You suffered them before, with all the whining about that hypochondriac syndrome that they reveal at the slightest pain after returning from jogging, making an interested face when they explain to you how they decipher those hieroglyphics that come with their training plan, and with their cravings of spoilt children every time the day D…. approaches.
And, on top of that, now it’s up to you to put in the hard work of kilometres and comings and goings so that they can feel supported on the day of the Valencia Marathon (and I won’t even tell you about it afterwards, telling the story forever).
But, well, we have no choice, right? They provide the legs, the sacrifice and the struggle, you can be the one to carry them along, who gives them the final push to reach the finish line, who gives them the energy they need at critical moments with a shout of support. As you have already seen, your role is vital, so much so that it deserves that we inaugurate a guide for the cheerleader, fan and/or companion of the Valencia Marathon.
PS: you already know that this year is marked by the tragedy of the DANA that has affected all the towns of the Horta Sud. The Valencia Marathon, after a period of reflection, decided to go ahead with the celebration of the race and has opened three ways of help for those affected, the direct one for participants (financial donation) is this one. Here you can collaborate and help.
* Hey, what’s wrong with me? I’m the one who runs it…’. Bufff, I can already see that typical pre-marathon irritation. For you you have all these posts and articles about the Valencia Marathon.
Valencia Marathon Guide: Analysis of the course / route
Valencia Marathon Guide: Analysis of the course / route
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- WHERE TO GO TO SEE THE RUNNERS?
- THE ROUTES
- FOLLOW THE RUNNERS: APP
- CHEERING PROCEDURE
- HOW TO HELP (IN CASE OF EMERGENCY)
1· ¿WHERE TO GO TO SEE YOUR RUNNERS?
In a lot of places and just by moving around on foot (no need for transport). The design of the circuit, very compact and with several out-and-back zones, allows you to see them at five or six different points just by moving around a bit (now, you’ll have to run to catch them, eh!). Some points that just by moving a few metres allow you to see the runners at different points of the race:
- Start and last km (Ciutat de les Arts).
- Km 6 and 7 (Av. Naranjos)
- Km 8 and 16 (Av. Blasco Ibáñez)
- Km 24 (Av. del Port)
- Km 13,2, 24 and 29, and from 40 to 40,8 (Cauce de Turia / Alameda)
2· THE ROUTES
I propose two walking routes… And, of course, you can do and undo what you want. Important: you don’t need public transport to see the runners at different points, you can see them at different times during the race just by walking a little.
ROUTE 1 (5 km approx.): FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN MOVE FAST Route for those who can walk at ease without the pressure of being late to places.
Google Maps link
Route for those who can walk fast/run and know how to keep to a fast time.
- Km 0,8: av. Balears
- Start of route
- Good place to start the route, although with so many runners it is difficult to find it the first time.
- Km 8: Blasco Ibáñez (alt. Manel Candela)
- How far do I have to walk? 1 km
- Second point to see your runner, it is easy to get there by going straight along Dr. Manuel Candela street.
- Km 25: Albareda (alt. Plaça Saragossa)
- How far do I have to walk? 1.2 km
- You have to walk to Plaça Saragossa and there you will have one of the liveliest points of the race.
- Km 29: Centre (Gral. Toval St.)
- How far do I have to walk? 1 km
- Penultimate support point and one of the most important because here the wall is approaching…
- Km 41 to 41,8: Jacinto Benavente to Ciutat de les Arts
- How much walking do I have to do? 1 to 1.8 km
- The final stretch will be crowded (which is great, hair-raising animation), so I recommend that you set the exact point where you will meet beforehand.
- AFTER THE RACE
- A good place to meet is at the cloakroom (look out for your bib number or the turn at the entrance to the finish chute).
ROUTE 2 (3.5 km approx.): FOR PEOPLE WHO CANNOT MOVE A LOT. A route for those who can walk at ease without the pressure of arriving late to places.
Google Maps LINK
- Km 0,8: av. Balears
- Start of the route
- Good place to start the route, although with so many runners it is difficult to find it the first time.
- Km 8 and 16: Blasco Ibáñez (alt. Manel Candela)
- How far do I have to walk? 1 km
- You can see your runner on the way there and back without any problems.
- Km 25: Albareda (alt. Plaça Saragossa)
- How far do I have to walk? 1,4 km (km 2,7 of your route)
- There is another option, which is to skip the 16 km crossing and walk to Plaça Saragossa (km 14.3) and then see it again at the same point at around km 25.
- Km 41 to 41,8: Jacinto Benavente to Ciutat de les Arts
- How far do I have to walk? 0.9 to 1.5 km (km 3.5 to 4 at most).
- The final stretch will be crowded (which is great, hair-raising animation), so I recommend that you set the exact spot where you will meet beforehand.
- AFTER THE RACE
- A good place to meet is at the cloakroom (look out for your bib number or the turn at the entrance to the finish chute).
ROUTE 3 (approx. 1.5 km): FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN ROUTE FOR PEOPLE WITH SMALL CHILDREN OR PEOPLE WITH REDUCED MOBILITY.
Google Maps LINK
- Km 0,8: av. Balears
- Start of the route
- Good place to start the route, although with so many runners it is difficult to find it the first time.
