The Mizuno Mount Faber Run 2009, which was held last Sunday, saw more than 1,000 female runners, a more than 100 per cent increase over the 2008 event.
The flipside to this happy picture of more women hitting the tarmac is that more of them have also been trudging into sports medicine clinics.
Dr Jason Chia, a consultant sports physician at the Singapore Sports Medicine Centre and the Changi Sports Medicine Centre, said: 'I think this is partly due to more women taking part in sports and exercise, as well as more races exclusive to women, such as the Shape Run, being organised.
'Another reason might be the growing awareness that there are benefits to regular sports and exercise.'
So is going the distance beneficial to women's health?
Dr Ong Wee Sian, head and consultant in sports medicine at KK Women's and Children's Hospital, said that distance running improves aerobic fitness and bone mass (as it is a weight-bearing exercise).
It also reduces the risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and osteoporosis.
Mr Jonathan Fong, sports scientist and lab director of Racers' Toolbox, added that women who do regular exercise or training for marathons derive other benefits like stress relief and an increase in energy levels.
Indeed, women who have so benefited extol the virtues of long-distance running.
Ms Ashlie Wallace, 31, a financial analyst at Dell, trimmed her weight from 89kg to 64kg after she started training for a marathon in 2007.
The veteran of three marathons and dozens of other distance races said: 'I started running to get healthy and lose weight. Then it became about relieving work stress.
'Now, if I don't run, I won't have the same energy level.'
However, like all endurance events, marathons - and training for them - do carry some risks for women.
Dr Low Wye Mun, a sports physician at The Clinic@Cuppage, said: 'Marathons are not for everyone.
'Depending on factors like her physical structure, training programme and choice of running shoes, a woman can place herself at higher risk of sustaining an injury.'
Dr Ben Tan, head and senior consultant sports physician at Changi Sports Medicine Centre and medical director of Singapore Sports Medicine Centre, said: 'Women's hips are wider and hence they are more prone to mal-alignment of the kneecap which can lead to patellofemoral pain syndrome.'
This syndrome is a common knee problem where the patient feels pain under and around the kneecap.
Women also tend to have a lower strength to weight ratio than men and are thus more susceptible to impact injuries for the same exercise intensity and volume.
They may also be at higher risk of shin splints or stress fractures.
Dr Jeffrey Chew, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Centre For Orthopaedics and Hip And Knee Surgery, added that women are at higher risk of ligament injuries in the knee due to their hormones.
A common but less known injury is 'runner's nipples', in which the nipples are inflamed due to abrasion against clothing after some time. Wearing nipple guards, a proper sports bra and using skin protectants like petroleum jelly help protect against it.
Other more serious health risks are menstrual dysfunction and osteoarthritis. However, these are usually limited to female runners clocking excessively long distances, who have nutritional deficiencies or who experience a sudden change in their running frequency or duration.
Most running injuries that women experience can be treated with activities like physiotherapy or strengthening exercises. More severe ones like knee ligament tears or cartilage tears may require surgery.
Asked what female distance runners can do to prevent injuries, Dr Chew emphasised proper stretching (Photo 2), warm-ups and training prior to running a marathon.
He said: 'It's just like going for any examination or test. Unless you put in the hours, the outcome is usually predictable.'
Dr Tan said female distance runners should work on getting seven factors right to ensure a good marathon experience.
These are: proper conditioning, tapering (reducing your training load), determining their race pace, selecting and sticking to their equipment, hydration, calorie intake and recovery.
Meanwhile, for some, running has given them a new purpose.
Fourteen-year-old Sim Xinru who, last December, was put in Andrew & Grace Home, a shelter for troubled teenaged girls and juvenile delinquents, has found a new direction in life - long-distance running. She was placed there for glue sniffing and theft.
She ran 5km three times a week for a month before the Mizuno Mount Faber Run 2009 last Sunday.
She said: 'Running has taught me a lot of things like focus and how to be more attentive. When you're running, you'll fall down or your back slouches if you don't focus on your technique.
'Before, I sniffed glue all day. Now, my life has purpose and I can eat and sleep well.'
