It’s 4am when the alarm goes off, but despite the very short night and the little sleep I got in this incredibly huge and comfortable bed, I feel not tired, but quite energetic. I still suffer from jet lag and my sleep/awake pattern is messed up. I take a long shower and get ready and leave my room about 5am to go downstairs to the lobby to get my breakfast box. The restaurant opens at 6am, which is too late for us, because race start is at 6am. Torsten, the German, and I asked the receptionist last night, if she knew what we’re going to have for breakfast, but she had no clue, even though I am sure she didn’t understand what we were asking her. She returned the question, by asking us what we would like to have. We requested a toast, fruit and water. We were wondering what the others would have in the boxes, because apparently our tour guides organised breakfast to go for everyone.
To my surprise, we all get a bag with two plastic boxes in it. The larger one contains half a sandwich (a triangle of a squared toast bread) and a banana. The small one contains something sweet, cake or whatever that is. There is a bottle of water and a yoghurt, but no spoon.
We take the bags from the reception, occupy some of the chairs in the lobby and eat. Then the drivers and the tour guides come and tell us to follow them. The full marathoners left at 4:45am, half an hour before us. It's 5:15am now and it is still dark. Outside, everything is wet from humidity. Some of us are worried, that the roads might be slippery. Some fellow runners wish me luck to win the race (hihi) and one asks: ‘How are you going to win the marathon if you’re running the half?’ ‘The mysteries of life’ I repeat.
We are in the big bus and are driven to the building where the expo was in yesterday, but there, the roads are closed and the driver can't neither enter nor stop. Hmm... he doesn't seem to have a clue where to go. It takes a bit of time to figure out where he has to go, but time is passing and we will have to rush once there.
We are in the big bus and are driven to the building where the expo was in yesterday, but there, the roads are closed and the driver can't neither enter nor stop. Hmm... he doesn't seem to have a clue where to go. It takes a bit of time to figure out where he has to go, but time is passing and we will have to rush once there.
The driver reverses, drives around a few blocks and manages to stop very close to the start line. There, we all get off and the guide says that meeting will be here on this spot. I ask him again what time the bus will leave and he says that buses will leave when there are enough runners. Yesterday they said that a bus will leave around 10am and the other one later, probably around 12pm. They also said that there might be an earlier bus for the 5k and 10k runners and the faster half marathoners.
Anyway, we rush to the bag drop to leave our blue bags and some queue up for the very few loos. There are no starting blocks, because the event is small. According to the organisers, there are a bit over 3000 runners in total, and a bit over half of us come from 54 different countries.
I proceed towards the start and join the crowd. I try to find people from my group, but can't spot anyone. Two minutes later the announcer starts to count down the seconds and the mass of apparently 1200 runners starts moving. It is getting light now and soon the sun will rise behind us.
I fire up the Mixcloud app on my mobile phone and choose my favourite dj, dj Alex Pepper from Yorkshire. He is a legend and I used to listen to him every night when I was a student at Hull University. This is his Facebook Site and his Mixcloud Site. I go down to the Inside Trance show and choose the latest track. The beat starts pumping and I start the Mi Fit app to track my miles and the time as I cross the line. It is as usual a great feeling to be part of an international running community and to run in a faraway place among foreign people who are all determined to make it across the line and get that medal at the end. The feelings and emotions are on a roller coaster ride and I feel very happy.
Waiting for the start just before 6am
Some excitement in my eyes
Put your hands in the air and say yeah!
And the crowd says 'Bo Selecta'!
Panic at the disco
Blinded by the light
The sun rises behind us and many runners miss this very beautiful moment. Truly spectacular sunrise over Ha Long Bay. These are Torsten's photos, who took the time to take them, while most were rushing by to achieve a personal best, or personal worst.
Blurry image of Torsten and me.
The organisers wrote on their website and on Facebook and all the other different communication channels, that the weather would be nice and cool, below 20 degrees Celsius. Well, it is over 25 degrees Celsius and extremely humid. It is like running in the steam room. The ones from cooler climates will suffer today, the ones from hotter regions won't have any problems. Celes who is from Singapore will say later that it was cooler here than in her country.
