PAULA RADCLIFFE OLYMPICS 2004 ATHENS MARATHON

PAULA RADCLIFFE OLYMPICS 2004 ATHENS MARATHON

London 1948 Marathon

10 Extreme Marathons

Source WomansDay.com

Check out 26.2-mile running challenges from around the world

Athletes compete in marathons for a number of reasons; along with the desire to achieve a new goal or to challenge their mental and physical state, there’s often the wish to travel and experience a new culture. With that in mind, we found some of the most inspiring, grueling and rewarding races—many located on difficult terrains, while others are held in breathtaking destinations. From running through the jungles of Africa to taking on the world’s highest peak, the challenges below serve as the perfect opportunity for many athletes to leave their footprints all around the world.

 

Great Wall Marathon in China
Most stairs to climb in a marathon

The Great Wall Marathon in northern China boasts an all-inclusive experience for athletes, offering a historical landscape, incredible views of Tianjin Province and an epic workout: 5,164 steps of the Great Wall, which are climbed twice throughout the course. The experience is also available in 5 km, 10 km and half-marathon form. Photo courtesy of greatwallmarathon.com

 

Mt. Kilimanjaro Marathon in Tanzania
Most amateur-friendly marathon

Every June in Africa, a crop of the fittest amateur athletes take on the Mt. Kilimanjaro challenge. The route is a 10.5 km loop that is run four times, and each year the race is won by a nonprofessional runner. The pastoral landscape with Mt. Kilimanjaro on the horizon guarantees a scenic run, making this one of the most exotic marathons. Photo courtesy of Re: womansday.com would like to post a photo of Mt. Kilimanjaro Marathon for …Christina Helbig.

 

The Polar Circle Marathon in Greenland
Iciest marathon

The Polar Circle Marathon takes runners through the arctic tundra of Greenland—giving new meaning to the term icy hot. Runners blaze through uneven gravel roads and thick ice caps—with occasional snowfall—while absorbing the beautiful landscape of one of the least populated corners of the world. Photo courtesy of albatrostravel.co.za

 

Everest Marathon in Nepal
Highest-altitude marathon

Listed in the Guinness World Records as the highest-altitude setting of any marathon in the world, the Everest Marathon—which began in 1987—takes runners on a journey through some very rough terrain. With a starting point of 17,000 feet above sea level, the course is mostly downhill (with two very steep uphill challenges), and is reserved for the more experienced athlete. Photo courtesy of Alison Greer

 

Safaricom Marathon in Kenya
Most exposure to the elements in a marathon

What started out as a fundraiser in 2000 has become one of the world’s most grueling marathons. Geared toward challenge-seeking runners, its course is set on the harsh dirt-road terrain of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy at an average altitude of 5,500 feet above sea level. Runners enjoy breathtaking views and, if they are lucky, glimpses of Africa’s big game animals. Photo courtesy of sokomoto.com

 

ING New York City Marathon in New York
Largest marathon

One of the hardest to get into—a 3-year waiting period is the norm for a runner not participating with a charity or running club—this marathon receives 100,000 applications each year. Being cheered on by spectators while running through all five New York City boroughs is a truly unforgettable experience. Though the last leg of the race goes through Central Park, the energy and magnificence of the city is ever present the entire 26.2 miles. Photo courtesy of Martineric via flickr.com

 

Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego
Most musical marathon

From the Balboa Park starting point, around the San Diego Zoo and alongside the harbor, runners in this California marathon are serenaded during the entire race. The course contains 26 entertainment stages and 40 cheerleader squads that serve up adrenaline-pumping excitement the whole way through. Photo courtesy of The Competitor Group

 

Marathon du Médoc in France
Most indulgent marathon

This marathon—described as a mixture between Mardi Gras, Woodstock and Halloween—is in Pauillac, France. Runners head to the starting line to await a sip of wine and a trapeze act dangling overhead. The course navigates through vineyards and includes 22 refreshment stands and 21 food stands—which feature a variety of snacks, such as beef, oysters and ice cream. A red carpet decorates the last 100 meters of the race and runners are greeted with more wine once they cross the finish line. Photo courtesy of marathondumedoc.com

