Are Marathons Overrated?
Why are people paying to run when they can run for free along park connectors? Here’s what I think about it.
Marathons are long form runs where people must pay a fee to compete in. By the end of the race, they often receive a small goodie bag and a medal of completion. Usually, marathons are around 42 kilometres. However, some people prefer taking part in smaller races and half marathons.
In an article written by Marathon Handbook, it is estimated that there have been 20 to 25 million people who have taken part in marathons since the year 2000.
Marathons have been around for a long time, but I could never understand why anyone would pay to attend these races. Some say it’s for the thrill, others say it’s for the sense of accomplishment, but there are so many other ways to get an adrenaline boost or the sense of accomplishment without torturing your body.
Photo Credit: Singapore Marathon 2025
In 2025, Standard Chartered held their annual Singapore Marathon with several categories like a full marathon, half marathon, 10 kilometres, five kilometres and a Kids’ Dash. The registration price ranged from as high as S$135 to the cheapest at S$71. This is absurd. For this price, I could even attend a concert. This makes me question why people are willing to pay such insane prices simply to participate in a race – an activity they could otherwise do independently at no cost. In return, what they receive from paying so much are small goodie bags filled with random fitness items.
In 2022, the registration fee for a marathon was S$104. In 2023, it was S$113. In 2024, it was S$119. Why are marathon registration prices increasing if more runners are participating? Shouldn't it be priced lower if more people are participating?
Photo Credit: Singapore Marathon 2025
Furthermore, There were so many things that went wrong during this 2025 Standard Chartered marathon. One runner collapsed at the 15-km mark, and the exact cause remains unknown till this day. Incidents like this happen way too often but most of them are commonly linked to over exhaustion, overheating, cramping, and so on. To be honest, I feel like the risks outweigh the benefits in taking part in marathons. Pushing the body over such long distances places immense strain on the body.
Continuing despite severe fatigue can potentially lead to serious consequences – and sometimes fatality.
Despite all these red flags, many people are still joining marathons. Running is free, so why can’t these marathon lovers just simply run at their nearest park connectors? There are plenty of running tracks available in Singapore. What is the appeal of paying a substantial fee just to receive a small goodie bag and a finisher’s medal.
Photo Credit: Singapore Marathon 2025
While the cons outweigh the pros, I have to admit that marathon runners are truly admirable. To dedicate so much time training their physical and mental state for a daunting long-distance run is not an easy job. Especially for those that have commitments like a full-time job. After your nine-five, you still have to sacrifice one to two hours of rest time just to condition your body, and you have to train like this for at least two times per week.
I guess everyone has that one thing that they love and would sacrifice for, and running a marathon is that one thing for some people but I could never…
