RACE RESULTS CAN BE FOUND FURTHER DOWN!
Due to the lack of sunshine and snow free running paths I got the idea to start planning a small Balkan Tour. Both I and my friend Peter Friis was missing Kosovo and MonteNegro so that was a good reason for planning. I preliminary asked Finnish Runners ”would You like to join” and in a week we had a team that fulfilled the Country Club rules. And then we have our ”Run the world” whatsup group and soon we had a running team from Finland, Taiwan, Philippines, USA, Nigeria and Japan.
I did not know anything about Kosovo and Pristine in beforehand but quite soon I got a hint that my running friend Jürgen Sinthofen had organized a marathon in Pristina/Kosovo in 2014. So I took a look at his comments and plans and due to lack of local contacts simply copied partially his route. You can read Jurgens race report here: http://www.laufspass.com/laufberichte/2014/kosovo-marathon-2014.htm
I arrived Pristine by bus from Thessaloniki on Saturday, where I was running last week the Alexander the Great Marathon. The bus firts to Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, cost me some €35,00 and it took 3 hours. We travelled with this small Mercedes Minibus. Quite convenient travelling. In Skopje I had to change bus and had some 15min change time. That was enough but the bus to Pristine was really old and smoky local bus. That route cost me €8,00 one-way.
When I arrived to Pristine my first to-do was to check the house I reserved for Team Finland from AirBnB. The house is BIG (500 m²), impressive and spacious and has plenty of space for our Running Club. It has 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and 2 spacious living rooms, a modern gym and a big garden. I looked great but a bit chilly inside. I talked with the ”father” and he said that no heating is available (???) It was +15C inside !!!
In every room there was a Clima system but ”father” had hidden all electrical cords so they could not be used. I had no time to argue with him because I had to go and check the route before the run. I ma the Race Director of these two marathons so I feel it is my responsibility.
I took a taxi to marathon start and started to look around. The route was planned in beforehand so it was only to measure it. The route looked nice, flat and safe to run so my ”inspection job” was done with only 18km walking and with my GPS.
Jurgen mentioned in 2014 that Pristine was tricky, therefore they, and we, had run a bit outside of town. Our marathon start is some 8km out of town but as taxis/transport is cheap this has to do.
Marathon Day:
At 08:15 I meet Deb, Tom, Lichu and Toshinori at the start line. We are supposed to have our early marathon start. We start from Laplje Selo (Cafeteria Tropicana). The weather looks nice. A bit chilly but good for running. We are 5 runners at the early start. From start we run west towards Ulpiana Archaeological Park. I planned that we run another leg towards Livaxhe but I desided to cancel that. I met too many street dogs on the measuring day and saw 12 big holes in mid of our running path, so no idea running to there.
Here is a picture of us running. From Left: Kari Rask (FIN), Ritva Vallivaara-Pasto (FIN), Toshinori Watanabe (JPN), Anna-Mari Becker (FIN, Minna Hänninen (FIN) and Bernadette Schlueter (Phillipines).
While Team Finland and Bernadette were still running the first early starters came to finish line. I had an honor to give finisher certificates to two world class runners. Lichu Sloan and Toshinori Watanabe.
Lichu is from Taiwan (USA) have finished 299 marathons in 133 countries and one of only three women in the world to have completed 100 marathon countries. Also completed 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 weeks (2008). Lichu started running at age 52 when she run the first marathon and since then completed the Boston Marathon three times. Her next marathon in Tbilisi (2025) will be my marathon #300.
Mr. Toshinori from Japan started his marathons in 1992 and since then he has run 364 marathons in 93 different countries.
Soon after Team USA (second start) reached the finish line. Deborah, who have 10 flags in Marathon Globetrotters and finished +105 countries and 7 continents with Thomas Craven who also have completed marathon in 7 continents.
Also Team Finland sent strong runner to Pristine. Ritva Vallivaara-Pasto (left in pic) have run +1.300 marathons and several 100km ultra marathons. Also Minna Hänninen have run +600 marathons and the Peter Friis and Kari Rask with both ”only” +300 marathons, Juhani Aho with marathons in +70 countries and ”Ansku” with also over +100 marathons I feel like a rookie with my 160 marathons.
Our marathon turning point was at Ulpiana, an archaeological park, that was an ancient Roman city located in what is today Gračanica, 12 km southeast of Pristina. Ulpiana is an ancient Roman city located at out marathon turning point. Yhe place was called Justiniana Secunda earlier. Ulpiana is an archaeological park under the permanent protection. Ulpiana was established arond year 117. Ulpiana is located near the mines and therefore has been an important commercial hub for the area.
At our turning point in Ulpiana we say several times a dog family with cute small puppies. I think they were 6 of then. They were quite shy and run away when we tried to scrap them.
After the marathon we had a day free to look around n Pristine. Some of us went up to the church tower and took nice photos but the most weired building was this library. It looks very special and it is said that it is the world most ugly building (???)
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At dinner the note suprised us all. We had 8 times food, 7 beer, 7 Cola, and a salad. All that for €52,00 !!!
To summerize: Pristine has many cafees and restaurants, the food is good and super cheap. Also all kind of shopping is very cheap. Petrol cost about €1,07/liter. But now we start to prepare for the next marathon in MonteNegro tomorrow.
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