Prague, Trieste and all the other marathons results this weekend May 8th 2011

Please note that results of today's worldwide marathons are at the bottom of this post.

Several competitions are taking place this week-end around the world. Surely, the biggest one for the week-end is Prague Marathon Prague, with more than 5000 people enrolled. 

According to the organizers, "the Volkswagen Prague Marathon has been voted one of the most beautiful marathon courses in the world". The marathon allows to "run alongside a river and meandering through the heart of a medieval capital city... The race starts and finishes on the famous Old Town Square and takes runners through all the different neighbourhoods of the wonderful city of Prague."

Another important marathon running this week-end is the Düsseldorf Metro Marathon that, according to the website, represents "an exceptionally attractive, nearly mediterrean course alongside the river Rhine, a tremendously responsive audience and an impressively supporting program full of a carnival-like atmosphere has characterized the new city-marathon of Düsseldorf, the provincial capital of North Rhine-Westphalia". 

This Sunday there will also a low-cost marathon in Macedonia, the "Skopje Marathon", that with 6.5 euro entrance fee, does not attract yet more than hundreds runners, mostly international. Around 400 runners participated to the 2011 Edition of the Martin Fiz Marathon, in Vitoria-Gastaiz in the Basque country in Northest Spain.

In Italy, there are 2 concurrent events with around 1000 runners participating. On one hand the Trieste Bavisela Marathon, in Trieste, a city and seaport in the Northest of Italy. As described by Wikipedia, Trieste has been "built mostly on a hillside that becomes a mountain, Trieste's urban territory is situated at the foot of an imposing escarpment that comes down abruptly from the Kras Plateau towards the sea". Trieste Marathon is a great experience, you can read more about it at the 2008 Trieste Marathon live experience and 2009 Trieste Marathon live experience. Finally, one of the best organized marathon took place this week-end in the center of Italy, Collemar Marathon, in the Marche region. No big names have been invited to the competition (but Migidio Bourifa, the first Worldwide Master, 14th at the 2011 Boston Marathon is participating), since the idea is to spend the energies for the normal runners. Collemar is becoming bigger in term of interest, if you want to read about previous experience, you can read the Collemar Marathon Live Experience.

Since few readers are interested to see the full results, you can find below the ranking for the different competitions this Sunday May 8th 2011:

2011 Prague Wolkswagen Marathon results,

2011 Dusseldorf MetroGroup Marathon results,

2011 Skopje Marathon results,

2011 Martin Fiz Marathon results,

2011 Trieste Marathon results,

2011 Collemar Marathon Ranking.

2009 Trieste Bavisela Marathon: a live experience

This post describes a live experience for the 2009 Trieste Bavisela Marathon and gives you insight of what it is really look like. Below you can find a translation from the original 2009 Bavisela Trieste Marathon live experience. Trieste Marathon is in the top 20 of the Italian ranking (number 16) from the number of participants, and it is very international in term of partecipants. As reader, you might also be interested at the 2008 Bavisela Trieste Marathon live experience.

As one very inspired writer could hardly create a plot so lively as it was my last week, it would be equally difficult for me to predict a surprising ending of this story as well. Let's abandon the seriousness of everyday life and let's dream about the emotions that the marathon can give us, marathon that always requires effort, sacrifice, dedication, but most often rewarded with immense satisfaction that are not necessarily linked to the fastest time. 


The Trieste Marathon has now reached its first decade and, although unable to take off as  participation (544 arrived yesterday), it is one of the key events of my spring. The classic distance is flanked by the 42 km relay marathon, the Marathon of Two Castles which kicks off from Duino Bavisela and non-competitive part of the Castle of Miramare. 


The confluence of this diverse group of athletes running different distances happens on the promenade, crossing Barcola to see its culmination in the arrival in Piazza Unità d'Italy. The whole event is organized at best, this year there was a small change in the route with the decision to place the arrival at the Piazza in the opposite direction. This requires a C-shaped ride that does not convince me, because it does not allow free flow of human tide at certain times which could be potentially very large. 


