I know officially it is “Bucharest International Half-Marathon by Constantina Diță” now, but when I first participated, back in 2017, the race was meant to be a pure 10K. It isn’t now, but this diluted both the 10K and half-marathon events. The problem with the actual branding is that Bucharest has already a labeled half marathon, in first half of May, before this started, and two similar events, so closed to each other breed a lot of confusion. It is not like Romania has any major running event at all, so putting into the capital city two labeled similar, even if they are very thin represented Europe wise, not to mention world wise, is a pity.
It is not really anything international in Bucharest, for those who know…
I am not 100% about the details of this, but I can state for a fact that we are a nation which, instead of collaborating to build something bigger, we prefer to go alone, or on our way, because we are “better”. You can bring in a couple of international athletes, but you will never build a significant “International” event as it is labeled, in this way. And I am not referring to international at Berlin, Amsterdam, Valencia, or even Athens level, citing only the ones I’ve been to, but not at the level of Prague, Budapest or Oslo. Believe me, if you go there, Bucharest, with its events, seems more like a color run.
My attempt in the half-marathon was bold, but a fail
In any case, the point of putting my thoughts into written is not necessary to debate this ridiculous situation, but why I am considering the event labeled as Diță 10K, and not Bucharest International Half Marathon. First of all, my participation to this specific race met its fifth start, and even with a poor performance, it is still my second best. After the… 2025 one. Alongside the 2023 attempt to break the 1:30 barrier for my half, this was my sixth participation in the event, out of 10. Pretty solid, I would say, when starting to discuss a bit about the event.
A 10K race organized by a lady famous for the marathon
The race itself is the creation of Constantina Diță, actual boss of the Romanian Athletics Federation, but further marathon Olympic Champion, in 2008, at Beijing. It is for sure the first and only Romanian who will ever win an Olympic marathon. Now, putting her name bigger stamped to the race to me looks an even better idea, than to make a switch that can confuse and divide people. The intention, sort to say, was to create a very competitive 10K race, which clearly is not the case, if we want to be honest, and compare to what is happening in European countries.
Sun always influences my performance
Regardless, for me, this is a very good test in general, and I find the chances good to have a decent race, with the odds of (maybe) not having too much sun. If it shady like in 2025, I could pull out a 41:31 which, even if it is not my personal best, not even top three, it is one of the best races in the last calendar year. As a comparison, this year, the chip time was 42:12. 41 seconds worst, with a slower start that in the end didn’t prove to be the best idea. Like last year, three weeks before the race, I’ve attended a 5K cross at USAMV, and then my finish was 20:45, now 20:09. Then, allegedly, a better form.
Hope is not a strategy
I don’t know, the point is that this year, the sun didn’t shine like in 2025 at my 5K, but it did shine at Diță 10K, and I couldn’t honor the 10th anniversary edition like I would liked – under 42 minutes, or even like I hoped for: under 41. Yes, under 40 is more of a dream right now, but it always was, except from 2023, when I did pull off a wonderful race, but like a curse, I didn’t compete under my name, because I decided late to enter. I do have the result, but in the ranking my name is not stamped to it. Now, I can’t do that, and I am not sure when and if I would ever be able, but not even the conservative intention came to fruition.
Not a great result, but a good training
Am I upset? Absolutely not. One, because I dealt with this like a half-training, half- race to prepare further my other objectives and two, because I remember pretty clear how amazed I was in 2019, after participating one day before at a trail half-marathon in Brasov, to get a 43:40 finish. Also, I remember how happy I was at the beginning of 2020, when in Hungary I’ve clocked 42:24 for a 10K. The truth is that, with my current approach, going again under 40 would be a miracle, and I am more of a 41 – 42 minutes / 10K runner. I can slightly improve, but I don’t see myself putting 38 in front of a 10K finish without tons of efforts.
The “map” of the race is very good for a PB
Efforts I don’t really want to take, because, as said, in the end, running is just a hobby, and unless you don’t broke a world record or qualify for a major event, where money is pouring, it is absolutely no use to get above and beyond to cut 30 seconds, one or two minutes. It is nice, yes, but at some point in time, “nice” meant more of “stupid” and “retard”, so it can backfire quickly, and you can miss more important things in life. In any case, Diță 10K is a decent organized event, I like the location, and nobody can argue that the running path is one of the best for a 10K in Bucharest, and with a bit of luck, if the weather works in your favor, it is really a best shot for a PB.
Here are my results at Diță 10K Bucharest
As I do usually, I am breaking down my performance from 2017 to present (with a big gap between 2019 and 2023 – yep, included the half-marathon first 10K for reference), to picture the evolution and each kilometer run. From a fun profane race, to best results expectations and finally to races where I just wanted to be the best version of the moment. The half-marathon was a bold decision, but unsuccessful, when it comes to final result. But the first half was good, so quite competitive to display. Maybe the next one, if any, will be at least below 41 minutes.
The marathon, for the first time, under 2 hours!
In the end, the best take away, and most interesting part, was that my fifth such race, at Diță 10K, was in the same day when for the first time in history an official looped marathon was run under 2 hours. And not by one single athlete, but by two! The marathon, same type of race for which Constantina Diță, the founder of this one is most famous for, because winning the gold medal at a Summer Olympics will always be remembered by the books, no mater what.