Vienna City Marathon

The Vienna City Marathon was founded in 1984, during the golden age of mass-participation running. Now 42 years old, it has established itself as a beloved fixture in Vienna, growing from its early editions into a race with genuine character and loyal following.

The course record of 2:05:41, set by Robert Chemosin in 2018, speaks to what the Vienna City Marathon offers elite athletes: a fast, honest course where serious times are achievable. The record has drawn increasingly competitive fields year after year.

Runners come to the Vienna City Marathon for one reason: personal bests. The flat, fast course through Vienna has a reputation as a PB factory, with the roads seemingly designed to keep your pace honest and your splits consistent from start to finish.

While not an official marathon (it was a specially arranged time trial), Eliud Kipchoge's 1:59:40 in Vienna in October 2019 proved that a human could run 42.195km in under two hours. The event, with its rotating pace car and 41 pacemakers, was designed as a scientific experiment. The emotional weight of the achievement — Kipchoge crossing the line in tears — transcended sport.