It was a busy weekend as there were several well-anticipated running event happening over the weekend.
The busy running weekend begins on Saturday morning 14th July at Sengkang Sports Recreation center where McDonalds have organize The Olympic Day Run which is an annually event here in Singapore in conjunction with the worldwide celebration of the Olympic Day to help reflect on the meaning of sport and its values of competing with excellence, friendship and respect. Through Olympic Day, organizers hope to celebrate these ideals of the Olympic Movement with everyone in Singapore
Close to 3,000 people gathered at Sengkang Sports and Recreation Centre that morning to celebrate Olympic Day and the upcoming London 2012 Olympic games with the rest of the world. Amongst the participants for the 2.6 km Run are 500 participants who signed up through McDonald’s race site, students from primary and secondary schools and a 700-strong contingent of McDonald’s employees and their families. They were joined by a team of 80 athletes from Special Olympics Singapore and Singapore Olympians led by Mr C Kunalan. Madam Halimah Yacob, Minister of State, flagged off the 2.6km Run at 0830hr.
15th July, It was ultimately the most exciting Running Sunday of the year as there were 3 running event clashes on one day. The All Woman Run Shape Run 2012 and for the first time ever the Pocari Sweat Run was set to take place on the same day at different parts of Singapore. For months these event have given runners spoilt for choices as they could not decide which run to go for. On one hand if are a woman, they could choose to participate the annual Shape Run 2012 organize by Shape Magazine or if they are not they could choose to take part in the 1st ever Pocari Sweat Run which was set to be held at the newly open Gardens by the Bay.
Shape Run 2012
Distance: 2.4km, 5km and 10km
Start Location: Nicoll Highway MRT Station
Back again for its seventh year was Singapore’s first women-only race, Shape Run, This year saw 8,600 women runners turn up at Nicoll Highway MRT Station to take on the challenge in completing the race which has been hailed as the country’s most popular event in the All-Woman race by Singapore Sports Council, Runners came as early as 6am in the morning to check in their luggage, stretch and warm up and also to mingle around with the other runners. Flag-off time for the race was at 7am.
Unlike the previous years, Shape Run 2012 had been given an update in its format. In addition to the usual 5km and 10km challenges, a non-competitive 2.4km category is now available, with the introduction of the non-competitive 2.4km category this year, the event seek to spur more women into action, especially those who have not laced up since school days.
The event will also, for the first time, include 30 men, not as competitors but as Shape race pacers to help the female runners achieve their goal timings.
Previous winners for Shape Run 2011 in the 10km and 5km race categories were Eunice Nyawira Muchiri with a timing of 34 mins 21 seconds and Jenny Lundgren with a timing of 18 mins 04 secs respectively.
Pocari Sweat Run
Distance: 5km and 10km
Start Location: Garden By The Bay
A couple of train stop away at Bayfront MRT was the first ever inaugural Pocari Sweat Run which was set to take place at the newly open and scenic Gardens By the Bay.
The event was capped to about 4,000 runner, many of the participants would agree that the race was well organize, scenic and can be consider as best 10k run of the year. Despite the bottleneck at beginning which was expected due to small entrance at the start point the weather was good, organizers were very generous with the supply of Pocari Sweat Drinks at hydration stations at every 2km, starting and finishing point.
Route was scenic and was mostly flat except for the last part approaching the finishing line whereby the incline was challenging for some runners. Upon crossing the finishing line a unique Medal was given to every finisher
My Running Addiction 