By Lim Wei Hao
Deep breaths, occasional grunting, the sound of legs shuffling and shouts of “slow runners keep left!” For some, this is music to the ears. While most Singaporeans were sound asleep, enjoying a quiet Saturday night with family and friends, or out partying, close to 25,000 runners gathered to participate in the 12th edition of the OSIM Sundown Marathon.
Starting from 8.00pm, a sea of red made its way to the start point at the F1 Pit Building. A piece of Singapore sport history, every September, the F1 Pit Building houses incredible sophisticated speed machines as part of the iconic Singapore Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix. It only seemed apt that Singapore’s most well-known races are adopting the F1 Pit Building as start points – think 2XU Compression Run, OSIM Sundown Marathon, Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon – where, like the machines, some of the fastest, fittest and strongest Singaporeans gather to race against the clock and race against themselves.
The OSIM Sundown Marathon 2019, billed as Asia’s largest night race, offered runners five categories to choose from: 5km, 10km, 10km Challenge Team of 4, Half Marathon and Marathon. An air of anticipation was immediately felt upon entry to the race village.
10.30pm. Runners stretching and doing their warm-ups. Group photos and selfies galore. Snaking queues for drinks, food and sponsor booths. Music blaring and Black Panther being screened. This was it.
Never a fan of running, my last race experience was the Marathon (42.195km) at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2013. It was indeed a foolish way for a group of army buddies to celebrate our Operationally Ready Date (ORD), which was the day after. Needless to say, it was easily the worst decision of my life. Having made our way comfortably through the first 21km, a friend and I succumbed to cramps and we had to walk the rest of the way – pure torture. We literally had to hobble around our army camp to collect our precious pink Identity Card.
This time round, my girlfriend and I went for the Half Marathon (21.1km) – shoutout to Pocari Singapore for running a social media giveaway and giving away race slots – which seemed considerably more manageable and achievable.
After an unfortunate delay of more than 20 minutes, with the emcees citing the need to properly ensure roads were closed and the route was safe for running, we were finally flagged off. Despite a very claustrophobic start, where one was literally rubbing shoulders with one’s neighbours, we managed to keep to a consistent, comfortable pace. As disconcerting as some of the elevations were, what was even more frustrating for the average runner was the poorly lit route and some very, very narrow pathways.
Alas, at the 15km mark, the dreaded cramps came back to haunt me again.
I stopped multiple times to stretch out my legs – my calves, hamstring and vastus medialis (yes, I had to google this. FYI it is the huge muscle just above the knees) took turns to stiffen and cramp up – before attempting to jog again, but my legs failed me. With the route designed such that you could almost always see the faster runners making a u-turn or a (sharp) right turn just ahead, you couldn’t help but envy the fitness levels of the runners. All night, seeing runners of all ages and from all walks of life coming out to run was truly inspiring. Accessible to the masses, running is truly a sport for all.
On one of these stops, with the pain unbearable and the next hydration point miles away (to be honest, we had no clue how the hydration points were spaced out), an uncle very kindly passed me a tube of Tiger Balm Active Muscle Rub that he had been carrying.
“Here you go, use this! Hang in there!” and he zoomed off into the distance. A very touching gesture in a time of severe need.
A little over 2 hours 55 minutes later, we made it past the finish line. Pocari Sweat cans and bananas in hand, I couldn’t have finished them quicker. I also spent the quickest $5 of my life on fried chicken wings (albeit cold) that were being sold as part of the food bazaar at the Race Village.
The amount of stress that people willingly put their bodies through begs the question of WHY – WHY would people do this over and over again? HOW do their bodies take it and HOW are their minds wired?
For some, it’s the sense of achievement and being able to proudly say that they’ve overcome strenuous physical activity. The pursuit of personal bests motivates others – pushing the body to the limit and yearning to set the bar higher is natural in sport. It may be the sense of community – running with friends, family and loved ones and creating a shared experience with like-minded individuals. It could also be the pure love of running – the peace, the serenity. Listening to your favourite music while running against the wind, coupled with the thrill of overtaking runners, could be a cathartic experience. It would not be surprising if it was because of the elusive “runner’s high”, adrenaline and natural endorphins released through the body and you’re pumped to keep going and going.
Everyone has their own reason for running. Alongside 25,000 others, I am proud to have crossed the finish line with my girlfriend. Room for improvement in terms of the timing achieved, definitely, but one that I wouldn’t have changed for the world. Will I be running again soon? Yes, but only with proper build-up training so that cramps can be a thing of the past.
I’ve taken away much more from the experience – a new found respect for all runners, many of whom displayed an indomitable spirit as we crossed the finish line, together.
Game On Singapore 
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