The Income Eco Run 2025 concluded today at the Singapore Marina Barrage. The run took place today, organised by Imagine+ Pte Ltd in collab with Income Insurance Limited. Let’s take a run through of the event in a race report of the 10km event. Notably, the event is linked to Income’s 55th anniversary as part of the company’s 55‑year journey in environmental responsibility.
Race Expo
Earlier, prior to the run, the Eco Festival Run Entry Pack Collection (REPC) is where you collect your runner’s entitlements, held at the open square of the Gucco Tower building a week before. Queues stretched about 20 minutes long during lunchtime over the weekend collection. The Eco Run began to promote climate-positive action. It touts support for Singapore’s Green Plan 2030. The run sets a carbon-neutral example with minimal waste when it comes to runner entitlements (albeit though many see it more as a profit-driven cost-cutting measure). The event uses compostable plastic-free cups. T-shirts are 100% recycled event-tees available only as optional purchases.
Interestingly, the race touts efforts to save the environment. Race tag RFID bibs are 65% smaller than usual to reduce paper waste, and recycling bins dot the entire venue. All participants get e-certificates instead of medals, and banana peels are composted after the race. Also, the Eco Festival expo aimed to discover sustainable living at its best by exploring partner booths and eco-conscious vendors. Here, you find booths from eco partners and pet suppliers that teaches sustainable living beyond running. The event is pet-friendly too, so you can collect packs with your pet. You can browse sustainable pet products. Local NGOs explained how to manage plastic waste at home. You can drop off e-waste, plastics, and learn upcycling tips. The atmosphere was lively but chill.
Income Eco Run 2025 Race Categories
On race day, there are five main racing distances: 3 km, 5 km, 10 km, 15 km, and the half-marathon (21.1 km). Moreover, kids aged 4–12 can choose a 700 m or 1 km Dash. You join these routes along iconic sites like Gardens by the Bay and the Singapore Flyer. Start and finish are located at Marina Barrage building where we visited the Sustainable gallery previously.
Moreover, an interesting addition is the 1 km Pets Walk. So, don’t be alarmed to see owners walking their pets along the Barrage area. You can walk with your furry friend to support a greener future. Also, the first 1,000 people aged 55+ get complimentary slots in celebration of Income 55. There’s even an invitation-only 55 km Eco-Ultra Marathon for endurance runners starting the night before. This ultra-distance celebrates the sustainability of endurance sports.
Still, I found such large running events are usually not environmentally friendly in totality. While the event might be low-carbon in terms of organisation and conduct, the net effect of having thousands of people traveling to one spot offsets any “feel-good” eco-friendliness you might think.
There is nothing really eco-friendly about the Income Eco Run. The carparks are full from runners taking Grab rides or driving their cars in. Still, it is worth mentioning that traveling by MRT is a more popular mode of transport for the later 5 km and 10 km races, with the 7 am start time where public transport and the MRT are already running. The same can’t be said for races that start before MRTs and buses begin operating. Still, shuttle buses are provided but at a fee.
1 Hour race delay
The 10km race kicks off at Marina Barrage, a breezy open-air venue with rooftop views of the bay and city skyline. The 10km event also saw record number of participants, with 7,000 runners this year over last year’s 5,000. Still the crowd size is very manageable for a tier-B sports event. Still, this event is no Standard Chartered Marathon level of 40,000 runners by any comparison. The relatively smaller crowds made it more bearable when it comes to the running congestion.
When they say the flag off timing is subject to change, they are no kidding too, with the 15km and 21.1km (half marathon) flagging later, with the last of the 15km flagged off 1 hour later at 6.30am. The 5km and 10km started at 8am.
On race morning, there was a light drizzle from 6am onwards which carried on till 7am and stopping by 8am. You can feel the excitement as crowds start to gather near to the start time. Runners were split into 3 waiting pens on a first come, first served basis. The pens are to manage the waves of runners and prevent overcrowding.
There was a sense of delay in the air at the last of the 15km runners left the barrage building from 6:30am- the time where most of the 10km runner were just arriving. Likewise, the 10km run started 1-hour later than the planned 7am start time at 8am. Still, the morning sunrise air was cool from the early morning thunderstorm.
10km Race route
You start eastward along a well-marked running path. The 10 km run is flagged off by VIPs from the green roof of the Marina Barrage. The view here is wide and open. A morning breeze sets the tone, with the skyline sitting quietly in the background. You cross Marina Barrage, flanked by calm reservoir waters on one side and the open sea on the other. The barrage is wide enough to accommodate the crowds from each pen, and it didn’t become a choke point.
After crossing the Marina Bay, the route enters the perimeter of Marina Bay Golf Course. The trail curves gently along the greens. Though there are no golfers teeing off so early here. Still, it is peaceful and surprisingly quiet. The skyline behind you gradually fades from view.
Notably, as opposed to the Standard Charted Singapore Marathon event, you get a larger range of fitness levels for the runners here in the 10km race. From observations, about 1 in 10 runners began walking as early as the 2 km mark, with even more doing so around 8 km. Overtaking large walking crowds was challenging due to limited overtaking space.
