Friday 29 November 2013

Skechers GoRun3 Review

Eugene's Skechers Shoe review has laid out the guidance to what Skechers has to offer (the range). Stupe has written about the (yet to be launced) GoRun3 (GR3) that he has been clocking decent mileage in since mid-November. If you missed out on his posting (which is unlikely if you have been following his blog), here is a cross-posting as part of "share more" concept in Team 2ndSkin.
GR2 (top) and GR3 (bottom)
What is evident is that the GR3 ride-height has been increased slightly, which lend more cushioning without adding on more weight to the shoe. It surprises us in the team as well that both the GR2 and GR3 weight almost the same despite the additional "plushness". Material advancement has definitely placed this long-time best seller (GoRun) series top of it's game. Interested to know more? Including seeing Stupe's antic of running with TWO different side of the GR2 and GR3 simultaneously? Head over to the review below.

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<Snippet from the blog>
Real Feel GR2 vs GR3
Things I do to review shoes and for general masses to make more informed choices. Yes, I've been running with one side of each shoe, opposite side at different occasion just to get a feel and feedback of how it could be different. The results were pretty good though after about 10km, it doesn't really felt significantly different as the muscles starts to fatigue over faster pace.
Opps!
Click here to read the full review

Thursday 21 November 2013

Jun Shen : Penang International Marathon 2013 Race Report

PBIM 2013 Race Report By Chan Jun Shen.
Penang Bridge International Marathon is a race full of uncertainties for me. I have never raced this event before, I thought of training hard to aim for another PB in marathon since my very last marathon was 3 years ago. However, my tour of duty as a young Navy Officer on board Frigate KD JEBAT requires me to participate in a few international military exercises and represent Malaysia for the Sydney International Fleet Review.
Officers on board KD Jebat
Thinking of changing my plan, my workouts on board the ship was mostly focusing on strengthening my cores due to space constraint. I was away for 68 days sailing across 4 straits and 7 seas, and came back 3 days before Penang Bridge International Marathon. From Team 2ndSkin, Roy Yeow, Annie Yee and I will be participating. After some discussion with Annie, I have decided to run with her. With all her marathons in hand, she is a more experienced marathoner compared to me, I dare not call myself her pacer.
I stayed with Michael’s family in Penang, my relation with them started way back during my student years when I came to Penang for internship, I coached their son Ethan swimming. They are such a warm family; my presence in Penang will be treated with Makanthon every single day. I drove to Queensbay Mall around 6pm, had to cancel my meeting with Jin Aik due to time constraint and super congested traffic. After massage, I camped in the car near Eastin Hotel. I couldn’t sleep due to my pre race jitters, so I went to Facebook and start writing “pantuns” on my wall =p
Camp in the car I cannot sleep,
Why the hell I'm counting sheeps,
2am we run penang bridge,
Naik podium sure become rich:-P
12.30am, I walked towards the starting point. The VIP’s were there with some singing performances and band music to entertain the runners. I had my energy gels, hammer endurolytes, hammer perpetuem solid and a few capsules of pain killers just in case we need it. Annie’s racing schedule is so packed that she is still not fully recovered from her old injury.
Race started at 2am, the first 4km was blazing fast with undulating pace; it didn’t take too long for all the 4700 marathoners to scatter into echelons. This is my Skechers GOSpeed’s maiden race, I felt very comfortable with it, stiff enough to be picked as my marathon shoes. The water stations were adequate and very well prepared, they had long tables with hundred over cups of water to cater for so many runners. Those students from secondary schools wearing scout uniform, police cadet and a few other uniform bodies were very helpful; I believe they take pride for serving the runners.
Annie, who was still nursing her injury, told me that her legs were starting to ache at km20, I kept checking my Garmin 910xt to make sure we were not speeding too fast. Having a GPS watch helps a lot in running long distance. I have customized all the data displays before the race; my very first screen was showing: 
1.    Distance
2.    Pace
3.    Elapsed Time
4.    Average Pace
I’m a big eater when running long distance, I can keep eating gels every 10kms, that’s why I had 5 perpetuem solids, 4 capsules of endurolytes, and 7 gels with me. I know my body well, I can get hungry very fast, so perpetuem solids is my choice of “hunger management” food. Every now and then I’ll offer Annie gels but she kept refusing to take them.. Hahaha. Km24 was a nightmare, Annie started walking and telling me that she wants to go into the ambulance, as her injury was acting up. Gave her another pain killer and gel, but she refused to take the gel. Her brisk walking was fast though, I had to run baby steps to keep up with her. I guess she was in a lot of pain and she was expressing her disappointment and wanting to quit. More and more female runners overtook us. People running past yelling “what happened to you Annie?” didn’t make things better. It was saddening to see her struggling to continue. By km30, the hope to score sub 4 became hopeless, I would have lost my 300 bucks if I bet with Eugene. =p I was running with a bottle of mineral water in my hand all the time just in case she needs it.
Equipped for the race
We walked and ran and chatted, took it easy. I was hoping that talking can distract her from all the negative thoughts. It took forever waiting for my Garmin 910xt to beep. I set my Auto Lap for every 5km, strides are becoming heavier and slower, the run took longer time than what I expected. Thousands of shorter distance runners were on the same course as us, it was tough to make our own way in a sea of runners. Finally the finishing arch was within sight, I crossed the finishing line in 4 hours 22 minutes. Throughout the race, we did not see Roy at all. Don’t know where he went missing. =p
Team's 42km report book
Overall, this run was a great experience for me running as an unofficial pacer for my team mate. I was focusing on my posture and strides all the way, even after 68 days way from home and low in training mileage, I can still finish the race with a satisfactory timing. Driving back to Butterworth was another torture; the queue for ferry was extremely long. I was dead tired and kept falling asleep, had to call my close friend Jamie Ng to drive me back to KL. I would have done better and raced painlessly if I had the chance to put in more mileage during my tour of duty. Anyway, slowly but surely, I will start picking up my long lost fitness and get back to competitive endurance racing in as soon as possible.
Thanks to all sponsors for Team2ndSkin especially Skechers, Garmin, Hammer and KraftFit.  


