The running scene in Thailand

Is Tony Ah Thit Payne part Karen or Burmese? Ah Thit is not a Thai name. A Thai name would look like Aditya or Aathit.

Not a ladyboy wrote:Worst of all is this stupid mentality of the Thai running community to NEVER have a 10 km distance. It's always 10.5km, even though they advertise them as 10km.

The UN 10km run held every October in Bangkok was a legit 10km run. It was organized by a Kiwi I know who worked at UN ESCAP. I believe it started in 1977 and as of 2000, when I placed 6th at age 41, it was still going. Not sure if it is still being held or not.

Some of the larger races like the Buriram Marathon have legit 10 km road races.

Sometimes Mini Marathons go over 10.5 km and are advertised as 11 or 12 km. They almost never want to go under that.

Vertical runs are still held in Bangkok, like the Sathorn Square Vertical Fun Run.

https://my3.raceresult.com/111114/?lang=en

Vertical Marathon 2018

http://www.gotorace.com/event/vertical-marathon-2018/

The UN 10 km is still held, but I think it's one of those smaller untimed fun runs since there are no online race results.

Nowadays, the biggest, most prestigious 10 km race in Bangkok is the Samsung Galaxy 10k Thailand Championship. They give out special recognition to the top 100 Thai runners, and will also give out a big bonus to any Thai runner who breaks 30 minutes, which has never been done before due to the hot, humid weather.

Thai runs wrote:The UN 10 km is still held, but I think it's one of those smaller untimed fun runs since there are no online race results.

That's too bad. It used to be the best event as it was an accurate 10km and not 10.55km.

Thai runs wrote:Vertical Marathon 2018

http://www.gotorace.com/event/vertical-marathon-2018/

This is the event my wife founded back when she was an executive with Banyan Tree. Fun event and the first one ever in Thailand.

The random burning issue that you mention about the Chiang Mai area has become a real issue. Maybe 5 / 6 years ago, I could still head out for a run in April before the fires became more widespread and create that choking haze. Due to the topography of the area (valley plains surrounded by high mountains), you get that inversion effect when the weather gets cold - like Salt Lake City during winter time. Then April became untenable for outdoor activities as the smoke got too choking. What used to be a couple weeks of massive burning became 3 weeks, then 1 month, 2 months! etc, and started earlier and earlier each year. Earlier this year, the air quality was already toxic in mid-Feb when I was there.... caused me to pick up a racking cough which lasted for a couple more weeks even after I left the area.

The natural beauty of the area outside of the main city is astounding. There are hilly/mountainous roads in good condition for biking. Well-shod paths/trails connecting hill villages for runners... heck, I've chatted extensively with a French guy who lives there now, who was in the process of setting up a 300km trail ultra utilizing those paths before he got shut down by some authorities. I've even considered setting up an altitude training camp... stay overnight in an official campsite at a mountain top (e.g.5000ft) with excellent road access. Then come down to Chiang Mai (1000 ft elevation) for training. The people and culture are much nicer than in Bangkok... food is cheap and really good. So much so that I was seriously considering retiring there, and spending part of the time helping to set up a support structure for runners who want to train seriously (both local thais and overseas). Those increasing months of bad air quality has put paid to those plans for the moment...

I don't understand what the cause of the increased burning is. Any ideas?

These aren't faceless agribusiness corporations or faraway hill tribes, but are ordinary residents like next-door neighbors who are burning stuff in their yards.

It’s not just burning to clear fields, they burn their trash too.

Do races all start with Zumba for warm up :)

There is the burning of agricultural leftover stumps.... that used to be the main cause that's quoted in the press there. But with Myanmar opening up in the past decade, I suspect it's the same thing that's happened in Indonesia... first the virgin forests are logged for the most valuable wood... and then set on fire to clear it out for eventual plantation of cash crops. With climate change, once things start burning, it's burning hotter and faster, thus increasing the areas of devastation.

The generals' dictats also has an effect... e.g. supposedly no burning of rubbish allowed from March, so people start burning earlier - spreading out the burning effects for months.....

SG_DadCoach wrote:The people and culture are much nicer than in Bangkok... food is cheap and really good. So much so that I was seriously considering retiring there, and spending part of the time helping to set up a support structure for runners who want to train seriously (both local thais and overseas). Those increasing months of bad air quality has put paid to those plans for the moment...

I would suggest Chiang Rai. Similar to what Chiang Mai was 30 years ago. Another option is Luang Prabang in Laos. Loei is also nice and parts of Phitsanuloke that are in the mountains. Everywhere will have some haze during the burning season.

Kieran Tuntivate, who represented Thailand at this years Asian Games, took 47th place in the NCAA D1 XC Championship that were held today near Madison, Wisconsin. His time over the 10,000m course was 30:06.1. I believe that he could easily break the Thai National records in the 3000m, 5000m, & 10000m events this Spring.

Flying Faster wrote:

Kieran Tuntivate, who represented Thailand at this years Asian Games, took 47th place in the NCAA D1 XC Championship that were held today near Madison, Wisconsin. His time over the 10,000m course was 30:06.1. I believe that he could easily break the Thai National records in the 3000m, 5000m, & 10000m events this Spring.

If so, he's going to give Sanchai Namkhet and Boonthung Srisung a run for their money.

Flying Faster wrote:

Thai runs wrote:Vertical Marathon 2018

http://www.gotorace.com/event/vertical-marathon-2018/

This is the event my wife founded back when she was an executive with Banyan Tree. Fun event and the first one ever in Thailand.

When was it founded? That must have been before I was born. I'm a young guy born in the 1990's.

I'm going to be in Bangkok in mid-December and I'm thinking of doing a race there during that time. It looks like there are a few small races, but I'm wondering if it's worth it. Are the roads closed to traffic and is it even somewhat competitive? I'm an 18-19 minute 5k guy, so I'm not that fast.

Also, do races generally have same-day registration? I know that's rare in Korea and Japan.

SG_DadCoach wrote:

With climate change, once things start burning, it's burning hotter and faster, thus increasing the areas of devastation.

Yeah in colder climates the fires barely start, you can grab the smoke out of the air and break it in half. Glad to be among fellow scientists here.

Flying Faster wrote:

Thai runs wrote:

There are some running companies too, such as

https://i.imgur.com/NXU6Qqh.jpg

and Teelakow

https://teelakow.com/en

.

Jog & Joy has been around for over 20 years. The others I'm not so familiar with.

Cool.

Thai runs wrote:When was it founded? That must have been before I was born. I'm a young guy born in the 1990's.

I think that I wrote earlier it was either in 1998 or 1999. Not sure which year. I was able to get Jennifer Su to do the MC'ing for it through a friend of a friend. At that time that a big thing. Jennifer has moved on now and works in entertainment in South Africa. The Banyan Tree was built in 1995.

ming ding xiong wrote:

I'm going to be in Bangkok in mid-December and I'm thinking of doing a race there during that time. It looks like there are a few small races, but I'm wondering if it's worth it. Are the roads closed to traffic and is it even somewhat competitive? I'm an 18-19 minute 5k guy, so I'm not that fast.

Also, do races generally have same-day registration? I know that's rare in Korea and Japan.

I'll be in Bangkok then as well but not running any races. Yes, the roads are closed for races. They start very early in the morning so it makes it easier to do. For an 18-19 minute 5K guy it will be competitive enough.