On April 22nd the 35th Vienna marathon (link) event commenced over the weekend. Almost 42,000 runners participated in the event. The event included 10k, half marathon, full marathon and relay marathon races. Ever year, the event draws people from dozens and dozens of different countries and participates range from young to senior.

The race started outside the Vienna International Centre and proceeded to vine through the biggest sights of Vienna. Both the 21km (half marathon) and 42 km (full marathon) path provided a great scenic overview of the city best known landmarks, including Prater Park, Opera House, Karlplatz, Schönbrunn, etc. The finish line for all of the races was at the Rathaus. The event concluded with food / drink stands and live entertainment. Besides the 40,000+ participants, there were thousands of people cheering along the way. I was running the half marathon with a friend of mine and it was quite overwhelming to see so many people out on the streets in very hot weather supporting the runners.

 

The overall event was structured very well. The water stations and food were conveniently placed throughout the course. I feel that the course was rather difficult there was quite a long stretch of distance (8-9km) of climbing from 9th kilometre. My assessment of the difficulty of the course is skewed due to the hot weather conditions of the race. It was over 25 degrees without any clouds or wind. I highly recommend participating in this event. The race showcases the beautiful architecture of Vienna as well as the warm and welcoming spirit of its citizens!