Rue du Bois de Bologne, Paris.
When the famous Japanese writer Haruki Murakami closed the jazz club that he frequented and decided that he would dedicate himself exclusively to writing, he also started running marathons. In his book What I talk about when I talk about running, he tells us how the following year he ran the mythical route that goes from Athens to Marathon, and that gave name to this sport.
In the book, Murakami not only recounts what he thinks about during those moments when he runs daily, but also How has this practice served you for a quarter of a century? To make it to all the places he's traveled –from the Rocky Mountains, in Colorado, to any of the cities of old Europe and of course Japan– changed his life. “Most of the methods I know of for writing novels I have learned running every morning”, he explained in this kind of rehearsal of running.
Runner Eleftheria Petroulaki at the 2018 Athens Marathon.
Every year thousands of marathons are held –half marathons, fun run… and all kinds of races– all over the world –the classic distance is 42 km–. And this sports practice has more and more fans. Not only because this sport is one of the cheapest and easiest to practice, but also because it triggers a whole brain chemistry of self-improvement that applied to our daily life is a powerful tool, aside, of course, being physically prepared for everything.
Set to compete, the ideal, according to the professionals, is start preparing a year before, and seriously about 15 weeks before the test. Physical and mental preparation and, later, that you start with those softer races. The typology is very diverse, from cross country, high mountains, on the road, in stages, even vertically... There are those that ascend skyscrapers like the Empire State Building Run-Up, a race that to participate you have to be invited by the New York Road Runner, in charge of organizing this –and all the New York events– and that It ascends through 320 meters and 1,576 steps.
MARATHONS AROUND THE WORLD THIS AUTUMN
We can almost perceive the entrance of autumn, one of the best times to resume training and set some goals. Appointments happen throughout the year, but we are going to focus on some of those that take place this upcoming season.
Berlin marathon participants finish at the Brandenburg Gate.
If we are looking for a mountain race, the one that runs through the Dolomites and ends in front of the Drein Zinnen peaks is very special because of the surrounding landscape and atmosphere. The 17.5km race ends in front of the Tres Come di Lavadero: the three most famous peaks in the Alps. They depart from the city of Sesto and there is no return transport, so the participants have to descend from the valley on foot.
The fastest marathon in the world: the one in Berlin, also takes place in September and starts near the Brandenburg Gate, going through the main historical emblems of the city. Together with the one in Boston (in October), the one in London, Chicago, New York and Tokyo form the World Marathon Majors – they all take place in the fall – and they are like a league that lasts two years, of the six most important marathons in the world.
But let's look a more folkloric and fun race. Then the Médoc marathon, in France, has no competition. The appointment is next September 11 and they combine, oh yes!, races and wine. Travel 42.2 km through the best châteaux, and the most spectacular vineyards in the area. Throughout the route, the stalls for runners offer little water and many local foods and products, and above all, cheeses and wines. It goes without saying that most of the runners do so in costume and that they participate, mainly, to enjoy the wines of the area and the festive atmosphere.
Runners of the Médoc marathon, in front of the Château Pichon-Longueville.
Another unique race, perhaps one of the most beautiful races in Paris, is the Paris-Versailles, which departs from the Eiffel Tower and goes through the quays along the Seine to enter the forests crossed by the French kings until you reach the Palace of Versailles. In total, 16.3 km, whose 43rd edition will be held not this one, but next year: so you have time to prepare.
THE ORIGIN AND PRESENT OF RACES
If we want to revive the origin of these sports events, we have to go back to 490 BC when in the Battle of Marathon a messenger, Pheidippides ran from Athens to Sparta to ask for reinforcements in the fight against the Persians. He arrived alive and was able to say: “We have won”.
In addition to the classic Athens Marathon, which also includes two other races to start of 5 and 10 km in the Panathinaikó stadium, there is the tough Spartathlon, whose distance is 244.6 km. an ultramarathon, of the most complicated in the world, which logically is not open to anyone: You must show that you have finished a race of at least 100 km.
Petra Desert Marathon, 2019.
In just a few days, it also takes place another beautiful and picturesque race, such as the Desert Marathon in Petra, in Jordan, a marathon and a half marathon that runs through the interior of Petra, and that starts from the same visitor center. As special as this is the Great Ethiopian Run, 10 km, which runs through Addis Ababa, at more than 2,300 meters high, and in which mythical Ethiopian runners participate.
To start, it's not bad the Cross de la Pedriza, in Spain, 9.6 km through the Sierra de Guadarrama and which is held in October. Although probably, according to experts, the most beautiful –and the hardest– is the Ultra Trail Guara Somontano, in Huesca, which departs from Alquézar and runs through the Natural Park of the Cañones and the Sierra Guapa for 102 km What to do in less than 24 hours! The appointment is at the end of September.
In November, it will take place –physically– the mythical TCS New York City Marathon after having been held virtually, in every corner of the world, in 2020. The more than 33,000 runners will make the route through the five neighborhoods through which it runs, starting from Staten Island and ending in Central Park.
The New York marathon is a world benchmark.