If we talk about Poland, I immediately liked this country because of the large number interesting running events, which are held on its territory throughout the year. In addition, my acquaintance with running began directly in Poland, where I took participation in the marathon "Silesia Marathon" in the town of Katowice in the south of the country. Since then, it has been my passion long-distance running became one of the most important in life.
Therefore, it is not surprising that in this article I decided to pay attention to it Polish marathons. They are distinguished by interesting running routes, good organization of running events, affordable registration and a fairly large number of participants, which makes such competitions interesting for runners of different levels of training, both amateurs and beginners, as well as professional athletes.
- Official name: Warsaw Marathon
- Venue: Warsaw
- Distances: 42 km.
- Starting fee: from 30 €
- Date: March
- Surface: asphalt
- Website: orlenmarathon.pl
- Certification: AIMS, IAAF, PLZA
Two marathons are held in the capital of Poland every year. One of them “Warsaw Marathon” - marathon distance competitions, which take place at the beginning of the running season in April in Warsaw. They were founded in 2013 and every year they gather more and more athletes from different parts of Europe. The marathon route is a well-paved track that runs through the old streets of the city. It is well marked and has AIMS, IAAF, PLZA certificates.
- Official name: Debno Marathon
- Venue: Debno
- Distances: 42 km.
- Starting fee: from 27 €
- Date: April
- Covering: asphalt
- Website: maratondebno.pl
- Certification: AIMS, IAAF, PLZA
The oldest marathon race for a distance of 42 kilometers, which takes place in Poland in the city of Debno. It was held for the first time in 1969. Since then, many events have happened, the marathon has become the Polish Championship several times, in the 90s, due to financial difficulties, the competition was not held at all. In 1999, they were restored, and from that time to this day, they bring joy to both athletes and spectators. The marathon route has AIMS, IAAF, PLZA certificates.
- Official name: Gdansk Marathon
- Venue: Gdansk
- Distances: 42 km.
- Starting fee: from 23 €
- Date: April
- Surface: asphalt
- Website: gdanskmaraton.pl
- Certification: AIMS, IAAF, PLZA
“Gdansk Marathon” - a running competition over a distance of 42 kilometers, which takes place in the city of Gdańsk annually in the spring, starting from 2015. The marathon route runs on a well-paved track through the streets of the city, along the embankment, it has AIMS, IAAF, PLZA certificates.
- Official name: Lodz Marathon
- Venue: Lodz
- Distances: 42 and 10 km.
- Starting fee: from 20 €
- Date: April
- Surface: asphalt
- Website: lodzmaraton.pl
- Certification: AIMS, IAAF, PLZA
A cross-country race over a distance of 42.195 kilometers that takes place every spring in the Polish city of Lodz since 2004. A 10-kilometer race is also held as part of the event. The marathon route runs along a well-paved track and has AIMS, IAAF, PLZA certificates. Initially, one of the Polish banks was the title sponsor of the event. In 2010, he stopped funding the competition and accordingly it was cancelled. The following year, the marathon was still held with the support of the city hall and the "Maraton Dobrzem o Zdrowie" Association. Today marathon in Lodz is one of the largest running events in Poland, together with the Warsaw Marathon, which gathers thousands of athletes from different parts of Poland and Europe every year.
- Official name: Kolobrzeg Marathon
- Venue: Kolobrzeg
- Distances: 42 km.
- Starting fee: from 12 €
- Date: April
- Covering: asphalt
- Website: kolobrzegmaraton.com
- Certification: PLZA
“Kolobrzeg Marathon” - an annual race of 42 kilometers held in the Polish city of Kolobrzeg in April. The competition was launched in 2014 with the aim of supporting a healthy lifestyle and sports. The marathon route runs along a well-paved PLZA-certified track along the picturesque Baltic Sea embankment and finishes at the Hoska lighthouse.
- Official name: Cracovia Marathon
- Venue: Krakow
- Distances: 42 km.
