The Air New Zealand Queenstown International Marathon, a.k.a The World's Most Beautiful Runway is back by popular demand and happening on 19 November this year. This annual international running festival offers run options from 42km, 21km, 10km to a 3km fun run for kids.

If you haven’t been there, don’t miss this chance to see the stunning landscapes of New Zealand during the early Spring season and experience the best of Queenstown – from Arrowtown, Lake Hayes, Shotover Bridge to the Twin Rivers trail, Lake Wakatipu and more!

Watch this video to see what’s it like running The World’s Most Beautiful Runway:

We had a quick chat with Team Singapore runner, Leo Fang Jian Yong, who ran the half marathon last year for some tips to share on the race.

RS: What made you decide to take part in the Queenstown Marathon last year?

Leo: I always wanted to visit New Zealand and, in particular, Queenstown, for its overwhelming choices of adrenaline-pumping adventures. What convinced me most to take part, though, had to be its super scenic running course. Even if I ended up running a tad slower to take a few more glances around me, it was all worth that one to two minutes of my race time!

RS: Was it easy for you to get to the marathon?

Leo: I took a direct flight from Singapore to Auckland on Air New Zealand before getting to Queenstown. They fly the new Dreamliner 787-9 aircraft and I had a chance to try their award winning Premium Economy seat with lots of room to stretch and relax. The inflight entertainment was on a touch screen which worked pretty much like the iPad. I could watch lots of good entertainment content and even ordered some drinks/ snacks directly on the screen!

That made the long haul flight seem a lot "shorter" and overall, a great way to experience some Kiwi-ness before I get to NZ. Upon arriving in Queenstown, it was affordable and easy to get a cab or rent a car to the city centre. The race had shuttle services from the city to the starting points by the minute which made it easy to get to.

Photo credit: Leo Fang Jian Yong

RS: How did you find the race? From the way it was organized to actually running on it?

Leo: The organization from the pre-race to the post race was world class. Having an emcee to calm the nerves of the anxious starters was a fantastic idea. We should probably throw in some of those Kiwi's humors in ours too!

At the race, it was great that there were different starting pens that categorized runners into groups of similar standard. (We have it here in some of the Singapore local races, but what I see at this race is how courteous the runners are to not crowd into the faster categories.)

Once you start running, I have to say that the race course was nothing short of surprises! Be prepared to be blown away by the amazing sights like The Remarkables as you run along the course. I even met up with fellow Singaporean runner Brandon, who won his trip to the race from the Air New Zealand 1-minute Marathon Challenge last year.

Photo credit: Brandon Tay and Leo Fang Jian Yong

"Tap" your way and win a trip for two! Ready for the Challenge?

By the way, Air New Zealand is offering you an interesting challenge to win an unforgettable trip to the Queenstown Marathon with your race buddy!

Take the 30-sec Marathon Challenge with your mobile phone here and break your personal best records by tapping as many times as you can in just 30 seconds!

As long as you achieve 250 taps or more, you will be entered into a Grand Lucky Draw to win a pair of roundtrip Economy Class tickets from Singapore to Queenstown (via Auckland) on the Dreamliner 787-9, 4D3N hotel accommodation and 2 complimentary entries to the Full/Half Marathon!

RS: Do you have any tips to share with fellow runners who might want to join the Queenstown Marathon this year?

Leo: Be in Queenstown at least two days before race day so that your body gets attuned to the cooler weather there. It is especially essential if you're coming from a hot and humid country like Singapore. The race pack collection was held over two days, located conveniently at the heart of the town where most of the hotels are located in close proximity. For those who reach the race starting point early, my suggestion is to make sure that you keep yourselves warm before and during your warm-up so that you can get off to an easier start!

New Zealand is a pretty amazing country so take time to travel around after the race. Get ready for the race but also plan a great holiday after for some quality recovery time! Air New Zealand’s flights connect easily around the country and you can fly/ drive to see both the North and South Island.

RS: That's some useful advice there. Thanks for your time, Leo!

Experience New Zealand the moment you step on board

With Air New Zealand's daily direct service to Auckland, you can fly any day and connect easily to all of New Zealand. Experience the unique features of the Dreamliner B787-9 aircraft from Singapore with state of the art inflight technology and product, including the lie-flat Business Premier, award winning Premium Economy, innovative Economy Skycouch, as well as the comfort of Economy. With Air New Zealand’s friendly Kiwi service and some of the best food and wine on board, you’ll get a taste of the amazing country before you even arrive!

Flight deals to New Zealand start from just S$1,248, excluding taxes when you book 30 days in advance. For the latest offers and more about the Air New Zealand inflight experience, visit airnewzealand.com.sg

Don't forget to sign up for the race and make it your Year of Running on The World’s Most Beautiful Runway!