Petra Marathon: New Marathon in the Ancient City of Petra, Jordan

    COPENHAGEN K, DENMARK, November 08, 2008 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marathon day begins early in the morning. The sunbeams have just started sneaking their way across the red rocks of Jordan's desert landscapes. The thermometer is still displaying the 60°F of the typical Jordanian night, but before the race is over, the sun will mercilessly have sent the temperatures on an express flight towards the low 100's. The runners will, no doubt, be thankful for every water station along the course.

At the sound of the starter's pistol, full and half marathoners will head directly for the winding cleft (called the siq), which is the only way into Petra. Towering rock walls line the narrow path on the bottom of the cleft. Towards the end of the siq, Petra's most famous ruin Al Khazneh, or the Treasury, begins to appear piece by piece. If running towards this beautifully carved facade makes you feel like a fearless action hero, it is probably because of the movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", in which the imposing Treasury was used as a resting place for the Holy Grail.

At this early hour, Petra is not yet open to visitors, and the runners will contemplate the ancient city in peace and quiet - an otherwise unheard-of luxury in this extremely popular place. After a roundtrip between the ruins, the course continues out in the dramatic mountains behind Petra. This is when you really start to realize that you have entered a truly unusual race - also in terms of difficulty. The course is nothing like the fast, flat courses so highly celebrated in the classic city marathons. Asphalt roads appear as short, pleasant changes in an abundance of sand, rock, gravel and dried-up riverbeds, and both ascents and descents are plentiful and steep. The efforts are rewarded on the top of each crest and hilltop with breathtaking views of the valley in which Petra lay hidden from the world for more than 1,000 years.

The city of Petra was the capital of the Nabataean dynasty 2,000 years ago. After a short period under Roman rule, Petra was left to decay and oblivion until a Swiss explorer stumbled upon the hidden city. UNESCO has naturally reserved a spot on their World Heritage List for this assortment of otherworldly buildings carved from sandstone rocks in varied rusty hues. Last year the site got another exclusive recognition as it was voted one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

Petra Marathon is part of the extreme marathon series Adventure Marathon , which is an uncompromising marathon concept that unites highly demanding running with unique scenery. Besides this race in Jordan's famous site, the Adventure Marathons take place on the Great Wall of China, among the wildlife of South Africa, between Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayas and on the permanent ice sheet of Greenland.

The very first version of Petra Marathon is run 26 September 2009 and features both a marathon and a half marathon. Both runners and accompanying spectators will get the most out of their stay in Jordan as the marathon is part of a tour including flights, accommodation and a full itinerary. Please find more info at www.petra-marathon.com or contact race organizer Rune Nortoft: [email protected]

Source: Albatros Travel
Website: http://www.albatros-travel.dk

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