Monday 18 November 2013

GO Ahead, Make your Choice

Team 2ndskin, being partners with Skechers Malaysia for the year of 2013, are Skechers Performance Series Ambassadors. Since the start of the year, the team athletes have been wearing the range of Skechers Performance Series shoes, modeled by the GO range series. The team has been “pampered” by an excellent range of shoes from the cushy GoRun Ride early in the year, to the GoBionic Trail that eats up beaten tracks like a mountain goat. On our team blog, we have also been reviewing the wide range of Skechers Performance Series shoes and giving our honest thoughts on the subject. With that, naturally comes the question that I have been fielded numerous times since the start of the year.

“Which Skechers Performance model is suitable for me?”

I have given my feedback and thoughts personally to those who have asked me, either face to face, via social media or even on messaging systems. With the same question coming up again and again, I thought it would be best to share my recommendations here so that when you walk into a Skechers store, you already have an idea of which model to look for and try out, based on your running style and current type of running shoes you wear. Please do note that all recommendations here are purely based on my personal experience in trying out the different ranges of Skechers Performance Series shoes and in not an official recommendation from Skechers themselves. Also, I will only be discussing the shoes that are currently on the shelves and older models that are discontinued from production shall not be addressed. 
So many to choose from
The Categorization
Before we hit straight into the discussion about the shoes, I would like to first make some categorization so that you (the reader) can see best where you fit in and make a more informative choice.
Shoe model: Tells you what model this is
Shoe type: Tells you in general what type of shoe this is and its suitability
Heel to toe drop: Tells you what the difference in height from heel to toe is
Shoe fit: Tells you in general terms how the shoe fits
Shoe build: Tells you in general terms about the structure and build of the shoe
Shoe mileage: Recommends the average mileage you will get out of the shoe
Shoe highlights: Quick highlights of the selling points of the shoe
Shoe description: My personal view of the shoe and what I would recommend it for
OK, without any further ado, let’s GO! (pun intended)

