Good Turnout For Dutamas Runners Group Run

In the effort of trying to gather some of the runners to run in a group within the vicinity of Dutamas Raya area and also helping them to improve their running, saw the largest number of turnouts last Sat. 10 runners came for the 6.30am start. 

Wei Li and David have both ran with me on Saturdays for couple of weeks already. Both of them will be doing the Newton 25km end of this month. The also brought their friend along for the run, Shaun.

Yin Yin, is staying at a condo just down the road from mine. She has been running for quite a while now and has competed in a few half marathon races. She's the only  one running "close" to barefoot on the day, using the Vibram Five Fingers. Ooi Keat of course is staying at the same condo as me and has completed a few full marathon under his belt.

Yi Bin, whom I just got to know on the day, but obviously we have came across each other's path in a number of occassions, but never knew each other before. He is also staying at the same condo as me! It was Yvonne, whom I just got to know during this year's Rat Race as she was running for my ex-bank, CIMB Bank. Both are aiming to compete in a marathon next year.

Zukhairi, a professional Muay Thai exponent, who also runs to keep himself fit for his matches. He has completed a marathon this year. He too has followed me in some of my runs in the evenings on weekdays.

Wong, second from right (standing) has been running for quite a while now and has 3 marathons races under his belt. He is also training for the coming Newton 25km run in Puchong.

Photo: (Standing) : Zukhairi, Wong, Wei Li, Shaun, Yvonne, Yin Yin, Yi Bin

                                      (Squatting): David, Ooi Keat and me

Not too sure when will be the next run as I will be leaving for Germany tonight, but Ooi Keat is keen to get into shape again and was thinking of doing some runs on weekdays in the evening. I think some of the runners in here are also keen to do evening runs. Hopefully, all of them will continue to be around for this group runs as I am more than happy to help any runners who are keen to improve on their running. If you know anyone living nearby, e.g. Segambut, Kepong, Month Kiara, Sri Hartamas, Bandar Menjalara, Desa Park City, please ask them to add us in Facebook or email me at khooyk@yahoo.com for more info. 

And thanks to boys and girls who turned up for the run last Saturday!

"Skeletal Muscle – The Backbone to Health" by Dr Alan Hayes

Details:

Date  : 24 September 2010 (Friday)

Time : 2.45pm - 4.00pm

Venue: DKA, Sports Centre (New Building), University Malaya

The talk is free and open to all.

Dr. Hayes’ talk is entitled “Skeletal Muscle – The Backbone to Health”. Skeletal muscle is a vital organ for the long term health of an individual. Much more than simply providing the energy and force for movement, skeletal muscle helps maintain a normal body weight, is a source of amino acids to fuel the immune system and is even an endocrine organ.

Damaging effects on skeletal muscle can lead to some of the most destructive human diseases, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and has been shown to be a key contributor to the morbidity and mortality associated with a number of diseases, such as heart failure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), cancer, and now obesity and diabetes.

Fortunately, skeletal muscle displays an incredible plasticity and ability to adapt to changes in use. The damaging effects observed through injury and aging can be delayed and reversed. The use of exercise and naturally occurring compounds as potential therapeutic options are preferable to pharmacologic agents.

Dr Alan Hayes

Dr Hayes is a muscle and exercise physiologist with over 15 years of research experience. The current Head of the Exercise Metabolism Unit, he is an active member of Victoria University’s new Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL). With a particular interest in skeletal muscle function, his current focus is on the maintenance of skeletal muscle mass and/or improved function in muscular dystrophy, recovery from muscle injury, and the debilitating effects of obesity and aging.

Please e-mail thataini@um.edu.my if you're interested to attend.

Saucony Grid Fastwitch 4

Just got my Saucony Grid Fastwitch (FT) 4 shoe from CCube. The shoe is bright yellow colour, it's going to match my adidas adizero vest which I'll be using for my Berlin Marathon. This is my 2nd FT shoe. I have used the Saucony Grid FT 2 before, served me well.

Ran my warm up of 7.2km with Zul, my neighbour. He has ran with me a few times before. He told me is trying to lose weight for his Muay Thai fights in coming months and have to  lose probably another 4kg for his weight category. However, he told me it's tough during puasa months as it's hard to control food intake. Since he is fasting, he didn't want to join me for my 4 x 2km intervals, so I had to do it on my own. It's always tough doing intervals on your own and with no one to pace. 1st set was ok, but tire myself out in the 2nd set. I wanted to give up after the 3rd set, but told myself to finish it eventhough my time will be slow. Glad I did. There's always this little demon that tells you too give up inside when you are tired.

Anyway, back to the shoe. It was great and felt running in it was a breeze. The shoe is light enough and really responsive. I'd always like shoe which is really flexible in the midsole when you bend it and usually racers or lightweight trainers will give you that. So much difference between this and the Adidas Supernova Sequence I got a few months back. I've used it for some of my longer runs but since it was a stability shoe, the shoe was solid hard. Can't really bend your foot when you try to push off, but then again it was not a racing shoe anyway.

