Running around the city and life, or an interview with the sports director of the Moscow marathon. New York Marathon of “three”: interview with Alexey Bordakov Marathon interview
— This marathon will be the fifth in modern history capital of Russia. How far has the organization progressed over the years?
— When we first started, we looked like blind, untrained kittens. They actually worked at random. We did not have a school for organizing the largest marathons; we learned many things on our own, but at the same time took an example from our foreign colleagues. First of all, we have achieved that a large number of people take part in the Moscow Marathon. However, we do not want to set records and strive for gigantism. Our main task is to develop the marathon movement, to make sure that there are more and more people who run. Involve relatives and friends in this matter.
In addition, we want as many foreigners as possible to come to Moscow. This is a very important aspect. We have managed to achieve a favorable image in the international environment. In addition, we are actively developing the volunteer movement. It already includes more than 2 thousand people. They themselves actively run and are co-organizers of some events. We managed to correctly place the emphasis in running the races. Initially, the goal was simple - to make these events accessible to everyone. Now our activities are becoming professional. We intend to achieve the IAAF Gold Label (there are currently 31 marathons with IAAF Gold status, the corresponding events are held in 19 countries. The highest status is for the marathons of six metropolises of the world: Berlin, Boston, London, New York, Tokyo and Chicago. These competitions form the elite World Marathon Majors series. — RT).
— How will the current Moscow Marathon compare favorably with previous ones?
— Compared to 2016, we now have a fairly high-quality timing system. It has simply become more modern: now we have video recording of the results, which did not exist before. In addition, we have a group that is dedicated to inviting elite athletes. The doping system has also been improved. We have been waiting a long time for the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) to receive powers from the British Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD) and be able to provide testing services for athletes.
- Tarasov spoke about the modernization of the timing system
— What worries you most on the eve of the marathon?
— It’s worrying that we have an actively developing team that is capable of organizing such events, but almost everyone has jitters. The closer the event, the more it is felt.
- What makes you happy?
— From an organizational point of view, we have made a qualitative step forward. Let me note once again that we now have a strong professional part, because before we were still an entertainment marathon. In previous years, all this existed for city residents, where they could just come and go for a run. In addition, we have professional team volunteers This aspect is not our weak point, but is considered a plus.
I would also like to note that now you can watch the races on the Internet, which was not the case before. Yes, this is quite expensive from a financial point of view, but Internet broadcasts are one of the mechanisms for popularizing running, attracting attention to the Promsvyazbank Moscow Marathon, as well as attracting spectators who may subsequently become participants in our event.
Previously, people did not know what to do with themselves while their friends, acquaintances and relatives were competing, now they have the opportunity to monitor the situation at the distance itself. With the development of the timing system, it became possible to track the results of any participant online. You just need to enter his number on the marathon website - and all the information about his completion of the distance will instantly become available.
I am glad that a team of judges has been formed. Over the five years of working with us, they have gained enormous experience. We also fine-tuned a rather complex process with catering. I can say that there has been a qualitative upgrade in each of the areas.
— You have repeatedly stated that you and your like-minded people look up to other prestigious marathons and set a goal for yourself - to bring the race in Moscow to the level of an IAAF major. What is currently missing to achieve your goal?
- Nothing is impossible. It is very important that the desire that our team has is present. We have a five-year plan for movement in the international hierarchy of marathons. Getting into the majors is quite difficult. Receiving the IAAF Gold Label is a top priority for us. We intend to implement it by 2022. Maybe it will be possible a little earlier, but I gave you the deadline.
- Tarasov: getting the IAAF gold label is a priority for us
— For the last two years, the title sponsor of the Moscow Marathon has been Promsvyazbank. Is this the only serious investor?
— We have enough sources, there are other partners. In addition, the city actively helps us, which should not be forgotten.
— What is Promsvyazbank’s share as a percentage of the total amount?
— I can’t give the exact figure, but it’s quite large, as is the city’s share. By personal experience I can say that this budget is still always not enough, because the number of participants increases and the tasks facing us grow. There is also an additional financial burden when it comes to inviting elite athletes. To make a high-quality and good marathon, you need more investment.
— How much should the estimate increase in order to implement all the plans?
“What we want to do now should not become the limit of our dreams. From the experience of foreign colleagues, I can say that there should be more of these “wants”, or better yet, requirements. The budget must approximately double to implement all plans.
- This also has to do with the budget. But this does not mean that we do not devote time to this issue. We have a specialist on our team who actively interacts with social networks. We also work in the foreign market to promote our product through foreign Internet resources. This helps us show the advantages that Moscow has in comparison with other cities where marathons are held.
- Tarasov spoke about the budget and advertising of the Moscow Marathon
— How difficult is it to come to an agreement with the Moscow authorities in order to temporarily “paralyze” the city?
“I have a clear understanding of the fact that we and the city act as a single whole. The city is making huge concessions to us. The mayor personally encourages people on social networks to register for the marathon.
— Is it realistic to agree on blocking the city for the whole day andextend the holiday for fans of running, those ultramarathon runners who can cover 70-80 km?
