5 marathons off the beaten path for 2019

Whether you're a seasoned runner looking for something a little different this year, or trying to find the motivation for your first ever marathon, these five unusual marathons should help get you running in 2019.

Marathon du Medoc, France

If you like to train hard as well as play hard, then the Marathon du Medoc might be for you. As well as ticking a marathon off your bucket list you'll also get to enjoy the 26.2 miles with a glass of wine in hand, thanks to the many points along the circuits handing out glasses of French wine.

Takes place September 7, 2019. Registration opens in March.

Big Five Marathon, South Africa

Running in the African Savannah is the chance of a lifetime, although the location is as challenging as it is impressive. But, with the chance to run with zebras, giraffes, antelopes and even lions, and enjoy a mini holiday after your marathon is done, the training will all be worth it.

Takes place June 22, 2019. Registration open now.

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 3 Laender Marathon

  If you want to take in three countries with just one run, then try the 3 Laender, or 3 Country Marathon. Runners will start on Lindau Island, Germany, pass through Austria and Switzerland before heading back to Austria to finish at Casino Stadium in Bregenz. The route also provides a beautiful backdrop plus a flat ground for those who might be aiming for a personal best.

Takes place October 6, 2019. Registration open now.

Great Wall Marathon, China

Those looking for a real challenge can not only run a marathon, but run it alongside one of the most famous monuments in the world. Be prepared for plenty of uphill climbs and steps, but the payoff is a fantastic view, the chance to run through local villages, and of course to say that you've completed the Wall's 5,164 historic steps.

Takes place May 18, 2019. Registration open now.

Run Disneyland Paris Weekend, France

Unleash your inner child by running through the most magical place on Earth, Disneyland. Like its American counterpart, Disneyland Paris organizes a weekend of running events to get the whole family involved, from kids' races and a 5k right through to a marathon. The course will take you through the Disneyland parks, with Disney entertainment provided throughout the course to put some extra fun into the run.

Takes place September 19 to 22, 2019. Registration open now.

Source - TheJakartaPost 

 

World Cup moves onto Qatar and a whole lot of problems

FIFA World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar will have to up their game to match the standards set by Russia during the FIFA 2018 World Cup

 

As one of the best World Cups ever ends in Russia, football’s biggest tournament must now prepare for its most controversial, in Qatar in 2022.

Since the tournament was handed to the supremely wealthy Gulf state, whose team has never appeared in a World Cup, FIFA’s decision has been roundly questioned and resulted in severe consequences for football and its governing body.

The four-year run-up to the Middle East’s first ever World Cup is unlikely to prove any different.

With a host rocked by a diplomatic crisis, accused of supporting terrorism, facing allegations of corruption and human rights abuse, a tournament shifted to November and December for the first time and uncertainty over how many teams will take part in 2022, it is fair to say there has never been a World Cup like Qatar’s.

The emirate sold its bid in part by claiming Qatar’s World Cup would be one for the Middle East but that claim has been severely undermined by political events.

Since June 2017, a group of neighbouring countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have frozen relations with Qatar, accusing it of backing extremism and being too close to Iran.

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The crisis has lasted 13 months and shows little sign of abating, instead deepening with Qatar taking the UAE to the International Court of Justice in June. It has unsettled the most stable part of the Middle East and placed 2022 in its crosshairs.

Officials in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have openly called for Qatar to be stripped of the World Cup and promised fresh revelations later this year.

As part of the crisis, Saudis and UAE citizens are prevented by their own countries from travelling to Qatar; prior to the dispute Doha tournament organizers predicted up to 1.5 million fans arriving for the tournament, many from football-mad Saudi.

FIFA has desperately tried to stay out of the bitter and bizarre conflict, but that appears unlikely to last.

On July 11 it announced it was preparing to take legal action in Saudi Arabia against pirate broadcasters, transmitting stolen live World Cup games from Qatar’s beIN Sports.

And behind all the drama politics continue as FIFA president Gianni Infantino seeks to balance relations with Qatar and his increasingly warm links with the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

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List of issues

The myriad of issues surrounding Qatar 2022 are almost unfathomable.

Corruption investigations continue with the Swiss Attorney General’s office examining the awarding of the 2022 tournament as well as an American court case hearing graft claims last year.

Qatar denies all allegations, as it does with terror-funding claim by its former allies.

The thorny issue of compensation for Europe’s top leagues including Spain, England and Germany because they will suspend their leagues during a “Winter World Cup” remains unresolved, with a payout as high as €1 billion suggested in some quarters.

Despite mooted labour reforms affecting some two million migrant workers helping build World Cup venues and related projects, human rights groups remain anxious about the pace of reform promised by Qatar.

And the enthusiasm among some FIFA members, including apparently Infantino, for a 48-team World Cup in 2022 rumbles on.

Set to be discussed at FIFA’s Moscow Congress, it was taken off the agenda, only for senior Qatari World Cup official Nasser Al-Khater to say in Russia on July 7 that a 48-team tournament was doable “if the format is done right”.

As if all that is not enough, Qatar now has to follow one of the greatest World Cups, with expectations vastly raised ahead of 2022. And beyond global issues, it will have to deal with more commonplace ones, such as how much to limit alcohol sales during 2022.

Qatari organisers reportedly sent a team of some 30 officials to Russia and will have noted the the street party atmosphere in bars, something alien to Doha.

Qatar’s World Cup preparations have so far been like none before it – and the next four years promise to be no different.

Source - PhnomPenhPost