ÜKS, KAKS, KOLM – TOKYO, VALENCIA, TROMSø

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Tokyo, Valencia, Tromsø

February 2011, November 2017, June 2018

If you've never ran a single marathon, then you feel awed by those people who have ran the 42 kilometres racing against the time. It all looks so easy but completely beyond reach at the same time. A lot of us have been witnesses to the incredible wins and the shocking collapses during the last kilometres at the championships. It's what they say – marathon begins at the 40th kilometre.

People also have different ideas about marathon runners. Many people don't understand why one should choose to do harm to one's body by running on the pavements of the CO2-saturated city streets instead of enjoying the perks of running on the soft health trails in fresh air. There are also a lot of those people who love running, but haven't dared to try a marathon because they're scared that they will not be able to finish it. However, if running a whole marathon seems like too much of a challenge, you could always start with a half-marathon but, in each case, you should have enough training kilometres under your belt.

Tokyo Marathon was my first marathon thanks to the positive combination of all the coincidences. Because it was my first marathon, I didn't really know what to worry about. The marathon course passed through the most beautiful parts of Tokyo, and the highlight for me was to run along the famous Ginza high street. Even though I struggled with foot cramps near the end of the course, it never entered my mind to quit.

When I finished my first marathon I was so over the moon and I also shared my joy with my Yoga Mentor. She was not as excited, and started rolling her eyes instead and said: "Horses run, people practise yoga." But it didn't lessen my zeal for running and so I picked Valencia as my second marathon destination. The course of the Valencia Marathon is fast and flat, and is brilliantly suitable for those who have taken a short pause from the races, but are ready to get back in the game.

I've completed my training and as I'm heading to the start, there's no point in worrying whether I'll be able to finish the race or complete the course within the course time limit. Marathon courses are pleasing to the eye, passing through different tourist attractions, and now it's time to just enjoy the run.

Only a couple hours after the finish in the Valencia Marathon, I started planning marathons in year 2018. I discovered loads of awesome marathons in which I'd definitely like to participate in the future. When my objective before Valencia was to run one marathon per year, then now, I was getting braver and planned to run two marathons per year. The Midnight Sun Marathon in Norway and Maraton du Medoc in France ended up being the chosen ones for year 2018. I have also reserved myself a start number for the Paris Marathon which is going to take place in spring next year.

The Midnight Sun Marathon is held in a small town called Tromsø in the north of Norway. What makes this marathon exciting is that the race takes place at night. The starter pistol fires at 20.30 and the finish closes at 2 o'clock at night (in reality, all runners were waited by at the finish). The runner limit of the marathon is 2,000 participants, and when that limit is up, the registration will close. I registered myself at the marathon already in January, and also booked my accommodation and flight tickets at the same time. I started training for the race in February and ended up with a total of 412 kilometres. I've heard that in order to finish a race safely, you need to put in at least 420 kilometres beforehand. I came very close.

Everything was smooth sailing until the point when about two weeks before the trip, I received a message from the accommodation telling me to cancel my booking because they were going to close down the house. How to find a new place to stay at in an overcrowded  Tromsø? By that time, the prices had gone through the roof on my dates. I wrote about my concern to Booking.com's mailbox and received wonderful service. They helped me find another place for the same price near the start of the race. I was very grateful to them and I definitely recommend Booking.com to others as well.

The most convenient way to fly from Tallinn to Oslo is by Norwegian Air. About half of the passengers on the flight from Oslo to Tromsø were marathon runners, and they are very easy to spot from the other crowd. They are skinny, travel with their backpack and wear trainers.

We were greeted by wonderful views from the plane windows as we started reaching Tromsø. Snow-capped mountains alternated with breathtaking landscapes. Slowly, it started to dawn that soon enough I'll be at the start of my third marathon and run among these very same snowy mountains.

There are over 60,000 people living in Tromsø, and thanks to the Gulf Stream the climate there is a little bit softer than in the other towns on the same latitude. The oldest wooden houses in northern Norway are located in the heart of Tromsø. The oldest house is from 1789.

