I decided I wanted to do a half somewhere in Europe, go somewhere I'd never been and try and use up some annual leave. A race in Reykjavik, on a Thursday in the middle of June ticked all those boxes - so rather impulsively I signed up. 

It was a great decision. The "unique" element of this is the fact it starts at night - not quite midnight, I think the start time was 9pm. The organisation beforehand was good - lots of comms and a stress free organisation. Like most things in Iceland the race wasn't cheap, but equally probably better value than spending half the price pounding up and down a dual carriageway. 

The course itself is not a flat PB course, but not one with anything too difficult. There's some incredible scenery - I can honestly say I've never run past a waterfall in a half before - and had it been sunny the midnight sun would've been incredible. It wasn't a huge field, but it does deserve more attendees - the marshalls were very excitable and friendly. Water in cups is never ideal for this distance but that's the only fault I can think of. Would run again and would recommend!

What a fantastic race and experience - lots of international runners taking part, amazing Icelandic scenery all along the route, the first half is challenging, going uphill, then it's a steady downhill trek to the finish. The organisation was seamless, with a 5K and 10K at the same time, and being able to dip into the geothermal pool at the end was the perfect end to any half marathon (the weather was a bit chilly this year, about 8-10 degrees Celsius, with a cool breeze). Plan your trip and you can take in some of the stunning sights that are all within easy travelling distances of Reykjavik. There's lots of wildlife, especially in the sea -whale watching, puffins, dolphins, just make sure you have packed really warm clothes, even for June (and also pack a sleep mask as it stays light all night long which makes it difficult to sleep!). I would recommend this race to anyone looking for a new adventure as it's surreal to be running at midnight in full daylight!