A glamorous sports event took place in St. Petersburg at the weekend, as 78 girls in high heels ran a marathon.
Of course, they did not have to run 42 kilometers – only a hundred meters, and then an individual round of 50.
Still, that was harder than it sounds, especially given that the heels had to be at least nine centimeters high.
Some participants made sure their shoes stayed on their feet by using sello-tape.
For one lucky girl, the hassle was worth some 50,000 rubles in prize money.
Doctors had asked organisers to cancel the contest, but to no avail.
“Marathons” of all different kinds have gained huge popularity over Russia in recent years. Back in early July, for example, around 20,000 cyclists took to the streets of Moscow to take part in a nocturnal bike ride.
The annual event, now into its fifth year, is called “Velo-night.” It is not just about sport – every year the riders follow a route connected with Russian history and culture.
The participants were asked to bring pocket-radios with them as several stations were transmitting special programmes about Moscow history.