The fourth annual Jerusalem Marathon took place last weekend and I am thrilled to have been counted among the over 15,000 people who tackled the distances of 10k, half and full marathon. Our morning began with the predawn wake up call at 4:30 am, followed by a light breakfast and transfer to our race site with our group still groggy and half asleep.

All main arteries of Jerusalem had been sealed off and mileage markers put in place to accommodate the thousands of runners passing through the streets that day. Standing in my coral before our shotgun start, I was able to converse with a few of my fellow runners and share some of our anxieties and anticipation of what was to come. The runners were predominantly Israeli in addition to over 2,600 international runners who travelled great distances to take on this bucket list race.

Albeit my most challenging race ever, this route, hands down, was the most spectacular I had ever run. Not joking! Soon after I started the course I realized I should just enjoy it and take it all in rather than focus on my race time. There were endless hills met with numerous turns, (40 to be exact), and a segment where we dipped behind the Old Walled City. The views included the extended city of Jerusalem, picturesque residential neighborhoods and a tunnel for good measure, where all the runners (myself included) were inclined to give a shout out and have their echoes bounce back.

Although still relatively new, to my pleasant surprise the marathon race was very well organized. It certainly helped that the race had the full support of the mayor of Jerusalem, who, by the way, brought the Jerusalem Marathon to fruition and ran the half distance himself.

The energy of the marathon carried on throughout the day and with it, a number of activities including a variety of short race distances for school children and their families who instilled the love of the sport and inspired the next generation of runners.

I am both ecstatic and moved to have had the opportunity to run this race and highly recommend it to those who are up for a challenge and love nothing more than to race by incredible scenery. But word of advice: get some hill training in, your quads will thank you for it.

See Annie’s Photos on Travelweek’s Facebook:

Annie on the Run: Jerusalem, Old Walled City and Israel Museum
Annie on the Run – Israel – Jerusalem
Annie on the Run – Israel – Gallery 3