- Starting fee: from 27 €
- Date: July
- Covering: asphalt
- Website: cracoviamaraton.pl
- Certification: IAAF, PLZA
“Cracovia Marathon” - the annual marathon in Krakow, which was founded 20 years ago. It takes place in mid-April - early May. Athletes of various levels of training usually participate in competitions, but most importantly, a record number of them gather every year. Marathon in Krakow it is second only to the Warsaw and Poznań marathons in terms of mass. The race is also included in the crown of Polish marathons. The marathon route passes through well-paved streets of the city, it is certified by the IAAF, PLZA.
- Official name: Solidarity Marathon
- Venue: Gdynia
- Distances: 42 km.
- Starting fee: from 12 €
- Date: July
- Covering: asphalt
- Website: maratongdansk.pl
- Certification: PLZA
Marathon of Solidarity takes place every year on August 15, on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Between 600 and 900 runners from different parts of the world usually take part in the competition. The marathon route runs along a well-paved track that starts in the city of Gdynia near the monument to the victims of the 1970s and ends in the historic center of Gdańsk on the Dlugy Targ square. These competitions are dedicated to the memory of the workers who were killed by the communist authorities in December 1970 in the north of Poland. The race route is certified by PLZA.
- Official name: Szczecin Night Marathon
- Venue: Szczecin
- Distances: 42 and 21 km.
- Starting fee: from 27 €
- Date: July
- Covering: asphalt
- Website: maratonszczecinski.pl
- Certification: PLZA
Night marathon in Szczecin held every year since 2015. During its existence, these competitions have experienced a lot of difficulties, connected firstly with the loss of the main sponsor, and secondly with the coronavirus epidemic, which had a negative impact on all running starts and not only in Poland. Despite, Szczecin Marathon and still lives, and most importantly, it brings joy to its participants and spectators, and in particular thanks to the quality of the organization and the unusual atmosphere. The marathon takes place through the night streets of the city located in the west of the country. The track is well paved and has a certificate PLZA.
- Official name: Night Marathon of the Bydgoszcz Canal
- Venue: Bydgoszcz
- Distances: 42 and 21 km.
- Starting fee: from 12 €
- Date: July
- Covering: asphalt
- Website: -
- Certification: PLZA
Night Marathon of the Bydgoszcz Canal takes place every summer. Its participants have the opportunity not only to test their own strength at a distance of 42.195 kilometers, but also to enjoy the very atmosphere of the race, high-quality organization. The marathon route runs along a well-paved track among the picturesque landscapes of the Bydgoszcz Planty Park, along unique monuments of hydraulic engineering, such as sluices of the 18th century. The marathon route is certified PLZA.
- Official name: Marathon Gorlitz-Zgorzelec
- Venue: Zgozhelets
- Distances: 42, 21 and 10 km.
- Starting fee: from 14 €
- Date: July
- Covering: asphalt
- Website: -
- Certification: PLZA
“Marathon Gorlitz-Zgorzelec” – international running competitions held every summer. More than 20 revisions have already taken place. Marathon route passes not only through the territory of Poland, but also through neighboring Germany. It connects two border towns, the German Horlitz and the Polish Zgożelec. The race course is certified by the PLZA and the German Athletics Association (DLV) and has an asphalt surface. As part of the sporting event, there is not only a 42.195-kilometer race, but also a half-marathon, a 10-kilometer race, and a 5-kilometer race.
- Official name: Marathon Warszawski
- Venue: Warsaw
- Distances: 42 km.
- Starting fee: from 27 €
- Date: September
- Covering: asphalt
- Website: maratonwarszawski.com
- Certification: AIMS, IAAF, PLZA
"Warsaw Marathon" - the oldest and one of the most massive 42-kilometer running competitions in Poland, held every year on the last Sunday of September. The marathon route runs through the streets of the city and consists of one circle crossing the Vistula River through two bridges, Gdańsk and Świętokrzyskie. The track is certified by the International and Polish Athletics Association and has the relevant AIMS and PLZA certificates. Also, the marathon has bronze status "Bronze Label Road Race”.
