TMB ING Park Run

By 5 am on Sunday, four thousand runners had filled the streets outside Chatuchak Park, anxious to take part in the 2013 TMB Park Run. Just 30 minutes later, the 10k had kicked off the festivities in style.

The race brought out all kinds of athletes. There were elite long-distance runners, who made every event competitive, and thousands of other runners who wanted to have a good time while racing for a good cause.

Weaving through three parks—Chatuchak, Rot Fai, and Queen Sirikit—the men’s 10k was dominated by three strong foreign runners that finished the course in less than 35 minutes. The men’s 4k was controlled by a Thai runner, although a tight bunch finished shortly after him.

The women’s events were just as hotly contested, with foreign and Thai runners going neck-and-neck to the finish line. Ultimately, a foreign runner won the 10k while Thai runners took home prizes in the 4k and 2k races. The top women’s runners finished the 10k in less than 45 minutes.

Although the TMB Park Run was an exciting race, it suffered from an unfortunate lack of organization and poorly marked routes. 4k runners ran more than 6k, and many 10k runners got turned around in the middle of the race. Despite these shortcomings, everyone seemed to have a good time, taking in live music and chugging tasty fruit juices after finishing. In fact, the race became a kind of party in the park by 6:45 am.