One of the highlights of the year was, once again, the Tallinn Marathon weekend with our running group.
Tallinn Marathon Weekend – Personal Bests, Friends and Good Vibes!
This time, there were 23 of us altogether. Most of the group took part in the half marathon on Saturday morning, but we also had four young runners who ran the 5K Nike Youth Run on Saturday evening. We were also joined by our coach and a few members of the support crew.
Getting Ready for Tallinn Marathon Weekend and a Pizza Party!
On Friday, we met at the Länsiterminaali in Helsinki and set sail for Tallinn. In previous years, we’ve usually walked straight from the port to a restaurant, but this time we’d been invited to a pizza party organised by the KopliSörk running group. Needless to say, we were really excited! We briskly made our way to collect our race bibs and checked into the hotel.
Just like pretty much everything else in Tallinn, the pizza party was within walking distance of our hotel. We didn’t make it in time for the group run, but we certainly made up for it when it came to pizza! We enjoyed plenty of it, accompanied by live music, and also got to meet a few local runners. Apparently, pizza works just fine as pre-race carb-loading, too!
As in previous years, our hotel was right next to the start and finish area. We had an early breakfast at 6:15 a.m., followed by a little time to relax before warming up. The morning was sunny, and the temperature was a lovely 15°C when the race started at 9 a.m. It was shaping up to be perfect running weather!
Half Marathon – A Long-Time Goal Finally Achieved
I started from the A starting area with Sanna and Virpi, two of the KU-58 ladies. Our plan was to run just ahead of the 1:30 pacer, but right from the start, they managed to get away from us. We soon realised, though, that he was running at a steady pace that suited us well, so Sanna and I stayed behind the pacer group until the 12K mark. Virpi had started a little more cautiously.
My legs felt strong, and the running felt easy. When Sanna said after 12 kilometres that she was going to overtake the pacer and pick up the pace, I decided to go with her. I didn’t quite dare follow her all the way, as she really started to speed up! I ran the rest of the way on my own, trying to maintain a pace of around 4:10 per kilometre, with varying degrees of success.
My mental arithmetic isn’t exactly my strong point at the best of times, and it gets even worse when I’m running. Still, I managed to do enough calculations to realise at the 17K mark that breaking the 1:30 barrier was very much within reach. My legs were certainly starting to feel heavy during the final three kilometres, but somehow, through sheer determination, I managed to keep up a good pace and crossed the finish line in 1:29:00.
A goal I’d been dreaming of for ages – breaking the 90-minute barrier – had finally, finally become a reality! Even a month after the race, the result still brings a huge smile to my face!
When Virpi crossed the finish line, we discovered that the three of us had taken the top three places in the women’s 50+ category. A clean sweep for Finland – go us! I stayed near the finish area to cheer on the other runners from our group as they came in. There were so many fantastic performances! And whatever the finishing time, simply making it to the finish line is an achievement in itself. Well done, team!
After the race, we relaxed in the hotel spa before heading out for lunch together in the heart of Tallinn. Having lunch together after the race has been a tradition for several years now. We’ve usually already exchanged the first race stories and updates in the bubbles of the spa, of course, but there’s always plenty more to talk about around the lunch table! We go over the twists and turns of the race, celebrate our successes and relive those famous final kilometres, which everyone seems to have their own story about.
The highlight of the evening was the Nike Youth Run, which started at 6 p.m. An incredible 3,300 young runners had signed up for the 5K. It’s genuinely heartwarming to see so many young people running! There were some seriously impressive times, too, but from the perspective of an older spectator, the best part was simply seeing so many participants – and, of course, seeing the young runners from our own group taking part!
That evening, we went for dinner at a Ukrainian restaurant next to our hotel. We tried borscht soup served inside a loaf of bread, something none of us had ever tasted before. The food was delicious, and the restaurant itself made for a memorable experience.
I slept much better on the second night, and we didn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn for breakfast either. After a leisurely hotel breakfast, it was time to head back towards the ferry terminal and begin our journey home.
Another wonderful marathon trip with running friends! The memories from the weekend will keep us smiling well into autumn. It’s lovely to have something to look back on and relive as the cold and dark days of winter approach. We all need to find our training motivation somewhere! ❤️
Dexal Joined Us in Tallinn
During the Tallinn Marathon weekend, Dexal provided our running group with some products to try out. The new pineapple-flavoured energy gel caught our attention, along with the watermelon-flavoured electrolyte tablet! It was great to try some new flavours during our race trip and add a little variety to our usual running fuel.
The watermelon-flavoured electrolyte drink was my personal favourite, and I’ve been using it during my own training sessions, too. It has a lovely, refreshing taste, and half a tablet is just right for 500 ml of water!
