North East Run 2010

Finally, the event was over, at least for 2010.
I would like to share two things about the Run.

First, it is one of the most eventful projects the moment we started to work on the details.

We quickly realized that we have to give the Run a new name instead of using the name that was organized in 2009. We did not have much ready information from the initial Run done to give us a better understanding of the running business. Basically, starting pretty afresh. Learning to craft a detailed yet a different tender specifications for it. Designing a different relationship with the service providers. The need to plan a running route that would cut across three estates from Pasir Ris, Tampines and Aljunied areas. Mature estates give much challenges to the road closure. Deciding on the categories and the registration fees for each and the discounts to give for participants.

One of the greatest challenges was the available budget for the event. At one point, we were actually talking about canceling the whole project. It was, indeed, a quick fix to relief ourselves then. Funny requests from various sources along the way. Slow registration rate in the first 1.5 months. It started to rain a few days before the actual run when we had a few weeks of hot weather prior to it. And many others ......

Some of these challenges are operational in nature and could be deal with easily but some are not. It is the later that the team has to carry on with it and managing the variables until its full implementation.

Secondly and finally, it is properly the only project that we charge participants and at the same time, able to convince over 5,000 individuals to register for it. We must be proud of it as the number did not come easily. All runners, thank you for your support :-)

Though we are not a profit making organization, I feel that we should try to work on the principle of breaking even in organizing an event whenever possible. Having a price will help us to appreciate what works, the type of activities the community would prefer and how much the community is willing to pay for it. It is a good and simple guiding indicator to supply what is demanded at the right time, right place and right price. Else, we maybe talking about having wastage. The Run demonstrated that we could design an event and possibly charging it to offset part of the organizing cost.

You may think that we have a sizable team working on it. The main and original organizing team has only two persons though supported by a couple more nearer to the actual day of the event. It is not easy but the team made it happen at the Pasir Ris Park on 14 March 2010 and witnessing the 16km category to flag off at 6.45am.

Zhen Yi and Pi Kuang,
Thanks for all the effort :-)

Also appreciated the support from the rest and being part of the team, contributing to the North East Run 2010 :-)