Never in my life did I think I would run a marathon. I have too many runner injuries and never have been very fast. Turns out to run a marathon, you need to run slow! But after completing many 1/2 marathons (which I never thought I would do either), I took the plunge in 2015 and signed up for the Volkswagon Prague marathon. Just one week after the London marathon, I knew I could train with my friends who were taking part in London that year. It was a fab idea as long runs can be daunting before you head out and then a bit lonely as you plod along. My mental game has never been strong so I knew I would find strength in numbers.
One of my goals is to run in every country and every state, so when I was looking through old posts to schedule my #traveltuesday series, I was shocked to find my review of the 2015 Prague Marathon in my drafts. Typically held in the spring, it was reschedule for mid-October 2020 due to the pandemic. Sadly, as I finished up this post, I saw the event was cancelled altogether like so many other races this year. Prague is a wonderful city and a fun race, so I highly recommend to give is a try in the future if you can. Please note, some of the info below may be outdated now so please refer to the official race website for the latest information.
Registration process & fees: In 2015, it was a simple online registration without a ballot process in place. They also offered an insurance fee for 10% of registration cost in case of injury close to the race, so that you could withdraw and get your money back. Race bibs could only be picked up at the race expo rather than having them posted to you.
Location: Prague, Czech Republic. The course takes you through many of the historical bits of town. The start area was centrally located too which was very convenient. The race expo at the time was a little bit farther out and accessible by tram. However, the public transport in Prague was easy to use once you learn how to buy the tickets and how to read the tram schedule.
Course & bogs: The course wound around the river and through many different areas of Prague. It even went right next door to my friend’s apartment building, which meant she just had to roll out of bed to cheer me on (thank you, Marty!). There were refreshment stations with sponges and loos every 5k. The rubbish at the water stations meant you had to walk through each one, but I was ok with that. One of the risks of running in older cities is various surfaces to run on. Prague didn’t have too many cobblestone patches on the route but there were lots of tram tracks to work around.
Atmosphere: Unfortunately, London set my expectations really high in terms of enthusiasm from the local residents. But Prague hadn’t got the memo yet. I think most of the people watching had come with runners so there were some signs and fans. I had my name out on my shirt but only my friend (who knows my name) and one other person said it. Maybe people didn’t know how to say it? It would have been nice though to have that kind of boost along the way. In later races, when I wore the same shirt with my name, I definitely heard my name called more often.
Bling & goody bags: The race medal was a pizza slice-shape because if you took part in all seven Run Czech events in one year, it fits together to make a giant medal. If I lived closer, I would be all over that! After all, it is all about the bling!
Tips if you decide to take part next time: I found Czech to be a very challenging language. Try to master “hello” and “thank you” before going. Bring your sunglasses and sunscreen if your race is in the spring as it was a lovely weather and a nice change from London. There are lots of sights to see (the big clock, the castle, etc) and it is a fairly easy city to walk around. Schedule a few days after the race for sightseeing. The race could also be a great city break for a quick weekend away.
When people ask me which marathon was my favourite, I always say Prague. To commemorate the race, I researched gems that Prague was known for. My friend helped me (as I needed a translator) purchase a small garnet (the official stone of Czech Republic) and had a necklace engraved with the date of the race, my finishing time, “Praha” and 26.2. It will always hold a special place in my heart. However, I think I need to go back as I cannot find any of my sightseeing photos. Hopefully, I can make it back in 2021.
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