GCAM 14 (Part 5): Race Number Collection + Sports & Leisure Expo Shopping

A race would be incomplete without a good race expo. Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (See Map) is where the participants would collect their race tags and also do some final shopping before their runs on Saturday/Sunday.

 

Few things to do at the expo and conventions :

• Shop for GCAM 2014 Shirts (from ASICs Booth).

 

 

 

 

 

• Sampling the GCAM isotonic drinks  (from Endura Booth).

 

• Last minute shopping for the race supplements and gears (Energy gels, Running Belts, Sunglasses etc).

• Attend the AirAsia Legends Lunch (on 5 July 12 noon). It is priced at A$50. This lunch features a sumptuous carbohydrate rich menu (i.e. assortment of international dishes, pasta, salad, breads and desserts) and one can expect motivational/educational presentations by  legendary runners (Singapore's legend - Dr. Mok Ying Ren will also be attending this session). We have to skip this lunch as we have a prior lunch appointment with a visiting friend.

Click here for the GCAM 2014 Race Guide and all the best to those who are running!

Coming Sundown Marathon Singapore 2014

This will be my first full marathon of the year and Rachel's second half-marathon this year (NTUC's Run 350 - 21km event was cancelled due to heavy downpour).

Source : Official Website dated 4 May 2014

Some important information about this event.

Race Entry Pack Collection

Venue: Suntec City Convention Center, Hall 403 & 404

Date: 16 May (Fri) – 18 May (Sun)

Time: 11am – 7pm

Flag-Off Time

Category	Flag Off Time	Date
10km	2230 hours	31st May 2014, Saturday
Full Marathon	2330 hours	31st May 2014, Saturday
Half Marathon	0030 hours	1st June 2014, Sunday

Broad Timing














Race Village Layout



Running Routes

The "REVISED" running routes are as follows:

Official Pacers

40 pax from Team Fatbird will be the official pacer for both (21km) and Full Marathons (42km). The pacing timings are as follows,

• 21km Event - 2hr, 2:15hr and 2:30hr
• 42km Event - 4hr, 4:30hr, 5hr, 5:30hr and 6hr

Transport

Late night bus service tickets will be available to all Sundown participants departing from the race village to various drop off locations. Late night bus service tickets will only be available to all Sundown participants departing from the race village to various drop off locations from 0030hrs onwards. Registered Sundown Marathon 2014 participants can purchase the tickets via the Participants' Login to select a chosen drop off location. Tickets are also available for purchase during the Sundown Expo from 16 – 18 May 2014.

Price	Period
$6	Until 18 May 2014 (online)
	16-18 May at Sundown Expo
$7	19 – 25 May 2014 (online)
$8	On Race Day

Shuttle bus pick up timings will be at 0030hrs, 0300hrs, 0430hrs for all routes.

• Bus Route 1 Pioneer MRT » Boon Lay MRT» Lakeside MRT » Chinese Garden MRT
• Bus Route 2 Bukit Gombak MRT » Bukit Batok MRT » Jurong East MRT
• Bus Route 3 Marsiling MRT » Woodlands MRT » Admiralty MRT
• Bus Route 4 Sembawang MRT » Yishun MRT » Khatib MRT
• Bus Route 5 Yio Chu Kang MRT » Ang Mo Kio MRT » Bishan MRT
• Bus Route 6 Yew Tee MRT » Choa Chu Kang MRT » Bukit Panjang Plaza
• Bus Route 7 Pasir Ris MRT » Tampines MRT
• Bus Route 8 Bedok MRT » Kembangan MRT » Eunos MRT
• Bus Route 9 Punggol MRT » Sengkang MRT
• Bus Route 10 Hougang MRT » Serangoon MRT
• Bus Route 11 Clementi MRT » Bouna Vista MRT » Commonwealth MRT » Queenstown MRT

Crazy Race Pack Collection Week (Episode 2/2) : X-Bionic Venus Run 2014, Singapore / Passion North East Run 2014, Singapore

Despite the mad rush to collect race packs for both races on Saturday, I was generally happy with both organisers.  With so many runs in Singapore nowadays, many event organisers have set profiteering as main objectives. For example, the number of collection counters could be reduced to allow more space for products/services retailing purposes, resulting in long queues during race pack collections.  In this respect, I was impressed that both organisers did a good job! We were entertained with sufficient sporting products whilst organisers maintained ample space for queuing.

Coincidentally, organisers for both races chose the "Opt for Your Own Collection Time" method upon registration. Good and bad. The good for such staggered collection schedule largely minimise long queues and angry participants. The bad? I opted same time for both races, oblivious that both race pack collections fell on same weekend! Now, you understand the reason for my mad rush! Unfortunately, the system has been rather inflexible, thus far, rejecting collections once we miss our pre-selected time slots.

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X-Bionic Venus Run 2014

As City Square Mall (collection venue for X-Bionic Venus Run) was further away from home, we thought this should be our first stop. I like the gigantic rotating fan above us! The heat was almost non-existent despite the race pack collection point being an outdoor courtyard. 

