Half-marathons circuits in Europe

Lately, the challenge in the running world has evolved. It’s becoming more popular to finish not just a single race, but a “circuit” of grouped events. The Abbott World Marathon Majors is the most famous global series. It now features seven iconic marathons. Meanwhile, regional circuits are gaining incredible traction.

In Europe the SuperHalfs series, a circuit of six half-marathons in European capitals is gaining huge popularity among runners. It offers a shorter distance to run compared to World Marathon Majors. Additionally, the cities where you need to run are closer together. I completed the SuperHalfs series in 2025 and wrote about it.

Beyond the international series, local circuits often showcase the highest levels of competition. Based on my experience racing across the continent, I believe Spain and Poland have the fastest runners in Europe. I use an empirical measurement to assess a race’s speed. It is the finishing time of the runner exactly in the middle of the pack (the median). In countries where running is deeply ingrained, organizers use these circuits to encourage consistent participation. This helps drive up the average speed of the field.

In Spain this circuit is called “El Circuito Nacional de Running Plátano de Canarias“. It includes exactly five premier half-marathons: Seville, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, and San Sebastian. You have to finish all these races, and they calculate some rankings based on your results. As a tourist I visited all these beautiful cities, but I ran only in Valencia (twice).

In Poland the circuit is called the Crown of Polish Half Marathons. The rules evolve annually. For 2026, the requirement is to finish at least 5 out of 11 designated races.

Of these 11 races five are in big cities: Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, Poznan and Gdansk. All have over 12k runners at start, except for Gdansk.

Other races have tradition: The Lechit Run is the oldest Polish half marathon. Ostrów Lednicki was chosen as the starting point, from where Otto III walked to the tomb of St. Adalbert in Gniezno, Poland’s first capital. For historical context this historical pilgrimage happened in the year 1000. No, the half-marathon though did not start at that time :). It is organized continuously since 1978. In 2026 will reach is 49th edition.

At the Półmaraton Ślężański, a literal cannon blast signals the start of the race.

Wroclaw half-marathon is the main night race in Poland, starting at 10:30 PM. As I write this post, over 24 thousand people have signed up for the 2026 edition of this race! This makes it a record for participants in a long-distance run in Poland.

It is important to mention that all races are well established having at least 12 editions completed already.

If everything goes well, I plan to officially obtain the Crown of Polish Half Marathons by the end of 2026.

I am already registered for Warsaw (completed previously in 2022), Poznan, and the record-breaking Wroclaw. I will sign up for Gdansk and Krakow (which I finished in 2021 and 2022) as soon as registration opens.

It is inspiring to see such passion for running across Europe. People are starting to realize the benefits of running!

Reflections on the SuperHalfs Series: My Experience and Insights

The SuperHalfs program has grown rapidly in popularity. With increasing demand and limited slots available for each race, the organizers have removed the time limit to complete all six events in the series. This move allows more runners to gradually work toward finishing the series over time.

As of May 2025, only 1,113 runners have completed the entire series. This is an impressively small number. Nearly 100,000 people have participated in at least one of the six races. Given these numbers, I thought it might be helpful to share my personal journey and offer some insights for aspiring SuperHalfs finishers.

While you can find the list of finishers on the official SuperHalfs website, gathering deeper data requires some effort. I used ChatGPT to generate code that helped me analyze the number of finishers by country. Here are the results:

Country	Number of finishers
Spain	193
Great Britain	185
Germany	136
Denmark	100
Portugal	92
Italy	74
Czechia	42
France	38
Poland	28
Netherlands	26
Brazil	22

The numbers are interesting. Not a surprise that Spain and Great Britain are on top. In Spain people run fast, they have half-marathons with 2.5 hours time limit to finish, while in the rest of Europe is 3 hours. The UK, meanwhile, has a rich running culture and offers wonderfully organized races. I highly recommend racing in the UK for an unforgettable experience. The first 5 countries from the list are also organizing races from series. Italy is the first country that has many finishers but doesn’t have a race in the program. Interesting Brazil is the only non European country that has many finishers.

Before the Berlin Half-Marathon this spring, only about 480 people had completed the series. Berlin added nearly 700 new finishers in one go, largely because it was newly included in the program just last year.

The SuperHalfs calendar includes three spring races—Lisbon, Prague, and Berlin—and three autumn races—Copenhagen, Cardiff, and Valencia. Since 2025, demand has surged, and most events now use a lottery system to allocate entries.

If you’re not lucky in the lottery, there’s an alternative: official travel agencies offer guaranteed race entries. I used one of these agencies—Germany’s Interair—for the Cardiff Half-Marathon when I joined the event late and couldn’t find an open spot. Their service was excellent.

If you are not lucky winning the lottery, you can use one official travel agency. This agency will guarantee your participation in the race. I had used a travel agency only once during my campaign for the Cardiff half-marathon. I decided to join this race too late and there were no available spots. I used the services of the German travel agency Interair and I was very happy with them.

I’ve written posts about my experiences in each of the six races. Here are a few personal impressions:

Top Picks: For me, the best races are Valencia and Berlin. Both offer outstanding organization and scenic, fast courses—ideal races to conclude your series on a high note.
Cardiff: A very well-organized race with amazing crowd support. However, the course is not flat. It is less ideal if you’re chasing a personal best.
Copenhagen: The course is flat, but I had some concerns when I ran it in 2022. The start was chaotic because there were no wave starts. The course became crowded. Pedestrians were crossing in front of runners, especially in the city center. The finish area was also quite congested. Hopefully, these issues have since improved.
Lisbon: Be mindful of the weather—it can get hot. The course begins with a downhill section, then transitions into rolling terrain before flattening out from kilometer 7 onward.
Prague: My least favorite race. The course includes cobblestone sections in the city center, which can be tough on the legs. Weather can also be unpredictable. A simple way to improve the course would be to extend the riverside sections and avoid the city center altogether. Interestingly, Prague also has the smallest field of runners among the six races.

Here are some highlights of Superhalfs races. Best finish is in Berlin. Valencia has the best atmosphere. It also has the best organization at the start. Cardiff boasts the best public. The best routes are in Valencia and Berlin.

The SuperHalfs program is a fantastic way to combine travel, fitness, and personal achievement. Running a half-marathon isn’t about proving anything to others – it’s a personal journey. And this series makes that journey unforgettable.

If you’re considering joining, act fast. As the series continues to gain traction, getting a spot will only become more challenging.

Berlin Half-Marathon 2025: A Memorable Finish at the Brandenburg Gate

The 2025 edition of Berlin half-marathon concluded my Superhalfs journey. Ending the series with the most impressive finish of all the races was a good decision. This took place at the Brandenburg gate. More than just an architectural masterpiece, the Brandenburg Gate stands as a powerful symbol of European unity. Before 1989, it marked the border between East and West Germany. It also served as a stark reminder of the Iron Curtain that divided the continent after World War II. As someone who lived through the communist era, crossing that finish line under the Brandenburg Gate carried deep, personal significance.

In the distance you can see the runners split in starting waves. Also some highlights of Berlin landmarks

This year’s race drew an incredible 35,000 participants to the start line. It was a chilly morning, with temperatures hovering between 4°C and 6°C. Runners could come with extra clothes that they donated before the start. It is good to get warmer before the start but not fun to sweat a lot during the race. The runners received a poncho at the end of the race to keep them warm in the cold wind.

At start they played Chariots of Fire by Vangelis to get the crowd in the mood for the race.

The race was very well organized with waves of people based on their earlier official times in other races. The start was from 10:05 AM but different waves started every 15 minutes. For example, I was in the wave of people with targeted time from 1:52 to 2:00 which started at 10:35.

Berlin’s course is flat and spacious, offering plenty of room to pick up the pace when you feel strong. Hydration points offered water and isotonic drinks at several stations. At the 12th kilometer mark, every runner received a free Maurten gel. Pacers were available for most goal times. For those interested, you could have your time engraved on your medal. You could also buy official race photos.

A band was singing this song around 10th kilometer. I will always associate this song with the Berlin half-marathon

I was not fully recovered after the pulled hamstring injury in January. I was cautious about the risk of not finishing the race. Nevertheless, this was my last Superhalfs race and I really wanted to achieve a time under 2 hours.

I started conservatively, averaging 5’49″/km for the first 5 kilometers, then slightly quicker at 5’45″/km over the next 5. By the 12th kilometer, we passed Potsdamer Platz and continued into East Berlin. The architecture here is unmistakably different. The former communist-era buildings are less charming. However, the atmosphere became increasingly cheerful. Bands played songs, and people encouraged the runners.

From the 16th to the 18th kilometer, we ran along Karl-Marx Allee. It is a grand boulevard so reminiscent of Moscow that it has stood in for the Russian capital in films like The Queen’s Gambit. Feeling strong, I picked up my pace to 5’23″/km for the final stretch. The last two kilometers are a straight shot down Unter den Linden boulevard. With one kilometer to go, I was still feeling good. I pushed to 4’56″/km as I passed under the Brandenburg Gate. I crossed the finish line in 1:59:32 — mission accomplished.

The spectacular finish of Berlin half-marathon

Our running group, “Trupa lui Fane,” had four members at this race. Bogdan ran an impressive 1:42:08, missing his personal best by just 3 seconds. Andreea and Mihai, the younger, faster duo, also had great races. Andreea finished in 1:35:47. Mihai finished in a blistering 1:25:04. For both, it was their second Superhalfs event after Prague.

Berlin was the final Superhalf race for Bogdan and myself. It was a project we started in 2022 in Copenhagen. We finished it in two and a half years. As mentioned the first Romanian finished the program last October. In Berlin another group of five Romanians got the Superhalfs medals. And speaking of medals, it’s a hefty one. It weighs 360 grams. That’s 60 grams for each of the six races.

With Bodgan once we got the Superhalfs medals. It was a 2.5 years journey!

I highly recommend the Berlin Half Marathon. Alongside Valencia, it stands out as one of the best running experiences in Europe. A heads-up for those eyeing next year’s race: a big change is coming. Entry for 2026 will be decided by lottery, with registration open from April 10 to May 22, 2025. The lucky draw results will be announced by email starting June 2, 2025. So remember: for Berlin, training hard isn’t enough… you’ll need luck too!

P.S. My next race is 10k on May 10th in Bucharest.

Prague half-marathon

In 2024, Prague set a record for participants, with over 13,500 people at the finish. The previous editions had about 10,000 finishers, so there was a significant increase this year. More importantly, 57% of the participants were foreigners. The fact that the race is part of the SuperHalfs helps increase the number of participants.

On April 6th, the day of the race, it was hot in Prague. The temperatures reached 28 Celsius, and the sun was shining. These are not the best conditions for running a long distance.

The race route goes along the Vltava River and crosses five bridges between both sides of Prague. It continues in the old center through Venceslas Square and next to the famous astronomical clock. I am not a big fan of running on cobblestone. I prefer running on asphalt and visiting tourist attractions slowly and not during a run. The finish was in the same place as the start in Bubenské nábř. area.

During hot weather, it is essential to choose carefully how you dress

My race went okay in these circumstances, as I know how to run safely in hot weather. If you want to survive a race in hot weather, you need to do a few things: stop and drink water or isotonic at every hydration point, wear a cap, wear a tank top (not a T-shirt), keep the pace in the safe zone, have a couple of gels with you.

I finished at 2:14 without any incident. It was my third-worst time ever, but that did not matter as I checked my third super half race and did not focus on time.

I am very serious about the weather problem while running. In Prague, 102 people fell on the street during the race for different reasons. Of these runners, 36 went to hospital. The authorities declared a trauma plan (a local form of a disaster plan). There was a campaign hospital called Golem at the finish line in a huge tent with air conditioning and ambulances driving people there and into the hospital. I lost the count of fallen runners I saw during this race. It was much worse than in Lisbon. In fact, the sound I heard most during the race was the sound of ambulances. The medical help was very well organized. As a kid in the 80s, I remember watching a Czech serial called “Sanitka” ( The Ambulance) on TV. It was like seeing scenes from those series in Prague that Saturday.

Muj cas

There are many news articles about the problems at the Prague half-marathon, all in the Czech language. I found this post by a Cardiologist, Hanka Štefaničová, who, as a participant, described what happened during the race very well.

What I learned. At the end of the race, there was a problem. The runners who finished had to go on a tight corridor guardrail by fences for 200 meters to get the medals, and then they would get water, bananas, and other refreshments from the organizers. A few volunteers handled medals to racers at the end of these fences. But too many people finished simultaneously, and the queue of racers waiting because of this bottleneck was very long. Imagine the situation: you run under the sun for more than 2 hours, then you have to stop under the sun for 10 minutes or more to wait for the medal. If you get no water, you will collapse.

After getting the medals, some runners understood the gap, took water bottles, and gave them to the people in the queue. I drank 2 such bottles until I got the medal. That saved the other runners and me while waiting in the queue. I know those were ad-hoc volunteers because they all had finishers’ medals on their chests. They were not organizers. At the time, I took the medal and was happy to get the baggage and talk to Bogdan after the race. It didn’t cross my mind to stay and become one of the ad-hoc volunteers to give water to people waiting in the queue. In my mind, I was a participant who finished the race and not an organizer. Sometimes, you need to get out of your role, become human, and do what it takes to help others, even if no one has asked you or is not expecting you to do that.

With Bogdan, after the race. He had a good race in these circumstances, finishing in 1:50

Some statistics are relevant to what happened. For races with many runners, I look at the time of the runner who finished precisely in the middle of all the runners. If the race has 10k finishers, I look at the time of the runner who finished exactly at 5k at the finish. The table below clearly shows how external factors influence race results.

City	Date	Finishers	Middle time
Warsaw	18.03.2024	13422	1:55:20
Lisbon	18.03.2024	13247	2:02:40
Prague	06.04.2024	13557	2:03:40

There are considerable differences in time when the weather is hot. The route in Warsaw is more difficult than the other 2. I can say that as I ran all 3 half-marathons (Warsaw in 2022).

I have some suggestions for the organizers. For example, they could give runners bottles of water instead of glasses. The volunteers were overwhelmed and did not have enough time to pour water into glasses to give to runners. At the finish, they could have more people to handle medals. Also, if possible, provide water to people once they finish and don’t let them wait under the sun. Set the check time posts in the farthest areas of the route, where people need to turn around. This is a simple mechanism to avoid cheating.

Despite the problems mentioned above, the organizers did a good job overall. A positive note for the area to leave and pick up baggage: it was the best organized I have ever witnessed. The rest of the nice things are expected for major half-marathons: SMS with your result, pictures after the race, refreshments during and after the race.

As for my plans, I traveled by plane four out of five consecutive weekends in March and April for events covered in this blog. It is time to rest and train before my next half-marathon in Helsinki in May.