Tag Archives: Half Marathon

Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025

Saturday May 24th 2025 I ran the Ulaan Bataar Marathon in Mongolia. Find below my full race coverage from this marathon and some tourist impressions from and around Ulaan Bataar.

Ulaan Bataar and the Mongolian experience
I can’t even begin to describe how amazing my visit to Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia was! The energy of the city, mixed with its rich history and stunning natural landscapes, blew me away. From the bustling streets to the serene parks, every corner had something special. Let me tell you about the highlights of my trip!

Right in the center of the city, I visited the Denghis Khan Museum, one of the most impressive and modern museums I’ve ever seen. Opened in 2023, it’s a stunning building—both architecturally and in the way it brings Mongolian history to life. The museum is entirely dedicated to the legacy of Chinggis Khan (also spelled Genghis Khan), showcasing artifacts, historical documents, interactive exhibits, and multimedia displays that explore the rise of the Mongol Empire and its lasting global impact. I spent hours exploring the exhibits and came away with a much deeper appreciation for how this single figure shaped the course of history. The museum isn’t just educational—it’s an experience!

Just a short walk from the museum is Sükhbaatar Square, the heart of Ulaanbaatar. It’s a vast and impressive open space where people gather for events, protests, or just to hang out. In the center stands a statue of Damdin Sükhbaatar, the revolutionary hero who helped Mongolia gain independence from Chinese rule in the early 20th century. Surrounding the square is the majestic Government Palace, which houses key state institutions and is guarded by enormous seated statues of Chinggis Khan and other Mongol leaders. Being there gave me a real sense of Mongolia’s pride in its sovereignty and storied past.

Of course, I couldn’t miss the jaw-dropping Chinggis Khan Statue Complex, about 50 kilometers outside the city. This colossal stainless-steel statue of Chinggis Khan on horseback stands 40 meters tall and is the largest equestrian statue in the world. It’s so massive, you can actually go inside and ride an elevator to a viewing platform in the horse’s head! Beneath the statue is a museum that delves further into the history of the Mongol Empire—again reinforcing just how much impact this single leader had on the world.

To balance all the historical sightseeing, I spent a day exploring the peaceful and beautiful Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, just a short drive from Ulaan Bataar. The natural beauty was unreal—lush valleys, alpine forests, and dramatic rock formations. One of the coolest sights there was Turtle Rock, a huge natural stone formation that looks just like a giant turtle. I also had the chance to go horseback riding through the rolling hills, which was the perfect way to take in the scenery and experience the nomadic spirit that still lives strong in Mongolia.

Every part of Ulaan Bataar felt like a blend of old and new, of epic history and vibrant modern life. It’s clear that Mongolians are deeply proud of their heritage, and they should be—there’s nowhere else like it. If you ever get the chance to visit, don’t hesitate. Ulaanbaatar is unforgettable!

PS: I also had the please of beating up the local street chess players, lots about this in the report too.

Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025 (Mongolia) - Tor Rønnow

Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025
The event carried a multitude of distances from 500 meters up to 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and, of course, the Marathon distance itself. The roads of Ulaan Bataar were completely fenced off from 06.00 AM to 6 PM, this was extremely delightful both for us runners but for the many citizens and families of Ulaan Bataar thus enjoying a car-free day in their capital. Just great!

The event was quite nicely organized, some flaws with some missing water at km 10 and 15 for the slower runners like myself and rather poor information in English for the international runners. However, I will still give this event and a visit to the Ulaan Bataar Marathon my very best recommendation, these memories will stay in your mind for a long, long time!

Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025 (Mongolia) - Tor Rønnow

See or relive the Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025 here (and in Mongolian)

Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)
Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)
Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)
Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)
2025 年烏蘭巴托馬拉松 – 圖片/攝影:Tor Rønnow(中文)
2025 年烏蘭巴托馬拉松 – 圖片/照片由 Tor Rønnow(日文)提供
Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)
Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)
Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)
Ulaan Bataar Marathon 2025 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)

Marathon du Sénégal 2025

Sunday Feb. 23rd 2025 I ran Marathon du Sénégal in and about Saly (south of Dakar, Sénégal). Find below my full race coverage from this marathon and tourist impressions from Dakar.

