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Very good coverage of the recent Gold Coast Airport Marathon in July by Ansley Ng of The TODAY papers. A big group of Singaporeans (210), ranging from top Singaporean marathoners like M. Rameshon, Mok Ying Ren, Ashley Liew, Vivian Tang, Ben Tan, to runners from running groups like Team FatBird were there for a RUNcation - Fly To Run, Stay Behind For Great Fun!
Excerpts from Page 1:
This year, the race drew 24,700 participants across several categories, from a 2km kids race to the marathon. Just 5,000 people ran the whole marathon.
Explaining the benefits of a race with fewer runners, M Rameshon, a former national long distance runner and an adjunct associate lecturer at Republic Polytechnic, said that in crowded races, a lot of energy is spent sidestepping and overtaking people.
For example, the Berlin marathon - another famously flat course - has many turns, which can be a chore to do battle with a larger number of runners, he said.
"And the weather here is stable, unlike in London or Berlin, which have unpredictable weather," added Rameshon, who was at this year's race to support his protege Ashley Liew.
Excerpts from Page 2:
This year, more than 100 Singaporeans descended on the tourist belt of Surfers Paradise and in the areas of Southport to better their running times. Many are members of popular running club Team FatBird.
IT consultant Gan Yit Koon, who joined the Team FatBird tour group, shaved 14 minutes from his personal best of 4hr 35min, which he clocked during last year's Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore.
"The weather really makes it comfortable to run," he said.
"There is a great camaraderie among those who are here because they have stuck with each other and had been training together for 12 weeks now," said Anthony Sum, the group's founder.
"They have completed many races overseas but many of them like to come back here. Many get their personal best (times) here."
However, it wasn't just the weekend warriors who were here to perfect their timing. Local running ace Mok Ying Ren, taking part in his fourth marathon, was trying to break Singapore's national record, but fatigue in the last few kilometres caused the medical student to come in 13th overall with a time of 2hr 27min 5s, some three minutes shy of the record.
Other prominent Singaporean runners at this year's race included Vivian Tang - one of the country's top female runners - who ran the half marathon; and Dr Ben Tan, president of the Singapore Sailing Federation, who ran the marathon as part of his training for the New York Marathon in November.
CHECK OUT additional COVERAGE and REPORT Of Team FatBird's Gold Coast Airport Marathon experience
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