Sponsored by the 2XU compression wear company, the annual 2XU Compression Run had a new category today – a 42km Full Marathon, in addition to the 21km Half Marathon and 10km Competitive categories from last year.

The 2XU Compression Run took place this morning. Here are my impressions of the race.

The run, held this morning, attracted a good crowd of young and old, as well as local and international runners.

I took part in the 21km Category of the 2XU Compression Run.  Here are my impressions of the race.

Positives

Plenty of water and isotonic drinks 

There was a generous amount of water and ice-cold isotonic drinks available to runners at this race and it was clear that the organisers had prepared more than enough water and isotonic drinks to cater to every single runner passing along the route.

For the 21km route, I would say that there was a water station positioned roughly every two to three kilometres. So there were a sufficient number of hydration points along the course – to prevent runners from getting thirsty.

Well-Marked Signs 

The signs at this race were also marked very clearly. This meant that runners knew exactly which kilometre marker they were approaching as well as when to make a U-turn. So this meant that runners didn’t get lost during the race and were kept well on course.

Good rewards at the end of the race 

Upon completing the race, runners were given a banana, a 500ml bottle of Pocari Sweat isotonic beverage as well as a large, refreshing cold towel to clean up. I thought that the towel was a very thoughtful inclusion – which we all made full use of.

The fruits of my labour after an exhausting 21km run.

Race Pack Expo 

While the last-minute change of venue for the race pack collection expo, from Funan IT Mall to Changi City Point was a minor inconvenience, I would say that my race pack collection experience was great. I got there in the afternoon on the second collection day and was practically in and out within minutes –because I didn’t have to queue at all.

Improvements For Next Time

A Later Start 

I had thought that the section of the 21km route at the Geylang Park Connector was pretty dark. The ground was a little uneven too. So I found myself having to slow down and watch where I was going.

While the organisers did make an attempt to brighten up the area though, I felt that this was not quite enough. Perhaps having a later starting time to the race may have helped to solve such problems for the majority of the runners, as even the 21km runners started early at 4.45am – when it was still not so bright.

Gel Points To Be Included

While I was thankful for the banana station and the ample supply of muscle rub stations along the 21km route, I thought that one or two gel stations could have been included too.

While runners do bring their own energy gels, there are always some who prefer to rely on the race gels provided – so maybe this is an aspect that could be looked into, next time.

Overall: Well Organised

As a whole, I would say that the 2XU Compression Run is a rather well organised run and many of the runners’ main concerns were taken care of here. Yes, this is definitely a race that I may consider taking part in, again.

Click here to find out more about the runner who collapsed and died during the 2XU Compression Run.

Click here to discover the secret strategies and techniques of a Kenyan runner!

Click here to read about South East Asia’s fastest marathoner, Mok Ying Ren’s bid at the Half Marathon World Championships!

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• Adidas Auckland Marathon, 21km Category
• Yoma Yangon International Marathon

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