The Maspalomas Racial Profiling Marathon, Gran Canaria
Marathon # 471
Barefoot Marathon # 169
Maspalomas Dunes Marathon # 45
Date: January 6, 2025
My Time : 7:14:55
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
When I set off on June 6, 2025, from my second home in Playa del Inglés for my 471st marathon and my third marathon in six days, I was expecting to do a routine Maspalomas Dunes Marathon and post the Garmin data on the corresponding article on this website, but I was unlawfully stopped halfway by the Spanish Federal Police (policía nacional) at around 2 p.m., hence the name of the race, especially since it was the 2nd time the motorcycle patrol illegally stopped me. The first time was on my way to the Holiday World gym.
My plan was to run 4 km to the Meloneras Promenade, where I intended to do multiple out-and-backs to complete the remaining 38 km of the marathon. I had completed just over 20 km when a police officer reached me from behind on a motorbike and ordered me to stop for a full check: backpack, documents, money, credit card, health insurance card, food, etc. He also asked me all kinds of questions, threatened to take me to the police station and called four other federal police officers for reinforcement.
When I asked them why they are checking me, they came up with a questionable motive: they claimed that a security guard allegedly saw a person stealing a wallet inside a store and took a picture of the thief. The first police officer showed me the photo on HIS cellphone. It was taken from behind me.
“Is that you?” he asked.
“Of course, it’s me, but you’re wrongfully harassing me and wasting my time, and you all know that,” I replied.
“Everyone can make mistakes, even you,” one of them said.
“Maybe, but this one is your second serious mistake against me in a few months, the first time was on my way to the gym,” I replied.
Regardless of the purpose, whoever took the photo is obviously not very smart, to say the least. When I requested a copy of the photo and an immediate confrontation with the person who took it, they embarrassingly said, “NO!” and drove away. My question is: why didn’t the police officers grant my LEGITIMATE request?
Since it would have been futile to wait for an answer that would never come, I decided to take a deep breath and resume my 471st marathon!
My book Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
Barefoot Marathon # 169
Maspalomas Dunes Marathon # 45
Date: January 6, 2025
My Time : 7:14:55
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
When I set off on June 6, 2025, from my second home in Playa del Inglés for my 471st marathon and my third marathon in six days, I was expecting to do a routine Maspalomas Dunes Marathon and post the Garmin data on the corresponding article on this website, but I was unlawfully stopped halfway by the Spanish Federal Police (policía nacional) at around 2 p.m., hence the name of the race, especially since it was the 2nd time the motorcycle patrol illegally stopped me. The first time was on my way to the Holiday World gym.
My plan was to run 4 km to the Meloneras Promenade, where I intended to do multiple out-and-backs to complete the remaining 38 km of the marathon. I had completed just over 20 km when a police officer reached me from behind on a motorbike and ordered me to stop for a full check: backpack, documents, money, credit card, health insurance card, food, etc. He also asked me all kinds of questions, threatened to take me to the police station and called four other federal police officers for reinforcement.
When I asked them why they are checking me, they came up with a questionable motive: they claimed that a security guard allegedly saw a person stealing a wallet inside a store and took a picture of the thief. The first police officer showed me the photo on HIS cellphone. It was taken from behind me.
“Is that you?” he asked.
“Of course, it’s me, but you’re wrongfully harassing me and wasting my time, and you all know that,” I replied.
“Everyone can make mistakes, even you,” one of them said.
“Maybe, but this one is your second serious mistake against me in a few months, the first time was on my way to the gym,” I replied.
Regardless of the purpose, whoever took the photo is obviously not very smart, to say the least. When I requested a copy of the photo and an immediate confrontation with the person who took it, they embarrassingly said, “NO!” and drove away. My question is: why didn’t the police officers grant my LEGITIMATE request?
Since it would have been futile to wait for an answer that would never come, I decided to take a deep breath and resume my 471st marathon!
My book Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).