Hi there, still feeling not 100% healthy so no training before everything is fine. I don’t want to take any chances now after that many setbacks lately.
The third running event I want to present in my blog is Kyrönjoki-maraton in the former municipality of Ylistaro, Finland, now a part of the town Seinäjoki, Finland. Unfortunately the linked website only exists in Finnish, but in case you need some information I think the organisation is able to provide an answer in English or Swedish as well.
The race exists since the year 1986 so there’s a well-founded tradition supporting the organisation. This marathon has a character of a “village event” with which I refer to that this event simply couldn’t exist without the help from the volunteers. The race is usually set to be about at the end of April or the beginning of May – approximately at the same time as the Finnish celebration day of labor (the 1st of May). In addition to the marathon run, there are other race alternatives provided, i.e. a half marathon, 10.5 km run.
The race is fought in the premises of the river Kyrönjoki, and as it is typical for the region of Southern Ostrobothnia the route is very steady without any hills. The same route is run four times in the marathon run, and twice in the half marathon. The marathon is run in a typical Finnish landscape, on an asphalt covered road following the Finnish agricultural scenes. If the weather is right, the opportunity to run a quick marathon is good, but the high wind might become a problem occasionally.
I have run the marathon three times and as I grow up in the region, this race has a special part on my mind. I haven’t made any super runs there, but on the other hand I have done my training more seriously only for the past few days. On the other hand, when you have lived for decades in the neighbourhood it’s sometimes painful to run, as you know exactly what’s coming up along the route and how many painful miles there still are – well that’s probably know for the every marathon runner, but still, the fact that you also know the landscape from the past, does not make things any easier.
The event usually has a couple of hundred runners participating, but most of them do not run the full marathon, but shorter distances. This is at the same time a big benefit, but also a great drawback; depending on ones running habits and mood: on the one hand you most probably have to run alone at least part of the race, but on the other hand there hardly are any problems with overtaking other runners or getting stuck in a crowd or having to wait for the refreshments at the drink stations. Moreover, not everyone likes to run the same route multiple times. It may be a hard experience to run a half marathon and then realise you still have two rounds in the same surroundings.
The river Kyrönjoki
Reiniläntie
Reiniläntie #2
Reiniläntie #3
Tired runner
Regarding the organisation I have nothing but positive feedback to provide. There are three drink stations along the route with water, sports drink etc., and what is probably the best thing after the race for a Finn is to be able to get to a Finnish sauna to wash the signs of a hard race away.
My full recommendation to everyone who wants to run a marathon in Southern Ostrobothnia in Finland: experience the marathon there!