Race FAQ

 

1.    When will the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS) 2011 be held?

 

The SCMS 2011 will be held on Sunday, 4 December 2011.

 

2.    What are the available race categories?

 

There are two race categories - Individual and Team. The various race categories are as follows: 

Individual

·         Full Marathon (42.195km)

·         Half Marathon (21.1km)

·         10km Race (Men / Women / Wheelchair)

·         5km Fun Run

·         Kids Dash (750m)

o   Between 10 – 12 years old

o   Between 7 – 9 years old

o   Between 4 – 6 years old

o   3 years and below

Team

·         Ekiden (42.195km) (Each team consists of six participants)

 

3.    Where are the start and finish points?

 

The start points for the various race categories are as follows:

·         Full Marathon / Ekiden: Orchard Road

·         Half Marathon: Sentosa

·         10km Race (Men / Women / Wheelchair), 5km Fun Run & Kids Dash: Esplanade Drive

 

The finish point for all race categories will be at St. Andrew's Road, the Padang.

 

4.    What time does each race category start?

 

The flag-off times for the various race categories are as follows:

 

Race Categories	Start Time
Full Marathon / Ekiden* - 42.195km	05.00 am
Half Marathon - 21.1km	06.30 am
10km Race – Wheelchair	07.10 am
10km Race – Men / Women	07.15 am
5km Fun Run	07.15 am
Kids Dash 750m
Between 10 - 12 Years Old	09.15 am
Between 7 - 9 Years Old	09.30 am
Between 4 - 6 Years Old	09.45 am
3 Years Old And Below	10.00 am

 

*Only the first participant of each Ekiden team will commence his / her race at 05.00 am.

 

5.    What are the age criteria for the respective race categories?

• Participants for the Full Marathon and the Ekiden race categories must be 18 years and above as of 4 December 2011.
• Both Male Veterans (Marathon) and Female Veterans (Marathon) must be 40 years and above as of 4 December 2011.
• Participants for the Half Marathon must be 17 years and above as of 4 December 2011.
• Participants for the 10km and Wheelchair races must be 14 years and above as of 4 December 2011.
• Participants for the 5km Fun Run must be 13 years and above as of 4 December 2011.
• Participants for the Kids Dash must be 12 years and below as of 4 December 2011.

Note to parents and guardians of Kids Dash participants:

• For participants aged 6 years and below, it is compulsory for a parent or guardian to accompany the child during the race for safety purposes, failing which, the Organiser reserves the right to refuse entry to the Participant.
• For participants aged 6 years and below, only one parent / guardian issued with an identification tag, will be allowed to accompany the child.

6.    What is the maximum capacity for each race category?

 

The maximum capacities for the various race categories are as follows:

 

·         Full Marathon and Ekiden (42.195km): 25,000 participants

·         Half Marathon (21.1km): 20,000 participants

·         10km Race (Men / Women / Wheelchair): 16,000 participants

·         5km Fun Run: 5,000 participants

·         Kids Dash (750m): 4,000 participants

 

7.    If I miss the flag-off time of my race category, can I join another race category instead? (E.g. I signed up for the Half Marathon, but I was late, so can I take part in the 10km Race instead?)

 

No. There will be three different routes for the following categories – Full Marathon / Ekiden, Half Marathon,10km Race, 5km Fun Run and Kids Dash. Participants will be disqualified and no timing will be provided if they do not run in the category that they have registered for. Participants who do not start within 30 minutes from their respective flag-off times will be disqualified.

 

8.    What is the Ekiden (42.195km)?

 

The Ekiden is a team relay, whereby six participants will complete in six stages of unequal distances, totaling 42.195km. The Ekiden is a big event in Japan and other parts of the world such as the United States of America and Australia. Following the successful organisation of the first Ekiden in Singapore last year at the SCMS 2010, this will be the second time we will be having the Ekiden race category.

 

9.    How does the Ekiden work?

 

The first participant of the team will start at the same time as the participants for the Full Marathon. At the first changeover point, the second participant of the same team will receive a sash from the first participant; this relay will continue until the sixth / last participant of the team finishes the race.

 

Each of these six stages of the relay will not be of equal distance but will total up to 42.195km. Please note that any participant of the team who run out of the designated lanes for the Ekiden will be disqualified.