GoRun Series:
Designed for speed
Shoe model: GoRun 2
Shoe type: Road shoe. High mileage trainer. All purpose shoe.
Heel to toe drop: 4mm drop heel to toe
Shoe fit: Averagely wide forefoot. Snug lacing.
Shoe build: Comparatively more structured than the rest of the Go series. Lightweight trainer. Midfoot bump in original GoRun is not as pronounced here.
Shoe mileage: At least 600km of tarmac. I’m up to about 450km and shoe shows excellent wear. Original GoRun lasted me close to 800km.
Shoe highlights: Lightweight, encourages mid-forefoot strike, well built, value for money in terms of durability and wear.
Shoe description: I fell in love with the original GoRun, and I still love the shoe. This revision to the GoRun has given it a new outlook, and in my opinion has increased the built but retained the lightweight benefits. It is an all purpose shoe, capable of long training runs and also fast races if you just want a “one shoe that does everything option”. In my case, I use it for my long (and short) training runs and reserve the GoSpeed (more of that later) for races.
Recommended for the runner who is transitioning from traditional structured/cushioned shoes to a more minimalist style shoe and for those who want a shoe that does everything from 10ks to full marathons.
If you are currently wearing a pair of stability / structured shoes from other brands, then this is the shoe model you should consider.

 Go like never before
Shoe model: GoRunRide 2 / Night Owl
Shoe type: Road shoe. High mileage training shoe.
Heel to toe drop: 4mm drop heel to toe
Shoe fit: Averagely wide forefoot. Nice wraparound at the heel area.
Shoe build: The most cushioned and structured shoe in the Go series of shoes.
Shoe mileage: At least 600km – 800km of tarmac.
Shoe highlights: Lightweight, promotes mid-forefoot strike, soft cushioning absorbs impact well, value for money in terms of durability and wear.
Shoe description: This is the choice of Go series for the runner who has just started running and requires a bit more cushioning to adapt to the rigours and stress of running on road. On the other hand, it works as well for those who take their weekly mileage very high and require a pair of shoes that gives ample cushioning and support to the joints during recovery runs and more relaxed efforts. However, that’s not to say this shoe is not built to go hard and fast. All Skechers Performance series shoes are lightweight and designed for speed too.
Recommended for the runner who requires structured/cushioned shoes and is looking for a high mileage running shoe built to last. Shoe of choice for those who are currently wearing cushioned shoes or shoes with more than 6mm drop.




Endorsed by an Olympic Medalist
Shoe model: GoRun Speed / GoMeb
Shoe type: Road shoe. Racing shoe.
Heel to toe drop: 4mm drop heel to toe
Shoe fit: Narrow forefoot. Snug lacing.
Shoe build: The stiffest shoe in the series. Low to ground feel. Very lightweight. Secure heel cup, personal opinion is the mesh upper of shoe is the most breathable in the series A stability carbon plate provides the additional stiffness to the shoe.
Shoe mileage: Estimated about 300 – 400km of tarmac. I’ve done about 130kms in the shoe and they are holding up great.
Shoe highlights: Lightweight, encourages fast cadence, good road feedback feel, very breathable mesh upper.
Shoe description: This is my choice of shoe if I want to go fast (as fast as my feet can take me that is). Everytime I put this shoe on, I tend to run faster than my normal training routine. It makes you do that. I would say this is the official racing shoe (in traditional terms) under Skechers Performance Series.
Recommended for the runner who is used to running in traditional racers and lightweight minimalist shoes. The choice of wear if you are looking for a pair of shoes for race day.