- It's hard to do. No metropolis can be closed for a day. There are certain hours, and it is no coincidence that marathons begin at morning time. This is due not only to comfortable conditions for runners who do not compete under the scorching sun, but also to city traffic. At the same time, we still have the desire to activate the marathon on Saturday, as happens in other cities. At any major marathon, from Thursday to Saturday, numbers are issued to participants. For example, in Germany, competitions among roller skaters are taking place on Saturday as part of the Berlin Marathon. About 7 thousand people participate in it. In New York they run five-kilometer distances, that is, they simply take a section of the total distance and compete on it. All this is done to popularize running, as well as for those who find it difficult to run 42 km.
— Luzhniki is an iconic place for Muscovites, and after reconstruction it will become even more attractive. Does this mean that in the coming years the start and finish town of the Moscow Marathon is unlikely to change its registration?
— We are grateful to the management of Luzhniki for their active participation in organizing our events. Despite their reconstruction, we are holding a marathon. Next year will be difficult to organize events in an urban environment. Moscow will become part of a grandiose football event. Luzhniki will turn into a closed area, so we will be forced to look for an alternative. But the priority for Promsvyazbank of the Moscow Marathon is to preserve this site.
— Shouldn’t we also expect a transformation of the route and timing?
“Neither I nor the runners have any complaints about the track. The route is quite picturesque, green, bright, we do not run through industrial zones. Each participant has a unique opportunity to look at many sights in a special light while running, since there is no traffic flow. However, the route is not very easy for runners. When we created it, we understood that it would be impossible to set records with it. First of all, this is due to the topography of the city; there are many ups and downs. I would like to make the track flat. Unfortunately, it is impossible to correct the situation. You need to come to terms with this. You can make the route so that athletes run along the embankments, but I'm afraid it won't be too interesting. It's better to leave everything as is.
- Tarasov: the route for runners is not very easy
— Do you feel any interest from professional runners in the Moscow Marathon?
— Yes, the elite of the Russian running movement gathers for this event. Unfortunately, the situation with the deprivation of ARAF membership in the IAAF led to the fact that we could not invite foreign athletes. There is no such possibility now. I am confident that the situation will be resolved and elite athletes will create excitement around our event and break records.
— Let’s say that ARAF membership was restored two months before the marathon. Is this time enough to invite famous stayers?
— In the current realities, I, as a patriot of my country, will be more pleased with the participation of our athletes. They're missing professional competitions, they cannot take part in foreign ones. For them, we are a kind of unique platform where they can show themselves and make a name.
— The records of the Moscow Marathon are updated from year to year, despite the complex profile of the route. What do you expect from this year and do you expect them to be beaten again?
— There is not a single marathon director who would not want his course records to be broken every year. I'm not an exception. This is good both for the marathon itself and from the point of view of attracting foreigners. The desire of one or another elite athlete to come to the marathon depends on this. Our athletes are capable of breaking the current track record, but everything will depend on their readiness. It is well known that in a year an athlete usually runs high level no more than two marathons.
— Do you plan to expand the event program for those for whom 10 km is not enough, but 42 km is too much?
- If it were up to me, I would then do races like short distances, and for long ones. But for the city and the organizers there is a certain limit to the program. It is no coincidence that the organizers of large marathons do not organize several races. Everyone is focused on one thing. We also have the Sputnik race (10 km), with the help of which we hope to attract even more people to participate in the marathon.
- Tarasov: our desires do not always coincide with financial capabilities
— Ordinary runners complain that the created conditions do not satisfy their needs. Is the problem solvable?
— Large international marathons are focused on comfort, on creating all the necessary conditions for completing the distance; there is always medical support so that everyone can show their results. This takes a lot of effort from the organizers. We also want to do everything for the participants, but our desires do not always coincide with financial capabilities, and there is not always enough space for various objects. For 10 thousand participants, 40-50 shower cabins are needed, and they should also be divided for boys and girls. But I want to note that we are the only ones who provide a huge changing tent. This is not the case at the half marathon in Paris or New York, I know this from my own experience. People are forced to arrive dressed in sports uniform in advance or with your clothes bag and then stand in line in a small tent measuring 500 square meters, which in theory should accommodate 50 thousand participants. The area of our tent is 6 thousand square meters.
— People still want maximum comfort, and this raises questions...
- Everything is correct. Many people come to us with wishes, and we do not ignore them. It’s just that we can do some things, but physically cannot do some things. In New York, the marathon starts on Long Island, an hour and a half bus ride from the city center. Imagine how 70 thousand participants get there at once. Those who arrived early wrap themselves up and lie on the ground waiting for the start. I would like to tell all participants of the Promsvyazbank Moscow Marathon that we really are doing everything possible for your comfort, but we cannot implement everything.
- Tarasov: we are doing everything possible for the comfort of Moscow Marathon participants
— The fewer participants, the more opportunities the organizers have. But you want to increase your audience, right?
