The annual all-female race and 9th edition of SHAPE Run 2014 took place without a hitch at Nicoll Highway last Sunday morning!

A total number of 9,000 women in their pink Skechers race singlets gathered at the starting line as early as 6.30am, excited to start their day with a run. Many of them were spotted taking selfies with their smartphones, while others were busy catching up with their friends, but they were all ready to paint the town pink!

New Category “Me and Mini Me” Introduced for the First time

Besides the usual 5km and 10km distances, there was a new "Me and Mini Me 1.8km Fun Run" category introduced for the first time. It was a heartwarming sight, with kids running enthuastically alongside with their mothers towards the finishing line!

Runners also got a feast for the eyes on race day, which served as a distraction from the scorching weather. 27 ladies from Miss Singapore International Beauty Pageant 2014, along with past titleholders, completed the 5km distance for a good cause, raising S$10,000 for 3 beneficiaries: the THK Home for Disabled @ Eunos, Singapore Women's Association and Lions Home For The Elders. Celebrities such as Allan Wu, Bobby Tonelli, Andrew Lua and Jimmy Taenaka were also part of the pacer groups to spur the ladies on.

Burning Calories and Getting into SHAPE

As my running journey began with SHAPE Run way back in 2009, this is a race that has held a special place in my heart, and I have been joining with my girlfriends every year since.

The True Fitness instructors and lively MC got everyone psyched up and in the mood before the official flag-offs for both the 10km and 5km categories. Despite the slight bottlenecks and narrow paths along the loopy race, ladies still tried their best to run at their usual pace with happy and determined faces. The lively pacers also did an excellent job to lighten up the atmosphere while encouraging the ladies not to give up.

Race Logistics Could be Improved Further

I felt that the directional signage could have been clearer, especially towards the end of the race, as runners for 5km and 10km distances had to criss-cross paths while crossing the finishing line.

Other minor gripes about the race included insufficient water points, the lack of mobile toilets as well as the snaking long queues at the end. Some of my friends had to queue close to 30 minutes to get their drinks!

Perhaps the race organisers could consider distributing hydration drinks immediately after the race if runners had to queue for the finisher tees and medals. Energy foods, such as bananas or muffins, would also be a great bonus for the runners after the run.

29 year old Emmylou Roberts, a loyal participant of Shape Run shared with us,

"It was a good workout with my girlfriends today. However, it would be good to add in mobile toilets for the future SHAPE Runs."

New Champions of 10KM and 5KM Categories

Vanja Cnops and Suzanne Walsham topped the 10km and 5km categories for the first time, with timings of 37 minutes 33 seconds, and 18 minutes 27 seconds respectively.

After the run, participants grooved to the catchy rhythm at the upbeat Zumba session led by True Fitness instructors, while the rest mingled at the race carnival for product samples and lucky draws.

Despite the slight hiccups in race logistics this year, it was still a good Sunday morning workout at Nicoll Highway, and next year's SHAPE Run is certainly going to be included in my race calendar once again!

Event Overview

• Various categories for females of different age groups, as well as the new category "Me and Mini me 1.8km Fun Run" which encouraged family bonding.
• Slight bottlenecks along the route with narrow paths.
• Enthuastic and motivating pacers to spur the ladies on.
• Insufficient water points.
• Lack of mobile toilets along the route.
• Long snaking queues after the race to collect the medals, isotonic drinks etc.
• Lack of energy food after the race.
• For the first time, all participants got to bring home a Finisher Tee sponsored by Orbis.
• Lively race carnival with a post-race Zumba session led by True Fitness.