GoBionic Series:
Minimal Never Felt So Good
Shoe model: GoBionic Ride
Shoe type: Road shoe. Minimalist classification.
Heel to toe drop: 4mm drop heel to toe with removable insole. 0mm drop heel to toe without insole.
Shoe fit: Very wide forefoot. Low to ground feel. Soft heel cup.
Shoe build: Sneaker like flat sole with good ground feel. Internal stitching seamless and good to go sockless. Front end wide for good toe splay.
Shoe mileage: Estimated at 400km. I am up to about 150km on this shoe and I use it for all purposes. 10km runs, gym workout sessions and even walks in the park.
Shoe highlights: One of the few shoes in the Skechers Performance lineup that allows you to have a choice between 0mm and 4mm drop by removing the insoles. This is the more cushy update to the original 0mm only GoBionic. Shoe works well without socks and is breathable.
Shoe description: This is my personal all purpose shoe for everything from runs to indoor gym sessions and even for travelling. Love the barefoot feel and never had blisters from running sockless. There are no circular pods on this shoe, but have squarish individual structures that allow for the flexibility of the shoe as well.
Recommended for the runner who is transitioning from 4-6mm drop shoes to 0mm drop type shoes. It allows the runner to get the barefoot experience without the immediate harsh feel of running in 0mm drop shoes (before adaptation occurs).
This shoe is slotted right in the class between minimalist to barefoot.
Back to Nature
Shoe model: GoBionic Trail
Shoe type: Offroad trail shoe.
Heel to toe drop: 4mm drop heel to toe with removable insole. 0mm drop heel to toe without insole.
Shoe fit: Averagely wide forefoot. Holds the foot well all-around.
Shoe build: For a lightweight trail shoe, the GoBionic Trail surprises with its structure. It has a robust sole with multi-directional lugs for better grip and has average ground feel. The mesh upper feels durable to the touch and looks to be able to withstand the wear and tear associated with offroad environments.
Shoe mileage: Good trail shoe mileage of about 600 – 700km..
Shoe highlights: The GoBionic Trail has hydrophobic treatment which repels water. At the same time, it dries up pretty quickly if the internals of your shoe gets drenched. It is also an excellent road-to-trail shoe in that it does very well on tarmac surfaces as well giving you enough cushioning on hard road surfaces. Shoe is also equipped with their Resagrip outsole which increases durability.
Shoe description: I had the original GoTrail to run in before and one thing I found about the original shoe was that it didn’t really grip well on wet/slippery surfaces. This update to the original incorporates multi-directional lugs which I tested to be more effective on slippery rocks and mossy surfaces. Another thing which impressed me was the insoles were ribbed at the underside, to create resistance and reduce slippage incidents when worn.
I will be getting more mileage in the trail shoe in the next couple of months with a few trail races slotted in, but initial test runs in them seem very favourable.

I hope that the above views and recommendations are able to allow you (the reader) to make a more informed choice when selecting the model of choice at a Skechers store. No worries though, you can always approach any of us at Team 2ndskin to ask us more about the range of Skechers Performance series shoes to get a better idea of what would suit you.
Go try one pair out today!

Thursday 14 November 2013

2XU Run Race Report by Tri Stupe

With Annie

We all love race reports. Team 2ndSkin has raced in many races and the team's schedule can be viewed in this part of the website here. Some of our team mate has their own blogs and it is only natural that some cross-postings happen between here and theirs. Today, it is Ee-Van aka Tri Stupe's entry on the recently concluded 2XU run at Bukit Tunku area. Himself and Annie Yee raced and Annie came up 5th in the Women Category. Congrats Annie! Well done Stupe on the good timing for the 15km run (1:11:45)

Here is his race report
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2XU 15km 2013 Race Report

...Many would had thought it was the ONLY hill, as after all, Bukit Tunku can't be that brutal, right? All i can say is that the 2XU run provided me what I usually do on Sunday...Hillwork. I was really happy as beyond KM8 was hills after hills after hills...[click here to read the full entry]
Thank you Kenny Foo Photography

