By Megha Bhattacharya and Rong En Foo
One of the most anticipated concept runs of the year, the Sketchers Electric Run finally arrived on Singapore’s shores on 11 & 12 April, transforming the F1 Pit Building into a blinding display of glow lights and effervescent crowds that milled excitedly at the entrance.
The organizers set up the 5km route with themed zones that resembled magical lands in the dark night. Morphing our once-familiar cityscape with zany light installations and glowing tunnels, the run made people run, jump, dance and even walk with their kids in strollers for a family experience! The route meandered the Singapore Flyer and the Gardens by the Bay, which played a role in ensuring an all-encompassing glow beyond the perimeter of the event.
Quite a surreal experience, made even more exhilarating by the sheer number of booths near the after party area. A bar on-site armed guests with a copious amount of booze while the adjacent ‘The Travelling Cow’ food truck dished out comfort food such as wraps and truffle fries, creating an addictive carnival vibe. The buzz all culminated in the after-party at the end of the race where DJs from Zouk hit the decks with crazy beats and remixes with gravity-defying drops. Combine that with an insane crowd (Saturday was a full house!) and the result was absolutely explosive! The electrifying atmosphere and the Instagram-worthy light zones made ‘taking selfies’ an utter priority throughout the event, making the actual running feel like an afterthought.
As much as it is more about the experience, serious runners will find navigating the route in the fastest speed a chore, as the ratios of steps to selfies is dangerously close to a draw. The themed zones were also quite far apart from each other, somewhat stealing away from the charm in the otherwise electrifying run.
