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Traveling Runner
Traveling Runner: Bravo Mexico!
By Clay Shaw
November/December 2009
For the Washington Running Report
I was supposed to run a marathon in Rio de Janiero in 2008, but knew it wasn't in the cards when my car died on the way to the Baltimore-Washington Airport and I missed my flight. Darn! Luckily, I found another marathon to run within seven weeks, which would make it later in the summer so my training didn't go to waste. Sometimes things happen for a reason.
It was my first international marathon since December 2004 when I ran the Reggae Marathon in Jamaica and it was something new for me; I was traveling solo. Usually my wife, Karen, travels with me but she wasn't able to join me on this adventure.
The Maraton International de la Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico City International Marathon) was held in Zocalo in central Mexico City and I noted the location of the race start, just south of the Plaza de la Constitucion on Calle 20 de Noviembre (that's November 20th Street). I decided it was a good omen since my birthday is on November 19 and Karen's is November 22.
As I waited for the race to begin, fireworks lit up the pre-dawn skies and a large band provided entertainment for the crowd. The women's race kicked off at 7 a.m. and the men were scheduled 15 minutes later. I noticed several women who chose to run with us.
Before I knew it, the marathon was off and we circled around the big plaza and on to Calle 5 de Mayo and then past my Holiday Inn onto the cobblestone street (which surprisingly wasn't too hard to run on). At Avenida Lazaro Cardenas, the course went north to Plaza Garibaldi. According to the guidebooks, travelers are advised not to walk up here but take a cab instead. I thought to myself, "I can see why!" All in all, that would be the only part of the race I would describe as a difficult section.
The runners returned to Paseo de la Reforma, then the upscale area on Avenuda President Masarik, and through the Chapultepec Park, a historic location, before heading south on Revolution Boulevard, a big wide street with some traffic on the far lanes.
I have to say high marks go to the race organizers for excellent traffic control and logistics. And, here's a detail that really stands out. I've never seen race mile (or kilometer) markers as large as these. The marathon turn-around point was around 31K where I saw markers that I would estimate were at least 10 feet high! Needless to say, you could spot them from very far away.
The temperature was 22C with a strong sun, but for a late summer race I found it rather ideal. The marathon returned north on the seemingly endless Avenida Insurgentes Boulevard. I struggled a bit wishing the skyscrapers that seemed to be forever in the distance were closer. I did engage in a conversation with two runners from Durango, Mexico who wore lime green club singlets with Super Mario Brothers on the back. I checked my watch and knew I had a sub-5 hour time in the bag if I didn't give in and start walking. Soon, I was running past historical monuments dedicated to the Revolution, Benito Juarez, and the Palacio de Bellas Arts. The final mile was on the crowded streets before we turned onto Calle 16 de Septiembre and back to the finish at Zocalo where I crossed the finish line in 4:55.
After being sidelined for so long with my 2006 achilles tendon surgery, I have to admit I was thankful to not only be able to run but race pain free again---so what if I used to be able to run a sub-4 hour marathon! I made a mental note that it was 23 minutes faster than Boston, 6 minutes faster than Deadwood (also at altitude) and 34 minutes faster than my disastrous run in Jamaica (pre-surgery).
After I picked up the food bag and my finisher medal, I went back to chill a bit and text Karen before heading back outside where I had a few pictures taken of myself by four different people including a policeman. I decided then that the trip had indeed turned out to be quite a success and well worth it.
If you plan to do this race, here are some of my recommendations: A good place to stay is the Holiday Inn Mexico City Zocalo. For Saturday, I recommend riding the double decker Turibus and check out the sights after you pick up your race packet---which reminds me of one of my biggest surprises--I was given about 20 condoms at the expo (I suppose they might come in handy). By 5 p.m. I had seen most of the sights along with much of the course (marked by a blue line in the street) without a lot of walking. I had a Kipchirchir Bitok (Baltimore-based Kenyan friend) Special Breakfast: two Dunkin donuts, for lunch I went to Hooters for a chicken sandwich with a Corona, and dinner was a pizza-to-go from Pizza Hut.
I've had my eye on running a marathon in Mexico with the Mazatlan Marathon high on the list. In retrospect, Mexico City made the most sense, as I train best in the summer months and marathons at altitude don't seem to bother me very much. Heat and humidity do take their toll on me, especially if I am going to such a climate from our late fall temperature. In summary, I'm glad I was able to make it to the airport without incident so I could run this race. I found Mexico City safe, especially in most of the areas that the marathon went through. I enjoyed my stay and recommend this marathon. For more info on this race, visit: www.emociondeportiva.com.mx
Clay Shaw is a regular contributor plus race photographer, race director, and elite coordinator for events like the Under Armour Baltimore Marathon. This winter he will be traveling to another international location, Ethiopia, where he will teach children through an opportunity via the Global Volunteer Network.