Reflections on the 2007 Singapore Marathon

Story contributed by Shaun Chook. Pictures by Shaun Chook, Ng Cheng Cong, Les Tan/Red Sports.

City Hall, Sunday, December 2, 2007 – In my quiet little corner in the east of Singapore, thousands of sweaty, exhausted and determined people run by once (or twice) a year on a pilgrimage to satisfy their craving for a runner's high, plodding along roads and concrete paths on their journey to victory. Yet with such proximity and exposure, never once did I attempt to find out all about the legendary race that has inspired millions and derives its origins from an ancient battle that was significant in the conception of the modern world. That all changed, as I made my way to the Padang at 5.45 in the early hours of morning on the 2nd of December to cover and experience the Singapore Marathon for myself.

By the time I arrived, the men's full marathon was already underway under the glow of incandescent street lights. The atmosphere was vivid with excitement and life, with runners and supporters packing the immediate area along the Esplanade Drive and the Padang. A variety of running categories were held to cater to every kind of runner - from the gruelling pace of the full marathon spanning 42.195km, to the lighter 10km route, and even a kid's dash event at 750m.

Not surprising then that participation has soared over the years, with people more aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, or simply with the nagging urge to sweat it out for two to five hours with feet pounding concrete and tarmac. With participation at 40,000 this year, the event has seen its best turnout ever.

To me, inspiring seemed a fitting description of my view of the event. To see thousands of people sacrificing precious sleep to defy their physical thresholds across the country is in itself an amazing thing. Coming from all parts of Singapore and even the world, runners pit themselves against each other at hours when most would still be comfortably asleep in beds. The start of each race seemed to take forever to subside, with runners filling every space available on the roads.

The determination and steely discipline many of the participants showed during the race was another aspect of the event that served as inspiration. 42.195km is no small feat. Neither is 21km or 10km for that matter. Most of us students are struggling with our 2.4km test, and these people are running distances that are easily multiples greater than what we normally do. Completing the race is an inspirational feat in itself, one that is hard fought and well earned. The attitude of the runners themselves proved commendable, with many inscribing words of encouragement to spur themselves and others on.

As a result, we saw palpable raw emotion emerge from the runners during the race and at the finish line. Watching them run, you could literally feel the pain and joy each runner experienced – the satisfaction of completion, the sheer frustration, and most definitely, joy and companionship, the very spirit of sport.

The charming thing about marathons is that you never quite know what to expect as a photographer. There are always novel, interesting ways people pursue in their bid to throw in some fun or challenge into their run. The challenge was to recognise these golden moments and capture them in still frame, serving to encase timeless memories or simply to tell a story. Many gamely tossed smiles and waves, recognising that just maybe the joy of running may be captured and shared with the rest who haven't discovered it just yet.

And then there are those who go even further - competing in wedding gowns, in lavish and quirky outfits, and a man who decided to carry his partner over the finish line. Kudos to him.

If it wasn't the runners, then it was the supporters who decided to get creative and cheer on the brave participants. Persevering through the immense, sweltering heat that came with the rising sun, they screamed, shouted, cried out with utmost diligence and fervour for their loved ones and friends, as well as any other runners passing by, waving banners and placards wildly in the air.

adidas jumped on the bandwagon by providing placards with names inscribed for that personal touch, and spared no expense rolling out their own banners with their famous three words, no doubt spurring the runners on even more in the midst of their journey.

It wasn't before long the memory card started running out of space, and not too long before the event finally came to a close. 6 hours just went by like that, and my job was just about done. In retrospect, the age-old marathon has indeed captured the essence of sport - the pure emotion, the competition, the joy and the grace. In a marathon, everyone wins. What matters is crossing the finish line, to be able to say with pride that you just spent that handful of hours completing a legendary race. To be able to tell yourselves that you denied the many times you felt like giving up and felt like throwing in the towel when the road just seemed too tough. Many life lessons can be learnt in sport, and of the many we can cite a few - patience, determination, diligence and discipline. For all the runners, cheers to your efforts and your determination. It was a battle hard won.

Ed’s note: Most of the time, the focus is on the podium winners. I thought it would be inspiring to turn the lens on the rest of us who plod along at a different pace but who still do our best to finish the race. So I hope you enjoyed this picture spread which I believe is the biggest picture spread on the Singapore Marathon you’ll find in town. Enjoy! Les, editor+photographer.

n.b. The Singapore Marathon is also known as the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon or Stanchart Marathon.