Looking again interesting events in Ukrainein which I wanted to participate, my gaze caught on "Petropavlivsʹkyy Half Marathon“. Why this one the half marathon caught my attention? The first hook was that the Chaika autodrome was chosen as the venue for the half marathon. The second - the half marathon was held first, so I was interested to look at the level of organization and run the track among the first. So, without hesitation, I decided that I should definitely take part in this half marathon.
There was no need for pre-training and training, as I had recently completed 25 kilometers during a running event. ”Kyiv Ultramarathon", As well as running a half marathon during "Night Marathon-Fest“.
I had a goal in the first half of 2018 to cover 21 kilometers in less than 2 hours. And I managed to reach it during "Night Marathon-Fest" and on half marathon in Ternopil. Therefore, I did not expect anything very surprising from the "Petropavlivsʹkyy Half Marathon" - the main task was to get a pleasant impression of the race and enjoy the picturesque surrounding landscapes.
On the eve of the race you could get your starter pack at the 7 Peaks shop near the Beresteiska metro station. The starter pack included a participant's number, an eco-bag, a magnet and, of course, various brochures. The T-shirt had to be ordered separately.
On Sunday, after gathering everything I needed to participate in the half marathon, I went to the "Zhytomyrska" metro station. It was here that the event organizers gathered participants to take them to the race venue.
The start and finish areas were combined - the line was located directly opposite the "Chayka" Hotel. On the square near the hotel, the starting point was spread out, where participants had the opportunity to pick up their starter packs, change into comfortable clothes and sports shoes and leave their belongings in the storage rooms. A stage and a tent were also installed here selling a variety of flavors.
After changing my clothes, I handed my backpack to the luggage compartment and set out to inspect the terrain, getting ready for the start. The organizers of the "Petropavlivsʹk Half Marathon" simultaneously started the race for a distance of 10 kilometers and 21 kilometers.
"Petropavlivsʹkyy Half Marathon" was first held at the legendary autodrome "Seagull" on July 15, 2018.
The first 8 kilometers of the half marathon I managed to overcome easily. I easily followed the usual comfortable pace. But then fatigue and heat began to overwhelm me. My feet began to let me down as if to hint that they were already tired of running almost every week. I kept convincing myself that I just needed to enjoy running and not hurry.
Somewhere at 10 kilometers I saw a familiar T-shirt. He was a middle-aged runner from Chernihiv, wearing an Amsterdam marathon T-shirt. To somehow abstract from the heat and fatigue, I decided to chat with him. This became very relevant, because thoughts about the difficulty of the race disappeared. It was an interesting conversation that made the next 5 kilometers easier for us.
To overcome the last kilometers, I changed the pace to slower - I wanted to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Surprisingly, a man who sprinkled runners with water from a bucket directly from his yard met a runner.
What was the specialty of the "Petropavlovs'k Half Marathon" route? The last 4-5 kilometers of the route ran through the racetrack. However, my condition left much to be desired - the heat was very much pressed, and the body was so drenched by previous races. Only one made them run faster - the roar of the engines. At the racetrack, boys and girls went karting. This is where I got to the finish line, where, according to its tradition, I took some pictures, then took my things and headed back to Kyiv.
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