20th "Marathon of Statehood" 2011

Celje (Slovenia), Friday 24 June 2011

Runners will pass the lovely Šmartinsko jezero.

The Maraton državnosti in Slovenia brings runners to Celje, a city of around 40,000 people, located on the railway line from Ljubljana to Maribor.

Held on 24 June, on the eve of the Slovenian Statehood Day, the event commemorates Slovenia's declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.

Runners choose between the 10.5K run (one lap) and the half marathon (two laps).

Start and finish are on the northern edge of Celje, at the handball arena "Dvorana Zlatorog", which is home to "Celje Pivovarna Laško", one of Europe's top handball clubs.

The route is an undulating out-and-back course through rolling countryside. The turning point is on the very pretty reservoir Šmartinsko jezero.

In 2010, the half marathon winners were Robert Kotnik (1:17:37) and Zala Praprotnik (1:43:10).

Country: Slovenia

Venue (Map): Celje (53km from Maribor, 78km from Ljubljana, 114km from Zagreb, 122km from Graz)

Date: 24 June 2011 (Friday)

Distance: 10.5km, 21.1km, children 350/700/1050m

Start time: 16.00 (children); 18.00 (10.5km, 21km)

Start and finish: at the sports hall "Dvorana Zlatorog", Opekarniška cesta 15, Celje

Entries: online or by post until 22 June 2011; payment by bank transfer; late entries on the day

Entry fees (10.5km): 10 euros (until 22 June 2011), 18 euros (until 24 June 2011)

Entry fees (21km): 15 euros (until 22 June 2011), 18 euros (until 24 June 2011)

Entry fees (children): no entry fees

You get: T-Shirt and a warm meal; medal to half marathon finishers; T-shirt and drinks to children

Prizes (10.5km): trophies to the first 3 M/F; medals to the first 3 in each category

Prizes (21km): prize money or product prizes to the first 6M and 3F; trophies to the first 3 M/F; medals to the first 3 in each category

Number of finishers 2010: 115 (10.5km), 67 (21km)

Event website (in Slovene): www.drustvo-maratoncev-celje.si/drzavnost/drzavnost.htm

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy or thoroughness of the information on this page.