 

Dead Sea Ultra Marathon in Jordan

Lowest-altitude marathon

This marathon course is mostly downhill—competitors run from Amman, which sits 900 meters above sea level, to the Dead Sea finishing line, which sits 400 meters below sea level. Since there is minimal shade in the desert-like setting, runners have to make sure they bring sunscreen to protect their skin from the excess of direct sunlight. Photo courtesy of Thomas Ritter via panoramio.png

 

Athens Marathon in Greece
Most historically significant marathon

The word marathon comes from the legend of Pheidippides, which tells the story of a Greek messenger sent from the town of Marathon to Athens with the announcement that the Persians had been defeated. It is said that he ran the entire distance. Now, runners who participate in the 26.2-mile challenge—held on the exact same ground—are said to be running in the footsteps of one of many heroes who gave birth to Western civilization. Photo courtesy of Apostolos Greek Tours

 

Japan’s “iron man” quits – at 81

Sun Jul 19, 2009 2:39am EDT

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese marathon runner Keizo Yamada has hung up his sneakers at the grand old age of 81 — although he could be tempted back to run the odd half marathon.

Yamada, who represented Japan at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and won the Boston Marathon the following year, said the time was right for him to "scale back" on his running.

"I’m not getting any younger so I won’t run any more 42-kilometre races," he told Sunday’s Sports Hochi newspaper, adding that he still jogs 20km daily.

"I will carry on running for fun to stay in shape."

Dubbed "Iron Man," Yamada ran three marathons this year, including his 19th appearance in Boston, and completed the Tokyo Marathon in a time of five hours, 34 minutes and 50 seconds.

He was one of the pioneers of Japanese marathon running, along with Shigeki Tanaka and Hideo Hamamura, who also won in Boston in 1951 and 1955 respectively.

Kokichi Tsuburaya put the sport on map in the Japan by taking bronze in the men’s marathon at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Japan’s women have had more success than their male counterparts in recent years, Naoko Takahashi capturing gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Mizuki Noguchi winning the 2004 title in Athens.

(Reporting by Alastair Himmer)

 

 

10 Tips for Beginning Marathoners

 

Photo by Martineric

First of all, you should know: each and every one of you is crazy. Every last one. Don’t let anyone tell you any differently.

What other explanation could you give for running over 42 km in a single stunt? You can’t. Every runner in the history of time has had at least one race where he questions his sanity at the starting line.

For those who stay in the game, these are constant feelings. No matter how accustomed you grow to the mileage, no matter how much energy you seem to have down the road, it will always come back to you, standing cold and wet in the mud between two cheaply-constructed barriers surrounded by thousands of scantily-dressed muscle-clad runners.

We live for this.

If you’re thinking about joining the club, here are a few tips to get you started:

1. The Trial of Miles, Miles of Trials

…You don’t become a runner by winning a morning workout. The only true way is to marshal the ferocity of your ambition over the course of many days, weeks, months, and (if you could finally come to accept it) years. The Trial of Miles; Miles of Trials. How could he make them understand?

Once a Runner, John L. Parker, Jr.

 

You are not going to just be running 26.2 miles or 42.195 kilometers. No, far more than that. For the months before, you are going to slowly increase your distance during long runs, your speed during interval workouts, and your muscle mass with weight training. 26.2, daunting as it may be to a beginner, has hundreds of miles that come before it.

2. Getting Started

Set a goal time. You can change it depending on how your training proceeds – you might even decide to settle for a half-marathon finish – but set a goal. Do you want to qualify for the Boston Marathon, or just finish so you can say “I DID IT!!”?

You might even decide to do a half marathon instead of a full, but either way, set a goal.

3. Avoiding Stress Fractures

You don’t have to take a nasty fall to break a bone. Stress fractures are caused by repeated loading on the bones and usually occur in the legs.

Think of your muscles as the shock absorbers on your car; without proper training, the shocks don’t function properly and the stress is forcibly absorbed by the only thing available – the bones.