— Any marathon wants to have as many participants as possible, and so do we. When you expand, problems inevitably arise, for example with nutrition. The last participants, who have completed the marathon in five or six hours, may say that they did not get bananas, and then scold the organizers. We are working to ensure that there is enough for everyone. From conversations with directors of other marathons, I learned that only those who do nothing make no mistakes. We learn, adopt experience, and none of our team has the desire to do something nasty to a participant. On the contrary, everyone wants the athletes to leave with smiles, medals and enjoyment. It turns out that on social networks people more often leave negative reviews, and those who will praise will be very few, and after that it seems that absolutely everyone is dissatisfied.
— According to you, 30 thousand people will run this year, although, according to rough estimates, there were at least twice as many people willing to run. You can pay attention to the fact that some register in advance, but never come to the competition. How can I fix this problem?
— Yes, all significant marathons also face this. According to statistics, 20-25% of registered participants do not make it to the start line. This is influenced by many factors - from work stress to injuries. No one can guarantee that everyone who has registered will come. Paris expects 40 thousand participants to attend and allows 60 thousand runners to register for this. We cannot afford this, because we are obliged to prepare a number, chip, bracelet, sticker, T-shirt and everything else for everyone. If suddenly everyone who registered comes, it will be a big problem. We don't want this. We are experiencing great growth, even our colleagues from the Association of International Marathons and Races expressed concerns that our staff is not growing enough. We are asked to add not 10 thousand, but 5 thousand participants in one year.
— Modern technologies allow you to implement a special section on the website where you can issue a refusal or confirm participation a week before the start of the marathon. Wouldn't this help solve the problem?
- You are absolutely right, with one rare exception. This is precisely the reason why we, like other marathons, do not do this. If you do this, you will need to purchase much more products, since all numbers are personal. When you sign up in advance, the administrator prepares numbers that take into account the personal data of each participant. Even if we have a box of free numbers left, they still cannot be picked up. The chip is encoded in the name of the person who is running. This information will go into its database. The number has the name of the runner written on it. The numbers are also divided by gender - if a man runs with a woman, he will be disqualified. In addition, special personnel are needed to deal only with this issue. Plus, we must understand that there is some risk if a person registers another participant instead of the original runner. He may make a simple mistake: for example, he will indicate the wrong last name, year of birth or telephone number. Then there will simply be complaints about why the SMS message did not arrive or the chip was not read.
- Tarasov told RT about the difficulties when registering for the marathon
— Any mass event consists not only of athletes, but also of fans. Is the number of the latter growing and how are you working to attract ordinary people to the streets and create a festive atmosphere?
- You hit where it hurts the most. We think about this every year and look for options on how best to attract viewers. This is not to say that the advertising campaign does not work. We have several of them. Advertising boards, ground transport stops, subways, and so on are covered. We are engaged in Internet broadcasts, but in order for the audience to grow by leaps and bounds, it is necessary to connect television. It doesn't work with us yet, unfortunately. The question comes down to the quality of broadcasts or price. The Moscow Marathon is not a rating event, but we really hope that someday it will become one.
You also need to spend money on promotion, but our budget is very limited. We cannot afford a large advertising campaign that could attract a large audience. We ourselves understand that if you talk about us on Channel One, more people will pay attention to it. But taking into account that this is not possible, we use our own mechanisms. They are also working, there are more people.
If we remember the first marathon, we were able to gather about 200 people at the finish line at Luzhniki. These were those who simply came to cheer for their friends. Now the situation is different. Several thousand people gather to watch their relatives, friends and acquaintances take off, as well as many fans watching the final segment of the competition. This didn't happen before. Thanks to Internet broadcasts, social networks and the activity of our partners, there are more viewers.
I was very worried about how to get them as quickly as possible. But after talking with foreign colleagues, I realized that not everything is developing as rapidly as I would like. European marathons are already more than 40-50 years old. The running culture there has been developing for a very long time. We had a period when everything just faded away. It was still developed in the Soviet Union healthy image life and sports, but for those born in the 90s this is a little more difficult. There were other tasks then, but now people are living better and taking care of their health again. The culture was just beginning to develop. In fact, we are only five to seven years old. I am sure that when we turn ten years old, the situation will be completely different. And during such an event, not a thousand, but tens of thousands of people will take to the streets of the city.
- Route of the distance 42,195 meters at the Moscow Marathon - 2017
— Where many people gather, the issue of security is always acute. What forces provide it in the capital and what steps does your team take to minimize the number of incidents during the races?
— City authorities and all departments necessary for security are involved in the process of holding the event. They are doing everything necessary to ensure that the marathon goes off without a hitch from a safety point of view. This is the most important question- and it is put at the forefront.
— Are you insured? professional athletes from the interference of onlookers? For example, at prestigious cycling races it regularly happens that fans interfere with the riders or attack them...
— The Moscow Marathon team is doing everything possible to prevent this from happening, but it is impossible to insure against this. We are familiar with situations where people ran out and tried to stop a participant - both in Russia and abroad. Our task is to respond to the incident as quickly as possible and avoid serious consequences.
— In other words, it’s not so scary to participate in the Moscow Marathon, and you encourage everyone who registered to go to the race on September 24?
- Yes. I advocate for this in every possible way. This is the most popular marathon in our country, and we must prove to the whole world that Moscow is the running capital. We have a huge number of runners, even if we are just developing. We have the most beautiful capital, the best track in the world and the friendliest participants, volunteers and fans. We are waiting for everyone at our event. If someone cannot go outside, then watch the Internet broadcast.
