When the National Museum of Singapore tasked curators with the responsibility for designing an exhibit dedicated to the evolution of the nation’s playgrounds, they must have thought they had landed in Nirvana. Playgrounds symbolise all there is to love about abandoning cares and letting one’s spirit fly free, so they set off to pay tribute to these enclaves of joy by installing an exhibit filled with colour and information.

If you’re interested in seeing this exhibit, you’ll want to hustle because “The More We Get Together: Singapore’s Playgrounds 1930–2030” exhibit closes on 30th September, so adjust your plans accordingly. Then sign up for the upcoming race that pays homage to our nation’s proud playground heritage: The More We Run Together: Singapore’s Playground Run Challenge 2018.

The past meets the present

Could a theme be more symbolic for Singapore’s running community than “The more we run together”? Running as a community is at the heart of our value system as our small country makes huge inroads on the international scene, and much of that effort is inspired by government-supported healthy lifestyles and activity initiatives. Ordinary people have made running both their emotional outlets and their passions.

From the imposing and iconic dragon playgrounds installed in the 1970s to Singapore’s modern versions of recreational hubs, the “idea” of communal playgrounds is beginning to change. These days, parcels of land within housing estates are devoted to playgrounds, but often, this means nothing more than plastic equipment and rubber mats, so kids can have fun near home.

Does this mean the classic playground is going the way of an endangered species? Not if this online running event have anything to say about it, and if you feel the same way, your participation is essential to this event's success.

About the Singapore's Playground Challenge

This online race is designed to give anyone wishing to support Singapore’s playground heritage a chance to show their support. You sign up before 7th October at Spacebib, choose your distance—3km; 5km; 10km—and the hard part is done. There are no age limits, though whomever does the registering needs to be tall enough to see over the keyboard!

Entitlements include a finisher medal, E-certificate and limited-edition finisher-t, all of which are mailed to participants’ homes a couple of weeks after they reach the metaphorical “finish line.”

Since this is an online challenge, you can join the fun from anywhere on the planet and still participate—as long as you’ve got a GPS-enabled running app or tracker/device. Your job? Do your thing. Log those kilometers. Complete your race by 23:59 on 15th October and you’re a winner.

Why has this never been done before?

Easy question: The aforementioned museum exhibit inspired the race to carry this theme beyond the museum, taking it to the streets where folks with high-profile jobs, competition in the workplace and global tension exist for every Singaporean.

But recreation helps vent those stressors and balance them out. Even a stroll past our legendary dragons can take you back to gentler times when you and your besties blew soap bubbles through wands and dreamed of super heroes, princesses and horses that flew.

By running the Singapore's Playground Challenge, you verify the human need “to play” because it’s a true source of happiness. In return for your participation, you can show the world you care by flaunting your limited-edition finisher t-shirt with playful graphics. There’s a good chance your awareness is going to change you—that you won’t be able to walk by a playground without thinking about its value to both Singapore and your own life.

Since no good deed goes unspoken, registering for this event gives you ownership of Singapore's playgrounds since the National Museum is a beneficiary of some of this largesse. A portion of entry fees will benefit this institution, so you have an investment in more than just your personal best.

Sound like something you want to do for any number of reasons? Become a playground superhero the minute you sign up and prepare to complete what could easily be the easiest race you’ve run in your lifetime!