The Malta Marathon will go on

The headline is the short answer to all of those runners who have been asking me (and others on the marathon committee - MMOC) if the marathon is actually going to be held on February 27, 2005 as scheduled. This is not a question I was ever asked before this year.

Generally, all runners had just accepted that the annual Malta Marathon was going to happen, and trained accordingly. But this year there is a doubt in many minds, and you only have to look at the road leading from the Rabat Road roundabout to Zebbug to understand why. Or look at the road down into the Mosta valley and up to Mount St Joseph.

Two roads that have been vital to the Malta Marathon and half marathon are, this year, undergoing major (and, let's be honest, much-needed) overhaul.

The road works should be completed by race day, but it is far too early to be certain about this and there's many a thing that could go wrong in the months between now and then.

However, all runners can rest assured that the MMOC will monitor the situation closely and should the usual roads not be available in time, have alternate accurately-measured routes planned and ready to roll.

The summary of all this: keep up the training because the show will definitely go on.

The 2005 race will mark the 20th edition of the Malta Marathon and major thanks and appreciation must go to BMW for continuing their sponsorship of this premier athletic event in the Maltese sporting calendar.

Where other sporting events are generally spectator-oriented, the Malta Marathon actively encourages people to get out there and take part. And with success.

The 2004 race had seen a healthy rise in participation by Maltese entrants (close to 500 runners) and with some good-natured cajolling and encouragement from these weekly articles it is hoped that the 20th Malta Marathon and Half Marathon see new peaks in race registrations and number of finishers.

Thanks are also due to the returning official suppliers, Air Malta, San Michel and Urban Jungle for once again reconfirming their support for the event.

A new Official Sports Drink Supplier to the 20th anniversary event will be Powerade and in the weeks to come I hope to discuss how sports drinks and muscle glycogen refuelling are vital parts of any serious training programme.

As I have in past years, I will once again (next week) be posting a simplified training schedule aimed at taking someone who can jog for (say) 30 minutes today, to being able to stand confidently on the half marathon startline in February.

Here's a confession. Having written all this about the 20th Malta Marathon, I have to admit that if I (and the other MMOC members) had known 20 years ago when we started this (with a total of 109 runners - all male), that we'd still be doing it 20 years later, I (for one) would've thought way longer, and way harder, before deciding to get involved. Time flies, doesn't it?

Okay, take this first article in the series as your annual wake-up call, because it's time to rock and roll.