“The open road is a beckoning, a strangeness, a place where a man can lose himself.” – William Least Heat Moon.
For some, running gives them the ability to see new and wonderful parts of the world that they would not otherwise have the chance to experience. The Siberian International Marathon (SIM) is a race that does just that. Taking place in Omsk, not far from Russia’s southern border with Kazakhstan, an entry into this event is the perfect excuse to explore a relatively unknown destination.
SIM representative Natalia Skuratovich explains why the organisers are so pleased to now be recognised as a Running for All 5-star certified race.
“We are proud that our race meets all of the European standards and we hope that it will help to attract a large number of participants. The standards are very important for us because it demonstrates the high quality of our race. It also provides reassurance for the runners and offers an opportunity to promote the event.”
Omsk is Russia’s seventh largest city, with a population of over 1.15 million inhabitants. With an eclectic variety of architectural styles, the host city has a rich history with plenty to discover – though with a marathon in the legs you might need a little longer to take in the city’s charm. The city also acts as a major junction point for both the Trans-Siberian Railway and the extensive waterways of the Irtysh and Ob Rivers, so there’s no excuse for the journey to stop here.
The course itself passes through the historical centre of the city, starting and finishing in the impressive Cathedral Square. Located at the river confluence and far enough from the Ural Mountains, this virtually pan-flat course offers up the perfect opportunity for runners to revise their personal bests. All in all, it is a popular international race of great stature.
“Siberian International Marathon is one of the largest sporting and cultural events in Russia. It always has a high level of organisation. The course is also certified by AIMS and satisfies all international standards. Besides, Omsk is one of the biggest Russian cities; that’s why taking part in the Siberian International Marathon is a good opportunity to visit an unknown part of the world and participate in a high-level international event.”
The 2014 edition was celebrated as the Jubilee Marathon and the event boasted a number of special features. Cameras followed the leader of the women’s race as well as the men’s, and the live stream continued right through to the award ceremony.
Skuratovich adds: “Thanks to cooperation with a New Zealand company called MarathonPhotos, every athlete received their own photos and an individual certificate with their personal result. Each year all participants receive a t-shirt, but last year we upgraded to Dry Fit technology.”
In addition the organisers communicated with competitors by text message, right from an initial invitation, through to a message within minutes of each athlete finishing, which contained both their position and time.
“In 2015 we want to introduce something new. First of all every athlete registered on-line will have their name on their race bib. We also want to install screens on the course (not only at the start/finish area as we always have) with the live stream of the race. Finally, we want to create points of emotional support along the route, such as performances by music groups.”
With continued plans to improve this event, a fast, flat course and a spectacular backdrop, you would be hard-pressed to find an argument against booking those flights to Tsentralny Airport.
MORE INFORMATION ON RUNNING FOR ALL
Website: european-running4all.org
Twitter: @runningforall
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