Race Recap: Islandsbanki Reykjavik Marathon

Racing in the Land of Fire and Ice

Race number 12 for a FULL YEAR of monthly marathoning took place in Iceland, land of fire and ice. A celebratory race that starts in the capital, Reykjavik and winds through nearby suburbs along the coast, this race seemed like a memorable way to celebrate a year of racing. The weather conditions were windy but moderate, and although rain was predicted for race day, it held off until around the 4 hour mark, allowing many of us to stay damp rather than dripping wet.

Unlike many races, the marathon, half marathon, and the 10k all had the same start time, so we all bunched up into the corrals together. About 3000 runners from over 90 countries are said to take part in this international race.

The racecourse atmosphere was great! So many residents and supporters came out to share their excitement for the race, play music and show support. The race day signs were mostly in Icelandic, so I missed getting a giggle from funny race signs, which is normally something I love in races. Most of the music was American music though, and for this race I decided not to use my earbuds and to rely on the racecourse music alone since Reykjavik did such a great job of coming out and bringing the beat.

Though I didn't have a particular time goal, I was keen to finish and begin enjoying cultural night at the completion of the race. Race participants gained free entry to local pools with their race bib, and festivities near downtown were promising though under-advertised as we coiuldn't really find a schedule of events.

My travel buddy and I found one another at the race finish/celebration zone and just like that, marathon 12 was over.