Manobegimas 10k Race in Vilnius, Lithuania. 8th September 2024.
We ran the Manobegimas race of 10k, a part of the Marathon Vilnius Sunday: a great course on a sunny day to finish our Baltic Challenge in Lithuania.
🇪🇪 🇱🇻 🇱🇹 This race is part of what I called our “Baltic Challenge”: We ran in the three Baltic countries over the course of a weekend: 21k in Estonia for the Tallinn Half Marathon and 6k in Latvia, in Riga, both on Saturday, and 10k in Lithuania as part of the Vilnius Marathon races on Sunday. It was super tiring but such a great experience!
TLDR; “too long, didn’t read”
- I just want to run! Take me to RACE.
- I have 1 minute. Take me to USEFUL INFORMATION.
- Running is my excuse for travelling. Take me to TRIP.
- Running is my excuse for eating. Take me to CARBOLOADING.
- I want to know what to read in the plane. Take me to ONE BOOK.
🌍 The trip 📷: What to see in Vilnius in a couple of days
We started our tour visiting the Cathedral, where the marathon was taking place. The Vilnius Cathedral, dedicated to Saints Stanislaus and Ladislaus, is a prominent symbol of Lithuania’s Christian heritage.
The cathedral is a stunning example of neoclassical architecture. Its grand façade, designed by Laurynas Gucevičius, features classical columns that give it a majestic appearance. Inside, you’ll find beautifully decorated chapels, intricate frescoes, and statues that showcase the artistry of different periods.
We saw the Palace of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes (in Lithuanian, Nacionalinis muziejus Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės valdovų rūma).
Then we went up Gediminas’ Tower (Gedimino pilies bokštas), which is a symbol of Vilnius and Lithuania.
We walked up there – despite having to run 10k in the afternoon – and saw Gediminas’ Tower offers panoramic views of the city.
It is the remaining part of the Upper Castle, which dates back to the 14th century.
Then we headed to the Gates of Dawn (Aušros Vartai), which is a historic city gate and one of the most important religious, historical, and cultural monuments in Vilnius.
It houses a chapel with an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is believed to have miraculous powers and attracts pilgrims from around the world.
On our way back, we had cake in Vilnius Old Town (Senamiestis), after walking its narrow and winding streets. The Old Town is also the cultural heart of Vilnius, filled with cafes, shops, and galleries.
And when passing by the Presidential Palace, the official residence of the President of Lithuania:
We were lucky enough to see the changing of the guards (and the flags!)
During the following days, we also visited St. Anne’s Church, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and one of the most photographed buildings in Vilnius.
Its intricate design and red-brick facade are iconic, and it has fascinated visitors for centuries, including Napoleon, who is said to have wished to carry it back to Paris.
And of course, we had to go up to the “Three Crosses” monument, a landmark of the city with stunning views!
The monument has a deep historical resonance, as it commemorates the memory of Franciscan monks who, according to legend, were martyred on this site in the 14th century. The original wooden crosses were erected in the 17th century but were destroyed over time, with the current monument being a 20th-century reconstruction.
Located on the Hill of Three Crosses in Kalnai Park, the monument offers breathtaking panoramic views of Vilnius. From the top, you can see the entire city, including the Old Town, Gediminas Castle, and the Neris River. It’s one of the best spots for photography or simply taking in the beauty of the cityscape:
🏃♀️ The race 🏃♂️
Building up with running workouts and… tomato sauce 🍅!
During the months previous to the race, we received monthly updates from the organisation with a lot of information, which I greatly enjoyed.
There were free runnnig workouts, even! We couldn’t enjoy them because were were not in Vilnius, but I include here the details:
The training sessions were led by Greta Briedytė, founder and coach of the sports community “Stride Sisters.”
“Key points:
👉See you every Monday at 6 PM;
👉At Vingis park main stage;
👉Workouts are free;
👉Workouts are going to be filmed/photographed”
The emails also included discounts for all kind of products. I particulary liked a tomato pesto sauce 🍅 which was only 0,01 EUR! Wow, I was thinking we should move to Vilnius to fight the inflation in prices in Spain 😆
Arrival at Vilnius
We arrived at Vilnius via an AirBaltic flight: it was the second one we took in a weekend, and it was on time, fast and convenient. In under 35 minutes we landed, ahead of schedule.
The driver could not drop us in our hotel, the Amberton Hotel right by the Cathedral Square, because of… the marathon, of course!
So we walked there. It was 8:40, just 10 minutes after the start, and it was extremely quiet already. I guess they started on time and were very efficient to depart!
