The second day of the marathon weekend in Prague was dedicated to the joy of movement across generations. From the early morning hours, Letenské sady and the Výstaviště Holešovice area were flooded with thousands of runners who enjoyed ideal spring weather. The Saturday program culminated in the dm family mile and the dm bambini run, which saw approximately 4,500 runners participating in non-competitive categories.
Saturday morning kicked off in Letenské sady with the traditional Lavazza Active Breakfast Run, which set a relaxed tone for participants and, in particular, showed international runners another beautiful corner of Prague. Participants could stretch before tomorrow’s performance in the company of like-minded people. The start was free for runners, and everyone could enjoy coffee and light refreshments after the run.
The main attention shifted in the afternoon to Výstaviště Holešovice, where the dm family mile started at 3:00 PM. The ceremonial start was handled by the mascots of the Children and Youth Olympics: Hugo the sea lion and his sister Bublinka, who were a huge hit with the youngest athletes. The significance of the accompanying program was highlighted by RunCzech Communications Director, Jiří Nečásek: “Accompanying events are now an integral part of the entire racing weekend, and not just here. Many participants come to us not only from various parts of the country but from all over the world. After all… this year as well, the majority of runners in the Prague races will be from abroad. And for both locals and visitors, it is important to share their feelings with their loved ones. Not everyone, however, has sufficient training or motivation to run a full marathon right away, which is why they can run in non-competitive runs during the day or weekend. Family runs are especially popular, where children can be proud of completing their race just like their parents. We are thus fostering a love for sport in other people and generations, and that should be the primary goal. Similar events give children a chance to get a taste of sport and become part of a major sporting event. The entry fee for children is symbolic, but although it’s not about time and the run isn’t timed, participants received a T-shirt, a number, and a medal at the finish line, just like in a real race.”
Among the participants who came to enjoy the atmosphere without the pressure of a finish time was 34-year-old Kamila with her son Freddie. “I’ve been running for a while, and the family run is a great opportunity to run with my son. Or rather ‘run’… we walked at times; after all, Freddie is still small,” described Kamila, highlighting the day’s main theme: introducing children to sports and spending time together. When asked if she would appear on the course on Sunday, she replied with a smile: “Not this time, but I plan to conquer the Prague marathon within five years at the latest.” We are keeping our fingers crossed for her to reach her goal!
With a total of 4,500 participants in the accompanying runs, Saturday’s program served as the perfect prelude to tomorrow’s main event. At Old Town Square, the main Vodafone Marathon Prague will start at 8:00 AM, led by elite marathoners such as Berehanu Wandemu Tsegu from Ethiopia, Kenyan Victor Kipchirchir, or his compatriot Justus Kipkorir Limo, who is aiming to break both the course record and the magic 2:05 barrier. Among the women, the main favorites will be Angela Jemesunde Tanui and Muliye Dekebo Haylemariyam.
Sunday’s race will also feature Czech National Marathon Championships, where is expected tough battle between the winners of the last two editions, Yann Havlena and Martin Edlman, though Vít Pavlišta remains a strong contender. In the women section we can expect contest for the top spots by Petra Pastorová, Eva Filipiová, and Barbora Jíšová, who is running the race just six months after giving birth. Race will also hold European Police Marathon Championship and Junior Marathon Final, featuring ten-member relay teams from high schools across all regions of the Czech Republic.
