Run for Good Mango was organized by the Whampoa CSC on the 9th June. There were 2 categories to the fun run: 4 km and 2 km. My friend Skye and myself signed up for the 4 km run.
On race day, I took a direct bus from home and reached Kallang Community Club at 7.00 am. Upon registration, I was given a green coloured wristband which I was told I could later use it to redeem a drink after the run. Skye arrived at 7.30 am, just in the nick of time to participate in the mass warm-up exercises.
At 7.45 am, Mr Heng Chee How, Senior Minister of State for Defence, flagged off the 4 km runners. The 4 km route was basically just an additional round of the 2 km route. It was a pavement run and thus at times, runners had to slow down and negotiate when the path got too narrow or congested. Anyway, this was a fun run and not gunning for any PB, so we had no complaint.
There was no hydration station along the route, which I believe was probably due to logistic issue or the organizer felt it wasn’t necessary. But on hindsight, I thought the organizer could have highlighted prior to the run so that anyone who wishes to hydrate could just carry along their own water.
The volunteers, which comprised mostly of senior citizens were great. They were deployed at critical turning points as well as entrances to industrial buildings, stopping any oncoming vehicles for the safe passageway of the runners. Kudos to them!
Upon completion, we received the finisher medal, bottled water and of course, a mango. We redeemed an ice cream and mango drink from SawadeeCup food truck using our wristbands.
We also took our ‘stage photos’, but the ‘Live’ processing was rather slow and took a long time even after we returned from our breakfast. However, the print quality was quite good and acceptable.
My last comment was perhaps the organizer could have increased the fun by having the participants walk/run with mango in hand? This was done during the Run for Good Durian organized by the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang CCC two years. If the participants then were able to improvise methods to carry durians during running, surely there wouldn’t be an issue for us holding a mango?
This would be my eighth full marathon race – the 4th Sundown Marathon which I ran. Sundown will have a special place in my heart because it is the first marathon I signed up back in 2015. I’ve signed up every year since, except last year. So this year was a comeback.
(Flashback to 2015 post marathon scene and what I thought was the nicest medal for Sundown Marathon)
This is the 12th in the series. Thankful to a veteran runner (Mr Tan Kim Lai) who is well known in the running affinity group as he also shoots photos in races; he actually ran in all 12 and photo credit is due to him for the featured cover page of this blog !
This year’s race would start on 11.30 pm on Sat 1st Jun. Collection of race packwas a breeze still, the week before race. It had one of the best race pack contents in recent times though it came in a simple big bag (in line keeping with green environment, I suppose). It was held at the Marina Bay Sands, Expo and Convention Hall C. The expo was pretty well received from what I observed that Saturday.
On race day, I reached the venue at about 11 pm and entered the pen soon after. Still, I did observe the race village was abuzz with cheers and activities – some food stalls and movie screening, other category races had concluded. A success, I thought then.
The night was cool, humid but with a slight breeze. The music was blaring and the emcees Ross and Kelly were heard conversing with and cheering the crowd. Nearer the start time they explained that there would be a delay as the roads were being cleared for the runners’ safety. I wasn’t as concerned though it took perhaps another 15 minutes. After the first wave we moved forward and there was another flagoff, 10 minutes or so after . I was in the third wave when I started noticing raindrops falling just under the bright lights from the frame overhanging just above me. It was about then that the emcees announced there would be another 10 minutes’ delay. A collective groan of protest came from the crowd. I was disappointed but again I wasn’t too worried at this point. I just prayed for the drizzle to stop so that they can give the go ahead. My prayers were answered. I think in less than 10 minutes they flagged the wave off.
(See the crowd of runners! And unknown to me then, another runner whom I got to know on Strava started off at same hour and minute for his half marathon in the same pen !)
Photo Credit : Running Shots (huge crowd)
Photo Credit : Running Shots (one runner that I befriended on Strava !)
As I started off my Garmin I saw the emcees apologizing profusely to the runners as they high-five and cheered them on. I thought it was very sincere but it wasn’t anybody’s fault. Safety was a real concern when 25000 runners are involved in such a major event. Organizers tend to be more cautious when it came to inclement weather.
We were off, 12 minutes past midnight. The night was humid, cool due to the drizzle which came on and off. In the last 8 km it rained but at a light tempo. Some parts of the route were narrow and you probably could squeeze two runners abreast and it was tough when they choose to walk. I needed to say ‘excuse me’ often though I was going at a ‘slow jog’.
I knew I started off faster than my intended pace. I realized it was probably good when I started noticing the congestion. And most of the hydration stations had only water and fewcarried Pocari Sweat. Even at the first station where it would provide energy gel (14 km) which I looked forward to, it came in the form of a tube. I unscrewed the cap and then struggled with the sealant wafer with wet fingers due to sweat or rain. I gave up after standing there struggling and returned the tube. I knew it was going to be tough without adequate booster – I had my own to last till 21 km or thereabouts. And later waves experienced the running out of water in the earlier stations which would have been frustrating if not risky for some of the runners. Still, if they reach East Coast, there were public toilets and water coolers which could be tapped on. This meant that for most of the later wave runners, it would have been harder to get a PB if they were trying for one.
As it was night, some parts of the route were dark and I noticed there were glow sticks at two points. Maybe there were more but I didn’t notice as they could have been kicked away too. At some points there were volunteers who were cheering away. Kudos to them because all this was happening between midnight and 7-8 am. Due to the rain, the surface was also wet and slippery so it was quite miraculous too that I didn’t experience slipping nor notice anyone missing his/her steps. I probably have learnt much too from the falls I had !
After consuming my last energy gel at about 22 km, I ran on, losing hope to maintain my planned pace. I felt my energy level dipping as I went on to the 30s. Lasted till about 36/37 km where I believed the last hydration station would have the bananas. Boy, was I glad to see them at last. (Apparently the earlier one should have but have run out). Still by then, somehow I could only consume just 3/4 piece of banana. I ran on. I didn’t hit the wall but I could feel my muscles tightening up already. The last 2 km somehow I managed to ignore all the pain in my toes which have swollen up – as usual. Even reached 6 min pace for last km plus. I didn’t know from where I summoned such energy given my state.
I didn’t target a PB and my plan was to finish within my usual timeframe. I did it and this was still the fastestSundown for me. Sundown marathons are tougher in my opinion too for most unless they are night owls for their runs. One would have to contend with the natural need for sleep in those hours. I didn’t really suffer this time because I managed to tune out this mentally somehow. I was just focusedon my ballpark average pace for the distance done at some milestones – 10, 21, 30, 35 km.
As I ran towards the finishing point, there were three things I noticed. There was almost nobody. It was raining. It was so quiet. I believe it was around 6.30 am then. As I walked towards the tent, I was given the finisher tee, a banana, a bottle of water and can of Pocari Sweat by the volunteers. I walked further up to get the finisher medal and confirmed it was the right distance with the smiling volunteer. And then walked on.
