The 46th Nationale Nederlanden Warsaw Marathon will take place on Sunday, September 29. The route runs through seven districts. – She's really interesting. This is the only opportunity to see the city from the middle of the street – notes Adam Kszczot, medalist of the World and European Championships, who is the ambassador of the event.
As the organizers note, this year's edition of the marathon is special because in just over a month will be the 100th anniversary of the first Polish marathon. On November 2, 1924, eight daredevils took part in the royal distance, but only three managed to cross the finish line. The Warsaw Marathon, in its current format, has been held continuously since 1979.
– The marathon is a real challenge – both those who have run it and those who have not yet dared to do so will agree with this! However, this is not only a challenge, but also a fascinating adventure that has been going on in Poland for a hundred years. We have an incredible honor to celebrate this anniversary – says Marek Tronina, president of the Warsaw Marathon Foundation.
The Warsaw Marathon route
On Saturday, in front of the Palace of Culture and Science from the side of ul. A town for families will be available on Świętokrzyska Street – Marathon Fan Zone, where education will be combined with fun.
The 42-kilometer and 195-meter run will start on Sunday at 9 a.m. Through Świętokrzyska and Marszałkowska Streets, runners will reach Aleje Jerozolimskie and across the Poniatowski Bridge to Praga. They will return to left-bank Warsaw via the Gdańsk Bridge and head towards Żoliborz and Wola. Later, the marathon route leads north through Bemowo and Bielany. Then it turns south along Marymoncka Street and heads towards the city center and the finish line at Świętokrzyska Street. In this way, the competitors will run through seven districts.
The organizers announced that 15,000 competitors, including almost a thousand foreigners, will take part in the marathon.
– The route is really interesting. Not only from the point of view of Warsaw residents who can run around their district. The number of running tourists is growing. This is one of the trends that is developing rapidly. People go away for a few days to run and go sightseeing. This is the only opportunity to see the city from the middle of the street. The marathon guarantees a full range of emotions – emphasizes Adam Kszczot, medalist of the World and European Championships in the 800-meter run, who is the ambassador of the event.
The Warsaw Marathon routemat. organizer
Good forecasts for Sunday
Half an hour after the start of the marathon, a 10-kilometer run will begin, in which the former Polish representative will take part.
– The route is interesting because it has a turnaround. It runs straight from the de Gaulle roundabout through the Poniatowski Bridge to the turning point in Skaryszewski Park. This allows you to retain more vital energy and better plan your running pace. First we run down, and then we will gently run up. This route is ultra-fast. Those who save energy for the uphill run and keep their rhythm will have the greatest chance of breaking their personal records – says Adam Kszczot.
The weather forecast for Sunday is favorable. The weather should be favorable for runners. It's supposed to be sunny and the temperature will be around ten degrees.
– It may be slightly windy. This is the only opportunity to run through the streets of Warsaw in such an arrangement. Lots of competitors will take part. We have a full starting list. In these types of events, the crowd carries. Community drives you to action. Some people run for themselves, others for others, joining charity runs. You can do a lot of good not only for yourself and your health, but also for the well-being of others – encourages Adam Kszczot.
45th Warsaw MarathonTomasz Zieliński, tvnwarszawa.pl
A professional advises: nothing beyond your strength
At the same time, the former athlete argues that you should measure your strength according to your intentions and not run much faster than during training.
– On the day of the start, we try to get closer to the best training we have done so far. There is no magic pill, no holy grail, no panacea for all evil. Running is a pill that should be taken every day, and the reward is the day of the start, when we should only be happy and smiling broadly. Nothing beyond strength. You can start slower than you think, and the crowd will drag you down, advises Kszczot.
The Polish representative ended his sports career in 2022 and competes in street running. He took part in the New York Marathon, where he achieved a time of 2 hours. 50 minutes 9 sec.
There will be traffic disruptions in Warsaw on Sunday, but the streets will gradually be opened when the last runner completes a given part of the route.
Main photo source: Tomasz Zieliński, tvnwarszawa.pl