How do I decide on which race to take part in? Mostly, if the prior experience was good, chances are I will be back but if it is a new race, I look at who the organiser is, the route and the registration fee before I sign up. Most time, I have no regrets but sometime I do make some silly choice. Like the North East Run.
Unlike most run, the organiser did not put up the race route until last week but because it was in familiar territory and I have good opinion of the organiser after last year Suburban Run, I decided to sign up even though it wasn't really cheap. But I thought since I never did a race in Pasir Ris, why not?
And now the race is still a few weeks away and I am regretting like hell. The route was released last week and to my horror (and I am sure many participants' as well), the only thing Pasir Ris about the route is the end and start and the major part of the route is in heavily populated Tampines stretching from Ave 9 to Ave 1 before u-turning back towards Pasir Ris. Along the way, there are 14 sets of traffic light junction, 6 overhead bridges and countless slip roads and entrances to car parks. I can just visualise the frustration of runners as they are forced to stop constantly to allow residents to come out from their car parks (pretty sure the motorists are not going to give way) and also the frustration of motorist as they are caught in the partial road closures along the various way.
Why oh why do they have to put the main part of the race in Tampines? For the crowd support? Can you imagine the aunties going to market applauding us or the chuch goers already late for church because the runners are blocking them stopping to horn their support for us~. I can't.
I don't really like to pre-judge and I really hope the experience will be better than what I can see from the route map but don't bet on it.
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