The Whole Truth About Almaty Marathon

Where does the money collected during the charity marathons in Almaty go? Why are races held in the city? Who controls road closures during starts? Running and beer: Is it a good idea after a race? The organizers of the largest running event in Central Asia answered these and other questions.

The Almaty Marathon has become an integral part of the sports life of the largest city in Kazakhstan – for seven years, more than 80 000 runners took part in it. However, holding such a mass event raises a number of questions. Today we will try to answer some of them.

TENGRINEWS: Why does the city need a marathon?

Saltanat Kazybayeva, Director of the Courage to be the first Corporate Fund: The marathon has become one of the hallmarks of Almaty, this colorful event builds a sporting culture of residents, especially children, and it is a direct promotion of a healthy lifestyle. In addition, holding international sporting events in the city can contribute to attract investments and develop inbound tourism. Thus, marathons held in major American cities (Boston, New York) generated 200 million dollars in government revenue. I note that mass races are held in major cities around the world for almost a hundred years. The oldest in Europe Kosice Marathon (Slovakia) originates from 1924. In total there are more than 12 000 city marathons all over the world. Start and finish of the competitions are located in central squares or large stadiums. In Paris, marathon starts on the Champs Elysees and in London, finish line for runners is at Buckingham palace.

TENGRINEWS: The Almaty Marathon is a charitable race. Where does the money go? How do you control over the use of funds?

Valikhan Ten, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Courage to be the first Corporate Fund: Our fund holds many sporting events. The Almaty Marathon is the only one of them that has charitable purposes. I emphasize: it has charitable purposes, but it is not exclusively charitable. Every year we choose one or more charitable purposes. It includes the construction of sports fields in boarding schools, children's hospice, nursery gardens, the purchase of necessary medical equipment, construction of water play area and climbing wall for children with special needs. Over the past 7 years, our team implemented 14 charitable projects totaling more than 59 million KZT in the 11 facilities for 2500 children.

Raushan Zhanayeva, Charity Projects Manager:  We do not only transfer money, but also fully manage the whole process from the selection of purposes, contractors, to the control of construction and completion of a facility. For example, expenses for charity of the Almaty Marathon in 2018 amounted to 16 380 500 KZT. This money was directed to the construction of sports playgrounds in the special boarding school No.6 for children with visual impairments in Yessik town, and the “I am with you” hospice for children with oncological diseases in Almaty region. Sports playgrounds have been built and fully equipped in these facilities. Information about charitable purposes is listed on our website: http://www.almaty-marathon.kz/ru/info/charity/. In general, all information about the movements of our funds on an ongoing basis is posted on the website of the “Yuridicheskaya Gazeta”.

TENGRINEWS: You said that for the realization of charitable purposes you direct part of the funds from registration fees. How much does it cost to organize such a large-scale event?

Saltanat Kazybayeva: The amount may vary from year to year depending on the number of participants and current prices in the market. For example, in 2016, only direct expenses (not including the costs of the organizing committee) per participant were 10,780 KZT, and in 2018 – 8,064 KZT. This is due to the fact that, firstly, with the inreasing popularity of the Almaty Marathon, many partners began to provide their services at preferential tariffs, and secondly, thanks to the trust of the sponsors and their early financial support, we are able to conclude agreements with suppliers at fixed prices. The total estimate of direct expenses in 2018 on the organization of the Almaty Marathon amounted to 109 million KZT. Most of the costs went to the preparation of start packages. Then there are the costs of organizing food points, prize money, equipment, inventory, decorations, presenters’ fees, music, broadcasts, etc.

TENGRINEWS: The organization of any mass event requires painstaking and careful preparation. How does the organization of the competition begin?

Saltanat Kazybayeva: For avid amateur athletes, planning is especially important. After all, the schedule of trainings, purchase of tickets, search for fellow travellers depends on it. Therefore, our task is to give a schedule of starts as early as possible. As a rule, already in the current year we are preparing a calendar for the next year. So, just 3 months after the seventh Almaty Marathon, runners found out the next date – April 21, 2019, and as early as September 2018, registration opened. Now on our website you can check the date of each start of the Courage to be the first Fund team. These are races (7 races are scheduled in 2019), swimming, cycling, triathlon starts and even powerlifting. The routes and location of each of them is agreed with the city authorities. Each competition is carefully planned for several months.

TENGRINEWS: The Almaty Marathon course has been updated this year. How is the route chosen, who and how measures it and when do participants wait for a change?

Artyom Yakupov, Project Manager: The Almaty Marathon track is measured and certified according to the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distant Races). Certification of the track should be carried out once every 5 years. The first measurement was in 2013. Since that time, the Almaty Marathon is considered international – now athletes from more than 40 countries of the world take part in the competitions. In 2018, certification and routes were updated. Accordingly, next changes will take place only in 2023. An official reprezentative of AIMS is invited for the measurement. A special measuring wheel is usually used, as well as bycicle with special equipment that calculates mileage.

TENGRINEWS:  Every time before start you can observe boom of disgruntled comments from those who did not have time to register. Why are so many “latecomers” and why it is impossible to issue race numbers after registration is closed? 

