Volkswagen Marathon Weekend

Something for everyone at the 17th annual PIM event

Suchi Rudra

Written by Suchi Rudra Published on 22.04.2011 13:47:51 (updated on 22.04.2011) Reading time: 3 minutes

It’s that time of the year again when both runners and running fans from Prague and beyond come together in the midst of this beautiful city to celebrate the simplest and sleekest of sports.

Prague’s 17th annual Volkswagen Marathon Weekend will be held on May 7 and 8, and is the flagship race of three annual races put on by the Prague International Marathon (PIM) organization. The first event, the Hervis Prague Half Marathon, was held April 2nd, and the third race, the Mattoni Prague Grand Prix, will be held on September 10.


But the Marathon Weekend is more than just the main race. Plenty of events and activities will be available for spectators and runners who haven’t necessarily been training for the last few months. In these non-competitive events, PIM is expecting over 5,000 participants this year.


For starters, the marathon comes with its very own music festival, Očko, providing a groovy soundtrack to the weekend’s various events.

For dog lovers, the “Pedigree® Walk with Dogs” begins at 10am on May 7, featuring a lovely 4.5 km course through Stromovka Park. Participants must present a valid vaccination certificate for their dog at the entrance (Marathon Sport Expo). For every registered participant, 1 kg of dog food will be donated to local dog shelters.


If you prefer wheels on your feet, Stromovka will also play host to the 6.5 km “MF DNES In-line party” on May 7, a non-competitive event for all ages. Entry is CZK 250 for participants over 15, and CZK 50 for those 65 and over, and also for children 15 or younger. Event begins at 12.45 in front of the Marathon Sport Expo.


As PIM events are always linked to charity and good causes, a new event called “Run with no limits” will take place on May 7, raising awareness and funds for handicapped children. Funds will be raised through starting fees and individual donations to the Emil Foundation.


Families can take to the streets during the 4.2 km Volkswagen Family Minimarathon, or support a more environmentally-friendly Prague by taking part in the 2 km Allianz Walk, which will guide its participants through completely car-free streets in Prague.

And there are plenty of opportunities for those who would like to run one of the main races, but prefer not to run the entire length of the course, including the Corporate Marathon: Relay, Corporate Marathon: Team, and the University Marathon.

About the race/Know before you go


The Volkswagen Prague Marathon, although still a relatively young race, was the sixth-fastest marathon in the world last year, with a new course record of 2:05:39 established by Eliud Kiptanui of KEN.


This year, the Volkswagen Prague Marathon has been awarded the IAAF Road Race Gold Label, a testament to a first-class event which brings a huge prestige to the race and attracts some of the leading elite athletes. At least 8,700 runners are expected to participate this year, an increase from last year’s count of almost 7,900 runners. Although the race always attracts local Czech runners, at least 50 percent of the whole starting field is expected to be made up of foreigners, including Italians, French, Germans, British and Slovaks.

Over the last few years, the races are starting to bring in a lot more women runners, which PIM is happy about, as one of the organization’s main goals is to target women and inspire them to take on running as means of achieving a healthy lifestyle. PIM has even created a special program, the “PIM Women’s Challenge”, which works specifically to provide advice to women who are at the start of their running “careers.”  


The race course for the weekend will weave past many of Prague’s major historical landmarks, including Prague Castle, the Dancing House, the Municipal House and over Charles Bridge. But if you want to be where the action is, be sure to find yourself a spot at the starting line and finish line, both of which will be located on Old Town Square.

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