• The first time I queued for an hour and a half for race pack collection, I was not looking forward to race day but fortunately it turned out well and the finisher T-shirt was very nice.

• Just a week after Sundown Marathon, my body had not rested fully and it seemed like a recovery walk and run instead.
• Nevertheless, it remained one of the 5 runs that I would sign up for every year.

• With 5 stations playing different genres of music throughout the entire run, I had a super enjoyable time and certainly looked forward to joining the new 10km category in 2018.

• The first time when I joined a 10km run without having to pay a single cent and yet had free shuttle service from Stadium MRT to the race venue, free running photos on Facebook and free isotonic drinks after the run.
• Thank you X-Change Republic for organizing this wonderful run.

• As if running 2 loops around Sentosa under the scorching sun was not bad enough, we had to queue up for around 30 minutes to collect our finisher hamper.
• Fortunately, the finisher hamper contained many delicious goodies from Meiji eg Hello Panda biscuits, oat crackers, Yan Yan biscuits, yogurt drink, orange water and fresh milk etc which made the long queue worthwhile.

• From wrong directions given resulting in some participants having to walk a few kilometers from Promenade MRT to the event venue, too few DreamWorks characters present at the event itself to runners having to pour their own water due to insufficient volunteers and made worse by the scorching weather, I had an enjoyable time, nevertheless.

• Expecting a usual Saturday evening run, I was proven wrong by the undulating terrain of the golf course at Orchid Country Club. Although challenging, running upslope and downslope was never my cup of tea.

• I did not have a high expectation of this run due to the late flag off timing for 21.1km at 7am.
• Fortunately, the weather was cooling, the route was beautiful and I managed to achieve my personal best timing.

• The run that I would definitely join every year because of 2 reasons: (1) discounted price for NSmen ($16) (2) excellent logistics.
• Thank you, all the NSF and NSmen, for sacrificing your precious Sunday morning to volunteer at the event.

• A refreshing night run at Seletar Aerospace Park, it was a pity that the beautiful colonial houses and private planes were not clearly visible in the darkness.

To be continued…

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Time really flies and we are almost coming to the end of the year. I know this review is a tad late but I thought it would still be good to pen down my thoughts for my last run event of 2017. This is my first time joining SCSM after the new organiser Ironman Asia became the organiser.

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) is one of the biggest and most popular run events in Singapore. Currently SCSM’s is in its 16^th year running and this year’s event attracted 48,400 participants comprising 126 nationalities which spans over all categories. It was also interesting to read that out of the 48,400 participants, 48 per cent of them were non-Singaporeans.

Earlier this year, SCMS announced its bid to join six of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world – London, Berlin, New York, Chicago, Tokyo and Boston – as an Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM) event. Currently, the Singapore marathon has been recognised as a Gold Label event by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) since 2012 for its world-class excellence in global sporting significance, organisational quality, athletes’ safety and compliance with the IAAF Rules and Regulations.

Race Entry Pack Collection (REPC) – (30 November 2017 to 2 December 2017)

As SCSM attracts lots of international participants, the REPC was held on race week so that it would be more convenient for the overseas participants. The race expo was held at the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) Expo and Convention Centre and this was the first time that was held there. The organisers plan to have the REPC for SCSM there for the next 2 years (until 2019) as they aim to offer SCSM runners a bigger and better race expo, while facilitating convenient and seamless pick-up of race packs.

I went to collect the race pack during the Friday lunchtime hour with a colleague of mine. MBS Expo and Convention Centre was just a short kilometre away from my office so it was very convenient for us. Upon entering the expo hall, I was just wowed by its sheer size.

Organised Collection of race packs – Participants were quickly filtered through clearly labelled lanes that lead them to their respective race categories for collection of the race packs. We did not have to wait long for our turns. Collection should be an easy and fuss free process but this time, it was slightly different. Normally for locals, presenting your NRIC would normally suffice, however this time, even though she had found my record, she wanted me to present my confirmation slip which had a QR code to verify who I was. In my opinion, I thought this step was redundant as the NRIC is an official document.

My feedback would be for the organisers to look into this as this “extra verification” step as it does take up extra time (additional 1 to 2 mins tops). If there were lots of participant collecting, this would definitely increase wait times and eat into what limited and precious time the participant has to spend and explore the huge expo awaiting them.

Plenty of Photo Opportunities – After collecting the race packs, the next section was the Race Info Zone. The huge letters #SCSM and oversize medal standee immediately caught my attention! Check out my photos below. There were also other nice photo boards with the SCSM branding and the route maps of the different categories there.

A suggestion would be to place volunteers near those photo opportunities so that they can keep the space clear and help to take photos for participant. This will definitely enhance the photo taking experience.