In addition to the Vikings, Norway is also famous for its salmon. It was my strong wish to eat delicious fish in Tromsø so I asked the locals to recommend some good fish restaurants for me to try out. In response to my question they became sad and answered: "We do have a lot of fish, but we are not good at keeping it, so there aren't any very good fish restaurants here unfortunately." Instead I ate a burger for dinner in a small burger restaurant. It was good!

When I woke up in Tromsø in the morning, it was 12 hours to the marathon and I decided to have a look around in the town.

Tromsø is a lovely little town where you can move around without a map just fine. Visiting the Polar Museum made me think about global warming. In earlier times, the entire land in the North Pole used to be completely covered in ice, and even in summer, when the sun shone from a higher point, it didn't affect the melting of the ice. However, due to the warming up of the ocean water, the ice in the Arctic has started to melt. The strong ice that has been in the Arctics for many years is starting to slowly vanish...

The start of the race was scheduled at half past nine at night. I arrived at the start about 10 minutes earlier and crossed the start line only a few seconds after the starter pistol fired. There didn't seem to be many people. I'd compare it with the Tokyo Marathon where my race number said 55300 and where it took about half an hour to get to the starting line.
The views of the Midnight Sun Marathon were absolutely breathtaking, and it was really refreshing to run among the mountains in summer, the snowy tops visible during the whole race. Though, I wouldn't recommend it for the first-timers due to the difficulty of the race profile.

Add to this the cold weather, rain and coastal wind at the speed of 25 m/s. In my mind, I deeply regretted several times that I had undertaken this madness. But not a single time did it enter my mind to quit the race, although, my feet were quite worn out and hurting at the last kilometres. Even though the Midnight Sun Marathon took place at night, it felt like you were running in the middle of the day because it didn't get dark at all.

I'd divide marathon runners into two in general. On one hand, there are those to whom it is very important that you run a better time than your neighbour and get faster with each marathon. On the other hand, there are those to whom the process and joy of running matter the most, as opposed to bettering your time by all cost. I'm certainly one of the latter. To me, marathon is like a meditation or journey. I don't even wear a watch when I'm running.

Approximately at the 30th kilometre, an Irish Setter greeted runners along the course. It was nice to see my favourite dog breed and it also gave me a lot of strength to make it to the end. What was really positive was that the numbers along the road showed how many kilometres it was left to run. Psychologically, it definitely made running easier.

The Midnight Sun Marathon is counted among the 20 Best Marathons in the World, which all running enthusiasts should definitely visit. Wonderful views and bright nights are inviting people all over the world to come visit this running festival. Although the marathon was well-arranged, I did feel at times as if it was a small running event and not one of the best running parties ever in the world. Before the marathon, they were handing out race numbers and selling marathon merchandise in the foyer of the Tromsø Townhall. The T-shirt, usually included in the entry fee, had to be bought separately. In Tokyo and Valencia, though, the participants received a pretty luxurious goodie bag along with the race number and running shirt. The most indulgent race stations were in Tokyo. The townfolk had come to cheer along the entire course. The sides of the course were completely packed, which makes total sense as Tokyo is inhabited by more than 9 million people. Women in kimonos offered national food on trays along the road, and volunteers sprayed cold gel on the legs of the runners, who struggled with their cramps on the course. In Valencia, great service was also provided on the course. Water was in small bottles and there were enough gel stations. The stations in Tromsø were a bit of a disappointment because they provided water and energy drinks in cups and just some bananas.

After the race, the finishers get medal rewards. In Tromsø, you got a cup of orange juice, but in Tokyo and Valencia, the participants were also given a gift bag with post-race recovery products besides some juice and a medal.

After three marathons, I'd say that a lot has got to do with how you think. To all those who still hesitate, and for some reason, lack the courage to run their first marathon, I suggest you  give this some serious thought. Running a marathon is a truly addictive activity. When you have finished one marathon, you're immediately going to think about the next one. It doesn't matter that your feet hurt and your toes are in blisters. My mind is already on the next marathon, among the vineyards of Bordeaux wine region. Marathon du Medoc is going to be a pretty huge challenge because you will be given wine instead of water at the fluid stations, and the bananas have been switched with cheese.

Vive la France!