You’ve heard our take on the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2011. Now hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. RunSociety scoured the FINISH grounds at the Padang and gathered some invaluable feedback from runners. Thought it’d be a waste if we shelved them so here it is.
Full Marathon
This year’s route is almost the same as last year but the weather is definitely better than last year. Total support is just sufficient I guess. I will prefer if they have something more after 30K, that’s one. The experience wise, I think it’s improving but of course, there’s room to improve. Getting the spectators involved is definitely a challenge. Ferrying the spectators to be around to support the runners is also a challenge. So it’s a toggling between starting early without support there, or starting late that makes the runners suffer but you do have some supporters that are able to turn up. If you ask me, runner’s point of view, we’ll prefer to start even earlier. So in fact it’s the best to avoid the sun, say about 4.30, even four o’clock. Other than that, I think it has been improving. Certainly, it’s good.
Ning Wenlong, 34, Sales
This year’s edition had quite good weather because of the rain last night. So the whole race this morning was quite cooling and the conditions were like overcast, so great conditions for running. Probably in the last three to four clicks for the full marathon, there’s a lot of congestion with the 21-click runners, so maybe that area could be improved because it actually might slow down some of the fastest runners from either of the races.
Fung Kakin, 21, Student
The overall experience was good. The weather today was very kind. I was indeed fortunate to finish sub-four. It’s a great run and lots of water points, and lots of support from everyone. Most memorable part of the race, well, that’s when my cramp starts sets in and everything goes downhill, and I was trying to fight it and that’s when you fight against yourself.
David Shum, 42, Head Coach
Half Marathon
I think there were not enough distance markers but otherwise I felt that the route was overall quite enjoyable, especially the part through Resorts World Sentosa, I think the mascots made me smile when I went through. But otherwise, I thought it was actually quite a challenging course you know because there were a lot of upslopes. I did the Full Marathon last year so this is my first time doing the Half Marathon for this race. I had a goal for this one – more for speed.
Vanessa Tang, 26, Corporate Development Director
Yes very good. Very good weather today. I did the SAFRA run and the Newton run as well. My favourite definitely would be Universal Studios when we ran past. Just we have some things to see, not just bump into people.
Kenniess Wong, 37, Media Professional
It was good except that the starting wasn’t too good at Sentosa, It was kind of cram, especially at the beach area. But all, I mean overall, it’s fine. It was a good run through (Universal Studios). Really appreciate their mascots there.
Claire Tong, 31, Manager
Very satisfying. The starting. Because the atmosphere, the music, the people. Because seeing the funny characters standing there cheering us up.
Chong Wing Peh, 42, IT Professional
10 Kilometres
This one is a good experience because this my first time running the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore. Then every time I run to other marathons, then this is a good practice for next time. Actually my planning is 21 kilometres but I refuse to run 21. Maybe I cannot do it for 21 for this time, maybe next.
Ricky G. Calimag, 30, Mechanical Engineer
It was okay. It was quite fun. It’s my first time. I usually do shorter distances. Probably must train more.
Alicia Lim, 24, Doctor
Yes, first time for StanChart. It’s just that the starting is no good because supposed to start at 7.15 but we started at about 7.58 because of the bridge there. You have to cross over and it’s not convenient at all. But overall it’s fun. At least we did it.
Kelly Peh, 43, Finance Officer
It doesn’t end here. If you have something of your own to share, you could always do so in the ‘Comment’ section below.
2 Comments
Sorry but this race continues to go backwards as a true marathon experience . On the positive side the drinks support and gels were excellent and easily accesible . However lets look at the bad stuff .
First one is that farcical situation of having marathon runners (and fairly fast ones at that) running into packs of 5k/10k and half runners . This is frankly pathetic as nobody at the 40k mark should be dodging runners .
The course itself is OK but poorly marked particularly through F1 area and ECP . Don’t forget again that runners at the front are badly affected by this . Also there are far too many twists and turns over the initial 8k . This is justified as “scenic” which is nonsense as it’s pitch black at 5am . They need to rethink the Sheares Bridge at 38k if they want to get times improved too .
At the start the pens need properly allocated . EVERY major marathon has proper pens . We had the ludicrous (and very dangerous) spectacle of a chain barrier blocking the “sub 4” group . This was NOT removed in time for the off and I think it very lucky nobody was seriously hurt .
I’ve been running Singapore Marathon in its many forms since 1995 and thought a few years ago it was finally getting there but this year was a step back . As stated objective is 100K with marathon entry static at 20k new “runners” will be added in 5/10k . So in essence its not really a marathon rather a large mass participation event dressed up as a marathon .
If Singapore wants a proper marathon then look at how the majors are run . I do though suspect that this is now such a money spinner for the organisers that it’ll never be a top priority to look after marathon runners .
Absolutely agree with MC above. I’ll come straight to the point. Very likely I am going to give the SCM a miss from now on, in favour of other races, here and in M’sia. It is now a mass money-making event, no longer a serious marathon run. Worse, the enrolment will still go up. 65,000 payers at $60 each is not enough money!
The down lists are too many; in summary – where are the distance markers for 10km, 21 km, 30 km and 40 km? Obviously, the person who master-minded this is not a runner himself. Why hv markers for odd distances like 23 km and 35 km? Who times himself at these distances?
The baggage point is a disaster. I arrived quite early, but I was quite demoralised at starting at 5.25 am, almost half hour late. The girls at the tables were just taking their sweet time peeling off the stickers, while most of the runners were fuming mad in the v long queue. I went through long tunnels ( there was no short-cut to the start gantry). Emerging at Orchard Road, the girl directed me down the street opposite to the start-point! It was a half km to the U-turn round the barricades and another half k to the start point! No common sense. The race had already started 25 mins ago, why not just open the barriers for late-comers to go straight to the start gantry point? Extremely distressing.
The congestion at the ECP is a big debacle. All the three races converge at this point. The diff distances races should start at the same start point, at different times. That way, the marathoners, starting off first, will not be obstructed along any point in the route.
Unless there is a drastic change of mind-set in the organisers, I don’t see this improving in favour of the serious runners. This an international event?
The only plus point I can think of at this moment is the MRT running at that hour. Cheers to that.
MT