As announced in February 2022 we returned to Naples “in half”.
As if we were educated and prepared, and again we had a slip-up with the bus. This time we prudently bought tickets at the airport and happily watched the bus pass by at the bus stop 180, who was driving towards the expo and didn't stop, because we didn't wave. And so the bus tickets were left as souvenirs, and we dutifully went to the bus “airport” to the center and then we took the subway to the expo itself.
This time the organizers did a great job and the shirts were available, you could even choose a color! There were also pills in the package, a sachet of a drink supporting the effort and a voucher for a non-alcoholic beer with the graceful name of Peroni.
The half marathon started at 9 hour and traditionally arrived much earlier, at least without the crowds in the subway, toilets and storage. This year we got there before the flags were installed.
It was immediately visible, that there are many more runners and it quickly became crowded. The weather, as announced, was not to spare us and watered abundantly, it was warm though.
Routine, a short warm-up and we quickly went to our sector. We started from B and the organizers tried hard to watch and discipline runners who wanted to change sector, including the removal of the disobedient. There was a big crowd before the start. We ran traditionally through the tunnel and along the coast, I was waiting for the change, showed up at the end of the run – 15 of 17 km. The route avoided the square with the colonnade and the spectacular castle, but we ran through another tunnel. I honestly do, that prettier and more “tourist” she was last year.
I was running badly, I set myself up for rainy weather and at the start the sun was even shining. Fortunately, the whole route was cloudy and on 20 km after running out of the tunnel, it started to rain lightly. I was really happy about that.
I got pissed at the first water point, because the crowd was large, I couldn't get to the tables and there was barely anything on them. I had to stand, the runners were pushing, and I lost my balance and nearly fell over. It really knocked me out of my rhythm and again “I had to spin up” w biegu. In addition, the water was in screw-cap bottles and I wrestled with the cap, it was only through my T-shirt that I managed to unscrew the cap and it was like that every time I took water and wanted to drink.
I felt “heaviness in the legs”, I don't think they've recovered from the marathon yet. In the new tunnel on the route I was extremely stuffy and despite, that we ran out onto the boardwalk straight into the wind – I enjoyed the fresh breezes.
I crossed the finish line with confidence, I improved my time from last year, because, according to the organizers, the route was advertised as “faster”. I got crazy, that I emailed 1:47 proved to be, that 1:42, so my current time was much worse. I accepted it without regret, because we were running outside the classification anyway – bez runcard. I got a medal at the finish line, water and there was not even a queue for an isotonic drink. Efficiently distributed in the hall “refreshments” consisting of water, To me, plums, two tangerines and a sachet “booster”, beer 0%. There were no queues to collect the deposit.
In conclusion, I believe, that the organizers this year were better prepared and fared better, especially, there were more runners. The route is definitely less attractive to me (3 tunnels), but it depends what you prefer. An uninteresting medal (last year was much nicer), the more, that that 10 edition of the run. And although this may conflict with the above, but overall I am very pleased with the participation, running and that, that we decided to take part in the Napoli City Half Marathon again. There will be no third time, but we are not saying goodbye to Naples yet…
21K: 01:45:57 in 01:49:10
