What a spectacular year! 2024 reserved some surprises, some positive, others not so. There were 15 marathons, fewer than the 22 in 2023, but with several unforgettable moments.
Among the main races, I had planned to run one that was on my bucket list: the Great Wall Marathon. It was an experience I had been trying to make possible for several years. However, about 2 months before, I had a stress fracture during a marathon in southern Brazil, which made me stop until the trip to China. I had to cancel two races in that period to focus on recovery and at least arrive clinically recovered. It worked out, and I completed the race, despite being completely unprepared to perform well. This day became even more special as, during much of the course, I had the support of a friend who later became my girlfriend and future wife.
And the surprises of 2024 did not stop there. Shortly before board for China, I had received confirmation to participate in the Olympic Games Paris Marathon. For the first time in history, amateur runners could run the same course as the Olympic athletes. There were few runners selected from Brazil, who had to complete challenges and accumulate points in an app for almost three years, besides counting on luck for the draw. The race had a challenging course and high temperatures in the European summer, but it is another experience I will take with me for the rest of my life.
To end the year of strong emotions, I received another special confirmation. I had qualified for the World Marathon Majors Age Group Championship, to run the Sydney Marathon in Australia, and the possibility of winning the seventh star, as I had already participated in the other Six Majors: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. Once again, I crossed the world to run a marathon in a country I had never been to before.
There is no doubt, I was privileged and very grateful for the year, the best I have ever had in my almost 20 years as a runner.
Jose can be found on Instagram @joseedugarcia
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