Thursday, June 28, 2012

Tips for Race Supporters



Sacrifice

Be prepared to wake up as early as 4am. Some races start before sunrise.

Observe and snap

I was the team photographer. While the runners were warming up, I got to soak in the atmosphere without thinking about the race or my rivals. It was interesting to observe the runners from the other side of the barrier. What a wonderful sight watching the runners from all over the world shaking hands and chatting at the start line. A good camera is helpful for this.

Know the route

When the race started, my next task was to look at the race map and strategise where to position myself to capture the most photos of my friends in action. The best location would be at an intersection where runners will run through several times. Alas, my map-reading skills were not up to scratch. There were runners everywhere and the confusion was heightened by some route overlap for the 21km run category. So, familiarise yourself with the route. And for decent photos, get to your camera station well before your friends run past.

Be alert

It will help if you can gauge where your friend is in the race based on other competitors who you know so that you can get your camera ready. You need to be a regular runner or a frequent supporter to be able to do this.

Enjoy

As the runners streamed past, I could not help being amazed by their tenacity and passion - the pain and joy on their faces. It was therapeutic to see runners of all sizes making their way towards the finish line with different styles. There were those who were grunting their way, others who were covering the distance in awkward running styles - all of which will make for great photos.

Have a post-race plan

There are some good picture opportunities after the race is done, too. The finish line is usually a huge carnival with lots of noise and activity. If you are planning to take shots of the people you are supporting, set a place to meet after the race.

Try your hand at supporting. It requires less training.You can start at Sunday's Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore.

The writer is a SEA Games triathlon gold medallist and a two-time Singapore marathon champion. His website: http://www.mokyingren.com

It was therapeutic to see runners of all sizes making their way towards the finish line with different styles.

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