A total of 4,000 runners hit Marina Bay over the weekend for the Grand Finale of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2021 this weekend, celebrating the return of mass-participation events.

Signalling a positive step towards an endemic lifestyle, the return of the in-person event is part of the Grand Finale, which saw runners participate in three categories: 5km, 10km and the Team of 4 Toyota Ekiden.

Safe management measures 

The 5km and the Ekiden took place on Saturday while the 10km took place on Sunday.

Safety was the top priority with safe management measures in place to safeguard the health and safety of all runners. 

These included a limit of 1,000 runners per session and splitting runners up into waves of 500, and again, waves of 50 with three runners released every 10 seconds. 

Every runner also had to take a self-administered antigen rapid test (ART).

Taking part in the 10km race

I took part in the 10km in-person event. There were four time slots spread throughout the day.

My preferred time slot was the 7am morning slot, but this category was apparently sold out in less than one day. So I ended with the 7pm evening slot.

Knowing the unpredictability of the Singapore weather, running at 9am or 5pm would have been a gamble, as it could have been scorching hot at those timings. And I wasn’t prepared to take the risk and race in the heat.

A cooling day

Sunday 5th December, race day, dawned, and it turned out to be a cool day all around. It was cloudy and windy, without any rain. Basically it was perfect weather regardless of the time slots chosen.

I was asked to report to the race site at Float @ Marina Bay an hour before my flag off time. I took the bus down and reached just after 6pm. 

Before I could race, I was asked to check in and show my negative ART test result submission before I could join the queue to claim my identification wristband. The rules were enforced pretty strictly and safe distancing was ensured at all times.

Runners who wanted to use the toilet had to use the public toilets around the area. There were no port-a-loos at the race site.

Entering the start pens

After taking a couple of photos around the race site, I reached the starting pens around 6:20pm and was assigned to Pen 4. From then on, it was just waiting for the race to start with the emcees entertaining us as we hung around.

In the start pens, safe distancing measures were enforced, with cones laid out and runners spread out a meter apart and grouped in threes for the impending flag off. 

It was very different to races held during the old days when runners were squeezed in together like sardines. 

At least there was an actual start line; it has been too long since I last saw a starting arch for a race.

Masks were required at all times in the start pen.

Red light, green light

The 7pm race was given the go-ahead to be flagged off slightly earlier at 6:45pm.

The flag-off system was entirely automated with red lights signalling us to stop and green lights signalling that the front three runners could go.

Seeing the red light change to green light every 10 seconds and the slowly moving runners coming to a grinding halt whenever the red light came back, and quickly moving forward at the green light, somewhat made me think of Red Light Green Light from Squid Games.

It took me about 15 minutes before I got to the front. We were supposed to keep our mask on until our green light appeared; the runner next to me was told off for taking his off when he got to the front. 

I started my own race just after 7pm and took off immediately.

Due to the staggered start, there was no congestion even from the very beginning. I think due to the adrenaline rush, I may have started my run too fast. 

Actually I think my pace was a bit too fast throughout the whole 10km but since I was not dying, I figured I would just hold on and see what happened.

It sure felt good to race and overtake other people again.

The route

However I quickly noticed some things about the route, which was a loop from the Float towards the Kallang park connectors, Sports hub and the gardens by the bay and back.

No road closures

Because there were no closures, runners had to run alongside casual users of the park connectors. These included cyclists and walkers and Marina Bay is extremely crowded on a Sunday evening. 

So I found myself having to look out for non-participants who were blocking the paths and dodging them along the way.

Race Marshals 

At least there were marshals who were carrying lightsabers to guide the way and told us which direction to go wherever we reached a junction. When they were there, they also told the park users to make way for the oncoming runners which was good.

The lighting around the Marina area was not too bad; there were some areas which were a little dim but not so dark that I would not be able to see where I was running. 

Besides the marshals, the race organisers did not provide any additional lighting so all lighting that we had during the race was coming from the lampposts.

Hydration provided

At least hydration was provided and there was ice-cold water and isotonic drink (100PLUS). I went for the isotonic, grabbing the cup and drinking whilst continuing on without stopping. I guess i didn’t want to break my pace. 

For the 10km, there were three hydration points – at 3km, 6km and 9km. Route markers were also present along the route at every kilometre. It has been too long since I’ve last seen such markers.

It was actually an 11km route

The 10km route was significantly longer than 10km.

When my watch buzzed at 10km just after the flower dome, there was a marshal egging us on, telling us there was 1km left to go.

The final stretch was up the bridge in front of the marina bay sands, meaning that we had to climb some stairs and a slope. I made sure to watch my step at this point.

Then we were back at the Float and the finishing arch was up ahead. I saw a guy just behind me speeding fast towards me, but in the end I sprinted fast in an attempt to get that perfect finish photo.

A 10km PB by two minutes 

I am quite happy with my timing. It is a 10km personal best of 53 minutes 01 second and a two minute improvement over my previous 10km best timing.

There is no official time as no timing chip was provided. Timing for this race is based on our own watch.

Collecting our entitlements 

Once we were done, we were ushered immediately into the finish area to pick up our entitlements. We were not allowed to hang around and congregate because of covid safe distancing measures.

No hanging around 

We were given our medal, t-shirt, as well as a can of 100PLUS, a bottle of water and an ice lolly and then we were quickly directed out of the race area and to the street as a way of preventing crowds from forming.

It was very brisk, no-nonsense and efficient and security guards were at hand to prevent runners from re-entering the cordoned off race precinct.

Hopes to bring back sport safely

Said Lim Teck Yin, Chief Executive Officer, Sport Singapore, “After a year’s hiatus, we have passed a major milestone and successfully staged a major in-person event. Seeing the event completed in a safe manner and in compliance with safe management measures provides that in-person mass participation events are possible in the current situation with some level of restriction.”

He added, “I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the participants who ran in the event and to the organisers who worked tirelessly to make it possible. We really hope that the weekend marks a turning point in our efforts to bring sport back safely.”