Run a marathon on New Year’s Eve? Have you ever heard anything like it?! But that’s just what I did in the New Year 2003/2004, which meant that I had run nine marathons in a year, the most I have done and perhaps also my limit.

 

The Social Marathon was run for the first time in 2001 but unfortunately had to be cancelled in 2002 because of the lack of registrations. The noble purpose of the run was to raise money for RIGO, the children’s department at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, and 100 Danish kroner of the registration fee went in full to charity.

 

 

It was announced that the marathon would be run regardless of wind and weather, but the weather on the day was quite nice, with neither snow nor hard frost.

 

The name Social Marathon also signified that people would be running in two groups. One would run in four hours, and the other in four and a half. The idea was that there would be half an hour between the start of the two groups and that they would finish at the same time. I signed up for the slow group which started at 8.45 a.m.

 

We started at Frederiksberg Swimming Baths and ran via Damhussøen to the suburb of Rødovre, through the south harbour, Sydhavnen, and across the protected moorland area of West Amager. From Ørestaden, we ran across the motorway bridge and through green areas to Rødovre and back to Frederiksberg. Since the race was run before the latest municipal reform in Denmark, we actually ran through all of six municipalities!

 

 

I did not manage to keep up with the group the whole way. But I was not the only one, and towards the end of the marathon, three of us were running together. Since the route was not marked, it had been difficult to find the way in certain places, although we did succeed. My fellow runners were two very experienced gentlemen. One of them was Erhard Filtenborg, one of the Danes to have run the most marathons over the years.

 

Along the way, we were given water, juice, hot drinks and bananas, but at the finish there was a real party. Here there was beer, champagne and traditional marzipan ring cake. I took it easy because I had to drive home, and there would be much more in store later in the day.

 

 

After many marathons, I have been very tired and lacking in appetite. I rather wondered how things would be this time around. It was New Year’s Eve after all, and I wanted to be able to celebrate the last day of the year appropriately. And I did. Fortunately I had both the appetite and plenty of energy to party into 2004.

 

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