Dakar and Gorée Island
I enjoyed 2 days in Dakar and 2 days in Saly, give or take. Dakar is famous for the now terminated Dakar Rally but also the the Gorée Island, which I shortly visited Friday afternoon. To see the “Maison des Esclaves” from where the slaves were deported to America made a big impression and send associations to so many things, for some reason firstly the 1970s TV-series “Roots” and the story of “Kunta Kinte” based on the novel of Alex Haley (I read the novel as well when I was 11). So take a look at the picture below of the “Door of No Return” and dwell a few minutes of the impacts of the american slavery. Makes me so sad on so many levels, for so many destinies over so many hundreds of years!
I saw a bunch of other landmarks in Dakar as well, most notably Monument de la Renaissance Africaine and Mosque of the Divinity. But Gorée was “it”.

 Marathon du Sénégal 2025 (Sénégal) - Tor Rønnow

Marathon du Sénégal 2025
The event carried several distances: marathon, half marathon, 10 K and 5 K. The route was almost completely flat, for all distances out south and back the same way. There were security/Police all the way and they stood there even waiting for me to finish all day long, cudos and big thanks for that effort! Well, it became VERY WARM during the day, 34 C in the shadows, we ran in direct sun, thus it became impossible for me to run at about half ways. My suggestion for going forward: add some bananas, some Coca Cola and drinks with electrolytes for the half and marathon runners, ie. at the water stations at 10 km, 15 km and 21 km (which are passed twice by the marathon runners). Also, if possible, add a page in English on the website, gathering all the important information about the race, registration etc.
In total, I am very happy to have completed this race and experienced both Dakar and Saly. Thanks!

Marathon du Sénégal 2025 (Sénégal) - Tor Rønnow

See or relive Marathon du Sénégal 2025 here (and in Arabic)

Marathon du Sénégal 2025 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)
Marathon du Sénégal 2025 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)
Marathon du Sénégal 2025 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)
Marathon du Sénégal 2025 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)
2025 年塞內加爾馬拉松 – 圖片/照片由 Tor Rønnow 拍攝(中文)
セネガルマラソン2025 – 画像・写真:Tor Rønnow(日本語)
Marathon du Sénégal 2025 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)
Marathon du Sénégal 2025 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)
Marathon du Sénégal 2025 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)
Marathon du Sénégal 2025 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)

Islamabad Marathon 2025

Sunday January 26th 2025 I ran the Islamabad Marathon in Pakistan. Find below my full race coverage from this marathon and superb tourist impressions from Islamabad.

Islamabad City and Landmarks
During my short visit in Islamabad, I joined a Viator-trip “Top Ten Wonders of Islamabad Guided City Tour” showcasing all the major landmarks of Islamabad, a brilliant way to see the city indeed! Whilst the Pakistan monument (constructed to symbolize the unity of the nation, covering a total area of 2.8 hectares (6.9 acres), located on a famous hill knows as Shakarparyaan) and the Faisal Mosque (located on the foothills of Margalla Hills in Islamabad is one of the biggest mosque in Pakistan – can accommodate about 300,000 worshipers) were spectacular, the crown of the tour was the very pictoresque Islamabad Jama Masjid Golra Sharif Mosque.

More importantly, my visit to Islamabed made me realize why Pakistan and India had to be two seperate countries. I guess I always thought of the Pakistanees as the “bad guys” after the Ghandi movie back in 1981, but after visiting Mubia (India) last year and now Islamabad, I deeply sense why these people / tribes / religions / cultures cannot co-exist, not putting any blame, just gaing a profound hinsight on the matter. This widsom alone justifies the visit to Islamabad/Pakistan and I am very humble and grateful for the experiences!

Islamabad Marathon 2025 (Pakistan) - Tor Rønnow

Islamabad Marathon 2025
The event carried a multitude of distances: marathon, half marathon, kids fun run, 10K and 5K, thus quite a big thing. On the positive side: everybody were very friendly and helpful, very nice atmosphere before and during the race, everybody were allowed to finish (ie. no 6 hour time limit upheld) and, most importantly, the event is a unique possibility to visit Islamabad and Pakistan. I’ll warmly recommend the Islamabad Marathon, see for yourself in the race report below. Whilst the overall experience of the event was “good”, I will also gently put forward these points for improvement to professionalize the event and maximize the positive experiences in the future:
1. Put forward (and in good time) more clear pre-race communication on logistics, route, etc.
2. Increase the toilet capacity by a factor of 10 plus add at least 4 “toilet stations” en route
3. Post the results online after the race maximum 2 days after the race; use netto times
4. Make the agreements with the authorities and police about road closures etc. such that the races start at the announced times

Islamabad Marathon 2025 (Pakistan) - Tor Rønnow

See or relive the Islamabad Marathon 2025 here (and in Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil and Arabic)

Islamabad Marathon 2025 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)
Islamabad Marathon 2025 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)
Islamabad Marathon 2025 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)
Islamabad Marathon 2025 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)
2025 年伊斯蘭堡馬拉松 – 圖片/照片由 Tor Rønnow 拍攝(中文)
イスラマバードマラソン2025 – 画像・写真:Tor Rønnow(日本語)
Islamabad Marathon 2025 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)
Islamabad Marathon 2025 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)
Islamabad Marathon 2025 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)
Islamabad Marathon 2025 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)

Tirana Marathon 2024

Sunday October 20th 2024 I ran the Tirana Marathon in Albania. Find below my full race coverage from this marathon and a few tourist impressions from Tirana.