The route here passes through Marine East Drive road past the ongoing East Coast concrete works area into East Coast Park near Fort Road where the first water point is located.
Here, the water point offers a mix of 100-Plus isotonic drinks in the first half and water in the second. There are an adequate number of bins placed afterward for trash disposal, with minimal litter observed.
East coast park straights and U-turn loop
From the 3 km point, the route enters the inland fringe of East Coast Park, a quiet stretch of park road framed by trees and open fields. Here, the scenery becomes greener, and flocks of wild chickens are occasionally seen roosting in the open. The route continues for just under a kilometre before the 10km U-turn point near East Coast Park Car Park B1.
From here you hit the East coast service road running parallel to the ECP. Notably, there were some large water puddles along here. You carry on before reaching the third hydration station near Fort Road near a heavy vehicle carpark. At the 6 km marker, the distance covered was 100m more than my GPS measured race distance at 6.11km.
The shaded Fort Road stretch is less crowded. You pass cyclists and casual walkers doing their Sunday exercise, largely unbothered by the race. Staff at the hydration station and some enthusiastic volunteers help spur you on.
Notably, there was a choke point at the 5km point following the Fort Road water point, where the park path from the carpark narrows between guardrails. This merging section after the Fort Road pedestrian bridge created a bottleneck with several slow runners walking and hogging the path.
On the route differences, I found the 15km and 21km routes do not differ too much from the 10km, with the 21km route carrying on further into East coast park and U-turning at the Extreme skate park after the East Coast park Lagoon area, while the 15km route U-turns at the Marine Cove area. It effectively just used the length of the enclosed East coast park to make up for the difference in distances with not many other points of interest. All runners from all categories would follow the same route here on.
Sheares Bridge and Tanjong Rhu
Moving on, from Fort Road, you head towards towards Tanjong Rhu with the route headed back west. The route ran along the entrance Kallang- Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) and retracing along the golf course boundary. Sights here includes the Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant, a sleek, modern facility.
Soon after, by the 7 km mark, you run under the towering pillars of the Benjamin Sheares Bridge. The view then opens up at Passion Wave @ Marina Bay, overlooking the Kallang Basin. Here you can see several rowers and dragon boaters gliding past in their Sunday morning training runs.
The Tanjong Rhu area is shaded and wide, together with the trees and Sheares Bridge offered a brief respite from the rising sun. You run beneath Sheares Bridge twice, once on the outbound, and again on the return. The echo of footsteps reverberates off the walls. Near Tanjong Rhu, the path grows quieter, flanked by trees and distant upscale condos. A U-turn zone around 7.5km mark sets the start of the return leg.
Last kilometre along Marina Bay
Moreover, the route here by the Marina Bay becomes more scenic. It’s a peaceful zone, with occasional views of Marina Bay Sands across the water. Also, the Gardens by the Bay East segment (roughly 7–9 km) runs alongside the water, facing Marina Bay Sands. Cyclists, joggers, and photographers line the edge.
Palm trees and landscaped gardens make for a calming and vibrant stretch. The last 1km route back to the Barrage bring you along the edge of Gardens by the Bay East again. Here, you enjoy panoramic views of Marina Bay, with lush lawns, waterfront promenades, silhouettes of the Singapore Flyer and ArtScience Museum, as well as the Gardens by the Bay Conservatories.
As you re-enter Gardens by the Bay East, the route opens up with palm-lined paths and manicured lawns. To your left is the future Founders’ Memorial site, currently fenced off. Also, the final stretch brings you back across Marina Barrage.
This time, the finish line is in sight. You end inside the Marina Barrage building itself, greeted by cheer squads, and the race expo beyond.
Wrapping Up
Crossing the finish line at Marina Barrage is satisfying after a clean, steady run. A banana and a can of water are handed out post-race. There are no medals or additional entitlements. Still, the event wraps up smoothly without congestion. By 9 am, the sun is up but not overbearing.
Interestingly at the 10km finishing line my total GPS covered distance was measured to be 9.83 km in total, about 150m short of the 10km. My 10km run was completed in 56:57, a sub 1-hour time despite the traffic slowdown. You leave tired but content. It’s a solid 10 km route, and the eco-conscious theme ties everything together well.
The Eco Festival Eco Village take place post-race, spread across the open courtyard at Marina Barrage. You can browse sustainability exhibits and grab refreshments without excessive plastic. You leave feeling like you’ve made a small but meaningful impact. Interestingly, I met a runner who ran barefooted in a Fred Flintstone attire too.
Overall, the Income Eco Run 2025 is a clean, well-managed event. The route is mostly flat with hydration points well-positioned. You’ll enjoy a balance of urban skylines, nature, and water views. The 2025 edition shows how community events can promote zero waste and sustainability- whether you’re walking, running, or strolling with your pet at dawn, all for a greener tomorrow.
