Ready, set, go! It’s time to gather your family and friends, and #RunForChildren!
Many strides have been made in protecting children over the years, but that progress is being
threatened by the pandemic. Join World Vision Malaysia’s #RunForChildren to show solidarity for
children and advocate for their 42 rights! All you need to do is run, jog or walk for 42 minutes between
15 and 31 May.
Sign up now at worldvision.com.my.
Video calls and virtual meetings, once commonly found only in boardrooms and lecture halls have become the staple in almost every household. This year, video calls became the mainstay for adults and students working and studying from home, and to also stay socially-connected with loved ones far and near. They are (virtually) doing everything together. Even marathons and fun runs have gone virtual!
Anyone…(almost) everyone can run!
Runs have become a fun activity and one that does not require prior experience. As marathons and fun runs go virtual, it gives opportunity to more individuals from diverse backgrounds to participate in.
With more Malaysians living a sedentary lifestyle of being homebound for much of 2020, a simple solution to this is to run. Gear up with the right attire and a good pair of running shoes, and you are good to go. Virtual runs are generally a safer sport to pick up without being in a confined space, all the while keeping healthy and a safe distance from others in the new normal.
This is particularly good news in a society that needs us to up our game on our overall fitness levels especially with the threat of increased number of obesity cases.
Always with a purpose in mind
Many people start running for various reasons and with different motivations. For Edan Syah, Malaysia’s fastest 2016 marathoner, his inspiration to run was his mother who passed away in 2009, in the prime of her life at 54, following a two-year battle with cancer.
“It was a wake-up call for me. It all unfolded very quickly and it made me realise that life is short and I need to live a purposeful life,” said Edan who decided to train the following year for a full marathon (almost 42.2km) in Singapore in December 2011. “I was surprised that I completed the race within 3 hours 7 minutes and that is when I discovered my potential as a runner”.
For Malaysia’s fitness trainer, Nana Al Haleq’s motivation was always to get moving, and to ensure she can function and perform her daily tasks at optimum levels. “I hope to be able to do the activities I love till I’m old and wrinkly!” she quipped. Nana envisions herself lifting weights, enjoying walks in a park, or hiking to enjoy beautiful scenery, at the ripe age of 80.
Run for fun
Malaysians who participate in runs and marathons opt to do so just for fun too! “Whatever the activity or sports you engage in, make sure it is enjoyable because living active is all about having fun,” said Nana, whose first virtual run participation will be this year’s Coway Run 2020: Change the Game happening from Nov 1-29, 2020.
“I’m sure that it would be a fun and relaxing experience because I’m able to complete the run at my own time despite having to juggle a few tasks from home,” she said, adding that the Coway Run’s gamification twist injects the fun factor into the month-long programme that allows runners to complete run even within the comfort of their home.
The gaming element allows runners to collect achievement badges having reached four significant milestones (levels) throughout the run namely Level 1 (first 3km), Level 2 (10km mark), Level 3 (20km mark) and Level 4 (40km mark). For excitement throughout the month, the Coway Run 2020 has weekly contests in store for runners to win attractive prizes. “Having the run based on an 8-bit game and the ability to earn rewards as I go makes it unique and enjoyable,” Nana added.
Pay it forward for common good
Virtual runs, as with conventional marathons of recent years, have sought to align themselves with noble, charitable causes. The Coway Run 2020: Change the Game is following through its commitment to champion the Happy Water Project, which aims to provide clean drinking water and promote good hygiene practices to 1,000 Orang Asli families as part of Coway’s 5-year goal. A total of RM10 from each Coway Run sign up will be channelled to the initiative.
For Edan who has participated in a number of virtual runs, being able to support the Happy Water Project was a catalyst for him to participate in Coway Run 2020. Nana echoed similar sentiments on this.
So if you are looking to get a head-start on your New Year’s resolution to get healthy, start with a mile (or less) a day next month with Coway Run 2020.
To sign up for the run, register here: www.eventbrite.sg/e/coway-run-2020-change-the-game-virtual-run-tickets. For more information on the run, visit: www.cowayrun.com.my. Details on the Happy Water Project are available at www.coway.com.my/happywaterproject.
With the COVID-19 pandemic severely limiting fun runs, marathons, and the like, virtual runs are a blessing. We, at Asia Fitness Today, are delighted with the Coway Run 2020 announcement which allows participants to fulfill their need for activity and the chance to win some exciting prizes too!
Everyone knows that running is a great way to get into shape, but it also can benefit almost every part of your body – strengthening bones and muscles, improving cardiovascular health and burning calories. Experts have pointed that running helps improve one’s mental and physical health. Running is a blissful, rhythmic and meditative activity that just a 30-minute run is said to lift the mood. Whether it’s your favourite part of the day or something you have to push yourself through, the benefits are undeniable!
