Suzuki Midnight Sun Run/Iceland 2013

On June 24^th the annual Midnight Sun Run was held for the 21^st time. Rain had been forecasted but it stayed dry and the weather turned out ideal for running.

Record number of runners was registered for the run, 1.995. Runners could choose from three different distances: 5 km, 10 km and a half marathon. Most runners registered for the 5 km run or 1.042 runners.

Next came the 10 km run with 723 registered runners and 230 runners registered for the half marathon. That is an increase of 71 runners between years in the half marathon but runners were for the first time offered to run a half marathon in the Suzuki Midnight Sun Run in 2012. Around 350 foreign participants registered for the race and they have never been that many.

Participants in the half marathon ran from Laugardalur, through Elliðaárdalur valley, by Lake Rauðavatn, through a golf course and residential areas and ended back in Laugardalur. This course is considered both beautiful and entertaining as well as being challenging. It was the American Zach Miller who was the first man to finish the race, running the distance in 1:10:55.

The first woman to finish was Silja Stefánsdóttir (ISL) in 1:33:58. Rob Vanderwerf from Canada was the second man in 1:19:43 and Örvar Steingrímsson (ISL) came third in 1:20:20. The second woman was Hannah Fraser from Canada in 1:35:24 and Anne Julie Aimee Cattenoz from France came third in 1:36:06.

The 10 km course started and finished in Laugardalur and took runners through Elliðaárdalur, a beautiful valley with Salmon River and a little waterfall. The winners in the 10 km run were Þórólfur Ingi Þórsson (ISL) who ran in 36:26 and Helen Ólafsdóttir (ISL) in 38:13. The second man was Haraldur Tómas Hallgrímsson (ISL) in 37:28 and Þórir Magnússon (ISL) came third in 37:33. Martha Ernstsdóttir (ISL) was the second woman in 38:28 and María Kristín Gröndal (ISL) came third in 39:56.

The 5 km course was a circle around Laugardalur valley. Sæmundur Ólafsson (ISL) and Hrönn Guðmundsdóttir (ISL) won. Sæmundur finished in 15:40 and Hrönn in 20:10. Second man was Ármann Eydal Albertsson (ISL) in 15:44 and third was Daníel Freyr Garðarsson (ISL) in 18:05. The second woman was Þuríður Guðmundsdóttir (ISL) in 20:20 and third was Katrín Lilja Sigurðardóttir (ISL) in 20:45.

The organization of the run went smoothly and participants looked happy after the run as they headed to the geothermal swimming pool, Laugardalslaug, by the finish are to relax.

After the race many nice comments have arrived from the international runners like: "Most beautiful course I have ever run!", "Great running event!" and "Thank you very much for hosting such a great event".

The 22^nd Suzuki Midnight Sun Run will take place on June 23^rd 2014.

Registration starts in January 2014 at www.marathon.is/midnight-run.