Training Log Archive: blairtrewinIn the 1 days ending Feb 25, 2014:
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Tuesday Feb 25, 2014 #
7 AM
Run 1:01:00 [3] 11.5 km (5:18 / km)
The session I'd been looking forward to most on this trip - plunging myself into the heart of the Marrakech medina (after dealing with the 15 minutes to get there). As expected it was an absolute rabbit-warren; I had a decent street map but there were still a few points where I lost contact and wasn't quite sure where I was, but did know which direction I was heading to know roughly where I would end up.
I was early enough in the morning to miss most of the crowds in the medina, although the traffic on the boundary roads was noticeably heavier after 7.30 than it had been at earlier times yesterday - there were a couple of points where I had to revert to the Hanoi road-crossing method (maintain a predictable course and let the scooters go around you). The medina itself is mostly carless - the streets are too narrow - but still has enough scooters and donkey carts that you have to keep your wits about you. Couldn't help but fantasise about what an amazing place this would be as an urban orienteering venue - probably at least the same level of complexity as Venice (and, because most of the smaller alleyways end up in mazes that don't go anywhere, a lot of potential for 'you can't get here from there' route-choice legs).
As a run, this started out well, but tailed off a bit in the section coming back - possibly because I was feeling the boringness relative to what had just preceded it.
(In very marked contrast to the medina, where I'm staying is just down the road from Marrakech's version of a modern shopping mall, where I ventured this afternoon to get more bottled water. The food court would definitely not have been out of place in Northland).
I was early enough in the morning to miss most of the crowds in the medina, although the traffic on the boundary roads was noticeably heavier after 7.30 than it had been at earlier times yesterday - there were a couple of points where I had to revert to the Hanoi road-crossing method (maintain a predictable course and let the scooters go around you). The medina itself is mostly carless - the streets are too narrow - but still has enough scooters and donkey carts that you have to keep your wits about you. Couldn't help but fantasise about what an amazing place this would be as an urban orienteering venue - probably at least the same level of complexity as Venice (and, because most of the smaller alleyways end up in mazes that don't go anywhere, a lot of potential for 'you can't get here from there' route-choice legs).
As a run, this started out well, but tailed off a bit in the section coming back - possibly because I was feeling the boringness relative to what had just preceded it.
(In very marked contrast to the medina, where I'm staying is just down the road from Marrakech's version of a modern shopping mall, where I ventured this afternoon to get more bottled water. The food court would definitely not have been out of place in Northland).