A World Without Limit (Video)

There’s no limit of what you can accomplish.

Be a Dreamer my friends.

The Mother (Video)

Salomon Running TV Season 3 Episode 4

Kasie Enman hails from the small town of Huntington, Vermont where she lives with her husband and family.

She was World Mountain Running Champion in 2011 and had a string of podiums in the 2012 SkyRunning Series before falling pregnant with her second child.

In this episode we discover Kasie's home and family life as she shares her thoughts and feelings on running during pregnancy.

BIM 2014 Registration Is Now Open

The registration is now open, you can plan ahead to buy that cheap flight ticket and accommodation.

Here’s the message from BIM’s Race Director.

My Dear Friends,
It is with great pride and happiness that I invite you to take part in the Borneo International Marathon 2014 ( BIM2014) on Sunday 4th May 2014.
The Committee in its happy and salubrious mood have coined the slogan "May the 4thbe with You".

We look forward to seeing you again and assure you of the same high standard of organization, comfort and care.

To register, please visit our website at www.borneomarathon.com.  Oh, and just a soft reminder, one more month till early bird ends on 15 February.

May the 4th Be With You,
Race Director

Malaysia Women Marathon (MWM) 2014 Press Conference

One year passed so very quickly. I felt that it’s just like yesterday that i attended the inaugural MWM’s Press Conference.

This year, the press conference was held at Concorde Hotel, Shah Alam yesterday (15 Jan 2014).

MWM organiser with sponsors. Photo credit: Max Lim

 

Dream, Believe & Become is the theme for this year MWM.

 

Unfortunately, Katherine Switzer will not be around this year. In her place, MWM invites Cathrine Ndereba – Kenyan Marathon Champion. (Double World Championship Marathon Winner, Double Olympic Silver Medallist and four times winner of Boston Marathon.

Last year i was overseeing the volunteers at the Banana shop. But this year it would be different, i will run as a pacer. I been asked by few friends to run as pacer, but i decided to accept the first offer coz i thought at the time it would be great challenge to pace for her first sub-4 Marathon finish. Now as the March getting nearer, i really need to push up more training time, especially the speed trainings.

In addition, MWM 2014 falls a day after my 42nd birthday. What a great way to celebrates my 42nd birthday by running 42km, it would an awesome event this year – specially for me.

Last year i managed to convinced Kak Tiff to do her maiden FM at the inaugural MWM instead of SCKLM, i said that there’s something magical about MWM and of course i’m biased. But you should be there to see Kak Tiff finishing her first Marathon - at 52 years young. Her family all waited for her at finishing line with flowers and support, it was a great scene to watch, amazing feat. It had a magical feel to it.

Then last summer, i went to Colorado and did my share of promoting MWM around Leadville town. Now, Scott Jurek and Hall Koerner knows about MWM. Maybe one day, who knows – they would come and pace their wives running MWM 2018. Just maybe….Dream, Believe & Become.

With Scott Jurek & Hal Koerner, Ultra Marathon Legends

Details of MWM.

• Date: 16 March 2014 (Sunday)
• Start time: 4:45 am (Marathon)
• Start/Finish: Dataran Kemerdekaan, Shah Alam.

Route: 42km & 21km

Event Vest & Finisher Skirt

 

Finisher Pendant

Categories: 42km, 21km, 10km & 5km

Full Marathon: Start time: 4:45am

Open:
18-35 years old. Top 5 will receive prizes.

Veteran:
36-45years old. Top 3 winners will receive prizes

Senior Veteran:
46 onwards. Only Top 2 winners will receive prizes

Couple Category:
Your registration comes with a pacer of your choice. It can be your husband, your loved ones, or your coach. The ladies are entitled to prize for position but not the pacer.

Corporate Challenge 42km Relay:
A team of 4 ladies running 10km each with the last runner taking 12km. Only top team is awarded a trophy. This challenge is for fund raising and the registration fees from this category will be used for a charitable foundation and will be by invitation only from the Organizer or on request to the Organizer for the team to be allowed entry.

