15th Mürz Half Marathon
We don't know why so few runners took part in last year's edition of this running event in the north of the Austrian province of Styria. Overall just 104 runners crossed the finish line compared to more than 600 finishers five years earlier.
It's a nice and friendly event, and the course through the small town of Mürzzuschlag is quite interesting as well.
You have the choice between running one, two or four laps. One lap is 5.275km. The course is mildly undulating.
After the start on the main square in the pleasant small old town the race takes you on a footpath along the River Mürz and on a trail through the woods out of town. You then run back to the centre through a quiet residential area.
In 2008, the half marathon winners were Miklós Zatykó from Hungary (1:13:47) and Austrian Kerstin Hierzer (1:54:09).
Country: Austria
Venue: Mürzzuschlag (Sopron 90km, Graz 93km, Wien 102km, Szombathely 120km)
Date: 19 September 2009 (Saturday)
Distance: 5.275km (Hobby Run); 10.55km (Viertelmarathon); 21.1km (Halbmarathon)
Start time: 15.00
Start and finish: Stadtplatz (main square) in Mürzzuschlag
Entries: advance entries online (click on "Online-Anmeldung"), payment by bank transfer until 16 September (date of receipt of payment); late entries on the day from 11.00 to 14.00
Entry fees (5.2km): 15/25 EUR* (advance entries/late entries)
Entry fees (10.5km): 20/30 EUR*
Entry fees (21km): 25/35 EUR*
* 5 EUR reduction for juniors
Timing: Champion Chip: bring your own chip or rent a chip for 3 EUR (25 EUR deposit)
Race centre: Stadtsaal (City Hall)
You get: a sling bag; sausages and a drink; prize raffle (first prize: a mountainbike)
Prizes: trophies to the first 3 in the categories
Showers and changing facilities: yes
Presentation: 18.00
Number of finishers 2008: 35 (5.2km), 46 (10.5km), 23 (21km)
Event Website (in German): Fun-Sports Tri-Team (click on "Events" in the left menu and then on "Mürzer Laufevent")
Tourist information (in German): Mürzzuschlag