Running in Singapore is nice, there are many places which you can go and all the park connectors are very developed. However, after joining the races here for sometime, you will get kind of bored to the usual scene and also the same old slopes and hills. When I first started out in 2006, everywhere was very interesting for me, I ran along all the places I could find. All the parks in Singapore, most of the stadiums, park connectors. There were not so many races then, the more prominent ones were Standard Chartered Marathon, Army Half Marathon and the Sundown Marathon. I joined them all. But later the runs started to increase in number, with more fun type of runs ranging from 5km-21km . The most sell-able are those with shorter distances and an interesting Theme like some cartoon characters etc. These races do not have really many serious runners but more of people going for some fun and enjoying a bit of exercise during the weekends.
One of the water points in the Tahura Trail Marathon
My initial thought of going overseas to run was merely just to travel and sight seeing, I intended to go Phuket for a holiday then, and was surprised to find that there was a race going on that weekend I was visiting the sunny Thai Island. So out of curiosity, I decided to sign up the race with my good friend. Although we were not there for the timing, joining the race itself already got us really excited and planning for it. Starting regional was easier because the climate is similar to Singapore and also we need not have to bring too many clothing along. The terrain was also more similar to that of Singapore, making it easier to adapt to. If we were to go to some extreme challenge, then it will require more preparation and more days in advance to the venue. But as we all still hold a day job, that option is not very likely for us as taking leave is very limited.
The race turned out to be very enjoyable and we started going for more travelling marathons. Many people commented that I keep doing marathons overseas, isn’t it very hurtful for the body. Actually I must agree, in my post about marathon recovery, we can see that each and everyone of us take different timing to recover. This also depend on the level of training and also body types.
Road Race in France
There is no rule of thumb for this. I also suffer from some injury from time to time. The main thing is listen to your body. Readings and advice from books and doctors are important, but you know yourself the best. I stopped running for nearly a month last year in 2014 after 3 marathons. I was practically exhausted, and in fact I felt so jaded to have to even run a five km. It is that bad!
Running overseas has its benefits and it really rejuvenates you.
1. I enjoy running overseas as I also love to travel. Combining two of my favourite activities can never be better.
scenic Angkor Empire Marathon
2. The best way to see a city or town is to run it! You get the best view on foot and also get to know many people and fellow runner along the way. I especially love the pre mingling session, and also after Marathon session. This can never happen for shorter distances. For a 42km, you almost see the same people lingering around for nearly half a day.
3. It is very exciting to find fellow Singaporeans coming for the race. Although sometimes you want to get away from it all, seeing your fellow countrymen coming together to a race in a different environment just perks you up.
4. I especially love to go to the overseas race expo. Some are really simple with no exhibitors and some are so massive like those Marathon Majors, they occupy the exhibition halls and already have a strong logistic base. For the simple ones, there might even be a food market set up instead of all the sporting items. For example, last year when I was in Southern France, I took part in the Marathon Du Mont Calm, it was a trail Marathon. The race expo was a local farmers market. I bought cheese instead of energy gel!
However fun it may be, running overseas require a lot of prior arrangement and planning. Not to mention the finances required, especially for the further and more difficult to get to places. Some of the points you will need to look out for :
1. Chose the race, check on the dates and timing, does it clash with your own commitments? If you are still working, will it clash with your company work plan? These are just some things you have to consider. I usually go to the following marathon site to see which race suits me:
http://www.marathons.ahotu.com/
2. As much as I like to travel all the time, sometimes, however, due to financial commitments , I am unable to do so. You need to check whether you are able to afford the travel as sometimes it can get addicted.
3. Bringing the right stuff is important when you go overseas to run. This is especially so for very different type of climate, those very cold weather. You have to think about what to wear. Also if you are back packing it will be a totally different story.
Running in Taiwan
Preparation work
Flights are important factor that I consider everytime going overseas. There are more and more platforms for comparisons and flight deals in the internet these days. I will usually use Zuji.com or expedia.com. And I also discovered jetradar.com to be easy and comprehensive to use. Of course the various Airlines have promotional deals from time to time, therefore, try to sign up for the news letter or be on the mailing list for their price watch and deals.
The next thing that comes to mind will be the place to stay, accommodation is very important. Although I am always on a budget, there are certain trips which I will splurge a little more especially for the tougher trail races which can be very tiring and you need a good place for rest and HOT WATER bath!
Agoda.com is one of the most trusted ones besides Booking.com. These two companies offer the best deals , do alternate to check which one has promotion. A tip is to join them as member and do hotel reviews for them. Your reviews will be rewarded with better deals by the companies in the future. Air B&B is also becoming a hot favourite these days but somehow for those who do not like the feeling of staying in someone ‘s house, this choice might not work for them, however, the price can get really low for Air B&B.
The more you travel, the better it gets with the arrangements. When reservation of rooms, do also get in touch with the host ( hotels or hostels) your needs sometimes you will get some specials too.