Let's talk about my race. Tension is written on my face, I must admit, since I have placed great expectations at the Trieste Marathon. It was the ultimate goal of a 4-month preparation period in which I ran 5 beautiful marathons (Salento, Barcelona, Rome, Treviso, Vienna) that had to be only intermediate steps. In the morning I have told my friend Mark Grimaz that every second in this race was essential, the clear objective was to be able to run at 4 minutes /km. Marco was really surprised, because he knows that my relationship with race and marathon is almost never dependent on the result. I am physically prepared and psychologically ready with nervous energy that I need to unwind. Also the weather conditions are optimal: hazy sky and acceptable temperature. 
Ritual photos with friends, dressing and then I start to make even a slight warming (unusual practice for me before a race long distance). In the starting area I see Fabio Marri, it takes little to make him long and interesting talk but today's goal is to run. I am strangely relaxed, wandering in the start area to greet people all around the places, I get together with friends, I am aware of new converts. The starter ends the waiting time, we all should let our legs go, making sure however they can support us until the arrival at Piazza Unità. I did not get influenced from somebody starting at full throttle, I hope that Marco stays at my side, since he has good feeling in pace management. A couple of miles flying by in a flash at a rate slightly higher, we are around 3'50'' at km; madness or perhaps a gamble. The Marathon is a faithful companion, but woe to disrespect, mistreat especially in the beginning, it presents the bill. Today the bill can be seen at the Miramare Castle when runners finish its descent. I make the choice to continue on high pace, feel that the heart beats faster than usual but in life sometimes it is necessary to take risks, to get involved, groped fortune, revealed, come out. It can happen to remain scorched but can also happen to bring home a surprise. 


I run in groups or at least never isolated, I give a tribute to the fallen of World War I during the transition from Shrine Redipuglia, I noticed the split at the 10km marks with 38min24sec (average 3'50''per km). I am now at stake at this time, since slowing down now would be useless, the only choice is to persist in this tactic. Along the way the little public crossings in these villages is very warm, somebody is calling me by name (I'm wearing a tank top custom), I am however highly concentrated and I only reply with a nod. An athlete that is at his first marathon is running alongside me, we exchange a few words and warn of approaching the tough uphill stretch that starts at km 19. 

The uphill path determines the increase in my focus, I hide myself from the world. My attention goes into managing the shortest path in the curves, always choose the direction that allows me to do less road, slightly increase the pressure to compensate for the slope and lose as little as possible. The split at the 20 km mark was still good at 4'06''. In the town of Duino, I have to turn right to reach the carpet that marks the half marathon, noticing that in the parallel street there are friends departing for the half marathon. I then receive many incitements from friends ready to go for the relay marathon. The transition to half is 1h21:49. The confluence of the two races brings me a delighted surprise, I find myself alongside those that run on my own pace. I found among those individuals Cristian Gerussi with whom often I "fight" in short races and who has been repeatedly "to my tow "in his attempts to break down the wall of 3 hours. I do not have the courage to ask him to keep me at least once but as often happens in life the feeling of working more explicit requests and I will make the side and go. With two people, the climb is completed faster and better, until the 25 km I have lost only about fifteen seconds. The village of Aurisina marks the end of fear but also the awareness that in the next km of downhill we can not save ourself. I am surrounded by friends participating to the half marathon, and I let myself following the freshness of their rhythm. I look at the split: 3'49'', 3'51'', 3'55'', then again 3'40'' at the 34km (full downhill), 3'43''to Miramare. I am only missing seven kilometers at the end, the dream begins to become concrete, a look on the right, the horizon is something indefinite, sea and sky come together. On the descent I reached some runners, while I see other individuals among the half marathon runners. 

