Come 7am on Sunday 3rd June, the Tanjong Pagar Centre will play host to the annual National Vertical Marathon – where participants will scale the 37 storeys of Singapore’s tallest building.

The National Vertical Marathon was initially designed about 23 years ago, as an alternative to conventional road racing and is a sport that is befitting of Singapore, an urban city filled with tall buildings.

Put together by the 24th Organising Committee of Nanyang Technological University Sports Club, the National Vertical Marathon brings the simple sport of stair climbing to people of all ages and walks of life and aims to encourage healthy living among Singaporeans.

Since its inception, this vertical running format has proven to be so popular in Singapore that its continued success has inspired many other vertical marathons all across Singapore.

I have taken part in such vertical marathons previously and this type of fitness concept is a great way to stay fit because in order to conquer the building, you need to have strong leg muscles and plenty of stamina, in order to go against the gravity and get to the top of the building without feeling too winded. 

As well, the high levels of humidity that you would experience in the stairwell, is also another obstacle that you would need to conquer. This was a factor I remember that I had underestimated in my first time tackling a vertical marathon and I was perspiring much more than I had expected!

This year, the Tanjong Pagar Centre is proud to play host to the event, as part of its commitment to encourage Singaporean city dwellers to upkeep a modern, active lifestyle.

Event Prices

Prices for the event start from S$30 for the Men’s and Women’s Open as well as the Veterans category for those aged 45 and above. 

However it starts from S$24 for Youths aged between 12 to 16 years old, in order to encourage more young people to be involved in sports and to live an active lifestyle.

The event will also feature an NTU Team Challenge for university students, as well as an inter-JC challenge for those studying at junior colleges. 

As well there will be a Lovers’ Challenge for couples who want to prove how fit and sporty they are, and a Family Fun Race for families of between three to five pax to enjoy a sporty time and bond together.

Relay categories are also available too, for friends or colleagues who want to join in the fun together. The two types of Relay categories are an Open Relay and a Corporate Relay.

See the table for the full breakdown of the prices.

Registration Now Open

Registration for the National Vertical Marathon 2018 closes on 12 May. So if you are keen to take part in Singapore’s oldest vertical marathon race, do hurry.

You can register for the event at http://nvm.ntusportsclub.sg/registration.htm.