Graz (Austria), Sunday 26 March 2017

This Halbmarathon is held annually in spring in Graz, Austria's second city with a population of 280,000 residents.

With more than 1,400 participants last year, and a range of races to please all runners (7km, 14km, 21.1km), it is one of the most popular early-season running events in the country.

Those with sporty friends can form a team of three to run the half marathon as a relay, but usually the lonely distance runners easily outnumber the relay teams. Last year, 683 individual runners and 20 teams completed the half marathon.

The route is a 7.03km-long loop which is AIMS-certified, traffic-free and mostly flat and fast. The half marathon is three laps of this course.

The start/finish area is in an industrial and commercial part of Graz, approximately 2.5km south of the city centre. This is a less picturesque area where the route passes big warehouses and furniture stores as well as the slaughterhouse and the prison, Austria's third-largest.

Half of the route, however, runs along the banks of the River Mur and through the very pretty Old Town, and this part of the course is very scenic.

In 2016, Robert Gruber (1:10:51) and Maria Hochegger (1:22:50) both defended their Halbmarathon Graz titles. This year, fierce competition is guaranteed as the event will incorporate the Austrian Half Marathon Championships 2017.

Country: Austria

Venue (Map): Graz (Zagreb 184km, Ljubljana 193km, Vienna 195km, Udine 295km)

Date: 26 March 2017 (Sunday)

Race distance:

• 7.03km (run and nordic walking)
• 14.06km
• 21.1km Halbmarathon (half marathon)
• 21.1km Staffel (3 x 7.03km relay)

Start time: 11.00

Start and finish: at the football stadium of the Steirischer Fussballverband, Herrgottwiesgasse 134

Race centre:

• Gigasport sports shop, Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Kai 8 (Saturday 12.00-17.00)
• in the start/finish area (on the day 8.00-10.00)

Entries: online (up to 14 March 2017); late entries on the day

Entry fees (up to 23 January/20 March/26 March 2017):

• 7km: € 21/24/27
• 14km: € 24/27/32
• 21km: € 27/32/37

Timekeeping: Race Result bib chip timing (included in the entry fees)

You get: goodie bag, two drink stations per lap, finisher medal, soup and a bread roll after the race

Showers and changing facilities: yes

Prizes: to the first 3 in each category/age group

Award ceremony: at 14.00

Number of finishers 2016: 361 (7km run), 47 (7km nordic walking), 257 (14km), 683 (21km), 20 teams (21km relay)

Event website (in German): www.graz-halbmarathon.at

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy or thoroughness of the information on this page. Please visit the official event website to verify the above information.