The air became so unbreathable that runners in Singapore started running in shopping malls

A thick, treacherous blanket of smoke from fires in Indonesia is shrouding the skies of Southeast Asia, causing Singapore’s worst toxic haze and air pollution emergency since 2015. Faced with a drastic deterioration in air quality, with a Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) soaring into the 130 to 199 range, outdoor physical activity has become a health risk. In order not to interrupt preparations for the international marathon scheduled for 4 to 6 December 2026, the X-Run Singapore sports community, in collaboration with the Key Power Sports brand, has devised an unprecedented solution: transforming the corridors of the Marina Square shopping center into an indoor training track.

Having obtained authorization from the management of the facility, on the morning of Saturday 17 October, between 7.00 and 9.00, a group of around 15 runners carried out the first indoor run in the city before the shops opened. Using the first two levels of the shopping center – characterized by a 1.2 kilometer ring – and the 800 meter third floor, the athletes covered distances between 9 and 21 kilometres. The initiative allowed enthusiasts to avoid boring treadmills and train in an air-conditioned and protected environment, laying the foundations for weekly sessions to be repeated every Saturday.

Many canceled races and a new smoke alarm

The wave of fog caused by the fires in Kalimantan has forced a forced stop to numerous running events in the region. The organizers have in fact canceled highly anticipated events such as the Great Eastern Women’s Run 2026, the Singapore Half Marathon 2026 Powered by JomRun and the Pompompurin 30th Anniversary Run, while the Garmin Run 2026 scheduled for October 25 remains in doubt. At the same time, the government agency Sport Singapore ordered the temporary closure of all outdoor and non-air-conditioned sports facilities at the ActiveSG circuit, which were then reopened with the recommendation to constantly monitor PM2.5 fine particles.

Despite a temporary improvement due to the change in ventilation, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has issued a new warning for the possible return of smoke from Tuesday. For this reason, the organizer Joseph Estrella has already confirmed the new appointment at Marina Square for next Saturday 24 October, demonstrating the great ability to adapt of local runners in the face of the environmental emergency.