And the race village buzz that I saw on arrival, had gone. Of course, mainly due to the rain, I suspect. Well, it would be expecting too much, I guess, if I think organizers would arrange a welcome party ! But perhaps if event organizers want to make a difference, they could consider being there even for the last finisher at cutoff. Still, as usual, I finished the drinks and banana as I walked out of F1 pit and made my way home.
Sleep can wait. I wasn’t able to sleep after I reached home nor do I expect to with the adrenaline pumped up after the race. Sleep only came in the night but I fell into a deep one for the first time in many weeks. And then woke up at 5 am and went for a walk and reflecting on last night’s marathon.
Positivesof the event: Race Pack Collection, Content, the Expo. The attractive design of the singlet, the medal and the tee, the race village concept (at least when there were things happening – movie screening, football race and food). The distance marker was accurate by my Garmin. The public results were available on Monday but the FB officially announced the links on Tuesday – this was fairly fast still.
Positives of this race for me: a trial on toughness, physical and mental. I would need to be better prepared with the nutrition or energy supplement if I intend to achieve a Personal Best on a marathon distance and beyond. Counting on the event’s organizers may not be adequate. I love rain but I cannot run well with wet socks and shoes so the last 8 km was just about right distance.
As for negatives, I don’t need to dwell on them in this blog. Still, I would probably take part next year, hoping the organizers learned and improved on the failure points.
So for me, it has been a fulfilling two months’ of events. I’ve yet to complete the writeup for one of April’s event but should be doing soon before the next race comes. And this run was also dedicated in memory of a friend who had passed away due to cancer and to continue the cause to fight against cancer. Run Free. Run Happy. Run Safe.
OSIM Sundown Marathon is now one of Singapore’s most popular races. It first started back in 2008 and now then it’s actually gonna expand to China and US this year! Wahhhh… I previously only know there’s Sundown Marathon in Malaysia.
For every paid race slot $1 will be donated to the beneficiaries such as the Singapore Disability Sports Council, the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and Running hour. Race slot so expensive, maybe next year Sundown should up the amount of money donated to the beneficiaries? ? Runners can also donate money via the official website. Don’t know the exact amount raised for charity but there’s a total of about 25k runners from the various categories! ?
This year’s Osim Sundown Marathon was under the new managenent of Infinitus Productions, maybe because of the new management, some logistics wasn’t really well done? ? Saw sibeh many complaints on social media ? But honestly, to me the whole race was still alright other than the delayed in flag off and I need to sacrifice my sleep for the race.
This year, I participated in the half marathon category. But really jin hoseh, didn’t do any long distance run after the 16km race 2 weeks prior to this race ? I was feeling unwell for the past week or so and I didn’t run much clocking just 4km and 5km runs mostly.
On race day, I took a 2 hour shiok shiok nap at around 6pm and woke up to makan dinner. Genius me that I went for a nap, I didn’t get sleepy throughout the run ? Meet up with Eleanor to travel to F1 Pit Building, the race village. We reached about an hour prior to flag off timing and jalan jalan around first before we head to the start pen. And realised there was movie screening! ? It was screening the Black Panther, I’ve watched it before so it’s fine that I missed the movie this time.
There’s freebies given out such as Salon Pas patches and Osim Towel. I’ll actually chiong like Spartan to get the freebies but I didn’t bring bag at all to deposit so I didn’t take the freebies ? I’d already taken them during the race pack collection, so I don’t be greedy ❤
There’s “driving arcade” for a F1 formula racing experience. There was only 2 person in queue in front of me so I queued for it and it’s pretty fun and the route was Singapore’s streets! ? Reminds me of those days when I was in primary school, those days when we go to Time Zone and played Daytona. It was fun but before the game ended, I decided to stop playing because sibeh paiseh I got stucked for a long time after I bang the wall and couldn’t turn into the right track ?
Flag off was supposedly at 11.30am for both the half marathon and full marathon runners but the first flag off was only at 11.45am. It was announced that the delay was due to clearing of obstruction on the route. Didn’t know how do they segregate the flag off time and waves but some runners complained that they waited for 45minutes before they started to run ?
It’s a super humid night, the first few hundred metres into the run I already started sweating like mad. But it felt so shiok, I love the feeling of sweating a lot! Realised towards the end of the run, just a grab on my clothes and I saw my sweat drips drips drips out ?
Just 2km into the run, I saw the distance board at the opposite route which will be after our u-turn. I thought the distance board was placed wrongly and not accurately but turns out that we ran the wrong direction and was supposed to be at the other side of the road ? Many runners only realised when the 2nd wave runners start catching up and running into our lane, opps, it’s we who ate running in their lane. ? And some parts of the route was just a narrow single car lane. It was still fine when I ran, but when the later waves runner ran in it, it seems super squeezy and difficult for faster runners to overtake as well.
There’s a very secluded road we ran pass which I felt wasn’t really nice, both sides of the road were parked with heavy vehicles such as buses and lorries. One of the bus engines was still running and it sorta gave me a mini heart attack. Though it was stationery at that moment but it still seems pretty dangerous.
As I have a marathon next month, I thought I could use this as a training run so I thought I’ll just run whatever I can and remember to breathe. Turns out my heart rate wasn’t bad and I had a happy run. I must admit that after 14km when we part different ways with the full marathon runners, I walked a lot ? But still the timing isn’t too slow and as while I was walking, my watch showed I was at 8 mins pace ? Didn’t know I could walk so fast ?
Ran pass some pubs at Kallang Wave Mall and Marina Bay Sands and realised it was still so lively and happening with music, usually when we ran pass in the early morning races, those pubs were closed already. It’s so much of jealousy when I saw the patrons so shiok drinking beer, playing pool and enjoying life while I’m here running and sweating profusely. The cigarettes smell was also damn strong around the area lah ?
The route wasn’t completely shut off to the public, while we were running at Gardens by the Bay East and Marina Bay Sands area, many small ah bengs blasted music on their e-scooter, bicycle etc zooming pass and weaving in and out of us runners machiam they were Vin Diesel in fast and furious. I sincerely hope they will learn about the importance of safety before anything serious happens.
Some parts of the route was pretty dark which I was trying to focus on where I’m stepping and landing in case I could trip or sprain an ankle. Luckily I’m pretty familiar with most of the place we were running at. I’m sorry but sad to say, somewhere near 13km before Gardens by the Bay East I saw two young volunteers laying down flat on the floor looking at their phones machiam they were at camping and doesn’t look like bother at all. The first thing that comes to my mind was why volunteer in the first place? Or maybe the school give them certain points they need to graduate if they volunteered? ? I’m still very thankful to most of the volunteers I along the route.
I stopped at almost every hydration points for water and I guess that’s the reason I got a stitch. Drank too much water already ? Water isn’t cold and I actually expected that all hydration point would have both isotonic drink and water but lucky me, have water good enough already. Heard from some runners that the hydration points ran out of water and runners have to queue at public water cooler ?
