Since taking up running a little more seriously a few years ago I’ve tried to make a habit of never running the same race twice.
So far I’ve succeeded and I’ve been lucky enough to take part in a number of great events across Europe.
My latest running-related adventure took me to Malta for the Vodafone Malta Marathon and it was great to see so many people traveling over to the island to make a break of it and combine their love of running with their passion for travel.
Whether it’s London or Lisbon, Manchester or Malta, it’s always worth doing a bit of exploring to see what else your event destination has to offer. Here are just some of the things I got up to in Malta…
Malta
The Maltese archipelago is located almost in the centre of the Mediterranean, just south of Sicily and north of Africa. As you would expect, Malta’s climate is typically Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and milder winters still offering plenty of sunshine. Temperatures average from about 15°C in November to April, rising to around 33°C from May.
The Malta Marathon takes place in February, so it was a little breezy but still warm enough to run in just a vest top, so it was tropical compared to the weather in England in the same month! A total of 454,659 Britons were among the 1.6 million visitors to Malta in 2013, which was a 9.3% increase on 2012.
The Vodafone Malta Marathon
This was the main reason for my trip, well the half marathon was, to be exact. I’m running a marathon for the first time in London this April so the Malta half came at just the right time in my training preparation.
The event includes the full marathon, the half and a walkathon, taking participants on a route from Malta’s old capital Mdina to the coastal resort of Sliema. The high cliffs on one side of the country taper down to sea level on the other coast, and this is reflected in the race route, as runners start at the highest and finish at the lowest point on the island, albeit encountering a fair bit of undulation on the way! A total of 569 British runners were among the record 3763 who signed up to this year’s events.
Make a break of it
As well as a year-round calendar of sporting events including races such as the Hellfire Extreme Triathlon and the Gozo Half Marathon there is much history and culture to explore in Malta, as well as plenty of Mediterranean food and scenery to enjoy! Here are some of the places I visited during my trip:
Valletta
The capital of Malta was built by the Knights of St. John after the Great Siege of 1565. Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage City and has been named the European Capital of Culture for 2018.
Mdina
Malta’s old walled capital is filled with a mix of medieval and baroque architecture and provides stunning views of the island as well as a great deal of history.
Sliema and St. Julian’s
These towns are Malta’s main coastal resorts with plenty of shops, entertainment and restaurants on offer.
Gozo
Take a short ferry trip to Gozo and you can explore the likes of the Ggantija Temples – the oldest freestanding structures in the world – and the Azure Window in Dwejra for beautiful coastal views. Its vast countryside is also a haven for explorers, whether you prefer to travel by foot, bike or horseback.
For further information on Malta see visitmalta.com while details on next year’s Vodafon Malta Marathon can be found at maltamarathon.com.
Jessica Whittington, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine