Check this out, looks like the media coverage department got quite abit to explain. Serves them right for forcing us to go. =)
Don't run two marathons at one go
I TOOK part in the 12km Fun Run of the Sheares Bridge Run on Sunday. The event was very well organised. The first half of the run was excellent - pounding the tarmac of Shenton Way, the East Coast Parkway and, more importantly, Benjamin Sheares Bridge for the first time was an exhilarating experience.
In fact, the bridge was one stretch where I slowed down considerably, partly due to the steep climb up but more because I wanted to take in the magnificent view of the business district.
However, the nightmare began when the 12km route merged with the 21km one near the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The 21km runners started their run at 6am while those on the 5km and 12km run were flagged off at 8am. As you can imagine, the folks that we were merging with were participants that, after going at it for two hours, had more or less given up running, content to walk to the finishing point, a good 6km away.
Most of these participants were army boys in their army tank-tops and shorts, walking up to four abreast across the running path. Those still running had to weave their way through them. In fact, along certain stretches, the only way was to run outside the safety markers.
Finally, thanks too to the increasingly hot weather, the dodging and weaving took their toll on me and I stopped running with about 4km left. From then on, I walked and ran intermittently to get to the finishing point.
Initially, I blamed the 21km participants, who clearly overestimated their abilities and did not prepare themselves adequately for the run, resulting in them walking one quarter of the way and, in the process, hindering those keen to finish the race.
However, on further reflection, I found it puzzling that there were so many walking in a running event and that almost all were army boys. Then I remembered that the event was also the Army Half Marathon, which probably explained the huge turnout - more than 60,000, according to press reports. It, however, did not explain the walking bit - did these partici-pants (especially the 21km ones) properly prepare for the run? Were they willing participants or merely there to make up the numbers for the various distance events, which would explain their lack of interest in running the full distance?
Combining the Sheares Bridge Run, an open-to-the-public event, and the Army Half Marathon did more damage to the image of our army than good. The sight of fighting-fit soldiers taking a leisurely Sunday-morning stroll when they should be running did not instill confidence in the public.
To make matters worse, towards the end of the run at Marina Promenade, some of the army boys led a bunch of others in bashing through the 'forest', with the aim of reducing their walking distance to the finishing point, all in full view of the public.
I hope that the organisers will consider de-coupling the two events. By itself, the Sheares Bridge Run is a very scenic and memorable run through iconic parts of Singapore and should be able to attract good participation.
The Army Half Marathon, as its name suggests, should stay as an army event.
TAN LENG KIAT
I TOOK part in the 12km Fun Run of the Sheares Bridge Run on Sunday. The event was very well organised. The first half of the run was excellent - pounding the tarmac of Shenton Way, the East Coast Parkway and, more importantly, Benjamin Sheares Bridge for the first time was an exhilarating experience.
In fact, the bridge was one stretch where I slowed down considerably, partly due to the steep climb up but more because I wanted to take in the magnificent view of the business district.
However, the nightmare began when the 12km route merged with the 21km one near the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The 21km runners started their run at 6am while those on the 5km and 12km run were flagged off at 8am. As you can imagine, the folks that we were merging with were participants that, after going at it for two hours, had more or less given up running, content to walk to the finishing point, a good 6km away.
Most of these participants were army boys in their army tank-tops and shorts, walking up to four abreast across the running path. Those still running had to weave their way through them. In fact, along certain stretches, the only way was to run outside the safety markers.
Finally, thanks too to the increasingly hot weather, the dodging and weaving took their toll on me and I stopped running with about 4km left. From then on, I walked and ran intermittently to get to the finishing point.
Initially, I blamed the 21km participants, who clearly overestimated their abilities and did not prepare themselves adequately for the run, resulting in them walking one quarter of the way and, in the process, hindering those keen to finish the race.
However, on further reflection, I found it puzzling that there were so many walking in a running event and that almost all were army boys. Then I remembered that the event was also the Army Half Marathon, which probably explained the huge turnout - more than 60,000, according to press reports. It, however, did not explain the walking bit - did these partici-pants (especially the 21km ones) properly prepare for the run? Were they willing participants or merely there to make up the numbers for the various distance events, which would explain their lack of interest in running the full distance?
Combining the Sheares Bridge Run, an open-to-the-public event, and the Army Half Marathon did more damage to the image of our army than good. The sight of fighting-fit soldiers taking a leisurely Sunday-morning stroll when they should be running did not instill confidence in the public.
To make matters worse, towards the end of the run at Marina Promenade, some of the army boys led a bunch of others in bashing through the 'forest', with the aim of reducing their walking distance to the finishing point, all in full view of the public.
I hope that the organisers will consider de-coupling the two events. By itself, the Sheares Bridge Run is a very scenic and memorable run through iconic parts of Singapore and should be able to attract good participation.
The Army Half Marathon, as its name suggests, should stay as an army event.
TAN LENG KIAT
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