The metropolis of northern Bohemia will become the venue for one of the most important athletics events of the autumn on Saturday, 19 September 2026. The traditional Mattoni Running Festival Ústí nad Labem is continuing its successful concept of regional running festivals in full force and will attract a record number of almost 9 thousands of participants to the competitive and non-competitive races. The race, which boasts the prestigious World Athletics Road Race Label, will offer a dramatic finale to the European EuroHeroes series, the unique route through the Spolchemie industrial complex, and a battle for historic Czech achievements.
Interest in racing in Ústí nad Labem has reached an all-time high. The capacity of the competitive categories has been increased to 6,400 runners (5,400 participants in the half marathon and 1,000 in the 10-kilometre race), but even so, it is expected to be filled to capacity. The Ústí race is now writing its 16th chapter since its founding in 2011 and holds a unique distinction: together with Liberec, it is the only RunCzech race to have taken place every year without interruption, even during the challenging COVID years.
The race course remains the same as in 2025 due to the ongoing closure of the Dr. Edvard Beneš Bridge, but it brings an exciting new feature for participants in the Spolchemie 10K Run. Their route will now lead directly through the industrial complex of the company, which is celebrating an impressive 170th anniversary of its founding in 2026. This section has traditionally been one of the highlights of the half marathon course. An integral and completely unique part of the programme is the Spolchemie Czech Para Cycling Cup. This competition for athletes with disabilities will officially kick off the full-day sporting programme at 9:00. After lunch, the dm Family Mile will take place, open to entire families, and shortly after the half marathoners head into the starting corridor, the youngest participants will also take to the course as part of the dm bambini run. In total, nearly 9,000 participants will take part in the Mattoni Running Festival.
EuroHeroes 2026 Final, Elite Battles and an Attack on the Records
The upcoming Mattoni Half Marathon Ústí nad Labem will be the grand finale of the all-season EuroHeroes 2026 series, whose aim is to provide long-term support and development for elite European distance runners. The starting line will bring together the international elite, represented by more than two dozen top runners from seven European countries. Local fans are placing great hopes in RunCzech Racing Team member Damián Vích, who has a unique opportunity to make history and become the first Czech overall winner in the history of the EuroHeroes project. For the Czech runner to achieve this, he would have to run 1:03:14 or faster, while his Spanish rival would have to finish no faster than 1:03:38. In the women’s category, Czech national team representative Tereza Hrochová will line up with high ambitions, having chosen to race in Ústí nad Labem instead of the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen. She will be looking to build on her 2023 series triumph. However, to do so, she would have to run 1:09:22, which is well below her personal best. The international elite of the men’s field will be complemented by Spanish favourite and current overall leader Jorge Blanco, Germany’s Jan Lukas Becker and his compatriot Simon Boch, a silver medallist in the marathon team event at the 2026 European Championships in Birmingham.
The top-class field will attempt to approach or surpass the current race records. The absolute records are held by Kenyan distance runners – the men’s race record of 59:14 was set by Barselius Kipyego in 2017, while the women’s race record of 1:07:17 has been held by Peres Jepchirchir since 2015. Among European runners, the fastest times belong to Germany’s Sebastian Hendel (1:02:52 in 2022) and Moldova’s Lilia Fisikovici (1:10:45 in 2018). The fastest Czech times were recorded in 2017 by Jiří Homoláč (1:04:33) and Eva Vrabcová Nývltová (1:11:22).
But the course through the metropolis of northern Bohemia will not be only about elite runners. All other participants in Ústí are collecting their metaphorical marks towards the RunCzech Halfs project, launched in 2025 with the aim of motivating the running community to discover the beauty of the entire Czech Republic. The goal for earning the “grand” medal is to complete all five RunCzech half marathons within 36 months of completing the first one.
Helping the Region: Dobroběžci Run for the Ústí Community Foundation
The Ústí Region is often described in public opinion surveys as the structurally most problematic place to live in the Czech Republic. RunCzech, together with its partners, is actively working to change this situation. Every year, it supports dozens of projects run by local enthusiasts who restore small monuments, organise neighbourhood events and improve life in their communities. The race’s main charity partner is the Ústí Community Foundation. As part of this year’s half marathon, more than 100 “dobroběžci” from companies and among individuals purchased their race entries directly through the charity and will take to the start wearing the foundation’s jerseys. RunCzech is thus continuing its long-term social commitments. In 2024, for example, it donated CZK 110,000 from the proceeds of the family runs to help with the aftermath of the floods that hit the Czech Republic just a few days before the race.
Importance for the Region, Personalities and Festival Atmosphere
The importance of the event is also underlined by its overall economic impact, which reached CZK 48.6 million for the city and region in 2025, while the total financial impact of all RunCzech races amounted to an impressive CZK 1.12 billion last year. A unique festival atmosphere will take hold along the course thanks to the Mattoni Music Festival project, where, in cooperation with United Islands, six live music stations featuring bands will await runners and spectators. Familiar faces will also appear on the starting line. Ice hockey legend and coach Václav Varaďa will lace up his running shoes, following up on his debut in Olomouc, as will successful para-swimmer David Kratochvíl, who, just as in Karlovy Vary, will complete the course with his guide. Participants will pick up all information, running equipment and race bibs at the Running EXPO, which will be located on Friday and Saturday on the upper floor of OC Forum next to Cinema City. Those unable to make it to the streets of Ústí nad Labem can follow the action via the live broadcast on the RunCzech YouTube channel, with both Czech and English commentary.
Mattoni Running Festival Ústí nad Labem Schedule (Saturday, 19 September 2026)
- 08:00 – Official programme begins
- 09:00 – Start of the Spolchemie Czech Para Cycling Cup
- 11:00 – Start of the Spolchemie 10K Run
- 13:00 – Start of the dm family mile
- 14:30 – Start of the Mattoni Half Marathon Ústí nad Labem and relay races
- 14:45 – Start of the dm bambini run
- 17:30 – Official end of the event
