The pinnacle of the running season is fast approaching! Next weekend, May 5th ,The Prague International Marathon will take place, with over 8,000 runners expected to participate. Half of those taking part are from overseas, heading to the city of Prague from over 91 countries. According to statistics from Czech Tourism, this hugely important sporting event brought 190 million Czech crowns into the Czech economy last year, with this year’s edition expected to exceed 200 million Czech crowns (8 million Euros). Additionally, the traditional running festival will globally showcase Prague, with footage from Charles Bridge and other iconic Prague landmarks set to reach 131 countries. After a year away, the start and finish return to Old Town Square. The Prague Marathon will kick off on Sunday, 5th May at 9:00.
RunCzech events typically attract around 107,000 domestic and international tourists to Prague during April, May, and September. This year’s season started magnificently with The Prague Half Marathon, which saw over 15,000 participants. The interest in running sports events in the city is reinforced by The Prague Marathon. “Active sports enthusiasts come to Prague for the marathon, combining participation in the race with tourism and exploring local landmarks,” said Jiří Nečásek, marketing manager at RunCzech.
Organisers will also focus on health and safety measures for the entire event. At this year’s Prague Half Marathon, held under extremely high temperatures, dozens of people had problems with overheating. “We anticipate having 16 refreshment stations with 8 isotonic drinks at the Prague Marathon this year. In total, we have prepared 30,000 litres of water and over 16,000 litres of isotonic drinks. We will have 34 first aid medical posts along the course and four patrols on bicycles with defibrillators. We will also rely on the medical module Golem, which will be not only at the finish line but also along the course,” clarified Jiří Nečásek.
For the runners, there will also be 27,000 bananas and 17,000 oranges available. “We will also provide more information to participants about the risks of warm weather. Feedback from The Prague Half Marathon has also meant we have increased the number of toilets before the start. There will be a total of 180 toilets in the vicinity of the start,” Nečásek added. Not only will there be more refreshments awaiting runners at this year’s Prague Marathon, but there will also be a total of 23 music bands along the course, providing a unique experience.
In total, over 8,000 participants are expected to arrive at the start at Old Town Square, half of them from overseas. The largest representation among foreigners will come from France, Poland, Italy, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom. Elite runners from China, India, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru will also fly in. Prague’s global visibility, thanks to this traditional running event, is significant – the broadcast of the Prague Marathon will be watched by an incredible 700 million viewers. “The Prague Marathon is a special race where people don’t compete against each other, it’s about the essence of the joy of movement. I hear everywhere how well organised this race is and what quality it has,” said Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda.
In regards to the total economic impact of the events staged in Prague throughout the year (The Prague Half Marathon, The Prague International Marathon, The UniCredit Prague Relay, and The Birell Grand Prix Prague) brought 589 million Czech koruna into the Czech economy. RunCzech organisers expect this figure to increase this year due to the heightened interest in all their events. “For us, the Prague Marathon is a brand of the highest quality, it puts us among the best organizers in the world. I’m glad that after the Covid era, running is becoming organized. Basic physical activities are a natural and integrated part of a good healthy life,” said Libor Varhaník, Chairman of the Czech Athletic Association.
The last registrations for the main race and the dm family mile can be found at www.runczech.com.
