A record-breaking box with international leaders for women and men!
The 18th Ras Al Khaimah Part Marathon is in its 2nd yr beneath the control of Tempo Occasions, and the workforce from PACE did it in taste.
First, a blended 5,500 ran within the RAK 2024 race closing yr. This yr, 3 weeks previous, 10,000 plus runners registered within the 2k, 10k, and 1/2 marathon.
The elements closing yr was once foggy and humid. This yr, it was once windy and a little cold.
The pre-race favorites, Isaia Lasoi and Germawit Gebrzhair, had been featured within the presser, talking about rapid occasions. Lasoi sought after to run a PB, and Gebrzhair had already run 64:14 in her 2022 win at RAK Part. Germawit had run 29:34 at Valencia 10k only some weeks in the past. Ejgayehu Taye, who had taken sixth within the Olympic 5,000m in 14:32.98, is a observe athlete shifting to the roads. On the Valencia 1/2 marathon, Ejgayehu ran 64:14. Like Gebrzhair, Taye instructed a rapid 1/2 marathon.
Ejgayehu Taye main the RAK Part, photograph by way of Giancarlo Colombo for Ras AL Khaimah Part marathon
On Saturday morning, at about 5 AM, this creator walked the mile from the headquarters lodge, the Double Tree by way of Hilton Marjan Island, to the media middle, proper throughout from the beginning. I realized a little of wind, and the temperature was once within the prime forties Fahrenheit (about 7-9 Celsius).
I had famous that no less than there would now not be the humidity and fog of 2024.
8 mins after the deliberate get started (the race workforce was once looking ahead to some key folks), the elite box 40 were given off the beginning line.
From the beginning, Ejgayehu Taye took off just like the proverbial bat out of hell. When the solar rose, it was once glaring that Taye went out exhausting, as had the entire girls, however Taye was once manner out in entrance together with her pacemaker.
The boys’s race, with out the pacers, ran at a extra subdued tempo, which we estimated at simply over 60:30, manner off the quick tempo of the sector chief.
A pack of 20 hit the 5k in a subdued 14:13, and the 10k was once hit in 28:34. It was once now not till 14k that Alex Matata, who had aroused from sleep on Friday feeling like he would possibly now not be capable to race, began feeling assured.
Matata, who was once now not on any individual’s shortlist for a quick time, had run 4 1/2 marathons in 2024, successful 4 of them. The entire occasions had been beneath 60 mins.
Matata Gemechu, Dida and Isaia Lasoi had been up entrance, staring at each and every different. One may just see the wind, and the chill of the early morning didn’t disappear. Who would push the tempo after 14k for the boys?
The solution to the boys’s race was once Alex Matata, who’s racing for the LiNing logo. Matata, who has run 13:43 for five,000m and 28:08 for 10,000m, gave the look of the person of the day. His command of the race from 14k on was once dominating. Dida dropped again whilst Lasoi stayed shut.
Alex Mateta, photograph by way of Giancarlo Colombo for Ras Al Khaimah Part Marathon
Alex Matata made his transfer with 1k to head and gained the race in PB of 59:20. A gutty and decided Gemechu Dida outkicked Isaia Lasoi, 59:25 to 59:26, the prerace favourite, who instructed media later on that he was once feeling a groin factor post-race.
This creator believes that with a couple of pacers, the boys’s race would have had a time beneath 59 mins, no downside. I loved the race’s natural nature, which was once an actual certain.
As I famous, the ladies went out rapid within the girls’s race, however the chilly and wind took so much out of the highest athletes. Ejgayehu Taye ran unopposed at 65:52, which was once now not close to the path listing. Judy Kemobi of Kenya was once 2nd in 66:34, and Jesca Chelangat of Kenya was once 3rd in 66:53.
Superb elite races, adopted by way of over 10,000 within the 1/2 marathon, 10k and 2k. One thing for everybody.
DoubleTree Marjan presented unfastened access for the ones staying within the lodge.
I spoke with Dev, the chief of the eating place on the lodge. He had run the 1/2 marathon up to now and the 5k this yr. He was once glad to complete, and this revel in inspired him to imagine rerunning the 1/2 marathon.
Just like the six different United Arab Emirates, Ras Al Khaimah desires to be a vacation spot for international vacationers.
The RAK Part Marathon is a vacation spot tournament. It has fabulous seashores, actions, a excellent lodge, meals, and a contented group of workers who most effective need everybody to benefit from the lodge.
We see this race proceeding to develop one day. We inspire elite American citizens and Europeans to imagine this half-marathon, which takes position in calm climate at a super lodge. Citizen runners can mix per week of taking part in the lodge with their households with operating a race at the weekend!
Mark my phrases, the RAK Part Marathon will keep growing. This is a gem at the world operating time table, a fast-growing tournament at the sports-crazy time table in Ras Al Khaimah in 2026!
Keep tuned for 2026!
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