MHWH Night Run 2016: Eat and Run in Penang

When in Penang for a run, the first thing one must do is eat. Which I did. Which turned out to be a decision my body regretted 16km into the run later on. But my tastebuds thanked me anyway for the treat of Penang Char Kuey Teow. YOLO right?

Anyway, I was recently invited to participate in the Penang leg of the Men's Health Women's Health Night Run 2016, the first of three races to be held within this calendar year. So I roped in my family runners and a few friends and off we went on a grand road trip to the Pearl of the Orient.

Except, our grand road trip slowed to a crawl right before Sangkai because we were caught in the combined aftermath of an accident and the Qing Ming goers. Oh right, Qing Ming was that weekend. Running at night should be fun.

Viper Arena 2016 - OCR of Queues

Who would have thought queues would be the main obstacle at Viper Arena 2016? Why would we especially since Viper Arena did such a great job last year? After last year's Arena, I decided it was my favourite obstacle race of all, due to the night factor and the shorter distance. Oh, and no mud.

After we had parked, my friends and I were greeted by the sight of a snaking long queue at the registration counter. It was only 6pm and already participants were arriving well ahead of time. Little did we know that it was a preview trailer to the rest of the race.

Because we were early, we had time to spare and after check-in and getting our wrist bands indicating our time slots, we loitered around the race village where there was an abundance of food, beverages and things to do.

MILO Breakfast Day Run 2016 - Registration Open!

With the kickoff of the Milo Breakfast Day 2016 in Melaka at the end of March, one of the most highly anticipated fun run is back and registration has officially opened! Do take note of the dates and flag off times as they vary from venue to venue. 

Saturday Sushi Brunch and Sunday Buffet Brunch at Zipangu, Shangri-La KL

New month, new stuff to try!

Happy April everyone! Just like that three months of 2016 has passed and life has gotten no less hectic. Sometimes, a weekend binge eating break is in order to treat ourselves.

Zipangu at Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur is now offering Saturday Sushi Brunch, in addition to the Sunday Brunch Buffet.

Saturday Sushi Brunch Buffet offers a wide array of fresh and delectable sushi, for RM105 nett per person, from 11.30am to 2.30pm. There will be signature roll sushi, hand rolls or temaki, teppan grill sushi, extra spicy sushi and even dessert sushi on this buffet.

The signature roll sushi includes Red Hot Beef Roll, Busan Roll with spicy cod and crab meat and Asian Rainbow with prawn, salmon and avocado. Besides sushi, the Saturday Sushi Brunch Buffet also offers diners a variety of sashimi. There are also Teriyaki chicken and bittergourd teppan grill sushi, as well as the Fire Dragon sushi with mala sauce, cili padi, prawns, avocado and salmon flakes.

The cold appetisers include Spicy Mustard Leaf with Minced Beef, Wafu Salad and Marinated Jellyfish with Sesame Sauce, among others. Potato Yokan, Kuzu Mochi and Sasa Mochi are among the desserts, besides tempura sushi, on the buffet.

Quicky Office Lunch: Toasted TC Boy Tuna Sandwich

Healthy eating can be quite tricky at work. More often than not, it is just much easier to succumb to the temptation of unhealthy instant meals and the lure of pricey cafes in the vicinity. Which is why I often stock up on a set of emergency canned tuna for those days when I want to eat simple and healthy.

Thanks to TC Boy, a Malaysian-based company, I got to add their canned tuna and sardine to my set of emergency food in the office. I admit, I am usually a bit apprehensive when it comes to resorting to canned food but when taken in moderation and prepared correctly, it can make for a delicious healthy meal.

Spartan Race Super KL 2016 - D-Day

The Battle on the Black River was certainly a name unfit for the recent Spartan Race Super held in another development project, at Canary Gardens, Bandar Bestari. It wasn't so much of a battle but rather a series of long jump challenges. It wasn't so much of a Black River but rather....a series of parits and longkangs (ditches and drains in English respectively)

Well, there was one "Black River" but it was brown from...sewage waste. Gross.

But I am really getting ahead of myself here. I was tackling my second Super race fresh off Malaysia's first Hurricane Heat and despite the anticipated equinox, I felt good about going into the race. Minus the slight  headache from inhaling the haze during Hurricane Heat.

Milo Breakfast Day is back

7 cities across Malaysia will be a part of Milo's Breakfast Move 2016 that encourages Malaysians to own the day by starting their day with breakfast. Themed Own the Day, the movement also kicks off the 4th Milo Breakfast Day which spreads its reach across the nation to seven cities this year before culminating in the grand finale in Putrajaya.

The launch of the movement, held at Talent Lounge on 23 March saw Dr Hamid Jan B Jan Mohamed sharing about the current breakfast habits amongst Malaysian school children. He revealed that 1 in four Malaysian children skipped breakfast at least three times a week and that affects their overall performance in school and in sporting activities.

The Under Armour Test of Will 2016

Under Armour Southeast Asia announced the kick off the Under Armour Test of Will 2016, a Southeast Asia-wide fitness challenge in celebration of human performance, functional fitness and the training lifestyle. An elite event that is accessible to everyone with the will to train, the Under Armour Test of Will 2016 is a distinctively modern and uniquely urban fitness challenge for the growing community of advanced athletes, high achievers and fitness aspirants across Southeast Asia with a drive for competition.

