Singapore Chinese Girls' School will send most participants for Great Eastern Women 10K run again

Contributed by Nicole Han

For the fourth year running, the Singapore Chinese Girls' School (SCGS) will send the most number of participants from a school organisation for the Great Eastern Women 10K run.

The Great Eastern Women 10K will be held on Sunday, 1st November 2009 from 7am to 12noon at the Padang as part of the Marina Bay Urban Challenge and hopes to attract 15,000 participants. The race route starts at Nicoll Highway and ends at the Padang. It is the largest all-women running event in Singapore and is held annually.

As part of the school's efforts in promoting healthy living under the Living and Lifestyle programme, the school has garnered the support of 311 participants who are eager to bond, make new friends and complete the race as a team, in both the 5km Fun Run and 10km categories. Besides the students, more than 100 staff and alumni members, parents and friends of the SC family team will also take part.

When asked why the school chose to participate in the Great Eastern Women 10K run, HOD/PE, CCA & Aesthetics, Mrs. Fei May Bowness replied, "SCGS is a girls' school and supporting women's causes at a women's run comes naturally to us."

The Great Eastern Women 10K supports the Women Against Cancer fund, and has adopted the Breast Cancer Foundation as the event's official charity this year. Participants can choose to donate their registration fee discounts to the charity.

Besides getting the students involved in a meaningful cause, Mrs Bowness is also keen for her students to enjoy the bonding experience through exercise. She feels it is "important for the students to have good role models of healthy lifestyle and to have exercise buddies who will help them form healthy habits".

The school's annual participation in the event is also a great way to end the academic year - a reminder to students of the importance of keeping themselves trim and fit even during the year-end holidays when they tend to indulge more good food during festive celebrations.

Sharifah Nur'Aisyah, a Secondary 3 student who is taking part for the first time this year, is looking forward to running with her teachers and classmates. She said, "I think this event is a great opportunity for us to bond with one another whilst keeping healthy in a relaxed environment outside the classroom."

"Through taking part as a school in the Great Eastern Women 10K, we get to see a different side of our teachers and peers and enjoy a special camaraderie together," she added.

One teacher who has impressed and inspired many students and staff in SCGS is Ms Heng Siew Joo, 50, who wakes up at 4.30am each morning to jog 10km in an hour before going to school. The Math teacher also runs with her colleagues in school before the start of the day and often encourages and accompanies students to run too.

"I love running as I believe that exercising is important to one's physical health and mental well-being. I am really happy and proud that our school is constantly empowering students and staff to lead a healthy lifestyle together," said Ms. Heng

For some, such passion for running was not established overnight. Vanessa Aw, another Secondary 3 student and Mrs Amanda Chia, a Science teacher, used to dislike running, but with Ms. Heng's constant encouragement and company, they began to find running fun and now runs more regularly.

"I would never have picked up running if it were not for my teacher, Ms Heng. She inspired me to start running as I was amazed that she could maintain such a consistent and disciplined running regime at her age," said Vanessa.

"She has taught me that running is not just an exercise, but a lifestyle. Here at SCGS, we are often encouraged to run during our own free time as we are lucky enough to have a little running track in school. We enjoy running together as a school and our focus for the Great Eastern Women 10K Run is just to enjoy ourselves and finish the race."

Even non-teaching staff have seen the changes in their lifestyle. "Before I started exercising in 2006 when my colleagues asked me to join Great Eastern run, I would turn them down because I thought I could not make the 5K run. I started the Great Eastern run three years ago when my colleagues encouraged me to join. The first time when I joined Great Eastern run I was very excited, I started training for months before the Great Eastern run because I need to build up my stamina. Since then, I started jogging at least 4 times a week," Mrs Low Kay Mui remarked excitedly. She has lost more than 10kg from regular exercise and proper diet.

The event has also seen a steady increase in participation from both parents and old girls.

"We look forward to the annual fellowship or reunion, and the opportunity to exercise together," says Dr Serene Toh, President of the SCGS Alumni.

"It is even more important for us to exercise regularly and not take good health for granted as we grow older," added Ms Linda Poon, a parent who joined her daughters in the run last year.

Prizes at the run include a $5000 cash award, up to $300 worth of Fila vouchers, and medals, plaques or a trophy for the first place.

Registration for the Great Eastern Women 10K 2009 will end on 6 September. Registration fees are $55 for the 10km run and $42 for the 5km Fun Run.

For more information, please log on to the event's website at www.women10k.com

* First-time participants and Red Sports readers will enjoy a 10% discount when they register using the promotion code GEREDS.