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22 runners have completed a 58km running route in tribute of Singapore’s 58th national day.
Ran 58km for National Day
30 runners, from the Happy Feet Running Club, set out on the evening of Aug. 4 at around 9:15pm, starting their run from outside the Red Dot Museum at Marina Bay.
29 runners set out from the starting point, with one runner joining the group at the East Coast Park.
22 runners managed to complete the accomplishment, with eight having to drop out for various reasons.
The group consisted of runners of different capabilities, with the elite runners taking about eight and a half hours to complete the route, and the other runners about 11 and a half hours.
They had run overnight, starting at 9:15pm, with some finishing around 8:20am on Aug. 5.
Image courtesy of Jason Cheong
The route took them past the Esplanade, then westward past the Parliament building along the length of the Singapore River and part of Alexandra Canal.
Image courtesy of Jason Cheong
They then ran northward to Botanic Gardens, before turning eastwards along Tanglin and Orchard Road, past the Istana, across Benjamin Sheares Bridge and then through East Coast Park.
Image courtesy of Jason Cheong
Image courtesy of Jason Cheong
The group ran as far as Bedok Reservoir before back towards the city centre, past National Stadium, across Merdeka Bridge, but before doing a loop through Little India.
Image courtesy of Jason Cheong
The final leg of the run took the group down Victoria Street, past Fort Canning to the intersection of Eu Tong Sen Street and Neil Road before returning the Marina Bay area, ending their run where they started.
Image courtesy of Jason Cheong
Team effort
This is the second year that the group had attempted such a tribute run.
In 2022, eight runners had attempted a 57km route, but only half were able to finish it.
But this year’s run had attracted a significantly larger crowd, so much so that the run organisers had to stop accepting new sign ups due to logistical constraints.
At 58km, the run qualifies as an ultramarathon, far exceeding the marathon distance of 42km.
For seven of the runners, this was the furthest they had ever run, with three only ever completing half marathons before.
Naturally, the large group of runners, all decked out in red and some with flags, attracted attention. Several people asked them how long they had been running.
Image courtesy of Jason Cheong
One of the organisers, Jason Cheong, told Mothership one member, a Navy diver, began to experience cramps after running about 20km.
While initially fearful that he wouldn’t be able to finish the run, the diver dug in deep and pushed through the pain, eventually managing to complete the run.
They were also aided along the way, with run organiser Shafiee Barahim expressing appreciation to Tampines Changkat CC who had come to Parkland Green in East Coast Park with bananas and Milo to fuel the runners.
Image courtesy of Jason Cheong
Cheong lauded all participants, who he said “took care of each other” and ensured that no man was left behind.
“We really stick (together) as a team, and have fun along the way”
The group is already planning for next year, so start training now I guess.
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Top image courtesy of Jason Cheong
