SINGAPORE - Over 14,000 runners took part in the 2018 Great Eastern Women's Run on Sunday (Oct 14) morning in the vicinity around the Singapore Sports Hub.

The 21.1km run was flagged off at 6.15am, one hour after its original scheduled time of 5.15am because of a thunderstorm that started after 5am.

The 10km run was flagged off at 6.45am, 15 minutes behind schedule, while the 5km Live Great! Fun Run, 2km Mummy + Me Run, 110m Princess Dash and 110m Sprint Challenge were unaffected.

"Runners were kept informed about the race status on a regular basis via SMS and Great Eastern Women's Run's social media platforms," organisers told The Straits Times in a statement.

"On-site announcements were also made to runners already gathered at the race venue."

Runners who chose not to run after the rain could pick up their race entitlements, including the finishers' tee, in the National Stadium.

Customer service officer Lim Bee Ling was one of them.

The 38-year-old said: "I have been taking part in this run since 2012 and I am disappointed not to do so this year.

"(I chose not to run) partly because of the one-hour delay, and also I don't want to risk falling down on the wet roads as I have done so before."

But there were many, such as 16-year-old Natalie How, who chose to continue.

"My family was deciding whether to take a bus or the train (to the starting point), but in the end we got here on time," said the secondary four student, who ran the 5km event with her mother and her friend.

"I was more cautious during the run and I enjoyed myself."

Japan's Kasumi Yoshida won the 21.1km run in 1hr 19min 1.7sec, and said: "I thought it might be challenging because of the rain, but as I ran, the rain felt cooling. In the first half I tried to run aggressively, but it was difficult for me in the later half of the race.

"Despite that, I am glad that I came in first."