Humanity would greatly benefit if every person started running. So says Dmitry Chernitsky, founder and manager of Run Ukraine, which organizes the largest running events in our country. Among them are Wizz Air Kyiv City Marathon and Nova Poshta Kyiv Half Marathon.
In an interview with The Point, Dmitry spoke about the running community, technique and rules of running, what distinguishes professional sports from the amateur and what the experience of organizing marathons teaches.
About motivation and benefits of running
Everyone finds something different in running: for some it is leisure and relaxation, for others it is meditation, for others it is setting and achieving goals and results, for others it is a way to lose weight. Everyone finds their own motivation, which makes them continue to run.
Personally, I understand that it is good for my health, I feel better when I run, I become more resilient.
When and where is the best time to go for a run?
There is an opinion that running in the city is harmful, since we breathe deeper during exercise and inhale even more exhaust. And, really, if you run along the road where there is a traffic jam, it will not be good for your health. You should run in the morning, when there are fewer cars, or after 20.00. You can run in the park, at the stadium - there are many suitable places in Kyiv now, if you wish. I also run in the city and don’t find this a problem.
I know people who wake up at 5:30 - they like to run in the morning, read, and prepare for the day ahead. I also wake up early. The first month is difficult, but when you get used to this regime, you just go to bed earlier. It is very important that the body recovers overnight. But if before 7:00 you have already run, had a calm breakfast and are on time for work, then you have the whole day ahead, and the workout has already been completed.
For residents of the metropolis with their intense life, sports allow them to stay at the right pace all the time. Business owners often work out intensely too, because it keeps them fit and on top.
About running technique and running clubs
However, it is also important to master running technique. When I ran the half marathon in Budapest, I noticed that people run very differently. Some are on their toes, some are in a half-squat, some have supination of the foot (the foot turns outwards). outside. – ed.). And I understand that these people started running on their own. I strongly recommend starting to train in running club or with personal trainer. This will help achieve more high results and stay healthy, because with the wrong running technique you can seriously harm yourself.
If you can run and talk at the same time, then you have chosen the right pace.
About the medical examination and contraindications
At almost every marathon, someone's heart stops. But even without a marathon, people die every day. You need to understand that participating in a marathon involves certain risks.
If you are training and preparing for a race, you must undergo a medical examination and understand the state of your health. Because many people neglect this, and some neglect the preparation itself before the marathon (42 km) or half marathon (21 km).
It’s best to check with your doctor to see if running is contraindicated for you. If you have cardiovascular diseases and diseases hip joint, For example. But at a basic level, you can figure it out on your own. If something hurts while running, it means that not everything is in order. It’s worth getting tested and finding out exactly what it is. The culture of going to the doctor for a health check needs to be cultivated like any other.
About what loads you should start with
This can be understood from the first run. Anyone on the street can run their own distance without preparation. For some it will be 500 meters, for others 2, 3 or even 4 kilometers. So if you've never run, put on your running shoes and run those 500 or 800 meters. How will you feel? It is very important when you go for such a run to understand the plus or minus of your heart rate.
It's cool when you run with someone. If you can run and talk at the same time, then you have chosen the right pace.
Then, if running suits you, the loads are increased. And the body adapts to them - joints become stronger, metabolism improves. In general, when you start playing sports, you get to know yourself better, how your body works, what food it needs and what it doesn’t like.
Professionals have been practicing since childhood, and their whole body wears out. Any sport in the “PRO” category is about extreme effort, growth through pain. But in amateur running We work in the lifestyle category, where it's fun and healthy.
About food and coffee before a run
Each person decides for himself, including based on his well-being, what is right for him and what is not. Some people eat oatmeal in the morning, while others may not have breakfast - just drink water or isotonic drink and eat a protein bar.
Me before going out morning jog I drink a glass of water and eat a spoonful of honey. And after a run I feel like I want to eat something substantial. This is how I set up my body. The main thing is not to eat fatty or fried foods before a run, and even in the evening, because the liver can get sick during a run.
It’s better to be “half empty” before a run, eat, for example, a banana. But it’s better to drink coffee after a workout.
About records and recovery period
I've been running for as long as I can remember. My official record is a half marathon (21 km) in Odessa in 1:28 in 2011 or 2012. This year I ran the marathon (42 km) in Warsaw in 3:45.
Some people recover after a marathon in a week, others in two weeks. It all depends on the person’s training. There are no rules that would suit everyone.
Instead of worrying about what others think of you, channel that energy into exercise. Just do it and you will see like-minded people coming to you.
About the culture of running and the fight against complexes
If we run and think about how others look at us, then the stereotypes imposed on us by society are triggered: we are afraid of looking ridiculous.
Once I conducted the following experiment for myself: in early spring I went to Gym in a hat, and also put headphones on the hat. They looked at me as if I was not quite normal. But the training turned out to be very productive. Because I wasn't distracted by anyone, listened to music and was focused on the exercises. Whereas, as usual, attention can wander: I talked to someone, exchanged words with someone else.
