Nearly 20,000 runners took to the streets of Singapore in the early morning of 21 October 2012, to run in the Nike We Run SG 10K race, Nike’s largest race in Singapore to date. The annual event presented avid runners with the unique opportunity to be part of Nike’s global We Run race movement, forging a new global community with 395,500 other runners from 34 cities worldwide through Nike’s most connected race series with innovative Nike+ technology.
Avid runners gathered at the Esplanade Bridge eagerly waiting for the race flag off at 7.15am. The race was well planned right from the start as runners were flagged off in waves. This benefits runners who did not manage to reach the race venue on time at 7.15am and it also helps to prevent overcrowding, thus making the race enjoyable for the runners.
Runners began their run at the Esplanade, as they paced themselves against the scenic backdrop of Singapore’s city skyline. It was an interesting mix of familiar buildings and new, upcoming structures, as runners ran passed Suntec City Mall, and the new Sports hub which is in the midst of construction. Runners experienced a slight slope as they ran past Nicoll Highway. The weather was a bit cloudy, but thank god the rain held back so the weather was just nice for running.
Runners ran past the Kallang river and were pleasantly greeted by sights of dragon boaters and kayakers, the tranquility of running past the Kallang river was a welcome change from the usual bustles of Singapore’s city landscape. Such picturesque views of the Kallang river area also added to the pleasantness quotient of the Nike run on the whole. The race route indicated a change as runners made a U-turn back towards the direction of the Waterfront Promenade @ Marina Bay.
Midway, we were greeted by DJs spinning hit music. The excellent choice of music greatly helped to liven up the spirit of the runners as they felt pumped up with the beat to sustain their pace for the last leg of the race.
It was also helpful that the water points were sufficient and adequately spaced out throughout the race. Enthusiastic cheerleaders played a significant role in cheering and motivating runners to continue giving their very best as they strove to compete their own race in good time.
The roads were also well-barricaded with ample space to hold all the runners during the race. Both the traffic police officers and the Nike crew members did a fantastic job to ensure the safety of the runners.
Along the way back, runners ran past the Floating platform and certain iconic buildings and structures such as Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands and The Sail and Marina Bay Financial Centre before crossing the finishing line at the Waterfront Promenade @ Marina Bay. We even ran on part of the F1 race track while making our way towards the Floating platform.
The slope was steeper as we ran past the helix bridge towards Marina Bay sands area. We were efficiently ushered by very capable and friendly Nike crew to the respective queues (based on the shirt size we had indicated online earlier) to get our finisher T-shirts. This is first time whereby instead of getting a finisher medal, we get a finisher shirt for a 10km run. Definitely a welcome change from the norm, for a 10km run.
A Sweet Finish to Commend Your Efforts
Runners were further rewarded with sterling performances put up by our very own local band – The Good Fellas. (You make us proud guys! For you represent Singapore in the music scene. Way to go Fellas!)
There were also many booths with plenty of activities taking place – such as a massage booth, where tired runners queued to get a good massage to rid their body of the fatigue accumulated during the run; it is definitely a deserving treat to thank our body for the great work it has done in sustaining us throughout the race.
There was also a few photo booths of which runners can keep the photo taken as a memorabilia of their memory of completing the race together as a team. Not forgetting the popular ice-cream stations, giving away good old Singapore traditional ice-cream. Yum! Talk about a sweet finish to commend one’s effort in completing the race.
The Nike race ended in a fun and light-hearted manner but the good memories associated with the run lingers with the bustling of activities at the Waterfront Promenade @ Marina Bay. Many took the opportunity to snap away with the various ‘photo worthy items’ that were sprawled around the gathering area.
All in all, the Nike Run 2012 has outdone itself compared to last year. Not only are the routes well planned, with a good mix of city views and flora and fauna of the Kallang riverside area; the mix of flat road and upslope also brings about an interesting mix of difficulty level for some. The activities that happened after the race were also well thought out to facilitate interaction with peers. Not forgetting the excellent designs of the Nike race shirts (both pre-race and finisher shirt), everyone’s raving about it!
This is definitely a race which many will be looking forward to participating in again next year!
Now it’s over to We Run Seoul 10K!
