In Slovenia, October revolves around a running event in Ljubljana. Runners ask each other if they're attending and at which distance. Non-runners ask each other about closed streets.
If we go beyond the usual questions about the event, the following statement reveals how many times someone has attended the Ljubljana marathon. Some know the answer by heart, and others have to check the results of past events.
Random facts: My dad attended the first Ljubljana marathon in 1996. His best time for 42 kilometers in the Ljubljana marathon was 3:22:52, and he was 28th in his category.
Let's go straight to the gist: my attendance at Ljubljana (half)marathons.
#1 - The 13th LM in 2008
"I saw your picture on the cover of a magazine."
The sentence I most remember about running in that year. Who would have thought that they can put anyone on a cover of a magazine if the picture was taken at a public event? Even someone who didn't know the magazine exits.
I attended this half marathon with my dad. Our actual running time was 2:07:54 (we needed 4 minutes to get to the start line). He could go much faster, but as a running buddy, he had finished the race rested.
#2 - The 14th LM in 2009
The year my dad also decided to ruin his running statistics with a slow run. We went on my first marathon (that I remember, but that is another story). Our official running time was 4:30:01, and I was 21st in my category.
#3 - The 22nd LM in 2017
For the next three consecutive years, I attended the events with my coworkers from the language school Lingula. Our mascot was the fastest on the track. As I didn't spend much time running, the result was not one of my best (2:08:02), but I enjoyed the race. I even stopped to talk to friends who were cheering by the road.
#4 - The 23rd LM in 2018
This year I almost ended with DNS as the weather was not the best. There is no bad weather, only bad equipment. Well, my accessories didn't include swimsuits for that heavy rain. I knew I wouldn't enjoy the run. Luckily, a few minutes before the start of the race, it stopped raining, and I ended the half marathon (2:05:24).
#5 - The 24th LM in 2019
The ultimate goal "under two hours" mark was reached (1:58:43). Not for the first time, but for the first time at the Ljubljana (half)marathon.
#6 - The 26th LM in 2022
I attended as a member of the sports and cultural society Modrin, part of the Mladinska knjiga. The main goal to enjoy the run was upgraded with the best result (1:52:16) so far at the Ljubljana marathons.
What about next year?
Some people compare this marathon with other European marathons, but I think there's room for improvement. The biggest disappointment is that the goody bag doesn't even deserve that name anymore. It doesn't include the official marathon T-shirt anymore, it can be bought separately for 25 €, and there aren't even any sponsor goods. They say it's because of economical reasons, but I didn't see any signs of savings when they charged 50 - 70 € to attend the (half)marathon. Compared to the Zagreb marathon in October 2022, the registration fee was 20 - 33 € for a half-marathon and 27 - 40 € for a marathon. Decide for yourselves about the price-performance ratio.
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