Tag Archives: Half Marathon

Gulf Bank 642 Marathon 2022 (Kuwait City)

Saturday November 26th 2022 I ran the Gulf Bank 642 Marathon (Kuwait City Marathon).
Find below my full race coverage from a this marathon in the capital city of Kuwait.

Kuwait City
I had only i single day to see stuff in Kuwait City, probably far too little time to say anything remotely qualified about the Capital here of Kuwait. Still, we (Thomas Godlewsky of Germany and Adel Erdaty of Saudi Arabia / USA) managed to speed visit the Sharq Marina, the picturesque Fish Marked, the Al Mubarakiya Souk and the Kuwait Towers. We also had a glimpse of the Green Island with beautiful views towards the Bay of Kuwait, and we saw the incredibly impressive mall, “The Avenue”.

Gulf Bank 642 Marathon (Kuwait City Marathon), 2022 - Tor Rønnow

Gulf Bank 642 Marathon (Kuwait City Marathon), 2022
This very well organized event sported 5K, 10K, half marathon and full marathon distances. The latter proved to be a very tough and long day for me personally, somewhat fighting off the fatigue and distress of the very hot conditions (28 C). The route was very enjoyable the first like 12 KM, then became somewhat repetitive doing the same 10K loop three times. Still, good memories from a travel destination highly recommended: friendly people and staff all over, nice meals and an overall scenic marahon indeed.

Gulf Bank 642 Marathon 2022 (Kuwait City) - Tor Rønnow

See or relive Gulf Bank 642 Marathon (2022) here: (and in arabic, urdu, hindi, punjabi, and turkish):

Gulf Bank 642 Kuwait City Marathon 2022 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)
Gulf Bank 642 Kuwait City Marathon 2022 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)
Gulf Bank 642 Kuwait City Marathon 2022 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)
Gulf Bank 642 Kuwait City Marathon 2022 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)
2002年海湾银行642科威特城马拉松赛–照片:Tor Rønnow(中文)。
ガルフバンク642クウェートシティマラソン2002 – 写真:Tor Rønnow(日本語)
Gulf Bank 642 Kuwait City Marathon 2022 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)
Gulf Bank 642 Kuwait City Marathon 2022 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)
Gulf Bank 642 Kuwait City Marathon 2022 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)
Gulf Bank 642 Kuwait City Marathon 2022 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)

Sydney Marathon 2022

Below my race report from Sydney Marathon 2022, Australia, Oceania (!), including various tourist impressions from this brilliant and friendly metropol.

Sydney City Centre, Sydney Harbour and Sydney Opera House
Sydney is one of the World’s true metropoles and what a friendly, clean and impressive one! It’s difficult to put into words just how nice it is to wander around in the streets, parks and, of course, the Harbour areas, first and foremost near the iconic Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge ditto.

I had the pleasure of experiencing two concerts at the Opera House, great performances by the House Orchestra and, Saturday, “meeting” the composer Eric Whitacre in person on stage, a memory for life, just as the entire trip and maraton race here in Sydney. The race report is VERY long, so if you only care for an Exceutive Summary, don’t open the report below (but do click the thumbnails below to see the large photos). However, if you do open the race report, be ready with a large cup of coffee or glass of wine, you’re in for at mindblowing tour de force from all the best of Sydney and Sydney Marathon. This was a (all too short) trip of a lifetime!

Sydney Marathon 2022 - Australia - Tor Rønnow
Sydney Marathon 2022

The main tourist attractions
Three and a half day in Sydney is not much, but I did manage to see a good variety of the most common tourist attractions, inclding the four in a bundle: Sydney Sea Life (Acquarium), Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Sydney Tower and Madame Tussauds Sydney. Saturday, I visited the Taronga Zoo Sydney, definitively also worth a trip and an obvious attraction for families and children.

Monday, after the race, I also visited Art Gallery of New South Wales (featuring aboriginal art) and the Australian Museum, the latter displaying cool dinosaurs!

Sydney Marathon 2022

Bondi Beach and Manly
You could argue that Bondi Beach is THE tourist attraction nearby Sydney. I had only a 1 hour visit but I completely loved it and the experience still sits in my body: I want back!

Whilst Bondi is probably for the young and the surfers, Manly and Manly Beach is of a broader and more family appeal, for sure a very nice place indeed. manly is easily reached by boat from the Circular Quay (i.e., centrally from Sydney), a 30 min. ride with great views towards the Sydney Opera House and the skyline. I’m very happy to have seen these two beaches, I think they are an essential part of the Sydney experience.

Sydney Marathon 2022

Sydney Marathon 2022
The Sydney Marathon 2022 featured a half and a full marathon, both taking off from North Sydney and passing the Sydney Harbour Bridge witin the first few kilometers. The route was impressively scenic a great many places and it is difficult to pick out one place in front of the other. However, the finish line at the foot of the Sydney Opera House would be THE asset to mention for this – by the way very well organized – marathon. Personally, I had not slept a minute during the night (heavy jetlag) so I was quite tired even before the race started. That did, however, not spoil my run to the extend that I did not enjoy every minute of it and completing my last marathon continent, Oceania, was just: wonderful!

Sydney Marathon is now an official candidate in the bid of the 7th Marathon Major, I think the race itself has a good chance but things like the digital services and the EXPO need some work for sure. All this said: I give the Sydney Marathon my very best recommendation, no doubt.