(Photo credits: Epalite from Running Shots)
Love the medal as it’s pretty unique. Unfortunately and don’t know how, Eleanor had gotten a 10km medal instead of 21.1km medal which she runs in and she went to change ? Heng she realised its the wrong medal before we left. By the time Eleanor and I were ready to go home, we had a shocked at the Grab charges! It’s at a crazy $31 ? we saw shuttle bus tickets sold out and the next shuttle bus available time slot left was only 4.30am which was still like another hour and a half more to go ? Luckily we didn’t purchased the shuttle bus tickets before hand as well. Heard that many runners missed their shuttle bus due to the delay in flag off. We decided to walk further out and try our luck hoping Grab would be cheaper. We were glad our legs didn’t failed us yet. We walked to Suntec but worst, it was still $31 but we could not even get a Grab after several tries ? Decided to flag down a taxi and the driver is super kind. We apologised for being sweaty and smelly but he said its OK ❤
Results and e-certificate were out the next day, you may find them Here ?
Though this year’s Sundown was quite disappointing to some runners, but overall to me it’s still alright. For a running fanatic like me, I would still sign up the race next year maybe ? It’s more of spending time with friends, making new memories. Life is not about just running, it’s about getting over things and stuffs and being someone kind and good. Life is about making lemonade out of lemons ❤
2019 marks AIA’s 100th year in Asia and the inaugural AIA Glow Festival, held on the 25th May in Sentosa. Although AIA has been organizing the Music (Run) Festival for several years, the scale of these events was much smaller than this year’s Glow Festival, which includes a variety of programs, such as Yoga, Healing and Meditation, a 5 km fun run and a music concert.
Doing its share to charity, AIA also donates $ 10 to the AIA Centennial Fund for every Glow-getter who completes the run. I was a past music runner and was given a promo code which entitled me to attend the concert on top of the run. I shared this code with some friends so that they can join me to chill out in this is a fun-filled event.
Event Day
We chose to collect our race kits at the venue on the event day. We met at 2 pm at Harbourfront and took the free monorail from Vivocity after showing the officials our e-tickets.
It was a carnival at Palawan Green. We collected our race kits, which consist primarily of a headscarf and wristbands for the run and music pass. Groups of participants were attending yoga classes at different tentages and the Grand Cupola. Yoga classes started as early as 8.15 am and it was a joy to watch the yogis performing their stretches seemingly effortlessly.
It was a hot afternoon and after exploring the various activities, we found shade and rested until the scheduled fun run at 4 pm. It was a sea of runners and we were flagged off in several waves to avoid congestion. The route was similar to last year’s Music Run, bringing the runners up Imbiah Trail where many preferred to walk due to the upslopes.
It was refreshing to run in Sentosa after a long while, passing some of the landmarks such as the Skyline Luge and Merlion. However, there were also many walkers who did not keep to the left and thus blocking the path of those who wanted to run.
Time passed quickly and before we knew it, we had reached the Finish Point back at Palawan Green. My Runkeeper indicated that the distance covered was 4.48 km, but I guess this didn’t bother us as the objective was to enjoy each others company and the whole event. We collected our medals and bottled water for hydration. No isotonic drinks or fruits were provided. Perhaps the organizer prefers us to purchase from the food vendors instead.
There are some eateries located just outside Beach Station. We took dinner at Marybrown and returned to the festival site at 6.30 pm. Scores of Glow-getter were enjoying their food purchased from the food vendors.
Many like us were resting at the Grand Cupola and waiting for the performance by Nina Nesbitt at 7 pm. Eventually, she made her appearance and entertained the audience with some of her well-known songs. Though I am not into pop culture, I do enjoy seeing the young people enjoying themselves especially to the beat of the music.
We left the festival site at 8 pm. We had enjoyed the event and look forward to next year’s edition.
Comments
1) There are more activities lined up this year compared to last year. It certainly gives the event a carnival-like feel!
2) For the run element, I must say I preferred last year’s, where I recalled music being played throughout the entire run so that I felt I was running to the beat of the music.
3) This year’s finisher medal consists of a colourful paste-on label. While it looks nice, I am not sure if it will last. One corner of the label on my medal is already slightly peeled off.
OSIM Sundown Marathon [5 km]
The OSIM Sundown Marathon is one of the most popular race in Singapore. With a catchphrase of ‘Sleep Can Wait’, this event attracts thousands of runners every year to participate in the night run, with the full marathoners running into daybreak.
I only intend to run the FM next year. Hence after considering that I had recently just run the Income Eco and 2XU at F1 Pit, I chose to take part in the 5 km category instead.
Race Day
I arrived at the race village at 7 pm and it was already teeming with activities. Some participants were practising yoga before the stage. Some were checking out the new OSIM products and kids were playing V.R games. The food stalls were opened and scores of runners were savouring their purchases.
I commenced with the 1st wave of 5 km runners flag-off at 8 pm. The route simply brings the runners to Republic Avenue, turning back at the Golden Mile Complex to continue towards F1 Pit, turning right into Marina Promenade and to the Finish Point. However, before turning to Marina Promenade, I decided to clock more mileage and instead diverted to Republic Avenue to run another loop. By then, the last wave of runners had already passed this stretch and the road was literally emptied.
I managed to catch up with some of the last runners and we ran together to the Finish Point. But I chose to press on towards the Float, before making a turn back to complete the race. My Runkeeper indicated I had run a total of 9 km for this race.
At 9 pm, the race village was extremely crowded, with the 10 km runners waiting to commence their race. I rested a while and enjoy the race ambience before heading home.
Comments
1) I wonder why the whole village was barricaded with only one entry/exit point? It creates a real bottleneck with runners both entering and leaving the premise using the same passageway.
2) The whole village was crowded because there were lots of participants. Perhaps the organizer should have utilised the car parking area as well, just like what 2XU did.
3) I read of the frustrations faced by the HM and FM runners, with issues such as lack of water at hydration stations. I shall not comment here as I did not run their routes, but I hope the organizer could reflect what went wrong to prevent a recurrence in next year’s edition. For runners, hydration and safety factors are most important. A bad race experience will lead the runners to consider twice about signing up, regardless of how excellent the race village activities are or how well the race kits are bundled.
[SINGAPORE, 2 June 2019] Over 5000 participants gathered today at Palawan Green Sentosa at Singapore’s first kids-focused running event, the Cold Storage Kids Run. The run does not just provide seasoned child runners a chance to expose themselves competition – but also serves as a stepping stone for first-time runners, introducing them to the world of healthy and active living.
The 2019 edition of the run was also in support of the Singapore Bicentennial, accompanied by old school carnival games which were a great opportunity for kids and parents to reminisce about the past and relish in Singapore’s heritage.
Participants of the Blackberry Dash competitive category sprinting through the flag off at the Cold Storage Kids Run 2019.Participants of the Strawberry Dash competitive category at the flag off at the Cold Storage Kids Run 2019.Participants arrived at Palawan Green beach at Sentosa early morning on Sunday. Before being flagged off for their individual races, they joined in the warm-up session to get them pumped and excited for the run.Families trying their hand at one of the old school game stations at the Cold Storage Kids Run, Supersized Pick Up Sticks. This year, aside from the running activities, It was a chance for parents to take a trip down memory lane while sharing fond memories of their childhood with their kids. Children enjoyed old school games such as Zero-Point at the Cold Storage Kids Run 2019.
It was an eventful weekend, or I could say it’s an eventful year for me. Or would it actually be a life full of events for me? ? Eventful life doesn’t really make sense unless it’s doing things that you enjoyed doing and I can say I really do enjoy going to these events ?
As I wasn’t feeling well, I could have no show for AIA Glow Festival but I was the one who jio-ed both Eleanor and Yi Jing to register for the Charity 5km run ? So roll on the floor and cry I also have to turn up and complete it ?
Thank you Team PinkApple and JustRunLah! As both offered me with a Full Day Pass to AIA Glow Festival. I really am not a Yoga person and I don’t even do any sort of stretching before or after my own runs ? Yoga to me is graceful and elegant. It’s for the mind, soul and body. I think Yoga will help me with my pole tricks as it will definitely help me in flexibility and I want to do splits since like millions of years ago but I just feel like I have brittle and rigid bones and I’ll break my legs if I try to stretch even just that tiny little bit more ?
The all-day pass for the AIA Glow Festival cost over a hundred dollars after GST and it was sold out! Wow! But I guess for the yogis it’s worth the money as it allows the registrants to participate in everything they offered at the festival including unlimited access to yoga classes, the 5k fun run as well as the music party! Also comes with a very beautiful bandana and water bottle and a $10 credits to buy food available in their marketplace ?
One thing good was that I was able to purchase the pass separately, for example, if don’t want to get the All-Day pass, I can just buy tickets for the Music Pass, Yoga Pass etc separately. For the Fun Run, $10 will be donated to charity for every ticket sold. ❤ And eventually, they opened up a certain number of free slots to register for the 5km Fun Run, and AIA will donate $10 to the AIA Centennial Fund for every runner participating, capping at a limit to 10,000 runners! Best was that even the free registration includes the bandanna and finisher medal ?
Was at first lazy to go collect but sibeh heng we collected our Festival Kit which consists of a bandanna and a wrist tag a day before that was needed for entry earlier and not on event day and I think I’m a genius ? Because when Eleanor, Yi Jing and I arrived at the race village around 3.30pm at Palawan Beach Sentosa, we saw a super long queue formed just outside of the entrance to the gate to collect the Festival Kit. The area was super crowded ?
We didn’t bring any bags to deposit along with us as it was stated on the Festival Guide that baggage deposits were limited. Not wanting to risk running with bags, we travelled light with hydration belts and pouches. There wasn’t any queue for baggage deposit though. We went directly to wait for the start pen to open. Flag off for the 5km fun run was at 4pm. So we were being baked under the Sun while waiting as there’s limited tentage around. Hurhurhur.. I want to have fair skin like Snow White de leh ? There’s a warm-up being led but it was too hot and I don’t feel like moving at all and maybe I’m the only person around still like a statue ?
It was the same route as My Melody Run two weeks ago and the distance was also short. It was only 4.2km when I completed the run. I think the route in Sentosa is standardized already so whatever 5km race held there was just that same 4 point something km. So any fun run there I think can also expect a shortage in distance in future ? There were 2 hydration points along the route, which I felt was pretty good enough.
As some passageways were closed to visitors/tourists for the fun run, I saw that there were some arguments/dissatisfaction from them with the road marshals ?
After the run, I collected the finisher medal and a bottle of cold water. It’s a super nice and unique medal as the front side is plastic material (Damn, whatever material is that.. And I studied Material Science while I was in polytechnic ?) The heart can also spin ❤ And I really love the words “RAN WITH MY HEART” ❤
Explored the Festival village for a while and saw a water cooler! ❤ Nice!
Didn’t wait for the music festival, as I still have National Vertical Marathon the next day. I think that the music festival was the main highlight of the event as it’s the most expensive ticket amongst the different types of tickets if purchased separately, but from what I can see that it’s really a set up well done and it would be great.
While we were leaving, I saw super long queue everywhere at the baggage collection, and even for food at the Marketplace was a long queue. Those food were like Instagrammable food, looks healthy and yummy ? I was relieved that I didn’t use the baggage deposit and glad that I’m not hungry ? Sentosa monorail was also super long queue, so we decided to walk out of Sentosa ❤
(Baggage queue)
Asia’s largest night race, the OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore, marks another successful race this year with close to 25,000 runners flagged off at the F1 Pit Building last night.
The 12thedition of the event saw participants enjoying a cool run under the stars as the race took them through some of Singapore’s most iconic landmarks. Thousands of runners pounded the streets as they embarked on their quest to beat the sunrise and break their personal bests.
Clinching the Marathon Men’s title was Hillary Kipkering (Kenya), with a timing of 02:49:33; while Singapore’s very own Sharon Tan clocked a timing of 03:23:16 to finish as the first in the women’s category.
Marathon Male Winner: Hillary Kipkering (Kenya) with a timing of 02:49:33
Marathon Female Winner: Sharon Tan (Singapore) with a timing of 03:23:16
The Half Marathon saw the return of familiar local faces such as Soh Ruiyong and Rachel See. With a winning time of 01:11:47, Soh clinched the first place for the Men’s category while Maki Inami (Japan) took the women’s category at 01:22:19.
Half Marathon Male Winner: Soh Ruiyong (Singapore) with a timing of 01:11:47
Half Marathon Female Winner: Maki Inami (Japan) with a timing of 01:22:19
This edition saw great enhancements at the race village too, with an array of refreshing new experiences lined up till the break of dawn. Participants were treated to post-race massages, Marvel movies being screened through the night, and even sunset yoga sessions for runners and supporters. Football fans were also very pleased to catch the UEFA Champions League Finals early this morning and witness Liverpool clinched the coveted title with their running buddies.
Results of OSIM Sundown Marathon 2019
Full Marathon Men’s Category
Hillary Kipkering
02:49:33
Lee Wai Kin
03:03:55
Jinchao Qu
03:04:45
Full Marathon Women’s Category
Sharon Tan
03:23:16
Jade Chow
03:29:01
Naum Jepkosgei
03:29:01
Half Marathon Men’s Category
Soh Ruiyong
01:11:47
Kiptanui Rodgers
01:12:30
Matthew Smith
01:18:51
Half Marathon Women’s Category
Maki Inami
01:22:19
Mok Ying Rong
01:24:32
Rachel See
01:31:39
About Sundown Marathon
Sundown Marathon was created in 2008 as part of a unique training programme for ultra-marathons that require running through the night. Since then, as Singapore’s first official night marathon, the Sundown Marathon has grown from strength-to-strength, beginning with 6000+ participants in the inaugural race in 2008 to a total of 25,800 participants in 2018 across all four categories, making it Asia’s largest night run. Participants have included tourists and professional runners from the UK, USA, France, China, India, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan. In 2015, OSIM became Sundown Marathon’s title sponsor and the race is named the OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore. It is also Singapore’s first night race to be nominated twice for the prestigious International Sports Event Management (ISEM) Awards and, more recently, Marketing Events Awards, for the Best Sport Oriented Event.
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Embroidery reinforcement delivers a secure heel fit
Gusseted tongue provides a lightweight mid-foot lockdown
Early stage Meta-Rocker delivers an up-tempo ride
Light and resilient PROFLY X technology provides both a soft and propulsive experience
Carefully positioned Carbon fiber plate curls under the lateral toes to deliver a smooth transition through the gait cycle
Wider forefoot platform provides support and stability along with an accommodating and comfortable fit
HOKA ONE ONE Carbon X is available at Running Lab Marina Square at S$299.
Clifton 6
The shoe that changed runners’ perceptions of what HOKA ONE ONE® could be, the Clifton 6 joins the award-winning Clifton family. Building upon the Clifton’s best qualities, the “6” continues to deliver that perfect combination of soft and light. The Clifton 6 has a smoother ride with a more comfortable fit and includes an embroidered design that improves lockdown without extra weight. Find your sweet spot in the Clifton 6.
Key features include:
Embroidery reinforcement reduces layers and offers support and midfoot lockdown
Reinforced eyestays provide increased durability
Early stage Meta-Rocker offers a smooth ride
Full compression EVA midsole provides signature HOKA ONE ONE® cushioning
Moderate heel bevel gives a smooth transition
Flat-waisted geometry provides inherent stability
Full ground contact design
Strategic high-abrasion rubber zones to reduce weight
HOKA ONE ONE Clifton 6 is available at Running Lab* stores (all locations) at S$219.
* Running Lab is a specialty running store retailing technically advanced running apparel, equipment and footwear. Staffed by sports trainers and experienced runners, they provide assistance to match the right shoe to your foot type and gait, helping to maximise your running performance and reduce risks of injuries. Their facilities include an in-house treadmill for gait analysis, as well as to allow customers to put their shoes to the test before deciding if the pair of shoes they are wearing are truly the right pair for them.
Asia’s biggest night run, OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore 2019 is coming to you this weekend! Here are some important pieces of information for both runners and your cheerleaders!
Race Details
Race Date: 1 June 2019, Saturday Venue: F1 Pit Building (1 Republic Boulevard, Singapore 038975)
Race Day Flag Off Timings
Race Category
Flag Off Timing
Cut off Timing
5km Fun Run
8:00 pm
2 hours 30 mins
10km Challenge
10:00 pm
2 hours 30 mins
21.1km Half Marathon
11:30 pm
4 hours 30 mins
42.195km Full Marathon
11:30 pm
8 hours
Race Day Schedule
Race Routes
OSIM SUNDOWN MARATHON SINGAPORE 2019 5KM ROUTE
OSIM SUNDOWN MARATHON SINGAPORE 2019 10KM ROUTE
OSIM SUNDOWN MARATHON SINGAPORE 2019 21KM ROUTE
OSIM SUNDOWN MARATHON SINGAPORE 2019 42.195KM ROUTE
Start Pen Feeding for Full & Half Marathoners
To ensure a smooth and safe start for our Half & Full Marathoners, runners are pre-assigned to the Start Pen entries based
on your estimated finishing time indicated during registration.
Please take note of your assigned Start Pen Entry and proceed to the correct entry. Your race bib number also indicates
which Start Pen Entry you should be entering from (i.e. AXXXXX, BXXXXX, CXXXXX).
Start Pen Entry points are located through the F1 Pit Garages. Please follow the directional signage at the Sundown Race Village. Runners in the 10 KM Challenge and 5 KM Fun Run are not pre-assigned to any Start Pen. Entry into the earlier waves is based on a first-come-first-served basis.
Race Village
OSIM SUNDOWN MARATHON SINGAPORE 2019 RACE VILLAGE
Enjoy an array of exciting new experiences lined up at the race village till the break of dawn.
FREEDOM YOGA 1) Sunset Flow 1845HRS An awesome pre-run warm & stretch or the perfect way to end your day. 2) Glow Yoga 2010HRS A choreographed vinyasa class of flowing & breathing with the beat of the music. Experience the strength, grace & awareness of your breath & your body in a moving meditation-like flow from asana to asana. Connecting the breath, body & beat of the music from the inside out
MASSAGE ZONES Enjoy a relaxing post-run massage presented to you by Salonpas. This will be provided to Half and Full Marathon runners from 0130HRS to 0630HRS (2 June).
FOOD & BEVERAGE Whether you’re a runner looking to refuel after your run or simply a supporter, fuel your hunger needs through the night at the race village. Street Food vendors and Sawadeecup will be at the race village to satisfy all cravings.
MARVEL MOVIE NIGHT 1 June 2019 2045HRS – Marvel’s Black Panther 2 June 2019 0015HRS – Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL LIVE VIEWING PARTY 2 June 2019 0300HRS – SPURS VS LIVERPOOL
Runner’s Entitlements
OSIM SUNDOWN MARATHON SINGAPORE 2019 RUNNER’S ENTITLEMENTS
Every runner who crosses the Finish Line within the stipulated cut-off timings of your race category will receive an OSIM Sundown Marathon 2019 Medal for your race category.
Full Marathon finishers who complete the race within the cut-off timing of 8 hours can
collect their exclusive Full Marathon Finisher’s Tee when they cross the Finish Line.
Both the Medal (all categories) and Finisher Tee (Full Marathon) can only be collected at the event. There will be no mailing of either items after Race Day so do remember to pick up your entitlement(s) and wear it with pride!
Getting To And From the Village
VILLAGE ADDRESS F1 Pit Building, 1 Republic Boulevard, Singapore 038975
BY MRT – From Promenade MRT (Exit A). Proceed along Raffles Boulevard to the F1 Pit Building. – From Bayfront MRT (Exit B). Proceed along Bayfront Avenue followed by Raffles Avenue to F1 Pit Building. *Do note that several MRT stations along the East west Line will close earlier at 2300HRS on 1 June. Please check train service timings on SMRT website.
By Bus
By Car Parking will not be available at the OSIM Sundown Marathon Race Village. Please consider the following possible parking locations nearby instead: Marina Bay Sands, Marina Square, Millenia Walk, Singapore Flyer, Suntec City.
By Taxi/Private Hire Please instruct the taxi/ride operator to alight you at the Singapore Flyer. About 5 minutes walk to the Race Village.
By Shuttle Bus Post-run shuttle bus pick-up services will be available for runners on 2 June 2019, at the various timings: 0000HRS | 0130HRS | 0300HRS | 0430HRS
Book your shuttle bus pass now at the ShareTransport App or website. For more information on how to purchase your ticket, visit HERE.
To all OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore 2019 Runners, all the best and sleep can definitely wait!
With the purpose of supporting and celebrating the everyday HEROES who have impacted the lives of others, NUS Giving will be organising NUS Giving Run BIG (Believe in Giving) on 29 September 2019, Sunday.
The event welcomes NUS students, staff, alumni and partners as well as members of the public, for a unique run experience around the vicinity of Singapore’s top university. NUS Giving Run BIG is NUS’ first not-for-profit run, with the theme of celebrating heroes – individuals and organisations that have made a positive impact to the lives of others, the event seeks to showcase how the spirit of gifting has benefited many within the NUS family – students and faculty alike.
Runners can choose from four categories – 10km Run, 10km Mixed Team, 5km Fun Run, and 1.2km Kids Dash. NUS will also be holding a contest where participants can nominate their heroes and stand a chance to win attractive prizes.
NUS Giving Run BIG (Believe in Giving) Entitlements Set
FINISHER MEDAL (Upon Completion of the Run only)
NUS Giving Run BIG (Believe in Giving)Tote Bag & Race Bib
NUS Giving Run BIG (Believe in Giving) Registration Fees
Nominate Your Hero
There is a hidden hero in everyone. If you know a hero, tell us. He or she could be a parent, a stranger, a friend, a family member, a co-worker or even a public figure. Heroes give hope and inspire a better world. Nominate your Hero. Spread the word.
For more information, check out more about NUS Giving Run BIG (Believe in Giving) here at JUSTRUNLAH!
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon targets 2021 to meet all requirements for induction as member in Abbott World Marathon Majors series of events
New evening start, three-day format from 29 November
1 December caters to both competitive and casual runners
SINGAPORE – At a launch event today, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) announced that the 2019 edition of the race will upgrade the athlete experience with a new 6:00pm evening flag off on Saturday 30 November for the Marathon, Half Marathon and Ekiden distances while shifting to a three-day event format. The Kids Dash will take place on Friday 29 November while the 5K and 10k races will take place on Sunday 1 December providing a distance for everyone. These steps were taken to further the appeal of the race for participants and spectators and is a significant step towards the goal of SCSM being inducted into the illustrious Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM), a series of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world. If successful, SCSM would become the seventh marathon within AbbottWMM joining the BMW Berlin Marathon, Boston Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Virgin Money London Marathon, TCS New York City Marathon, and the Tokyo Marathon.
“Since announcing the bid to join the Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2017, we’ve been working closely with our respective partners to improve the Singapore race experience for both runners and spectators. We have consulted Sport Singapore and the relevant government agencies and they have shared their support for the night race.” said Geoff Meyer, Managing Director for The IRONMAN Group in Asia. “Enhancements are happening every year to build up the event festivities as well as programs and initiatives that promote the running culture and community engagement in Singapore. We are now closer than ever to the required criteria and strongly believe that the change in flag-off time, and a number of other improvements over the next two editions will see more marathoners and community support than ever as we position ourselves to qualify in 2021.”
The SCSM has been recognised as a Gold Label event by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) since 2012 for its world-class excellence in global sporting significance, organisational quality, athletes’ safety and compliance with the IAAF Rules and Regulations. Singapore has shown it is an ideal year-round run destination to the international running community and will see the best elite and elite wheelchair division in event history. Since the inaugural race in 1982, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon has grown to a globally significant event that attracts approximately 50,000 runners each year across all race categories from more than 125 countries, regions and territories.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth & Transport, Mr Baey Yam Keng, who was the Guest-of-Honour at the launch event, said, “The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon has been a longstanding highlight on the regional sports calendar, attracting elite marathoners and running enthusiasts from Singapore and around the world annually. It is heartening that the organisers are continually improving the Singapore Marathon experience so that it can be among the best in the world. With the flag-offs on Saturday evening this year, I anticipate many more Singaporeans coming out to cheer on the runners and join in the excitement. I hope to see the Singapore Marathon join the ranks of the World Marathon Majors in 2021!”
2019 To Bring Significant Improvements to Athlete and Spectator Experience
The IRONMAN Group in Singapore is working closely with the local authorities to plan a spectator-friendly route through Singapore’s most iconic streets and modern architecture to give fans and runners a different perspective and intimate view of the city. From cultural and historical diversity to lush greenery and a buzzing metropolis that includes modern marvels such as the Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, and The Singapore Flyer, locals and run-cation visitors will be treated to a visual tour of the city-state.
For the first time, the Marathon, Half Marathon and Ekiden distances will flag off in the evening of Saturday, 30 November, a key evolution after ongoing consultation with the Abbott World Marathon Majors team and government stakeholders, which began in 2017. This will present a host of benefits for both competitive and casual runners. Most notably, cooler temperatures will lead to a better experience and performances for runners while creating an exciting race environment that takes full advantage of Singapore’s bright lights and night life.
Tim Hadzima, Executive Director of the Abbott World Marathon Majors said, “Today’s announcement is another step forward for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon in their long-term aspiration of becoming an Abbott World Marathon Major. The changes for this year’s marathon are just a few parts of stringent criteria that we assess each year, as there are many stages of this process still to be met. We are excited to see how the runners react to the improvements that they will experience this year.”
To encourage added participation and support from the public, organisers are introducing all new spectator zones, which will feature a myriad of lifestyle and entertainment offerings. This will add to the more than 26 on-route entertainment points to create a vibrant and uplifting atmosphere for both runners and supporters.
“With SCSM, we have enjoyed a great run over the past 18 years. Making the World Marathon Major pitch this year is very meaningful for us at Standard Chartered as 2019 marks our 160th anniversary in Singapore. With the support of IRONMAN Asia, Sport Singapore and our partners, I am confident that we can make SCSM truly a world-class event and showcase the best of Singapore to our friends and supporters from around the world,” said Mr. Patrick Lee, CEO of Standard Chartered Singapore.
The 3-day event will kick off with the Kids Dash on Friday evening at 7:00pm while the 5km and 10km categories will flag off on Sunday morning at 8.30am and 6.30am respectively. To begin preparing for this year’s race, runners can now participate in training programmes such as the Women’s Squad, run with pacers or get involved in SCSM’s virtual running community on Strava, which will help runners put their best foot forward as they prepare for the race.
It is advisable for you to drink 8 cups of water daily to keep yourself hydrated and to also take care of your skin. However, there some of you who couldn’t drink too much water or just don’t like to drink.
Great news for you, you can now eat your water. Yes, you read it right! Here’s are some foods that you can eat that contain a good amount of water which could also act as a hydrating tool for your body.
Apples – 84% Water
It is a nutritional powerhouse which contains important nutrients such as vitamin C and B-complex, dietary fibre and calcium. This fruit also boosts the immune system and is a great energy booster. Just like they said, an apple a day, keeps the doctor away!
Strawberries – 90% Water
Definitely, the popular pick to eat with your cakes or as a smoothie.
Watermelons – 92% Water
Known as the fruit with the most water content. Besides that, it is also high in fibre, minerals, and nutrients.
Iceberg Lettuce – 96% Water
It is high in water content and it is loaded with fibre.
Oranges – 87% Water
Rich in nutrients such as vitamins A, B and C and as well as calcium, magnesium and potassium. Regular intake of oranges can boost your immune system, reduce cholesterol levels and improve your skin.
Spinach – 96% Water
One cup of leaves contains 15% of your daily intake of vitamin E, which is an important antioxidant. It is also rich in lutein, potassium, fibre and brain-boosting folate.
Celery – 95% Water
It is great cancer-fighting food and is also good for your pancreas.
Grapefruit – 91% Water
It contains important electrolytes that help to prevent dehydration. It can also lower your insulin level, control your appetite and make your skin beautiful.
Tomatoes – 93% Water
Low in calories but high in vitamins and antioxidants.
Cucumbers – 96% Water
Rich in fibre, minerals and are cooling for the body.
OCBC Cycle is the biggest cycling event held annually in Singapore. This event allows cyclists to visit iconic landmarks and places of interest under closed road conditions. There were around 6800 participants in this year’s edition.
After a two years hiatus, I decided to participate this year’s Straits Times Ride with my friend Lian Chye (LC). Like last year, there is a discount for the Straits Times Run if you sign up for the OCBC Cycle. But I did not take up the bundle deal as I had not decided if I will be joining this year’s Straits Times Run.
Race Pack Collection
Race pack collections commenced on the 10th at The OCBC Arena, Sports Hub. Cyclists who wish to deposit their bikes at the Arena till race day could so. But their bikes must be identified by their bibs (sticker) and sufficiently secured as the organizer is not responsible for any loss.
The race pack itself contained just the bib, bib stickers, event shirt, and a water bottle. The ‘goodies’ did seem ‘pale’ in comparison with we what get from run races. Well, perhaps this was because the would-be goodies were already at the Expo at discounted prices?
There were many retailers at the Expo, including Garmin, Shimano, Rodalink and Key Power Sports. They offered a wide range of cycling related accessories, such as helmets, jerseys, lights and even energy gels.
Cyclists were also trying to locate their names in the ‘Participants Board’, a reminisce of the recent Income Eco Run.
First Day (11 May)
The competition at the Club and Corporate levels started as early as 6.30 am until 4.00 pm. It started raining at 10.30 am and caused some of the races to temporary stopped and delayed.
I went to give my support to the first slot of Family & Kids Ride at 4.40 pm. There were many parents taking part with their children, some of whom appeared less than five years old. All of them had fun cycling and spending quality time together.
Second Day (12 May)
The main categories on the 2nd day are The Sportive Ride (42 km) and The Straits Times Ride (23 km). Both rides visit the same scenic places around the city. Except that for the Sportive Ride, more distances were added to extend the routes to Pasir Panjang and East Coast Fort Road. Sportive Ride commenced at 5.15 am while Straits Times Ride started at 6.45 am.
LC stayed overnight at my home on Saturday. We discussed the route and locations where we planned to stop for photo shoots. The next morning we had a light breakfast and rolled our foldable bikes to take the first train to Sports Hub.
We arrived at 6.30 am. Some cyclists were still retrieving their bikes from the Arena although the majority of them would now be at the Start Point at Nicoll Highway.
We set up our bikes and proceed to make our way there with other cyclists. Volunteers offered us bottled water and 100 plus for hydration. After passing Kallang Wave Mall, Security Officers told us to dismount and pushed our bikes instead of riding as the pathway was not sufficiently broad for cycling.
There were several waves of flag offs due to a large number of cyclists. It was also safer as we need more space to manoeuvre our bikes. We belonged to the 2nd last wave (it appeared so), and we were flagged off at 7.15 am.
The Nicoll Highway and Republic Boulevard were familiar roads, as they were the usual parts of a run route at city area. We cycled along to F1 Pit, where we had our photo shoot with Gardens By The Bay and Singapore Flyer in the background. 10 mins later, we continued towards Bayfront Bridge and the Central Business District.
It is always refreshing to cycle at the CBD. But I think the road here was only partially closed as compared to full closure during Car Free Sunday. Perhaps it was not authorized for full closure today. One of the highlights in the route was a short ride through the MCE tunnel. Cycling at Expressway is not allowed in Singapore, so this was really a unique experience.
We took some rest when we reached the hydration point outside MBS Hotel. After that, we cycled to the top of the Benjamin Sheares Bridge. It was the most scenic part of the route and a recommended photo shoot area. Many cyclists briefly stopped here and enjoyed the surrounding scenery.
I am not sure about the 2017 and 2018 editions, but this year’s Straits Times Ride did not allow cyclists to cycle down the Benjamin Sheares Bridge Flyover. The road was blocked by ambulances and we were told to u-turn. Looking at the Sportive Ride’s route, cyclists appeared to be able to do so as the route goes all the way to East Coast Parkway and u-turned before Fort Road. Having experienced that before, I felt a sense of disappointment as the downslope brought out the most in terms of speed and adrenalin.
It wasn’t long before we exited Sheares Bridge and embarked on the return route to the Sports Hub via Nicoll Highway. It was getting hot, but I chose to cycle rather slowly to enjoy the last bit of the ride.
I reached the Finish Point inside the Sports Hub and collected the finisher medal and 100 plus for hydration. There wasn’t much post-ride activity. Cyclists were mingling around to rest, chat, and take photos at the photo booth.
We took some rest, before continuing our ride to East Coast Park for lunch at the East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
Comments
1) The organizer could consider having baggage deposits for the cyclists, similar to most of the run events.
2) I hope next year’s edition will remove the combi 3-in-1 medal concept. Cyclists have to take part in 3 consecutive years to complete a full gear medal. What if he/she is unable to attend one of the edition? Perhaps they could have a whole medal and another separate piece for that purpose, just like Spartan Race?
3) There are some comments that the fees are expensive. But in my opinion, the prices are still reasonable if you register early (bird), considering that it is the only cycling event in Singapore where you have major road closures for you to enjoy a scenic ride.
We have recently entered the 2nd half of the month of Ramadan. I bet by this time, most of us are already used to the fasting schedule, and this is actually the perfect time for you to include running or training for your next full marathon in your daily activities.
So before we continue, here’s a brief explanation of what Ramadan is for all our non-muslim friends.
Muslims abstain themselves from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk for the entire month of Ramadan. They fast, intending to be closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate. The daily fast begins immediately after the pre-dawn meal of Sahur and it continues during the daylight hours, ending with sunset with the evening meal of iftar.
So for those of you who are training for a marathon or wish to run daily in Ramadan, here are some tips for you!
Best Time to Run
Pre-iftar run – Set aside 1 hour right before breaking fast
Late night run – Run after you’ve done your late-night prayers and just in time when the food has digested.
