The 2026 season traditionally closes with the only trail race of the RunCzech series – the Mattoni Liberec Trail Run. The ninth edition of the popular race leading through the city and nature will take place on Saturday, October 3, and will welcome over 4,000 runners. Two race courses measuring 13 and 23 kilometers are prepared, and both variants report last remaining spots available only through the main charity partner, which is Domov sv. Josefa. An integral part of the race day program is also formed by the popular formats dm family mile and dm bambini run, for which the capacity is already filled. The biggest stars of the starting field will undoubtedly be Czech stars Damián Vích, who dominated the shorter course in the past, and Olympian Tereza Hrochová, who will present herself on the longer course.
Unique running connection of city and nature
The Liberec trail run was first run in 2018 and since then has been an indispensable part of the RunCzech calendar. The organizers maintain a stable date at the turn of September and October, and the race holds a special place in the hearts of runners. “Not only thanks to the opportunity to run in the forests of the Jizera Mountains, it is a beautiful conclusion to the season,” says President of the RunCzech Organizing Committee Carlo Capalbo, adding: “In previous years, it mostly rained in Liberec, but this time it looks like the weather will be much more pleasant. Compared to last year, the race will also be different in that the routes of both races will be extended by roughly one kilometer due to renovations in the city.” Both routes start at Dr. Edvard Beneš Square, continue past the Liberec ZOO, and then head along forest paths into the Jizera Mountains. While the shorter (13 km) route turns back at the granite quarry, the longer (23 km) route takes runners all the way to the dam of the Bedřichov Reservoir. Both courses offer beautiful views of the city and nearby Ještěd as well as a high variety of surfaces – from asphalt to forest roads, roots, stones, and gravel. Unique trophies from the Czech workshop Ajeto, which also manufactures trophies for the famous Tour de France, are prepared for the winners.
Well-known names on the course and the RunCzech Stars finale
Among the biggest favorites for victory are RunCzech Racing Team member Damián Vích and his national team colleague and top Czech long distance runner Tereza Hrochová. In 2024, Damián confidently dominated the 12 km race, and after last year’s break when he arrived in Liberec only as a fan, he is going for another victory. The main favorite of the longer distance will be Vít Pavlišta, who won the title at the 22 km distance in 2024 and is also coming to the Jizera Mountains after a one-year break. For Tereza, this trail race will be a debut, and given her fantastic performances throughout the season, an attempt on entry into the race’s hall of fame can be expected. The Liberec trail run is the last of a total of eight races in the RunCzech series that need to be completed within the season to be registered among the RunCzech Stars 2026. These include the Prague Marathon and Half Marathon, all 4 regional half marathons, the Birell 10K Race, and the mentioned Liberec, where participants can choose the route length at their own discretion. Last year, 91 runners were announced in the RunCzech Stars category during the ceremonial announcement, and 119 the year before. This year, the final number could once again climb above the three-digit mark.
Runners will mattonize in Liberec as well
The title partner of the race is Mattoni, the official water of the RunCzech running series. “Mattoni has long supported a healthy lifestyle based on movement and proper hydration. Therefore, we are extremely glad that thanks to this race we can offer not only quality hydration to runners, but also motivation to move and an atmosphere that inspires the whole surroundings,” says Adéla Víchová, Mattoni Brand Manager. Mattoni mineral water, with its balanced ratio of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, is an ideal choice not only for every day, but also for natural hydration and mineral replenishment before, during, and after sports performance. That is why it has been inherently linked with running for many years, and this year’s Liberec Trail Run is another opportunity to mattonize and enjoy the race to the fullest.
Accompanying program, medical coverage, and charitable reach
In addition to fans, runner motivation will be taken care of by a rich musical program led by dramaturgs from United Islands and Metronome Prague. Selected DJs will entertain runners and spectators not only in the finish zone, but also along the course. Professional medical coverage of the event will be provided by the Liberec Regional Hospital in cooperation with the regional emergency medical services and mobile bike patrols equipped with AEDs. At the same time, a transport service is provided for anyone who, for any reason, decides to end the race prematurely. Refreshment stations with drinks, raisins, salt, and sugar are a matter of course, as are refreshing stations with Mattoni water. Bananas and oranges also await runners at the finish line. The charity partner of the event is Domov sv. Josefa, located in Dvůr Králové, which has been offering help to people with multiple sclerosis and their caregivers for more than 20 years.
Important information
A fifteen-minute highlight reel from Liberec will be broadcast on Thursday, October 8, on the ČT sport channel. Running Expo will be available for race participants at the OC Forum in Liberec. They will be able to pick up their start numbers on Friday between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., or on race day from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. On the occasion of the last race of the season, it is worth mentioning the significant economic impact these running events have. For the Mattoni Liberec Trail Run itself, the figure reached 25.3 million CZK last year, and the total economic impact of all RunCzech events in the 2025 season amounted to 1.12 billion CZK.
Mattoni Liberec Trail Run 2026
Interesting numbers
- number of volunteers: 356
- banana consumption: 528 kg
- orange consumption: 175 kg
- Mattoni water consumption: 6,372 l
- Gatorade drink consumption: 1,650 l
Program
- 10:00 dm family mile
- 10:50 dm bambini run
- 11:30 Mattoni Liberec Trail Run 23 km
- 12:15 Mattoni Liberec Trail Run 13 km
- 13:30 award ceremony
- 15:30 finish of the last runner
