Great Eastern Women’s Run 2024: 21.1KM Race Review

The 18th edition of the Great Eastern Women’s Run took place on Sunday 27 October morning with more than 12,000 runners participating across all categories, almost all of which were fully subscribed from the 2km Mummy + Me and 100m Princess Dash to the 21.1km half marathon.

I took part in the 21.1km Half Marathon which was flagged off at 5:15am in the morning. I reached the race site at the Singapore Sports Hub at around 4:10am which was earlier than anticipated due to smooth traffic and clear roads along the way.

I entered the start pen at around 4:50am and immediately bumped into my favourite emcees Ross Sarpani and Kelly Latimer. I always look very forward to seeing these two at race events!

The 21.1km elite category was flagged off at 5:05am followed by the rest of us at 5:15am sharp. I was near the front of the start pen.

It was a super warm, humid morning and I was already sweating buckets whilst standing inside the start pen. I knew immediately that I would be in for a tough and challenging race.

The energy and atmosphere at this race is always amazing. Not trying to be sexist, but somehow the vibes of this event always feel completely different and more friendly as the field is made up entirely of women. This is something I always look forward to eagerly.

The race route was a flat, scenic route around Marina Bay and the Singapore city centre. There were several twists and turns along the way and I had to slow down and watch my step. The route is nothing new to me though because I run it quite often. So I was familiar with the terrain and paths and I knew what to expect.

I set out at around 5:20 min/km pace and hoped to maintain it the whole way. I think my pace dropped to around 5:30 min/km after a few kilometres. At least I had started near the front so the paths were clear and there was lots of room to run.

The aid stations were located around 2.5km to 3km apart on average. Some provided water only but others provided isotonic drink too. There was one station at the midpoint serving energy gels. I took one but didn’t eat it because I already had brought my own gel along.

The organiser had kilometre markings at every kilometer along the route. Some were on point but I noted that others were around 200m to 500m off based on my GPS signals.

I appreciated the running groups and friends who had come out so early in the morning to cheer and support us on. It really made me smile and brought an awesome feeling to the race.

The most challenging part of the run was the last 1.5 kilometre running into the Sports hub. The finish line was inside the stadium but the last stretch felt like it was never-ending. At least there were a lot of photographers and cheerleaders along this stretch, comprising of members from local running groups, and this helped to give me the lift that I needed.

I finally reached the stadium. It was such a relief to see the finish line up ahead.

I finished the race in an official time of 1 hour 55 mins 57 seconds. The total route distance measured 20.7km according to my GPS watch.

Post-race, every 21.1km runner was given a finisher t-shirt and a medal, along with a banana, a packet of wafers, a packet of oat milk, water, a can of isotonic drink and a breakfast box from Awfully Chocolate comprising of a pastry and some cookies. I always love the finisher entitlements from this race, as they are generous and really take care of the ladies.

At the race carnival, there were more goodies to be gotten, such as cheese and yoghurt, as well as free flow sampling of oat milk. The oat milk was so good that I ended up queuing for this several times. As well, Sunday shades were selling their sunglasses too.

Massages were also available but the queues were so long that I gave this a miss.

Also, the powder room, a mainstay of this event, was back, stocked with essentials for runners to freshen and clean up after the run. This is always a special feature of this event and it did not disappoint.

The by-invite-only Elite 21.1km saw Vanessa Lee successfully defend her title finishing in 01:22:24 hours She was joined on the podium by Goh Shing Ling who finished in second in 01:22:50 hours and Rachel See in third place in 01:23:46 hours.

Despite the horrible weather in the morning, I had an awesome time at the Great Eastern Women’s Run and I definitely hope to be back to take part in this wonderful event again next year.

Said Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Commubury and Youth and Senior Minister for Law, and the guest of honour, “As Singapore’s only all-women’s race, the Great Eastern Women’s Run is an important platform that brings women together to celebrate health, wellness, community and friendship. Over the years, the sense of solidarity and sisterhood fostered through the Run has built a strong community of runners. This is testament to how sports can connect communities and contribute to an inclusive society.”

The Run also raised a record $388,000 with the proceeds going to the event’s two beneficiaries, Daughters of Tomorrow and the Singapore Cancer Society. Great Eastern has been a strong supporter and advocate of these two charities over the past few years.

Said Khor Hock Seng, Group Chief Executive Officer, Great Eastern, “We are very thankful for the strong and sustained support of our staff, financial representatives, corporate partners, elite athletes and community runners. We are committed to creating a better, brighter and healthier future for women in Singapore through our fundraising efforts.”

In line with uplifting female communities, runners included ladies from Daughters of Tomorrow, rehabilitation beneficiaries from Singapore Cancer Society and runners with special needs through the RunningHour cooperative.