Top 10 races and marathons in Poland worth a trip 3

PKO Poznan Maraton

Where: Poznan
When: mid-October
Members: 6600
Distances: 42 km
Participation fee: 120-200 PLN
Website: www.marathon.poznan.pl

Poznań is one of the oldest cities in Poland and at the same time rapidly developing. There is a traditional historical center with a cathedral island, an artificial lake Malta within the city, and a district of vintage villas Solac – the marathon route in Poznań passes through all the most interesting locations.

You can learn more about Polish history through the history of Poznan in the modern multimedia gallery Poznań Gates, and in the evening you can attend a concert – music always sounds in the city. The trendiest cafes and restaurants can be found in the Taczaka street area. Do not bypass the brewery (of course, after the marathon) – in recent years, the Poles have learned to brew excellent beer.

The marathon is labeled IAAF Bronze Label Road Races.

Silesia Marathon

Where: Katowice
When: early October
Members: 6500
Distances: 42 km, 21 km
Participation fee: 55-180 PLN
Website: www.silesiamarathon.pl

The Silesian Marathon is unique in its kind, the route passes through three cities: Katowice, Siemianowice-Slańsk and Myslowice. The Silesian Voivodeship became part of Poland only after the First World War, and before that it was part of Prussia. They even speak another language here – Silesian, a mixture of Polish, Czech and German. Although post-industrial Katowice is coming alive again and the newly reconstructed city center is quite pretty, it still makes sense to combine participation in the marathon in Silesia with exploring Krakow (80 km) and visiting Auschwitz (40 km from Katowice or 70 km from Krakow).

And if you have a couple more days left, you should go to the Tatras, the most beautiful places are Zakopane and the mountain lake Morskie Oko. In early October, it is very beautiful in the mountains, but it is better to check the weather forecast, snow can easily fall in these parts.

Amber Expo Half Marathon Gdansk

Where: Gdansk
When: end of October
Members: 8000
Distances: 21 km, 10 km (evening run), 5 km
Participation fee: 39-129 PLN
Website: www.polmaratongdansk.pl

The Gdansk Half Marathon, or rather the running weekend, is a young but actively developing event. The largest urban race in Polish Pomerania and a very fast track. On Saturday, there is an evening 10 km race, and on Sunday runners start at distances of 5 km and a half marathon. The cities of Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia form the Tricity agglomeration, from one city to another you can walk.

In Gdansk itself there is a traditionally beautiful old town, in Sopot it will be interesting to look at the “crooked house” and take a walk along the longest pier in the Baltic. You can also go to admire the sand dunes in the Slowinski National Park.

Onigo Gdynia Polmaraton

Where: Gdynia
When: mid-March
Members: 11000
Distances: 21 km
Participation fee: PLN 69-159
Website: www.gdyniapolmaraton.pl

Another massive half marathon in Poland starts and finishes right on the pier in the Baltic Sea. It can get chilly in Gdynia in March – a great excuse to explore the new Immigration Museum or the Maritime Museum. And if you are lucky with the weather, take a walk to Sopot and Gdansk or go to the Hel Spit to watch seals.

The half marathon is labeled IAAF Bronze Label Road Races.

Tricity Trail

Where: Wejherowo – Gdynia – Sopot – Gdansk
When: beginning of July
Members: 1000
Distances: 81 km, 47 km, 21 km
Participation fee: 50-160 PLN
Website: www.tricitytrail.pl

For those who want to run in nature, but are not ready for real mountains, we advise you to pay attention to this trail race with a relatively small climb. Beginning trail runners will love the half marathon, and marathon and ultra finishers will even earn UTMB points. The race is part of the City Trail series of small city trails taking place in all major cities in Poland.

The uniqueness and attractiveness of the Tricity Trail is that it is held on the territory of the picturesque Tricity Landscape Park (Trójmiejski Park Krajobrazowy) in the immediate vicinity of the Tricity (Gdynia, Sopot, Gdansk). Walking through seaside towns and fishing villages, jogging in the national park, the warm July Baltic Sea – this seems like the perfect weekend!

For mountain lovers, Poland can offer a lot of interesting, incredibly beautiful and technically challenging trail races in the south of the country in the Sudetes and Carpathians.