It’s Marathon Day!

I’m sure you care.

I was determined this time to get some footage of the leader going by,  since I completely missed out last year.  I don’t even remember 2010.  I know we were here.  I just….don’t really remember.

Sucks when you lose your mind.

 

Anyway,  here is Haile Gebrselassie loping by.

And you have to understand,  for some reason or other,  there’s a flock of motorcycles that rumble on by first.   Then the news car,  and then this marathon “star” for lack of a better word.

Oh,  and by the way, this was the moment, as we watched the video together when Travelling Companion asked,  “What’s with the farting?”    I had to tell her those were Harleys.  My apologies to the Harley owners,  but they do have pipes for that.

 

 

I think he’s “drafting”  behind that news car,  don’t you?

Hopefully you have the bandwidth to watch these things.  Nothing I can do about that.  I could only deal with one camera at a time,  and I didn’t even want to to take along the Nikon.

 

So,  Paula Radcliffe started first,  with a lead of 7 minutes and 52 seconds. Then they released this group,  who were all “pros” or something to that effect,  and then at precisely 9:00 a.m. they let the other tens of thousands go.

This is a gratuitous photo of that group,  for those who can’t watch the YouTube offerings.

 

 

Haile caught up to her at km 14 and passed her at km16.

Here’s a link to the Gaurdian if you’re remotely interested.  Poor Paula didn’t do as well as she had hoped,  but she did have bronchitis for the last two weeks.  She just got off her anti-biotics a couple days ago, and then RAN A HALF MARATHON!   I mean,  seriously.  And she was all upset? 

 

 

She seems to be struggling,  but….she won. 

 

 

This is at kilometre 19 on Mariahilferstraße by the way,  and I noticed a lot of runners checking their time at that point.  That’s when I noticed the big sign with 19 on it? 

Pretty proud of myself that I figured that out.  Just thought I’d mention that.

There’s nothing on the map that really tells you where you are along the course.

I should also mention that (since you really care) there was a record number of entrants this year.  Something in the neighbourhood of 35,000.   That’s like having the entire population of Annapolis, Maryland going out for a run.  Well,  Annapolis is something like 38,000,  but you’d need some folks to do the job of officiating and stuff.   Don’t you love this useless sh*t?

Sure glad we didn’t have to find a hotel room this weekend.   My guess is everything would have been pretty much booked solid.

 

Not long after I had taken my token footage of the leaders,  my physical stamina for just watching the thing was coming to an end,  so I went home.

 

This is an hour later.  They’re still going by..

 

 

For reasons that remain lodged in my dim memory,  both Gebrselassie and Radcliffe were running the Half Marathon,  which comes in at around 14 miles.  Something to do with his age,  (and the fact that he wasn’t going to run any more, but agreed to come to Vienna one last time) and something to do with her training for the Olympics.

By the way,  Haile did the run in one hour and 52 seconds.   He’ll be 39 in a couple days.  Even though Radcliff was “disappointed”,  she still won with a time of 1:12:03.   Um ya,  you won and you’re upset?  OK then.

 

Oh,  and the woman who came in third for the Full Marathon?  Has FOUR CHILDREN!  She’s a ‘farm girl’ from Kenya.

 

OK,  I have to stop now,  the couch is spinning.  Can’t have that.  I might hurt myself.

Just do some Google searches for these people and you can be amazed.

 

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

 

Thanks for stopping by.