Men are just supporting cast
2000 women took to the 5k course at Challenge Women Run
Compared to the marathon that the endurance athletes face on Sunday, this 5k run might seem like a walk in the park. But whoever thinks this has clearly never experienced Saturday's "Challenge Women"! This race turns the 5 kilometers into a fun-filled group happening – and the athletic aspect is just one of many fun-factors.
2000 women in pink. Just one group of starters. On the sidelines: Many men with their phones ready for some souvenir shots. Lots of laughter and relaxed chatting. Before the start and also after the finish line. All this despite hot and humid 30 degrees that turn even just watching the race into a sweaty affair.
The color pink is the trade mark of "Challenge Woman", a 5k run that turns the run into a fun-filled event
Of course, there are also women in this race, whose athletic watches, compression socks and toned bodies make clear that this 5k women's race is not a real challenge for them. But that's not what this is about. More than ever, the motto is: "Just do it. You can have fun, but you don't have to be fast."
However: You can still be fast. This was proven by the two fastest runners who crossed the finish line. Laughing and hand in hand. And with a big hug after finishing.
They didn't even use their watches to track their time. They just wanted to partake. If it wasn't for the time tracking chips, they would never know how fast they were. For the record: 19:51 minutes.
The first finisher is Laia, a Spaniard from Barcelona, who is all smiles, because she enjoyed being in the midst of "pretty in pink" so much.
Her finish-partner has a well-known last name: It's Emma Frodeno, the Australian wife of triathlon superstar Jan Frodeno. She could have taken the victory, but on the last meters, she reached out to the woman from Spain and even let her cross the finish line first.
Laia from Barcelona (right) and Emma (Frodeno, left) finished hand in hand after 19:51 minutes.They didn't even use their watches to track their time. They just wanted to have fun. And they did.
Airs and graces? No way – if they hadn't asked her, she wouldn't even have mentioned her famous last name. She just introduced herself as Emma, before getting chatted up by some other finishers (in English).
It doesn't matter, that they were almost as fast as the winner and still looked fresh when crossing the finish line. It wouldn't have mattered if they had suffered through the 5k because of the taxing heat. The only thing that matters is "participating".
And the men don't mind being the supporting cast at the Challenge Women: they hand out all the medals. And also the bubbly.
Talking about bubbly: That's one of the factors, that make this women's run, whose trade mark are the pink shirts, a true "wellness event". More wellness can be found at the "Womens Lounge": You can try veggie burgers and soy milk, you can get a massage or your nails done. There are also athletic outfits and bottles in stylish designs. And who says that lingerie doesn't go well with organic goulash? Both things can be found in this tent. Being a woman is multifaceted and the athletic facet is just one of them.
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