On September 28, 2008, the sports metropolis of Berlin celebrated yet another fabulous anniversary with over 40,000 athletes set off on the fastest marathon course in the world, cheered on by a million spectators and more than 70 live bands. So how does it feel like running in the 35th real,- BERLIN MARATHON? To some, it meant the chance to run the same race where another record was set by the elites but to most, it meant a lot more than just running the same 42.195km. Let us find out raven‘s unforgettable journey in recounting his Berlin Marathon experience, by reading his review of the fantastic atmosphere along the course, running through the Brandenburg Gate and past the grandstands the last 400m to the finish line.

Both SGRunners joined the online forum in 2007, Eliza in Jan and MoonHub in Dec. Both enjoyed taking part in races, especially shorter races ranging from 10ks to half marathons. So it was not difficult to predict who would come out on top in the 2007/2008 SGRunners Sprint Trophy Challenge. Eliza and MoonHub had each competed and completed 11 running competitive running events between 24 Jun 07 and 23 Jun 08, amassing a total of 165.800 pts and 182.500 pts respectively en route to winning the Women and Men’s Sprint Challenge Trophy. That was 105.950 pts (Eliza) and 53.100 pts (MoonHub) more than their nearest competitors! So what do these two SGRunners enjoy doing in their daily life besides running? Click here to read more on Eliza and MoonHub, in another exclusive interview brought to you by SGRunners.

Weight: 345g (Size 10)
Forefoot Cushion: 8/10
Rearfoot Cushion: 8.5/10
Stability (pronation control/ medial support): 8.5/10
Responsiveness: 8/10
Overall: 8/10

Comments:
Breaking the tradition of associating motion control shoes with the terms “bulky” and “heavy”, the Equalon 2+ turned out to be surprisingly light yet providing comfortable and generous cushioning from heel to fore-foot with its Zoom air unit.
Pronation support was also not compromised with the Equalon 2+ equipped with ample medial arch support. Excellent heel to toe transition was also noticed with none of the “foot-slapping” action commonly found with motion control shoes.
Poor breathability of the mesh material, however, contributed to a heat sensation when the distance becomes relatively long.

Recommended for:
Bigger-build, moderate to severe overpronator

Divey – Member since 24/10/2005

Weight: 320g (Size 10)
Forefoot Cushion: 7/10
Rearfoot Cushion: 8/10
Stability (pronation control/ medial support): 8/10
Responsiveness: 6/10
Overall: 7.5/10

Comments:
Despite being equipped with thin zoom air-bag, the Elite 4+ provided sufficient and comfortable cushioning for every foot-strike yet maintaining its light-weight. Adequate medial support was also available to guide the feet through the entire gait cycle while excellent breathability of the mesh ensures that the feet do not feel warm when the distance gets long. A demerit point, however, would be the inadequate flexibility due to its thick midsole, thus requiring a few runs before breaking in.

Recommended for:
Neutral to mild-overpronator who needs a light pair of shoes with moderate support and firm cushioning.

One is from Hong Kong while the other is from Australia. Both joined SGRunners in 2005: Shortlegs (better known as Leggies) on 5 Aug and Richy a few months later on 22 Nov. Since then, they have been actively following threads in the forum as well as exchanging news, ideas and training views with fellow members regularly. And whenever they drop by the city of Singapore for races, they will make sure they catch up with other SGRunners. So, what exactly do they like and how they keep in touch with fellow members? To find out more about Richy and Shortlegs, click here to read our exclusive interview, brought to you by SGRunners.

AlecChua – Member since 27/05/2006