Just last month, August 2018, BiiB (an online virtual running application, a peer-to-
peer running motivator platform based in Malaysia) launched the #1963TeamChallenge, which brought running communities across Malaysia under one roof to celebrate Merdeka Month and Malaysia Day.
The event connected more than 6,000 runners, 120 running clubs in the country, and logged more than 620,000 km collectively in the month of August. For the first time in
history, running clubs in Malaysia had a platform to motivate each other, and this event sparked an unseen before unity among running clubs, where some clubs co-hosted social running activities for not only their team members but also members of the public.
According to Sheyong, the Co-Founder and CEO of BiiB, “Running is a physical activity, and virtual run is not e-sports. Offline engagement can never be excluded even if we have a technology platform to connect the runners. Runners are still running with peers, practising the running techniques in different terrains, joining races, etc. Some are saying that running is a lonely sport, but we think running is one of the most connected sports where runners can connect to different environments, people, and practising running techniques under different circumstances in their daily life. In order to reach our vision, BiiB cannot stay online all the time without engaging the runners on the ground”. With the strategic
partnership with Run Fast Academy Sdn Bhd (RFA), we aim to bring running and sports to another level.
RFA is an academy primarily focusing on providing a range of customised training plans for runners both in Malaysia and ASEAN. Coach Sam Seow, the Co-Founder and CEO of RFA is a qualified running coach and head coach in RFA believes that running is the fundamental of all sports and he aims to help everyone to become a better runner. RFA provides technique analysis, max heart rate test, running techniques classes, resistance training, and virtual training. They partner with Garmin Sports Taiwan on the training stats and data analytics and concurrently apply the Pose Method for the running technique.
Coach Sam Seow, the Running Technique Coach under Head Coach Mr Peter Lau from Triathlon Association of Malaysia, will train M3X young triathletes and build future elite triathletes. Coach Sam is also involved in the training with Malaysian triathletes for the 18th Asian Games, which is headed by Head Coach Peter Lau. Alvin Lai, Co-Founder of RFA who is a Certified Mental Toughness Coach and Running Coach said he anticipates this collaboration to attract more users to participate in the physical training, complementing (offline) with online gamification strategies to keep athletes motivated. Alvin added, with the world of sports continually changing and through the application of technology, we want to make an impact on sports in the modern world by providing a multisport platform to coaches and athletes in Malaysia, and by working with strategic partners like BiiB, we are on track to achieve these goals. RFA recently signed an MOU with a sports event
company, Centrisoh Sdn Bhd, to roll out more programmes in ASEAN.
