A marathon year like no other
Usually race season is spread across the year, with deferrals in 2020 & 2021, it is looking very different with the major marathons shoehorned into the Autumn season.
Road races did return in many places with the first mass participation event in UK being the Asics London 10k on July 25. The event came a day after thousands of adult runners and walkers in England laced up their trainers to take part in 5km Parkruns in local parks for the first time since lockdown eased. It was great for the Curated For Runners team to get back to in-person racing for the Asics 10k. Roads across central London were closed as the runners swept past views of landmarks to the sound of cheering crowds and entertainers who lined the streets. There is no experience like it. Having run a gruelling virtual half marathon in April - I for one savoured the experience, appreciating the road closures, big event vibes, crowds, clarity on a finishing line (vs relying on GPS) & being able to pick off runners as you look to close off the race.
Since then there have been several larger half marathon events that have passed off well eg Big Half on 22 August 2021, which brings us to marathon season 2021 & what a season it promises to be! Within 42 days six of the Elite Platinum label marathons are due to be held.
Until last week, it was going to be all of the six marathon majors, that the non-elite aspire to get the holy grail of the Abbott World Marathon Majors six stars, but Tokyo 17 October has now been deferred due to local infection levels.
26 Sep 🇩🇪 @berlinmarathon
3 Oct 🇬🇧 @londonmarathon
10 Oct 🇺🇸 @chimarathon
11 Oct 🇺🇸 @bostonmarathon
17 Oct 🇳🇱 @tcsamsterdammarathon
17 Oct 😣🇯🇵 @tokyomarathon - postponed till March 2022
7 Nov 🇺🇸 @nycmarathon
Doing several in a normal year seems a tall order, under the pre-COVID schedule of Tokyo (February), Boston (mid April) & London (end April) was in Spring and the Autumn/Fall ones - Berlin (September), Chicago (October) and New York (November).
I have really dipped into the running community this year and have met one person who will fly into Boston, pick up his bib, then pace Chicago before flying to run Boston the next day. @HaroonMota is running four of the Majors for the Penny Appeal Charity, which until looked doubtful for Chicago & New York, due to the US travel ban - but just like all of the pandemic, the situation is dynamic and it looks like today it is due to be announced that UK & EU citizens will be able to travel stateside from November for New York marathon, which is the world's largest marathon with 53,627 finishers in 2019.
Also today it was announced that ex-US Olympian Shalane Flanagan, who retired in 2019 will attempt to run 6 World Marathon in 42 days, all in under 3 hours. Whilst these are extraordinary efforts by some remarkable individuals, all of these marathons have a wide roster of participants, those who are competing vs those who are completing, from the elite finishing in the 2:00-2:20 range, the non-elite where sub 3 hours is the badge of honour and the rest of running our first or targeting getting better one race at a time.
Running has seen a real boom over during the lockdown, being one of the few permitted activities in many countries meeting with a sweetspot in the development of shoe technology to help runners achieve faster times or simply suffer less injuries. Topics we will be covering in the near future.
Later this week, the Curated For Runners team is landing in Berlin, where Arran is competing, I am pacing a friend for half (soaking up the vibes & inspiration for a future full attempt) & Jerry is cheering us on & geeking out on all the shoes & running apparel on show.
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