Running in Singapore - The Starbucks Run

Saturday morning in Singapore means the "Starbucks Run". The Starbucks Run follows a paved river trail right through the heart of central Singapore. I highly recommend this run to visitors to Singapore. We start on River Valley Road and follow the Singapore River out to Marina Bay , taking us past Clark Quay and Boat Quay, the Singapore government's Disneyesque restaurant redevelopments. In the evenings the path is filled with tourists, but at 7:30am it is completely empty other than a dozen runners, a handful of Falun Gong adherents, and a few elderly strollers.

7:30am may seem early to start a run. I am not a morning person and 7:30am seemed way too early to run. However given Singapore's heat, 7:30am is on the late side. Half of our group this morning had already completed a 40-kilometer cycling workout before even starting the run, otherwise we would have started even earlier. In Singapore, which sits very close to the equator, the sun rises at roughly 7am and sets at 7pm every day of the year, and most runners in Singapore begin their workout at 7am or a bit earlier.

The Starbucks Run provides excellent views of Singapore's modern skyline, colonial architecture, the planned multibillion dollar integrated casino resort, and the Merlion statue. Unfortunately the Merlion is being cleaned today (so after traveling 7,000 miles I don't see the Merlion..)

The Starbucks Run is an out-and-back course, and this morning some of the group turned around after about 4-kilometers, but Brian, Mika, John and I pressed on to the East Coast Highway Bridge at 5.25k before turning around. See the map created by Brian of the course (satellite image only).

After the run we cooled off in the spectacular pool at Mika's apartment complex before heading for post-run pastries and beverages at a certain Seattle-based coffee chain. After waking up early and doing the scenic but grueling run, it was a welcome sight to see a grande latte.