June 04, 2021

Russia Goes Running


Russia Goes Running
The St. Petersburg race started in Palace Square, the "very heart of the city."

The whole country went running on Sunday, May 30, with a simultaneous half-marathon in 85 cities. With more than 150,000 participants, ZaBeg (ForRunning or Race) claims to be the world's largest synchronized race.

The race was a half-marathon for "pros" (21.1 kilometers; 13.1 miles), but runners could choose more reasonable distances of one ("junior"), five ("newcomer"), or ten ("amateur") kilometers (0.6, 3.1, or 6.2 miles).

Many competitors ran in yellow "ONE RUN" (in English) t-shirts.

Cities competed for the title of "runningest city" – based on the ratio of runners to the total population of the city, the average running speed, and the average distance. In order for a city to participate in the race "offline," it had to register at least 100 runners first.

This is the race's fifth year. Last year, with "only" 64 cities, Russia broke the Guinness Book of Records record held by the United States for the largest number of cities synchronously running. All Russians started the dash at 9:00 am Moscow time. That must have been fun for Chukotkans.

The organizers pointed out that, in the past, races had to have big-name runners to get people to watch. Now, the spectacle is enough due to the efforts of the "League of Heroes" to enhance sports consumption and the increasing popularity of healthy living.

It is not only lifestyles that are changing. After the race, organizers will allocate 500,000 rubles to tree planting and forest restoration in Russia.

The winning man was Andrei Leiman with a half-marathon time of 1 hour, 7 minutes, 26.3 seconds. The winning woman was Anna Garbar, whose time was apparently not worth sharing.

And yes, everybody got a medal just for participating (including the author). Soviet sports commandants are rolling over in their graves.

St. Petersburg race
St. Petersburg's race went past the Peter-Paul Fortress and Artillery Museum. Quite a scenic route! 

 

You Might Also Like

Why Russians Don't Run
  • September 01, 2013

Why Russians Don't Run

A tale of two long distance road races – Russia’s oldest and its most prestigious – and what they tell us about the state of running and fitness in Russia.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955