Sydney Marathon 2022- Australia - Tor Rønnow
Sydney Marathon 2022

See or relive Sydney Marathon 2022 here:

Sydney Marathon 2022 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)
Sydney Marathon 2022 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)
Sydney Marathon 2022 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)
Sydney Marathon 2022 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)
Sydney Marathon 2022 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)
Sydney Marathon 2022 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)
Sydney Marathon 2022 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)
2022年悉尼马拉松–摄影:Tor Rønnow(中文)。
シドニーマラソン2022」撮影:Tor Rønnow(日本語)
Sydney Marathon 2022 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)

HCA Marathon 2022

Sunday September 25th 2022 I ran the HCA Marathon in Odense, Denmark. Find below my full race coverage from a this very nice marathon in the city of birth of the great Poet Hans Christian Andersen.

HCA Marathon Odense 2022 - Tor Rønnow
  • Mr. Ulrik Pihl of Denmark completed his marathon no. 1000 (!) – congrats!
  • Mr. Michael Stewart Fogh, a long-time young running friend WON the race, in the time 2.30; Michael is not a elite runner so to outright win an event of this magnitude is just magical
  • It is also worth to mention the high-class organization behind the event, I believe everything was just right and the staff and many helpers were cheerful and friendly throughout the day. Add to this a nice and often scenic route and plenty of spectators, well, at least during Round 1. In toto, yet another perfect race at HCA Marathon in Odense.

    See or relive HCA Marathon 2022 here:

    HCA Marathon (Odense) 2022 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)
    HCA Marathon (Odense) 2022 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)
    HCA Marathon (Odense) 2022 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)
    HCA Marathon (Odense) 2022 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)
    HCA Marathon (Odense) 2022 – 照片來自 Tor Rønnow(中文)
    HCAマラソン(オーデンセ)2022-写真:TorRønnow(日本語)
    HCA Marathon (Odense) 2022 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)
    HCA Marathon (Odense) 2022 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)
    HCA Marathon (Odense) 2022 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)
    HCA Marathon (Odense) 2022 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)

    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022

    Below my race report from the Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022, Romania, including various tourist impressions from this so charming little city.

    Cluj-Napoca Old City Centre
    Cluj-Napoca features a friendly green city with a very cosy old city centre with lots of bars and restaurants. After vistiting Mexico City the weekend before (!), it was such a delight just to walk around feeling completely safe and not watching policemen every 10 meters. As seen in the pictures, Cluj-Napoca becomes very scenic especially at night time and put on top some inexpensive and very good restaurants and you have the perfect choice for a great weekend escape.

    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 - Romania - Tor Rønnow
    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022

    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022
    The running event featured a full and a half marathon Sunday morning as well as a relay and a 10K race.
    The marathon was comprised by two times the same course and in that many turns and “run back the same way”-loops, this was actually very nice indeed, it made you feel surrounded by runners all the time a gave some focus points on other runners to “follow” or undertake. Furthermore, you will sense a sort of fuga-like revisting of places and buildings, each variation to present some new, nice details. For a small city like Cluj-Napoca, this sort of marathon route is just brilliant. Just so very brilliant!

    Thus, see in the race report below just why you should strongly consider the Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon. I loved it for sure!

    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022- Romania - Tor Rønnow
    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022

    See or relive the Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 here (and in romanian):

    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)
    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)
    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)
    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)
    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)
    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)
    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)
    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 – Tor Rønnow 攝(中文)
    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 – 写真提供者: Tor Rønnow (日本語)
    Wizz Air Cluj-Napoca Marathon 2022 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)

    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022

    Below my race report from the Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022, Greenland, including various tourist impressions from Ilulissat and the majestic Ilulissat Icefjord.

    Ilulissat and the Icefjord
    Ilulissat is the 3th largest city in Greenland and is beautifully situated at the Disco Bay in Greenland. The attraction of Ilullisat is besides the Icefjord the impressive views towards the ever changing ice mountains and the shifting waters of the Disco Bay. Mind you, that you have eyesight to mountains on the Disco Island +100 kms away!!

    Visting a location above the Polar Circle in the end of May means: Midnight Sun! Thus, the photo below was taken our last night in Ilulissat at Midnight precisely. The other photos displays some of the other tourist stuff in Ilulissat, notably the Church of Zion and the birthhouse of the great polar explorer Knud Rasmussen, a true legend and a personality that ties the Danish and Greenlandic histories together. Other pictures again display the UNESCO Heritage site “Sermermiut” and the Ilulissat Icefjord itself. Just wow!

    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022 - Iliulissat, Greenland - Tor Rønnow
    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022

    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022
    The running event featured a full and a half marathon Saturday evening and night under the midnight sun! The marathon took of at 21.00 hours Saturday evening, the half 1.5 hours later. Due to an unexpected amount of snow in the mountains/trails the route was technically very challenging, but actually also quite fun to deal with. I mean, running in such unique and scenic nature, how is that not a privilege? Let¨s just say I took my time… having focus on completing the race and adding Greenland to my list of marathon countries, count 58 with this one done. The event was well organized by Albatros Adventure Marathons and the many local helpers were kind and very patient this very long summer night.

    If you are looking towards an extraordinary running experience, search no further! My best of recommendation for this tour and the bliss of Ilulissat and the Disco Bay.

    See in the race report below just why you should add the Icefjord Midnight Marathon to your bucket list!

    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022- Ilulissat - Tor Rønnow
    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022

    See or relive the Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022 here (and in norwegian):

    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)
    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)
    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)
    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)
    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)
    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)
    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)
    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022 – 圖片/照片由 Tor Rønnow 提供(中文)
    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022-写真/写真:TorRønnow(日本語)
    Icefjord Midnight Marathon 2022 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)