I stand as a goal to reach a girl who is ahead in the half, it is a slow but steady comeback, while at my side the beauty of nature is nurtured by the trail of rose colored Bavisela participants. I embrace many inducements, I recognize someone but I am obviously tense, concentrated, I give up even the hint of feedback. 



I feared that the flat path would have brought a marked slowdown chrono and instead I notice that at each mark the chrono is always less than 4 '/ km. My exploit is almost made but with my insatiable wonder, I ask my legs to make the last effort. I start to shoot a friend of exercises a couple of years ago, my gesture is in no way a gesture of defiance but to become a stimulus, a means to reach the highest possible goal. I reached him at the 40th km, I run side by side, escapes some "touch", he redeems; I proceed with my pace and I overtake him.  I understand that this butt will be a harbinger of an increased pace in the last kilometers, "touches" become "healthy elbow" as a middle distance race, we are now in Piazza Unità, the mark 42km, with an eye split (3'44''is the result of the fight). Now the exploit has finally been accomplished, I return after four years to enjoy time for framing. I enjoy it at least in these last 200 meters, greeting the audience cheers, and there is a gesture of anger at the bad luck. With me under the banner, the announcement of the speaker making public my joy and my final time. I finish my 156th marathon with a time of 2:43 '55''in 17th absolute position. I would not have even seen in a mirage, but this time is real, it is there on that clock and I enjoy it. In the moments after the marathon I receive compliments from many people. I share this satisfaction with all those who have crowned their dreams and those who, for one reason or another, must defer to the next.

2008 Trieste Bavisela Marathon: a live experience

This post describes a live experience for the 2008 Trieste Bavisela Marathon and gives you insight of what it is really look like. Below you can find a translation from the original Bavisela Trieste Marathon live experience. Trieste Marathon is in the top 20 of the Italian ranking (number 16) from the number of participants, and it is very international in term of partecipants.

It is since several years that I want to be able to complete a marathon. In December I made the "Karst cavalcade”, 52 km along the heights of the Karst plateau. This was a tough race but a marathon road is something completely different when I was riding my Camel back, uphill walking and eating. Marathon requires a different effort, hopefully my ankles can handle it.


At 7:15 I find myself on one of the buses that, departing from Trieste, brings all the participants at the Trieste Marathon departure in Gradisca d'Isonzo. I think that the road we are now traveling at high speed, when done by running will not be painless! 42 km on street roads are not few: two years ago I tried to do it but, at the 30th, causing pain to my various thin little legs, I had to retire. DNF: Did Not Finish. This is a pretty bad acronym. The route is fast and, compared to two years ago is much better (last year I was in the Atlantic sea sailing: Bavisela, I was not thinking about you).

I mentally divided the marathon in 4 sections.

1) Gradisca - Monfalcone: a pair of up and down the street, but I do not know my way. Then I will keep a slow pace. 2) Monfalcone - Sistiana: some uphill climb that may be "critical" if not managed well. Be caution to the small uphill leading to the beginning of the coastline. 3) Sistiana - Bivio Miramare: pretty much downhill and a splendid view over the Gulf of Trieste. 4) Bivio Miramare – Unity of Italy Square: straight line and then the finish line!

In Gradisca d'Isonzo I found quite some people. Somebody does stretching, some other run. People like me take advantage of a bar for breakfast (which of course I have not got at home. This is pure laziness; I would better decide to do some shopping when the fridge is empty). 

I find myself with Manuel and other characters in the Running World. We are chatting and running in the alleys of the beautiful park of this quiet town in Gradisca. I put tape on my nipples kindly provided by Vido to prevent friction. However I made the mistake of not spreading the Vaseline at critical points.

It comes then the moment of departure. We all arrange in grids, I "choose" the 4 hours one. This is the time that I take as a reference in the Virtual Trainer GPS (Garmin Forerunner 305). The GPS I use it always, in every workout and the Virtual Trainer (which is nothing but a sort of virtual opponent that serves as a reference for the times and distances that you set) is a good training partner.

