This last weekend (13th of October) the 32nd annual Zagreb Marathon race was held with over 5000 participants in different categories - marathon, half marathon, 10k and relay.

I participated once some 7-8 years ago but never had the time to race it again because a lot of triathlon races I take part in are also taking place during that time and I just like triathlon races a little more :)

I really like road races especially when they are going through fun parts of the city and you are able to see it from a different perspective. There are usually also fan hotspots where you can really enjoy the atmosphere and give out high-fives like hot cookies.

There are also a few negative comments that come up every time a big race is held in Zagreb and they all revolve around a few things that I would like to talk about today.

I don’t really think it will change anything but I just like to give my perspective on this topic.

Why do they always have to run in the city?

This one is the most common questions and one that’s the easiest to explain. Races are held in locations where a lot of people want to run. Why? Because these locations are fun and interesting, the city they are racing is has a certain charm and people travel from all around the world to take part.

It’s the same with Paris, Chicago, Tokyo, Berlin, Valencia and many other places where running has a big tradition.

People in Zagreb should be proud of the fact that out of the 681 participants in the marathon only 133 were from Croatia! This is a huge testament to the attractiveness of the course and the city.

Why do they have to block off the entire city?

I do understand the frustration with the fact that someone can’t cross the city through a particular part but road closures are communicated well in advance for every race and there is always a way to navigate through it and get where everyone wants to go.

Road closures are also just for a few hours and, usually, during a early parts of the weekend (mostly Sunday). It’s the time when most of the people will be home anyway and if people can really need to be somewhere they can plan in advance and add a few more minutes to their travel time.

Just like we account for the time we need to enter a venue during an event arrive early to avoid the crowd, we can leave a little sooner and get to our destination through alternative routes.

I really hope you don’t have a medical emergency!

Ah, the emergency issue! This one annoys me the most to be honest. If you have a medical emergency at any time outside of 6 PM to 6 AM, you will have a big problem. Traffic jams are a big problem in any city (unfortunately, it’s getting worse in Zagreb) and if you really have an emergency you will not be driving to the hospital by yourself but you would call an ambulance and they would rush you to the hospital just as in any case.

Just last year when I was racing in the Zagreb Spring Half Marathon, an ambulance raced through the closed off bridge and even damaged the timing frame that was set up there but they got through with, pretty much, no problem.

That’s why volunteers and police officers are placed at every crossing and can help anyone who is truly in need of help.

Can’t they run in the woods/Jarun/Sljeme?

Jarun is a lake in the southern part of Zagreb which has been closed off to, most of the, traffic this year and a lot of people use it for recreation. It has a, newly, paved road that goes around the lake and is used by a lot of people every day. The problem with the Jarun lake is that it’s only 6.5 (or so) kilometers around and it would be a nightmare to have something of this size being organized there. Having to go almost 7 times around and pass a lot of slower people wouldn’t make it a fair race for anyone.

When it comes to Sljeme, the top of the Medvednica mountain north of Zagreb, the answer is pretty obvious. It’s a f***ing mountain! It’s a road race and not a trail race. I don’t really know how to explain this a little better other than running a marathon is hard and running up a hill on it’s own is hard. Combining those two things is something only a fraction of the people would do and it would be nowhere near the race it is now.

This question essentially boils down to the road closure problem mentioned above and the inconvenience it creates for some people and it really annoys me that people don’t even take the time to think before they ask a question.

This is all part of the plan by the new mayor and his green agenda!!!!!

No it’s not. This is the 32nd Zagreb Marathon and a lot of people weren’t even born during the first edition. This year’s winner is just 28 years old.

Just move along.

Some parting thoughts

I know it’s not fun when your plans hit a road block for whatever reason but there are only two things you can do. Roll with the punches and adjust or be grumpy all day and don’t change anything. I also know that most of these comments come from just a small but vocal group of people who hate the fact that the world doesn’t revolve around them so they need social media to vent their frustration.

Come to one of the races and enjoy the athleticism of the front runners, cheer for the middle of the pack runners, and most importantly encourage all the slower runners to keep pushing.

Most of them don’t do it for anything else but personal satisfaction and enjoyment of being able to run.

If you come to one race maybe you will give it a try as well and this in turn might lead you into a whole different path of your life.

Stay healthy and have fun!

Why do you have to race here?