Runners from across the kingdom have been busy training for the oldest full marathon in the Middle East, which is set to return for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Bahrain Full Marathon will be run in its full format over 42.2 kilometres on February 11, and is expected to draw 200 athletes.
Runners will compete along a 10.55-kilometre circuit set up between Jazair Beach, the marathon’s starting point, and the construction site of the five-star Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain Resort and Spa. Every full marathon runner will have to complete four laps of the circuit in order to complete the set distance.
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“The marathon was first ever run in 1979, which makes us older than the London Marathon,” Bahrain Road Runners (BRR) chairman Abdulrahman Turki told the GDN. “Since we have only been having half marathons in the last two years, we are excited to hold the race in its full glorious format again.”
BRR members have been waking up in the early hours to train for the race at their camp in Awali, which they consider the ‘ideal peaceful and safe place for distance long distance training runs’ and other locations. Yesterday afternoon, the runners met at the Bahrain National Stadium to prepare for the big day.
The Bahrain marathon was inaugurated in 1979 to commemorate the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Bahrain. It had 15 participants and Pete Rogers emerged the victor.
In 1983, Mustafa Fulad became the first Bahraini to complete the full marathon.
In addition to the full marathon, BRR is also bringing back the marathon relay, in which teams-of-four take turns running the 10.55-km laps, ultimately running the full 42.2km in total as a team.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the marathon relay also has been on hold for the last two years.
“We will have 80 teams running in the marathon relay,” Turki added. “Of these, 39 are all-male, six are all-female and 26 are a combination of both men and women, while nine teams will be wearing corporate colours.”
Of the approximately 150 runners registered in the Full Marathon, 125 are male and 25 are women. Six of the relay teams, as well as seven full marathon runners, are coming across the causeway from Saudi Arabia to take part.
The full marathon will start at 6am at Jazair Beach, while the marathon relay will kick off at 6.30am. Runners will have until 11.30am to run the full 42.2km.
The full marathon is being operated under Covid-19 protocols and only green-shield holders will be able to participate in the event.
In addition, masks will be worn in the pre-start, start and finish areas, and can only be removed after the first 300 metres of the race.
Aid stations have also been converted into self-service areas to minimise contact.
BRR has worked with both the Health Ministry and the Works, Municipality Affairs and Urban Planning ministry to map out a safe route for the runners.
The marathon is open to anyone aged 16 and older, and top three finishers in the six age categories will each receive trophies.
In addition, the top three overall male and female athletes will receive cash prizes of BD300 for first, BD200 for second and BD100 for third place finishers.
In 2016, BRR member Abdellatif Ait Hsine broke the 33-year-old previous record with a time of 2:21:03, four minutes and 22 seconds faster than the previous record which had been set on February 11, 1983.
Of course, completing the marathon is itself an achievement and every finisher will receive a medal to commemorate the run.
naman@gulfweekly.com
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