[Photos (Above) from UA South East Asia Facebook Page]

Vendors Galore – As we moved out from the Race Info Zone, we skipped the Standard Chartered Zone and headed right for the Under Armour (UA) and Race Merchandise Zone. We walked past the UA Virtual Race Screen, it looked really cool but I was too shy to have a go even though there were UA goodies to be won. Walking round the UA area was really hard not to be tempted by the 20% they were giving off their products. I bought the UA Bandit 3 and 2 caps! The Race Merchandise Zone was also very tempting and I had to stop myself from buying more things. What caught my attention were the caps and the category tees which had participants name on them.

[Photo: Sample print of the name category tee]

After all the shopping done at the UA and Race Merchandise Zone, we had to walk past the Market Place section of the expo. I went to check out the Sundown and 2XU Run Event booth but a little bit disappointed that they didn’t have any further promotional pricing or attractive freebies other than the rates on their website. As we exited, there were sooo many other booths offering great discounts/deals but thankfully we didn’t succumb to any more purchase!

Race Pack and Contents – One of the things that I liked about this year race pack was the new and improved design of the bag. It’s definitely more functional and more comfortable when carrying. The sponsored contents in the bag for this year are also pretty good. I had high expectations for the event tee but I was disappointment was with the sizing as it was too big and the poor quality of the material. I had used the measurements provided during registration on the website but still it turned out to be too big.

Race Day – 3 December 2017

I took part in the 10KM category for this year’s edition SCSM and the flag-off timing for this category was 07:15 hrs as stated in the runners guide. I woke up around 04:50hrs as I need about an hour to prepare. Yes I’m slow and I get distracted; I was reading a few well wishes messages from friends that I received during the course of the night wishing me a good race later. Normally there aren’t such messages but this being the last and biggest race for most; I was pleasantly surprised but encouraged by those messages. Now you know why I need time to prepare haha…

[Above: Arrived at City Hall MRT Station]

One thing about having later flag-off timing is that I can take the MRT to the race site rather than taking GRABHitch or a cab. I boarded the 06:05 hrs train from Yishun and arrived at City with more than enough time to use the toilets and walk to the race site.

Entry to Pens – Entry point to the start pen was not clearly labelled, but my friend, Cheng Yee and I managed to find the entry for START Pen C. It would have been helpful if there were signs denoting the opening to these START pens, at least participants would have a visual and walk towards that direction. The security personals were efficient in ensuring that participants were filtered into the correct pens. Once in the START pens, the waiting game begun!

LONG wait time for Flag-off – As Cheng Yee and me had been auto assigned to Pen C because of our estimated finish timings; our flag-off was a long wait from what was stated in the runners guide. The organisers had flagged-off the first group promptly at 07:15hrs but it was after more half an hour then we got flagged-off. Initially we were super pumped for the race but the long wait just killed off that excitement. We were soooo bored in the pen and even though the emcee was trying to keep the spirit of the participants up, his charm wasn’t enough! Finally the time (07:52hrs) came for us to be flagged off, off we went! Because of the long wait, most of us had started off the first KM too fast and were also parched upon flag-off.

Here are a few suggestions that I think the organisers should consider to DECREASE WAIT TIME:

1. Revert back to the first in first out concept for 10KM – Being the last and latest category to be flagged off, the sun was already out in full force which made it a difficult race especially at the Benjamin Shears Bridge and Esplanade Bridge where there’s the least shelter.
2. List the various pen flag-off timings in the runners guide and open them accordingly – This would help to decrease wait time in the START pens. I think participants will be more than happy to get a few more minutes of beauty sleep.

Well planned routes – This is the first time that I’m running this route and I did enjoy the first 4KM before the Benjamin Shears Bridge. Though it was scenic when on the Benjamin Shears Bridge, the long up slope was a killer though the gradient was gradual. There was not much shelter there and the late flag-off did not help! I really liked that we got to see different landmarks which kept the run interesting for me.

At the 8KM mark near the Pit Building there was a mist gantry and that was the first time that I ran through one. I thought these mist gantries would be like passing by a room which has air-conditioning on and supposed to cool you down when passing through but it was way far from that. It was like mist in humid air and it did not help in cooling me down sadly but it was an interesting experience.

[Photo: Me in action – FinisherPix]

Hydration stations were position at strategic points of the 10KM route and were well-stocked serving cold drinks which were refreshing on a super-hot and humid morning!

The distance markers were placed clearly and the encouraging quotes are always nice to read when you need motivation to continue.

Post-Race Experience

Finishing this race was not an easy one especially with the sun showing no mercy and the extra 300m. I crossed the FINISH line with an official nett timing of 1:14:15. All participants were filtered to clearly mark out lanes to collect the Finisher entitlements.

