NO LIGHT, NO DAWN
– While Moscow is sleeping, we will have time to do a lot of things! For example, run 5 kilometers,” laughs Olympic cross-country skiing champion Alexander Legkov.
Apparently, without thinking much about the fact that people in the capital are still awake. At least not all of them.
After all, even in Vladivostok the clock strikes only 6 a.m.! It is not yet midnight in the central region of the country. Children may already be snoring sweetly and gaining strength before school and kindergarten. And adults are just getting ready for bed.
In the end, not everyone in Primorye has gotten up yet! But this does not apply to the participants of the race “For Friendship in Sport”, which precedes the program of the Eastern Economic Forum and has been an integral part of it since 2016! The start is scheduled for 6:40 in the morning, but before that time we still have to get to Russky Island. Warm-up. Perform exercises under the guidance of Olympic champions, including not only Legkov, but also gymnast Nikita Nagorny, boxer Oleg Saitov, fencer Yana Yegoryan… The day before, all of them (and not only them) held a “fitness marathon” for students of Vladivostok gymnasiums and schools. And now they help the participants of a 5 km race to cheer up and properly prepare for the start. It seems that these kilometers are not so many… But only for those who like to run. And I got used to it. And he is in good physical shape. Even at an amateur level.
However, most likely there are simply no others among those gathered at the moment on the territory of the Primorsky Aquarium. And there are more than a thousand of them here! Including, by the way, Alexander Legkov himself, who could not resist the temptation to once again take part in the race. Let it not be on a snowy path. And not even on asphalt (on skates). And on the usual one, where the feet are not in ski boots, but in sneakers. And instead of a thick warm overalls – just a T-shirt and shorts.
FIRST, BUT NOT REALLY
It has been more than 10 years since the whole country cried tears of joy watching Alexander’s last metres in the 50 km marathon at the Sochi Olympic Games… In the early hours of Sunday, 23 February 2014, Legkov was the first to cross the finish line to the applause of the crowd, raising his arms in victory. And then, to the silver and bronze medals, our two other skiers, Maxim Vylegzhanin and Ilya Chernousov respectively, ran. Norwegian Martin Sundby, one of the main favourites, finished only fourth. Another Norwegian, champion of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games in the same distance, Peter Northug, did not even make it into the top ten. Back then, he barely made it into the top twenty (he finished only 18th).
The triple success of the Russians in that marathon is still remembered by all those who saw it with their own eyes (in the stands or on television) as if it had happened yesterday! We were overcome with painfully vivid emotions…
It’s a fact: Legkov covered those 50 kilometers along the Sochi highway in just 1 hour, 46 minutes and 55 seconds. Well, what do you need after that, a kind of “A”, even without skis? So you won’t even have time to sweat…
Although Alexander probably did not give his best. A trip along the embankment along Cape Zhitkova on Russky Island, in the Peter the Great Bay in the north of the Sea of Japan – here you can, while running, enjoy the beauty of the local landscapes, and not chase a new record… From start to finish, located on the territory of the Primorsky Aquarium, Legkov’s path took just over 15 minutes and 13 seconds. We are sure that if the place had not been so beautiful and fabulous, and the sunrise had not been so mesmerizing, he would have gone to bed faster.
But still, Alexander became the best among all the forum participants. However, not among the participants of the race…
DESERVED CUP
The best result was shown by local resident Ivan Semenov, who ran in 15 minutes (more precisely, he covered the distance in 14.59). Among women, the palm was won by Anastasia Shpak, who stopped the clock at 17:05. True, this is so if we take into account the official protocols. Because formally only participants over 16 years old were allowed to participate in the race. But in fact, the best among the beautiful half of humanity was schoolgirl Polina Tsibulskaya, who, due to her age (and she is only 14 years old), performed out of competition.
“I like running, although I only started doing it a couple of months ago,” admits Polina. – Before that, I spent 11 years in figure skating, but I am better at athletics. Especially at long distances. 5 km is not the limit for me.
The law is harsh, but it is the law. According to the rules of the competition, Polina should have been left without a reward. Which, of course, was unfair, no matter how you look at it. The situation was resolved by Alexander Legkov himself. He handed her her own cup, awarded for winning in her category.
Which has become very symbolic if we recall the name and slogan of the race: “For friendship in sport”! Why else did more than 1000 people gather on Russky Island on this wonderful, sunny and bright morning?
