Polar Night Half Marathon

Course & Elevation

The Polar Night Half Marathon, known in Norwegian as Mørketidsløpet, is a half marathon in Tromsø, north of the Arctic Circle, held on a Saturday in early January. The half marathon starts at 15:00 in Storgata, the main street in the city centre, and finishes in the same street. The course follows footpaths out to the airport area, turns, and returns along the same route to the city centre; when the weather allows, the route is marked with burning torches. The race is run during the polar night, when the sun does not rise above the horizon, so the afternoon start takes place in blue Arctic light. Runners have faced snow, wind and icy ground, and whether to wear spikes is a topic before the start. The first race was held in 2004 with just over 100 participants on the half marathon and the 10K; the 5K was added in 2012 and the marathon in 2021. It is organised by the Midnight Sun Marathon Foundation, and the organisers list 1:08:27 (2016) and 1:18:43 (2021) as the fastest half-marathon times for men and women.