📅 The Marathon Expo 🎽
After leaving our stuff in the hotel, we went to pick up our BIBs for the Manobegimas race. My legs were hurting quite badly after the 27 kilometers we had run the day after, so I admit that we tried to change from the 10k to the 5k to be on the safe side. So it was not possible and we were stuck with the 10k. Later, that proved to be a great choice as we really enjoyed them!
We received a very complete pack! After the many emails the organization had been sending for weeks, I was expecting a good organization, but the pack exceeded my expectations. Even sliced bread! And Nike T-Shirts!
Roger’s one was size M, so after laughing a lot with him sporting it, we went to change it and luckily, he got an XL.
After leaving our Race bags in the hotel, we went sightseeing and to cheer up for the people running the 42k or the 21k. So we did. I will describe the tourism in the section “The trip”.
Seeing the Marathon and Half Marathon
We saw the first runners of the marathon and we cheered on their effort!
Then we passed by the NATO stand, where we got a little flag with the NATO and the Lithuanian flags (a flag I would use for pictures all day long). Later, in the evening, we would see a lot of German soldiers dismantling the stand with very scary trucks 😊
After going up to Gediminas Tower, we went back and saw many runners of the Half Marathon at around kilometre 19-20.
Something that surprised us is that many were running across the squares; I didn’t understand why but then Roger mentioned it could be to avoid the cobblestones. He was right: in the afternoon we would experience it!n However some also encountered cobblestones in their workaround!
Rihanna and Calvin Harris’s “This is what you came for” was playing and the atmosphere was very festive. The day was sunny but not too hot (well, for the marathon maybe a little, and we saw some runners later struggling…).
We went to see the Gate of Dawn and when we passed by the Town Hall Square, we saw two guys from the organization dressed like Winnie the Pooh and his friend Eeyore waving at the scarce runners who were passing by. They looked bored so when they saw a runner, they went wild!
Funnily enough, later we would pass by them when running the 10k and of course we high-fived them!
During the day
We went to the hotel to rest and we heard the atmosphere during the day; at 2:30 the 5k race was organized.
Special mention, though, to a trio of very fit and energetic ladies who were doing aerobic classes to the sound of Karol-G’s “Si antes te hubiera conocido”!
The Manobegimas 10k Race
Manobegimas, which in Lithuanian translates to “My Race” was due to start at 4pm.
And we started on time, while the Clock Tower Bells of the Cathedral were ringing.
Apparently, there were stickers with your corral that needed to be stuck over your BIB, but I only see very few runners actually doing it. We didn’t do it as we did not realise it.
First Kilometres
We started very slowly, because my legs were hurting badly after the Tallinn Half Marathon. It was a great idea to start from the end of the race, with runners of 6 minutes / km or slower paces.
It was slightly downhill and very sunny; it was beautiful. The low sun was casting very long shadows and we ran along the river: the race had a very peculiar atmosphere: like a relaxing stroll on a Sunday afternoon.
At kilometer 2 we crossed the river and then we entered a neighborhood with wooden houses: very similar to another neighborhood we had seen in Tallinn the day before.
Then we could drink water in the first of the 2 water stations: water in plastic cups and some energy drinks too. As it was quite hot, we hydrated properly.
Then we ran along the river and very modern buildings, made of steel and glass home to well-known international companies, that I had seen in the morning while driving from the Airport: PWC, Moody’s, Revolut, etc..
Middle part of the race
Kilometers were passing by faster than I had expected, and my legs started to be numb, so I didn’t feel the pain.
Roger seemed to be doing ok so he was setting the pace. When we were reaching kilometer 5 we saw a guy with a cardboard sign with a “6:00” written on it. I thought he was a random guy, but no: he was wearing an official “Pacer” t-shirt.
I saw spectators with signs “You cannot run from your problems” 😊 around kilometer 6; shortly later we entered the city center again.
Cobblestone streets! In fact around kilometer 7 I saw a few stones loose… quite dangerous!
Then we passed by the Town Hall square: when I recognised it, I wondered (and told Roger): “are Winnie and Eeyore be here?”… and they were! So we high-fived them.
Last Kilometres
We enjoyed going uphill (a short but very steep street) as our legs were holding up nicely and we were quite trained in hilly terrain. Roger picked up the pace, I followed.
We overtook many runners and went at a very good pace. We had a fright when we saw a steep hill… but no! It was a steep downhill street we had passed at kilometer 7.
We passed by St Anne’s Church and its beautiful façade.
