They brought their energy and their loud cheers from the wee hours of the morning just to give runners running the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon a boost, embodying the community spirit of SCSM
Running a marathon is no easy task. Beyond months of training and waking up in the wee hours of the morning, runners also need to get their fueling strategy right for race day.
Yet even then many runners find themselves hitting the wall and needing that extra boost before the end of a marathon. While most of World Marathon Majors have streets of supporters lined up to cheer runners on, the humid climate and extremely early starts to races here make it a bit more challenging for many to come out and cheers.
It is therefore worth shining the spotlight on a special group of people who made no small effort in encouraging participants along this year's race course of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon.
When runners got tired, this group were on hand to give them a much needed boost with their loud cheers and customised signboards, some with witty and cheeky quotes plastered all over them.
Some brought out loud hailers, while others waved flags and cheered themselves hoarse just so that runners who hit the wall could have the much needed pick me up to continue with their runs.
Cheer Zone 1: Fast and Free Run Club
A relatively new running group, Fast and Free Running Club (FFRC) has grown exponentially this year and comprises mostly Gen Zs although the community also welcomes those who are in an older age bracket.
FFRC stationed themselves at the 5KM and 15KM markers of this year's Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon before then moving on to the 38km park just before the Benjamin Sheares Bridge to give runners an extra boost before their toughest climb of the course.
"This year we put in a lot more effort as you can see. We've learned from the mistakes of last year when we didn't make enough posters so this year we made extra five to eight more," said Azaria Heng, co-founder of FFRC. "All of us are sporting a new prototype t-shirt which we are testing out as well as making sure there is music at there (at the cheer site), the flag is there."
He added: "I think SCSM is the biggest race in Singapore and the region, it attracts elite athletes like the Kenyans and all that coming in as well. Being a more professional race gives you that opportunity to see a more diverse participation and drive not only participation from other clubs and locals but also the cheer squads to come out in force as well."
FFRC's Lulian Ahn echoed Azaria's sentiments, saying: "What sets this marathon apart is because of its climate. It starts very very early, and despite that you see a whole cheer crowd and all the support crew come out this early in the morning. I think that would be most indicative of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon."
"Everyone has gone through their own training blocks because we've all had back-to-back marathons or half marathons. Now that some of us are actually done with our halves I think we could give that positive energy over to the runners that are here today."
Cheer Zone 2: Running Department
Running Department's Wee Soon Keong said, "It's a bit like a parent waiting for their child at this point in time. We are just keeping our fingers crossed that we will see them. All the hard work that they've been putting in the previous few months would definitely be put into practise as they finish this race strong."
When asked who they are most eager to cheer on, Wee replid: "There are pacers from Running Department who are running the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, as well as all the runners who have been attending RD's trainings the previous few months. So we are trying to keep a lookout for them to cheer them on."
Running Department's cheer site was situated at the Gardens by the Bay Flower Dome, similar to where they usually set up in preceding years of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon.
Cheer Zone 3: The High Panters
Another running community, The High Panters, decided to move their cheer zone to Nicoll Highway this year, which was the 18km and 40km markers of the half and full marathons.
Eugene Lim, founder of The High Panters, reasoned that it was due to the change in the race route which made it more challenging for THP to cheer on both the half and full marathoners if they were based at their usual location.
"We know that 40km is probably a tad late, usually we would have prefered to cheer on the runners at 35km - 38km where most would hit the wall, but having accessed the route this was the best place we felt we could lend our voices," said Lim.
Rachel Yee, also of The High Panters, added: "We have quite a number of The High Panters runners running today. Some are running today and cheered yesterday, some cheered yesterday and are running today."
"For us it's about the community spirit. It's about sharing. Events like this brings us out to cheer. We have our props and we have our loud cheer."