I settle behind the two 4h pacers with blue balloons. We start. We cross Gradisca, the bridge over the river Isonzo, Sagrado, Polazzo, Redipuglia, Ronchi de Legionari and Monfalcone: people applaud and encourage. The group behind the pacers is running compact and makes jokes and mess around. But after Redipuglia the sight of the blue balloons annoys me. I decided to speed up a little bit, and I left the group behind.

Then I took advantage of the refreshments: Gatorade, banana pieces, and a few slices of apple tart. I stop and drink with calmness. The first 10 kilometers pass quickly. 30 only are missing.

Fatigue is starting to be felt before Sistiana. In the uphill sections I will naturally accelerate: the workouts I do are never entirely on the floor, for me the most is to run the trails along the beautiful Val Rosandra, breathing in the air much better than the shit that is where I live I, in the industrial area of Trieste. In these areas I overtake different groups of runners; I try not to overdo it. I am better off reducing the pace.


Passed Sistiana it begins the most beautiful area, the Coastal Road. Nice not only because it is downhill, but especially for the view over the area: the Gulf of Trieste. I'm lucky to live in this city: the sea in front and behind the green Karst. We arrive at the crossroads of Miramare, near the Castle.


I am above schedule: about 600m ahead of the virtual partner. If I continue like this, I will finish the first 4 hours. For me it would be a good result. There are only 7 km from the junction to reach the goal of my first marathon: the legs are in risk-cramping. I have to reduce the pace a bit, I take the last refreshment. It is hard to restart, I encourage myself with two "whipping" the thighs. "One, two ... go!"




I am missing one kilometer, but the GPS still gives me missing 2k to the finish. I do not know, something does not come back. Near the train station I increase the pace, overtaking as much runners as I can. I cross the finish line of this wonderful marathon with a time of 4 hours and 50 minutes.
After the goal, although I felt fine until recently, there comes a beautiful fall. Weariness comes suddenly, I walk a bit, but I feel sick and I feel dizzy.

I sit, with difficulty: the legs have become marble. Here come the chills and skinned due to rubbing the shorts. Making 26.2 miles with little training and without paying then the bill was evidently unthinkable.

I got up and sit several times, first on the shade, then on the sun. I spend a couple of hours rather painful. I'm afraid I could not drive the scooter back home but the pain, as they came suddenly disappear so quickly (apart from bruises). Let's see what happens in the coming days.

Trieste 2010 Bavisela marathon: toward the highest number of enrollments?

Yesterday the Trieste marathon organizers have published the first data on 2010 marathon enrollments. Pretty interesting to notice that there will be a group of runners coming directly from Tokyo to run the 2010 Bavisela 11th edition, which will take place on the 2nd of May 2010.
So far, between the European Marathon, the two castles half marathon there are already 500 enrollments, 25% of which coming from Italy, followed by Slovenians, Austrians, Germans and many other countries. The total numbers of represented countries are 22, but the expectation is that this number will grow further in coming months, as the statisticians suggest that the number of enrollments increases exponentially the last few days preceding the event.
"Among the most interesting data for the 2010 edition, we have already recorded the entries of a group of about thirty people from the Belgium Royal Marines and as many runners arriving from Tokyo. All have experienced the event thanks to our marketing campaign during other events - says the president of Bavisela Enrico Benedetti. "Enrollment have been have recorded from the United States and throughout Europe, both from Austria and Germany and even France, Spain and many countries of Northern Europe."

The extensive promotional campaigns that Bavisela have started few years ago have encouraged a large percentage of enrollment from outside Italy. Until now the Trieste marathon has been advertized worldwide in other marathons, through brochures and personal staff, have touched around the world. More than 200 thousand people have been contacted directly, in Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovenia, United States, France, Japan and beyond. Before the big event in May 2nd, the Trieste Marathon organized will be part of additional events abroad, expecting to reach addditional 90 thousand contacts.