Keep on running!
April 21 in England ⋅ ☁️ 10 °CThis 1960s chart hit is often played to celebrate the London Marathon. It's got a carnival spirit that has returned to the streets in the spring, following closures for Covid. It's a lovelyRead more
This 1960s chart hit is often played to celebrate the London Marathon. It's got a carnival spirit that has returned to the streets in the spring, following closures for Covid. It's a lovelyRead more
To my immense frustration, there have been no Sunday carnivals as the tourist guides had led me to believe. What does happen, on 27th February, is the annual Independence Day celebration. IndependenceRead more
A reversal of last week's trip (guagua, bus, taxi) takes me back to a few days in the capital. This time I'm right in the heart of things, in a classy hotel on Parque Colon and a prime view from theRead more
Thanks to another good road, the 3-hour bus journey from the capital to the town on Samana is straightforward. Moving on isn't quite as easy: it's hard to work out where to get transport, until aRead more
Punta Cana used to be cut off from the rest of the island but since the construction of new roads, getting around is now quite easy. A taxi ride to the bus station and a bus so air-conditioned that IRead more
Airborne for the first time in 2024, I'm spending a fortnight in Santo Domingo. Not to be confused with Dominica, it's the Spanish-speaking part of Hispaniola island. Punta Cana is the only place withRead more
It's 2024 and while many people were enjoying the fireworks by the river last night, I choose a morning start to enjoy London's New Year parade. After 2 years hiatus it's becoming a regular fixtureRead more
The coastal line continues its unhurried way to the Spanish border. Vila Real de Santo Antonio seems at first a backwater but it's got a majestic waterfront, best seen early in the morning. TheRead more
There are good transport services in the Algarve and no sooner am I settled in Faro than I use them for day excursions. East along the coastal train line leads to Olhao, one of the main fishing portsRead more
Speak, World What an interesting post! I haven’t really seen such a close-up of a marathon before. It looks like it was quite a chilly day for the onlookers. As for the runners, it appears to be a quite casual event, and it also seems like there weren’t that many people who were in great shape! Do you have any idea how much it cost to actually be able to run in the marathon? Were there any prerequisites other than the cost?
Traveler You're right, it was quite cold for late April but I expect the runners liked it. I deliberately didn't get started until 2 hours after the start (ETA at the finish about 4 hours) because slower people are easier to photograph, plus the crowds start to thin out.
Traveler I don't know how much it cost to take part but collectively they raised £67m (including contributions from onlookers). Presumably they have to pass a medical but one of the key sectors of the race is the wheelchair contingent. There were about 53,000 participants.