 

10.  Do all six participants of the Ekiden assemble at the same pick up point?

 

No, the first participant of each team will report at the Full Marathon start point, while a shuttle service will be provided at the War Memorial Park for the third to sixth participant of each team to the various Ekiden Points at 03.00 am. The second participant of each will thus have to make his / her own way to the first changeover point at The Float @ Marina Bay. Only one trip will be provided to the respective Ekiden points.

 

11.  Will transportation back to the Padang be provided for the first to sixth participant of each team after they have completed their designated race distances for the Ekiden?

 

The first five participants of each team who have completed their respective distances will be able to rest at the refreshment tents located at the changeover points. At stipulated times, a shuttle bus service will be provided to transport them to the finish point at the Padang.

 

12.  How will the winning team of the Ekiden be determined, and will all six participants receive the Finisher’s Medal, Finisher’s T-shirt and Finisher’s Certificate?

 

The first team with its sixth participant crossing the finish line with the relay sash will be declared the winning team, unless technical disputes such as a loss of timing device halfway through the race arise.

 

Each participant of the Ekiden will receive a Finisher’s Medal, Finisher’s T-shirt and Finisher’s Certificate with their team’s 42.195km “Gun Time”

 

Only the sixth participant of each team will be allowed to collect the abovementioned items on behalf of his / her team, upon presentation of the Race Bib.

 

13.  If my friends and I take part in the Ekiden, but he / she is not feeling well on race day, can we run extra distance to cover for him / her, or substitute him / her with another participant, to complete the race?

 

No. This relay must consist of the six registered participants, each taking part in the respective stages.

 

All teams are not allowed to change their team relay order, substitute any team members or have any member of the team run more than a leg of the race. Any violation of the abovementioned restrictions by any participant will result in an immediate disqualification of the whole team.

 

14.  What if we decide to change the order of runners for race day after registration?

 

All teams are not allowed to change their team relay order, substitute any team members or have any member of the team run more than a leg of the race. Any violation of the abovementioned restrictions by any participant will result in an immediate disqualification of the whole team.

 

15.  What if I’m a single parent and two (or more) of my children are participating in different categories? (E.g. One child is two years old and the other is five years old)

 

Only one parent / guardian* issued with an identification tag will be allowed to accompany any child aged six years and below.

 

The younger child(s) will have to participate in the older age group category along with his / her elder sibling(s) under the supervision of the parent / guardian*. This is only applicable if both children are six years and below.

 

Having said that, you can also get a family member, etc, to act as the guardian* to one of your children in his/her own race category, provided that your child’s category is for kids six years and below. Please ensure that the guardian puts on the identification tag during the race.

 

*Guardians have to be at least 13 years old.

 

16.  Is there a limit to the number of people who may accompany one child?

 

Yes. Only one parent / guardian* issued with an identification tag will be allowed to accompany any child aged six years and below.

 

*Guardians have to be at least 13 years old.

 

17.  Can a child below the age of six take part in the Kids Dash without the company of his/her parent / guardian?

 

For participants of the Kids Dash aged 6 years old and below, it is compulsory for a parent / guardian* to accompany the child during the race for safety purposes, failing which, the Organiser reserves the right to refuse entry to the Participant.

 

*Guardians have to be at least 13 years old.

 

18.  If I cannot make it for the race due to last minute commitments, can I get a friend to take my place?

 

No. Race entries are strictly non-transferable. In the interest of the runners’ well being and safety, the Organiser strictly prohibits and strongly discourages the sale, exchange and transfer of race entries. As registered runners will have Race Bibs with information on the runner's blood type and emergency contacts, medical teams would have trouble providing immediate medical assistance should an accident occurs.

 

19.  If I register for the Full Marathon and I can only manage to run the Half Marathon on race day, can I still get the Half Marathon's Finisher’s Medal and Finisher’s Certificate?

 

No. Race category and distance are strictly non-transferable. Participants who do not complete their race will not be issued the Finisher’s medal, Finisher’s Certificate and Finisher’s T-shirt (if applicable).

 

20.  What are the refreshments that will be provided for the runners?

 

Isotonic drinks, water and bananas (Full Marathon only) will be provided for the participants at various stations throughout their race routes.

