Mall rats? These Singapore runners hit 21km past shuttered shops to dodge the haze

A group of runners in Singapore have found a creative solution to their exercise routine affected by the worsening air quality and haze. Organiser Joseph Estrella and the X-Run Singapore team held an inaugural indoor run at Marina Square, which is the country's first-ever mall run. The runners passed by shuttered shops while continuing their training, avoiding the haze on October 17.

The session, which lasted two hours and saw participants cover distances from 9km to 21km, went well, with many appreciating the cooler environment compared to treadmill workouts. X-Run Singapore plans to hold regular indoor runs during poor air quality conditions, with the next one scheduled for October 24. The haze conditions ranged from unhealthy to very unhealthy on the day of the indoor mall run, but have since improved.

However, an expected shift in wind direction could bring smoke haze back to Singapore by Tuesday night. Other sporting events, including the Great Eastern Women’s Run 2026 and the Singapore Half Marathon 2026, have been cancelled due to the haze conditions, with organizers citing safety concerns.