Nike Sportsband - RIP???

Last Saturday, the Nike Sportsband failed to communicate with the sensor. Is it dead? Not even a year. And after only 61 runs and a total of 519.2km as logged on it.

One Stop Shop?????

I opened the newspaper this morning and almost choked on my roti.

The SAA is proposing that it be made the sanctioning body for all road races here in Singapore. This came about after complaints were made about the poor organisation of the Sundown Marathon and other races. Steven Yeo, the CEO “believes that if this is done, policies to ensure a runner has a reasonably good race experience would be set in place”. 

Yah like real! Mr Loh Lin Kok, the President of the SAA has previously been reported as calling all the other races here “Mickey mouse races”. So why will the SAA wants to get involved in “Mickey mouse race”?

The only reason I can think of is that the SAA is dead broke or going to be soon with the continued withholding of funds from the SSC and this is a good ploy to suck money from the race organizers. Other than enriching the coffers of the SAA, I don’t think anybody else will benefit from it.

If this happens, race organizers will have to pay a sanction fee which I can guarantee won’t be cheap. Consequently, this will translate into higher registration fees. Also, the red tapes associated with getting the approval will increase and some of the smaller races like the Mizuno Wave, the Newton etc will probably stop doing it depriving runners of more choices.

But if the SAA really gets it wish and is the sanctioning body for all races, I am sure the current slew of runs will come to a abrupt stop as frankly, I don't think SAA is capable of doing any thing right and all the applications will be stuck in somebody office waiting for a rubber stamp that may never come.

X-Trail Challenge 2010

Another event where I instead of participating I was there to kaypoh. That's seem to be the norm nowadays but even if I want to, wouldn't have been able to take part since this was for teens. Actually kena driver again otherwise could have been sound asleep in bed.

This was a small little event in the Western part of Singapore at the Chinese Garden for teenager. And since I couldn't do, the Princess was my proxy! Ha ha ha. She managed to rope in another 7 school mates to form 4 teams.

The event consists of a series of activities starting with a run which included some 'obstacles' such as jumping over sticks and running up the Pagoda. This was followed by kayaking round the lake and scooping up some plastic bottles.

Two of her schoolmates came in 10th. Unfortunately, they could have fare better instead I guess due to poor marshalling, they went the wrong direction!

Racer, Runner, Plodder and Walker

This post started the ball rolling:

And some are not really sincere runners. I'm not against walking. (I do walk and jog when I'm tired too). But walking after 1-2km for 21km run is quite ridiculous. (Considering the quite large number of them who actually started walking when we barely pass the start line)

And the choruses grew and grew:

• more and more people are joining such events without the right attitude and god knows what. feels like they will all come together at the end of year again. what to do.
• I agree there are more and more runners that do not train and run FM. One of my friend do not even run 2km for trainig but signing up for SC FM
• anyway was kinda pissed off to see peeps walking for full marathon after 7km, and by 10km almost e entire pack is walking, serve no motivation at ALL
• Completely agree with you. There were even runners starting to walk just 2 or 3 k into the marathon .....No problems with marathon runners walking in between, that's part of the sport when you feel fatigue, but please not just a few k into the race
• Hey, this is a marathon. But saw so many people walking and blocking the runners, chit-chat?? Then next year better change the event to Sundown-rise Big walk 2011!
• Those that stand very infront of the start line and run fast once start and then start walking at 6k mark till finished, they better go back and train harder first. If not don't sign up again, give the slot to other needed runner.

Inevitably, after every race, there is a lot of complains about the walkers. But somehow, this time round for the Sundown Marathon, there seemed to be even more and more vocal one at that. Is it really because there are more walkers? Even me, in my previous post had commented about the walkers.

Of course, those in the walking camp soon jump in to defend their right to walk: