Men’s Health Urbanathlon

Open to both men and women, this 14km urban obstacle course is widely regarded as one of the most challenging races around. Prove  your mettle by taking on nine tough obstacles, including Wire House (a web of bungee cords) and Leap of Faith (a 2m high tower). There’s also a mystery challenge to shake things up.

Difficulty level: 4/5. This race requires all‑round fitness and stamina (participants need to leap, climb, dodge and crawl), with a significant amount of mental endurance.

Energizer Singapore Night Trail

Navigate the trails of Mandai with only an LED headlight (powered by Energizer, of course) to illuminate the perilous paths ahead. Participants can choose to join the 3km, 6km,  12km or 18km category.

Difficulty level: 3/5. Trail running is tricky enough, with unexpected obstacles to watch out for, so taking on this trail in  the dark just makes the challenge harder.

Swissotel Vertical Marathon
Race dates are yet to be confirmed, but it is slated for November.

Bored of running across flat terrain? Make your way to the top,  literally, by ascending The Swissotel—that’s 1,336 steps over 73 storeys—in the fastest time possible.

Difficulty level: 4/5. Lumbering up steps is tough work. Climbing 73 storeys? We feel weak at the knees already.

Monster Ultra 200

The first-ever edition of this whopping 200km run across the island is open to individual as well as teams of two, three and four. Participants have 48 hours to complete the course, which spans just about every far-flung corner of Singapore, from Kranji to Changi.

Difficulty level: 5/5. This is by far the toughest race on the running calendar. Imagine running the equivalent of 500 rounds of a standard 400m track—we don’t even want to think about it.

Check out these other popular running events for more good reasons to pound the pavement this year. Plus, read our interview with to Daniel Chia from Macritchie Runners 25 group for tips on how to prepare for that big race.