Tirana City
I enjoyed half a weekend in Tirana, Albania, where I managed to visit a few landmarks, most notably the Bunk’art 1 and Bunk’art 2 museums / bunkers, bearing witness to the atrocities of WWII and the thereafter following Sovjet regime. On the lighter side, it was a pleasure to experience the relaxed night life and the famous Skanderbeg Square of Tirana.

Tirana Marathon 2024 (Albania) - Tor Rønnow

Tirana Marathon 2024
The event carried a multitude of distances: marathon, half marathon, 10 and 5K, thus quite a big thing in Albania, which is amongst the poorest of the European countries. Anyways, the marathon route was two times the half marathon, a quite tough tour around the city centre plus the Tirana Grand Park, at the latter the “modern cobblestones” killed our legs! There was some confusion on what the time limit was and in general this event should step up it’s game when it comes to communication both before, during and after the race day.

Tirana Marathon 2024 (Albania) - Tor Rønnow

See or relive the Tirana Marathon 2024 here (and in Albanian and Greek)

Tirana Marathon 2024 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)
Tirana Marathon 2024 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)
Tirana Marathon 2024 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)
Tirana Marathon 2024 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)
2024 年地拉那馬拉松 – 圖片/照片由 Tor Rønnow(中文)提供
ティラナマラソン 2024 – 画像/写真 by Tor Rønnow (日本語)
Tirana Marathon 2024 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)
Tirana Marathon 2024 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)
Tirana Marathon 2024 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)
Tirana Marathon 2024 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)

Chisinau Marathon 2024

Sunday September 29th 2024 I ran the Chisinau Marathon in Moldova. Find below my full race coverage from this marathon and a few tourist impressions from Chisinau.

Chisinau City
I enjoyed half a weekend in Chisinau, Moldova, and had some nice walks in the beautiful city parks alongside passing various landmarks, notably the Cathedral, the Triumph Arc and such near the major streets and restaurant areas. However, I will mostly remember Chisinau for the chessplayers at one of the central squares, I spend a lot of time with them, firstly beating them up Saturday night, secondly taking the punches myself Sunday, this to the now 5 time city champion (!), Artiom Ghidicov of Moldova. It is unfortunately rare to find chess in the streets anywhere now, so a very nice asset of Chisinau indeed.

Chisinau Marathon 2024 (Moldova) - Tor Rønnow

Chisinau Marathon 2024
The event carried a multitude of distances: marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, fun run 1.5K, kids “marathon (400-2000m), roller marathon, the latter causing some concerns of safety on the race day as the rollers were on the route together with everybody else. Anyways, it was a fine event, the full marathon took 4 rounds including a nasty incline on the highway. So despite a principally easy route the course combined with the increasing temperatures throughout the morning the tasks of the day somehow drained your energy, this could be seen on almost all the marathoneers on the final round.
A special congratulations to fellow Marathon Globetrotter Muantawan Pei Arsrairas for completing her marathon country no. 100 this Sunday in Moldova, hats off for an impressive “career”.

Chisinau Marathon 2024 (Moldova) - Tor Rønnow

See or relive the Chisinau Marathon 2024 here (and in Romanian and Russian)

Chisinau Marathon 2024 – billeder/fotos af Tor Rønnow (Danish)
Chisinau Marathon 2024 – bilder av Tor Rønnow (Svenska)
Chisinau Marathon 2024 – bilder von Tor Rønnow (Deutsch)
Chisinau Marathon 2024 – pictures by Tor Rønnow (English)
2024 年基希訥烏馬拉松 – 圖片/照片由 Tor Rønnow(中文)提供
キシナウマラソン 2024 – 画像/写真 by Tor Rønnow (日本語)
Chisinau Marathon 2024 – photos de Tor Rønnow (Français)
Chisinau Marathon 2024 – foto di Tor Rønnow (Italiano)
Chisinau Marathon 2024 – fotos del Tor Rønnow (Español)
Chisinau Marathon 2024 – beelden van Tor Rønnow (Nederlandse)