Jerusalem 10th Marathon

The Jerusalem Winner Marathon 2020, finally took place on October 29, 2021. The excitement was high, though this time it was not an international marathon. There are plans for the International Jerusalem Marathon to return in March 2022.

Few people remember the last Jerusalem half marathon in 2010. Those were smaller events, with only a few thousand runners. The race caught most drivers by surprise with random street closings.

Last year, the launch for the 10th Jerusalem Marathon was held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on the evening of January 20, 2020.

A week later the streets were shut down in Jerusalem while the world watched the events marking the 75th year since the liberation of Auschwitz.

Then the world shut down because of Covid-19 and the marathon was postponed and then canceled.

The finish line, which looked just like this year’s, was taken down.

This past week the Jerusalem Marathon was back and streets were closed.

Many streets were even repaved for the Jerusalem Marathon runners.

The new playground at Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, was not ready in time.

At a pre-marathon event at Notre Dame, the view from the roof was better

than the one at Cinema City for the pre-marathon pasta party.

The lineup at Cinema City for runner check-in seemed to run efficiently.

The pasta and salads served were excellent. I waited a long time for the Mayor to come, but he never did, and I finally gave up and went home.

One line in Cinema City long when I arrived and still when I left hours later.

Not lines of families going to see a movie, but lines for corona testing!

The full marathon finish line in the park was being prepared early in the week and was ready to go the day before.

The winner 29-year-old Israeli Yamar Gethon had a long lead along the way.

He zipped by me, but I got other full marathon runners HERE

WordPress is not letting me share more photos now – so next time.

The Piano Festival, Oud Festival, the Manofim Contemporary Art Festivals,

and the International Animation Festival and Biennale are back.

Facebook photos of the Jerusalem Marathon can be seen HERE

The Jerusalem streets are finally coming back.

Hope to see everyone here soon!