After a two-year break, Gdańsk is returning as one of the largest running events in Poland. The return of the marathon to the streets of Gdańsk was announced as a Challenge Gdańsk event, making it the first standalone marathon in the Challenge Family series.
The seventh edition of the Gdańsk Marathon, which will take place on April 6, 2025, will lead participants through the capital of Pomerania in northern Poland. The event will be held under the slogan ‘Run in the city of freedom’.
The Gdańsk Marathon returns in an extended format, offering participants more than just the flagship 42.2km event. The programme also includes a four-person relay competition, a 5km run and the Junior Gdańsk Marathon for younger runners.
“Today we have some very joyful news to announce – the marathon is returning to Gdańsk,” said Piotr Borawski Deputy Mayor of the city of Gdańsk.
“The Gdańsk Marathon will be the pearl in the crown of our running events. Its organization also meets the goals we care about – it promotes physical activity and culture, and builds the city’s prestige and a sense of community.”
Adam Korol, Director of the Mayor of Gdańsk’s Office for Sports, said “We had a short break in organising the marathon, but we are coming back and will continue to build the brand of the event.
“It is my dream that in the future the Gdańsk Marathon will join the most important marathons in the world. I will add that in addition to the main distance on Sunday, there will also be accompanying events on Saturday – a 5 km run and children’s runs. If someone is not yet well prepared to run 42 km, they will be able to run in a four-person relay.”
Łukasz Bejm, Councillor of the City of Gdańsk, added “This will be a great celebration of running, but not only for professional athletes and runners who will be taking on this distance in a more recreational way.
“We want it to also be a celebration of people who will not take part in the race, but will be an inseparable part of it, i.e. volunteers and fans. I am already inviting all volunteering organizations to cooperate, and residents to cheer on the route, because nothing gives a runner wings more than lively cheering.
“We also want to encourage young people to be physically active. By cheering or working in the running service, they may catch the running bug and start in the Gdańsk Marathon in the future.”
Focusing on preparation for the race, in January 2025, a 12-week training program ‘Brooks, Be Ready!’ will start. Its aim is to provide participants with the tools necessary to complete a marathon. All registered competitors will be able to take advantage of free training via the Brooks-sponsored initiative. Coaching will be led by Marek Jaroszewski, a Polish athlete and winner of the Houston Marathon in 2004.
The Gdańsk Marathon dates back to May 2015. In the six editions so far, over 11,000 runners have crossed the finish line. The previous peak attendance was recorded in 2017, when 2,375 marathon runners reached the finish line. By tying up with the Challenge Gdańsk triathlon, the aim is to boost participation numbers in the years ahead.
www.gdanskmaraton.com
www.challenge-poland.com
www.challenge-family.com
