As Singapore’s largest run for cancer awareness and research, Run For Hope 2018 celebrated its 25th anniversary on Sunday, 21 January 2018. Since 1993, Run For Hope has been raising awareness and supporting local cancer research. From 2008 to date, Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, Regent Singapore, A Four Seasons Hotel partner with the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and have raised close to S$1.5 million in nett proceeds for the National Cancer Centre Research Fund.
Run For Hope is a non-competitive leisure run that welcomes everyone, old or young. There were 2 categories to choose from: 3.5km and 10km run. The 10km category was flagged off first at about 7:30 a.m. by Mr Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Health, Communications and Information, followed by the flag off for the 3.5km run.
Pre-Run
I participated in the 10km run category. The run pack collection was held a week before the event, at Shaw House Urban Plaza. The run pack consisted of a white drawstring bag, event tee and various sponsored products. No timing chip was included because it is a non-competitive run.
Held at Singapore Sports Hub, the event venue is easily accessible by the MRT. Before the event day, Run For Hope posted on their FB page to inform runners that there would be full day train closure on East West Line (EWL) between Paya Lebar and Pasir Ris on event day. It was a nice gesture for people who were unaware of such arrangement.
Fortunately, my running buddy and I weren’t affected by the EWL closure. We took the Circle Line train and alighted at Stadium Station. Upon arrival, we were met with a big crowd in purple. It was already 7 a.m. when we arrived and we were in need of a toilet. Looking at the long queue at the toilet near MRT entrance, we decided to use the toilets inside Kallang Wave Mall. For a brief moment, we panicked as there wasn’t any toilet paper. Luckily, there were janitors outside the toilet who provided us with a roll of toilet paper.
10km Run Recap
The flag-off for the 10km run was slightly delayed. It was 7:35 a.m. when I crossed the start line. The running route brought us running through Singapore Sports Hub, Merdeka Bridge, Marina Promenade Park, F1 Pit Building, Bayfront Bridge, Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Barrage, Bay East, Tanjung Rhu Promenade and back to Singapore Sports Hub.
The majority portion of the running route was quite spacious, except for the small path in front of F1 Pit Building and Marina Promenade Park. At Tanjung Rhu, even though the path was narrow, the number of runners was not too dense, so we were able to keep running.
At the beginning of the run, it was drizzling for a while. Thankfully, the drizzle stopped and the weather improved. It was a chilly morning, perfect for a morning run. Occasionally, runners with loud music player ran past me and I would feel a sense of motivation to keep running, thanks to their upbeat music.
Personally, I feel that the atmosphere at Run For Hope is more relaxed than that of other runs. I heard laughter and fun chit-chats amongst the runners. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that Run For Hope is a non-competitive run, so runners weren’t too focused on chasing PBs.
There were 4 hydration stations throughout the 10km route, all of them serve water and isotonic drinks. Distance markers for every kilometre were present. It was nice that the organiser created a manmade ramp at MBS so that runners didn’t have to run the stairs.
It was heart-warming to see that many people dedicated their run to someone or something special. It was, however, heart-breaking for me when I saw someone wrote, “I dedicate this run to: my late mom” on her bib. I left the event feeling an immense sense of respect for cancer fighters and their family members. I really hope that cancer can be cured one day, and I will play my part to support the cause.
Post-Run Activities
At the finish line, we received a banana, Dasani mineral water and Aquarius isotonic drinks. There wasn’t any medal for finishers, but it didn’t matter. After cooling ourselves down, we explored the event village.
We really enjoyed the free Vitagen cultured milk drinks, Acado avocado oil samples and the impressive Trampoline dance performance on stage. We didn’t get to try the trampoline ourselves but we’d love to.
Event Overview
- Run For Hope is a running event with a great cause.
- The run is well organised with a spacious running route, fun post-run activities and entertainment.
- Runners or member of the public could also donate to NCC Research Fund by purchasing run packs for $10.
