6th Balaton Marathon and Half Marathon

Ever fancied running a full marathon but not 42.2 kilometres non-stop?

Well, go to Lake Balaton in Hungary, 79km long and Central Europe's largest lake, and split the marathon in three stages. Run 14k on Saturday morning, 7k in the afternoon, and finally a half marathon on Sunday morning, but not too early as there's a party on Saturday night.

You may as well decide to take part in only one of the three races, or to run 14k and then 7k to complete a half marathon in two stages.

The setting for the event is nice. The races travel along the lakeside promenade and the tree-lined avenues of Siófok, the lake's largest and most lively resort. The 7k race includes one lap, the 14k race two laps of 7km, and the half marathon two laps of 10.5km.

In mid-November, the weather may be cold and windy, or foggy, or even snowy, but it doesn't really matter as there will be loads of runners, and it's always nice at Lake Balaton anyway.

The route is traffic-free, and completely flat and fast, just running on the concrete promenade might prove to be demanding. 

In 2008, the marathon winners were Péter Steib (2:19:11) and Judit Nagy (2:41:29).

Country: Hungary

Venue (Map): Siófok (Budapest 103km, Varaždin 176km, Maribor 232km, Wien 236km)

Date: 14+15 November 2009 (Saturday+Sunday)

Distance: 1/6 Marathon (7.03km); 1/3 Marathon (14.07km); 1/2 Marathon (21.1km); Marathon (7+14+21km)

Start time (14km): Saturday 10.30

Start time (7km): Saturday 15.30

Start time (21km): Sunday 11.00

Start and finish: Siófok, Hotel Aranypart, Beszédes József sétány

Entries: online (payment by credit card), late entries in the race centre

Entry fees (7km)*: 2500 HUF (until 14 November)

Entry fees (14km)*: 5500 HUF (until 6 November), 8000 HUF (until 14 November)

Entry fees (14+7=21km)*: 6000 HUF (until 6 November), 9500 HUF (until 14 November)

Entry fees (21km)*: 6000 HUF (until 6 November), 9500 HUF (until 15 November)

Entry fees (14+7+21=42km)*: 9000 HUF (until 6 November), 11000 HUF (until 14 November)

*Timing: ChampionChip; chip deposit fee: 1000 HUF; entry fees are reduced by 500 HUF if you use your own chip

<Exchange rate: 1000 HUF are ca. 3.66 EUR (2 November 2009)>

Race centre: "Steak House", Petőfi sétány, 400m from the start (Saturday from 8.30 to 10.15 and from 13.30 to 15.15; Sunday from 8.30 to 10.45)

You get: goody bag, chip timing, a garment with the logo of the event

Prizes: first 3 M/F in the marathon and half marathon

Showers and changing facilities: Hotel Aranypart

Presentation: Sunday 13.45

Number of finishers 2008: 1024 (half marathon) + 395 (marathon)

Event website (in Hungarian): www.futanet.hu

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