The 19th edition of the Great Eastern Women’s Run took place last weekend at the Singapore Sports Hub. More than 12,000 women took part, coming together in a shared spirit of sisterhood and solidarity.
This year’s race had been fully subscribed and sold out by August across all categories.
I participated in the 21.1km race. There were two categories for the 21.1km distance, an elite-only 21.1km where Singaporean elites were invited to participate, and an open category for the public. I am not fast enough so I was part of the public category. 
Our flag-off time was 5:15am. I arrived at around 4:20am and I was inside the start pens at about 4:50am.
It was great seeing emcees Ross, Kelly and Sharina at the start.
There were four groups of all-female pacers, 2hr, 2:15hr, 2:30hr and 2:45hr for the half marathon.
It was a very humid morning and the air was sticky. I knew that it would be a challenging race.
The route started and ended at the Singapore Sports Hub. The route took us to the Barrage, Marina Bay and Gardens by the Bay. Compared to previous editions of this run, this year’s route comprised of some elevation, most notably the Sheares Bridge just after the 14km mark. I believe Sheares caught many runners off guard as it is the first time it has featured on this run.
I ran ahead of the 2 hour pacer at the beginning but somewhere close to Sheares, they overtook me. I don’t know how but I managed to find the energy to chase and catch up to them again in the closing stages of the race.
The hydration stations served ice-cold water with some providing 100PLUS as well. At one station around midway, gels were provided but as it was a different brand to what I usually eat, I didn’t take any. 
The spectator support along the route was great for Singapore standards. Many runners and running clubs had come out to cheer on the girls. Plenty of these comprised of men who were not allowed to participate in the race due to their gender. It was particularly motivating in the final section of the race when a huge cheer contingent from Fast and Free run club were making lots of noise. It was extremely motivating and I was really appreciative and grateful for the support.
Along the way too, some running friends whom I knew also came out to spectate and support and it was really great seeing them along the course.
A huge thank you to all the spectators!
This race has been a stadium finish for the past few years, running into the National Stadium and ending on the track.
I crossed the finish line in an official timing of 1 hour 57 mins 42 seconds in 46th position (out of 2373 runners in my category). 
Thanks Sharina for the shoutout when I ran through the finish line!
I love the finisher entitlements at this run as well. The entitlements were really generous. Apart from the finisher medal and t-shirt, we are also given a banana, bottle of water, can of 100PLUS, chocolate wafer and a full breakfast box courtesy of Awfully Chocolate. This breakfast box comprised of pastries, brownies and cookies which were super yummy.
There are lots of sponsor booths at the race village too where you can collect free stuff ranging from yoghurt and cheese to 100PLUS iced slushies, chocolate wafers, counterpain cream and more. 
The yoghurt was really delicious, as it was cold and creamy. The iced slushie was also very refreshing and reminded me of iced lollies.
Some freebies were in the form of a lucky dip while others were first come, first served. One of the most useful prizes I won from the Knoppers booth was a $10 Cold Storage grocery voucher.
There was also a makeshift picnic area with seats for runners to sit down to celebrate their achievements and enjoy the food, as well as a powder room to freshen up after the run. This is what makes Great Eastern Women’s Run special. 
Winning the by-invite-only 21.1km was Goh Shing Ling with a time of 01:22:10. She was joined on the podium by Rachel See, who came in second with a time of 01:23:20, and Jasmine Teo in third with a timing of 01:25:21.
A new competitive 10km tertiary category also made its debut this year. The aim was to nurture and showcase emerging female running talent in Singapore.
11 teams from five different educational institutions participated, with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) sweeping all the podium places.
Team Pace Setters from NTU took first place with a combined fastest timing of 02:50:35 by all four members. Team Sole Sisters from NTU and Team Fast and Flawless from NTU finished second and third with timings of 03:18:05 and 03:22:05 respectively.
Said Greg Hingston, Group Chief Executive Officer, Great Eastern, “The Great Eastern Women’s Run continues to inspire generations of women to live healthier and more confident lives.”
He added, “More than a race, it embodies our enduring commitment to empower women in Singapore – to uplift, support and celebrate them at every stage of life.”
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