Hola! Valencia
I’ve landed my creaky old carcass in Valencia for the 2018, IAAF 1/2 Marathon World Championship.
This promotional housing was in the metro station at the airport. You could easily spot the team athletes who had just arrived. They were wandering around looking a bit lost in their team tracksuits. Without the blue painted line of a road race route or the oval shaped track to follow, they were in an alien environment. Thankfully before they become lost they were shepherded to board the official event transport, taking them to their hotel. We just jumped on the metro.
This event is one where old codgers like me can run in the same race as the gazelles. Those folk with a super-human red blood cell count and less fat than a Tesco “healthy living” bacon medallion, who gallop around said event in the time it takes me to tie my shoe laces.
I ran the same event in Copenhagen, in 2014 and missed Cardiff in 2016 because I was poorly. This time I feel creaky and training hasn’t gone to plan, so I’m here for the experience of the run and to top up my vitamin D levels.
The expo where you collected your number and t-shirt was pretty low key and nothing much to write about, so here are some pics instead.
It’s being held in the Science Museum.
The route.
The runners all 15,000 of us on a large board.
And me
The pre-race goodie bag with enough num nums to snack on for a few days and a good proportion is gluten free too ?.
Until the next time then, I have a snack to enjoy ……….