There are days when you feel like you are high on energy and might probably go for a longer running session. But there also days when you feel low on energy. Those days, go for a short and slow run.
Hydrate Yourself As Much As You Can
Drink
lots of water during sahur that could last you throughout your day and your
pre-iftar run.
Similarly,
drink lots of water during iftar too. If you plan to go for a run after the
late-night prayers, remember to hydrate yourself before and after your run.
Take It Easy
Don’t do your running sessions on strenuous pathways which includes a lot of uphill. Try to run on a flat surface route as this will not be too taxing on your body while fasting
Also, take a break once in a while during your run.
The OCBC Cycle was into its 11th year running, held on 12th May, two weeks after my Eco Run Half Marathon. I first signed up in 2015, then in 2016. Yes, after I started taking an interest in running. Looking back, those were the two years where a lot of stuff were happening in the ‘active’ phase of my life. But I was forced to take a hiatus from cycling in late 2016 because a bicycle accident broke two of my lumbar vertebrae (spine) and my left wrist as well. I spent the last two-plus years trying to get back to my pre-injury form even though I couldn’t say I was in good form then.
Still, I had continued to run despite the setback. Cycling and obstacle courses had become almost impossible in the meantime because of the persistent pain I suffered at the back and tailbone as a result of the accident.
The event pack collection was held at OCBC Arena over two days before the actual event, in conjunction with the Expo @ OCBC Cycle. It took me only 5 minutes to collect. The expo boasted the latest cycling gadgets, accessories and sports merchandise on sale and there were indeed a lot of folks trying out some of the accessories. I only bought some energy gel for my running races and two led lights for the front and rear of my bike. I decided to stick to my old basic helmet bought off Lazada from 2015 though I was tempted to get a new, more fitting helmet. I didn’t have the budget. For this event, there was also an online auction held in the evening, and the proceeds were donated to charity. I bid for the hydroflask and thought I would get it at $27. For the same price, because it was online (time lag), another bidder’s bid got through just milliseconds before me. So still, no hydration container for me on the bike to this day… yet.
Good Old Trek and Helmet
New Rear Led Light
Cyclists could also leave their bicycles in the hall overnight for free and save some hassle on the actual event day. I saw security guards, but it would still be at cyclists’ risks. I decided not to take this offer.
I had enrolled for the Sportive Ride 42 km. The other category is the Straits Times Ride – 23 km. About 6800 participants in total turned up that Sunday morning.
I got back to cycling only in early April due to my schedule. Another reason was also I needed to make time to get the bike back to Trek Technology to fix the front punctured tyre. (Ended up, I had to replace both!)
Checking my Strava, it was only on 10th Apr that I cycled 8.1 km in the safety of the connector park. Then other life events happened and also due to weather on some days, I ended up cycling a total of 54 km two weeks before the event, from 5 rides ranging from 3 km to 20 km. Then another 20 km ride on Tuesday before the event on Sunday, 12th May. I wouldn’t exactly advise on such low mileage before you do the 42 km sportive ride, but I believe I had benefited somewhat from all the training runs I had done this year. Plus, a bit of Faith – what is meant to be, would be. What I signed up for, I needed to commit and complete.
Again about 3 hours of sleep on the event morning, I loaded up my bike and reached the venue more than an hour before the official start time as requested by the organizer. But I could see that participants were streaming in still even near start time. It seemed like they were not as strict back in 2016.
The first wave started slightly late too. I was in wave C, but there were several sub-waves as I inched towards the start line with my bike. A few metres onwards, someone already fell off the bike somehow. I told myself to cycle slower this time and enjoy the view. There was not much scenery for most of the journey because it was dark. There were a lot of sharp turning, bends and curves and slopes, uphill and downhill, especially at the Benjamin Sheares Bridge. I stopped at one of the hydration points at the U-turn to get my thirst quenched with the 100 plus. After that, it was again non-stop until I reached the stadium. The downhills were exhilarating, and I was going at a maximum speed of 71 km/hr at certain points according to Strava. The uphills were straining but this time too, I didn’t have to stop.
During this event, I enjoyed it because I went ‘slower.’ But it was probably a state of mind that I didn’t have any falls, unlike the past two previous events. I ended up with a PB by my Garmin, 1:50 though it was about 40.6 km in total. The organizer did mention online it would be about 40.8 km due to certain limitation this year.
It was a pleasant experience considering everything that had happened in the last 3-4 weeks. I strongly recommend this event if you want to have the freedom of riding on Singapore roads and highways without interfering traffic lights and other vehicles. The roads are closed for the cyclists, which also meant that you need to reach certain checkpoints by specific timing. I managed to do the entire route without issue. The weather that morning was cooperative too, and it was cool mostly.
Credit: OCBC Cycle
At the finishing point, I collected the medal, drank, and then walked the bike out of the stadium to the open area. I had time to take a photo because there were only three persons in the queue at the time. All in all, it is an enjoyable day with my faithful Trek with its two new tyres. Also, as part of the green initiative by OCBC Cycle, 140 trees were planted – 1 for every 50 cyclists. A little effort towards the green environment. Happy and Safe Riding.
With running clubs, it will enhance your running experience, create new friends and you might also notice improvements in your performance. Fret not, there might actually be running clubs around your area! If you wish to run stronger, smarter and faster, SSTAR.fitness Crew is perfect for you!
Read more to find out what’s special about SSTAR.fitness Crew.
SSTAR.fitness Crew’s Purpose
To build a running community where everyone runs Stronger, Smarter and Faster. We welcome beginners to Boston marathon qualifiers and everyone gets to train at the pace you wish. We have a buddy system so you will never run alone. We follow the SSTAR.fitness training program, where you can Run Less, Run Faster.
SSTAR.fitness Crew’s Where and When
Singapore Sports Hub, meet outside the Library every Thurs 6:30 pm and Saturday morning outside OCBC Arena 6:30 am
Weekly QnA with qualified running coaches just before training every week in a comfortable air-conditioned classroom setting.
Time-trials and fitness tests every quarter to measure and track your progress online.
We follow a global, proven training methodology from the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (F.I.R.S.T.), For the time-crunched, busy executive, you can run less, yet run faster. https://www.runnersworld.com/…/run-your-best-marathon-with…/
Pacer-led training runs, you will be grouped into teams of the same fitness and speed and be assigned a training buddy. You can run with people at your pace.
Every training session and workout is different, yet it is tailored to meet your race goals from 5k to the marathon
Every 6 weeks, we complete a training mesocycle, and you get to compare your fitness level six weeks ago. Chart your progress and train as hard or easy as you wish.
Our training routes are 100% on safe park connectors, no cars, no junctions, no interruptions. We have options allowing us to train uninterrupted under shelter, rain or shine.
Isotonic drinks provided after training. Chilled and refreshing.
Safe, secure bag deposit in a seminar room or in free lockers
Discounts for products from leading sports brands for active members
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