As a result, it’s a very good idea to only increase your weekly mileage by 10%. Start out doing 10 miles/week? Next week you can do 11.

There are other considerations as well, from the surface you’re training on – concrete or trail running – to the support provided by footwear.

If you do want to try and reduce the stress on your legs, consider aquajogging: a way of running underwater that effectively exercises the legs without providing any impact forces. You should also try to avoid everything but the high-end treadmills, as many increase the stress on your legs and knees.

4. More than Leg Motion

Although it’s certainly possible to finish a marathon after months of straight running, it’s also a good idea to combine those miles with other cardio and anaerobic workouts:

• Swimming is great for building stamina and lung efficiency. It also brings you one step closer to training for a triathlon.
• Weight training is kind of necessary, in my humble opinion. Doing squats and intensive exercises will improve your leg muscle and overall performance.
• There are many schools of thought here: running and yoga, running and Tai Chi. See what feels right to you.

5. Set a Timeline

You can do the math yourself, depending on your starting weekly mileage (i.e. how long will it take you to get up to 20+ mile runs by adding 10% weekly?), but if you’re used to going a few miles and have a little racing experience, 4-5 months of training should be sufficient. Six months would be ideal.

Don’t fool yourself; training up to do that kind of distance is going to be a major time commitment. You’ll reach the point where you need two hours or more to do your daily run, and that doesn’t include time for weight training or everything else.

I nearly failed my fall semester at university because I was reaching the end of my training and topping 50+ miles/week.

6. Nutrition

Two simple rules:

• Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages.
• Hydrate.

Other than that, generic nutritional advice will do: be smart, eat fresh fruit, avoid fatty foods, and get some quality protein into your system. O

Once you start going 10+ miles/day, you can pretty much eat anything you want without consequence. Just like a pregnant woman supporting some strange cravings, you should listen to what your body is telling you to ingest.

7. The Long Run

There’s an ongoing debate among marathon runners: what should your longest run be before the race? 20-22 miles, or something more conservative?

For my first marathon, the 2005 Austin Freescale, my long run was up to 20 miles, and I had competed in a 30K six weeks prior to race day. I must admit, I wasn’t thrilled with the time it took my legs to fully recover from that three-hour run, but I did feel so much more prepared for the actual distance, knowing, if nothing else, I could finish 20/26ths of the race.

Before the 2006 Boston Marathon, I kept my long run down to 16 miles. Although I was confident I could finish, part of that was due to my prior marathon experience. I did manage to finish with a semi-decent time, 3:04:46, but my leg muscles were on fire after the race, and I attributed that to improper training: I should have pushed myself and just accepted a few days of recovery.

The bottom line? It’s different for each person. Ask trainers, listen to your body, and consider how much time you have to run.

8. Keeping Pace

Maintaining the pace you’re most comfortable with and keeping the time you want are difficult tasks, which is why training groups and stopwatches were invented.

During the race, depending on the size, there might be a few assigned pace leaders, their respective finish times pinned to their backs. Follow them if need be, or in the footsteps of your experienced friend who is known for keeping his pace consistent.

9. During The Race

Hydrate and eat a protein-packed meal before your race. After that gun goes off and your brain turns to Swiss cheese when you think about the reality that you actually have to run this thing now, you can start to consider strategy.

Try to avoid the Poweraid or sugary drinks provided along the course; although you will have to stop and get some water eventually, energy drinks typically give you a large drain when running before any noticeable results surface.

The wall. The wall is the point at which your brain and your legs are screaming and clawing their way for you to stop performing such arduous tasks like moving one foot in front of the other. After the wall, the only thing propelling you is sheer determination.

We’re past logic and reason. The only thing left is force of will. “Chuck Norris wouldn’t stop,” a sign boasted before the 20-mile mark in Boston.

10. Pain

I’ve never really subscribed to the philosophy of “no pain, no gain” when it comes to distance running.

As long as you build up your distance properly, take the time to stretch before and after workouts, and do whatever is necessary when you need to cool down – massages, short runs, striders, stretching, walking in a circle – you should not have to go through the excruciating pain one might associate with running from Marathon to Athens.

 By: Turner Wright