If you were thinking about signing up for the 2026 Singapore Marathon, you’re already too late.

The 9,000 places allocated to Singapore-based runners for the BYD Marathon have sold out, more than three months before race weekend in December.

There are still a limited number of places within the 3,000-strong international allocation, while the adidas Half Marathon is also filling quickly. Slightly under 30 per cent of its 18,000 places remain ahead of the 30 September registration deadline.

The numbers are a pretty good indication of just how popular distance running has become in Singapore.

But there’s another number that caught my attention: close to 40 per cent of BYD Marathon and adidas Half Marathon participants will be taking on their respective distances for the first time.

More than 60 per cent of those first-timers are Singaporeans.

So when the runners line up in December, there will be plenty of people experiencing their first 21.1km or 42.195km alongside the usual crowd of seasoned Singapore marathoners.

And they’ll be doing it on a course that has changed quite a bit.

West Coast Highway comes much earlier

One of the biggest changes is the West Coast Highway climb.

In 2024, runners tackled it around the 32km mark. This year, it has been moved forward to approximately 8km into the marathon.

That means runners will get the climb out of the way much earlier, during the cooler and darker hours of the morning, rather than facing it deep into the race when the heat is starting to build.

For anyone training for the marathon in Singapore, that could be a welcome change.

The course will also be 99 per cent mono-directional, with only a 300-metre section across Marina Barrage requiring runners to share the route in opposite directions.

At East Coast Park, runners will enter via the cycling path and return via the service road, with organisers securing permission to use both for the first time.

But the most noticeable feature of the course may be one that Singapore runners already know very well.

Sheares Bridge is back

Benjamin Sheares Bridge returns for both the BYD Marathon and adidas Half Marathon.

For the marathon, runners will reach the bridge at around 36km.

That makes it a pretty significant late-race challenge.

SG International Marathon CEO Leon Lai said the organisers want Sheares Bridge to become a defining feature of Singapore’s national marathon, much like iconic landmarks and climbs associated with other major races.

“Benjamin Sheares Bridge is an important identity of Singapore’s national marathon,” he said, pointing to Sydney’s Harbour Bridge and Boston’s Newton Hills as examples.

The race will lean into the occasion too.

Runners will be greeted by a “Welcome to Sheares” gantry before reaching a specially prepared food zone. Instead of just the usual gels and isotonic drinks, the station will include local snacks in easy-to-consume portions, as well as carbonated soft drinks.

Volunteer cheer crews will also be positioned along the approach.

Because at 36km, every bit of encouragement helps.

The half marathon gets plenty of scenery

The adidas Half Marathon follows much of the marathon route but skips the Marina Barrage crossing, making it 100 per cent mono-directional.

It also gets a pretty impressive sightseeing tour of Singapore before sunrise.

The route takes runners past the Merlion, Lau Pa Sat, Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay and the Esplanadebefore reaching Sheares Bridge at around 16km.

From there, runners get one last view of the skyline before heading towards the finish inside the National Stadium.

Nearly 40% are first-timers

For the thousands taking on their first marathon or half marathon, getting familiar with the route is only part of the preparation.

Running 42.195km in Singapore comes with its own challenges, particularly the heat and humidity.

That’s why the official SGIM training guide covers everything from pacing and heat adaptation to nutrition, recovery and injury prevention.

“A Guide to Going the Distance in Singapore” was developed with Singapore’s national marathon record holder Soh Rui Yong and includes week-by-week plans for all four SGIM distances, from 5km to the full marathon.

It’s also available to runners who aren’t registered for the race.

More than 2,000 copies have already been downloaded.

For some runners, it’s become a tradition

While nearly 40 per cent of participants will be first-timers, there will also be plenty of familiar faces returning to the start line.

Among them is 48-year-old Kelvin Chua, who will run his fourth Singapore marathon this December.

Chua started running and cycling after Covid as a way to get moving again. He subsequently lost 15kg, and what began as a way to rebuild his fitness eventually became a passion for endurance racing.

For him, the Singapore Marathon has become a way to finish the year with one final challenge.

“I don’t race to win; I race so my children can see what it means to keep going.”

He also credits the early release of the route and training information with helping him prepare specifically for the 42km challenge.

A bigger race for Singapore

This year’s BYD Marathon will have 12,000 runners, and the organisers say the early sell-out of the local allocation reflects the growth of distance running in Singapore.

But they have bigger ambitions too.

SGIM is pursuing a Platinum Label for the marathon, the highest tier in the sport — and one that no marathon in Southeast Asia has achieved.

Getting there will mean continuing to raise standards across areas including safety, course operations and the international calibre of the field.

For now, though, runners have a more immediate challenge.

The local marathon places are gone. The route is set. Thousands of first-timers are getting ready for their first 42.195km.

And somewhere around 36km into the race, Benjamin Sheares Bridge will be waiting.

The 2026 BYD Singapore International Marathon takes place in December. Registration information, the full race routes and the official training guide are available on the Singapore International Marathon website.