The Run For Hope is an annual race organised by the Four Seasons Singapore and the National Cancer Centre Singapore and aims to raise awareness and support for advancing cancer research.
Taking place for 30 years
This well-known charity event has been taking place for the past 30 years and counting to support cancer research and care.
Cancer is a cause that has been significant to me since my mum’s glioblastoma diagnosis in 2014. 
Running the 10km event
I was one of the ambassadors for Run For Hope this year and I took part in the 10km event. A 3km event was also available for participants who preferred a shorter distance.
The race was flagged off at the Bayfront event space with the 10km at 6:30am. I reached the race area at around 6am and was inside the start pen at roughly 6:15am. 
With around 2,300 participants in total taking part in both categories, the event wasn’t too crowded at the beginning.
There was enough space for me to manoeuvre around in the start pen without feeling claustrophobic. I bumped into familiar faces such as Jenny Huang who was also running.
Guest-of-Honour Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Social and Family Development and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, was present to flag off the 10km event which was punctual at 6:30am.
Race route
The route was a straightforward one, an out-and-back flat course that took us from Bayfront towards the Gardens by the Bay, Marina Barrage and Bay East. 
We could see scenic landmarks such as the Singapore Flyer and the F1 Pit Building in the background. This is one of most scenic areas of Singapore and I always enjoy running this route.
A humid morning
Very early on, I could already feel that we would be in for a very humid run. I was sweating profusely and I could feel the wall of humidity with every step that I ran.
The u-turn point was along the park connector stretch linking Bay East to East Coast park. This was 5km on the dot according to my watch. 
Distances and hydration
I noted the distance markers positioned at almost every kilometer. I think I might have missed spotting the first one, but the rest of the markings were generally accurate and measured up to my Garmin watch. 
There were two water stations along the way, both serving water. I wish that the water had been ice-cold; it was room temperature and not refreshing.
I noted marshals located along the route to guide runners and show us which way to go at the crucial intersections such as the u-turn. This is an important aspect of any run and I feel it is one that the Run For Hope 2023 did well. 
Enjoying the sightseeing
As the run was non-competitive, I took the chance to simply enjoy the run and soak up the sights rather than running for timing. I had a lot of fun due to this. 
There was one crucial stretch towards the last 2km of the 10km event. This was the u-turn point for the 3km distance and as such, there were many people u-turning in front of me. So I had to watch out where I was running so that I didn’t bang into anyone. There was a marshal at this stretch to keep a lookout so at least that was helpful to some extent. 
Finishing
The finish line was back at the Bayfront event space. I crossed the finish line in about 57 minutes according to Garmin. Being a non-competitive event, there was no official finish clock. 
At the finish area, we received a packet of water, Milo and coconut water as well as a banana for food. It was quite generous of the organiser to provide a variety of drinks for us to replenish our energy after the humid run. 
Post Run
There were stage performances to entertain runners who were coming back, as well as some games taking place at booths near the back of the race precinct.
It was quite vibrant and fun to soak up the atmosphere and chat to other friends who were at the site.
I had lots of fun
Overall I definitely enjoyed myself at the Run For Hope 2023. It was a fun experience and I would definitely be happy to return back again for this charity event, which is held for such a great cause.
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