Little did I know that my offhanded quip would come back to haunt me. I received a call a few weeks ago asking me to keep the promise I made last year, and I just couldn't say no. So this year, thanks to MILO Malaysia, I got the chance to join in the fun as a runner.


Let me make something very clear. I've never been into marathons or runs, and neither am I particularly good at running. I may love to watch Running Man, but running a course isn't something I'd put very high up on my to-do list. So naturally, I dragged the Bugger ECF along with me for this run. Because what's torture when you don't have someone else doing it with you?


But through the course of this year's MILO Breakfast Run, I made a few observations.

#5 It's surprisingly easy


Okay. Before you go down to the comments and say things like "It's just a 7KM run." or "That's child's play.", kindly remember that the most running I've done in the past few years or so is mostly away from reality. So a 7KM run is something that could have potentially destroyed me. But as I was running along the scenic Putrajaya route, I realized that I was actually covering the distance quite quickly. In fact, when I hit the 5KM mark, I was mostly still in a good condition and not dying and crawling along as I expected. The tip I was given was to breathe regularly and focus on what's ahead. That's quite easy when...

#4 There is no time to check people out


 Me and the Bugger ECF were fully expecting to turn on our perv-goggles to ogle at some of the fine ladies at the run. And we did, for the first 500m or so. Making snide remarks at people, giving constructive criticism to everyone around us.


But when we reached the 1KM mark, it got increasingly difficult to check people out. It was all I could manage to get my legs moving and my breathing regulated so that I didn't reach the finish line in an ambulance. For those of you who decide to go to a run to check out the hot dudes and dudettes, good luck.

#3 The feeling of finishing the race is amazing


As soon as you cross the finish line, that overwhelming sense of accomplishment hits you like the relief that sets in when you see the Finish line ahead of you. It's something I can't really describe properly because, again, some of you may think that 7KM is nothing. I know this for a fact because Chingy, who is also the all round exercise fanatic, gave me a disapproving look as I stumbled into the tent, panting. "Tsk," she clucked, "You're so slow."


Still I finished the race by myself. That's an achievement on its own.

#2 A cup of ice cold MILO never tasted better


Trust me when I say this. You think you make the best MILO, or know when is the best time to drink MILO. I'm here to tell you that you're wrong. The best MILO can be found in only one place; an ice cold cup of MILO from a MILO truck right after finishing a arduous run. That's the best kind of MILO, and I dare anyone to challenge me on this.

#1 Placings don't matter


I ranked 1700+. I don't even care. Still walked away with my finisher's medal.


As I was typing this out, my dad peeked over and whispered, "A finisher's medal is equivalent to giving a baby an iPad to shut him up." Thanks dad. There goes my sense of accomplishment.

So whatever you do, please remember to join in next year's MILO Malaysia Breakfast Run. I'll be there again, hopefully more prepared than I was this year. I'll probably still be taking creepy pictures of the runners anyhow.


Cheerios!

Rewatchability: 5/10

Overall missions: 7/10

Sights and Culture: 7/10

From the moment they got off the plane and headed off to Fisherman's Wharf, Running Man was in full gear to invade Macau. The missions were good; looking for the two special guests, Lee Dong-wook and Han Hye-jin around Fisherman's Wharf, jumping off the Macau Tower and even the final tug of rope game in front of St Paul's Cathedral sufficiently showing off the beauty of Macau. 

Still, this episode didn't impress as much as the others in this list because, to be perfectly honest, there isn't really much to do around Macau. Plus, they didn't go for any eating missions, which would undoubtedly have been a highlight. 

Rewatchability: 7/10

Overall missions: 6/10

Sights and Culture: 6/10

Vietnam was a delight to be in because of the sheer number of Running Man fans it had. But it was because of the volume of the fans that filming became difficult. 

Running Man were ultimately unable to truly experience the full range of sights or even to discover much of the culture in Vietnam. The food missions, while showcasing some of Vietnam's delicacies, didn't really allow for the members to interact with the locals on the street as much as the other episodes did. 

Still, the episodes themselves were entertaining thanks to the Running Man members and both nametag ripping games, which had a higher dose of excitement and adrenaline to them. 

Rewatchability: 7/10

Overall missions: 6/10

Sights and Culture: 8/10

Rewatchability: 7/10

Overall missions: 8/10

Sights and Culture: 8/10

Kung fu masters, oddly delicious looking Chinese tidbits, and a whole lot of running on the longest Wonder of the World really gave this episode an international edge. 

The guests weren't laidback either, with the feisty Kang Ji-young (formerly from KARA), and actors, the "cute hyung" Kim Joo-hyuk and the stunning Lee Yeon-hee rounding off a nice pairing. 

From Beihai Park to halfway across the Great Wall of China and into a "bandit city" which invoked memories of the Chinese kung fu flicks, the Beijing episode was a solid effort on an international stage.

Rewatchability: 8/10

Overall missions: 8/10

Sights and Culture: 9/10

It's not easy to be able to capture the beauty and culture of a country by simply doing missions, but somehow, through visiting tourist spots like Khaosan Road, Tha Chang and the Pattaya Floating Market, Running Man was able to showcase the beauty, culture and delicious food of Thailand through their various missions. 

