RunCzech has unveiled its 2026 calendar, promising ten extraordinary running weekends across the Czech Republic. The season kicks off with the Prague Airport Valentine’s Run, while the iconic Prague Marathon celebrates its 31st edition, entering its fourth decade.
The 2025 running season may still be in full swing, but the RunCzech series has already prepared the event schedule for 2026. The calendar includes all the traditional races, and runners in the Czech Republic can look forward to ten extraordinary running weekends.
“Interest in participating in RunCzech events continues to grow. Participation in 2025 will exceed 100,000 – a record for our series, which is a historic milestone. Next year, we expect even higher numbers,” revealed Carlo Capalbo, President of the RunCzech Organising Committee.
The opening chapter of the RunCzech 2026 series will once again be written by the Prague Airport Valentine’s Run. Held on Valentine’s Day, this race takes place in Stromovka, the city’s largest metropolitan park, and features an unusual 7 km course.
The first half marathon of the season will take place next week — the popular Coelmo Napoli City Half Marathon in Naples, Italy. This race is one of the nine RunCzech events awarded the World Athletics Road Races Label quality mark. The series will then return to the Czech Republic.
Public interest in participating in the Generali Prague Half Marathon has far exceeded the race’s maximum capacity. This prestigious athletics event, part of the half marathon series SuperHalfs, attracts top running stars year after year and has even seen a women’s world record in the past. This season, more than 16,000 runners took part in the country’s largest running event, and organisers expect even greater demand next year, with entries selling out quickly.
The Prague Half Marathon is also part of the ongoing unique series RunCzech Halfs, which includes subsequent races in Karlovy Vary, České Budějovice, Olomouc, and Ústí nad Labem. Runners here are met with a great challenge and motivation: if they complete all half marathons within 36 months, they are rewarded with a special commemorative medal.
At all half marathons outside the capital, RunCzech continues with its Mattoni “running festival” concept, offering shorter distances of 5 or 10 km for those interested. Family and children’s runs will once again accompany most of the events.
In 2026, RunCzech will naturally continue to focus on its most traditional, iconic races. At the beginning of May, runners have the “Marathon Weekend” marked in their calendars. Over three days, this sports and social event will entertain all generations, culminating on Sunday, 3 May, with the 31st ORLEN Prague Marathon. At the start line on Old Town Square, alongside running stars, high school students will also compete in the finals of the Junior Marathon.
The first half of the RunCzech 2026 calendar will conclude with the 9th UniCredit Prague Relay (4×5 km) from 16 to 18 June. This three-day event in the grounds of Holešovice Exhibition Centre and Stromovka Park is aimed primarily at corporate employees, who form their own teams and compete within their professional sectors.
Shortly after the summer holidays, the historic centre of Prague will come alive with the Birell Grand Prix Prague, which includes the evening 10 km race for elite athletes and the popular women-only adidas 5K run.
The 2026 RunCzech series will wrap up in October with the Mattoni Liberec Trail Run, a race for lovers of trail running, held in the beautiful setting of the Jizera Mountains.
An inseparable part of most RunCzech running festivals are the dm family runs and dm bambini runs, offering entire families and the youngest runners the chance to share the joy of running together.
Registrations will open on 28 August, and you can follow all updates at www.runczech.com and on RunCzech social media channels.
RUNCZECH 2026 CALENDAR:
- 14 Feb – Prague Airport Valentine’s Run
- 22 Feb – Napoli City Half Marathon (Naples, Italy)
- 28 Mar – Generali Prague Half Marathon
- 3 May – ORLEN Prague Marathon
- 16 May – Mattoni Running Festival Karlovy Vary
- 30 May – Mattoni Running Festival České Budějovice
- 13 Jun – Mattoni Running Festival Olomouc
- 16–18 Jun – UniCredit Prague Relay
- 5 Sep – Birell Grand Prix Prague – Birell 10 km evening run; adidas 5 km women’s run
- 19 Sep – Mattoni Running Festival Ústí nad Labem
- 4 Oct – Mattoni Liberec Trail Run