Sultan Kassymov, Technical specialist: In fact, we give a lot of time for registration. This year the registration for the Almaty Marathon opened 7 months before the start. So, everybody have enough time to register. According to the rules of our competition, registration closes on one specific day. After this, the list of participants can not be changed. This is due to technical features of the formation of the base of athletes, and the slightest changes can lead to failures. We conduct a large information campaign, the ways of registration are simplified for everyone, even if you are not in Kazakhstan. We do everything to ensure that on the exact date all start packages are in place and participants can get them without а hitch. Considering that the number of participants who paid registration fees this year was about 14 thousand people, each of which is assigned a separate number, on such days the team's efforts are focused on these processes. There is no one to deal with those who are late…

TENGRINEWS: The Almaty Marathos is hold only once a year, and what do you do all the rest of time?

Kuralay Yermekbayeva, Chief Operating Officer: We are often asked this question. In addition to the Almaty Marathon, our team (18 people) holds 20 other sporting events a year, as well as timing services for other starts. We work on content , organizing the site, infroming participants, constant development of new products. Moreover, we constantly communicate with athletes, analyze reviews after each competition to make next races better. It is important to understand that each start, in addition to the organization, requires administrative work, such as search for partners, budgeting, negotiating process.

TENGRINEWS: One of the most discussed and scandalous topics is the road closure during competitions. Why it is impossible to conduct a marathon outside the city or to make road closures more convenient?

Saltanat Kazybayeva: We hold only 3 events a year that require partial road closures – these are the Almaty Marathon in April, The Tour of World Class Almaty cycling race in August and the Almaty Half Marathon in autumn.  The rest of starts are held in parks and facilities. Each time road closure is carefully worked out with the city services, the Department of Internal Affairs, emergency situations, district akimats. Person who is responsible for road closure is constantly contacts the organizers and technical experts who control how participants cover distances.  The last runner is always followed by a closing car. Track is opened immediately after it. There is no sense in keeping roads closed all day long. During our events, highway is closed in the early morning only on one of the weekends. Some sections of the streets are open as eraly as 9-10 am, thus the temporary restriction of traffic remains almost unnoticed.

The road closure system is being upgraded and improved every time, and we work to make the movement of vehciles on such days as convenient as possible. An important role is played by the preliminary notification of closure. As soon as the courses and time are coordinated with the city's Department of Internal Affairs, information is provided to all local media, TV and radio. As a rule, informing is done a few days before the start.

As for the people who are unhappy with holding the Almaty Marathon in the city, according to the data of social psychology, there is a category of “eternal grumblers” in any society and their share does not exceed 5 percent. Nonetheless, we are aware that the Almaty Marathon is a young project to be perfect. Therefore, we are grateful to our opponents, since their criticism allows us to correct or prevent possible mistakes.

TENGRINEWS: What about safety and medical assistance along course?

Raushan Zhanayeva: Along the course, at the start and finish, ambulances are always on duty. We always pay attention to participants: if suddenly they feel sick, then it is better to see a doctor before start.

Now we have many partners who provide the event with medical services: we did rapid sugar and cholesterol testing, participants had a chance to consult a cardiologist and a breast specialist (during Women's race).

Saltanat Kazybayeva: Unfortunately, in 2018, during one of the starts, the participant of the race died at a distance in Almaty. The ambulnace crew, arriving at the scene after three minutes, confirmed his death. We were shocked by the tragedy. We always recommend that all participants undergo regular medical examinations. We keep saying that everybody should undergo regular pre-participation screenings, regardless of whether you run or not. Every year, from January to the start of the marathon, we will organize a series of open training sessions, where a professional trainer will help absolutely everyone to master the running technique. In addition, we have free lectures, where professional speakers tell about the features of running, diet, sports shoes and much more. Every day, recommendations for our runners are posted on our social networks. We want running and sports be useful for everybody.   

TENGRINEWS: Why did the race serve beer at the finish line? Is is right to do this after the marathon?

Artyom Yakupov: Firstly, this beverage was not given out to everyone, but only to those who wanted to drink it, and, secondly, alcohol-free beer is useful for recovery after covering the distance, it is a natural isotonic, containing many important salts, carbohydrates in a concentration similar to their concentration in our body, and it will be very useful for participants who run 21 and 42 km and who need to replenish the mineral and salt balance in the body after race. After our races only alcohol-free beer is given. Although many races abroad serve beverages with a slight degree.

Non-alcoholic beer can be consumed after physical exercises. It contains a complex of amino acids and vitamin B, as well as water-soluble silicon, without which the regeneration of bone and cartilage is impossible. Of course, it should not be abused, as they say, one should know when to stop.

In addition to beer, everyone can choose water or tea. Along the track for distances there are also several types of snacks such as fruit, sports isotonics and gels, chocolate, buns…

TENGRINEWS: You said that there are about 18 people on your team. Who else helps in the organization?

Kymbat NURDAULET, Volunteer Manager: Now, about 2,000 people work on the Almaty Marathon organization. They are organizing committee, volunteers, the city services, Department of Internal Affairs, employees of the Almaty Triathlon Federation, World Class Almaty fitness center, Academician Sh.Yessenov Foundation, partners.

Only volunteers in the Almaty Marathon is 600 people. These young men came from volunteer organizations, but there are also people who contacted us on their own, our friends. There are many students, schoolchildren (the smallest volunteer is 13 years old) and adults, the oldest participants of the volunteer group is  53 years old.

They help us collect and issue start kits, support runners on the course, give them water and snacks, meet at the finish line with the cherished medal and other organizational processes. 

We are eternally grateful to everyone, because this is tremendous support and assistance to the entire organizing committee. Regularly, we receive more and more applications from those who want to become a volunteer, recruiting is open now, we always welcome new responsible youth in our team.

Already in 5 months the city will plung into sporting atmosphere, because the eighth Almaty Marathon will start. Let’s run together!