The Mattoni České Budějovice Half Marathon promises an extraordinary experience this coming weekend. In addition to 8,000 recreational runners, almost the entire domestic long-distance elite will line up at the start, led by Czech Olympian Tereza Hrochová, who will wear the prestigious bib number one. In South Bohemia, she has a unique opportunity to challenge not only her own Czech course record but also the European event best. However, her quest for the history books will be made all the more difficult not just by strong competition, but also by a relentless weather forecast that promises a tropical 30°C.
Being the biggest domestic star and heading out onto the course with the magic number one on your chest automatically brings huge expectations. For some, it is fuel, for others, a binding pressure. Hrochová, however, does not hide the fact that pre-race jitters are simply an inherent part of competing for her, regardless of the number pinned to her singlet. „I’m always stressed before a race, so there probably won’t be any change there. I’ll just try to give it my best. Lately, I’ve been training with a focus on the 10,000 meters, so I’m curious to see how that translates into the race,” says the Czech number one, opening up about her current mindset and recent training block.
Yet, the South Bohemian course suits Hrochová well. In 2022, she delivered a brilliant performance here, clocking 1:12:04 to set the Czech event record for the Budějovice Half Marathon, which still stands today. Since then, her form has reached even greater heights, as evidenced by her breaking her personal best in Pardubice earlier this year, where she stopped the clock at 1:11:09. This sends a clear signal that the European course record (1:11:26), held since 2024 by Ukraine’s Maryna Nemchenko, is also under threat. The elite runner herself knows she has the speed, but for a historic mark to fall, several factors must align. „I have very fond memories of that race, I felt great out there. I think the fitness is there, but it will also come down to the conditions on the day,” she says with respect for both the course and the unpredictable weather.
That very condition is currently the most talked-about topic. The mercury is expected to attack the 30-degree mark over the final weekend of May, which means an extreme test of physical and mental resilience for a half marathon, as plans for fast times often go out the window in such heat. „Personally, I prefer cooler weather, but the heat will be the same for everyone,” notes a pragmatic Hrochová, who refuses to let the forecast rattle her.
High temperatures, however, will not be the only opponent she has to face on the course. RunCzech has managed to assemble a stacked field for this year’s 14th edition of the Mattoni České Budějovice Half Marathon. In addition to international names, the Czech Olympian will have virtually the entire domestic elite breathing down her neck, promising a battle from the very first stride. „I see some familiar international names on the start list, so it definitely won’t be easy. As for the Czech field, I think it’s similar to what we’ve been seeing at races lately. I view my opponents on the start line as competition and I just focus on delivering my own best performance.”
The driving force through the tough sections of the course and the sweltering heat will undoubtedly be the spectators lining the streets. The unique backdrop, the roaring atmosphere and the flawless organization are precisely why domestic starts under the RunCzech banner are so appealing to her – even if fitting them into a packed professional calendar can sometimes be a logistical puzzle. „RunCzech races have a fantastic atmosphere and organization, which is why I love coming back to them and whenever I have a bit of a gap in my schedule, I try to take part. However, the schedule is so packed that I usually can’t manage more than four starts a year,” Hrochová concludes ahead of the weekend’s highlight in South Bohemia.
Mattoni České Budějovice Half Marathon
- Course Record – Men: 0:59:49 – Daniel Chebii /KEN/ (2012)
- Course Record – Women: 1:09:53 – Agnes Jeruto /KEN/ (2017)
- Best European Performance – Men: 1:03:02 – Yassine Rachik /ITA/ (2019)
- Best European Performance – Women: 1:11:26 – Maryna Nemchenko /UKR/ (2024)
- Best Czech Performance – Men: 1:06:29 – Patrik Vebr (2025)
- Best Czech Performance – Women: 1:12:04 – Tereza Hrochová (2022)