So instead of worrying about what others think of you, channel that energy into exercise. Just do it and you will see like-minded people coming to you. After all, running is a community that helps people unite, build and develop something in common.
About amateurs and professionals
We do not set ourselves the goal of turning Ukrainians into Kenyans or Ethiopians who can run two-hour marathons. We are for integrating running into the culture of ordinary people who have jobs, children and many responsibilities. For these people, running can become a tool for relaxation and self-realization.
Therefore, unless you plan to become a professional athlete, there must be a balance between everything you do: nutrition, sports, rest, work and family. Professionals have been practicing since childhood, and their whole body wears out. Any sport in the “PRO” category is about extreme effort, growth through pain.
But in recreational running, we work in the lifestyle category, where it is fun and healthy. And the running culture is developing precisely due to this fun. And the more amateurs there are, the better the quality of professional sports. Because some amateurs will want to become pros.
About the team, budget and experience in organizing marathons
What did the experience of organizing marathons teach me? Work with people. Because being able to delegate tasks and interact in a team is more difficult than taking everything on yourself. It is important to choose the right team with the right people.
The first three years were especially difficult - I had no such experience at all, I made a lot of mistakes. This also affected the quality of these events. Today is already the ninth year of the journey. I learned a lot and am still learning.
If we talk about specific lessons, then this is the systematization of business processes, the ability to trust people and give them control of this or that task. Also the ability to see more in people than even they know about themselves.
The Run Ukraine team has about 30 people, we plan to grow to 50. These are the organizational department, the department for working with sponsors and partners, the client department, in particular for working with corporate participants, the marketing and PR department, the support and administration department.
We have about 40 running events in our portfolio. This year we will hold the ninth marathon, which takes place once a year, and we also organize an average of 5-7 half-marathons annually. The most expensive ones are those that we are holding now, because the status of the events and the number of people working on them are growing.
This year, the Kiev half marathon received a bronze label from the IAAF (for this it was necessary to fulfill a number of requirements of the International Association of Athletics Federations. – ed.), which increased the budget by about one and a half million hryvnia compared to the previous year.
What is the minimum required? It all depends on the scale of the event. If you are doing a run in the park, then 100,000 hryvnia will be enough. And if this is an event of an urban scale, then at least 1.5-2 million hryvnia.
About a society in which everyone runs
If we imagine that every person on the planet runs, then this would be a society of people who set goals for themselves and achieve them. It would be a society of entrepreneurs, innovators and philosophers. Also, we would all become stronger and more resilient and would spend less time restoring our health. Therefore, humanity would only benefit if it started running.
In the interview, P. is Petya, that is, me :), and A. is Arthur. Of course, I thought it might be the other way around, but still, it’s probably better not to confuse you :). Arthur is the author of the blog http://ahawks.ru/.
P.:Hello Arthur! Congratulations on winning the marathon on my blog. As promised, I will interview you.
The first thing I would like to know is, please tell us briefly about yourself (what do you do, what are your hobbies, etc.)?
A.: Hi Peter and thanks again for your marathon. In short, I am a young man from Ukraine and its historical region - Zaporozhye, who chose the Internet path and connected himself with freelancing and website building. I am engaged in website building, blogging and various experiments to create a good website both for people and for myself. I am interested in reading, football and whatever takes my fancy.
P.: How long have you been involved in website building? What made you want to try this?
A.: The hobby began in September 2010, when I got rid of my addiction to mmorpg and invested the money I earned there in hosting for a year and a domain, spent a couple of weeks figuring out what was what, listened to training courses by Evgeniy Popov, and from October 11 I was fully engaged in website building, and my main thing and the main site recently turned 9 months old.
I was prompted by the lack of offline work in my specialty. I arose a great interest in website building since childhood. I remember how, back in my school years, I went to computer science Olympiads, where it was necessary to make websites using only a notepad and Photoshop. And finally, by chance, once upon a time, I came across the site grabr, which attracted me with a large flow of articles on blogging and partly I added them to bookmarks, maybe they will come in handy in the future).
P.: I look at the number of RSS subscribers, there are over 650 of them! Impressive. How did you achieve such a great result? Maybe you have some secrets to increase subscribers?
A.: Thank you, in my opinion, the main factors that influenced the growth of subscribers are the following: diversification of announcements (I announce articles in more than 10 thematic places), educational content that is useful for beginners and more experienced users.
P.: The topics of our blogs are very similar. Why did you choose this particular topic?
A.: I agree, this topic has become closer to me and it’s not really SEO-related, because there are a lot of such blogs and I don’t consider myself an SEO specialist. Initially, I thought of making a blog about everything, and the first articles were about games and anime, but smart people showed me the right path and I deleted old non-thematic articles and started writing about blogs, I decided to share my knowledge and experience in order to get at least a little more social significance.
P.: Approximately how much do you earn on the Internet? Where does the income come from mainly? Unless of course it's a secret.
A.: I don’t like financial topics, so only I know exactly how much I earn, and that’s because of my new habit of keeping full records of income and expenses. I earn less than you, based on yours, well, the net profit for June was enough for me to buy for webmoney Nikon l120.
