Marathon Archives — Page 46 of 50

The best marathons in 2007

By Tor Rønnow on Friday, December 21, 2007

Just like last year, I give my you my take on the best marathons in 2007, i.e. amongst the ones I have participated in myself. Incredibly, it looks like that I will reach 31 marathons completed in 2007 alone (still have two to do during the Christmas holiday !) making it 66 in toto for me ultimo 2007.

I have divided the marathons into four groups. I have left ‘my own’ run GARMIN Rudersdal marathon out of my evaluation, of course I find that marathon to be a very, very special one – for a number of both subjective and objective reasons, but nevertheless I’ll not rank it here amongst the other races.

As always, you find links to the races via ‘My marathons’ in the menu.

Overall
1. Vienna (Austria)
2. Rome (Italy)
3. Barcelona (Spain)
4. Storebaelt Nature (Denmark)
5. Banemarathon (Denmark)

Big-city marathons
1. Vienna (Austria)
2. Rome (Italy)
3. Barcelona (Spain)
4. Boston (USA)
5. Chicago (USA)

Nature
1. Storebaelt Nature (Denmark)
(well, and GARMIN Rudersdal ! ;))
2. Vänersborg (Sweden)
3. Magdeburg (Germany)
4. Natursti (Denmark)
5. Öland (Sweden)

Small races
1. Storebaelt Nature (Denmark)
2. Banemarathon (Denmark)
3. Vänersborg (Sweden)
4. Sydkystmarathon (Denmark)
5. Zürich New Year Midnight marathon (Switerzerland)
(DNF for me, but a great experience !)

These are lists based on my personal experiences, of course. To mentain memory of the best races ‘ever’, I better have a category of the ‘all-time best’ marathons as well. Here, the big marathons do live up to their famous names !

Best ever
1. New York (USA)
2. Hamburg (Germany)
3. Vienna (Austria)
4. Rome (Italy)
5. Berlin (Germany)

Glenn Gould on Marathon

By Tor Rønnow on Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Glenn Gould on Marathon ? Well, actually… no. It is Glenn Gould on Art:

The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but rather the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity.

Glenn Gould

These words cover so many things in my life, actually, including the persuit of the many marathons. A ladyfriend once suggested that running the marathons is a kind of escapism ? Well, no ! I can understand this kind of ignorance as most ‘normal’ people fail to know themselves, to really look into the deepest and darkest corners of their minds and to confront themselves. I fall in the opposite category: I do not know how not to.

My personal experience is that true happyness and ‘self-love’ is achieved through these lifelong relationships and interests, for my part given in music, chess, spirituality, Nature (especially mountains), skiing, travelling… and… well, yes, I could go on a bit. These days MY MARATHONS, obviously, are my highway No. 1 to transcendence and self-appreciation (not to mention all the great fun, visits to interesting cities and countries and all the many good friends that the marathons have spinned off).

I don’t mention persons. Of course, love is first and foremost achieved by the love to the important persons in our lives ! However, unlike the things above persons tend to come and go throughout a lifetime… love-affairs begin and end, children grow up and move away, one job is followed by another etc., so if you base your hopes of happyness on others entirely, you will end up short one day, it may come late – but it will come ! What do you do then ? See ?

So – get into a relationship durable for the rest of your life. With yourself ! For example, try on a marathon 😉

Marathon

50 marathons in 22 months !

By Tor Rønnow on Saturday, November 3, 2007

Well, I guess it is nothing extraordinary after all… but it counts a bit for me !

This past Saturday, I completed my marathon number 60 since my debut in May 2004, and the race was my marathon number 50 within 22 calendar months (actually, run number 51 in the timespan of the past 22 months).

Well, it changes nothing, really… the important thing is always the next run… and I take one run at a time. I enjoy one run at a time.

Surely, as time passes by… experience and numbers do add up… but I tend to focus on… “this run”, i.e. being in the present moment.

Marathon

The Big Goal for 2008 !

By Tor Rønnow on Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Well, why not be ahead of time ?

I have identified my great running goal for the spring season 2008, namely the challenge of five marathons in five consecutive days. The event takes place in Southern Sweden, so if you are up to it, I think you should join.

Read more about this crazyness here (in Swedish).

Marathon

The Five World Major Marathons !

By Tor Rønnow on Wednesday, October 10, 2007

This passed weekend I made my collection of the Five World Major Marathons complete. So, it took about two and a half year to grab’em all.. not bad, I think. The story goes as follows:

Berlin       2004, 2006
London     2005
New York 2006
Boston     2007
Chicago   2007

The next goal must be to collect some of the ‘adventure’ marathons, e.g. the Chinese Wall, Taj Mahal etc. We”ll see.