Monday 11 November 2013

Racing In Skechers GoMeb

Irene is the Team's latest addition and represent Malaysia in triathlon. Here is her quick (she is fast on the swim, bike and run) review of the Skechers GoMeb.
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Racing In Skechers GoMeb aka GoSpeed

By Irene Chong.
My current (well, now ex) pair of racing shoes has been racing together with me for almost 2 years and we have gone through together more than 10 races in various countries during that period of time.  I have been using them in all my 10km-11km run leg of my triathlon races and even in training runs sometimes. With that kind of mileage and hard racing done, it was time to get it retired and pull on something new. I have been racing in a pair of Asics and now that I’m with Team 2ndskin, I was very enthusiastic to try out Skechers Performance range of shoes.
J

I sent a picture of my old racing shoes to my Team Principal, Eugene (to show him how bad the condition my racing shoes already are… LOL), and thanks a lot to Eugene who managed to get me a pair of new shoes sponsored by Skechers (Thanks Skechers!!!) 3 days before I was due to go to Hong Kong for my race. I only had one chance to try on the shoes during my last session of training at the MSN track before I went off. However, even in that one session, I could feel that the shoes were meant to go fast and I immediately liked the feel of it.

When I dropped by Skechers Store at Pavillion, I tried on a few models to see which ones suited me best. My team mates in Team 2ndskin had recommended me to try out the GoBionic Ride and GoSpeed/GoMeb. I tested them both and also the GoRun 2 as well as the GoRun Ride. I felt that the GoRun 2 and GoRun Ride would make very good training shoes for me (more on that next time!), but upon slipping on the GoSpeed, I knew they were the shoes for me. The GoSpeed (sounds cool and fast) fit me perfectly. It was very lightweight compared to my old racing shoes and also very flexible. I chose the red and yellow colour combo pair because i wanted my shoes to be easily spotted and seen in the transition area at triathlon races.

The first thing, besides the very light weight, that caught my attention in this shoe is the black plate (carbon-like) under the shoes at the sole area. I found out the carbon plate gave the shoes some stiffness and stability during my run. The inner of the shoes was very smooth and seamless and it helped me get in the shoes faster during transition in a race where every second counts. This pair of very breathable shoes also helped avoid my feet from sweating a lot especially when racing under hot sun with the heat coming up from the road! The best thing about the shoes is the perfect snug fit for my feet where there is no extra space within the shoe that allow my feet to move around, that can cause formation of 3-4 blisters during my race (which is a norm for me). 
Customized GoSpeed with quick laces for faster transition
One of the most important things that allow a triathlete to have a fast transition is the SHOE LACES. In all my years of racing, I have experienced many occasions fiddling with my shoe laces; therefore I am purely using quick laces for my racing shoes from now on. So, I customized my shoe laces (I know is a bit expensive for the shoe laces which cost me about RM80 for a set but it does make my shoes look cool n perfect!).

My shoes’ first battlefield was in Hong Kong at the Lantau ITU Triathlon Asian Cup. I experienced some blisters from the shoes but its not at the same location which I always experience with my old shoes. It was expected, as I only had 1 session of training to adapt to the shoes, so I didn’t realize where the possible hotspot could be. The forming of the blisters is just because of the rubbing from the shoes with the side of my feet in the last 3km of the race (and it wasn't that bad compared with my previous shoes, which I will start getting the blisters after 2km into the race).

Knowing then where the slight friction would occur, I applied some Vaseline at the inside of the shoe where it was rubbing my feet in HK before my race at Nusajaya International Triathlon  and I was free from any blisters for the first time in a race in 2 years! I was so very happy that I continued wearing my shoes and walking around while waiting for my prize presentation. All I can say is, I am very thankful to Skechers for providing me with an excellent pair of racing shoes that fit me exceptionally well and I am very comfortable racing in.