Slots are still available.  Details and registration as follow.

http://mwmarathon.site.socxs.com/Raceinformation

ULTRAmarathonRunningStore.com Update: JANUARY SALE

ULTRAmarathonRunningStore.com JANUARY SALE
Save on blister-preventing toe socks, ultra-lightweight hydration packs and max-cushioning running shoes...

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15% Off Injinji Socks - stock up on toes socks now to last you for the rest of 2014...
Use Coupon Code: INJINJI
( Ends Midnight Monday 13th January )

10% (Extra) Off Salomon Lab Hydro Packs - 5L and 12L models with soft flasks included...
Use Coupon Code: SALOMON
( Ends Midnight Monday 20th January )

15% (Extra) Off Ultimate Direction Packs and get 1x extra free UD 20oz (0.6L) bottle included!...
Use Coupon Code: UD
( Limited Stock - Ends Midnight Monday 27th January )

10% (Extra) Off HOKA One One Shoes - snap up a pair while you still can...
Use Coupon Code: HOKA
( Very Limited Stock - Ends Midnight Monday 27th January )

http://www.ULTRAmarathonRunningStore.com

H A T E R S !

Happy new year, bitches! Yes you! You know who you are! lol

Taken from Sir Jovie blog.
http://baldrunner.com/2014/01/06/haters/

Hater is simply defined as someone who hates someone.

It is the nature of a person or any living thing for that matter to love and hate for something or another person. A hater balances your life when you are loved and adored by other people. So, having said this, it is very normal to have “haters” in your life, whether in the family/close relatives, in groups, and in the community.

Seldom that I could see and any comments in this blog that show hatred to what I am doing and writing about my running and adventures. But I know that there are persons who would comment negatively or simply hate me for what I am doing. And if there is somebody who is brave enough to express their hatred, he or she would not tell his or her true identity. This brings me my first impression about them—They are simply cowards and hiding their true identity.

Let us go now to other Social Networks which are very popular and accessible to everybody. Facebook is becoming the “new blog” for everybody and this is where you could see haters on one’s account or Wall or they simply come up with their own personal account using another “name”, thereby, hiding their true identity.

I really don’t know what is the “end game” or “bottom-line” or “purpose” of these haters on Facebook. Do they want attention? Do they want to entertain their “friends”? Do they want to influence others so that “haters” will multiply a thousand fold? Are they applying “psychological operations”(“psy-ops”) to the one that they hate and to their readers? Do they benefit emotionally and financially on those unreliable information that they expose to their readers & followers? There are so many reasons why they do these things and I can name or mention some reasons for their behavior.

I am not a psychologist or a mind-reader but in my exposure to people during my “school days”, in my professional career, and now in my retirement days among: men and women, educated and uneducated, rich and poor, men in uniform and civilians; I have the following conclusions on these haters:

1. Haters simply ENVY you for what you are and for what you are doing in this part of the world.

2. Haters are simply LAZY. They complain/”whine” and criticize but they don’t have any suggestions or solutions to the things they criticize. Worse, they don’t act or do anything. “Talk is Cheap” is the appropriate reply to these haters.

3. Hater’s life is BORING. They are already comfortable on what they are doing in their daily lives and they are afraid to introduce something into their system. They don’t want change and they don’t have the courage (“balls”) to venture on risky and challenging situations or activities. They are 24/7 in front of the Internet/Androids/Cellphones in order to gather information on their “targets” so that they have something to express their hate on their FB Walls or blogs.

4. They are COWARDS. By simply hiding their true identity, you can immediately tell that they afraid of you once they are exposed.

(My 500-word article has already passed its limit!)

My strategy and action for these haters is to IGNORE them. And the best way to ignore them is to BLOCK them (on Facebook) so that you will never “meet” them again and ultimately, they don’t have access to your Wall/FB Account.