- Km 23,8: Av. del Port
- How far do I have to walk? 0,3 km (km 0,3 of your route)
- You can see your runner after the first half marathon.
- Km 41 to 41,8: Jacinto Benavente to Ciutat de les Arts
- How much walking do I have to do? 1.2 km (km 1.5 of the route)
- The final stretch will be crowded (which is great, hair-raising animation), so I recommend that you set the exact spot where you will meet beforehand.
- AFTER THE RACE
- I would stay in the same place and let the runner approach the Pont del Regne.
3· APP TO FOLLOW THE RUNNERS
You have the official one for the Valencia Marathon. It is the same as in the last editions and it works great. For the companions, it helps them to follow the steps of their runners along the different controls that are made in the circuit (every 5 km and at the half marathon).
4. PROCEDURE FOR SUCCESSFUL ANIMATION
Yes, animation is an art in which some people are capable of showing their most inspired side. Here are a few tips to help you succeed in your mission:
- Agree beforehand on all the places where you are going to meet (especially if you have the task of supplying them with food), always being aware that you may fail in some places due to external causes.
- Save a surprise for the last minute, so that he/she is not aware of it until he/she sees it live. That’s always a boost to your spirits.
- Anyone can be a cheerleader, all you need is the desire to enjoy a unique day and empathy with what you want to support. So if you also get to know the psychology of those who dance on the asphalt, their doubts and fears, you will surely find the right shout/statement/slogan for each moment of the race.
- Caution: Crossing the street is an art and a challenge that can turn into a nest of insults, reproaches and pushing and shoving if we are not careful. So before you take the plunge, ask yourself:
-
- Do you have the urge to cross?
- Have you stopped to see if there is an alternative means of crossing the road that will allow you to avoid crossing the road and encroaching on the route?
- Have you checked if there is a volunteer or guard near your position who is regulating the passage of pedestrians?
- Are you checking when is the right time to cross without disturbing any of the runners?
- Yes, now!
No has estado en una Maratón de Valencia si…
- Cheering doesn’t wear you out (well, if you shout a lot you might be affected by aphonia the next day; happy aphonia, by the way), so don’t waste your energy and personalise your praise only on your own. This is not a Barça-Madrid, in popular races the objective is not to crush the opponent because here the rival does not exist but the companion of fatigues.
- Banners. I know that we are a generation that has been hit hard by the ART ATTACK concept (and I’m not even talking about Instagram filters), but there are some fonts and colours that we runners find difficult to interpret when we start to get tired. Keep this equation in mind: the more kilometres, the more degrees of myopia. Short, concise sentences, full of content, substance and emotion (synthesis is your friend), and contrasting colours (light, dark) between background and lettering. Sometimes even an image is more motivating than a sentence.
- Every runner is different and everyone runs in their own way. The fact that you have a different way of stepping, striding, moving your head, swinging your arms, or breathing does not make you strange, but unique. I say this because some postures can seem very comical to those who are not used to the art of having a hard time in shorts, and I’m just going to give you an example to disprove it: look at the great Paula Radcliffe (when I grow up I want to be like her). Plasticism in filming is something we leave for sports brand advertisements.
- Quote them by name. Don’t forget that more people run, adopt them by their nicknames. Look at the runners’ bibs, if you personalise your message of support to the name printed on it, the result is twice as effective for the person who receives it. It’s an unbeatable boost of energy and motivation to have someone you don’t know… trust you.
- Messages and style. I know that we runners are fussy but positive messages are much more appreciated than challenging ones. I don’t need to know where the limits (of my patience) are, I’d rather you tell me that what I’m doing is worthwhile, whether I get there sooner or later.
- Quotes that sink in. And yes, there is a catalogue of phrases that you shouldn’t say to a runner at critical moments, but this is explained a thousand times better in the sadly defunct Sosaku Runner blog. So I’ll pass on the link directly so you can enjoy it.
5. HOW TO HELP (EMERGENCIES)
Nobody likes it, but these are images that are repeated every year in a marathon, and even more so now that we are a bunch of people running: people who arrive so exhausted that in the end they end up crawling to the finish line or, directly, collapsing. How can you help? By keeping a cool head, which is what some of us runners need at that moment.
- Go and look for the nearest assistance if you see that their state is really worrying. If there are two of you, one should stay with the runner and the other should go.
- Take your mobile phone with you to call the emergency services or 112.
- Carry a bottle of water with you in case you need to lower the temperature (pour some on your neck and wrists while waiting for assistance).
- For those who have collapsed , DO NOT ENCOURAGE them to continue, even if they insist if they regain some consciousness. There are many marathons in a row, but only one life; sometimes we runners are not aware of this and we insist on continuing without thinking about the consequences: the first thing is your health and the people around you. That’s why we need someone with a cool head to let us know.
Blogmaldito is a blog with a ‘Non Profit’ philosophy. What does this mean? It means that I have as a principle that all the contents are yours as long as you don’t make a commercial and interested use of them. I do what I do as a hobby and from the perspective of a popular runner for the rest of the runners and friends I meet in the races. That’s why I can’t and don’t want to make money from running. I don’t accept invitations or gifts. I am not for sale. For me it’s already a gift that someone bothers to take the time to read me and talk about this madness of freaks running around the streets and mountains.
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