At kilometer 7 and a half there was the last watering station: I took two cups because it was hot and I wanted to be on the safe side.
Roger was going strong and I was following. At kilometer 9, Roger, who was ahead of me, told me: “Tranquila que t’esperaré” (“don’t worry I will wait for you”) and a guy who happened to be Catalan overheard him so he started speaking to us!
The finish line
We were reaching the last 500m… we knew the area already; we had walked it!!!
I was starting to struggle but we ended up speeding to the finish line, running the last half kilometer under 5 minutes / km: we had run just under 56 minutes!!
We entered holding hands and were super happy! It was a feat as we had run a Half Marathon the day before!!
The Cathedral Bells were tolling beautifully… It was very atmospheric!
We were given super nice medals, as big and heavy as the Marathon and Half Marathon but with a “10k” on it. And water bottles.
🍜 Carboloading 🍝: What to eat in Vilnius if you are a runner
Lithuanian cuisine features several traditional dishes that are rich in carbohydrates. Here are some examples:
- Cepelinai: These are large, dumpling-like potato dishes filled with meat, cheese, or mushrooms. The dough is made from grated and mashed potatoes, making it very carbohydrate-dense. Cepelinai is often served with a rich bacon and onion sauce or sour cream.
- Bulviniai Blynai (Potato Pancakes): These are pancakes made from grated potatoes mixed with flour and eggs, then fried until crispy. They are typically served with sour cream or a mushroom sauce.
- Kugelis: Also known as potato pudding, Kugelis is made from grated potatoes, onions, eggs, and bacon, then baked to create a dense and hearty dish. It is often served with sour cream or a side of lingonberry sauce.
- Vėdarai (Potato Sausages): This dish consists of sausage casings filled with a mixture of grated potatoes, onions, and sometimes bacon, then baked or boiled. It is a traditional and carbohydrate-rich food.
We also did a very special Carboloading tasting some local bakerys in the little beatiful streets of the Old Town. Very recommeded!
And for protein recovery, we found a restaurant called “Meat lovers” and we went there the two days after our “Baltic Challenge”.
The restaurant was conveniently located meters away from the start and finish line, and we found in there many runners who had the same idea as us…
They offer entrecotes, steaks, burgers, german sausages… and also very good salads with… of course, meat! There were chicken salads and beef salads.
Lithuanian cuisine also includes a variety of traditional dishes that are rich in protein. Here are some examples:
- Kūgelis with Bacon: While kūgelis is carbohydrate-rich, adding bacon to this potato pudding provides a good amount of protein. The combination of grated potatoes, eggs, and bacon makes for a hearty and protein-rich dish.
- Šaltibarščiai (Cold Beet Soup) with Eggs: This vibrant pink soup has beets, kefir, and various herbs. It is often served with a hard-boiled egg, which adds protein to the dish. The kefir also contributes to the protein content.
- Balandėliai (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls): These rolls are typically filled with a mixture of ground meat (often pork or beef), rice, and onions. The meat filling makes them a good source of protein.
Useful information
🏆 Vilnius Marathon (42k, 21k, 10k and 5k) – Marathon, HalfMarathon, ManoBegimas race and “Run for fun” race
🌐 Website: https://www.vilniausmaratonas.lt/en/
🏃 Number of runners: 1,200 finishers for the Marathon.
🗓️ September in Vilnius, Lithuania.
👟 Urban: bring shoes for asphalt.
✅ Very well organised marathon that offers multiple choices: from 42k to 5k. Beautiful courses running across the Old Town!
✅ Very complete Race Pack and very good Tshirts.
Map
One book
“Vilnius Poker”, by Ričardas Gavelis.
A notable Lithuanian novel set in Vilnius is “Vilnius Poker” by Ričardas Gavelis.
Published in 1989, this novel is a significant work of Lithuanian literature that offers a dark, surreal, and intricate portrayal of life in Soviet-era Vilnius. The story revolves around the protagonist Vytautas Vargalys, who navigates a complex and often oppressive society. The novel delves into themes of totalitarianism, identity, and the search for truth, providing a vivid and thought-provoking depiction of Vilnius and its inhabitants during a turbulent period in the city’s history.
Plot Summary:
Detailing a man’s mental breakdown—and his obsessions with a seductress named Lolita, the omnipresent “them,” and the need to uncover what’s “really going on”—Vilnius Poker is an epic, paranoid novel about the surreal absurdities and horrors of life under Soviet rule. In the words of Kirkus Reviews, “think of it as The Matrix behind the Iron Curtain—unsettling and profoundly interesting.”
