THE MARATHON BIKER GUY

Veteran Aussie has cycled over 50 courses in 12 years to ensure the route is 42.195km

- Kimberly Kwek

Over the past 12 years, Kim Vivian has completed at least 50 marathon courses. But instead of running, the Australian travels these routes on his bicycle.

The 60-year-old is not your typical marathon runner; he is a course measurer who clocks many hours and kilometers, determining the length and course of various races around the world.

A month before the Nov 29-Dec 1 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM), the Perth native was in the Republic, working the course in the sweltering heat.

Explaining the significance of his role, Vivian said: "All the events that I measure, all the courses, then get registered on an international database.

Then anybody can use my events to then qualify for (events like) the Boston or New York Marathon, which have got qualifying times, because they are recognised international quality events."

This complex process begins with Vivian using Google Maps to measure the route, before he gets to work on the actual courses in the respective countries.

One of the first things Vivian does in Singapore is setting up a calibration course, which is typically 300 metres long.

Then he gets on his bicycle and rides up and down the calibration course four times. A counter affixed on his bicycle records the number of revolutions the wheel (counters) makes across a certain distance.