This year’s city marathon started at dawn yesterday. The men’s winner crossed the line in a new course record, 47 seconds inside the previous mark.
More striking was the finish rate. Organisers put it at 97.4 per cent, the highest in the event’s history.
What changed on the course
Organisers credit two adjustments: replacing two climbs in the second half with flatter routing, and increasing feed stations from twelve to eighteen, with one every 2.5 kilometres after the 30-kilometre mark.
Runners lose pace most between 30 and 35 kilometres. We put everything we had into that stretch.— Head of competition for the organising committee
- Record: men's course record broken by 47 seconds
- Finish rate: 97.4 per cent, a record
- Feed stations: increased from twelve to eighteen
- Medical: 24 mobile teams along the route
Twenty-four mobile medical teams were stationed along the course. Organisers reported no serious medical incidents.
Sent it to my family. They said the summary was fair.
I agree with about half of it. The rest depends on how it is actually implemented.
The last section is right. The problem was never the surface layer.
The last section is right. The problem was never the surface layer.
Saved to read properly later. Thanks for putting it together.
The takeaway for me is that it all comes down to execution.