We congratulate Gen Lin Foo, Jee Keng Chew, Noboru Matsumoto, Derek Li, Tasuo Komoto, winners in the 10km men’s competitive category and Vivian Tang, April McKenna, Baoying Lim, Heidi Makinen and Hilda Stoney who brought home victories in the women’s 10km competitive run at this year’s July 12th Pocari Sweat Run Singapore. See the entire list by visiting the Pocari Sweat Run Singapore 2015 result page.
Why start with the names of top performers when we believe that everyone who competed in the annual Pocari event is a winner? Because the efforts of these 10 athletes deserve special kudos and because there’s nothing wrong with acknowledging people who come from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds, yet in coming together to win their races, they represent the best and the brightest of the Singapore running community.
A Well Organised Race
On the race day, the weather cooperated nicely and enthusiasm and energy were evident as contestants nervously gathered at the Kallang Practice Track start line to compete in either the 5km or 10km events staged at two flag times. From our perspective, the circuitous route along Nicoll Highway for the 5km drew eclectic mixes of veterans and newcomers, but the big guns came out to run the more arduous 10km route. Look at the race map and notice that this circuit resembles a dolphin leaping out of the surf, nose pointed toward the finish line.
Dressed appropriately in signature aqua and white running singlets trimmed with Pocari logos, and gifted with multi-purpose shoe bags (both valued at $70 per contestant), finishers added a commemorative t-shirt and medal to their wardrobes just by finishing, and nobody took a pass on free SoyJoy bars or said that they’d rather not participate in the Japan trip prize drawing courtesy of Pocari Sweat and other corporate sponsors.
While 9,000 men and women registered, ran, and struggled through the worst of the fatigue and exhaustion as the finish line drew near, colorful pacer balloons held aloft by volunteers urged competitors on, giving both men and women a sense of where they were at all times so they could calculate their rates of speed and estimate finish line arrival times. Official pacers from Running Department and this band of race supporters included the company’s Operating Officer, Mr. Bando Yoshihiro.
Untold cases of icy water and Pocari Sweat drinks were dispensed throughout the day by volunteers as temperatures climbed throughout the morning, but if you check out the joyous faces of contestants and spectators courtesy of this video below, you’re going to see exactly how it felt to be on hand to witness this fun event in person.
Some of the most endearing personal stories came from runners whose blogs tracked their performances, yet even those who didn’t medal and fell short of personal bests and run times remained upbeat and optimistic. Happily, thunderstorms predicted by weather forecasters proved to be so much hot air, literally and figuratively, so nobody had to duck for cover throughout the day.
Following the finish, participants flocked to performances by popular groups like Taiko, Shishimai and Minyo who re-energized runners and got them back on their feet at the end of an exhilarating day though the final distance for the 10km race category was slightly more (11.1km to be exact). Attendees also enjoyed a helpful, post-run lecture about proper hydration presented by Drs. Foo Gen Lin, Lim Baoying and Derek Li.
A Good Day For Charity
Who were the biggest winners of the day? The Singapore Medical Association Charity Fund (SMACF) and the Tang Tock Seng Hospital Community Charity Fund (TTSHCC), recipients of $6,500 each in donations. The SMACF stands at the cutting edge of health-related education, promoting volunteerism and offering financial assistance to myriad community healthcare initiatives while funds awarded to the TTSHCC will be used to help needy, sick patients who aren’t able to afford their medical treatments or medications.
Behind the scenes, major corporate sponsor Pocari Sweat emphasized the importance of hydration at every turn. Their theme, “Drinking is not equal to hydration,” was driven home throughout the race so even veterans learned more about the critical role hydration plays in running a healthy race.
The annual Pocari Sweat Run makes a terrific calendar addition for Singapore runners and those coming from other nations to compete, and this year, 9,000 runners agreed. Given such strong ties between the event and its main corporate sponsor, are you more likely or not to include Pocari Sweat products on your menu of hydration necessities because the company sponsors this race? We’d love to know your opinion!
