping at the Brooks outlet at Sunway Pyramid today with the RM500 voucher that we won from the Blog With Brooks contest.

Since we have too many pairs of running shoes at home, we have decided to invest on some running technical apparels. Sort of to motivate us to run more in the coming mew year 2013. Gone were the days when we run wearing those stuffy cotton T-shirt and pants. Apparels for running have much evolved from the simple cotton sweat shirt or shorts to an array of techno-inspired and fantastically-named gears.

Check out our loot!

Brooks EZ T Running (RM89)



Looks like the grey cotton shirts that we used to gym. This shirt is made of material softer and lighter than cotton and way more technically advanced. Unlike cotton that retains sweat, this super-soft moisture-moving fabric wicks away sweat, hence leaving the body cooler. The flatlock seams prevent chafing. We love the relax fit that just drapes over the body but the classic "running" print is really the factor that made us decide to bring it to the cashier.



Brooks HVAC Synergy SS Power (RM149)

This is a sunblock in the form of a shirt. Heheh! This running shirt features integrated UV-protection in the shoulder and chest area, blocking 95% of harmful UV rays.



And that's not all: X-STATIC®, the Silver Fiber™ threads in the underarm and waist area make this a running shirt that is anti-bacterial and thermo-regulating, and prevents unpleasant odours. No more stinky shirt after a sweat-drenched run!



Brooks Sherpa Short III Black/ Nighlife (RM119)



Made of comfy lightweight fabric and combines reflective details that keep you visible at night.



We love the two rear holster pockets to store in our energy gels or keys while doing an LSD. FYI, the usual inner pocket is there too.



Brooks HVAC Synergy Short II (RM159)



This pair of shorts come highly recommended by the store manager, Manson. And the most expensive ones too! LOL!

Just like the HVAC Synergy shirt, these shorts are so light, yet so heavy on technology. Holster pockets tote gels, while the soft inner lining embedded with X-STATIC®, the Silver Fiber™, regulates your temperature, wicks moisture, and fights odor. Unlike the shirt, this one doesn't have UV protection for your bum. Heheh!



We are very happy with our purchase. The total bill came up to RM516. So, with the voucher, we only paid RM16 for all these stuff. :)

Oooh...can't wait to go for a run! RUN HAPPY!

Do check out Brooks Malaysia at http://brooksmalaysia.com/