GoteborgsVarvet.

[Garry Lee]

This is the world's biggest half marathon with 70000 participants. My daughter who's a very good runner ran this earlier this year and came 12th woman and 2nd non-African woman so that wasn't bad. It was won by Kenyans, male and female. No surprise.
It is such a huge race that after the elite athletes are gone, they start the race in batches and it takes 4 hours to get it going to the end. There are parties en route with numerous bands , etc. A great occasion. 200000 people watch it.

I shot numerous shots and I love a series I did of the three leading Kenyan men coming across the bridge at mile nine. A half marathon measures 13.1 miles.


Varvet by gearoidmuar, on Flickr

This is one of the series. Canon 1Div with 400 f5.6 L lens wide open.

 

[Brian Moore]

Yeah it's a great shot, Garry. I love the tension on that middle guy's face.

 

[Garry Lee]

The man on the left, no 13, won as far as I can remember. They were delighted with the photos which I put on line for them.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Great shot Gary!
Well timed, perfect dof and framing
They have great expressions don't they, they just look deep in thought ... Which I guess they probably are!

 

[Thomas brookes]

ace shot garry.... so clean.i love the highlights on there muscular frames.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Very nice grouping, and super clean image - the 400 has done a lovely job

I know this lens from years past when I owned one - but that was in the film days, and I've never shot with one on a DSLR

How was it for AI Servo on the runners?

 

[Garry Lee]

I find it as good as anything with action, Chris. I mostly use a Sigma 300 f2.8 but that's too heavy to be lugging to Sweden. The 400 is as sharp at f5.6 as it is stopped down, i.e. very sharp and with excellent contrast. The Sigma is SLIGHTLY less crisp, but still sharp enough.
These lads were going hard and in fact broke the course record.