A LONG S-TROLL IN THE MIDNIGHT SUN
SET WITHIN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE, NORWAY’S MIDNIGHT SUN MARATHON MAY BE BATHED IN LIGHT, BUT THE WEATHER CAN BE A CHALLENGE
WORDS: JULIA HORTON
MIDNIGHT SUN MARATHON
Rose running along Tromso’s iconic bridge
The Vikings are coming!
Sore legs, happy heads. A memorable way to celebrate a 50th birthday!
© JULIA HORTON / ANGUS LIVINGSTONE
I am running down a quiet residential road to the soft, steady beat of other people’s feet hitting the tarmac in a strange, grey half-light. When the peace is suddenly broken by an almighty clang of cowbells.
They are wielded by local families who appear, beaming, from their homes in the late evening to cheer us on with endless cries of: “Heia, heia, heia!” – which sounds like “Hey ya, hey ya, hey ya!” and means “Go, go, go!”.
This is the 2018 Midnight Sun Marathon in the Norwegian city of Tromso in the Arctic Circle.
PHENOMENAL LIGHT
Dubbed the world’s most northerly, it starts at 8.30pm to take advantage of the phenomenal 24-hour midsummer light. There are record numbers of runners this year with over 1,200 from around the world.