On the positive side, I have learned to love these haters as they give me MORE exposure in the Social Network sites. If they are trying to expose my “darker/worse side” of my life and activities, then their actions and their writings about me would give more “mystery” to what I am doing to the community. As the media would always do and adhere to—”the more controversy & exposure for a person, the better for one’s popularity ratings and memory recall”.

Happy New Year, Bitches!

WaterGate 16 Hours Endurance Ultra–Race Report

Don't grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form – Rumi

Photo Credit: Khairi Muin, Rustam, Rashid, Azfar, Yim

Recovering from flu is not an ideal condition to start a race, let alone an Ultra race. It was raining before start of the race, my body was a bit cold. Thankfully the rain stopped when we started at 8pm, it was a perfect weather for a race, nice and cooling weather in Putrajaya. If you train or race here, you would know that this isn’t Putrajaya typical weather.

I knew from the beginning I won't last 16 hours with my current condition, but I got to give it a shot.

A reader of this blog said hi to me just before we started, thanks for reading my nonsense and said hi. I hope somehow you find my blog entries useful to you and hopefully you had a great run. I wasn’t my usual self, i was still contemplating whether i should run or not with my flu.

I decided to suck it and let my body tell me when i had enough. I know what my body is capable of doing, i talked to my body always. It’s another set of skills that you need to learn in running endurance race. The will and strong spirit is one thing but the body that hold everything together is the key that will determine your fate.

I wore Salomon thermal top and pushed a bit faster in the first 10km. This was to warm up my body and push my core temperature up.

Plus i knew these usual suspects would start slow considering the non-competitive nature of this event. It’s more of LSD or training runs, just like Twilight Ultra in SG. Well someone had to set the pace – it’s going to be me tonight. We started in waves, i was in 3rd waves. As soon we’re flagged off, i started overtaking runners one by one in front two waves.

It’s kinda of mind games – truly no disrespect to other runners. I knew someone gonna take the bait, i was the first to arrived at CP2 (2 and half km check point). Arman marked my first box on the bib, quickly i double back. Nearing the stairs going towards the start line, i could hear foot steps.

Who might it be?

I was right to guess – it was Aunty Shine coming for me and then overtook me. Now, we finally we got a race here at WaterGate Ultra.

My 10km splits: 5:49, 5:34, 5:29, 5:34, 5:59, 6:15, 5:57, 6:01, 5:51, 6:03

After 10km I was in my own zone, running my own race, I was having a blast. I didn’t care about other runners, i was just in the moment, stride after stride in a control pace, a happy pace. I felt strong but I doubt this wonderful feeling would last.

True enough, after 30km my body body was shutting down. This was my longest run since TNF HK.

I decided to take very long break after 35km, eat and drink (about 1 hour) at the start line. The organiser was serving “Nasi Goreng Cina” with black coffee. Surprisingly, many runners joined me at the round table.

I walked the final 15km with Fazli, since he was injured. A sprained ankle due to the slippery surface on the pedestrian walkway.

I stop at 50km with 7:47 hours (inclusive 1 hour break).

Glad to claimed my first LSD for 2014, injury free (which is very important to me). There are other races that i could try kill myself later, but not this one. It’s my training run for that big 5 star race in April. It was definitely the toughest 50km in a long time for me, i could happily run trail double the time and won’t get bored. Running Ultra road race is really not easy, people who said running road ultra is easy should try Sundown Ultra or Comrades. Road Ultra comes with it’s own unique challenges. Given option, i would choose trail Ultra anytime!

I hit my limit that fateful Sunday morning, my body told me it’s enough. I went blank a.s.a.p. i reached home. A very tough 50km for me – always respect the distance, i kept reminding myself.

