Marketed as being designed for the casual fitness enthusiast as well as to runners who are looking to immerse themselves in an active weekend getaway, the first-ever RUN-Cation jointly organised by RUN Singapore and the Oasia Hotel Novena took place last weekend – that is, on Saturday the 6th and Sunday the 7th of October.

I love both running and staycations, so I made the decision to embark on this RUN-cation experience – to see what it was all about.

This RUN-Cation is priced from S$250 – which is definitely value for money, because the complete set of entitlements that you will get throughout your stay, according to RUN Singapore, are valued at over S$500.

Receiving the RUN-Cation event programme

The event programme for the RUN-Cation arrived in my e-mail inbox, a couple of days before the event had been due to commence. 

Most hotels typically have their check-in times during the early part of the afternoon, at about 2pm to 3pm. So I admit that I had initially expected our RUN-Cation to begin after midday. 

Because there was not too much to prepare for the one-night stay, I was able to complete my packing the day before the RUN-Cation – this meant that on Saturday morning, I could simply grab my bag and go.

Heading to the Oasia Hotel Novena

When Saturday arrived, I was awake by 5.30am and I took the train down to the Oasia Hotel Novena, where the meeting point of our RUN-Cation was scheduled to be.

A Zen feeling

This had been the first time that I was setting foot into the Novena branch of Oasia – and the first thing that I noticed when I stepped inside had been the stone wall at the lift lobby. Apparently these stones were taken from a quarry in Thailand.

And the hotel reception area had been completely decked out in wooden panels; I thought that the ‘zen’ feeling that I got when looking at the stone walls and the wooden panels had certainly been in line with Oasia’s theme of Refresh, Refuel and Recharge, which the hotel terms as their ‘three wellness pillars’. So with these elements in place, I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend ahead.

Our 10km Run Begins

After marking down my attendance with the organiser and depositing my bag with the hotel staff at the lobby, I was immediately whisked over to the swimming pool area located on Level eight, where there was a short warm-up session prior to our 10km run.

The warm-up had been conducted by Steven Chan of Team BodyFuel and it was a lot shorter than I had expected; it lasted less than two minutes and we just did a few fast exercises in order to get our heart rates pumping.

According to Steven, doing too much warm-up exercises is basically counter-productive and has a placebo effect more than anything else.

We then took the lift back to the Level one lobby of the hotel and slowly walked towards the starting point of the run, at the Church of Saint Alphonsus.

The road run took us to MacRitchie Reservoir Park, where we completed a couple of kilometres through the trails, before heading back to the entrance of MacRitchie, through Lornie Road. 

We stopped for a hydration stop at about 7km where both water and cans of 100PLUS was provided to us. This was at a van at the MacRitchie Reservoir carpark and I welcomed this stop, where we also took several photos, chit-chatted to one another, and caught our breath too, before then making our way back towards the church.

Despite having this stop though, the organisers had also prompted us to bring along our own hydration prior to the event, so I had my Simple Hydration bottle with me.

In terms of the terrain, I would say that it was a challenging run with several inclines along the way, so not wanting to stress my body out too much, I took it at a slow and leisurely pace. As a result, I found myself running alone for part of the time because many of the runners present, had been quite fast!

But I never had any doubts on the direction I was running, because the two designated sweepers did a great job in making sure that nobody was left behind. 

Also, whenever there was a junction or a turning point during the run, someone would wait there and tell us which direction to go. So this made me pretty comfortable with running at my own pace – rather than stressing myself out, to keep up with the group.

So my first impression had been that the organisation of the event was pretty good and our needs as runners were being taken care of.

The run had ended back at the church, where we then spent time taking some photos and catching our breath before slowly walking back to our hotel.

De-briefing and breakfast after the run

And once back at the hotel, we took the elevator to the Level eight swimming pool where Steven led us through a very fast two-minute cool down and a post-run de-briefing session the run, as well as some brief pointers to improve our running. 

