Chronicle of an intense first day in Expo Deporte
Expo Deporte, the great party of the Valencia Marathon, has started and it offers an exciting programme of activities. From ten in the morning to eight in the evening, the runner’s fair will host a wide variety of events and more than one hundred stands so that all runners and running enthusiasts can enjoy as much as they do every year.
Raquel Alario, Fallera Mayor of Valencia, attended the opening of the running neuralgic centre of Valencia and she enjoyed all the activities and different spaces.
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As the day progressed, more and more people came to the runner’s fair looking forward to discovering all the surprises of this year’s edition.
Both locals and foreigners have made the most of the first day and enjoyed all sorts of activities in Expo Deporte. Shopping, presentations, music and sports activities… These have all taken place in L’Hemisfèric and the Príncipe Felipe Museum.
140 brand stands
Minutes before opening the doors, dozens of people were waiting in the surroundings of the City of Arts and Sciences. Besides picking up their bib numbers, runner’s bags and chips, there were 140 stands of different sports brands and shops selling running products, in many cases with substantial discounts.
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A meeting point for elite athletes
All the elite runners gathered together at midday for the press conference that was held in L’Hemisfèric. More than thirty runners from all over the world attended this official meeting in which they also received their bib numbers. Then they stepped on the blue walkway which will take them to the finish line on Sunday.
The press conference was given by Paco Borao and top marathoners took part in it, such as John Nzau Mwangangi, the current winner of the Valencian race, consistent winners such as Geoffrey Mutai and other athletes such as Getu Feleke Zegeye, whose mark is 2:04:50. Beata Naigambo, who also ran the Valencia Half Marathon and the Spanish athlete Marta Esteban were there too.
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Shopping Run street market
Plaza del Doctor Collado will host the ‘Shopping Run street market‘, an initiative launched by the Trinidad Alfonso EDP Valencia Marathon and the Association of Old Town Shopkeepers. There, visitors can find a wide variety of products with discounts and promotional gifts. The street market is a great way to combine fashion and shopping with running.
Paddle Surf
The City of Arts and Sciences hosted free paddle surf activities for those who wanted to try water sports. This service will be available while the Runner’s Fair takes place and some brave visitors have already given it a shot.
Rock & Run concert
Nebraska was the band in charge of creating the best atmosphere in the runner’s fair just a couple of days before the race is held. Rock & Run has been a musical meeting point for all runners and it has taken place near the lake of the City of Arts and Sciences. Music, a lively atmosphere and a great weather have been the perfect ingredients for a great evening.
Expo Deporte is a unique and innovative service which runners will not find in any other marathon and Valencia is at the forefront of the European running scene thanks to it.
In addition, runners who compete both in the Valencia Marathon and the Trinidad Alfonso Valencia 10K can pick up their bib numbers and runner’s bags in Expo Deporte.
More than 40,000 runners are expected to visit the 2016 runner’s fair this weekend. Saturday will be again an intense day. The best national athletes will take part in the closing event (Al Maratón con Serrano) and children will also enjoy running in the Valencia MAPFRE Mini Marathon.
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