Red Sea Marathon
@Dec/'04 Jordan
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10 seconds to Start

Four buses led by high way patrol car headed for Aqaba, seaport and resort town in southern tip of Jordan. A convoy of four buses and a high way patrol drove down the well paved desert high way for four hours, that runs down in the middle of desert area to the Red sea. The sky was already mantled with dark night veil. A convoy turned the last corner of the sharp edged mountain descent. Suddenly a glittering sea of light came into our eyes. It was the light of Aqaba and Eilat the neibouring city of Israel. Should it be the same feeling that Rawrence had when he saw the similar light after days of strenuous crossing the Wadi Rum desert with Arabian warriors during his attack to Ottoman Turk army. Soon after, four buses had sunk into that sea of light.

Sandwich shop near the seventh circle: Decorated with soft and clean sense

On 2nd Dec, Thursday is the weekend in Islamic countries. Wrapped up that day's works by the noon time, we headed to Super Market, Safeway, where we were told to gather to get the marathon bus that will travel down to Aqaba. It was informed that at 2:00 sharp, the bus shall leave Amman. We arrived there half an hour earlier than the time of departure. Took a lunch and got into the bus. The area where the Safeway located is the newly developing business quarter. Many buildings are under construction with advertising plates asking tenant to be. A large sun-shade parasol written Coca Cola on it was in the corner of the building. It seemed a sandwich shop. We went into the shop. The inside of the shop was neatly arranged and looked sanity and clean. Grilled chicken and Nestle Café was our lunch. Four full size buses of Benz were lined behind the Safeway. We were repeatedly told by Ms. Mona of Neurological Patient Society who organizes the event that the bus shall leave at 2:00 flat. We got into the bus a quarter to 2:00. It was as usual that the time was not kept in punctual. We consequently were forced to stay in the bus till 2:30 when the buses at last started to move.

Marathon Bus: Four buses headed to Aqaba 350km away from Amman led by highway patrol car

The Bus passed Aqaba check point at 18:10. The city of Aqaba entitled as free zone, therefore, in/out of the goods shall be checked by customs officer at the gate. But the buses guided by police car had no check at all. The gate was free for us. Four buses arrived in front of Radisson SAS at 18:45. The hotel was five stars hotel, people calls it "Hamsen Njour" in Arabic. Most of the runners got off at here. Ms. M, a manger of the organizering body, the Society for Care of Neurological Patients was seen among them. There was a phone call on my mobile from Mr. O, who happen to be Aqaba on the same day after their visit to Petra with his guest from Japan. We arranged ourselves to have a dinner together at local fish restaurant, where we can look out the water of Aqaba bay instead of eating expensive meal at five star hotel. We decided to meet in the hotel lobby at 19:15. Before meeting with them, I walked up to the room and made myself for eat out. The setting of the room was excellent and spacious proving the five star class. The same scenery that we saw from the bus was spreading from the window of the room. When I got down to the lobby, Mr. O was already there. Mr. H, Mr. O's friend came from Japan, had found a nice fish restaurant for us, where we can enjoy the beautiful view looking down magnificent the Aqaba water. We were little embarrassed that a guest from Japan found such a nice local restaurant for us, who are living in this country for more than eight months. The dinner with four members were so lovely and tasty overlooking glittering town of Israel beyond the Aqaba water.

Aqaba Bay spread straight beyond the hotel pool : Radisson SAS Aqaba

Night scene of Radisson SAS

On 3rd December, the day of Aqaba Marathon, woke up at.6:30 as usual by an alarm sound of the clock that I brought with me from my apartment house in Amman. Went down to the ground level to take the breakfast of buffet style at the hotel cafe located in the ground floor. I made an appointment to meet with Mr. Y who came with us to spend holidays in Aqaba at seven o'clock. I looked him around in the lobby, but he was not seen yet. The lobby was all sealed by glass wall to the beach. Between the lobby and the beach, a deluxe swimming pool was layed out. On the private beach, there located an elegant terrace bar. I walked down to the beach. Water of Red Sea was calm and serene in the dry morning air. Gentle wavelets clash on the sandy beach. The atmosphere was surrounded with real "Hamsenjour", five star taste. But, this water is not really so peaceful. From the bar, you can look Eilat just in front of you, an Israel city divided by narrow strip of land from Jordan. During the night, the city Eilat emit a glittering sea of light on the narrow international water. The water in front of your looks just like water in Hawaii or in French Riviera.

Eilat is just few steps off from the Hotel's private beach

Shouldn't I picked up by military ambulance due to time over like previous run in Amman Marathon, that was held in last September? A slight thought of worry glimpsed in my mind. Time limit of Aqaba marathon is 4 hours, 30 minutes longer than Amman marathon, so it must be enough time till I reach to the goal point. At 8:30, runners gathered to ride onto marathon bus that will go to start point, 21 km away heading to the north direction, to the mountain side. Mr. O and Mr. H who happen to be Aqaba staying at another hotel came to the bus center to encourage me prior to start. Mr. H went to the ferry port to continue his journey to Egypt, just after seeing me at bus center. Six large buses and 7-8 small size buses were prepared to carry runners to the start point. Took off trainer and put it into the day pack and gave a day pack to the luggage deposit. I met a group of Spanish runners in the bus center. They came from main land Spain for run and sight seeing tour. They looks enjoying their run with all their body and minds. Their leader is Spanish lady who is living at Amman and running travel agency. They seemed so well organized. Viva Spanish runners

With a group of Spanish runners before the race

There were 21km, 10km and 4.2km courses. Runners of each course got into the buss that would go to the starting point for each course. At 8:45 buses left the bus center heading for each starting point. Course was set to run down the high way from the mountain side to the beach. It should be an easy run. At 21km starting point, there were about 100 runners. All of them looked as if they were top runners of long distant. It seemed that no runner who came just for fun like me was among them.

Finish point: No one front and behind, my friend Mr. Y and Mr. Y were waiting there

At 10:00, the race started. I instantly felt that the race pace was so fast for me. It was obvious that if I kept following this pace, I should be exhausted so soon far behind the goal point.. So, I said to myself, go slow as much as much as I could. The course was mostly down hill, so it was relatively easy going. Distant mark was placed at every 1km. Though, I run very slow pace, at 16km point, my left leg crippled. I saw the watch, two hours had been passed since the race started. To my relief, there was another one hour left to run. I had a confident that I could reach to the goal point before time limit of three hours. From that point, I alternatively took run and walk for 5km distance. Finally, I reached to the goal point. I stopped before the Finish Mark, and took out small camera from my waist porch, then I found Mr. O and Mr. Y.were waiting at the goal point. They were waiting me for long time after most of the runners had finished their goal. It was 2 hours and 20 minutes after I started the race. I barely managed not to ride military ambulance this time. The goal point was Aqaba Castle where once liberated by Thomas Edward Lawrence, so called Lawrence of Arabia, from Ottoman Turkey. There was a huge Jordanian Flag in front of the castle was waving in December breeze.

Ruin of Aqaba Castle: Rawrence had stayed after success of his attack on Aqaba occupied at that time by Ottoman Empire
A extra-large Jordanian Flag was posted behind the castle

Sunset at Beach side Bar of Radisson SAS Aqaba

3/Dec/'04 Rinzo@Aqaba Jordan (Updated on 10/Feb/'06)