Machine-translated from Faroese and not yet reviewed. Read the original.
Despite his young age, Marnar Djurhuus has already been the best Faroese long-distance runner for a good four years. But this winter he has made big progress. He has stayed free of injury, and training has gone extremely well. In January alone Marnar ran 520 kilometres, and most weeks since then have been on the “right” side of 100 km. This week he reaches his 150th consecutive day of running training.
We knew very well that Marnar could run fast. After his good result and big personal best at the Faroese 10 km Championships just over a week ago, we also knew that on a really good day he might threaten the Faroese half marathon record, which dates from a race in Odense in 1988, when Absalon Hansen ran 1:09:45. It is the second-oldest of all Faroese records. But perhaps it would be better for Marnar to run it safe and still get a good personal best?
Marnar did not think that was necessary. He felt very good on Saturday, when he and around 200 other Faroese and 30,000 other runners took part in the World Half Marathon Championships on the streets of Copenhagen. Marnar felt so good that just before the start he managed to squeeze his way forward among the big running stars. This was probably also because he intended to go for the Faroese record. When a record is to be ratified, it is the time from the gun until you reach the finish that counts, not the time from when you cross the start line until you reach the finish, which the chip timing system otherwise keeps track of.
Marnar and Valborg both won medals in the 10,000 m in Bermuda, and both set Faroese records in the half marathon on Sunday
It took Marnar just two seconds to reach the start line. Without a warm-up (that was impossible in the crush of people), Marnar set off behind and together with the world elite. He quite quickly found the right pace. The first kilometre was covered in 3:13 min, and from there it was just a matter of keeping going. The 5 km splits were: 16:21 – 16:15 – 16:20 – 16:27, and then the last 1.0975 km at 19 km/h! Or twice 10 km in 32:36 and 32:47! Or almost six of the good old Cooper tests back to back at over 3,600 m each! Or an average speed of 18.4 km/h, equivalent to 3:15 min/km! The final time was 1:08:50, but the record will be 1:08:52.
Yes, this was an absolutely incredible run, and comfortably enough for a new Faroese half marathon record. His 20 km split is also under the Faroese 20 km record, but it is not yet clear whether this result can also count as a 20 km record. In the race Marnar finished ahead of several of the registered championship entrants, including two of the three Icelanders. Marnar also won his 15-19 age group. He was a full three minutes ahead of the runner-up, a young Norwegian.
There is still a lot to build on in Marnar’s training, and this is hardly the last time Marnar will set a Faroese half marathon record. This was in fact Marnar’s first outdoor record, but more may follow later this year. His progress is very exciting to follow.
FÍF warmly congratulates Marnar on the good result and the good race.
Valborg Heinesen also set a Faroese record on Sunday. More on this on Tuesday evening.
The best Faroese half marathon times are now:
1. Marnar Djurhuus, 1:08:50
2. Absalon Hansen, 1:09:45
3. Guttorm Sørensen, 1:10:40
4. Hallur Holm, 1:11:10
5. Albert Marni Joensen, 1:11:29