- Official name: Wroclaw Marathon
- Venue: Wroclaw
- Distances: 42 km.
- Starting fee: from 20 €
- Date: September
- Surface: asphalt
- Website: wroclawmaraton.pl
- Certification: AIMS, IAAF, PLZA
Annual marathon in Wroclaw is one of the oldest in Poland. It was launched back in 1983. Since then, the sponsors, the time of the marathon, the route of the marathon, etc. have changed. At the same time, its popularity and weight grew every year, the competition repeatedly became a stage of both the national and European championships. Now Wroclaw Marathon takes place in September with the support of the local authorities and the youth sports center. The marathon route passes through the streets of the old city and is certified AIMS, IAAF, PLZA.
- Official name: Silesia Marathon
- Venue: Katowice
- Distances: 50, 42 and 21 km.
- Starting fee: from 27 €
- Date: October
- Covering: asphalt
- Website: silesiamarathon.pl
- Certification: IAAF, PLZA
Silesian Marathon is the only marathon in Poland and Europe that takes place every October in the streets of four cities: Katowice, Myslowice, Semyanowice-Slenka, Chozów. This is one of the biggest running events not only in Silesia, but in Poland itself. The first edition of the marathon took place in 2009. The main goal of the marathon was and is to popularize physical activity and sports. Now, as part of the sports event, a race is held not only for the marathon distance, but also for 50 and 21 kilometers. The marathon route is well paved and well marked, it has certificates PLZA and IAAF.
- Official name: Marathon Rzeszowski
- Venue: Ryashiv
- Distances: 42 and 21 km.
- Starting fee: from 27 €
- Date: October
- Covering: asphalt
- Website: runrzeszow.pl
- Certification: PLZA
Marathon in the Polish city of Rzeszow is a running competition over a distance of 42 kilometers, which takes place every year in October and gathers a considerable number of participants. There have already been 10 editions of this event. The marathon route is a well-paved track that has a certificate PLZA and passes through the streets of the city and its surroundings. The event also includes a 21-kilometer run.
- Official name: Poznan Marathon
- Venue: Poznan
- Distances: 42 km.
- Starting fee: from 30 €
- Date: October
- Surface: asphalt
- Website: marathon.poznan.pl
- Certification: AIMS, IAAF, PLZA
Marathon race in the city of Poznań is one of the largest in Poland. It was started in 2000 and since then every year in October it gathers more and more participants. In particular, in recent years, their number is over 6,000 track and field athletes. “Poznan Marathon” - is the leader of similar competitions not only in Poland, but also in the whole of Eastern Europe. The marathon route passes through the streets of a metropolis of half a million people. It is a well-paved track that has passed certification AIMS, IAAF, PLZA.
- Official name: Torun Marathon
- Venue: Torun
- Distances: 42 and 21 km.
- Starting fee: from 15 €
- Date: October
- Covering: asphalt
- Website: torunmaraton.pl
- Certification: AIMS, IAAF, PLZA
Another sports event on the territory of Poland, which takes place every year in October in the city of gingerbread and Copernicus, Toruń. This year, its 39th edition was held, which gathered more than a thousand participants from different parts of the country and Europe. As part of the competition, there is also a half marathon and various attractions, etc. Marathon route is certified AIMS, IAAF, PLZA and is a well-paved road that passes through the central streets of the city.
- Official name: Lublin Marathon
- Venue: Lublin
- Distances: 42, 21 and 10 km.
- Starting fee: from 20 €
- Date: October
- Surface: asphalt
- Website: maraton.lublin.eu
- Certification: PLZA
Marathon in Lublin - fairly young competitions, which are held every year in October. Their first edition took place in 2013. Since then, the route of the marathon has changed several times. Lublin Marathon passes along a well-paved road through the central streets of the city, bypasses the reservoir. The route is certified by the Polish Athletics Association. As part of the sports event, races at a distance of 21 and 10 kilometers are also provided.