Craze Ultra 2013...

Event: Craze Ultra 2013

Venue: MacRitchie Reservoir, Singapore

Date: 21 September 2013

Time: 7.00am

Distance: 161KM

Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4

By Frank

My second attempt at the 100 miles / 161KM journey at the same event that I crashed out last year, the Craze Ultra is all but over now. While, I do not want to keep the suspense of announcing what I achieved only at the end of this entry, I can announce it now that I once again DNF (Did Not Finish) the run. Sadly but this is really one tough nut to crack.

I told myself not to make the same mistake from last year of following the room mates on their adventures for pre-race day rest is up-most important. I flew in together with Roy, Hong Lan and Yen Erl early noon and by mid noon, we were already in our hostel. Despite settling in early, I received something very stressful which may caused my blood pressure to boil. Not that you don't know what I am trying to attempt, but can't you all leave me alone for at least 3 or 4 days? Managed to have lunch with Wind joining us and rested a bit while waiting for Jason to arrive. By the time he arrived, I was already behind my own schedule. Quickly made ourselves to MacRitchie Reservoir to collect our race pack and checking our special needs bag in, then leaving for quick dinner nearby the hostel before turning in. Managed to gain back some precious time to be put into sleep.

Unlike Comrades Marathon this year which I woke up feeling absolutely great, I woke up to a fiery sore throat and running nose. I honestly did not see this coming as I was feeling all right yesterday, at least from the health perspective and not stress. Not a good start to the morning, and not to mention the run itself. I however managed at least 5 hours plus to 6 hours sleep which was enough I guess. By 6am, we all but Jason left for the race site. Jason was to join me as my pacer at CP5 at around 2pm later in the day.

Spent about 45 minutes lingering around with other runners and meeting new ones too, I even had my blood and urine drawn for Phil's study. Not a good experience with the blood drawing though as the person in charge was not exactly experienced hence a little difficulty looking for mine. Roy had the same experience too.

With friends before the start.

The whole idea to starting this year's Craze Ultra is to start light to slow down any upper body fatigue as my right trapezius has been annoying since a couple of weeks ago. I deposited by front 2 bottles at the first checkpoint and only had 1.5L on my hydration reservoir. And finally to pace myself a little slower to conserve the energy.

At 7am sharp, the first wave of the 100 miles runners were set off. I was one of them. I was running at my very own pace with Roy following me behind. Though I got further at one point, we were regrouped at CP1 when we stop to refuel. Still feeling good but that's only 12KM in. We continued on together and though at different pace, we still managed to regroup once in a while as I ran a bit faster than him, while he walked a lot faster than me.

CP2 at Woodlands was facing my home town Johor Bahru. Great to see the city scape fro across the causeway. I turned on my mobile's data plan here and started updating Jason on my progress. And for myself, I was still feeling good. My pace was rather healthy and I am managing it pretty well I guess.

And the journey began.

The journey to CP3 was filled with junction and traffic lights as we ran below the MRT tracks. Along the way, I ran into Xiu Fang and Nyoman too. And with my nose still leaking from the start, Roy passed me some herbal remedy to combat it. Though I know it's too late already, but I guess it is still worth trying. Finally we arrived at CP3, and dig myself into the biltong I've put here. Needed the protein to refuel.

Arriving at CP3 with a wet head.

The sun started to crawl its way up when we left CP3. I put my Buff headwear on to shield my neck and head from the UV rays and continued my journey to next checkpoint. The journey was long through back lanes, canal crossing and junctions, but I made it to CP4 with Roy together. Was really feeling the heat here and my legs is starting to hurt with all the pounding. I took lots of watermelons here and had to walk it off.

Arriving at CP4 with Roy.

It was a tough and super hot journey to CP5. Through Yishun Dam via the long exposed route with long grass and sand dunes on the side, it was really crazy. Roy for some reason managed to find his rhythm and was no where to be seen. I really wanted to get into the Punggol Wetland but as I entered it, it was another long area to conquer. The Punggol Wetland is what we call the "desert" as certain stretch consist of the red soil to run on. However, at least half of it was already tarred. At the Promenade at about 46KM, the first casual support station was there. I was offered Coca Cola and was really grateful to them. I carried on and at 47KM, disaster struck! Triple cramps all at one go. Both my calves and right adductor gave way and I fell on the bench feeling miserable! I waved for help only to see a runner ran past! Was all alone for a while and as I slowly pick my pieces back again, there were a few runners who came to share with me their electrolyte fuel. I thank them for their kind gesture though I already had my share hence did not want to double my dosage.

The sand dunes in between CP4 and CP5.

After a long rest, I continued on, this time limping. The damage to the left calf was pretty painful and I had to drag my left leg. I was way behind schedule to meet Jason at CP5 at 2pm. One kilometre to go,  I text him to let him know I am nearing. But that may require another 20 minutes or so as that was the snail pace I was littering limping at. And finally, I was there. More than an hour behind schedule and it was already blazing hot!

Arriving at CP5 in pain.

Rested at CP5, had some medical attention to my calves, refuelled and was limping again close to 4PM. Next was to complete the giant CP6 loop under very hot circumstances. I wasn't running at all as both legs were pretty stiff after the long rest. I was trying to walk it off together with the pain. And when Jason realised the pain I was undergoing, the took out the Sloan Deep Heat Rub. Applied on my left calf, and although it started off with almost no feeling, it literary became so hot as it burnt through my skin! The agony as the skin turned reddish on my left calf. Had to stop to wash it off a few times. The second casual support station appeared some where halfway throughout the journey located below an overhead bridge. Ice cold drinks with ice cold wet towels, it was certainly a very welcome sight. I used the towel to wet my head and finishing it by wiping off any left over deep heat rub residue on my calf. It helped a lot and soon, I managed to run a little and little became more and more.

The running rhythm came to an end at Buangkok when the pain set back in. It was another 3KM or so till hitting CP6. I continue walking and limping and with a couple of hundred of meters to go, I spotted the third casual support station by Sharon and Rosie. She offered heavenly drinks from soya bean, Coca Cola, "Cheng Teng" and even beer! I skipped the beer though and took the ice cold "Cheng Teng" before checking into CP6 for a rest. It was already dark by that time.

