Everybody runs, but marathons are intimidating. Let’s face it, did you kick into a celebratory dance whenever your annual 2.4km NAPFA run was around the corner? Even the dreaded 4.8km cross-country runs of Singapore’s institutions were admittedly more a sightseeing nature walk along MacRitchie Reservoir.
If you were one of the stragglers or even one of the frontrunners – this article is for you.
Fun Runs like the Blacklight Run, YOLO Run and Race the Dead are just a few examples of the uniquely-themed runs that have proliferated across Singapore in recent years. Saving you the trouble of finding your own motivation to cross the finish line, Fun Runs offer a host of unique reasons to put one foot in front of the other.
The only pace that matters, yours
Break out the champagne, because coming in first really does not matter for Fun Runs. In fact, these runs foster an inclusive and non-threatening spirit of engagement, with participants encouraged to take part not because of a time target, but to experience the elements of the run. Ultimately, this results in a casual workout experience where you can set your own personal targets without feeling pressured by the ‘competition’. How does it sound? A no-pressure, all-pleasure run?
An unexpected journey with your friends
“I’m bored. I can’t think of anything fun to do” – An all too common gripe of Singaporeans. It can get rather repetitive going to the movies and food hunting every weekend – enter the fantasy world of the Fun Run. While it is highly likely that you’ll get rejected if you ask your pals to go for a jog with you, it’s far more intriguing when the elements of a themed run are presented to them. Imagine watching your best friend get chased by a zombie, or your aunt who only wears floral shirts get doused in glow powder, the possibilities for laughter and bonding are simply endless! For Fun Runs it simply rings true that the journey is far more important than the destination.
Despise running? Let’s dance
A rising trend in themed runs are the adrenaline-pumping after parties, which begs an important question: Should I be pacing myself during the run to dance to my heart’s content at the after party? Guess you’ll have to take the plunge to find out! Fun Runs often boast popular local and foreign DJs who in their own right, are able to draw a crowd. Since you’ve already convinced your friends and family to show up and run with you, why waste the opportunity to dance and be silly together as well?
Be an artist, we dare you
Forget about being aerodynamic and cutting holes in your running vest for ventilation – themed runs are all about creative self-expression. Take on a different persona with the neon lights of the Blacklight Run where picking out a glow-worthy outfit is all part of the run experience. Live out your zombie-movie fantasies and have every reason to scream at the top of your lungs at Race the Dead. Nothing’s off the table with these runs and in fact, you’ll be far more motivated to cross that finish line when you have so many thrilling reasons to dash forward.
Race Pack rare finds
Watched the psychedelic Bladerunner yet? Want to try out as an extra for the next Resident Evil installment? Strangely but happily enough, your Fun Run race packs are a veritable treasure trove of unique artifacts that will serve to create a fantasy world of your choosing. You can expect a delightful mixed bag of fun items in the race packs that come along with Fun Runs. For instance, neon glow powder that you can take home and experiment with, glow-in-the-dark glasses and disaster survival packs.
As the registration fees for Fun Runs tend to be more affordable than your average marathon, it’s hard to find many drawbacks in giving it a stab and diving straight into your first, second or tenth Fun Run as 2017 draws to a close.
