Wojciech Szota – A Warsaw Man in Krakow
I remember the first historic marathon in Krakow very well, even though it’s been fourteen years. The morning of the 11th of May 2002 was exceptionally hot. The sun was shining in the cloudless sky, and the runners were crowding on Grodzka Street, where the start line was placed. Back then, 900 people from all around Poland who were willing to run a marathon seemed to be something impossible, as runners were often considered to be rather peculiar sight, more of harmless madmen than anything else. I remember that back then you had to carry your ID on you all the time when you were running. The stereotype was that when someone was running it could mean they committed a crime and sometimes people were stopped by the police. After the age of Tomasz Hopfer and a temporary surge in popularity at the turn of the 1970s and 1980s, running had to have its Renaissance.
On the memorable Sunday I had been awake for many hours. I went to Krakow from Warsaw with my brother and some friends. Our trip to Krakow started at 3 o’clock in the morning, the roads were awful and winding. Even having our own car was a luxury. I don’t remember whose car it was, but certainly it wasn’t mine. Usually we would all pitch in to go on such a trip, as the only alternative was an overnight trip on a train. The night before any marathon was almost always lost, but on the other hand, we could deal with all the formalities 20 minutes before the start, which right now seems to be impossible.
I remember the feeling of elation at the start line, the electric and tense atmosphere. We were proud that we could witness the birth of a new running event in the former capital of Poland. Despite the high temperature, air seemed to be really fresh.
The atmosphere was perfect... Except for a single incident. The announcer said the name of a participant, who back then served as a deputy prime minister and minister of finance in several cabinets. This time, politics were stronger than the solidarity of runners and the crowd started booing and jeering. Today, the runner is a renowned commenter of political life, but back then he was in the middle of a group, which for a moment stopped being a whole. Being at the top has its pros and cons... This never changed, even though much time has passed. Other things... Well, they changed.
I was really determined, but the dreams of breaking the barrier of 3 hours were quickly verified by weather. It was boiling hot, yet I didn’t slow down for even a second. I relished this first marathon in Krakow. Around the 35th kilometre, I talked with one of the runners. He encouraged me to walk for a bit, because we were never going to run faster than in three hours, he had a personal best of 2:40 and he just knew it was impossible to run on that day.
I didn’t want to slow down, not in the first marathon. I clenched my teeth and soon I was running around the Market Square. It was well worth it. I finished 65th with 3 hours and 6 minutes. I’ve never run a faster marathon in Krakow. Someone took my photo during the decoration ceremony, and I was very proud when it was later published on the official website of the event.
The approach to the finish zone was also totally different. Nowadays we need security, rules and procedures. When we finished our first marathon on the Market Square in Krakow, people were sitting outside the restaurants right next to the finish line.
I was invited for a dinner by tourists – Poles living in Canada. We observed other fatigued runners reaching the finish line. They couldn’t understand the fact that the differences between us were so large and suspected that they had to start later. My achievement must have made quite an impression on them, because one of them showed me a photograph of his very beautiful daughter. I felt like Spiridon Luis, who was promised the hand of the daughter of the richest man in Athens, Jeorjos Awerof, as the winner of the first modern marathon.
Eventually, out of over 900 runners, 718 finished the race. The next day, despite my fatigue, carried by my enthusiasm I won a small local race in Warsaw, for the first time in my life. That’s how I remember my first time in Krakow.
With the passage of time, the event kept changing. I still remember many images and events.
The route also changed many times throughout the years. I also ran faster and slower, sometimes I had to struggle with injuries. In 2005 I barely managed to finish in under five hours. On the long straight from Nowa Huta we ran next to all the cars, waiting in a kilometres-long traffic jam. They looked at us with hatred in their eyes and honked. I ran so slow, I kind of felt guilty for their suffering. Thankfully, today the attitude of the residents is also different, and there are many supporters along the route. I remember Nowa Huta with strange sentiment... The blocks of flats reminded me of Muranów in Warsaw, where I live.
I also remember one edition of the race, where we finished with two loops around the Błonia Park, bringing back the memories of the meetings with Pope John Paul II. It was also nice to meet and greet my friends. The vast space and the distance to the clearly visible finish line works like a charm on the imagination of the tired runners.
The weather was really capricious. Sometimes the wind was so strong it ripped the advertising banners and balloons at the finish line. One time it rained so heavily, that the rollerskaters had trouble with finishing the race, as the slippery surface resulted in many falls. I remember feeling compassion for them, because every now and then there was someone with road rash on the route. During the race inauguration in 2003, the balloon which started from the Market Square was carried away by wind and missed the Cloth Hall by mere centimetres.
Thanks to the tourist attractions in Krakow, the Cracovia Marathon is one of the most international runs in Poland. It is obvious that many of the runners are in fact running tourists. Back in the day, we even had flags of all the participants’ countries and it was very impressive. One of the things which became the symbols of the race was Lajkonik, who greeted the runners.
The Cracovia Marathon was also the last marathon for Piotr Gładki, one of the most talented Polish runners back in the day. In 2005 he was leading the race with a huge advantage, trying to beat the record. Unfortunately, one of the referees moved the markings on the route. Gładki had run two additional kilometres before he was able to return to the route... and he won. He died three weeks later in a car crash. I thought someone “gave him” the additional kilometres in the last marathon of his life. Nowadays, a mini marathon named after him is among the accompanying events.
Over the years I was in shape and out of shape, I had to deal with injuries, but the marathon in Krakow always kept attracting me – a resident of Warsaw. I have many running friends I can meet here. In 2015 I had a dilemma. The marathon in Łódź was on the same day, and I have been running it since the very first edition as well. I chose Krakow...