Running in Singapore I: Where to find that elusive locker

I'll be posting information here that I've found relevant in my amateur running romps around Singapore. Today's topic is : Where to find that elusive locker.

Unless you drive, get driven around, or plan to run with cargo pants stuffed with your wallet/ mobile phone/ EZ-link card/ make-up/ towel etc., lockers are essential. Knowing where they are and how much they cost is also important to a happy running romp.

MacRitchie Reservoir
As far as I know, lockers are located in two places at MacRitchie: outside the toilets by the carpark and at the top of the hill where the snack shop is. The small lockers ($1) are large enough to squeeze two backpacks in. The lockers only accept $1 coins, so make sure you have a dollar coin in your wallet before setting out. The toilets by the carpark can get really gross though, so I would suggest changing into your gear and emptying your bladder before getting to MacRitchie. The toilets at the top of the hill are marginally better. There is a watercooler at the top of the hill -- it is located outside the toilets near the vending machine. There are no showers that I know of.

AMK Library
If you need a place to deposit your stuff before a jog in AMK, you will be able to find cheap lockers at the AMK library (20 cents for the small locker; 50 cents for large). The small lockers accept only 20 cent coins, the large ones 50 cent coins. AMK library has a clean and large handicapped toilet for you to change into your running gear. (Remember to change into running gear BEFORE putting stuff in the locker though; turning your hp to "silent" would be considerate too) And if you are lucky, you may get a locker numbered "42", which is of course the answer to life, the universe, everything.

[Lockers at AMK library are now key-less! It may help to commit the code number that unlocks your locker to memory just in case the paper it issues you disintegrates in your sweaty running shorts.]

Central Library
Lockers are free! Sweet! Just make sure you don't leave it overnight or you'll be slapped with a fine.

Public Swimming Pools
The lockers at public swimming pools costs 20 cents for a small one and 40 cents for a large one. It doesn't make sense to use these when you are out for a running romp because it costs $1 just to enter the pool on weekdays ($1.30 weekends). Unless you are swimming, that is.

California Fitness
Bring a small lock. Bring two small locks if you want to lock up your track shoes while you are in the shower. They have shoe-sized lockers at the bottom row. The upper lockers are shaped in a “P”; the bottom lockers are shaped in a “d”. To open the lockers on top, use the grooves at the bottom of the arch of the “P” rather than the bottom of the stem. California Fitness discourages the use of combination locks – I assume it is because combination locks are easily picked. Shower foam, conditioner, shampoo, hairdryer and towels are provided (What kind of seventh fitness heaven is this?). As an extra tip, there are no hooks for you to hang your stuff in the shower.

YCK Gym
Entry fee to the gym is $2.50 and the lockers take two 20 cents coins. The lockers in the restrooms are almost twice as large as the ones outside for the same price. There are shelves too if you have a trusting type of personality and don't want to use the lockers. The shower and the watercooler in the female restroom are excellent. One very important point: towels are compulsory in the gym. They threaten to kick you out of the gym if you don't have your towel at all times. I carried mine like an blue furry ID.