Running can indeed be fun, social and interactive. This is precisely what Coway Malaysia has in mind for their upcoming Coway Run 2020: Change The Game this November, poised to be one of the most exciting virtual run this year! The month-long run allows participants from across the country to run anywhere (even in their bedroom) and anytime from 1 to 29 November 2020.
Any Malaysian citizen or resident in the country (aged 16 and above) can participate in the non-timed 40km run, which allows runners to run at a comfortable speed and pace to gradually progress from Levels 1 to 4 within the run period. The virtual run is perfect for the introvert who may want to run solo daily around the neighbourhood or within their own premises (especially if weather proves to be challenging), and for the extrovert who may opt to go the distance with family and friends. Either way, just be sure to maintain the one-metre physical distancing requirement at all times!
To take it up a notch higher, some fun and interactivity has been injected into the month-long event. Aimed at motivating runners to complete the entire run within the stipulated period, it involves a ‘level-up’ gaming experience through which runners can collect achievement badges when they complete significant milestones throughout the run − Level 1 (first 3km), Level 2 (10km mark), Level 3 (20km mark) and Level 4 (40km mark).
To further enliven the experience, the Coway Run 2020 will include the weekly Sunday Boss Fight rounds from 7am to 11am − offering runners who clock in a minimum of 1km during the allotted time frame the opportunity to vie for attractive weekly prizes.
To participate in the event, interested runners will have to register online at the Coway Run 2020 website before 29 November 2020. Participants are also required to sync their running or fitness app to their VRace by Sportheroes account, a purpose-built platform for virtual running events which allows participants to record the distance covered within the virtual run.
What is also exciting for runners is that the Coway Run 2020 is not just another virtual fun run. In fact, it is pegged to a notable charitable cause! RM10 from each ticket purchased will be channelled to Coway’s Happy Water Project, which funds initiatives to provide clean water and promote good hygiene practices amongst poor, Orang Asli communities nationwide. This year, more than 300 families are expected to benefit from the five-year project which aims to support the needs of 1,000 Orang Asli families by the end of 2021.
So, while joining Malaysia’s bid to get fitter and healthier, reap the physical and mental benefits from participating in the Coway (Virtual) Run 2020, and explore the opportunity to win more exciting prizes at the event. Burn calories while contributing towards a larger mission to provide access to clean and safe water to one of Malaysia’s greatest treasures!
To sign up for the run, register here: www.eventbrite.sg/e/coway-run-2020-change-the-game-virtual-run-tickets or for more information, visit: www.cowayrun.com.my. Details on the Happy Water Project are available at www.coway.com.my/happywaterproject
No crowds. No start gun or pre-race nerves. No official starting line. Such is the flexibility and convenience offered by virtual races, the latest trend in the running community.
ASICS’ inaugural #IMOVEME Challenge seeks to transform organized racing with a 12-month virtual marathon series across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Philippines, which aims to attract thousands of runners from across the region.
Organized in partnership with virtual race platform, 42Race, the year-long challenge will feature four marathons with different requirements.
Runners can sign up for the virtual marathons by registering online at <https://web.42race.com/race-bundle/asicsimoveme2020challenge>, choose from the marathon races that best suit them and run them anywhere they like – whether it’s on a treadmill or at their neighborhood street.
Upon completing the race, runners can then upload their finishing time and see how they stack up against the rest of the running world in the region.
Four Marathon Categories
There are four marathon categories – Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Ultra. The completion of each marathon will see runners earn a prized medal and a 15% discount ASICS e-voucher.
Winners
Need more motivation? Completing all four marathons in the Advanced and Ultra segments will not only see you clock more miles, but also bring you closer to the grand prize of [a 3D2N Wuxi Marathon Trip inclusive of a marathon entry, accommodation and a return flight worth USD 5,000 In total].
Completing all four marathons in the Beginner and Intermediate segments will also entitle you to a chance to win USD 1,000 worth in ASICS products.
For those who prefer running in groups, ASICS Running Club will also be holding special training sessions every Tuesday evenings, which are led by experienced runners and tailored specifically to the marathons’ requirements to help runners achieve their personal fitness goals.
So what are you waiting for? Join in a running experience that will inspire you, push you and move you.
Registration for the ASICS #IMOVEME Challenge is now opened at
< https://web.42race.com/race-bundle/asicsimoveme2020challenge >.
Please visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/asicsrunningclubmy/ for more information on ASICS Running Club and its programmes.
