Last Sunday was the 41st Annual Tartu Ski Marathon.
No, I didn't participate... My cross country skiing skills and physical endurance aren't up to par with what this 63km marathon requires... However I did go and take pictures, which requires neither cross country skiing skills nor physical endurance.
The weather wasn't bad; it would have been fairly warm if not for the
wind, and it only started snowing at the end of the day. All in all it
was a good time.
The Tartu Marathon is one of the largest cross country skiing marathons
in Europe.... In fact, this year it had 5111 participants take part in
the 63km race and 1633 in the 31km race.
Here's a quick video of the marathon's start:
A lot of people take the marathon very seriously, while others...
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| ...are just awesome. |
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| ...or just have awesome hats. |
The whole marathon is broadcast on live TV, meaning there are cameras everywhere along the course. They are even mounted on snowmobiles and a helicopter.
And finally, at the finish line...
The ski marathon is just one of the numerous marathons that are held near Tartu. Later in the year there is a rollerblading marathon, running marathon, and two biking marathons... It's an active place!