Awesome support station from Sharon and Rosie.

Leaving CP6 in the dark at around 7.30pm, I couldn't run. I had to walk and for a long stretch I did. CP7 is about 5KM away, the nearest of all, but it still took me some time to arrive there. And when I did, it was already close to 9pm leaving me around 2 more hours to make the cut at CP8. I was in a daze and the volunteers a CP7 wasn't really helping. I left after finding not much of a help. Arriving at Downtown East Mall, about 2KM after leaving CP7, I lost concentration and was feeling wonky. After much advice from Jason, I stopped by chrono at 14:17:21 hours to call it a day. And thus, my resume is filled with my second DNF - Did Not Finish.

We headed into the mall and settled in at ChaTime to refuel ourselves. I had a cup of fresh milk and after doing so, we headed to CP8 on board a taxi to collect my essentials. Upon arriving there, Phil and his team "drag" me out of the taxi to have my blood taken for research. I even found out that I lost about 3KG throughout the run too. After all is done, I headed back to MacRitchie Reservoir to cheer runners coming in before heading back to the hostel for some rest.

The next day, we headed back to the race venue to await for Roy's arrival where he came in just slightly more than 31 hours. BRAVO to him for completing his amazing 100 miles journey! We hung around for a while chatting and cheering for others including David, Terry, Angelina, Alex and more. It was an amazing feeling to see them completing their journey, a feeling which is currently illusive to me.

All in a all, despite not finishing and a little disappointed with it, I've learnt to accept the fact that DNF is part of the long distance running game. And there is no one to blame but myself. I've been taking too much time off since Comrades Marathon this year as it was one "weight" off my shoulder. As for Craze Ultra, though I know of the difficulty due to the extreme heat and distance, it is still another running event for my attention will only lie with the Big C now.

And to my pacer Jason, my apologies for not being able to go the distance with him. He flew all the way down hoping to pace me for about 100KM but only ended up with a miserable 20KM walk and run super slow pace. If given the chance again, I will definitely welcome him to be my pacer again for he really respects the runner, and that's the only important personality I am looking for.

With my pacer, Jason.

To Ben, Yee Hua, Phil, Yek Bun, Tee Lee and the rest of the volunteer and people at work at Running Guild, well done and many thanks for all the care and first class services provided. As for CP7, time to buck up a bit and show some extra care and love for the runners, at least in own view.

As for Craze Ultra 2014, it is still too early too tell. Perhaps it will be one final shot at it, but I won't know.

* all photos here are of properties respective photographers. Thanks a lot to them.

First Impression On The Saucony Kinvara 4...

By Frank

Finally, the all new Saucony Kinvara 4 has landed in Malaysia and I'e finally gotten by hands on it. Apart from the cosmetics, nothing much has change except for 4 minor tweaks to it. However, I will not go into details yet as I will prefer to run it in before giving a full blown review. And I've the Craze Ultra 100 miles this coming Saturday to test it out, or shall to "Kickassimus" with it!

Upon putting the shoe on, I am glad nothing much has changed. The DNA of the Kinvara 3 which I've fell in love with was still there. The Kinvara 3 was after all the my shoe of choice that went through all the punishment at the 6 days Circuit Race 2012 and the one that conquered the 87KM Comrades Marathon 2013 "Up" run.

Some noticeable upgrades which I can feel immediately after putting them on is the increase in flexibility over the Kinvara 3. Not much but it s something worth mentioning about. The multiple layers of Flex Film has now been reduced at the front making it a more open vamp. This also increase air flow into the shoe, most noticeable if you swing your legs around. A slight increase gush of wind can be felt compared to its predecessor.

The collar also feels softer but yet more secure too. The reduced Flex Film at the toe box is now being "moved" to the collar area giving a snug fit over the ankle. I foresee a much improved stability upon cornering.

And finally, the cushioning system. An upgrade from ProGrid to PowerGrid foam on the heel insert. A lighter, softer and yet more responsive foam to offer protection for those who heel strike. As for the mid foot to forefoot area, it still retains the same firmness I enjoyed so much on the Kinvara 3 which is very balance.

So my early impression on the Kinvara 4 is indeed a positive one most importantly is because it retains much of the same formula as its 3 predecessor. Just minor tweaks to improve from a good to great shoe. How will it fare then? Review soon after Craze Ultra 100 miles and hopefully I can complete the distance this time.

My Kinvara 4 seen here with my all South African Falke Energizer compression socks for this weekend's Craze Ultra 100 miler. Safety yellow for safety first.

River Jungle Marathon 2013...

Event: River Jungle Marathon 2013

Venue: Pekan 18, Hulu Langat

Date: 1 September 2013

Time: 5.00am

Distance: 42.195KM (42.44KM by Suunto Ambit)

Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 3

By Frank

Finding myself rolling all over my bed for 4 hours and couldn't get myself to sleep, I know it will be a tough outing at the River Jungle Marathon. The fourth edition and my second outing here after missing it last year, it will mark the beginning of a new chapter in my Comrades Marathon 2014 training.

Ran the KPAC Trail Relay with Hong Lan, Roy and Yik Yee the day before, I was awake for 21 hours from the moment I woke up on Saturday morning till the race start time. I picked up Uncle Oliver from Tropicana City Mall at 2.30am and found ourselves at the race venue some 45 minutes later. Linger around and soon may friends started to arrive.

I geared myself up with my Comrades 2013 gear to celebrate the registration opening for next year's edition today. I even wore the Unogwaja red socks too. And with the Ultimate Direction Peter Bakwin hydration vest with 2 liters of frozen reservoir and 500ml X 2 bottles in front to try it out for it will be my race gear for the upcoming Craze Ultra. And boy it was heavy but much more comfy compared to my previous. Took a cordyceps ginseng drink before heading to the race village.

A sleepy me with Zijill.