The Finisher entitlements included my hard-earned Finisher Medal, two fruits (apple & banana), a bottle of mineral water, a can of non-carbonated 100PLUS and lastly a super cold towel which was much welcomed by all! I really liked that ice-cold towel as it was a nice relief for my sweaty self.

The walk to the race village was crowded and there was a bit a jam. It took me forever to walk like a 100m. When I reached the race village, I saw 7-time SCMS winner, Dr. Mok Ying Ren, as well as, Jed Senthil at the 100PLUS booth. It was really nice seeing both the co-founders of ONE (RunONE & ONEathlete) and I went to say hi to them. It was double Happiness for their team as Ashley Liew & Evan Chee (both managed by ONEathlete) won 2nd & 3rd respectively, in the Local Men’s Marathon Category!! More info can be found here.

[Above Photo Credit: RUNOne]

I then headed to the Cenotaph to meet up with a few more friends and take some photos before leaving the race site. It’s always nice seeing familiar faces. SCSM 2017 was definitely a good race to end off 2017! Though tough, it was enjoyable to run a new route. Like all races, there is always room for improvement and that step of becoming a world major is much nearer. Till my next write-up, happy holidays and keep training!

[Above: Catching up with Friends after the event]

Cover Photo Credits: Dave Poh (Pictureart Gallery)

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Long overdue review of 2017’s Great Eastern Women’s Run (GEWR). I was sooo busy and the reviews had to take a back seat for a while. Anyway, hope you guys and gals enjoy the read!

The Great Eastern Women’s Run (GEWR) is a run which I have been participating since 2015. This marks GEWR  12th year of unifying women in health and fitness! I always enjoy participating in GEWR run because it’s really fun and well organised!

In this review, I’ll highlight what makes GEWR soooo popular that keep participants coming back for more.

LEAD UP TO RACE DAY

GEWR Mobile App – Introduction of new elements to spice up a run event is a great idea! For this year’s lead up, the GEWR team launched a new mobile app which they encourage their participants to download. It’s a simple Mobile App which tracks your daily step count and participants have to complete monthly challenges to win attractive rewards. I personally downloaded the app and managed to win 2 Boost $5 E-vouchers. Though a small reward, it’s actually nice to receive these small treats to motivate you to get active! The GEWR team is definitely moving in the right direction to prepare participants for the actual race day.  The app also keeps you up to date on the latest information about the GEWR by notifying you of all the fun and exciting activities available. My feedback on the app was that it didn’t sync with Samsung Health, unlike the Healthy 365 App by HPB where the pairing options are plenty.

[GEWR Mobile App Printscreens]

Fringe Activities – GEWR is also known for its fun Fringe Activities. There was one in particular event that caught my attention which was the Breakfast Run on the 26 Aug 2017.  Participants had a training run followed by a breakfast session of pancakes and waffles at the South Beach. What a way to work out and have a nice breakfast thereafter! I couldn’t make it for that event but when I saw the photos on Facebook, I wished that I was there. The other fun activities included group exercise classes and seminars. Hopefully next year I can join them for one of those sessions.

[Photos from GEWR’s Facebook Page]

Introduction of new elements – For this year 5km Live Great! Fun Run, the organisers introduced New Features like:

• Win a Solitaire at 5km Live Great! Fun Run
• Instagram-worthy photo walls
• Colourful ball pits en route

[Photos of the 5km Live Great! Fun Run Ball Pit from GEWR’s Facebook Page]

I thought these were really interesting because it takes the stress of running and encourages participants to have fun! I did not get to see these new features as I took part in the 10KM category.

The introduction of the rose gold-plated medal for 21.1KM finishers was a genius idea! I personally saw the medal and it just made determined to do 21,1KM for the 2018 edition. This year medal design differed from previous years and even though the 10KM participants received a gold-plated medal, I still loved it!

[Photos of the 21.1KM & 10KM medals from GEWR’s website]

RACE ENTRY PACK COLLECTION (REPC)

REPCs for GEWR are something to look forward too rather than being dreaded. This year REPC this was held at Marina Square Atrium and like other years, it was very well organised! I collected my race pack with my friend, Kalsom on a Saturday late morning before lunch. The collection was really fast and efficient though there were a few ladies in front of us.

[GEWR REPC]

The highlights of the REPC were the following:

Generous goodies in race Pack – The race pack was heavy but that’s a good thing because that means that there are goodies inside! I always like to be surprised by what’s in the race pack and this year was no different. The race pack contained goodies from Tsubaki, Bengay, Heliocare, SPH etc. just to name a few.  Check out the race pack goodies.

[GEWR Race Pack Contents]

Gerbera Flowers – A stalk of Gerbera was given out to each participant that collected her race pack. This has been a norm at every GEWR REPC and I love this little touch as sometimes the simplest thing like a flower can put a smile on your face. I love Gerberas! They are hardy and most of colourful and beautiful.

