SCKLM 2016 : Introducing the Checkpoint System for Marathon category

The Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon is back and set to kick off on Sunday, 7 August 2016 at Dataran Merdeka. Registration dates has been announced as below:

A new staggered registration system was introduced to ensure a better registration experience for runners as it simplifies the online registration process and lessens the chances of web-traffic congestion.
Now I have some good news and one bad news.

#YourNutella: Fancy Owning Your Own Customised Nutella Jar?

The meaning of TANIA -1) An abbreviation of Tatiana which is feminine of the Roman family clan name Tatius (origin: Roman); 2) a fairy queen-of Tatiana (origin: Russia) or 3) the owner of Sugoi Days blog and staunch Nutella eater (origin: Malaysia)

Your name is special and unique to you and only you. It's a gift from your parents, a feature that reflects your heritage and the first thing that is yours alone, your badge of individuality. Much like your first memory with Nutella.

Thanks to Nutella, you now have a way to celebrate your names in true Nutella-fashion. With a customised Nutella jar! In fact mine just came in the mail! Thanks, Nutella!

Kyoto Marathon 2016: Race Day

Two years ago I made the bold declaration by saying that my first marathon can and will only happen in Japan and in winter. Much like how Puteri Gunung Ledang laid down her conditions to the king of Melaka, these were my conditions to my friends who kept insisting that I run a marathon. The condition got them to shut up about it but little did I know I had just inception-ed myself. Because the idea just grew and grew.

Two years later, it happened. In Kyoto.

Kyoto Marathon 2016 - Race Expo and Race Pack Collection at Miyako Messe

Ah the Kyoto Marathon race expo.

A mere teaser of what an awesome event race day itself was going to be, a preview if you will. To say I was excited to go for it was an understatement. The expo was held at the finish line destination of the race itself - Miyako Messe (Kyoto International Exhibition Hall) right next to the iconic Heian Shrine which will be part of the finishing background.

We took the Keihan train from Gion and transited over to the Tozai line where we got off at Higashiyama station. From there, it was a 8 minutes walk to the race expo. Directions were no issue with clear signages showing us the way from the station to the torii gates. From there, volunteers were at hand to direct us into the hall and to ensure we had all the necessary documents for the bib collections. Easy peasy.

5 Things to do in Melbourne that doesn't involve cafes and coffee

Every time I asked 'what is there to do in Melbourne' I always get the same answer, "Go cafe hopping!" "Try out their coffee!" Okay, I will but what else is there to do that doesn't sitting in a cafe/restaurant and sipping coffee like a hipster.

Well, as it turned out, plenty as I discovered on my recent trip there. And it also involves not just the city but also the outskirts of Melbourne as well.

MHWH Night Run Goodie Bag worth over RM500 revealed!

Here's a sneak peek of the goodie bag of one of the most anticipated night runs in Malaysia, the Men's Health, Women's Health Night Run.

The goodie bag will consist of but is not limited to:-

Kyoto Marathon 2016 - The Tapering Stage

Ah the tapering stage.

Many runners hate it, I on the other hand, love it. I love being able to take it easy and eat more, I love that I have a reason to eat more pasta and potatoes. I love that my Sunday runs don't require me to wake up at 4am to training early and that nothing goes beyond 10km.

Except that I fell sick right after my 30km LSD, hence the delay in this post. Body just went into shock and immune system rebooted itself. It started with a sore throat which soon became a fever. It would have turned into a full-blown cold with the sneezes, sniffles and coughs had I not taken preventive measures immediately.

That Time I drugged myself on a Whale Watching Cruise

In all fairness, it wasn't on purpose.

Whale watching was something I've wanted to try for a while now and on my recent trip to Sydney, managed to sign up for one along with my sister and friend. According to the email we got, it departs from Darling Harbour at 8am and it was advised to take seasick pills if one had a tendency to get seasickness. Not wanting to spending the trip heaving breakfast into a brown bag, we went out and bought seasickness pills from Chemist Warehouse.

When we got to the dock, we quickly saw why medication was needed. We were heading out to sea on a small jet boat that could take up to 15 people, a pitiful sight compared to the other cruise boats that towered over us like ferries. It reminded me of the speed boats used to ferry people to Taman Negara in Pahang.

Should You Invest in a Running Watch

Why should I invest in a running watch was a question I've asked many times. Why should I pay loads of money for a watch that can do what my smartphone can?

Well, as I found out during a half marathon, a watch can do so much more and is so much more reliable when it comes to GPS tracking and pacing.

I used to rely on Runkeeper app on my phone to track my pace. For 10km and less, it worked fine but was a battery-drainer even without the 3G on. I attributed that to the iPhone's poor battery life but that wasn't the only reason I opted to switch to a running watch.

Salted Egg Yolk Croissant at Le Bread Days, SS2

I was at New Paris restaurant for a Chinese New Year lunch with my colleagues and thought hey, why not try my luck with the famous salted egg yolk croissants from Le Bread Days next door. The first time I tried it was long before a certain blogger drew attention to it and I was curious to see if the quality remained.

It was past twelve by then and their first fresh batch of croissants comes out of the oven at 11:30am. The last time I tried getting it, a guy ahead of me bought the last four croissants which sent me to Bake Plan to get my fix.