That’s it i’m done, 50km in 7 odd hours. I’m going back to rest and sleep (Photo credit: Azfar)

I’m still recovering and coughing while writing this. Grrr i couldn’t wait to get full swing on my new running season of training. I need to be patience for few more days.

Congrats to all participants, especially to the first timer breaking beyond marathon distance. The virgin Ultra runners, welcome to the club. This is what i envision with the guys in Team Pacat when we started Le Sabuns Ultra, to promotes Ultra running and encourage more runners to run Ultra Marathon races.

Highest congrats to Race Director Zul, Team Pacat, crews and volunteers for making WaterGate16 a reality and don't give up - the Ultra event that almost didn't happened due to bureaucrat red tape bullshit.

When you run an event for runners from runners, you will get the best support available. See you guys next year at WaterGate Endurance Ultra.

Gears used:

• Salomon Exo Motion Thermal Top
• Salomon Endurance 3/4 tight
• Salomon Sense Mantra Shoes
• Salomon S-Lab Skin 5 Hydration bag

Target Heart Rate Training for Trail Running

Winter time is great base building time for trail running. The weather and trail conditions make it easier to decide to slow down and take it easy. Well you might as well get a little scientific and take advantage of your base building and work on your running efficiency.  Target heart rate training is a simple way to track your progress through the winter and prepare for the summer racing season.

The idea behind target heart rate training for trail running is to get your body use to performing at your max aerobic threshold(70-80% of max heart rate). As you train, your body will learn to burn fat better which will improve your speed and durability. You are building an aerobic endurance engine. Instead of running anaerobically by constantly pushing yourself on your runs, slow down and build your engine first!

Figure out your Target Heart Rate
There are many ways to measure or calculate your target heart rate. I like Mark Allen’s (six time Iron Man winner) simple approach for calculating your target heart rate:

So let’s figure out what heart rate will give you this kind of benefit and improvement. There is a formula that will determine your Maximum Aerobic Heart Rate, which is the maximum heart rate you can go and still burn fat as the main source of energy in your muscles. It is the heart rate that will enable you to recover day to day from your training. It’s the maximum heart rate that will help you burn those last few pounds of fat. It is the heart that will build the size of your internal engine so that you have more power to give when you do want to maximize your heart rate in a race situation.

Here is the formula:

1. Take 180

2. Subtract your age

3. Take this number and correct it by the following:

• If you do not workout, subtract another 5 beats.
• If you workout only 1-2 days a week, only subtract 2 or 3 beats.
• If you workout 3-4 times a week keep the number where it is.
• If you workout 5-6 times a week keep the number where it is.
• If you workout 7 or more times a week and have done so for over a year, add 5 beats to the number.
• If you are over about 55 years old or younger than about 25 years old, add another 5 beats to whatever number you now have.
• If you are about 20 years old or younger, add an additional 5 beats to the corrected number you now have.

You now have your maximum aerobic heart rate, which again is the maximum heart rate that you can workout at and still burn mostly fat for fuel. Now go out and do ALL of your cardiovascular training at or below this heart rate and see how your pace improves. After just a few weeks you should start to see a dramatic improvement in the speed you can go at these lower heart rates.

Target Heart Rate Training
First you need to record a base time to judge your progress. The easiest way is use your favorite daily training route, you know, the one you run most often during the week. This time run the route not pushing over your target heart rate and record your time. It should be slower than you usually run it, if not, don’t worry, just keep at it. If you want to really get anal about it. Go out to your local track and run for an hour at or below your target heart rate and record your time.

For the rest of your trail runs, always keep at or below your target heart rate. When you come to a hill, slow down (shorter steps!) or even walk it to keep your heart rate down. When your training partners want to push it, let ‘em go. You are on a mission! Every week or two, time yourself on your base route or track. You should start to have faster times even though you are running at the same effort. Keep this up for at least three months.

If you seem to reach a plateau where your times are no longer improving, it’s time to put in a speed workout or hill training workout to dive back into that anaerobic state and build some more muscle.

