RRW: Spectacular Course Awaits World Half-Marathon Athletes

By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2018 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

VALENCIA (22-Mar) — The 21.1 kilometer course for Saturday’s IAAF/Trinidad Alonso World Half-Marathon Championships is not only flat and fast, but is arguably one of the most beautiful road race courses in the world.

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Starting and finishing at the iconic Ciudad De Les Artes y la Ciencias (City of Arts & Sciences) designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava, about one-third of the course hugs the sunken Jardin del Turia, the 110-hectare park in the heart of this city which was formerly a riverbed.  The athletes will pass fountains, historic buildings, palm trees and flowering trees which already fully-bloomed just two days into spring.  The pavement is very smooth; snow and road salt never touch the streets here.

The finish is nothing short of spectacular.  When the athletes re-enter the City of Arts & Sciences, they will run along one of the reflecting pools, make a hard right just before the Science Museum, up a specially constructed ramp, then a hard left for the final run to the finish line on an elevated promenade with pools of water on both sides.  The finish straight is covered with a light blue carpet which, at the moment, us under a layer of protective plastic film.

Moreover, the same course will be enjoyed by about 15,000 runners in the mass race which follows immediately these championships.

“This will be a wonderful opportunity to see the best athletes in the world at this distance in action on a circuit that is perfect for achieving fast times,” said organizing committee president Raúl Chapado through a statement.  “The organization has designed a
route of great beauty and charm that will be lined by fans cheering all the runners on, as Valencia and its inhabitants have a true passion for running.”

Interestingly, the IAAF/Trinidad Alonso World Half-Marathon Championships will not have an early morning start like so many other road races, but will rather begin late in the afternoon.  The championships women’s race will start at 5:05 p.m. (17:05), the championships men will begin at 5:30 p.m. (17:30), and the mass race will start at 5:40 p.m. (17:40).

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