The Catalan athlete gives some advice on how to tackle the three distances of this event with guaranteed success
Spanish Half Marathon champion in 2012, Jaume Leiva, has a time of 2:13:41 over 42,195 metres. A good connoisseur of the Font Vella Lanzarote International Marathon, where he has won both the 21 and 10 km, the athlete shares some tips on the three routes in this event, which will celebrate its 13th edition on 3 December.
42 km
This is quite a demanding route, but the scenery along the way is spectacular. That’s why your first objective has to be to enjoy it, not looking so much at the clock but at the beautiful surroundings through which the race takes place. It is best to be conservative until km 25/28, because this is the hardest part of the route and what you have to try to do is to run a marathon almost negatively, that is, from a slow pace to a faster one.
This will help you reach the final kilometres with strength in reserve, and it will make you feel much better emotionally. It’s very important not to forget to stay well hydrated because, although we’re talking about December, the average temperature in Lanzarote is still 23ºC, so the heat will be felt as the day progresses.
21 km
Participants of the 21-km event should bear in mind that the most demanding part of the race is in the middle, just when you are leaving Arrecife in the direction of Costa Teguise. This is the point where you have to run a bit below your race pace, to make sure that you are strong enough for the final kilometres.
Once you have passed the most physically demanding part of the race, you can then push yourself to the maximum until you cross the finish line. Hydration is also an important factor on this route, so don’t miss out on the liquids on offer at the refreshment posts.
10 km
With a shorter course and a much less demanding time, you don’t have to be so conservative, but you still have to know how to manage your race well. It’s important to control your pace at the start and not get carried away by excitement: if you try to run a pace for which you haven’t trained enough, the 10,000 metres will seem very long.
If this is your first experience of running on asphalt, congratulations: this is the best place on earth for a first-time runner, so get out there with a smile on your face and enjoy every stride.
