The popular Madrid marathon, the oldest in Spain and one of the most traditional in Europe, will bring together 11,000 participants at the starting line this Sunday and of them, only six have run in the previous 45 editions.
One of these ‘magnificent six’ is Antonio Gallardo, 68 years old and from Cuatro Caminos, Madrid, with 85 marathons under his belt (the 45 in Madrid and another 40 more) and “finished all of them,” he proudly told Efe by phone the day before. of the career.
A coach at the Carlos III University for 30 years, he remembers as if it were yesterday the date of May 28, 1978, the day he, along with 7,000 other athletes, went out to run the 42,195 meters through the streets of Madrid, which was the first Madrid marathon.
“I liked soccer, basketball, going out into the mountains, climbing…, but I had never run in my life until then,” admits Gallardo, who runs almost daily with the rest of the group of veteran runners, with whom ” from time to time” meets for lunch or dinner.
He trains every day for at least an hour or an hour and a half, although for three or four years he has taken a break on Saturdays: “You have to rest because the body is not the same at 55, 60 or 65 years old” , acknowledges this athlete.
A problem with his feet five years ago was about to leave him in dry dock, from which he was able to get out thanks to Ángel de la Rubia, a prestigious specialist in Podiatry.
Of the 11,000 participants in this Sunday’s marathon, 16% are women and 24% are foreigners.
In this edition, the main favorite for victory is the Kenyan Reuben Kiprop Kipyego, third in Rotterdam 2023, who clocks 2h03:55, more than two minutes compared to the Ethiopian Haymanot Alew, who has 2h55:57.
In the women’s category the main favorites are three Ethiopians: Bontu Bekela Gada (2h23:39), Ayantu Gemechu Abdi (2h24:45) and Kebene Chala (2h26:39).
Next to them, “I’m a package,” Antonio Gallardo concludes. But let them take away the ‘bailao’.