Now, I cannot wait to try on other pairs of Skechers Performance series shoes, especially for training runs, in hope that I will be able to perform better and improving my run timing. J

Monday 4 November 2013

Trigger Point Therapy : Eugene Teoh

By Team Principal Eugene.
Remember when I put up a short write up about the importance of a stretching program to be incorporated into every runners’ training regimen here? I spoke briefly about using a foam roller to iron out the kinks and tight knots in the muscle groups and this posting expands a little more about that.

I met up with Chloe, who is the owner of Get Active Studio & Gym located in Mont Kiara over lunch just the other day and she dropped a complimentary set of Get Active house brand foam roller and massage stick on my lap. She knew about my struggles with ITB issues and a highly strung hamstring and we spoke in length about that and some other fitness programs over lunch. The foam roller that I have been using is made of foam and is not high density, therefore is compressible and more suitable for maintenance. Knowing that, Chloe suggested I try using a massage stick and a higher density roller to break up the knots that’s causing my pain in my ITB. 
Get Active self massage therapy tools
I share an excerpt from the accompanying information booklet by Get Active that came with the therapy tools.
“These are two tools that you can use as a way to reduce trigger points. Trigger points can be defined as hypersensitive areas of a muscle which is theorized to be either dysfunctional from a contractive and flexibility perspective. Trigger points inevitable develop whether or not you exercise, creating a need to restore functionality through the use of this modality. The massage stick and/or foam roller can be used at any point of time (pre, during and/or post-exercise) and especially on recovery days. The “no pain, no gain” saying applies to self massage, just be sure there is no bruising after the treatment. Perform the foam roller/massage stick exercises for a minimum of 1 min for each exercise”
In some articles about foam rollers, you will read about myofascial release. Fascia is the soft tissue component of the connective tissue that provides support and protection for most structures within the human body, including muscle. This soft tissue can become restricted due to overuse, trauma and inactivity, often resulting in pain, muscle tension, and corresponding diminished blood flow. Myofascial trigger point therapy is a soft tissue therapy for the treatment of skeletal muscle immobility and pain. The tissue is loaded with a constant force until release occurs. The therapy relaxes contracted muscles, improves blood and lymphatic circulation, and stimulates the stretch reflex in muscles. 
A comparison between my mini foam roller and the higher density larger sized GA roller
The larger sized roller made of polyurethane provides me better coverage when in use and I find that I am able to massage bigger muscle groups in my lower back and trapezius/shoulder blades when rolling my back. Also when I’m rolling my quadriceps and larger muscle groups, I find that a bigger roller keeps in place better and does not move out of position so much, compared to my original mini foam roller. The GA roller size is a pretty standard 15.5” length and 4.5” diameter and upon carrying it in your hands you will notice the build quality from its weight.
How to massage your calves and gastrocnemius muscles
The stiffer and denser build of the GA roller also provides deeper penetration and allows for better tissue stimulation. This is especially important when your muscle groups and fascia tissue are tight and inflexible and require extra stimulus to break the knots and hotspots. Less firm rollers made of foam are better suited for maintenance programs and for continuous usage during periods of no pain or problems.
I use the roller to target all my large muscle groups, especially on my legs. Normally I start off with my hamstrings and work around them on all sides, then I hit my Illiotibial Band (the thick band of fascia that runs on the lateral side of the hip down to the knee) before I turn over and work on the quadriceps from the groin down to the knee. Working downwards, I continue with my calves and gastrocnemius muscle group before I finish off my legs by rolling the shin and tibialis anterior group. My self-massage program finishes off with rolling my lower back and working on a wide general coverage of my upper back and neck.
How to work the Illiotibial Band
Now, the massage stick is a tool that personally I have never tried before. Chloe recommended I use this as a complimentary tool to the GA roller. What it does is it helps to manipulate the harder to reach areas and also muscle striations that you may miss by using a block roller. First time I used it on my ITB, I was sold! Here I was, thinking that I was hitting my ITB very well using the roller, but in fact I was able to work on different spots of my ITB and giving more stimulus to the more sensitive spots by using the massage stick and directing the pressure at more specific areas. Why was I not told about this before?
Now I fully understand what it means by these 2 tools should complement each other as a complete rehabilitation/recovery/maintenance program. The way the massage stick is designed is that it has individual revolving bands made of PVC/Nylon that move independently as it comes into contact with your muscle group/body. By moving the massage stick up and down and driving the angle of the stick around to target specific areas, you find that it has a kneading effect on your muscles and it gives the outcome similar to deep tissue massage. The massage stick comes in a 16” length size and will easily fit into a cabin-sized luggage bag, making it very convenient to carry on travel for races and events.