This is from the official website:
- Weather and Temperature
Halong Bay is located in the North of Vietnam. Its climate is characterized by four distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.
To foreigners, especially those who live in the temperate zone, the most suitable time to visit Halong Bay is from September to March, in the seasons of Autumn, Winter and Spring when the weather is cool and dry.
From April to August, the weather is Summer. This is also time to observe much cloud and frequent drizzle with very high average humidity (95 - 100%). It is hot with typhoons and heavy rain in late Summer.
Halong Bay’s beauty especially shines in November, when the weather is relatively cold as it switches from Autumn to Winter with light wind and glittering sunlight. Imagine lazing out on the sundesk of a wooden cruiser in the middle of the bay, watching the sunset and dawn after running a marathon held next to one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. How tranquil and relaxing will that feel?
The temperature in November varies from 15-18°C (59 -64.4° F), an ideal temperature for marathoners to complete their runs without breaking a sweat. All you will need in such wonderful weather is a light jacket and you’re set for the race.
Huh, what's that?
The organisers also mention that the route is very scenic and unique, but the truth is, that only the first few miles are scenic and unique. The rest, at least the half marathon route, is nothing special, with the exception of the bridge.
Celes and Melissa
a happy runner
pacemakers
some funny signs
some beautiful buildings
Musicians
This way please!
Some cheering
A street called Deo (roll-on)
And this is where the fun begins and we realise that we have been fooled.
The official website says:
Halong Bay Heritage Marathon is a mostly-flat course, which will lead you to discovering Halong Bay in each running step, from the mesmerizing coastline and fishing villages, to the record-breaking bridge with a panoramic view of the bay. A gentle slope that leads to the Bai Chay Bridge will be a little challenge to those who want to take full and half marathon.
With this unique course by the world-recognized heritage bay you can take amazing photos anywhere.
It is steep, very steep and impossible to run up the mountain.
Cable car line over the bay
The bridge we are going to cross soon, but we still have a long way up the mountain.
The amusement park on top of the mountain where we went yesterday, I think.
Runners on the bridge
Art
A mansion
I have made it up the mountain! Yipiieeeee!!!!!
The german singer Peter Maffay has a song called 'Over 7 bridges you must go'. Not sure how many I have crossed in all the races I have participated in.
Quite a few runners stop to take photos and others walk to take in the scenery or simply walk because they can't make the incline.
Some info
More art
This way please!
More funny signs
Floating village
While running by our hotel the temptation to abandon the race and go back to sleep or sit in the bath tub for hours is there, but I choose to continue and get my medal.
The official website says:
A part of the race will take place on open streets shared with various means of transport, as traffic cannot be blocked for the whole route. However, there will be police, security guards and volunteers, so runners will have priority over other road users. Please follow their instructions.
Well, after running in this incredible heat and humidity, we haven't finished, we are indeed finished.
Some fun with my fellow runners
The tour guide appears and I ask him when there will a bus to the hotel and he asks how many we are. At this point we are about a dozen by the steps and a few more queueing at the 'I'm finished' wall. The guide disappears and comes back a few minutes later to disappear again.
Now we are more people, but the guide is nowhere to be seen. I look at my watch and see that it is 9:30am and that we have been here for over half an hour. I find the guide and ask him about the bus ride and he says there will be one at 10am.
I calculate that we need 20 minutes or so to get to the hotel, a few minutes to go to our rooms, we need to pack and leave the rooms before 12 o'clock. There's not much time for relaxation and the bath in the massive bath tub I want to have. I decide to take a taxi and ask Torsten if he wants to join. We go inform the tour guide and he arranges a cab and the price for us.
Short time later we arrive at the hotel and go to our rooms. I let water into the bath tub and it takes 45 minutes to fill up. In the meantime I pack my suitcase and get into the bath tub while the water is falling on me. Oh, this is mint! So beautiful! Relaxation at its best!
After spending over half an hour lying in the bath tub, I get ready, take my suitcase, leave the beautiful room and go downstairs to check out and wait in the lobby for the others to gather.
In a few minutes we will get on the buses to the port, where a boat is waiting for us to take us on a cruise.
More about it in my next post.
That's what you get for running in the heat.
Official photos
I love these ones.
A video. Do you recognise the song?
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