They were also given free reign to run around and interact with the locals and the tourists as well, without being too bogged down by fans surrounding them. With Prince of Thailand Nickhun in tow, as well as an intriguing 2nd half mission, this episode had Thailand written all over it. 

This would be my first Songkran session ever, because I haven't really lived, man. And I didn't know what to expect at all. There were so many questions I had going around in my head; "What do people do?""So they just splash water on everyone?""What about my phone and money?""Am I going to die?", which even as I got off the plane in Chiang Mai, remained blissfully unanswered. On hindsight, this made my virgin Songkran trip so much more enjoyable.

Most of the other bloggers on the trip; Henry "CleverMunkey" Lee, Calista "Ultra Potato" Liew andCharlotte "Super Soaker" Fong were equally underprepared for what we were supposed to expect, and while Calista did some research, it was mostly inadequate because she is a potato NOTHING CAN FULLY EXPLAIN THE AWESOMENESS OF SONGKRAN. Our AirAsia Nee-san, Ka Mei was also equally mysterious throughout our stay in Chiang Mai, often breaking into a mysterious smile whenever. Or maybe she's just like that, I don't know.


See the thing about Songkran is that no one can ever claim to be prepared enough for it. Because no matter how prepared you think you are, as soon as you step out from the relative safety of your hotel, the water barrage that hits you is like a tsunami.


We weren't ready for the kind of water fights that would randomly break out on the streets. On our first night there, we stumbled onto a group who were just camped in front of a hotel fountain. "Leave no one dry" seemed to be the message as buckets were filled and emptied, water guns were pumped and people were screaming in absolute joy.


It was fantastic.

After a hearty meal of delicious Thai food, which our AirAsia Nee-san said we would need in case we had to run away from the water fights, we decided that weapons were needed if we were to survive the water war the next day. I've put the preparations for your battle in a more accessible format below.

You can even print this handy guide in an image here for your next Songkran trip!

Equipment
You'll need a waterproof pouch for your money and phone. You can easily get any of these at a streetside store for like 40 baht (RM 4+). This will help you document the water war on your phone, aka to impress your friends at home who are not getting soaked. 


Weapons
Here's a little tip when buying your weapon of choice. This is the only known occasion where bigger isn't better. Bigger water guns will weigh you down and will leave your arms sore after a day's worth of lugging it around.


Get something with a lot of power, but remains lightweight. A small pail is good, but it also has the reusability value of a condom. Still, with the amount of shops offering water refills, it's your choice. 

Defense
What is this? Clash of Clans? You don't need defense, man. Offense is the only way to go. GO SOAK THOSE PEOPLE!

Miscellaneous
Sunblock is vital, unless you're into becoming a wet barbequed chicken. Speaking of barbeque chicken, don't worry about food. Most restaurants will welcome soaking wet and very hungry patrons in with open arms, to make sure they're well-fed for the battles ahead. You don't need knowledge of the Thai language, because the only thing coming out of your mouth are squeals of joy as you're getting splashed with icy cold water by 5 year olds. 


I know I've mentioned this before somewhere in the wall of text above, but the awesomeness of Songkran cannot be properly expressed in words. So I'm going to try to fit in as many videos and pictures as I can to try and give you a gist of what Songkran is like.

Pictured: Nothing trying to kill you.

A kid walks up to a bar...

Crispy fried mushrooms which will make your mouth water. 

I know why they call it the Outback Special, it's something out of this world. 

BBQ Beef Ribs are so nice, I'm not even ribbing you. 

The Toowoomba Topped Sirloin steak is something you have to try. I know my picture does it no justice, because I have a terrible camera and horrible photography skills, but when you have shrimp topping a thick, juicy piece of sirloin steak, you know that you've got yourself a winner. It's covered with a tomato cream sauce which is the icing on the steak, really.


There's something about I'm writing this now at home, just an hour after dinner and my stomach made a grumble, as if asking why I'm not stuffing my face with steak and shrimp. I tend to agree a lot with my stomach.

Dessert is up next, because there's always space for desserts anytime. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under.

I apologize for the picture, but it was because I spent almost 5 minutes just gawking at the magnificence that the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under is. I mean, it's literally a pecan brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and a bucketload of chocolate. If you open up your dictionary to Delicious, there would be a picture of the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under next to the word, and dictionaries don't even freaking have pictures.

To finish up your meal, sit back and relax with some drinks and enjoy whatever sports is playing on their big TV screen. Or maybe just have a chat with your friends. There's a wide range of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks to suit almost everyone.

Of course, as a member of #AlcoholicsUnited, it's almost a must to choose this:


I know you're hungry now after reading all this, and probably looking for anything to lead you to your next delicious meal. Well, that's what I'm here for. You're welcome.

Address: LG 27 and 28, Nu Sentral Mall (near the main entrance facing Jalan Tun Sambathan)
No. 201, Jalan Tun Sambanthan
50470 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2276 6200
Open from 11am to 10pm daily.