The first source of income is -, since I do not have a minimum TIC and in this exchange I have two blogs, there are no applications for one, there are for the other, and the second source is various pranks - participation in various competitions (I earned more than 200 dollars, therefore, I advise everyone to participate in competitions), various freelance part-time jobs, and I write for another someone else’s blog.
P.: What do you think about the future of the Internet? For example, I believe that every third person will have a blog or website. Do you agree with this?
A.: I like the Internet because it changes all the time, you need to adapt to it, to new standards and always be aware of the latest events in order to keep up with your competitors.
I’ll probably clarify your question a little, every third Internet user, and not in the world, because there are many poor countries where a computer is a curiosity. I agree with you, because for many users websites and blogs include the existence of an account on Twitter or social network, where the user can express his thoughts, share content and much more. If in the past month there have been a billion unique Internet users on Google, and 700 million people are registered on Facebook, and there are only 6.5 billion people in the world, then the trend is moving towards greater integration of life with the Internet.
P.:Why did you choose WordPress out of all the CMS?
A.: The most widespread free CMS in the world with great capabilities, which are expressed in constant updates and many templates and plugins. The other day I read a certificate that more than 50 million WordPress sites have already been created in the world, which already says something. I also chose this content management system because large number educational material.
P.: And finally. What would you wish for your blog readers? ?
A.: I would like to wish the readers of this wonderful blog to listen to all the advice that Peter gives, and to do everything according to clear illustrated diagrams, and then you will be able to make a successful popular website, and you will already be in my place, and answer Peter’s questions.
P.: Thanks for the answers, good luck to you!
A.: Bye!
This is the interview we had with Arthur. Don't judge strictly, this is the first time I'm trying something like this. And we will see you, dear readers, very soon!
On November 6, one of the most attractive marathons for many running enthusiasts, part of the the famous six Majors. New York Marathon Held annually on the first Sunday in November. And 2016 was no exception. Dozens of runners from Russia came to New York to take part in this grandiose running festival and show their top scores. We decided to talk about how it was with Alexey Bordakov, a lover of running tourism and an active participant in marathons around the world.
Alexey, is this your first Majors marathon or have you participated in others before?
I ran in Berlin four times, my first marathon was there in 2012, and in 2014 I took part in the Chicago Marathon.
Why did you choose New York as your target start? After all, this marathon is not the “fastest”.
I lost the lottery for the Berlin Marathon and decided to try to register for New York, I applied as fast run un. In New York there is such an option - you can provide the result of a half marathon (at my age it is 1.25), I had a result of 1.24 in Gatchina, and I sent it without too much hope of success. But, to my surprise, the organizers were quite happy with this option. Well, I heard that it is not the easiest, but my opinion is that if you are ready, you can run regardless of your profile, plus New York is New York, one of the most prestigious marathons in the world.
How did you prepare? How much time did you allocate for targeted preparation?
I really started preparing after the trail in Suzdal, where I ran 100 km and quit the race for the first time. After running 50 km, I realized that I wouldn’t run out of 12 hours, and there was no goal of simply finishing. New York is more important.
There were exactly three months left to prepare; I always write a plan for myself. About 6 workouts per week. In September-October there were 8 workouts, a couple of interval or tempo ones (usually Tuesday and Thursday). On these same days, as a rule, it was added evening workout V at a relaxed pace. On Sunday, the volume is 30 km at a pace 30 seconds slower than planned for the marathon. The rest of the training was based on heart rate (up to approximately 130), and sometimes parkrun was added on Saturdays. For the last three weeks I have been preparing according to Nina Zarina’s plan, slightly adjusting it to suit myself.
If you go back a few months, would you change anything about your preparation?
I would leave everything as it is, I would be as happy as possible with what I got as a result at the finish line.
Do you usually train alone or in a team? Do you use the services of a trainer?
Differently. Saturday is usually an easy workout at Stride Running Club. Training on Sunday is almost always with friends from our Corfu Sea Runners team. The rest of the training is either alone or in the company of friends. Most often there is only one. I have never used the services of a trainer, this is not some fundamental point, it just happened that way.
This was not your first attempt to “run out of three.” Was it difficult psychologically? Or did it, on the contrary, give you strength and motivation?
Rather, the second option, I felt as prepared as possible for the marathon, and had almost no doubt about the result.
You take part in competitions quite often. Do you think this helps in preparation or does it hinder development?
It gets in the way if you always run for results. If we build competitions into training plan and run at the pace you need, it rather helps. This was the case, for example, in Rybinsk, where I ran 30 km instead of “half”. During the preparation for the marathon “for results”, perhaps, there was only a half marathon in Yaroslavl in 1.23. Of course, the Moscow Marathon had a slight effect, where I ran as a pacemaker at 3.59 with Grisha Lenin, but, in principle, we managed to get out of this situation almost without losses (the marathon “went on” as a long training session).
Tell us about your impressions of organizing the marathon itself. Would you like to go again?