Only thing I don't like about the Saucony Grid FT4 is the sole will probably run out pretty fast. I guess I going to have to use it only for races. Running on rough tarmac doing speed workout is never a good idea. Hope it holds fine for my marathon pursuit end of this month.

Woo Chan Yew Finishes 8th In Montreal Marathon

Woo Chan Yew the country proud being the only non-African finishing in the Top 10, in the just concluded Montreal Marathon.

He finishes in a time of 2:28:36, missing out on his own national record of  2:26:28. Well done Chan Yew!

NEWS - 03.09.2010

World Class Men´s Field at real,- BERLIN-MARATHON September 26th

Patrick Makau
© PHOTORUN

After a streak of four wins including two world records by Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) this year´s real,- BERLIN MARATHON on September 26th is going to be the platform for several young and ambitious world class runners to better their personal records. Seven runners in the field have personal records faster than 2:07 hrs, three of them have yet run under 2:06hrs lead by Patrick Makau and Geoffrey Mutai (both Kenya) who have clocked the two fastest times this year by winning the Rotterdam Marathon (resp. placing 2nd): 2:04:48 (Makau) and 2:04:55 hrs (Mutai). Both runners know about the flat and fast course in the German capital and hope for favourable weather conditions.

Patrick Makau knows the Berlin streets very well after having won the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON in 2007 and 2008 clocking a course and personal record of 58:56 min (2007). Meanwhile he has bettered his PB to 58:52 min by winning the RAK half marathon in 2009 making him the 3rd fastest half marathon runner of all time.

Another contender for winning this prestigious marathon is Eliud Kiptanui. The runner from Kenya recently won the Prague Marathon in a time of 2:05:39 hrs. This effort is especially remarkable considering his age (21) and the fact that this was only his 2nd marathon (and the first one outside of Kenya). Bazu Worku (20 years old from Ethiopia) was 2nd at the Paris Marathon in 2009 (2:06:15) and Gilbert Yegon (22, Kenya) won the Amsterdam Marathon 2009 (2:06:18). Yemane Tsege Adhane (25, Ethiopia) was 4th at the Paris Marathon 2009 (2:06:30).

With expected one million spectators along the scenic loop course the race is covered live by n-tv (nationally), Eurosport (Germany and Europe resp. Asia) and Fuji TV (Japan). Starting time in September 26th is 9 a.m.

Source: Official Berlin Marathon Website

Deja Vu: Federer Amazing Between The Legs Shot

Last year he did it to Serbia's Noval Djokovic in the semi-final of the US Open.

This year he did it again. This time he did it in the first round of the US Open against Brian Dabul of Argentina.

Don't we all love watching this over and over again?

Asics Women Shoes For Sale

Here are two Asics Womens running shoes for sale. Both are 2nd hand.

Asics DS-Trainer 15 (US Size 8) - RM350

This is basically a fairly new shoe as owner has only used on treadmill once. I saw in Studio R, this shoe (mens version) is retailing at RM469 (before 10% discount). At RM350, you'll be getting a 25% discount from retail price. Very very new shoe....can view the product before purchase, worth the buy.

For more info or pics of the product, please check out my previous posting here.

Asics Gel-Nimbus 10 (US Size 7.5)- RM200

This is a used shoe but on a very low mileage. Should be retailing more than RM400 here but owner will let this go at RM200 only! Still look pretty new. See to believe.

For more info and photos of this shoe, please check out my previous posting here. (Note: The NB 1064 shoe has been sold)

Email me at khooyk@yahoo.com if you are keen on the shoes. Thanks.

David Rudisha Finally Breaks The 800m World Record!

Talked about the Berlin blue track and here we have David Rudisha, the reigning African 800m champion, breaking the world record for that distance on Sunday (22 Aug), with a time of 1:41:09. He beat the previous record held by Wilson Kipketer, one of my favourite runners 1:41:11 set in Colonge, 1997. I think this is the only world record set this year. More news on Telegraph.UK.

David Lekuta Rudisha of Kenya celebrates the victory and the new world record 

in the men's 800m during the IAAF World Challenge. Photo: Getty Images

Hope he betters Kipketer in terms of getting an Olympic gold medal. Rudisha has not won any major championship medals as yet so far but have threatened the world record in July this year and he won the African championship recently. As for Kipketer, he has won most major championship except for the Olympic gold medal. He came close in 2000, where he won a silver. He was the favourite in 1996, but was disallowed to compete in the Olympic for Denmark by the IOC. Hopefully, Rudisha can go on to win the World Champs and Olympic. This guy is only 21.

He followed the pacemaker in the first 400m in about 48.65s before leaving a big gap from the rest, coming home in 52.44 in the second 400m. Check out the race in You Tube.