Göteborgsvarvet 2014 - great day again!

I decided to double up and run Göteborgsvarvet (the Gothenburg Half Marathon in Sweden) for the second year running.  Göteborgsvarvet is the world's largest half marathon and this year set another new record - something like 64,000 runners registered with 47,000 finishing the 2014 race!

Göteborgsvarvet 2014 start

Last year the weather was crazy, 28C with sun, hail, thunder and wind across the course of the race.  This year it was still hot, but more like 20C and it was a bit easier to complete the course.

One of the best things about running in Sweden is that the races tend to be on a Saturday afternoon rather than early Sunday morning as they tend to be in the UK.  This means that the whole town stops and in good weather everyone is on the streets cheering and encouraging the runners.  There were bands all along the route and crowds all the way round.  In Majorna there were speakers hanging out of windows, by the TV station in Lindholmen it was lots of fun and there were so many people watching on Avenyn it was great!

Göteborgsvarvet map

After finishing on the athletics track in Slottskogen we were given a Kex chocolate bar, a banana and a quality medal quickly followed by the speedy publication of results on the göteborgsvarvet website.

 A great day, by far my favourite of the half marathons I have done and I think I'll be back next year... (just maybe add a few more toilets for the ladies!)

Registration for next year opens on June 1st 2014.