Revised StanChart Marathon route a relief for runners

Good news for runners taking part in the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS) on Dec 7.

The chances of getting caught in a "traffic jam" experienced at previous editions of the marathon (above) have been greatly reduced after event organisers Spectrum Worldwide made amendments to the route this year to ease a potential congestion.

In a media advisory released yesterday, it has been revealed that the half-marathon route has been revised.

At approximately 18km along the route, runners will get off the Marina Coastal Expressway via the exit ramp leading to Maxwell Road.

They will then make their way through the Central Business District via Robinson Road-Collyer Quay-Anderson Bridge, to finish at the Padang.

This modification effectively separates the 12,000 half-marathon participants from the full-marathon and 10km runners that could swell to 40,000 if the event is at full capacity.

It also enables the full-marathon and 10km runners to enjoy a clearer path along the Republic Boulevard-Raffles Avenue-Esplanade Drive stretch until the final 500m, where participants of all three categories merge just before the Anderson Bridge, as they head towards the finish line.

With this move, the event organisers hope to reduce the congestion traditionally experienced in the previous years as runners from all three categories run the same route for the last three kilometres.

Similar to previous editions, all categories will have wave starts to minimise crowding within the first few kilometres.

"Feedback from participants has always been very important for us to continuously improve the race experience," said Spectrum Worldwide chief executive officer Chris Robb.

"Together with the relevant authorities and, with the full support of Sport Singapore and Standard Chartered Bank, we have made these changes to ensure a smoother running experience."

"While SCMS accommodates runners of all abilities, a key priority for us is to provide an outstanding experience for our long-distance runners.

"It is this group of runners who will benefit the most from the new route change and we're very pleased to have found an effective solution."

SCMS participants will also get the opportunity to take in the magnificent sights as they run very close to the Singapore Sports Hub.

Haile Gebrselassie, widely regarded as the greatest long-distance runner in the history of athletics, will be competing alongside at least 13,000 others in the 10km category.

Registration remains open for the full-marathon and 10km races on www.marathonsingapore.com until midnight tonight.

Late entries will still be accepted after this deadline but a late fee of $20 will be charged and a personalised race bib will not be issued.

This article was first published on October 31, 2014.
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