Fast forward to 5.00am, I found myself at the starting line with Fook Seong. And at 5am, fireworks were fired to signal the start of the run. The first 10KM of the route was dark funny smells from durian, cempedak to roadkills filled the nostrils. I had my trustworthy not too bright Energizer headlamp on my forehead to lit just enough pathway for me to run at. Volkswagon safety card were zooming up and down cheering and lighting up the route. I found myself going pretty strong and I guess it must be due to the earlier ginseng drink.

Looks like getting ready to hit the trails with Fook Seong judging from the gear we have on.

Relatively almost flat until about the 10KM mark where the climb started bringing us up to 359M at the 16KM u-turn point. I was literary attacking the ascend which I felt really good but things took a tumble on the way down at 17KM. Was not feeling comfortable as usual descending and took it really easy and careful.

And by halfway point, I was feeling really wonky already. Tired and sleepy, my eyes were burning. I was literary walking more than running and I told myself that each step brings me closer to the finish. But heck, I was 21KM away still and my smelly bed at home is calling out to me!

Along the way to the next u-turn point, I spotted some returning runners. Andrew and Shannon was 2 of them and they told me that there was durian up ahead. I thought they were joking but it was true. At 24KM, the water stations here were packed with runners enjoying themselves to durian, duku, rambutan and mangosteen! I was like, "WHAT THE HECK JAMES"! I was afraid to eat but took the risk and had one. Couldn't resist the temptation of the king of fruits. Ooops...

Carried on and soon, Jamie overtook me. He slowed down and we walked together for a moment till we hit the u-turn point. And from there, I told him to carry on. Had a coconut drink at the 28KM (previously 24KM). It was really refreshing but it could not keep my sleepiness away.

Roy caught up at 34KM and we stayed together for a couple of kilometers before he broke away. I was just too tired to run with him. The sun began to scorched and my shoulder was sore from the weight. From the beginning, I did not drink a single sip from my hydration vest as I thought of keeping the weight to me hence I shouldered on.

Yours truly coming home.

Arriving at the final 2KM or so, I met Foong, a customer who came the day before to purchase his hydration backpack. We chatted a little which includes my medical history before resuming our run. Thought of completing the run together with him as it was his first marathon, but he slowed down a little hence I was thinking he may want a time of his own to complete the journey. And with it, I surged a little and finally saw the finish line crossing it in 5:39:29 hours. A tough one but I will take it. Regroup with my fellow friends and chatted till about 2pm before heading for lunch at Damansara Uptown but was caught in the traffic jam for an hour or so. Then it was back to work. Yeap, not sleep. YAWN!

With good company - Jason, Yik Yee and Susanah.

Overall despite being very tired, I still enjoyed myself very much as this will also the kick start to my Comrades Marathon 2014 training. Not really a productive run, but at least I know where I stand now for next year's Comrades Marathon. It seems, it's all back to square one so lots of work to do.

As for the future of River Jungle Marathon, I certainly hope that James will be continuing the legacy of this very unique boutique marathon next year and for many more years to come as it will really encourage runners especially the newbies in taking running up. Keep the flame burning James!

* photo credits to all respective photographers

Launch of the Comrades Marathon 2014...

It's the time of the year again as registration for the Comrades Marathon 2014 will begin on 1 September 2013 at 6am local Malaysian time. It's pretty hard to believe that I've done twice the run now and will be returning the following year and hopefully for many many more years to come. To read more about my runs the past 2 years click on the following link, 2012 and 2013.

Anyway, to cut things short, the below is the official press release for the launch of the Comrades Marathon 2014 which was held on 29 August 2013 over at Hyatt Regency Hotel, Johannesburg. 

Launch of 2014 Comrades Marathon The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) launched its campaign for The 2014 Ultimate Human Race in Johannesburg on Thursday, 29 August 2013.

The tough conditions that characterized the 2013 Ultimate Human Race served as a reality check to many Comrades Marathon runners that this is still one of the toughest endurance events in the world. This was the inspiration behind the 2014 campaign: ‘Hard Is What Makes It Great!’

South Africa’s top runners, sporting personalities, stakeholders and media joined in the celebratory launch of the nation’s best loved ultra-marathon for its 89th edition.

The CMA is all set for another amazing race, come Sunday, 1 June 2014. Being a ‘down-run’, the starting gun will fire off outside Pietermaritzburg’s City Hall at 05h30 and go off again 12 hours later at Durban’s Sahara-Kingsmead Cricket Stadium to signal the finish of the 89km road-running challenge.

1 September 2013 brings with it not only the beginning of spring but also the official opening of entries for the 2014 Comrades Marathon. The entry period will close on 30 November 2013 or as soon as the entry cap of 18000 has been reached. Prospective entrants are encouraged to get their entries in early so as to not be left disappointed.

Entry fees for 2014 are as follows:

• Local Entries : R350.00
• Rest of Africa : R550.00
• International : R1800.00

The CMA has once again catered generously for its South African runners who will be eligible for the ‘early bird’ entry fee of R320 if their entry is received before 30 September 2013. The regular entry fee of R350 will kick in on 1 October 2013 until the entry process is closed. Runners from the rest of Africa will be charged an entry fee of R550 and the cost to international athletes is R1800.

Other great news for runners is that the Substitution Rule will once again be a feature of the 2014 Comrades Marathon entry process, the details of which can be found online atwww.comrades.com.

Aspiring runners are urged to enter the great race as early as possible, as entries are strictly on a first come first serve basis. The entry requirements, which are clearly indicated on the entry form, must be strictly complied with at all times or runners may risk losing their place at the Start.

Runners may enter as follows:

• Online via the Comrades Marathon website: www.comrades.com;
• Through the post by posting your completed entry form with proof of payment to the CMA Office in Pietermaritzburg: P.O. Box 100621, Scottsville, 3209;
• Comrades Marathon House: by handing the completed entry form together with payment at the CMA office in Pietermaritzburg.

Please note that no entries will be taken at Mr Price stores from now on. Entry forms will be available at local running clubs, provincial sporting federations and the CMA; as well as selected qualifying races which the Comrades Team will be attending from September to November. Alternatively, prospective participants may hand deliver or post their completed entry forms and proof of payment to the CMA offices in Pietermaritzburg – P.O.Box 100621, Scottsville, 3209.