During this short session, some of the things that Steven had pointed out was incorrect running form, for example, when we are running, our heads are meant to be upright and not looking down on the ground. This is because by looking down, this will close our airway and affect our intake of oxygen during the run.

And to also help open up the airways, Steven added that we should not slouch even if we are tired towards the end of a run; instead our shoulders should be square and parallel to the ground at all times.

However I think that everyone had been more interested in the breakfast that had been nicely laid out and waiting for us, on a nearby table at The Oasis.

An open-air alfresco seating lounge, The Oasis is a tranquil, open-air space that is surrounded by greenery. According to the hotel, it is often used for meetings and other events.

In line with the wellness theme of our RUN-Cation, our breakfast that day had consisted of fresh fruits, yoghurt and granola bars. I had thought that the yoghurt was particularly delicious.

To wash everything down, we had iced water infused with lemons. This too, was very refreshing and tasted great after the run.

Receiving our New Balance Zante shoes

It was at this moment that each RUN-Cation guest also received a pair of New Balance Zante shoes, worth S$169.

On the RUN Singapore RUN-Cation advertising materials, it had been advertised that these shoes would be a part of the package, so I had been expecting them at some point in time.

I have not yet done any runs using the shoes, but slipping them on, I found them to feel quite comfortable and light. 

But with the Great Eastern Women’s Run taking place this coming Sunday and the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon coming up in December, I am looking forward to clocking some training miles in these.

Checking into my room

After picking up our shoes, we were given some free time till 2pm. Also, if our respective rooms were ready, we could also check in. I decided to see if my room was ready and luckily for me, it was.

The room type that all of the RUN-Cation guests were allocated was a Superior Room and mine was located on the 16th floor. 

The other types that are available at the Oasia Hotel Novena are the Deluxe Room, Club Room and Club Suite.

After checking in successfully, I immediately headed to my room to put my bags away and also check out the place that was to be my lodgings for one night.

Due to my checking in early, there had not been much of a queue at the lobby and I was served immediately by the ever-friendly counter staff. However, I have heard from others, that during the hotel’s designated check-in time of 2pm, the lobby can be rather busy and that there may be quite a bit of a wait. 

Do note too, that the hotel key cards are necessary not only for our room, but also for the lift – in order to enhance the security for guests.

Exploring my Room

Once I opened the door to my room, what had immediately got my attention were the two full-length windows in the room, which let in plenty of natural light and at the same time, brightening up the room substantially – this really made the room come alive.

There was also a soft bench by the window, which had provided me with a comfortable place to sit and chill out, whilst enjoying the views of the city. This was one comfort that I had particularly liked.

At the same time, I also noticed the calm, earthy colour tones spread throughout the room, which was similar to what I had observed in the hotel’s main lobby. The furniture also took on soft, brown colour hues and a soft, nude-coloured rug adorned the floor too. 

All of this gave me a very calming and homely feel and so I was looking forward to spending the night there.

The amenities that were available to me in the room had comprised of a 40-inch LED television, unlimited high-speed WiFi access, a handheld rain shower, ironing facilities, hairdryer and an in-room safe box. 

And as well, in the room, I also noticed a smartphone into which had been installed a complete guide on what to see and do in Singapore. I thought this was really good for tourists who may be searching for ideas on how to spend their time here.

In my room too, was a Walking and Jogging Guide, which was a printed brochure that was full of information about the main attractions within the hotel’s vicinity. 

As well, this Guide even consisted of a 4km exploratory running route fully mapped out and if followed, this would bring hotel guests past the main sights around the Novena area. I thought this had been a rather novel and interesting idea – to encourage hotel guests to engage in some exercise.

I also discovered a small goodie bag that was placed in my room by the hotel. Apparently this bag was a ‘wellness pack’ and had comprised of a wooden calendar, gym towel and a lunch box, amongst other items.

