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‘Absolute legend’: Ex-Russia & Chelsea soccer ace Smertin performs keepy-uppy on ice – then wins infamous excessive marathon (VIDEO)
Former Russia captain Alexey Smertin has been filmed delicately juggling a soccer on the icy floor of an unlimited lake in Siberia – a day earlier than battling by means of freezing circumstances to win one of many world’s hardest marathons.
Wearing gloves and a woolly hat, courageous Smertin confirmed nifty knee and footwork to maintain a ball up on the ice with mates forward of the annual Baikal Ice Marathon, a exceptional 26.2-mile race which takes place on a lake floor.
The daring 45-year-old confirmed he nonetheless possessed a few of the ample expertise that took him to the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 in a much-needed warm-up, and he proceeded to show that he’s simply as aggressive and as keen a runner as he was throughout a celebrated profession that was largely spent on mercifully ice-free pitches.
Frequently rated as one of the troublesome and excessive races on the planet by a plethora of media shops and health magazines, the marathon takes place as a part of a wider sports activities pageant within the area on a extremely uncommon floor that checks runners to their limits.
Small “hills” of ice rubble cowl geothermic springs throughout the route, with seismic exercise inflicting melting that kinds holes and cracks within the ice.
The flat course is difficult and uneven with areas of extremely polished ice which can be described as being just like an ice rink, not helped by the potential for sturdy winds and ultra-challenging chilly.
Organizers describe the race as “psychologically and bodily demanding”, explaining that the “completely featureless panorama” provides “little or no sense of perspective to rivals, providing them nothing to deal with however how far they’re from their purpose.”
“It’s a lengthy, chilly, lonely path throughout the barren white panorama, the place progress is marked solely by checkpoints positioned at 5km [three-mile] intervals,” they are saying.
“Nevertheless, a lot of those that as soon as ran the Baikal Ice Marathon return once more – some many times.”
Ought to Smertin return subsequent 12 months, the 2005 Premier League winner would be the man to beat. Virtually 22 years after turning into the Russian Footballer of the Yr, he scooped his newest honor by profitable the race in a powerful ending time, clocking in a shade below three-and-a-half hours.
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