(ENG) Moscow Half-Marathon 17 May 2015

The Moscow Half-Marathon 2015 took place on May 17, 2015. I completed a 10K race, which was part of the show. You can find my video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME8drWPAIHE
Also, find photos and comments below.

The weather was a puzzle. The day before the race it was "7°С, feels like 4°С, heavy rains", the forecast for the race day was "12°С, feels like 7°С, showers". Eventually, the weather somewhat improved and was nearly perfect (for runners, not for the spectators): 12-15°С, no rain, cloudy.

1. The race was organized comfortably for the runners. Just out of the metro (underground) station we were met by a volunteer, who showed the way to the start area (it was not hard to find it yourself, though, just followung numerous people in sportswear and running shoes).

2. The start area. The race had two options: 10K and 21.1K.

3. Warm-up on the bank of Moscow-river.

 4. Pacemakers were there for the 21.1K race. 

5. Selfie in the starting corridor is a must ))

6. Couldn't help making my own one ))

7. Ready, set, GO!

8. The runners were grouped in five groups (from A to E) according to their expected time. I was in the latest group, so, by the time I crossed the start-line, the clock showed >8 min - my lag from the very first starters (it doesn't affect the personal result, which is measured by a chip inside the bib).

9.  The race track (which followed the Moscow-river bank) was keps from cars by the police...

10. ...and road machinery.

11. Some of the runners noticed my video-cam ))

 12. Some greet the "cameraman" ))

13. Sasha (Alex), to whom I got acquainted at one of the previous races.

14. The only nasty thing about the environment were the puddles. Some were really big.

15. Volunteers take some notes in the midst of the race. What are they taking down?

16.

17. The U-turn in 5K.

18. Greeetings to the on-coming peers.

19. The Iron Man (no quotation marks here) in the wheelchair is Marat Nikolaev. He came from Yakutia (part of Russia some 8000 km from Moscow by car) to take part in the Half-Marathon. Marat is 19 yrs old and has bone fragility. No wonder, he was greeted with applause by every race participant, not to mention the spectators.

20. The latter were numerous, despite the weather.

21. 

22. Some of the spectators were very young )

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24. Some demostrated running technique comparable to that of the top-runners ))

25. You can easily spot a pacemaker by the running crowd surrounding him.

26. "Half-marathon - U-turn, 10K - straight to the finish!"

27. Powerful finish can save you some seconds.

28. The finish line is close.

29.

30. After the finish you got a medal...

31. ...some water...

32. ...and a "thermo-poncho".

33. See you on the races! Run for fun, run for run!