Nice and bright collection point. Very well controlled traffic due to staggered collection schedules.

Super liked the gigantic fan above us. It dispersed the heat somehow.

Collection counters could be improved. Preferably with proper booths and clear signages displayed on top instead of small standees on the tables. Participants had to rely on themselves to check out which were the available counters when their turn came. Quite often, the volunteers manning the counters had to shout afar when they were freed.  

Respect to the volunteers, always.

Thumbs Up! See the X-Bionic Compression Top and Pants? They were provided in the race pack! The socks (long version @ S$104.90 or short version @ S$36.90) will be given to us free on race day if we wear the X-Bionic race attire. Woo-hoo! I'll put on full gear!

A closer shot of the race attire. Cool!

This has to be the best race pack ever! Look at all the goodies we have! The major perk of participating in an all-women race has always been a very rewarding race pack. Sponsors being more generous to all-women races?

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Passion North East Run 2014

As I had unknowingly pre-selected a similar time slot to collect the race pack for Passion North East Run, we had to rush to Sengkang Community Club (about 30 mins travel distance from the first location) before they deny me for collection. To our surprise, the venue was quiet when we arrived. We thought we went to a wrong location!

There was no queue ahead of me and it was a breeze to have all my items collected in less than 3 minutes! How efficient! So, this staggered race pack collection schedule system worked! Really, really?

Happy to collect my Bib. Ahem....more volunteers than participants despite the race being fully subscribed.

Ample space and time to check that I was given the correct t-shirt size. 

Low registration fees. Simple race pack. No frills. I like it this way too!

After the race pack collections, we are now all ready for the runs! Bring it on!

Crazy Race Pack Collection Week (Episode 1/2) : 2XU Compression Run 2014, Singapore

March is going to be a crazy month for me as I have signed up for 3 running races + OCBC Cycle Singapore. In other words, I have a race almost every weekend! 

Sunday, 2 March 2014 

2XU Compression Run 2014, Singapore

21 km (Simon is in!)

Saturday, 8 March 2014 

X-Bionic Venus Run 2014, Singapore

5 km (all-women race, Simon is not eligible)

Sunday, 16 March 2014

Passion North East Run 2014, Singapore

14 km (Simon is not participating. He does not want to risk injury just before his IPPT.)

Sunday, 30 March 2014

OCBC Cycle Singapore

27 km, The Foldies Community Ride (Simon is in!)

I did not realise that the race pack collection for the 3 running races fall on the same weekend! Better still, all 3 at different parts of Singapore! #@%*&! As Simon and I need sufficient rest for Sunday's early gun time (4.30 a.m.), we must target to finish all collections by early afternoon on Saturday. Hence, we decided to collect our first race pack this evening.

I read both positive and negative reviews about 2XU Compression Run 2013 and remained objective by making the decision to sign up for the half-marathon. Secretly, I was wishing for a smooth race pack collection and actual race day experience.   

The first disappointment came. That race packs to be collected only 1 to 3 days before race instead of the normal 1 to 2 weeks in advance. That's too close! We thought.

The second disappointment came on Tuesday, 26 February. All participants received a SMS message informing that the venue for race pack collection had been shifted from the original Funan DigitaLife Mall (centrally located in town) to Changi City Point (extreme eastern part of Singapore). No reasons cited for this last minute change. It triggered many negative comments on the event's Facebook page. By then, I was seriously hoping for the best....

Simon and I met after work and proceeded straight to Changi City Point. Gaining entry into the car park was already a problem as the car park was already full when we arrived. It took us quite a while to enter and hunt for a lot. It seemed that many were there for the same purpose. 

It's an outdoor area and the queue was long. Just when we were expecting another long wait, we were pleasantly surprised that the queue was actually fast moving! We attribute the efficiency to sufficient counters and volunteers' support. The atmosphere was blithesome despite a hot weather with no air-conditioning. At least, the organisers placed enough standing fans to battle the heat! It took us about 30 minutes to queue and collect our race pack along other merchandises that we ordered during registration. That's acceptable.   

Sufficient counters. Sufficient volunteers. Fast moving queue. Thumbs up!

My turn.

Simon awaiting his race pack.

Merchandise stacked aside for collections.

Collected my compression shorts, visor and socks. We thought the bundle deal was reasonable in comparison to normal retail prices.

Happy that Pocari Sweat is the official isotonic drink sponsor. They were running a 'Like' their Facebook page promotion on site. We had a box of free Pocari Sweat sachets each for liking their page.

Bibs for Simon and me. We are both tackling 21 km in this event. Simon should do well while I just hope to complete, not compete!

Simon's.

Mine.

Now that we have only 2 more race pack collections on Saturday, we are more relaxed and looking forward to another enjoyable running experience. After all, this is going to be the maiden half-marathon of my life! 

By the way, don't you think we gonna look like Bumble Bees on race day? Thousands of us! What a combo! lol