The popularity of amateur sports, including mass races, is growing from year to year. Half marathons are good both for not very trained joggers (to test their strength, run to the finish line) and for experienced athletes (to compete with equals, a reason to keep fit).
In this article, we will tell you about the increasingly popular Minsk Half Marathon, held in the capital of the Republic of Belarus. It is quite easy to get here, and, in addition to participating in the marathon, there is an opportunity to look at this ancient, beautiful city.
About half marathon
Tradition and history
This competition is a fairly young sporting event. So, for the first time the Minsk half marathon took place in 2003, exactly on the holiday of the city of Minsk.
The experience turned out to be more than successful, after which the organizers decided to make these competitions traditional, timed to the day of the city. As a result, the half marathon is held in early autumn, or rather, on the first weekend in September, and is held in the center of Minsk.
The number of participants in the Minsk Half Marathon is growing from year to year. So, in 2016 more than sixteen thousand runners took part in it, and a year later this number increased to twenty thousand. Moreover, not only residents of the capital of Belarus take part, but also visitors from other regions of the country and from neighboring countries.
Route
Participants of the half marathon on the way will be able to see the beauty of the city of Minsk. The route passes by the main city attractions. It begins on Pobediteley Avenue, then passes along Independence Avenue, a circle is made at the Victory Obelisk.
The organizers note that the route is laid in the very center of Minsk, in the most beautiful places. On the way, participants can see modern buildings, the center full of charm, and the panorama of the Trinity Suburb.
By the way, the track and the organization of this competition were assessed by the Quality Road Race track and field association, not a lot, not a little in whole "5 stars"!
Distances
In order to take part in this competition, you must register with the organizers at one of the distances:
- 5.5 kilometers,
- 10.55 kilometers,
- 21.1 kilometers.
As a rule, the most massive race is at the shortest distance. Families and teams run there.
Competition rules
Admission conditions
First of all, the rules relate to the age of the participants in the races.
For instance:
- Participants in the 5.5 km race must be over 13 years old.
- Those who intend to run 10.55 kilometers must be at least 16 years of age.
- Participants of the half marathon distance must be of legal age.
All participants must provide the organizers with the necessary documents, pay the registration fee.
There are also requirements for the time to cover the distance:
- You will need to run 21.1 kilometers in three hours.
- The 10.5-kilometer distance must be covered in two hours.
It is also allowed to participate in a team qualifying for the elite category for both men and women (for this, separate time intervals are provided for overcoming the distance).
Check in
You can register on the organizers website by opening your personal account there.
The cost
In 2016, the cost of participation in the Minsk Half Marathon distances was as follows:
- For a distance of 21.1 kilometers and 10.5 kilometers, it was 33 Belarusian rubles.
- For a distance of 5.5 kilometers, the cost was 7 Belarusian rubles.
Payment can be made by credit card.
For foreigners, the contribution was 18 euros for distances of 21.1 and 10.55 kilometers and 5 euros for a distance of 5.5 kilometers.
Free participation in the half marathon is provided for the following participants:
- pensioners,
- disabled people,
- participants of the Great Patriotic War,
- participants in the hostilities in Afghanistan,
- liquidators of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant,
- pupils,
- students.
Rewarding
The prize fund of the Minsk Half Marathon in 2016 was twenty-five thousand US dollars. Thus, the winners of the 21.1 km distance among men and women will receive three thousand US dollars each.
Also, in 2017, a bicycle and a free trip to the marathon in Riga, provided by the Belarusian Athletics Federation, were raffled off as prizes.
The Minsk half marathon is becoming more and more popular every year. It attracts not only Belarusians, but also guests from more than forty countries: both ordinary runners and professional athletes of different ages. In 2017, this three-distance competition will be held on September 10. If you wish, you can take part in it!