I really want to go back and hopefully in 2018 I will do it with my friends from the Corfu Sea Runners team. The organization is ideal, starting from the EXPO (I remember there were more interesting ones, for example, I really like the expo in Berlin), but this is different. As someone I know correctly noted, ideal marketing. The starting town is a separate story. Everything is clear, logical and as convenient as possible, and everything is great along the highway, there are a lot of fans (although again, as it seemed, there are no less of them in my beloved Berlin). There are many points with water and isotonic drink, much more than in Berlin.
In your opinion, what are the main differences between the New York Marathon and the Moscow Marathon?
The first and most important thing is the fans. There are simply none in Moscow. It’s like you’re running through an extinct city. I have great respect for Dima Tarasov and his team and am confident that the marathon will get better and better every year. Yes, another interesting difference, it struck me. Their pacemakers run the entire marathon with a sign in their hands on which the target time is written (as if their hands were not withered :). In this regard, we are ahead of the rest; at the Moscow Marathon, pacemakers have very comfortable backpacks.
The New York Marathon is a very popular event. Doesn't it bother you to have so many people around? How do you feel on the track in such a crowd?
In this regard, there were almost no problems, there was a slight stupor only in the first kilometer, it turned out to be 4.40, which, of course, was not very fast. Because of the crowd on the Brooklyn Bridge, it was not possible to run quickly at all, but most importantly, I managed not to panic and return to the desired pace. I had something similar at the Istanbul Marathon.
How many days before the start did you arrive in America? Did you manage to acclimatize at least a little?
We arrived with Nina Zarina on Thursday, we were unable to acclimatize, but since the marathon starts at 9:50, we managed to cope with this moment, since at that time the body felt great.
What was the plan for the race? Did everything go according to plan?
The plan was simple, run at a comfortable pace, approximately 4.08, which with the “subsidence” and more difficult terrain in the second half would give the desired “out of three”.
Everything went wrong, and right away. As soon as we got on the metro, I discovered that I had forgotten all the gels (I took 7 SIS gels with me) in the hostel. To be honest, a slight panic began, to the point that I mentally said goodbye to the thoughts of running out of three hours, Nina helped out (she gave me two of her gels). Ilya Yaroshenko also gave me some kind of gel, honestly warning me that I had to eat it before the start. I received one SIS from Anton Pokazeev. Thank you very much guys. To be honest, this result is largely their merit. Taking into account this force majeure, we had to redo the nutrition plan for the race. The first gel (squeezy) for 10 km, the second (squeezy) - 17 km, I had already run on these gels before, but over time my stomach became somehow difficult to react to them, I had to change the manufacturer.
Next according to plan was 24 km and, in my opinion, the most difficult section of the marathon. There I tried the same pre-launch gel and, as they say, it didn’t work, the substance turned out to be too thick. I throw it away and use the last one (SIS double espresso). There was still 18 km left to run, the expectation was that at 30 km there would be a PowerBar from the organizers. Lucky he was there. I take two, tastes are no longer important, the goal is important, at 30 km the pacemaker is still three hours behind me. I’m running with thoughts about 37 km, where Natasha Davtyan was supposed to be (she worked as a volunteer at the marathon). He ran up and took some water. If only you knew how much it helped me, the pace certainly increased after the meeting :)
At 39 km (this was already Central Park), the pacers overtook me (I started after them by about 1 minute). At that moment I realized that even though I was going “to the thin side,” not everything was lost. My thoughts were constantly in Moscow, I knew that many were following my track, and this gave me strength. I managed to run 41 km in 4.12, and at 42 km a long and unpleasant drag began. The pace is around 4.23, I run to the finish line, there are 400 meters left (I got there at about 4.00). I understand that I ran out of three hours. There is no strength left to rejoice, only a smile. Yana comes running, she volunteered at the finish line. We hug, and she says that Nina has already come running, then I wander to the hostel (we lived 2 km from the finish line), meet Jalal and his wife (he was a volunteer in the finish area), take a photo as a souvenir and now we’re definitely going home, the goal is accomplished , you can relax.
What thoughts did you have at the finish line when you realized that your goal had been achieved?
Joy and satisfaction. I was once again convinced that if you purposefully prepare for the start, everything will work out. The third such start of the season and the third time everything is as it should be!
What sights did you manage to see in New York?
Nina and I watched almost everything. She was my guide English language- my weakness, and she’s okay with it. We went to the opera, visited the Statue of Liberty, went to a hockey game, a musical, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We went to Boston, climbed the Empire State Building and many other interesting things, but the most vivid impression of New York was Central Park. A true paradise for runners and more.
If it's not a secret, what is the budget for the entire trip, taking into account entry fees?
Considering that we were in New York for 11 days, everything cost about 150,000 rubles.
What's the next Majors marathon?
Boston Marathon in April 2018.
The marathon has accelerated
The increase in the total number of finishers at the main two distances (21,948) was 6.3% compared to 2017 (20,653). 8,969 people finished the classic distance – 16.7% more than at the last race (7,681). The top ten remained at the same level: 12,979 finishers, only 5 more than a year earlier. The limit of participants for 10 km was reached in advance, so more people couldn't run.
