Running helps me help others: Andrew's blog: 2014/10

RunTourism:

noun: seeing the city sights whilst part of a running event.

This is 'RunTourism' - with camera in hand!

OK, so 'RunTourism "is not a real word I know, but it is a fun, if not slightly strange concept. You simply turn up, trust the event organizer to arrange the best way to show off the town .. then run through it, camera in hand.

Here's my Runtourism view of Lucerne, Switzerland through the Swiss City Marathon.

30 hours travel from home and we've arrived in Lucerne!

OK, I know I'm really in Switzerland now.

It helps when you wake up and outside your window are the Swiss Alps .....

It's a gray, cloudy, quiet Sunday morning in Lucerne.
The swans are the most active things around .... for now.

Pre-start nerves. And check out the urinals on the left ... yep, just stand there in public and let fly !!

Yep, I'm not lying ....... !!

Go!

At this stage I'm thinking the bloke on the motorbike is going to win!

Oh look, there's Lake Lucerne .... (look the other way, not at the camera!)

.... And there's the 17th century Chapel Bridge ....
(Note the spectators are wearing scarves and beanies!)

Not your average marathon entertainment!

Then its off into the countryside.

I did not know that 'Oomp-pa-pa' bands could play 'ABBA' tunes!

At this stage I could have been easily convinced to go to the little winery up the hill and sample the local produce instead ....

Always great to watch the fast guys coming back ..... even though you cant help thinking "already!"
(For this event the Half (one lap) and the full marathon (two laps) started out together.)

Back into the 'Old City'. Over bridges and through squares ... that's cool

Spectators look at you funny when you're the one with the camera!

Cobble stones are hard to run on and really pound the feet!

I have no idea what they were dressed up to be but they made me smile everytime we ran past them

Yay, now its my turn to loop around and start out again as the Half runners head to the finish.

2nd lap. Me thinks there might have been a few more entered in the Half rather than the Full!

How good are these spectators ..... cow bells, mexican waves and
"Hopp, hopp, hopp" (means "Go, go, go")

How bad are these spectators. OK, you just sit there and drink beer and eat while watching us suffer!

Winner of the "Biggest Cowbell On Course" Award 2014

The famous "1km to go" sign. And as soon as we got to it the guy in front of me (in blue shirt) pulled off and started stretching his hammies on the sign!