Distance Running archive BETA 2012

In this issue…

Environmental appreciation
Features Lucerne Marathon, October 20 2011 by Reto Schorno

The Lucerne Marathon is a unique event. It is not a race at which elite runners are invited to pick up large paychecks. Lucerne Marathon is a popular event run in celebration of everyone’s efforts, and everyone’s victory.

Fit for a king
Features Pharaonic 100km by Hisham Ibrahim

Back in 1977 Egyptian Egyptologist Ahmed Moussa discovered a piece of rock inscribed with hieroglyphics which told the story of Pharaonic soldiers running a 100km race…

Running on memory
Opinion by Patrick Walsh

Patrick Walsh discovers a new dimension to the psychology of running a Marathon: history

Designed for speed and special moments
Running into history De Lage Landen Marathon Eindhoven, October 20 2012 by Phil Minshull

The 2011 Marathon Eindhoven made headlines around the world. The outstanding new course record of 2:05:48 set by Kenya’s Jafred Chirchir Kipchumba was the talking point, but each one of the 18,000 runners who took to the streets of the Dutch city will have their own special memories of the day.

In the front rank
Running into history World’s Best 10k Race by Jose Carmona

What started in 1998 as a local event to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the opening of the Teodoro Moscoso Bridge, linking the southern suburbs of San Juan to the International Airport in the Isla Verde district, has become one of the most competitive and internationally-acclaimed races in the world, and one of the largest events of any kind held in Puerto Rico.

Ed Whitlock: one of the old school
Marathon movers by Paul Gains

Over-70 & over-80 world record holder who became a running celebrity in Canada

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In this issue…

On recovery road
Features Kyoto Marathon, March 20 2012 by Jane Tse

At 14.46 on 11 March 2011 Japan was hit by its worst ever earthquake. It registered 9 on the Richter scale, and was one of the five worst ever suffered – anywhere. The World Bank rated it as the most expensive natural disaster in world history.

A popular pilgrimage in the Holy City
Features Jerusalem Marathon, Half & 10k, March 20 2012

The City of Jerusalem hosted about 15,000 runners from all over Israel and from about 50 countries worldwide in the Marathon, Half Marathon and 10km races. They fought driving rain and strong winds in the second ever marathon held in the Holy City.

The long way home
Opinion by Richard Donovan

Why would anyone want to run seven marathon distances on seven continents in less than five days? “Because I thought I could” says Richard Donovan.

On Tour
Opinion by Martin Joyce

Tour operator Martin Joyce recalls some memorable moments…

The beautiful battleground
Running into history Kinmen Marathon, February 20 2012 by Queenie Juang

Kinmen was first known as Jinmen (meaning “golden gate”) from Ming Dynasty times when the emperor sent in the military to protect the area against pirate attacks.

In the footsteps of a legend
Running into history Paavo Nurmi Marathon, Half and 10k by Jari Salonen

The 21st edition of the Paavo Nurmi Marathon takes place on 30 June 2012, commemorating the much earlier feats of the “Flying Finn” in the 1920s. Paavo Nurmi won nine gold and three silver medals in the Olympic Games held in Antwerp in 1920, Paris in 1924 and Amsterdam in 1928.

Jim Ralston
Marathon movers Niagara Falls International Marathon by Joe Hvilivitzky

After helping breathe new life into the world’s only country-to-country marathon, Jim Ralston is stepping aside following a 14-year run as its race director. Under Ralston’s stewardship the race, now called the Niagara Falls International Marathon (NFIM), has enjoyed steady growth in popularity as a destination race for runners drawn by the idea of starting a race in the United States and ending it in Canada—near the brink of the iconic Canadian Horseshoe Falls, no less.

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In this issue…

Diversity in unity
Features METRO GROUP Marathon Düsseldorf by Julia Ehrich

“Let’s just start something” was the simple sentiment behind the roll-out of the marathon in Düsseldorf 10 years ago. It began as something small but has grown steadily since.

The rushing Ottawa River
Features Ottawa Marathon, May 20 2012 by Susan Marsh

You’ve run along the rushing Ottawa River, skirted vast wilderness in Quebec, weaved through vital urban neighbourhoods thronged with cheering supporters, and passed by Canada’s old stone parliament buildings. Now you’re back running along the historic Rideau Canal, staring down the final stretch of the race, digging deep.

A diamond race
Features Steinmetz Gaborone Marathon, April 20 2012 by Emma Muller

A cool drizzle covered the faces of runners huddled together at the start line in the early morning darkness. A few hundred spectators had made their way to the capital’s Phakalane suburb by car, minibus, taxi or on foot before daybreak. They followed the signs in pitch dark to the Golf Estate, which had been transformed by the race organizers into a marathon and entertainment site for over 3,000 runners taking part in the 42km, 10km race or 4km fun run/walk.

Chasing a dream
Opinion by Ray Charbonneau

Runners may have their heads in a cloud, but they always have their feet on the ground …

Then & now
Running into history by Anders Olsson

Sunday 14 July was the big day during the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm …

Michel Bréal: the founder of the Marathon
Running into history by Norbert Müller

Born in Landau, Palatinate, Michel Bréal was an outstanding linguist but has become better known as the man who inspired the 1896 Olympic Marathon in Athens and – indirectly – all that flowed from it.

Small place, big race
Running into history Knarvikmila – The Great Fjord Run by John Flatøy

The Fjord Norway Half Marathon in Knarvik is one of the great running events in Norway, taking place close to Bergen, “The gateway to the Fjords”.

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In this issue…

Hard. Too hard. But it’s a marathon!
Features Siberian International Marathon, August 20 2012 by Boris Prokopyev

When athletes are called upon to bear difficult weather, topographic or other conditions – and it becomes really hard, they sometimes look for someone to blame. Their first thought is not that it is a marathon, a real one; a marathon in its original form. Maybe they were just not ready for it.

The winding way through wine country
Features 15th Int’l WACHAUmarathon, September 20 2012 by Monika Wildner

Each year in autumn ten thousand runners converge on a region in Austria called Wachau to run the Marathon there along the banks of the Danube River. For approximately 36km of its length the River Danube meanders through one of the most stunning cultural and natural landscapes of Europe, a UNESCO World heritage site …

A national monument
Features Maraton Internacional de Asuncion, August 20 2012 by Paco Borao

Paraguay celebrated the 200th anniversary of its independence in 2011, which the Paraguay Marathon Club prepared for by organizing the first ever full marathon in 2010 as a test event. It was so successful that it was agreed to hold it every year…

A sprinter talks distance: doh!
Opinion by Kenneth Lloyd

What does Carl Lewis know about distance, asks Kenneth Lloyd…

Following in the footsteps of legend
Running into history Athens Marathon. The Authentic by Kostas Pangopoulos

The Athens Classic Marathon has unique status, being held on the authentic Olympic Marathon course. While the ancient history of this race runs back more than 2500 years, its relatively recent history started in 1896.

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