Haze in Southeast Asia forces cancellation of major running events

Poor air quality caused by seasonal haze has led to the cancellation or modification of numerous marathons and half-marathons across Malaysia and Singapore. Between September 6 and November 1, at least nine major races were affected, including the Kuching Marathon in Sarawak, which was cancelled at the last minute despite having over 13,000 registrants.

In Malaysia, several events such as the PJ Half-Marathon, Tebrau City Half-Marathon, and Mersing Half-Marathon were either called off or converted into virtual runs due to health and safety concerns. In Singapore, the Singapore Half-Marathon and the Great Eastern Women’s Run were also cancelled following worsening air quality.

To adapt to the unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) levels, some groups have moved activities indoors. For instance, the Worst Pace Scenario Run Club moved its Wednesday night session from the streets of Kuala Lumpur to The Starhill shopping mall in Bukit Bintang to avoid exposure to the haze.