Both the Get Active roller and massage stick comes with a 1 year warranty against breakage or manufacturing defects. Considering the fact that us runners, cyclists and triathletes think nothing of spending RM400 for a pair of shoes, RM200 for a pair of tri pants and RM100 for a carbon bottle cage, we should invest in a set of foam rollers and massage stick that would outlast any of the items mentioned above. A set of therapy tools gives each and every one of us longer injury-free years for continuous indulgence in the sports that we have so much passion in.
The Get Active roller and massage stick retails for RM120/= each. Should you buy them in a set, you get a special package price of RM200/= complete set. They come with an information booklet by Get Active that gives you the lowdown on the therapy tools as well as diagrammatic instructions on how to best utilize the roller and massage stick.

Of course, I’m keeping the best news for last. :)

For the month of November 2013, just head on over to Get Active Studio and Gym located at Mont Kiara (Full contact details at the bottom) and get 15% off their retail price when you purchase the roller and/or massage stick. Just tell them that it was Team 2ndskin that recommended you to come over and enjoy the discount. It pays to be a Team 2ndskin blog reader, no? ;)


Get Active Sdn Bhd
The Base, 10-1 & 2, Jalan Solaris 5
Solaris Mont Kiara
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-62037671
Email: wannabefit@getactive.com.my

Friday 1 November 2013

Malakoff Powerman Duathlon Asian Championship Roundup

Good Morning people! Last weekend (Sunday) saw two of our athlete racing the Malakoff Powerman Duathlon Asian Championship. Both Roy Yeow and Ee-Van represented Team 2ndSkin in the race. It was Roy's first multi-sports race and Ee-Van's 7th participation in the Powerman. For those of you not familiar with the multi-sports concept especially Duathlon, it is a Run-Bike-Run event where you do the sports back to back in succession. For Powerman, the distance call for a 11km run, then a 64km bike and a 11km run. Time limit is 5hours 30mins.
Roy in Boardman Bike. Photo from Vivien Tay.
For this race, both Roy and Ee-Van finished the race in good timing. Much respect to all participants for just showing up at the starting line. It was a super hot day and many of you that raced went home with a tan darker. 

Official Results:
Ee-Van : 4:08:30 (Gun), 4:07:42 (Nett)
Roy : 4:46:13 (Gun), 4:45:34 (Nett)

For some of you that wants to read about the race, Ee-Van has written a good report in his blog, detailing the preparation before the race and the race itself. Head over to read and see if you can pick up some tips, or two!

Tri Stupe Malakoff Powerman Duathlon Asian Championship Race Report

Snippet from the write up:
Post Race
As I finish writing this, the official results is not out yet. I reckon, after adding up all the elapsed time of my own race, it was a slower 4:07:59 compared to 2012 4:04:15. A good 3 minutes out but it was a good 35% less effort compared to 2012. The effort and proper training I put in the past 1-year is showing results. It took a lot of hard work and sweat. Most of all, it took a lot of learning and understanding my own body and limits. 
Click here to read more

Lets wait for Roy's maiden experience as a multi-sports athlete!