6th April 2024

‘All runners are beautiful’

Prague half marathon

Superhalf: 3/6 (3rd out of a series of 6 half marathons: Lisbon, Prague, Copenhagen, Cardiff, Valencia and Berlin.)

Expo:

At the expo you collect your bib number and kit bag. ID was checked upon bib collection. Numbers had to be picked up before race day.

The running expo was held at Výstaviště Holešovice. Easy to get to by foot and transport links. All the usual merch was at the expo.

Race day:

It was the 24rd Prague Half Marathon. The race started and finished at Bubenské Nábřeží, Holešovice. This is also where the technical area was located. The technical area had the bag drop, changing rooms and portaloos. There were plenty of loos around.

Outside the technical area was merch stalls, music and freebies. Great atmosphere. After catching up with my running friend Betty from NYC (who I met at Lisbon Superhalf and kept in touch) we went to our starting wave.

The starting gun went off and we steadily made our way to classical music to the start. During the race I had to negotiate trams tracks, cobbles and an unprecedented heat wave. After 3 miles the heat really started to get to me despite wearing a cap, carrying electrolytes and sun cream. There was very little shade especially over the bridges. At this point I gave myself a talking to… slowed down, took on plenty of fluid and didn’t worry about a pb. Instead took in the amazing sites and avoided sun stroke.

There is a 3hr cut off for this race but due the heat race organisers scrapped the cut off to allow everybody to finish safely. There were plenty of water, electrolytes and fruit around the course as well as first aide stations every Km. All runners were checking in on the runner next to them to make sure they were ok.

With the finish line in sight and my mum cheering me on, I gave it a final push and made it over the finish line.

Medal collected, change of clothes and plenty of fluids it was then time to experience what Prague is best know for… beer. Luckily Betty had already found a local pub where we met her and other Superhalf runners.

Results:

Runners: 15500

Record men 0:58:47 Atsedu Tsegay /ETH/

Record women 1:04:52 Joyciline Jepkosgei (RunCzech Racing) /KEN/

Hannah Wright: chip time 2:49:15

Strider results