Give target heart rate training a try, You may be amazed by the results!

Taken from: TRAIL RUN CRAZY
http://trailruncrazy.com/target-heart-rate-training-for-trail-running/

10 Rules of Ultra Running

Another list of rules from Candice Burt.

All i can say it’s awesome!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Before you get your panties all tied in a knot by The Rules, see # 4 and remember that I used my own experience to write these.  Yes, I own a pair of (oh god, shame) leopard print gaiters, see # 7.  I thought I was going to kill myself when I DNF'd the Tahoe Rim FKT last summer, see # 1.  I ran on plantar fasciitis for 9 months and am going stir crazy now, see # 3.  I traded an addiction to nicotine and alcohol for ultra running, see # 2.  I fear the marathon like the slug fears salt (I've only run one road marathon ever and it was my gateway to ultras) see # 5.  Like any good cult, we ultra runners have certain defining aspects, which I present to you without further ado:

10 Rules of Ultra Running

1. Love the DNF. You were on such a good streak. You were so hardcore. Never a DNF in 8 years! You think that makes you an ultrarunning badass? Think again. Once you've been deflowered you will realize it's the DNF that makes you tough as nails.

2. Do it For the High. Admit it already!  You are as much of a junkie as the next drug addict. So you love the mountains, the serenity...blah, blah, blah. Ok, repeat after me: I love the pain, I love getting into my head and ignoring my body, I love the feeling I get from destroying my body over 100 miles. Ok, good we got that straight.

3.  It's Not an Injury until You Can't Run: but if you can't tell the difference between a "niggle" and something serious, you'll never be a good ultra runner.  Even experienced ultra runners make the mistake of thinking something is a niggle when it's serious.  You will too.  The more crazy you go when you do have to take a break the more #2 applies to you.

4. Kill Your Ego: If running 100 miles doesn't make that ego die, it's gonna be tough. And for ultra runners making the ego die is really, really tough. We like praise and we write/talk about our accomplishments like no other group of addicts: how tough, how crazy, how bad the weather was, how we suffered like it's a badge of honor. We can live off praise for at least a week, no food needed.  How can we become a better runners? Stop talking and writing about how badass we are and get out and run.

5. Fear the Marathon: It's what separates us from the masses right?  Heck, we avoid the dreaded marathon like it's a rest break because deep down we know that running a marathon is just as hard, if not harder than an ultra. Why? Because we have to run fast, no walking breaks. See #6.

6. Walking=Running.  Wow, you ran 100 miles!  That is so amazing!  Well.... the dirty secret of ultra runners? We don't "run" 100 miles. We get through 100 miles as fast as we can. There's a lot of walking. Regardless of how much walking, ultrarunners may call a race a "run". Why? I have no fucking idea.

7. Wear all the Latest Gear at Once: I swear I've seen more crazy styles on ultra runners than I do in a episode of Sex and the City.  Seriously, compression socks and capri pants? Buff headbands? Leopard print arm sleeves?  Compression shorts sticking out under skorts?  Shorts/Skorts over tights? Gaiters? I mean seriously gaiters?  HAVE WE NO SHAME!! No, we don't. 

8. Sell your Soul or at least your Body: For all those aspiring fast folks and the the ones who are actually fast: get used to putting advertisements all over your body. Consider temporary tattoos, hats/shirts/pants/socks with logos. Heck, even patch a logo onto your pack or shirt. If you're logo'd apparently you've made it.

9. Change your Profile Picture: You'll need a picture of you running for social media now that you are an ultra runner. While you're at it start an athlete page and invite all your friends. I'm sure they don't get eough updates on your running from just your personal page.

10. Go Paleo: Or at least pick some sort of creative diet.  It could even be the I-Ran-so-I can-Eat-Anything Diet.  Or the I-Ate-too-Much-so-I-have-to-Run Diet.