Other awesome news for those runners aiming for the top positions is that the overall 2014 Prize Money has been increased by a whopping 14%. The total prize money for the 2014 Comrades Marathon has increased to R3.159,000; up from R2.653,000. This means that next year’s Male and Female Winners will receive a first prize of R350,000 each as opposed to the R300,000 awarded this year.

As part of its Amabeadibeadi Charity Drive, the CMA’s six official charities are the Community Chest of Durban and Pietermaritzburg, PinkDrive, The Sports Trust, Starfish-Greathearts Foundation, Wildlands Conservation Trust and World Vision South Africa.

The charities’ focus are on issues of community development, care for the aged, health and wellness, AIDS care and support, the environment and sports development. Through the amazing Amabeadibeadi Charity initiative, they gain significant resources to effect the intended meaningful change to those needy communities across South Africa.

Further to that, the CMA prides itself in giving the less fortunate athletes an opportunity to compete by putting the humanity into The Ultimate Human Race by making the dreams of approximately 800 disadvantaged runners a reality every year. For over a decade, the Underprivileged Runners Programme has provided resources and moral support to these runners who would normally be unable to compete in the world’s biggest and oldest ultra-marathon and join in the camaraderie and enjoyment associated with it.

CMA Vice Chairman, Macdonald Chitja says: ‘It is with a great sense of pride and pleasure that we unveil our campaign for the 2014 Comrades Marathon. The 2013 race proved to be one of the most difficult races for our runners and the 2014 campaign speaks directly to that.’ Chitja adds, ‘As we direct our prime focus on the Comrades Marathon runner, we also make provisions for supporting the greater good of South Africa through the CMA’s Amabeadibeadi Charity Drive. We are grateful to our generous runners, sponsors, partners and supporters who contribute to the overall success of our charitable outreach. We look forward to hosting you all on 1 June 2014 and wish all runners well in their training.

The Future of Fast...

The Saucony Kinvara 4 is finally officially making its way into our Malaysian shores. The media launch event will be held on tomorrow - Wednesday, 28 August 2013, beginning at 9.30am at RSH Malaysia's office. The below shows the agenda of the much anticipated launch and also the press release which I've gotten it first hand.

SAUCONY MALAYSIA LAUNCHES AWARD-WINNING KINVARA 4

Kuala Lumpur, 28 August 2013 – In conjunction with the largest launch effort by Saucony in the United States, RSH (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd will officially launch the Kinvara 4, the brand’ s 4^th generation natural motion running shoes in Malaysia.

Saucony was originally founded in 1898 at Saucony Creek in Kutztown, Pennsylvania and is today’s leading global running lifestyle brand infused with performance, innovation and style that appeal to runners worldwide. Some interesting insights, the name Saucony translated means “mouth of a creek or river” and it was in year 1906 when the Saucony Shoe Manufacturing Company first built its factory, a solid two-story construction along the Saucony Creek. The logo resembles the endless flow of that waterway along with its rocky creek bed which was depicted by the three distinct dots within the “wave” in the logo which represents the “river” mark.

The Kinvara 4 is an upgraded version from its predecessors, which is infused with the latest FlexFilm™ technology by welding a lightweight and highly dynamic flexible film onto the breathable mesh upper that enhances air ventilation while maintaining the structure. Interestingly, there is more FlexFilm™ added to the midfoot and heel area, to give a better framework that secures the foot through all phases of the gait cycle. 

The Kinvara 4 also has improved midsole cushioning technology from ProGrid™ to PowerGrid™, a premium engineered foam that is 15% lighter and 30% more durable than standard EVA foams.  The PowerGrid system is located in the heel landing zone to absorb impact and transmit energy back into the runner’s stride with maximum efficiency and minimal impact. Other features of the shoes include XT-900™ premium carbon triangular rubber pods that are strategically placed on the shoe’s outsole for enhanced durability and exceptional traction. Memory Foam heel pods along the collar add to the ultra-secure ride and a bevelled heel help runners to facilitate a natural rolling movement from heel to toe.

The invited guest speaker of the day for the exclusive media launch is Frank Chong Wei Siong (fondly known as Frank), is Saucony Malaysia’s very first ambassador, who is also a cancer survivor who contracted with a rare form of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma that affects the connective tissues and muscles on his left wrist. He will also share his story on how he battled cancer. This will be followed by geometry of strong videos featuring the Kinvara 4, explaining further on features, functions and technologies of the footwear.

As the host of the launch, Mr Manish Sapra, General Manager of RSH (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd will officially unveil the latest line of Saucony – The Kinvara 4, together with three (3) of Saucony Malaysia’s very own Ambassadors, Frank Chong, Jason Tan, and Tan Zijill.

There is an array of colourful Saucony Kinvara 4 collection of footwear and apparel for men and women on display. The footwear display units placed around the conference hall enable the guests to get a feel and touch of Kinvara 4. There will also be a Q&A session where guests will be given the opportunity to pose more questions in getting an even better understanding about the footwear.

The Kinvara 4 is now available for both men and women. The collection retails at RM399 per pair and will be available in September 2013 at Running Lab, Stadium, Studio R and selected Royal Sporting House stores nationwide.

