Two marathon partisans
I first met Anne Grete and Holger Jacobsen from Aabenraa in Southern Jutland on the trip to Greenland in 2001. Two years later, In Tibet, I was in the same group as them, and we got to know each other better. Anne Grete and Holger are wonderful people, and I have since had the pleasure of their company in South Africa, Jordan and Australia.
Anne Grete and Holger are passionate about Aabenraa Bjergmarathon in their home town, and you are reminded of it every time you meet them abroad wearing jerseys and jackets bearing the marathon’s characteristic logo.
We’ll meet again
During a pleasant meal on the journey to The Great Tibetan Marathon in 2003, we formed the idea of getting the whole group together in Southern Jutland the following summer. Many of them had run together in exotic places all over the world, so what could be more natural than to meet at a Danish marathon. The idea became reality. With all but a couple of exceptions, all the runners in The Great Tibetan Marathon signed up for Aabenraa Bjergmarathon 2004 (“bjerg” means mountain). Even two Norwegian couples, who had travelled with us to Tibet organised a farmhouse holiday to visit Danish running friends and take in one more marathon.
An exciting run
Aabenraa Bjergmarathon has been run since the turn of the millennium, and characteristic of the marathon is its few but long ascents. The steepest of these is on Hjarupvej, part of one of four loops, each of which start from the town square, Storetorv, the location of the race start and finish.
The runners must run all four loops, starting with the east route, followed by the west, south and ultimately the north route. Along the way, you encounter five steep hills, each some 50 – 75 metres from the bottom to the top. So although it isn’t a real mountain marathon it certainly feels like one. The run attracts runners because it is demanding, but it also scares some of them off for the same reason.
The marathon is traditionally run on the Saturday before St. John’s Day, and it greatly pleased one marathon-running priest that the run was not, like most others, held on a Sunday when it came into conflict with church.
The run has become very popular over the years, attracting a large number of runners from far and wide. The event brings the town together, which is obvious from the large number of advertisers, primarily local.
One novelty on the year we ran was that the marathon got its own wine. Local artist and runner, Dagmar Poulsen, was responsible for that year’s Mountain Marathon wine. The race also had the backing of the town’s day care institutions. The kids had been very creative and made dolls that were used as signposts for the run. Happily, the dolls were just a supplement to live helpers along the way.
Up early
The marathon was run on 19th June. Karin, who was not going to run, had decided to join me on the trip to South Jutland. Because the run started at 10 a.m., we had to leave Zealand early to drive the 250 kilometres. This was not unlike many other races around the world. We picked up fellow runner Susanne Bruun in Sorø. Her parents, who had also faithfully travelled the world to run marathons, were unable to attend that day.
Gorm
The starting pistol for our run went off at ten, while the shorter distances started later. As had been the case since the first race, TV personality Hans Georg Møller, alias Gorm, entertained the crowd in the start/finish area.
Summer and sun, up and down the hills
It was summer and could we feel it! The hills along the course pulled teeth, but it was invigorating to finish each loop and cross Storetorv to the onlookers’ applause and Gorm’s cheeky remarks. The catering was excellent throughout what was altogether a very well organised race. I well understand Anne Grete and Holger proudly showing off their run logo all over the world.
Our Norwegian friends had sniggered at the idea of us running a mountain marathon, but after the run they had to admit that they could feel they had been running up and down hills. They frankly declared that they now understood the name Mountain Marathon.
Prizes
As per tradition, I wasn’t fast, with a time of 5:23:26, while the winner came in at 2:43:51. Susanne Bruun made her mark as the third woman to cross the line. Apart from prizes for the best runs, there was also a prize draw. I had brought along some prizes from the company we owned at the time, Wolle’s Nature System, along with some books and herbal products, which we laid out so everyone could take a sample home with them.
Communal eating and hospitable accommodation
In the evening, we met up with many of the marathon’s participants and officials to eat together in the cafeteria of the Føtex department store. We had a really pleasant evening, which ended with a nice cold drink at one of the town’s less salubrious pubs.
After a long day and cheerful evening we drove to Agerskov, 22 kilometres from Aabenraa, where we had been invited to stay the night with Gerda and Jakob, who served a delicious breakfast before we set off back to Zealand after an admirable visit to Jutland.days.
Buy the book here.
