Extremadura has a long marathon tradition, primarily thanks to the one in Badajoz. When I heard they were organizing a new one in the town of Don Benito, I decided it was a great opportunity to add it to my running CV, especially being a first edition. It was my own ignorance, but initially, I thought the town was in the province of Cáceres and not Badajoz.
In a February already packed with marathons, the registration fee and its relative proximity easily tipped the scales. With train fares skyrocketing, attending races in Castellón, Murcia, or Seville can easily cost at least €300. With a tight budget, it didn’t make much sense (nor did I have the desire) to return to those this year, especially after having run them on several occasions.
Once again, we travel by car, following the “Ruta de la Plata” to the modest Don Benito, which has decided to secure a spot on the national marathon calendar. We pick up our bibs at the town hall and visit the small runner’s expo they haved set up. We also take the opportunity for a short walk and visit the interesting Ethnographic Museum—entry was included with the registration—where we ran into Pepe Turón. Afterward, we head to our accommodation, a bit far from the center due to the limited hotel options; there, we meet other acquaintances like Mario, Gorriti, and Txema: the unmistakable “draw” of a brand-new marathon.
In the morning, to avoid the long walk to Plaza de España (the start and finish point), I ride in Txema’s car. After picking up Jesús Devesa, we park next to the sports center. From there, we walked to the market to drop off our gear bags and get ready to go.
Alongside the marathon distance, the half-marathon also starts at 9:00 AM. The 10.5k race will start a bit later, at 9:20 AM. All events take place on an urban circuit, which for the full marathon requires four laps. As I will soon discover, it is a bit of a “leg-breaker” course, with hills like the one by San Sebastián Church that become hard in the final stages of the race, totaling an elevation gain of 316 meters.
I take the race quite easy, trying to regain my marathon “feel” after a two-month hiatus from the distance, during which I have only run a trail race in the Arribes del Duero area and a “San Silvestre” at the end of the year. Also coming off from a physically difficult Christmas period due to a two-week bout of gastroenteritis that left me quite weakened.
With no kilometer markers, I forget about the watch—which I won’t look at until the finish line—and just go by sensations. I tick off the laps, joining up at one point with Carlos Barranquero. We keep together for a long stretch, although he eventually goes ahead.
By the final lap, the hills have taken their toll on my legs, and it feel as if it will never end. I cross the finish line with a net time of 4:05:21 (official 4:06:02), placing 107th out of 135 finishers. Analyzing the splits, I maintained a fairly steady pace for three-quarters of the race (laps of 57:20, 1:57:55, and 2:58:56), though the last lap certainly felt long.
And with this one, I complete marathon number 158 in Don Benito. Very well organized despite the toughness of the course, and with hopes of establishing itself on the calendar as a solid alternative to the crowded races in Seville, Castellón, or Murcia.
