I have many fond memories of the Polish town of Poznan. In 2017, it took me to Poznan in search of new and interesting experiences. It has been several years since I first went on an independent journey. Over the years, there have been many stations, flights, buses, hostel stops, unforgettable events and interesting acquaintances. Still, I could not run a half marathon through the streets of Poznan. Although here I managed to take part in another running event - in 2018 distance run 10 kilometers in one of the most popular races in Poland, which was timed to Independence Day.
Registration
“Poznan Half Marathon" is the fourth half marathon on the list Crowns of Polish Half Marathons - composing your own running calendar, I just could not miss this event. Half marathon in Poznan - this is one of the biggest running events in the city, held in April. Another interesting fact is that this race is second only to "Warsaw Half Marathon“.
You can register for the running event on the official website of the half marathon - halfmarathon.poznan.pl. Also on the site you can choose a T-shirt with the symbols of the half marathon "Poznan Polmaraton".
The way to Poznan
This time I decided to get to Poland by plane - I flew to Katowice, and from there by train to Poznan. Unfortunately, Poland did not greet me very warmly - it was gloomy and cool. Already on Saturday morning, I was greeted by the streets of Poznan, and immediately upon arrival, I went to the starting point, which is located in "Międzynarodowe Targi Poznanskiem" - the city exhibition center. To get your starter pack, you had to go through the exhibition "Sports Expo", so on the way to the counter of starter packs without wasting time quickly looked at everything that was presented at the show.
To the starter pack "Poznan Half Marathon” Included drinks (juice, water, and non-alcoholic beer), various delicacies, and a beautiful eco-bag, which I really liked. After receiving my participant number, I returned to the "Sports Expo" to take a closer look at the exhibition. There were many sports shoes and clothes, sports supplements and food, and other products for athletes. I especially remembered the "Sprint" bread - the manufacturer positions this bread as the best choice for fans of an active lifestyle.
A little further there was an information stand about all sorts interesting running events in Poland and other countries. Returning from each of my races, I try to take as many such brochures about half marathons from different regions to motivate myself to conquer new heights.
Gathering everything that interested me at the "Sports Expo", I went to the hostel. This time I chose a hostel that was not far from the starting point - just a 20-minute walk. Near the hostel, there is a picturesque park with a beautiful lake - where you can relax and unwind after a busy active day. After settling into the room, I began to prepare and gather strength before the important day that awaited me.
Run
As usual, I woke up quite early before the race, ate my breakfast and went to the starting point of the Poznan Half Marathon. The weather failed that day and everything hinted that it would rain - the sky was covered with clouds, sometimes a cold wind blew. Arriving at the starting point and handing over his belongings to the locker room, he started the pre-start warm-up, during which he had to exchange a couple of phrases with a Polish runner. I was lucky because he already had time to take part in “Slezansk Half Marathon“, which I planned to run only next year. The man shared his impressions of this half marathon and the features of the track, which was very interesting for me.
The start of the half marathon was scheduled for 10 o'clock. But about 11 thousand runners took part in the half marathon. I started in group C, which was scheduled for 1:40 - 1:50. In group C, there were two pacemakers who kept the optimal speed for overcoming the half marathon in 1:40 and 1:45.
Half marathon route consisted of one circle and ran through the cozy paved streets of Poznan. Almost the entire route was flat except for a few minor descents and ascents. In the process of running, I realized that I got a little hot, choosing group C for registration.
The start of the race was great - I decided to follow the pace of the pacemaker at 1:40. But after a while, he realized that he had made a big mistake. It was difficult for me to keep up this pace not only physically but also morally. At about the fifth kilometer, I gradually began to slow down and run slower. The next kilometers became slower and slower.
At the 5th, 9th, 15th and 19th kilometers there were food and hydration points - I ran to each of them. At the 19th kilometer, the support of spectators began to increase and grow as the finish line became closer. After receiving the finisher's medal, everyone could relax and enjoy chocolate, juice and fresh fruit.
Impression
The Poznan Half Marathon and the high level of organization of the event left a pleasant positive impression on me. There was a lot of support from spectators and residents throughout the run. The half marathon passed as if unnoticed, even though there were a lot of participants - in the process of overcoming the route, they all scattered along the way.
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