 

21.  Where are the drinks and fruit stations?

 

Drinks stations serving Ice Mountain drinking water is available at:

 

·         The start and finish points for all three routes

·         Approximately every 3km mark after the first 3km for the Full Marathon and 10km Race

·         Every 3km mark after the first 4km for the Half Marathon

·         Approximately at the 2.5km mark for the 5km Fun Run

 

Bananas are available at approximately the 29.4km mark for the Full Marathon.

 

22.  What happens when I’m still in the midst of the race after the eight (8) hour cut off mark?

 

For Full Marathon participants who are unlikely to finish the race within eight hours, race officials and route marshals will divert them at designated diversion points along the race route, to a shorter race route towards the finish gantry.

 

For the safety of the participants, they must obey as instructed; otherwise they will be pulled off the race course immediately.

 

23.  Will I still receive the Finisher’s T-shirt, Finisher’s Medal and Finisher’s certificate after the eight (8) hour cut off mark?

 

Full Marathon participants who are diverted to the shorter route will still be entitled to receive the Finisher's T-shirt and Finisher’s Medal upon crossing the finish line.

 

However, they will not receive the Finisher’s Certificate and their race timings will not be recorded as they will be deemed disqualified (DQ).

 

24.  Do I need to return the Timing Device to the Organiser at the finish line in order to collect my Finisher’s T-Shirt, Finisher’s Medal after the race?

 

This year, participants in the Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km Race and Ekiden will be using a race bib which comes attached with the B-Tag timing device (a single use bib-tag). Hence, there is no need for them to detach their timing device from their race bib at the end of the race and return it to the Organiser.

 

Nevertheless, runners would still need to present their race bibs to collect their Finisher’s T-shirt (if applicable) and Finisher’s Medals.

 

25.  What if I am injured during the race or otherwise unable to finish the race?

 

First aid stations will be located along the routes. Medical assistance will be provided to injured participants.

 

However, these participants will not be issued their Finisher’s T-shirt (if applicable), Finisher’s Medal or Finisher’s Certificate.

 

26.  What are the criteria for the corporate distance challenge?

 

Only companies who take up the Bulk Registration or Corporate Hospitality Packages are eligible to compete for this challenge. The total distance covered by all the registered participants from a singular organisation will be accumulated and clocked under their company’s distance challenge, regardless of their race category or finishing time. However, the participants must not be disqualified, for any reason whatsoever.

The company with the highest distance accumulated will win the challenge based on the total distance completed by the registered staff, regardless of their race category or finishing time. The team can consist of any gender mix, but all team participants must be from the same unit, branch or chapter at which they are directly employed.

The top 10 companies for the Corporate Distance Challenge will be presented with a plague each at the post-race appreciation event.

  

27.  What is the Non-profit Organisations Distance Challenge?

 

This challenge is open to all non-profit organisations, clubs, societies, ministries, educational institutions, statutory boards, foreign embassies and High Commissions that take up the bulk registration / corporate hospitality packages.

 

The top 10 companies for the Non-profit Organisations Distance Challenge will be presented with a plague each at the post-race appreciation event.

  

28.  If one of the staff completed only half the race, can his/her running distance be accumulated into the total distance?

 

No. Only official finishers’ distances will be recorded.

 

29.  What happens if the race is called off because of bad weather?

 

In view of the safety and well-being of the runners, the Organiser may decide to call off the race due to bad weather.

 

Runners who are on the routes will be diverted by route marshals to nearby shelter areas and runners who have yet to begin their race will be advised by our marshals and volunteers to proceed to their respective Baggage Deposit Facilities to collect their belongings.

 

30.  Will the runners be refunded their money if the race is called off due to bad weather, etc?

 

If the race has to be cancelled, there will be no refund of fees paid.

 

This is stated in the Rules & Regulations. This is mainly because the Organiser will have to pay the vendors and the service providers for the works and the purchases which were made to prepare for the marathon.

 

However, the Organiser will review the situation and will announce more details at a later date.

 

31.  Will there be any form of compensation to the runners?

 

The Organiser will review the situation in which the race was cancelled and may look into possibilities such as offering additional discounted rates to affected participants when they register for next year’s edition of the Marathon.

 

We will announce more details at a later date. While we are planning for all types of scenarios, we are sincerely hoping, with all fingers crossed, that we will have nothing but a great race for everyone on 4 December 2011.