Kicking off in Singapore, national heats will be staggered over the month of April in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. Built around a series of challenges that assesses pure, functional fitness through callisthenic motion using only body weight and simple gear, each Test of Will competitor will have to complete a 4-minute circuit testing his or her balance, speed, agility and power.

Asia's first Hurricane Heat in Malaysia: I survived.

It was almost 4:15am, our supposed check-in time for Hurricane Heat and my sister and I had no idea where the supposed meet-up place was. The email told us to gather at Canary Gardens, Bandar Bestari, Klang at the Finishing Arch of the Spartan Super to held later on that same day. But when we got to the garden, it was pitch black, no one was in sight and the stench of haze lingered in the air. My reaction was...well, f**k.

We brisk-walked up and down the empty park looking for the Finishing Arch and then we heard it - the sounds of Spartans - counting out burpees in unison no doubt. Following the noises, we finally spotted a man standing on a small hill with a megaphone. "Are you here for Hurricane Heat?"

Kyoto Marathon 2016: 46 Thoughts that went through my mind during the race

1. OMG, I am actually in THE Kyoto Marathon. I am actually running my first marathon. In Japan.

2. 2km down. 40km more to go. I can do this!
3. 7:00 min pace. Hm. A little too fast. I should slow down even though I feel great. I am sure my legs will thank me later.
4. Why is everyone lapping me? You sprint now, dude with the long lanky legs. I'll see you at the 10km mark when you wear out.
5. It's getting kinda hot. I wanna take off my jacket but then...my bib is pinned to it. It's too much of a hassle to remove. Oh well, looks like I am stuck wearing this for the whole run.
6. First cut off point and I am about 10 minutes ahead of it. That mean the bus of shame is about a kilometer behind me.  All this maths!
7. I like this weather. I don't feel like I am going to vomit my lungs out at all.
8. Time for my first gel. Fuel me up, my magic potion!!
9. 15 minutes ahead of the second cut off point. Did I just speed up?
10. Awwww, look at these nice Japanese people cheering us on. You don't see this back home.
11. Was that 10km? That wasn't too bad. 32km more to go.

12. I should high-five that old lady and that kid and that gentleman on the side. You get a high five, you get a high five. EVERYBODY GETS A HIGH FIVE!
13. I can really feel that gel kicking in. Woohoo!
14. Damn bunion, messing up my steps. I should lop it off!
15. But if I lop it off, I'll be out of any form of exercise for 6 months. Not worth it.
16. Here's the first U-turn section. Look at all those people on the other side of the road. I can't be that far behind...right?

17. Damn it's further than I thought. Where's that U-TURN???
18. Ooh look. A nice old man is giving out sweets. Would be rude to turn him down.
19. Nope, big mistake. Too chewy. I am spitting it out. Time to gel up anyway.
20. The Kamo river is really nice. And clean. So very clean.
21. A half marathon done! Another half to go!

22. 20km to go! Counting backwards sure helps. On to the next U-turn section!
23. Oh-uh, is that rain drops I feel? Luckily I got my trusty hoodie and gloves.
24. Oh it stopped. But damn that wind is cutting cold! Gloves on!
25. It's too hot now, gloves off.
26. What is that pain above my ankle? Is my compression pants cutting off the blood circulation to my feet? Omg, I might need to amputate it.
27. Let me adjust it...and try walking it off.
28. That helped a little. Back to running or jogging. Or crawling. Where's my gel?
29. Where and when is the next cut off point? Crap, I forgot.
30. Running on the river bank is so nice. I feel like I am running on clouds...

31. Was that guy serving coke? Should have grabbed one. Should I turn back? Oooh, wave for the camera!
32. Are we running next to the Kyoto Imperial Palace now? I remember cycling along this road before. No, wait. Wrong road.
33. I think I read somewhere that running a marathon is literally just a bunch of people physically torturing themselves while they count to 42km as slowly as humanly possible. Morons.
34. Wind. Gloves on!
35. Cut off point crossed with 20 minutes to spare! Hahahah! I am actually doing this.
36. Kyoto City Hall is just one giant U-turn. Bleh. Annnnnnd it's warm again. Gloves off!
37. I see the 6 hours pacers on the other side. Look at all those people glued to them. And look at all those people trailing behind them. Run people run or you'll get cut off!
38.  Ah, coke. God bless your soul, random Japanese people giving out coke on the side of the road. I can feel my pace picking up! No, wait. That's just the wind blowing in my face. Where are my gloves...
39.  Goddammit, the ankle pain is back and now it has joined forces with evil bunion to torment me. Is this an uphill...? Yes, it is.
40. Omg, are the sweeper cyclists tormenting that last runner? And why does the sweeper bus look like a funeral hearse? I bet that guy inside is reading out rest in peace rites.
41. 2km more to go, biatches!!
42. Let me take a picture with the distant marker here. 42km, biatches!

43. Oh right. A marathon is 42.195km. 195 meters to go.
44. Yay, I finished! First marathon ever! In Japan no less!
45. Fark shit crap, the pain the pain! Why do my legs hate me!??
46.....I might just do another one next year. In Japan.

For the proper more sane race recap of the Kyoto Marathon, click on this link.