Reflection Of 2013: My Year Of Running

Life Without Limit – Chrissie Wellington

Summary of Races in 2013

3 Ultra Marathon

• Gunung Nuang Endurance Run (50km)
• TNF100 Philippines (100km)
• Sundown Ultra Marathon (100km)

4 Full Marathon

• Hatyai Marathon
• Borneo International Marathon (BIM)
• Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon (SCKLM)
• Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS)

3 DNS & 3 DNF

 

MEDAL TALLY

Only 9 medals from 19 registered events. Less medals haul compared to past years but I’m at a happy place, I’m content with less medals.

Medals does not define me as a runner, completion of races or rather DNF in races does say something about me as a runner. I’m now at ease and beyond medals collecting era, I have bunch of those medals anyway stored in a box somewhere. The valuable experiences doing the races, especially running the beautiful trail is what I treasured most.

I started 2013 with one big race in my mind – the legendary Leadville trail 100 in Colorado, USA. Spent 8 months preparing with big volumes in mileage, Nuang mountain trail and at least 15 hours per week time on feet running.

In between that, I completed the gruelling TNF100 Philippines, all the “uphell” around Baguio Mountain almost killed me. By year end, I completed four (4) FM and a 100km road Ultra at SD100 SG. On my peak training program, I ran a marathon distance LSD on most weekends. 3,025km was my running mileage for 2013 (races and training).

Two Trans-Nuang project was done for my Leadville and TNF HK training, awesome trail from Pangsun-Nuang Summit-Janda Baik. Some of the guys recommend that we extend the next Trans-Nuang project up until Genting Sempah, which would make up to 50km distance all the way back. Awesome plan for 2014.

RUNNING TOOK ME PLACES

It’s true, if you don’t travel it’s like you only reading a chapter of a book! There is a big world out there, waiting for to be explore.

In 2013, for the first time ever I went to Stateside, the Philippines and Hong Kong. If not for the passion of running, I am sure I’ll be stuck in my comfortable zone at home instead of looking for adventure elsewhere.

The Philippines has a lot of beautiful mountain trails to offer, their ultra-runners are tough as nail. Baguio area is where tough ultra-runners is born in Philippines.

I was lucky to share the trails with these awesome runners during TNF100 Philippines and made a lot of new friends. I will be back in Philippines soon enough.

My first visit to Stateside, I went to Colorado – beautiful Rockies Mountain. I think I fell in love with Colorado as soon as I arrived, those mountains had a spell on me. You couldn’t get enough of running the mountains and looking at it. I was lucky to had the chance to scaled one of the 14er – Mt. Sherman 4,280 m / 14,043 ft.

Running the legendary Leadville trail was like a dream comes true. People around here are nice and respectful, even the most accomplished Ultra runners that I met was very humble. I could see myself living here someday.

Hong Kong was a different challenge, you need a tough mental attitude to endure all those millions of stairs in the trail. TNF100 trail route was technical but fast, I’ll be back soon to finish the unfinished business.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

2013 was a testing year for me, after a streak of multiple finishers in Marathon/Ultra Marathon, finally I met with DNF, not once but three times.

LT100, Powerman Malaysia and TNF100 HK.

Those are my “unfinished business”.

I really learn to let go my ego the hard way. I’m starting to love my DNF, I’m sure it will make me tough as nail someday.

To rise beyond DNF took a lot of courage and confidence, I accepted all my failures and DNF like a man. I don’t blamed others but me, I owned my failures and DNF.

I’m beginning to see the silver lining beyond DNF, it’s like starting all over again. A fresh start!

Sure I have doubts, but I love being an underdog. I relish these challenges, especially when it said that it CANNOT be done. My mantra in this situation would be “just watch me!”

2014 would be the year I banish my fears and just let go my running emotions. This year it would be a great year, coz I will have more heart in pursuing the “unfinished business”.

So just watch me ……

Happy New Year 2014

New Year greetings from Salomon International Athletes.