Running Lab

Tropicana City Mall, Selangor

Stadium

Suria KLCC

Pavilion KL

Studio R

Gurney Plaza, Penang

Mid Valley Megamall, KL

One Utama Shopping Centre, Selangor

Sunway Pyramid Shopping Centre, Selangor

The Mines Shopping Mall, Selangor

Royal Sporting House
Bangsar Shopping Centre, KL

City Square, Johor Bahru

Gurney Paragon Mall, Penang,

One Utama Shopping Centre, Selangor

Paradigm Mall, Selangor

Queensbay Mall, Penang

Gurney Paragon Mall, Penang

Setia City Mall, Selangor

About Saucony: Saucony, a division of Wolverine Worldwide, is a leading global running lifestyle brands that fuses performance, inovation and style to create compelling footwear and apparel with its widely recognized brands Saucony and Saucony Originals. Founded in 1898, Saucony continues to inspire runners everywhere with its award winning innovations, including the “Geometry of Strong™, ProGrid™, PowerGrid™ ViZiPRO™ and AMP PRO₂™ and apparel. At Saucony, a good day is when we get to run. A great day is when we inspire someone else to run. For more information, go to www.saucony.com

                                                                               

About RSH (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd: RSH (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is a subsidiary of RSH Limited. Incorporated in 1989, RSH (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd’s principle activities include marketing, distributing and retailing for sports, golf, active lifestyle and fashion products. RSH Malaysia manages multi-brand specialty chains such as Stadium, Samba, Studio R, Royal Sporting House, Why Pay More? and Golf House. RSH Group of Companies consists of Armaan (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Ogaan Fashions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Gagan (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and Prasan (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, which are retailers of our international fashion labels that include bebe®, Bershka, Zara, Massimo Dutti, Ted Baker, Nautica and Pull & Bear. RSH (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd plays an imperative role in propelling the retail industry forward. We are proud to announce that some of our boutiques were recipients of the Fair Price Shop Awards 2007-2008 and these include several Royal Sporting House outlets as well as Massimo Dutti Bangsar Village 2.

For more information, kindly contact:

RSH (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

Advertising & Promotions Department

Lot 691, Kompleks Hamodal 5,

Jalan Lagoon Selatan off Jalan Kewajipan,

47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor.

Tel: 03-5123 2668         Fax: 03-5637 0531

Cheryl Lee, Manager Advertising & Promotions (cheryllee@rsh.com.my)

Alice Ang, Executive Advertising & Promotions (aliceang@rsh.com.my)

Saucony ProGrid Mirage 3...

By Frank

I received the Saucony ProGrid Mirage 3 a while back before my adventure at the Comrades Marathon 2013. It did not become my running shoe though and quickly became my office, walking and recovery shoe. And besides, I really like the colour scheme of the pair I received, fiery red with hints of citron! Handsome indeed!

The Saucony ProGrid Mirage 3.

Here is a brief introduction about the Mirage 3. It's part of Saucony's arsenal of their 3 natural running series, the other 2 being the Virrata and Kinvara 3. It weights in at 240 grams at a size US8.5 and has a 4mm heel to toe off set measuring at 22mm at the heel and 18mm at the forefoot. Surprisingly although looking much thicker, it actually has the same stack height as the Kinvara 3! But two major difference is that the Mirage 3 is padded around especially on the collar which uses HydraMax memory foam and has a hint of arch support with a presence of a mild TPU plastic acting as the medial post, which gives the shoe a little structure to it.

HydraMax memory foam on the collar.

FlexFilm, the very thin but strong film first used in Saucony's track and field spike shoes, was introduced too in the third generation to hold the wearer's feet together without using too much overlays on the shoes hence shaving off some weight.

FlexFilm, shown here in black to secure the wearer's feet. Also notice the deep grooves on the midsole to enable extra flex.

Midsole is typical built on EVA technology. However, there is a ProGrid heel insert on the heel to cushion off any impact should the wearer strikes the ground on their heel.

The ProGrid heel insert hidden within the midsole.

Bevelled and decouple heel.

The outsole has full ground contact but isn't built on Saucony's very famous triangular lug design  used on the Virrata and Kinvara 3 though and uses the traditional pattern. Heel area was bevelled and decoupled, with much deeper grooves all around to make the shoe more flexible. Reinforcement on the heel crash pad using XT-900 carbon rubber while the forefoot uses IBR blown rubber.

Outsole of the Mirage 3.

Being done with the introduction above, here's my impression of the shoe. As mentioned earlier, I only used it for walking since I received it as it's pretty comfortable especially as a recovery shoe after a long workout. I am a mild pronator and the very mild medial post does help relieve some soreness. I did however use it once for a short run at Johannesburg but I just couldn't review it based on that. Hence yesterday evening, I decided to go for a long run of 20KM in it with Jason at Desa Park City. A great place to test out shoes as there are flats, up and downhills, tarmac, pavements and concrete surfaces to thrash the shoe out.

The ride was pretty smooth though not as great as the Kinvara 3 as it suffers from the lack of "Uumph" during the propulsion stage. It felt a lot like a traditional shoe though it does help a little in encouraging a mid foot striking. Feet did not feel too secure and I had still had the freedom to flex and wiggle around.

It performed pretty good on flats while noticeable much better than the Virrata and Hattori on the descend. However, I couldn't climb well with it. I am suspecting it's probably due to the upper structure of the shoe as most of the midsole specifications are the same as the Kinvara 3.

Taking corners was noticeable very stable much thanks to the medial post and the padded collar. Not much effort needed from our legs, though I will actually prefer to let my ankle do it's job as I believe that in the long run and if done correctly and with patience, it will benefit us.

Close-up on the TPU plastic which acts as the very mild medial post.

2 let downs on the Mirage 3 which was more prominent. First was the shoe's tongue. It did not have any internal bootie to keep it secure hence it will move to one side while running which is rather irritating. The second will be the flat laces which I often describe as Saucony's Achilles heel, as it is always use on their shoe to save weight. I had to double tie it down to prevent the laces coming undone which may leave a very odd looking nod on the shoe.

Though the Mirage 3 is far from perfect at least from my own opinion, it's still a pretty good and functional shoe for my day to day and post run usage. And for those who intend to take the leap to natural running, this may actually be a very good shoe to start off with. If I were to describe the Mirage 3 in lay man's term, I will say that it is a shoe with neither too much nor too little.

Personally for me, the Mirage 3 will remain my day to day shoe and perhaps a post intense run recovery shoe.

The Saucony ProGrid Mirage 3 is now available at Running Lab - Tropicana City Mall and selected Studio R, RSH and Stadium outlets nationwide at a recommended selling price of RM399.00.

The Saucony ProGrid Mirage 3 is part of my sponsorship program and was sponsored by RSH (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, the authorised sole distributor for Saucony in Malaysia.

Be Frank - Yogathon...

