KLSCM 2024: 42,000 Runners Taking to the Streets of Kuala Lumpur

The country’s premier distance running event, the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2024, kicked off its 16th edition today with its largest number of participants yet. 42,000 runners will be converging on the iconic Dataran Merdeka over two days on 5 and 6 October, with the 5km, 10km and Kids Dash categories having taken place on the first day. The blue-ribbon Full Marathon and Half Marathon categories took place on day two with intense competition expected from the top runners.

The Boost Juice 10km got the ball rolling where in the Men’s Open category, KLSCM debutant Japhet Rono from Kenya clinched the win in a time of 33:14. “This is my first time participating in the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon and although I didn’t expect it, I thank God for giving me the strength to win,” said Rono. “I look forward to participating in the next edition in 2025,” he added.

Japanese Airlines, JAL and ANA Offering Free Domestic Flights for International Travelers

In the travel industry, there is a term for Japan called the Golden Route. It basically means the popular travel route of travellers from Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka or vice versa. The reason why this is a common route for travellers to Japan is because there are three major international airports (Haneda, Narita and Kansai Airport) connecting two major cities, Tokyo and Osaka for international travellers to fly into. Plus, the Shinkansen connects all three cities, making it a kill three birds in one situation for tourists. 

But as a result, overcrowding and an influx of tourists to these areas has become prevalent. To combat this, Japanese airlines like ANA has introduced discounted or complimentary domestic flights to other parts of Japan when booked with your international flights. I have used this service quite a few times to travel to Sapporo, Okinawa and Nagoya and I will share that it was very convenient for jetting across the country without having to touchdown in the major hubs.