Cosy section to meet your GEWR pacers – There was a section set up for participants to get to know the pacers for both the 21KM and 10KM categories. I loved how the organisers made it so cosy by putting a few bean bags where the ladies could get comfortable and have that chillaxed chat with the Pacers.

Awesome volunteers and staff – Having enthusiastic and helpful volunteers and staff on REPC really makes a difference! They set the tone for the event! At the GEWR REPCs, both volunteers and staff never failed to greet you with a smile or have any qualms about answering queries about the event.  Here’s a shout out to the volunteers and staff for a job well done guys!

Facebook (FB) contests – Like last year, there were FB contests that were held during the REPC period. I like this idea because it engages and excites participants who are there. It’s a like a form of a daily lucky draw.

[GEWR FB contest]

Photo booths – I love visiting the photo booths because of the little-printed photo souvenir! These are memories that I know I will keep.

RACE DAY

Flag-off for the 10KM category was at 06:30 hrs.  It’s always a love-hate relationship for me when I have to go for run events. Waking up early definitely is not the most fun part of the experience but it becomes worthwhile only after you’ve completed the race! For GEWR, Share Transport was the vendor for the shuttle bus I took to the race site. The bus pick-up was at 05:00hrs and the journey was a long one but thankfully I did manage to catch a bit of a shut eye on the way.

[Before entering the START Pen – Photos By Terence Ang]

Upon reaching the race site, I walked over to the Singapore Flyer which was the START point to meet-up with Terence, Yi Hsiu and Priscilla. Initially, I was supposed to meet 5 other friends but 3 of them had fallen ill and decided it was best to give the race a miss. Terence had come down earlier to support his girlfriend for her very first 21KM and he being a photography enthusiast decided to try his hand at sports photography at the same time.  After some introductions and photo taking, the three of us (ladies) headed into the START pen and Terence headed to his spot at MBS to take photos. We were glad that we managed to get into the first wave and were starting off close to the START line. The emcee, Ross, and the flag-off party started the race exactly at 06:30hrs.

Yi Hsiu and I decided to run the race together as she wanted to go for that Personal Best (PB) timing and I thought it would be nice to have company as that would motivate me to keep moving. Along the way, we met Yi Hsiu’s hubby, Zhiyong and he was there to support Yi Hsiu in her journey. We ran together until the 4KM mark where I told her to continue as I needed a short walk break. From then onwards, it was catch-up race for me because I could only jog and brisk walk.

Race Route – The 10KM route was a familiar one as many races use it.  Participants would run past iconic Singapore landmarks and they would have fantastic views of the Singapore skyline. The parts that I hated most were slopes at Crawford Street and the footbridge beside the Double Helix Bridge. Slopes just wear you out really quickly and they do slow you down quite a bit especially for a person like me who doesn’t like slope training.

[GEWR 10 KM Route]

Hydration Stations – The water points were well spaced out and well stocked. Volunteers mended these stations superbly and handed out the water efficiently to the participants. There were no jams at the water points.

Photographers – Along the route, especially near the FINISH line, there were sooooo many photographers! I think it’s the most I’ve seen in a run event ever! Big thanks to all for capturing those moments; be it picture perfect or unglam haha… They are memories that I will keep and treasure.

[Photos from various photographers]

Supporters/Motivators – Like the photographers, were also lots of people along the route that were cheering the participants on. Special shout out to Lexxus and Zhiyong for the encouraging words and support that definitely gave me the extra push to go a bit faster.

POST RACE

I crossed the FINISH line with an official net time of 1:11:1. Nice numbers for a finish timing right?  I was happy just to have completed the race. Yi Hsiu had just finished a few seconds ahead of me and she got her PB! Congrats gal! You did fantastic by keeping pace and pushing forwards! We collected our Finisher entitlements and headed to the floating platform to catch up with some other friends and enjoy the ongoing festivities.

Race Village – The race village was situated on the Floating Platform.  There were lots of activity zones and stalls that were giving out freebies to the ladies after the race. My friends and I had queued to get our free breakfast sets, yoghurt, carbonated water etc.  Though the queues were snaking, they moved pretty fast. We initially wanted to stay and enjoy the festivities but it started to drizzle which quickly developed into a heavy downpour. We quickly left the Floating Platform to find for shelter at a nearby shopping centre.

[Post Race Fun]

Overall it was a fun race! The organisers did superb from the organisation of the Pre-Race Events to the Post Race experience (Too bad it had to be ruined by the downpour). Knowing their strengths of the previous edition and the successful introduction of new elements to the event was a nice touch in keeping the event constantly refreshing and fun.  Two thumbs up to the organiser! I’m definitely looking forward to next year event where I’m aiming to do the 21KM Category! Until my next review! Let’s all Live Great and stay healthy!