Singapore marathon
Love and hate
7.12.2014


Summary

Finish time: 3:30:58
Ranking: 115 / 13451
Pace: 4:59 min/km
Weather: 26 C, 94% (source)
Results

Splits



Race report

Running in Singapore has been annual habit since 2005, missing only 2008 when I ran in New York instead. So once again, here I go, ninth times in Singapore, in total, and obsessed to do better than before to show-up to my colleagues there. Actually I already made a plan to run 10 times in in Singapore and then stop the habit (at least full marathons) and move on. Time to try marathons in other countries in Asia as well. So far I have done only Hong Kong in 2009. Let's see.

The place is nice and warm, route is mostly pleasant and tropical, yet it feels like home marathon already. Registration and organization works, route is mostly flat, and it is never cold. But then again, the same negative sides are there year after year. The biggest problem is that the rush is not only in the start, but the marathon route merges with that of the half-marathon, and especially the 10 km runners quite badly at the end. So during the last stint, 3:30 runner must constantly by-pass significantly slower 10 km runners and walkers. Another drawback is that the first half of the race happens in dark (start is 5:30 I think). The second half at daylight has nice sea view scenery at the East Coast Park, the skyline of the city for a short time but includes also the boring part between East coast park and Marina bay, and the last 3 km struggling in the traffic. Overall, kind of love and hate relationship to Singaporemarathon, though emotions are normalized to Singapore scale: well moderated and well tolerated. ;-)


This time all preparations including training, adapting to the climate, avoiding jet lag and carbo loading, all went perfect. Nevertheless, the same problem appeared as in Odense. Despite that I was hoping the warm climate would keep the tightness problems away, but no, seems that I am stuck with it. So the race went as usual: starting with good pace (little bit slower than in European races due to the climate), and then gradually slowing down, and finally really struggling towards the end to maintain reasonable speed. Otherwise, nothing special to report. Therefore instead of writing bla bla bla about eventless race, I conclude by a simple statistical summary for further motivation.
Complete list sorted according to finish time:
5.6.2010   Stockholm               2:54:57     161 / 14714
31.5.2008  Stockholm               2:58:55     193 / 13546 (10516+3030)
2.11.2008  New York                3:00:25    1005 / 38356
 8.2.2009  Hong Kong               3:02:18     100 / 5653
16.10.2011 Vannes                  3:04:29      81 / 1853
 9.5.2009  Joensuu                 3:05:03       5 / 103
13.4.2014  London                  3:08:46    2155 / 35864
28.6.2011  St.Petersburg           3:08:48      97 / 965 
16.6.2007  Forssa                  3:09:05      18 / 440
10.4.2011  Rotterdam               3:10:00     668 / 7325

7.10.2012  Chicago                 3:11:17    1686 / 37455
16.4.2007  Boston                  3:12:09    2154 / 20348
2.12.2007  Singapore               3:12:03     103 / 9704
6.12.2009  Singapore               3:14:19      87 / 14258 (*)
28.6.2009  St.Petersburg           3:14:19     103 / 555
18.8.2007  Helsinki                3:14:28     193 / 5411
3.12.2006  Singapore               3:14:55      75 / 6588
21.5.2006  Joensuu                 3:14:59       7 / 51   (all)
6.4.2014   Paris                   3:16:32    2546 / 38674
5.4.2013   Dead Sea                3:16:xx      xx / xxx

2.12.2012  Singapore               3:20:11      72 / 12922
2.6.2012   Stockholm               3:22:25    1380 / 14678
5.12.2010  Singapore               3:24:04      73 / 13296
24.9.2006  Berlin                  3:24:19    3114 / 32497
29.6.2013  Turku                   3:25:08      72 / 401 (m) 
28.9.2014  Odense                  3:26:25     322 / 1558
4.12.2011  Singapore               3:28:21     129 / 15343
7.12.2014  Singapore               3:30:58     115 / 13451

1.12.2013  Singapore               3:40:56     176 / xxxxx
4.12.2005  Singapore               3:50:27     245 / 4809 (all)
25.6.2005  St.Petersburg           3:53:33     199 / 393  (all)
10.9.2005  Jungfrau                4:53:24    1119 / 3643 (all)