By Frank

The Yogathon is the second fund raiser under the Be Frank campaign where the first was the one I did in conjunction with the Comrades Marathon 2013. The Yogathon was successfully held yesterday, 29 June 2013 at the Piano Lounge, Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club and is a campaign inspired and driven by Joey Liang, a yoga instructor from Serenity Yoga who has lost  a dear friend to cancer and hopes one day, that cancer will finally have a cure.

The Yogathon banner welcoming us in the Piano Lounge.

The Yogathon brought out about a strong 40 yogis of all ages and genders on a clear Saturday morning. Staffs from CARIF including Professor Teo, Sook Yee and Jane was there together with familiar faces from my circle of friends like Bennie, Lyana, Roy, Ericca and Mak too. 

The event kick started off around 9am with a speech and basic guidance from Joey herself. She was assisted by Joyce at the same time too walking around to make sure that everyone had their poses right. Most of the moves were pretty do-able  though some like the warrior and tree pose may be a bit challenging. But both of them tried their very best to assist each and everyone of us to make sure we all had fun stretching it out to a wonderful weekend.

With Lyana, Joey and Bennie stretching ourselves into the weekend.

I myself had lots of fun alongside Bennie and it was a fruitful event. At the end of the 2 hour session, we sat around in a circle to remember those affected by cancer and some even shed tears in remembering them. All in all, this has proof that a simple gesture like having a yoga session is strong enough to deliver the message and also exploring the myths of cancer together. The funds raised through the Yogathon all channels towards cancer research driven by CARIF themselves. We hope that Joey will continue to inspire us and I hope that this Yogathon will continue to go on in the near future for it not only delivers the message across, but also for the well being of our both physical and mental.

For more info about the Be Frank campaign or just simply to donate for a good cause in helping all of us search for a cure for cancer, do visit us at www.befrank.com.my 

My Third South African Holidays...

By Frank

So yeah. This was suppose to be part of the Comrades Marathon 2013 race report. But seeing the entry grew too long, I decided that it should be split into 2, the race and the holiday itself.So let's keep thing short now and get my holiday entry started. By the way, I've further edited this entry so it became really compress. Not as detail as before while still keeping attention on what had happened and where I visited.

Day 1, 24 May 2013 - And so, my journey to South Africa began on a quiet Thursday, 23 May 2013 where I spent most of the day at home doing last minute packing before flying off on the 7.30pm Emirates flight. 2 surprises at the airport was Tey coming to send me off while the other being upgraded to Business Class. The entire journey to Johannesburg almost took a day with a 7 hour transit over at Dubai where I spent 3 hours there snoozing off at Snooze Cube. Upon arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport, the first greeting I got from a local South African was “How are you China”? It was a very usual warm greeting from them as long that one understands that “China” actually meant “mate” for them. Immigration was pretty swift as the officer asked my purpose of visit. Showed him the Comrades Marathon logo on my Be Frank polo tee and he gladly welcomed me with a smile. Pretty warm welcome thus far!

Business class galore.

Upon touching down, I found that the weather was not as cold as last year though. A sign of a different race condition? Mei-Ee and baby Xi Ning picked me up shortly as Chee Kong needed to work. And quickly enough, I found myself at Fourways with Chee Kong working from home. Took a rest while unpacking my luggage before visiting the nearby Lion Park safari. As it was private, there was no problem spotting the games like lion, leopards, hyena, wild dogs and many more birds and antelopes. As for supper, it was a gathering with my fellow Malaysian friends there, Peter and Estee. Great catching up once again after a year, and we had a simple but absolutely delicious Korean cuisine at Rivonia. Upon filling up, I was already feeling wonky due to lack of sleep on the flight earlier hence calling it a day early.

Up close and personal with lion cubs.

With Peter and Estee for an awesome Korean dinner.

Day 2, 25 May 2013 - An early morning club run with Fourways Road Runners. It was their final 10KM club run for the Comrades Marathon and I was surprised that some of them knew me! The run was at a pace that is fast by my standards. I struggled to catch up as I was still feeling wonky plus the altitude of around 1400M isn’t a plus for me. Breakfast of bacon egg burger was served after the run and we all sat and caught up with each other while sending regards for the big race. This is really something missing from the Malaysia running scene. Rested back at home later before swinging over to Lynnwood, Pretoria for Allan’s birthday get-together. And it was great to meet up once again with my South African friends like Anthony, Susan, Allan, Caroline, Pierre and Renee while making new friends in the process. We had a braai session at a school and it lasted till 9pm for us before making our way home.

Suffering at the Fourways Road Runners club run.

Day 3, 26 May 2013 - Nothing much as we visited Caroline’s humongous residence and spend the day at the city centre visiting Market and Arts on Main. Really happening place with so much international food to eat. Absolutely had a blast here before returning home for a short run around the 420M Springfield Park.

Day 4, 27 May 2013 - Spent back at home with a little noon time over at the nearby dentist and hospital with Chee Kong and Mei-Ee doing their health check. I myself did another short run looping Springfield Park again but this time feeling more comfy. Finally adapting to the conditions.

Day 5, 28 May 2013 - An early trip to the airport to welcome CP and Khim to South Africa. Arrival was on time and after having rested, it was my turn to play tour guide. This was also my very first time driving in South Africa and to make matters interesting, it’s a manual MPV and a huge one too! Brought them to the exact same place when I first visited Johannesburg which was the Apartheid Museum, Hector Peterson Memorial and Nelson Mandela’s House. There are historical places which should at least be visited once if one visits South Africa. Everything was done before the rush hour of 4pm where we arrived back home soon after to welcome Roy and Cham this time. We all had dinner together at Monte Casino before calling it a night as all 4 of them were feeling very wonky themselves already.

Hearty welcome breakfast for CP and Khim.

The Pillars of Constitution at the Apartheid Museum.

