This weekend the Lanzarote resort of Puerto del Carmen will be alive with the sound of music as athletes and entertainers join forces to raise funds for some favourite causes in the access-for-all Music Marathon Festival 2011 on Saturday 22nd October.

Organised by Kenneth Gasque – Race Director of Ironman Lanzarote and the man behind the Ocean Lava Triathlon and the Wine Run – and his team of professionals, music provides the inspiration to competitors and spectators alike and connects us all, regardless of our age, background and abilities.

Very much an inclusive event, everyone is invited to attend, either as a competitor, a volunteer or a spectator. Over the course of half, quarter and eighth marathon distances for adults and mile or half mile for children, you can run, jog, walk, Rollerblade or race in a wheelchair and the music will be there to accompany you and to spur you on to the finish line.

Beginning and ending in front of the Los Cocoteros Apartments, Avenida de Las Playas in Puerto Del Carmen will be converted into one big street party from 3pm with music provided throughout the afternoon and evening by local punk kids The Nauty Boyz; Country, folk, rock dynamic duo The Mick James Band; 60s songster Andy Reynolds; pop,Country, folk duo Charlie and Nolita from Joy Council; Derek and Pedro with Jake on drums; kid rockers The Tareaways; Gail O’Donovan; Los Rubaroos and Soul Diva Project.

When the races have been run and the awards have been presented, it’s time to celebrate the achievements of everyone who took part in the Finish Line Festival where a medley of bands keep athletes, spectators, volunteers, organisers and the whole resort celebrating life through music, food and the company of good friends.

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, make time for the Music Marathon Festival.

Photos from official Music Marathon Festival website

Here at Sands Beach Resort we’re pulling out all the stops in readiness for the biggest marathon event of the year – the 2011 Lanzarote International Marathon which this year is being organized jointly by ourselves and Club La Santa.

Registration for the event is now open and you can find all the race details and an entry form on the official Lanzarote International Marathon website.

The event will be held over a weekend of race events and family fun for athletes, supporters and anyone on holiday in Costa Teguise on 2nd, 3rd and 4th December 2011.

The main event of the weekend will be the full marathon of 42.195km which will be held on Sunday 4th December with an athletes meet time of 8.15am and a start time of 9am. Half and quarter marathon distances of 21.100km and 10.550km respectively will be held concurrently.

The timing and sub-division of race distances present an ideal opportunity for athletes of all levels to either compete at their distance or to use the day as a real time training exercise and the inclusion of wheelchair user categories means that the event is open to all athletes. The temperature promises to be around the 18ºC (60ºF) mark which will be ideal for an event of this nature and the course takes runners along the picturesque Costa Teguise sea front where crowds of spectators are expected to add race day excitement and encouragement to push adrenalin levels further.

The course begins outside Sands Beach Resort on Avenida Islas Canarias and continues to Avenida del Jabillo where it turns down towards the marina. From there it joins the promenade to take runners alongside the beautiful sea front of the Jabillo, Bastián and Ancla beaches, all the way to La Caleta before looping back on itself and returning to Sands Beach. Four laps of the course will constitute the full marathon distance; two laps will be the half distance and a single lap completes the quarter marathon.

Entry fees for the marathon are 25 euros for the full distance, 20 euros for half and 15 euros for quarter and there are cash prizes of 100 euros to 500 euros for placed finishers in each category.

On Saturday 3rd December the youngest athletes of the family are invited to get in some real time training with a 1km race beginning at 6pm on the promenade at Pueblo Marinero. Entrance is free and it promises to be a fun event for all the family.

Sands Beach Resort and Club La Santa are offering special accommodation packages for athletes which means that the whole family can combine a holiday in this beautiful part of Lanzarote with competing and supporting the event.

We’re very much looking forward to seeing you for what promises to be a wonderful weekend of sport and fun

Photos by James Mitchell Photography

Nobody thought it was going to be easy, but the Lanzarote weather made life just that little bit harder for the participants in the Ocean Lava Race 2011.

A combination of blisteringly hot temperatures, an unforgiving sun, wind and lively seas made what is normally one hell of a challenge a real killer that tested athletes’ stamina and fitness levels to their limits.

In the men’s field it looked as though it might be a two horse race but in the end Sebastian Kienle took first place without a serious challenge at a time of 4:14:40 with the real battle taking place for second and third positions with Thomas Hellriegel (4:21:34) finishing two seconds ahead of David Rodriquez Rodriquez (4:21:36).

A bit of controversy in the women’s race saw victory go to Michelle Vesterby with a time of 4:52:02, whilst her most serious challenger, Tamsin Lewis found herself relegated to third place after a disputed penalty resulted in a time of 4:58:41. Second spot went to Eva Ledesma Calvet with a race time of 4:57:30.

Telde Actualidad took the honours in the teams race with a time of 5:25:10 whilst Sands Beach Resorts’ favourite photographer (who supplied these great images) and team ‘James Mitchell Photographer’ finished a respectable eighth with a race time of 6:12:25

Sands Beach Resort would like to take this opportunity to say congratulations to everyone who took part in the thrilling and gruelling Ocean Lava Race. We’re already looking forward to next year’s challenge.