Rain and cool autumn temperatures around ten degrees Celsius set the stage for the Mattoni Liberec Trail Run, which celebrated its 8th edition on October 5th this Sunday. The final race of the 2025 RunCzech season was highlighted by the participation and victory of fresh Czech 10k road champion Martin Zajíc.
“I expected a tough race, but I was prepared and tried to manage it as best as I could. It was a nice change of pace, and I really enjoyed it,” said Zajíc, a member of the RunCzech Racing Team, after crossing the finish line.
The five-time national 10k road champion faced strong competition from top mountain running specialists, including European and World Championships contender Tomáš Hudec. Hudec briefly took the lead in the second half of the 22k race, which wound through both the city and the trails of the Jizera Mountains, but Zajíc reclaimed first place on the final stretch of road. “I knew I could catch Martin on the downhill, but once we hit the road again, it was tough because he is simply faster there,” explained Hudec, who finished second, just nine seconds behind.
Zajíc confirmed the drama: “Near the end I struggled—I thought I was going to lose. Luckily, the finish was on the road, and I managed to catch Tomáš and overtake him.” Zajíc completed the 22k race in 1:21:34, with Hudec close behind in 1:21:43.
In total, 3,600 runners took part across four races of the Mattoni Liberec Trail Run. The trail events were preceded in the city center by the non-competitive dm family mile and dm bambini run, which together attracted 1,400 participants.
Among the women, Tereza Hudcová delivered the best performance in race history, winning in 1:37:19. With her husband Tomáš finishing second in the men’s race, the couple celebrated a memorable family gold and silver.
The shorter 12k race also attracted 1,100 runners. In the men’s field, Ladislav Šulc triumphed ahead of multiple Czech national medalists Ondřej Chour and Petr Pechek. “It was tough as always, but this race is beautiful. Liberec is close to my heart—I studied here and I live nearby,” said Šulc.
In the women’s 12 km, experienced runner Eliška Kunce finally claimed her long-awaited victory: “My plan was simply to run as fast as I could and enjoy it. It wasn’t even that cold, so it was perfect,” she said.
The Mattoni Liberec Trail Run not only closed the 2025 RunCzech season but also honored those who ran in all eight major events of the year. Over 110 runners completed every titular race in the series and will receive a special commemorative medal, earning their place among the “RunCzech Stars.”
The race also had a strong international presence, with participants from 31 different nationalities. The largest groups of runners came from Germany, Slovakia, Poland, France, and Austria.
“It was such a beautiful race with an amazing atmosphere! The volunteers were all incredibly kind. I really enjoyed the course, even though I struggled a bit because the heavy rain made me cold,” said Andrea Löw, who traveled from Munich to take part in the Liberec race. “I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to experience trail running and who don’t mind the “mixed” character of the race between road and nature.”
The next RunCzech event will be the Prague Airport Valentine’s Run 7k, taking place in Stromovka Park on February 14, 2026. Registration for all first-half of 2026 RunCzech races is already open at runczech.com.
Mattoni Liberec Trail Run 2025 – Podium Results
22k – Men
- Martin Zajíc – 1:21:34
- Tomáš Hudec – 1:21:43
- Martin Kubíček – 1:24:23
22k – Women
- Tereza Hudcová – 1:37:19
- Aneta Drobníková – 1:40:35
- Danka Truksová – 1:41:21
12k – Men
- Ladislav Šulc – 43:13
- Ondřej Chour – 43:49
- Petr Pechek – 44:08
12k – Women
- Eliška Kunce – 53:59
- Ivana Vávrů – 55:02
- Tereza Pištěková – 56:20