Day 6, 29 May 2013 - Early departure for Imflonzi National Park at 6am. I was again the driver with Roy, Cham, CP and Khim being my passengers. It was a long drive and we stopped a couple of times at 2 small towns. The second was Polonga for lunch and it was beautiful where a huge dam was. After about  6 hours on the road, we finally arrived at Hluhluwe National Park. It was about another hour’s drive before we arrived at Imflonzi and along the way, I believe it was an eye opener for my 4 passengers as they saw the landscapes and games of South Africa.  The lodge at Imflonzi was actually pretty all right. It was huge! The only downside, the power generators goes off at 10pm and the water heater is powered by gas! To make matters worse, the curio shop has basically nothing and there is no restaurant in the park. But we came prepared with instant noodles and some junk food and nuts. And that settles our dinner before calling it a night after a very long and tiring drive. It was my longest drive!

Lots of warthogs welcoming us at the gate.

Park ranger welcoming us.

Day 7, 30 May 2013 - When we all woke up, we double checked with each other if we heard leopard roaring in the night. It wasn’t a dream after all. The cats were near and let out a few roars! WOOO…  Anyway, we started the morning with a game drive where we managed to spot buffalos, rhino and lion. That’s 3 out of Big 5!

Young white rhino spotted.

Young lion spotted and running away from us.

And after completing our drive and cleaning ourselves up, we left for Durban which was about a 3 hours drive. I was getting tired but was glad to have brought my passengers to the race city safely. And safely we did into the Comrades Race Expo where the first high profile person we met was Stephen Muzinghi, 3 times Comrades champion! Had a photo with him before proceeding to collect our race pack. For international runners, collection was a swift. However, I was given a Green Number race pack by mistake which was rectified quickly. I’ve also met up with MBali whom I picked up my VIP invite from. And from here onwards, it was shopping madness and in the process, I bump into Comrades Marketing Coordinator, Thami before  we check into our hotel at Belaire Suites.

A short rest before we proceeded to Hilton Hotel for the International Meet and Greet session, hosted and organised by Bruce Hagreaves, Australia's Comrades Ambassador. We were a little late and we came in just as Bruce Fordyce, the Comrades King and 9 times champion was giving out his talk. We managed to get a group photo with him and he reminded us that he had a little Malaysian side in him as he did reside at Seremeban during his younger days. Therefore, Malaysia did actually had a Comrades champion, well in a way or little.

With Bruce Fordyce, 9 times champion of the Comrades Marathon.

And soon later back at the hotel, our Malaysian contingent grew bigger with Francis and Fook Seong joining in. We also met Celene from Hong Kong too! Dinner was Thai food this time, something different from the usual South African cuisine which some has grew sick of. Absolute great time together but we all found out the weather is a little on the warmer side. It’s going to be a different race this year!

With Stephen Muzinghi, 3 times Comrades Marathon champion.

With Thami, the Comrades Marketing Coordinator on the right.

Day 8, 31 May 2013 - Early breakfast and finally, the contingent is completed with Kin Kok joining in. After a fantastic breakfast,  next on the itinerary was to tour the race route on our own. We drove in 2 fully packed cars, and entered the route via Botha’s Hill. It was fun to see the expression of the first timers when they saw the rolling hills. Things are starting to heat up. We stopped just before Drummond to have lunch and to enjoy the spectacular view of the Valley of 1,000 Hills.  We then continued on to the Wall of Honour before making a wrong stop at Arthur’s Seat.  Fast forward later, we safely arrived at the Comrades House for a short history lesson. I’ve also finally met up and officially introduced to Sian, museum curator and a whole lot more roles in the Comrades Marathon Association. It was a pleasure after communicating so many times via e-mail and Facebook. Back to Durban after a tiring day and next was the Runner’s World Pasta Party at the nearby Sun Coast Hotel and Casino. Awesome party and talk by the Unogwaja and Dr. Ross Tucker, and not to mention in meeting more friends like Susan and Shaun, and some strangers that eventually became friends too. This is what Comrades Marathon is all about!

The 2013 Malaysian contingent at the Wall of Honour!

A pleasure meeting up with Sian at the Comrades House.

With dear friends Caroline and Susan.

Enjoying the pasta party.

Day 9, 1 June 2013 - Free and easy day, but that’s before running the AIMS Youth Run in the morning. Except for Chee Kong, Francis, Kin Kok and Fook Seong, we all did the 5KM run which includes the 3 ladies too. It was rather badly organised where we nearly could not run it due to missing bib and also wrong time allocation, but eventually we did. It was a fun run but we all enjoyed it very much. And after the run, it was back to the expo as we met up with Barry Holland to have an autograph and chat session with him before having lunch there. And fast forwarding to dinner, it was a simple one at Wimpy before calling it a night. The big day awaits!

Bumped into Bruce, Comrades Marathon Australia ambassador at the AIMS Youth Run.

At the AIMS Youth Run.

Day 10, 2 June 2013 - COMRADES MARATHON 2013 RACE DAY! Read all about it the the link!

Day 11, 3 June 2013 -  And so reality sets in. The Comrades Marathon is over now and we who ran it are now having difficulties walking especially at the stairs. Breakfast was good as we finally bid farewell to CP and Khim who are flying off to Cape Town. Francis and Kin Kok will stay behind while the rest will make our return to Johannesburg. Cham volunteered to drive us back as my legs were just way out of this world. We stopped by a rest area just outside Harrissmith and had a wonderful German lunch. We can see Comrades runners around the stop too and everyone was just limping. Comedy indeed. We arrived home safely and this is where Roy and Cham will bid farewell to us as they had a place to catch at about 9pm. After a simple Indian dinner, we sent them off to the airport before returning off for a well-deserved rest.

Day 12, 4 June 2013 - To Krueger National Park as myself, Fook Seong, Chee Kong and Mei-Eee together with Xi-Ning started our journey late at around 9am. Stopped by a few familiar places like the Alzu Petroport and Yellow Caravan. After about 5 hours drive, we entered Krueger via the Crocodile Bridge Gate where we immediately spotted rhinos! We then headed off to Lower Sabie Rest Camp where we spent our night there together with very noisy hippos that can’t stop making weird noises at night. We had braai for dinner for the curio shop here sells lots of varieties of food.

Entering Krueger National Park via the Crocodile Bridge Gate.

