The second night half marathon after "Night Marathon Fest” for me became “Kharkiv Night Half Marathon“. In the running event "Kharkiv Night Half Marathon" I was primarily interested in the route of the night half marathon, as until 2019 on this route, which received a half marathon "Kharkiv Night Half Marathon" was the main Kharkiv half marathon - "Kharkiv Half Marathon“. In 2019, the "Kharkiv Half Marathon" was moved from the outskirts of Kharkiv to its central streets, which was more logical than for the city's main half marathon.
It is the old half marathon route "Kharkiv Half Marathon”and took a new half marathon“ Kharkiv Night Half Marathon ”- this new half marathon for the city of Kharkiv, the organizers decided to hold for the first time in 2019. Thanks to this, the participants had a unique opportunity to run both the old and the updated half of the Kharkiv Half Marathon, which takes place in the first capital of Ukraine - Kharkiv.
Registration
To take participation in the night half marathon "Kharkiv Night Half Marathon", you had to register through the site sportevent.com.ua. Registration for the night half marathon began at the same time as registration for the "Kharkiv Half Marathon". The registration process is standard for running events organized by "Ukraine Sport Events". It was necessary to choose the desired distance and pay the entry fee of the participant.
Run
I arrived in Kharkiv on Saturday afternoon. First of all, it was necessary to find a place to spend the night and rest after a long journey. Therefore, immediately upon arrival in Kharkiv, he went to the hostel and settled in it.
Starting packages for the participants of the night half marathon were issued on the territory of the ski base of KhNPU. GS Frying pans from 19:00 to 20:30. So I still had plenty of time to rest after the road. Starting point of the night half marathon "Kharkiv Night Half Marathon" was located on the territory of the forest" Forest Park ", where the race was held in the spring "Easter Run” for a distance of 30 kilometers. Arriving at the starting point at exactly 19:00, I immediately went to my starting number to participate in the half marathon "Kharkiv Night Half Marathon".
In the administrative building of the base, in addition to the issuance of starter packs, storage rooms, and places where you could change clothes were arranged. They also sold flashlights, which are needed for a night race. The starting and finishing area was located near the ski base on the territory of the stadium.
The route of the "Kharkiv Night Half Marathon" consisted of two laps - the first for 5 km and the second for 16 km. The weather was very comfortable for running, because before the start was light rain, which filled the air with freshness. Before the start, the organizers held a small warm-up with the participants of the race. The "Kharkiv Night Half Marathon" started at 9 p.m. Despite the fact that the route had many ascents, the first kilometers were quite easy. This was also facilitated by the cozy evening weather, thanks to which the route was overcome in one breath.
At the "Kharkiv Night Half Marathon", there were pacemakers who set the pace for the runners. Before starting, I planned to stay near the pacemaker at a time of 1:45. But as soon as the race started, I quickly lost sight of him, so I started looking for someone to replace him, who would become my personal pacemaker.
Three miles passed very quickly at the beginning of the race. The second circle consisted of ten miles - 16 kilometers. At first, the path went down the hill, so the first half of the distance passed without difficulty. I did manage to find runners who were running at the pace I needed, so I kept to them as if I were holding a lost pacemaker. For about four miles on the second lap, I managed to keep up with them. After that, they lingered at the hydration station and I began to rush forward.
The second half of the ten-mile circle was waiting for the runners after the U-turn. This part of the circle mostly went up. This section of the Kharkiv night half marathon became the most difficult. But there was another ambiguous surprise. At the 10 mile mark, participants expected a small branch that could compromise the entire half marathon. It was necessary to run there, because this is where the chip reader was installed. Thanks to the good organization and volunteers who took the place before this turn, it was impossible to run past this important place. Volunteers suggested the right direction and made sure all runners read the chip.
The last kilometers of the half marathon passed through the territory of the forest park, which was mostly flat. The finish line of the Kharkiv Night Half Marathon was located at the stadium, so it was possible to speed up before the finish if you had the strength to improve your results.
Impression
I liked the Kharkiv Night Half Marathon half marathon. The overall impression was great primarily due to its night atmosphere. The night half marathon in Kharkiv, like the Kharkiv Half Marathon, demonstrated a high level of organization from enthusiastic people, and the half marathon route was certified. But the main highlight is running not during the day, but at night. It brings drive and new exciting sensations in running. The Kharkiv Night Half Marathon passed quickly for me - I had just started, and soon I saw the finish line.
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