Volkswagen Marathon Weekend

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.