Huge and angry looking warthog.

Sunset at Krueger.

Day 13, 5 June 2013 - Woke up early for the morning game drive. It was a misty morning and throughout the 3 hours drive, we had very little luck. We only managed to spot some very common animals like the zebras, giraffes, impala and some other smaller ones. We did however spotted elephants though at a distance. We left Lower Sabie with out next destination Satara in mind. And just out of the gate, a young elephant bull came charging out of no where. We were lucky indeed that we were out of his path. Soon, I was feeling wonky already and I knew at that time, that I am falling sick soon. But I was lucky that I’ve visited Satara before hence almost everything looks familiar. Upon arrival at the rest camp, I took a rest before going out for a short evening drive. Then it was braai for dinner again at the fence side hoping to attract hyenas but to no avail. I call it a night early as I was feeling really down. Fook Seong gave me some antibiotics and flu tablet and off I went to sleep.

The young elephant bull that came charging out of no where.

Hippos and a couple of crocodiles living in harmony at the Lower Sabie river.

Day 14, 6 June 2013 - I had a long deep sleep. Almost 12 hours and I did not join the rest for the morning drive. However, it was worth it as I felt much better. Left Satara at 10am sharp, our next destination was Olifants where the view was spectacular. Met up with a South African Caucasian while having lunch there and we exchanged some of our Comrades stories. He has ran about 20 plus times! Amazing! We then proceeded on to Letaba, our final camp. Our lodge here was huge. In fact, it was house with 2 rooms. Our usual braai dinner for this night was a feast! We had beef, pork ribs, borewors, potatoes, tomatoes and salad. Had a wonderful dinner here for our it was our final night in Krueger!

Volcanic rocks at the Olifants River.

The chefs in action.

Bon apetit.

Day 15, 7 June 2013 - Departed from Letaba Rest Camp at 6am and exited via Phalaborwa Gate after an hour’s game drive. It’s going to be a long drive back to Johannesburg. Did a couple of stops in between but the most awesome will have to be at Dullstroom where we stop by at Harries for some awesome pawsome pancakes and probably the best red cappuccino in South Africa. Even load up on macadamia nuts here. And after about 10 hours on the road, we finally got home safely. A short 5KM run in the evening before dinner at Shanghai Restaurant, Sandton together with Peter and Estee. Food was average and service was a little tad poor. However, I was pretty impress with a South African black lady waitress who can speak and understand Mandarin. BRAVO! And after dinner, its back home for rest for a run awaits tomorrow.

Phalaborwa Gate. Farewell Krueger National Park.

Awesome red cappucino at Harrie's Pancakes.

Day 16, 8 June 2013 - Had awesome Tigger 10KM Trail Run at Pretoria in aid of a children hospital in the morning, 10KM trail running event sponsored by Saucony. Not many familiar faces at the start, but at the end, it everyone became so familiar. That's what South Africa is all about. The run was held in some private park and upon arrival, we already spotted some kudus, giraffes and zebras. Fast forwarding to the run, the start was a little struggle for me as the rocks were loose. Took it easy and safely and soon, I found people overtaking me! And when we finally exited the hilly rocky area after 3KM or so, it was into a single track trail where I really had fun, smoothly zooming through it. So much freedom.

Zooming through the single track area with Fook Seong chasing me down in yellow.

Meeting up with Tigger at the hill top.

Back on the road at about 5KM, it was an uphill road up to the telco tower. Magnificent view of Pretoria from up there as I was greeted by Tigger! OH, did I mention that Chee Kong was zooming down in second spot when I was running up. Crazy fast! I had fun zooming down too, back tracking to where I came from. Upon entering the single track area, I nearly tripped over a loose rock. Lost my balance but in the end able to avoid falling flat down. *PHEW... Zoom  through the bushes and finally arrived at the open area zooming in closely on Johann. And it was a side by side photo finish with this new found friend! Enjoyable and most do-able run indeed. Only downside, no game spotted during the run. Guess most went into hiding already.

With Johann towards the finish.

While on the way home, Chee Kong took a wrong turn and we ended up turning one big round back to Fourways. But it was a wrong turn worth taking as the journey took us pass part of the Om Nie Dam race route. Beautiful indeed.

Back home, we rested for a while after the run before heading off down town to Neighbourgoods Market for food and to meet up with Peter and Estee again. And I thought it was art. It was pretty similar to Market and Arts on Main but with lots more people and food. After filling up our tummy, it was back home. While the other rested, I started working again. After all, it has been 16 days already away from work. In the evening, we all had dinner at Zen Garden Rivonia, where I had my favourite SzeChuan saliva chicken. Totally heavenly indeed and myself and Mei-Ee wallop a lot of food. And after dinner, we all sent Fook Seong to the airport for reality started to kick in. It’s time to go back home for the next day will be my turn. And after seeing him off, it’s back home for a well deserve rest, but that’s before I finish packing.

Happening place at the Neighbourgoods Market.

Nope, it's spelled correctly - Neighbourgoods Market.

 Day 17, 9 June 2013 - The finale! A meet up with Belinda and John in the morning for breakfast at Citadela. It was a pleasure to meet them both finally at a place which serves fantastic breakfast. And before leaving for the airport, a quick visit to Spar to buy some coffee, biltong and chocolates before reality sets in. My third South Africa trip ends here for my flight was at 2.10pm en route to Dubai making a 4 hours transit there before touching down at home. And so yeah, everything was good except for the luggage back home at KL International Airport which took me almost 2 hours to retrieve. Else, had a wonderful flight back sharing my Comrades story with Lee, an English working in Kuala Lumpur.

Breakfast at Citadela with John and Belinda.

My flight home. Farewell again South Africa and thanks for everything.

And so yeah! It all ends here. A fruitful 17 days trip to South Africa mainly for the Comrades Marathon 2013 which to me was a success not only for the run itself, but the camaraderie and making new friends. All in all, I had an awesome trip that I was sad to leave South Africa for the third time. Can't wait to get myself back there again!

* photos here credited to Chee Kong, Cham, Kin Kok and their respective owners.