Beijing International Marathon – the most absurd.

Except for some doped or abused athletes, a marathon requires at least months of preparation for anyone who intends to run it seriously. The training usually goes through ramp-up and tapering.   For many, the training program is usually well structured and regimented.   Marathon is so taxing on the body that even top athletes normally can run only 2 or 3 each year.   Therefore, the dates of marathons are very important for the overall plan.   How can anyone prepare for a marathon with a changing and uncertain date?   This must be the most absurd thing in the history of the marathon since Pheidippides ran the distance and shouted “ Rejoice, we conquer” in 490BC.The Beijing International Marathon (BIM) is usually held around October 15, but it is late October now, and no one knows when it will happen.  The only certainty is that it will take place in the next few weeks.   This is absolutely incomprehensible!

The CAA kindly invited me to run the BIM some years ago when I was happily assisting Chinese athletes running the Boston Marathon.   I have never gotten a chance to do it.   Now, I am sure that I will never run this marathon until our capital returns to the people from the CCP regime that has robbed it and treated it as its property.