1,568 women ran 42.2 km – 17.5% of the total number of finishers. In 2014, women made up 13% of marathon runners. In 2015 – 19%, in 2016 – 18.5%, in 2017 – 18.8%.
But at 10 km the numerical superiority of women is obvious - 6,571 people or 50.6% of participants.
Despite the chilly weather, the Moscow Marathon accelerated again. The stable trend is illustrated by the following figures.
Out of 2:20 – 3 people / 2017 – 2 people / 2016 – 4 / in 2015 – 1
From 2:30 – 21 people / 2017 – 12 people / 2016 – 11 / 2015 – 10
From 3:00 – 303 people, incl. 18 women / 2017 – 248 people, incl. 12 women / 2016 – 203, incl. 11 women /2015 – 150, incl. 13 women
Out of reach rocket
Vladimir Nikitin became the champion and new record holder at a distance of 10 km. The result of the Perm athlete is 28:48. This is 15 seconds faster than Rinas Akhmadeev’s time shown in 2016.
In an exclusive interview with our website, Vladimir said that with this performance he marked the end of the 2018 summer season:
It was very cold and windy, and also raining. I was very cold, I thought I would warm up during the distance, but it didn’t work out. I've been unlucky with the weather lately. When I ran in St. Petersburg, it was cold and rainy. I recently ran to Perm - it was also raining. Under these conditions, I’m happy with my run today. The opponents were worthy, he fought to the end and looked around so as not to overtake him. The organization of the start was very good: we were met, accommodated, and brought here. In general, they babysit us like children.
Artur Burtsev, who became the bronze medalist with a time of 30:34, echoes Vladimir:
This is a great celebration for the participants and an example for organizers in other cities. There is no such cool event in Russia anymore. I hope others will catch up to this level and there will be many more such starts.
Thank you very much to Vladimir - he was a guide for us from the beginning to the very end. We tried to stay behind him, but he ran like a rocket. Last year I took fifth place here, and then I said that I wanted to get into the prizes. This year everything came true.
Like Arthur, silver medalist Denis Vasiliev represented St. Petersburg at the race. Denis’s result is 30:26:
Three years ago I ran a marathon here. The weather was completely different; at the finish it was +25 0 C. But the wonderful organization and atmosphere of the holiday remain unchanged. I’m not happy with my result: I wanted to be a little faster, but today it was very difficult. Cold, windy. Perhaps it was influenced by the fact that I could not arrive in Moscow the day before and arrived early in the morning. My personal time at ten is 29:40. And although I lost 40 seconds by kopecks, I am happy with the second place. Vladimir Nikitin is unattainable, I think. This is the leader of our stayer race. I hope that soon Russia will be allowed abroad, and Volodya will be able to show himself there.
The rest of the opponents turned out to be about my level. There were no really strong runners today. To be honest, we were lucky that we decided the fate of second and third places among ourselves. There are guys who can confidently run a minute faster.
Football players on the track
The current champion of Russia in the 10,000 m and 5,000 m running, Elena Sedova, also established new record among women at 10 km – 33:23, improving her last year’s result by 4 seconds.
Until the last meters it was unknown which of the three leaders would win this race. Svetlana Simakova (Moscow) lost to Elena by only 1 second. And Irina Sergeeva (Kursk) took bronze, finishing in 33:28.
In addition to professional runners and amateurs, they covered the distance famous football players. Alexey Smertin completed the top ten in 47:37, Alexander Kerzhakov showed a result of 55:28.
“I went to run for real.”
There was no record in the men's marathon. Artem Alekseev's result of 2:13:40, shown in 2016, will still set the bar next September.
Champion of the VI Moscow Marathon and winner of the Northern Capital half-marathon Stepan Kiselev told us why he couldn’t run for the record:
Today the weather is quite cool. I feel good, but my legs feel stiff. In the middle, I felt that if I continued to run fast, my legs would stand up. So he ran carefully. When I overtook Alexey Troshkin, I had strength. I restrained myself throughout the distance to run the last 8 km. Before this, I was running calmly, simply observing. And when 34 km came, I started running for real.
The top three are completed by Alexey Troshkin 2:16:01 (Saransk) and Artem Aplachkin 2:19:54 (Barnaul).
Overtake your idol
Yakutian Sardana Trofimova again completed the race in triumph. Second record in a row! At the finish line, the runner was first congratulated by her coach Tatyana Zhirkova. The famous ultramarathoner shared that Sardana’s result was a minute behind the planned milestone. “I make allowances for the weather and the hilly route. We were ready to fight, to fight to the last. I wish Sardana to improve her time and also participate in international competitions.”
Sardana first of all thanked pacemakers Ruslan Khoroshilov and Renat Kashapov for their support:
It was a great run because the guys were competent and helped me very well, protecting me from the wind. It felt like running last year was much easier than today. Then we started quietly and the second half was faster. This year it turned out the other way around: the second half was slightly worse than the first. The rivals were strong. I respect everyone very much. Tatyana Arkhipova is an idol for me. I followed her when I was not yet doing the marathon.
The champion's idol Tatyana Arkhipova from Cheboksary took second place with 2:35:08. In third place is Maria Osokina from Perm with 2:37:31.
