Marketed as a thrilling heritage run, the inaugural edition of the CompresSport Rail Corridor Run took place this morning.

The run had comprised of two categories – 5km and 10km. The event flagged off from the Bukit Timah Railway Station and ended at the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, where the post-race carnival took place.

Runners chilling out at the starting line in Bukit Timah.

Runners had plenty of fun

Not surprising for a trail race, there was crushed stones and mud on the ground, as well as plenty of natural greenery around. This gave the runners, an adrenaline rush – something different to running in the middle of the city.

Runners take photos to remember the Green Corridor before it closes for redevelopment.

Said Gregory Britton, 27, an Aviation Engineer, “The race overall was good and we had plenty of fun. The trails were muddy – you can see my legs and shoes! It was also slippery at some point, but then again, the mud is part of the fun!”

The logistics and hydration support was perfect

Smiling for the camera.

He continued, “They had water at the 3km, 5km and 7km points – that was good. There was also some bananas and water at the end, which I liked. But my favourite part had to be the natural surroundings – I didn’t see too much buildings and the ground was proper trail – there was no pavements to be seen or anything of that sort.”

Runners in the start pen wait for the race to start.

TV Producer Renato Straume Fogliani, 37, shared the same sentiments. He said, “The race was great fun and the venue is one of the few places in Singapore that you can run cross-country. The logistics were very good and the hydration was perfect. The route was muddy – just the way I like it. I run here every week and it’s always great coming here.”

The race flags off

He continued, “As a bonus, I was here with my Singapore Shufflers’ running mates, and it was an inspiration to see all of us running together in the same race. I think that we all did well, too.”

Agreed David Cook, 46, who works in communications at a multinational company, “It was a lovely race – similar to the Green Corridor Run but with the route reversed. The hydration was great and the route was excellent. Overall, it was a very well-organised event.”

Messy at the starting line

However, Cook felt that it had been quite messy at the starting point, though. He said, “The start point was a mess. I was there half an hour before the race started, and that should have been plenty of time to allow faster runners like me to get into the front pen. But they would not let me in. This was frustrating because I had to keep overtaking everyone during the run. That was the only problem though. Other than that, it was an excellent race.”

The pilot preparing the remote-controlled drone before it lifts off into the air.

Gertrude Fitzpatrick, 40, also found herself overtaking a lot of other participants during the race. She said, “Though I was running in the first wave, there were a lot of walkers and slow people at the beginning. But other than that, the hydration and the route was good. It was a very nice, lovely and cool run, because we were going through the trees.”

Sad to see the Green Corridor Trails closing for redevelopment

Runners cooling off after the run

The Financial Services Consultant added, “The greenery is quite rare here in Singapore. I am not normally a trail runner, but every now and then, I like to head to the trails for variety. So it is a pity that they will be closing the place when they re-develop it – it will be so sad if they choose to pave it up.”

Group photos are a great way to remember a race by!

Agreed Dirk Hahn, 37, a Marketing Manager in the Building Construction industry, “I really like the natural greenery that the Green Corridor currently has to offer. I hope that after they work on it, it will still be a dirt and track road, like it is now. Hopefully they would be able to leave it as natural as they possibly can.”

Say cheese!

Fogliani also prefers to see the natural beauty of the Green Corridor to be left alone. He said, “I understand why the redevelopment is happening – they are putting in a water pipeline in there. I think that is very good, but I am worried about what the Green Corridor will look like when it’s done, and whether it will be paved or not.”

Smiling post-run faces.

He added, “I prefer it natural. Leave nature alone as it is intended to be. When it’s closed, I will miss taking my family here on weekends and running through the trails here. As I live just behind the Bukit Timah Station, this area is practically in my neighbourhood – there are a few other trails I can visit, but they are not as close by.”

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