I later found out that these three items in particular were chosen as they are in line with the hotel’s wellness pillars – the calendar is a reminder to take a day off and refresh amidst busy schedules, the gym towel is to take along and recharge on the go, and the lunch box acts as a convenient way to refuel on our future journeys.

I had thought that this had been a nice touch from the hotel – for the RUN-Cation guests, and hopefully they will inspire me to continue on with my wellness journey, in the coming months.

Another thing that struck me was how cool the room had felt at first. The air conditioning had been turned to about 14 to 15 degrees C so I decided to turn it off for a while, in order to warm myself up a little – I get cold easily.

With the hotel’s central air conditioning unit in full blast, I figured that my room would still continue to remain cool enough, and it turns out that I had been right in that aspect.

In the bathroom, most of the basic essentials are provided to guests too – such as bath and hand towels, body wash, body foam and shampoo, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, and so on. This means that guests do not need to worry about packing or buying their own, thus saving on luggage space.

Convenient Hotel Location

After taking out some time to explore my room, I soon realised that lunch time was approaching, so I decided to go and grab some food over at the mall nearby.

The location of the Oasia Hotel Novena is very convenient in that you don’t need to go outside at all in order to access the nearby malls and the train station. 

This is because at the B3 (Basement three) level of the hotel, there is a walkway that connects the Oasia Hotel Novena directly to the basement of the Square two shopping mall. 

And furthermore, from Square two, you can also walk straight over to VeloCity Novena mall as well – without the need to brave Singapore’s tropical heat and humidity, too.

So I quickly began to realise that the Oasia Hotel Novena is indeed a great enclave to enjoy some tranquility, peace and quietness, whilst at the same time, still being near enough to the city – for convenience.

With both my stomach and my window shopping urges satisfied, it was a couple of hours later when I made my way back to The Oasis on the hotel’s eighth floor – in time for a sharing session conducted by sports physiotherapist and marathoner Jenny Huang, at 2pm.

Sharing session by Jenny Huang

Jenny’s talk had focused on running and rehab basics and she covered a range of topics that had included advice on correct and incorrect running form to prevent injuries and she also debunked some common myths relating to running, for example, that running does not actually wear down the knees – unlike what older generations may believe.

As well, she also brought us through some common aches and pains when running, as well as when it is okay to run through pain and when it is best to stop and take a break. And she shared tips on using a foam roller and trigger ball to self-massage ourselves when our muscles are feeling tight or stiff.

The short talk had then ended with Jenny demonstrating how to use sports taping for various common injuries.

I had thought that the talk had been useful and beneficial, providing me with some good insights into running injury-free. Even though I consider myself to be a pretty seasoned runner with a few marathons and a couple of ultras under my belt, there had still been much for me to learn from Jenny.

As well, the way that Jenny had conducted the talk had been quite interesting, as she took on a casual and conversational tone, and constantly engaging us at the same time. So this meant I was kept immersed throughout her session.

Yoga Session by Broc and Bells

Then after taking about 10 minutes to wind down once the talk was over, we headed over to the swimming pool nearby, where the post-run yoga session by Broc and Bells would take place. Breezy and scenic, I had thought that the swimming pool had been a great choice of location for the yoga.

There were a couple of kids playing in the pool at the time, meaning that occasionally, I could feel an occasional splash of water, but thankfully, it was nothing more than light splashes.

This was also the final part of the RUN-Cation experience, before we would then enjoy a relaxing staycation at the Oasia Hotel Novena.

Though I have done yoga occasionally, I have rather tight muscles and I am certainly not the most flexible person around, so unsurprisingly, I struggled with some of the yoga poses during the hour-long class. But the main thing though, is that I had tried my best and still had a good stretch during the yoga with Broc and Bells.

A Relaxing Evening

It may have felt like eternity when I was struggling to hold together some of the poses – but all in all, the yoga session ended all too soon, and following that, we had the evening as well as the following day to simply relax and enjoy the facilities at the Oasia Hotel Novena.

