Tor on Marathon

Sunday January 31th 2016 I ran my first marathon of the African continent, namely Marrakech Marathon in Morocco. We stayed in this very friendly and hospital country for five days and really enjoyed the experience ! Morocco is a Muslim country but a wise and free one of the kind, and as we understood this very much due to the good King Mohammed VI of Morocco, whom has elicited great many improvements for the population. He does seem like a very nice guy from the many pictures you see of him everywhere ! Anyways, Marrakech was quite “another thing” and adds great perspective to the daily life back in Copenhagen.

Marrakech City and turist impressions

Marrakech is a very busy city almost all around the hours. We stayed at a little Riad in the Medina to get the most authentic arabic experience – boy, did the Medina deliver ! There were all kinds of shops, fragrances and markeds in the Souks and the whole place was just packed with people all the time. Though it was very crowded we found no problems strolling around and we did not feel unsecure at any time of the trip.

Marrakech Marathon 2016
The marathon – and the half marathon – turned out to be an exotic experience runningwise. There were many and many different visual impressions through the race and things worked out nicely. However, we must make a critical remark about the traffic from km 35-40, this situation was unacceptable and must be fixed in future races ! Apart from this I can easily recommend a trip to Marrakech Marathon and to the beautiful and interesting country of Morocco.

The race course was quite flat and with many very long straight passages. We were thrown between both city and dessert impressions during this race.

See or relive Marrakech Marathon 2016 here:

Marrakech Marathon 2016 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)

مراكش ماراثون 2016 – صور تور Rønnow (العربية)

Marrakech Marathon 2016 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)

Marrakech Marathon 2016 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)

Marrakech Marathon 2016 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)

Marrakech Marathon 2016 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)

Marrakech Marathon 2016 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)

Marrakech Marathon 2016 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)

Marrakech Marathon 2016 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)

Sunday November 15th 2015 I ran my third odd marathon in Spain, namely Valencia Marathon (an IAAF Silver Label Race). I have had this race in my plans for many years and boy did it deliver ! Valencia Marathon is for sure one of the best events I have ever participated in: nice route, ecstatic and cheerful crowds and an unbelievable spectacular finish at the “City of Art and Sciences”.

Valencia City and the beach

Valencia itself is a beautiful, charming city by the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. The food is said to be exceptionally good and besides various turist attractions for sure the beach and the resteaurants should suffice for a visit.

Valencia Marathon 2015
This event is probably most renowned by it’s spectacular finish at the futuristic “City of Art and Sciences” and with the light-blue swimmingpool water on  the pictures. This is admittedly what caught my attention originally and now, having seen it myself, I must say: the trip to Valencia Marathon was worth every penny, every cent.

As you will find in the the race summary below Valencia Marathon is a truly unique and outstanding event.
I can’t wait to revist !

See or relive Valencia Marathon 2015 here:

Valencia Marathon 2015 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)

Valencia Marathon 2015 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)

Valencia Marathon 2015 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)

Valencia Marathon 2015 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)

Valencia Marathon 2015 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)

Valencia Marathon 2015 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)

Valencia Marathon 2015 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)

Valencia Marathon 2015 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)

Sunday October 11th 2015 I participated in my 3rd odd marathon in the Netherlands, DLL Marathon Eindhoven. The race was picked due to its PB-likely qualities and it can for sure be written to book that this race is extremely flat, probably the flattest I have been to at all. Even though I did actually not record a new PB, I secured my best marathon result since May 2012, and overall I was very pleased with the event. I can highly recommend the DLL Marathon Eindhoven and will indeed return myself.

DLL Marathon Eindhoven 2015 in pictures

The raceday was a sunny one and this is always good for the pictures and the overall atmosphere. Thus, as you will find below the race sells itself nicely in the shots.

See or relive DLL Marathon Eindhoven 2015 here:

DDL Marathon Eindhoven 2015 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)

DDL Marathon Eindhoven 2015 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)

DDL Marathon Eindhoven 2015 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)

DDL Marathon Eindhoven 2015 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)

DDL Marathon Eindhoven 2015 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)

DDL Marathon Eindhoven 2015 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)

DDL Marathon Eindhoven 2015 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)

DDL Marathon Eindhoven 2015 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)

Sunday September 13th 2015 was the opener for the first IAAF Bronze label race in Scandinavia, namely the longly awaited Copenhagen Half Marathon in the very streets of Copenhagen where the World Cup Half Marathon was held in 2014 (relive here). The debut turned out just greatly with a +23.000 runners competing on the day and to see Bedan Karoki to win in the world’s fastest half marathon time in this calendar year, 59.14, that is just dazzling !

Copenhagen Half Marathon 2015 in pictures

The race was transmitted directly on danish television (DR 1), you’ll find the link in my race report below. You will also find a full picture coverage of the entire route and my take on this marvelous half marathon experience.

Oh, and did I mention that I ran with a baby stroller and dressed up as Spiderman ? The crowds and especially the kids loved it, thank you for all the shouts and support out there! We love to come back next year.

See or relive Copenhagen Half Marathon 2015 here:

Copenhagen Half Marathon 2015 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)

Copenhagen Half Marathon 2015 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)

Copenhagen Half Marathon 2015 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svensk)

Copenhagen Half Marathon 2015 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)

Copenhagen Half Marathon 2015 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)

Copenhagen Half Marathon 2015 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)

Copenhagen Half Marathon 2015 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)

Saturday May 30th 2015 was the day for the yearly Stockholm Marathon, a day that turned out just as wet and gray as forecasted and feared. Still, it was a good race experience and during my short trip to the swedish capital I also found time for a few turist impressions, the visit to the Museum of Modern Art (Moderna Museet) as the most prominent to mention. Especially this one piece of art has afforded many thoughts and feelings in me – ANGST ESSEN SEELE AUF.

Stockholm City – Museum of Modern Art

Stockholm is a beautiful capital by the shore of the swedish “skjaergaard” (water side) and amongst the main turist attractions we find, of course, the Royal Castle which is situated in the very heart of the city.

Stockholm Marathon 2015
This was my fouth participation in Stockholm, a race that I historically have found very tough, my other times being in the range 4.29 – 5.08 hours. So I was extremely pleased to book the time 3.57.47, having the second half just 13 seconds off the first. My goal was a negative split but this was partly spoiled by congestion on the route during the last 800 meters, partly to the fact that I should have set in my finish-off sprint pace a bit earlier. Nevertheless, I have learned important stuff about marathon pacing strategy by my personal coach Søren Rasmussen and I believe I proved that in Stockholm (in sharp contrast to the April race in Paris !).

As you will find in the the race summary Stockholm Marathon – several times crowned as “the best marathon in the world” – never ends to deliver the full marathon experience both physically, mentally, field-, spectator- and routewise, indeed one of the big city marathons not to miss.

See or relive Stockholm Marathon 2015 here:

Stockholm Marathon 2015 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)

Stockholm Marathon 2015 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)

Stockholm Marathon 2015 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svensk)

Stockholm Marathon 2015 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)

Stockholm Marathon 2015 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)

Stockholm Marathon 2015 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)

Stockholm Marathon 2015 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)