The race of the year is back! The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) has established itself as the marquee running event on Singapore’s sporting calendar and is proudly organised by IRONMAN Asia. A marathon is one of the most challenging physical activities one can choose to participate in, providing extreme …
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The race of the year is back! The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) has established itself as the marquee running event on Singapore’s sporting calendar and is proudly organised by IRONMAN Asia.
A marathon is one of the most challenging physical activities one can choose to participate in, providing extreme mental and physical challenges throughout the 42.195km. Overcoming these challenges and then completing the run makes it all worthwhile. Crossing the marathon finish line is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding personal experiences an athlete can enjoy.
The marathon is a considerable distance and should only be taken up by runners who are committed to several months of dedicated training. Individuals who are new to the sport of running may wish to start with a shorter distance and then move up to a marathon once confident they can safely complete the 42.195km.
The half marathon has a wider appeal than its Marathon older brother, and is viewed as a more achievable feat by non-elite or serious runners.
The 21.1km still requires a serious level of training, however, and brings with it its own set of challenges. Many runners use the half marathon as a stepping stone towards the marathon but it’s a very testing run in its own right. Some of the world’s best long distance runners focus their careers on the half and are able to set some incredible average speeds in this category. The half is a perfect run for those looking to step up from the 10km and test the long distance discipline.
The 10km is a category for runners of all abilities. The distance is perfect for beginners, though once again it also requires a decent training commitment for those new to the sport. The more serious runners view this category as almost a ‘sprint’, with some incredible 10km times having been posted over the years.
The 5KM run is back! For non-long distance runners, this is the best distance suitable for improving or maintaining their general physical fitness. Additionally, 5KM is a popular distance to introduce new runners to start adopting a healthy lifestyle.
LESS
HOTTTT!!
The race started at 4:30am, which explains a lot as to how hot it is. The scenery wasn't fantastic. Yes, we would run beside the Marina Bay Sands, but that … MORE
The race started at 4:30am, which explains a lot as to how hot it is.
The scenery wasn’t fantastic. Yes, we would run beside the Marina Bay Sands, but that is for a short portion of the course. Meanwhile, the other 90% are on the roads with cars driving.
The positives is that there were a lot of aid stations, every 2km there would be water stands where me personally and most other people would just pour multiple cups of water on our heads to cool us down. The finish line was very scenic and had great vibes, but as soon as we finished, we were forced to relax at the Padang, which was extremely muddy and exposed to the boiling morning sun.
I rate this race a 6/10, but I’m sure it can be increased if the course is moderated to focus on scenery rather than convenience for the local traffic.
TOO DAMN HOT!
My worst marathon ever....seriously thought this was going to be my first DNF. It was practically a death march for me. Glad that they are changing the start time in … MORE
My worst marathon ever….seriously thought this was going to be my first DNF.
It was practically a death march for me. Glad that they are changing the start time in 2019.
Building the bones of a WMM
With the exception of heat and humidity and a n'er to be found family reunion area, this race was top notch. IRONMAN and Standard Chartered set out to build a … MORE
With the exception of heat and humidity and a n’er to be found family reunion area, this race was top notch. IRONMAN and Standard Chartered set out to build a better event and this year’s race certainly left a positive impression on me. Having run 5 of the 6 WMM, in my humble opinion, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon ranks right up there with the others. The course was a mix of downtown city scapes and the ‘burbs. With a few exceptions, the course is flat. It was so hot (feels like exceeded 100 degrees) that most races in the U.S. would have been black flagged but somehow Singapore managed by having misting tunnels and several “splash stations”. Hydration was plentiful and cool if not cold. Gels, some real food were also provided. There was some entertainment on the course. Was it a party every mile? No, but it did highlight some of the local talent. The race packet included a tank top and upon finishing you received a finisher’s tee. The medal is a keeper, with the iconic symbol of Singapore, the Merlion. Post race food wasn’t plentiful but it was adequate.
One of the changes made this year was to move the 5k and 10k to Saturday and hold the half and full on Sunday. I might suggest starting these races at slightly different times as the course was crowded in the first few miles. Starting a race of this size, in this heat, at 4:30am makes a lot of sense. The flow at the start was smooth as silk.
If I wanted to run another marathon in Asia, I would definitely consider doing this one again.
Damn hot
A good crowd racing. Tough heat wise by the time you are coming back down the East Coast and the sun is up. Post race really would have been good … MORE
A good crowd racing. Tough heat wise by the time you are coming back down the East Coast and the sun is up. Post race really would have been good to have some shaded arras to recover. Otherwise very well organised and a great city race.
Very tough!
Singapore has definitively been my slowest half marathon ever. The course is tough and not beautiful at all and the climate too hot and humid. I didn´t enjoy this race … MORE
Singapore has definitively been my slowest half marathon ever. The course is tough and not beautiful at all and the climate too hot and humid. I didn´t enjoy this race which started on the island of Sensota. The finish in downtown was quite nice! Nice T-Shirt and Medal!
One of Asia's Most Popular Marathons!
The Singapore Marathon is a well organized event in a clean and easy to navigate city. The pasta party takes place outside on a nice park in the middle of … MORE
The Singapore Marathon is a well organized event in a clean and easy to navigate city. The pasta party takes place outside on a nice park in the middle of the city the night before the race, with great views of the Singapore skyline. Then, due to Singapore’s location near the Equator, the marathon starts very early in the morning before sunrise so you can get in several miles before the temperature really starts to rise. There are some good stretches in the second half of the course along the ocean, and it’s a pretty cool sight to be running a marathon when the sun actually comes up. Great amenities at the finish line for hydration and post-marathon massages. Very friendly and helpful race staff. Overall, a great marathon in a great location… with plenty of opportunity to visit some great locations that are all within a one to two hour flight (e.g. Malaysia, Thailand).