Wanting to unwind, I then caught up on a bit of sleep after the long day, before spending my evening checking out the nearby malls for some casual window-shopping, once again.

Then I met my family for dinner at one of the restaurants nearby, following which, I turned in for the night.

The hotel bed had been pretty big and comfortable, and was also equipped with four generously-sized pillows. I can say with certainty that the bed was definitely more spacious and softer than what I have at home.

Hotel Breakfast Buffet at Marmalade Pantry

The following morning, I headed to the hotel breakfast buffet upon waking up – this was part of my staycation package. 

Available from 6.30am to 10.30am at The Marmalade Pantry – which is the restaurant located in the hotel lobby, there is an extensive spread of both Western and continental breakfast items available.

The foods that had been available had included chicken sausages, bacon, tater tots, cook-to-order eggs, as well as some of the breads, pastries, cereals and yoghurt. My eyes popped out just looking at everything – and I was quite tempted to try every single item, as long as I still had stomach space, that is.

My favourites though, were the moist and juicy sausages, crispy bacon and the eggs – which I had requested to be cooked in omelette style together with ham and cheese.

Checking out the Hotel Facilities

But after the heavy breakfast, I felt rather guilty about the overindulgence, so I got changed into my swimsuit and then headed to the pool area on the eighth floor – for a leisurely swim and to burn off some calories.

Besides the 20-metre lap pool, there was also a relaxing jacuzzi nearby – offering hotel guests a relaxing retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

And for those fitness buffs who want to recharge themselves with physical activity, the eighth floor also has a fully-equipped gym that is opened 24 hours, so you can practically work out whenever you wish.

I had a look inside the gym and though it occupies quite a small space, I noted that there is a wide assortment of gym equipment available, ranging from treadmills and stationary bikes to weight-training equipment such as dumbbells and kettlebells. Toilets and shower facilities are available within the gym, too.

Other facilities that are also available to the hotel guests also include the Steam and Sauna room – which is targeted at soothing your nerves and relaxing your muscles. 

Swimming

With only a couple of other people on the deck chairs and another person relaxing at the edge of the pool, the swimming pool area had been pretty empty when I jumped in, so I can say that I almost had the pool to myself – which was great, because that meant I could swim uninterrupted.

As such, an hour in the pool had passed before I knew it. The swim had helped to energise me and then after that, I headed over to the mall for lunch, before returning to the hotel to take some photos around the hotel.

The hotel’s check-out time is normally at 12pm, but as part of the RUN-Cation package, I had been given a late check-out at 6pm. 

So this meant that I was in no hurry and that I could take my time to do what I wanted – enjoying the hotel facilities for a final round, before checking out and returning to my routine.

A great break from life’s routines  

Overall I would say that my weekend staycation at the Oasia Hotel Novena had been a good experience and I had enjoyed my time at the hotel. 

It was a great break for me from my daily routine, even though I admit that because I had work to catch up on during that weekend too, my staycation had not been as relaxing and re-energising as I had hoped.

Could have been more fitness classes

However that said, I felt that there could have been more fitness activities spread out throughout the weekend, rather than the fitness stuff all being lumped in on Saturday, and leaving Sunday completely free of fitness activities. 

After all, this had been marketed as a fitness themed staycation, and besides the run, talk and the yoga session, the rest of the time was basically a staycation rather than a RUN-Cation.

So perhaps if RUN Singapore and Oasia Hotel Novena are collaborating on offering such an experience again in the future, having more fitness classes such as Zumba or BodyCombat sessions would be rather welcome.

Oh, and having another short organised run on Sunday morning would have been a nice touch, too. This was just a thought – as after all, the experience had been termed as a RUN-Cation.

But maybe to also cater to those guests who may prefer to spend more time to relax and unwind, all these extra activities could perhaps be stated as being optional.

Thank you to both RUN Singapore and the Oasia Hotel Novena for the RUN-Cation experience.