7th South Burgenland Eco Energy Marathon - "Run in the sun"
The Südburgenland Marathon is the largest running event in the Burgenland, Austria's easternmost province.
It centres around Güssing, a small town amid rolling hills in the far south of the Burgenland. The place is easy to find - an impressive 13th century castle towers high above the town on a volcanic rock. Güssing is also home to the "European Centre for Renewable Energy", founded in 1996.
In addition to the full marathon the event incorporates a half marathon, a marathon relay, a 12k race and some other shorter races.
The route is traffic-free, certified and mildly undulating. The difference in elevation between the highest and the lowest point is eleven metres.
All races start and finish in Güssing. A 21km-lap takes you eastwards to the village of Urbersdorf, back to Güssing, then westwards to the village of Sulz, and again back to Güssing. Marathoners run two laps.
Güssing is just about eight kilometres from the Hungarian border. Accordingly, the event is very popular with runners from Hungary, many of them very good athletes.
In 2008, Ashenafi Erkolo, an Ethiopian athlete who lives in Hungary, won the marathon in 2:26:16. Réka Kovács from Hungary led the women home in 3:08:23.
The first lady in the half marathon also came from Hungary - Fanni Gyurkó won in 1:21:17. Geoffrey Gikuni-Ndungu, a Kenyan based in Austria, came home in 1:04:50. In 2009, he set a new course record in the prestigious Grossglockner mountain race.
Country: Austria
Venue (Map): Güssing (Körmend 25km, Graz 80km, Maribor 98km, Varaždin 116km, Budapest 257km)
Date: 27 September 2009 (Sunday)
Race distance: 42.2km; 4x10.55km (marathon relay); 21.1km; 12km; 4.9km; 1.86km
Start time: 9.00 (1.86km); 9.30 (all other races)
Start and finish: car park in Güssing
Entries: online ("Anmeldungen") or by fax or e-mail until 15 September 2009 (receipt of payment), payment by bank transfer; late entries on Saturday from 10.00 to 17.00 and on the day until 1 hour before the start
Entry fees (marathon): 22/24/29 EUR (until 31 July / until 15 September / late entries)
Entry fees (marathon relay): 40/48/?? EUR
Entry fees (half marathon): 17/19/24 EUR
Entry fees (12km "Straßenlauf" and 4.9km "Hobbylauf"): 10/12/17 EUR
Entry fees (1.86km "Minimarathon"): 4/6 EUR (until 31 July / late entries)
Timing: Champion Chip: bring your own chip or rent a chip for 3 EUR (25 EUR deposit)
Race centre: Festgelände (near the Kulturzentrum/community centre), Saturday 10.00-18.00 and Sunday 7.30-9.00
You get: T-Shirt, voucher for the pasta party (Saturday 17.00-19.00), massage; finisher medal (42km, 21km, 1.86km)
Prizes: to the winners of the marathon and the half marathon and to the first 3 in the categories
Showers and changing facilities: yes
Presentation: 14.00
Number of finishers 2008: 678 (77 (marathon), 208 (half marathon), 140 (12km), 98 (4.9km), 155 children)
Event website (in German): www.austriasites.com/run-in-the-sun
No guarantee is made as to the accuracy or completeness of the information on this page.