The Route of Strengths 2023 stays at home. Juan Antonio Zamora and Mercedes Velasco from Cartagena won the 50 kilometer race for the first time this Saturday. Both belong to the Runtriton athletics club. The naval engineer crossed the finish line in 3 hours and 53 minutes, while the Maristas teacher did it in 4 hours and 32 minutes. Both burst into tears of emotion to the applause of the thousands of people present at the General Albacete y Fuster Marine Infantry School.
At 08:07 this Saturday, 4,500 people began the most massive ultra-distance race in the Region of Murcia. The test is organized by the EIMGAF), it has a strong pull at the national level and is characterized by its unique 50-kilometer route: through the mountains, trails, castles and fortifications that are part of the historical and military heritage of Cartagena.
Plumbers, masons, forklift drivers, nursing assistants, students, military…. Participants of all kinds and conditions gathered up to an hour before at the starting line, located at the Alfonso XII Dock. Some did stretching in the reopened Plaza Héroes de Cavite, others gathered strength on the terraces of the old town and some shared impressions in the surrounding area, just before the flag was raised.
5,000 tourists
The test coincided with the arrival of five thousand tourists on cruise ships. An imposing one in the port was the backdrop to the tide of routers. The organization sets a time limit of less than twelve hours to reach the finish line, located at the EIMGAF, in Tentegorra. Access is free for all citizens, but on foot and without pets.
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From ten in the morning, family members and citizens began to crowd at the finish line. There were no surprises in the general test, dominated for the most part and without problem by Juan Antonio Zamora. This 43-year-old naval engineer from Navantia is a specialist in marathons [ganó la de Murcia] and had never won the Route. This time he had to be a prophet in his land, taking four minutes from the winner of 2022: the janitor from Union Cisco Díaz Pozo, second. In third place came Andrés Rosique.
Much more even was the crown of the Route. Here the Murcian veteran Laura Nicolás led with an iron fist, who was about to revalidate last year’s victory. At kilometer 43, Mercedes Velasco from Cartagena gave chase and both faced off in a duel of tug of war. They reached the EIMGAF almost evenly until the Maristas teacher finally emerged victorious.
He asks her to marry him at the finish line
Somewhat later, Inma Tonda got the bronze. The matron of the Santa Lucía Hospital is the Queen of the Route of Fortresses: she has won it six times. She was received by her husband, the physiotherapist Antonio Ibarra, ranked ninth after Alberto Plazas, winner in 2017. Another classic, José Antonio Agüera, missed the appointment due to an injury. One of the runners, Juan Antonio Espinosa, proposed to his wife at the finish line.
The organization sets a time below twelve hours to complete the race. There are more than 800 people spread out on the route, including the military, health workers and volunteers. To questions from La VERDAD, 112 reported at 1:25 p.m. few problems during the test and incidents that were not serious, such as sprained ankles.
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