Course & Elevation
The Wizz Air Sofia Marathon is an annual road marathon in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, held over a weekend in early October. The 42.195 km race is run on the Sunday, with a 9:30 am start in 2026, together with a half marathon and a relay of two 21 km legs, while a 10 km and a 5 km mass run are held on the Saturday. Since 2019 the marathon has been run as two 21 km laps, and the start and finish are on Battenberg Square in front of the National Art Gallery. The organisers say the course passes some of Sofia's best-known buildings and goes through the area known as the Quadrangle of Tolerance, where four places of worship of different religions stand close together. The first Sofia Marathon was held on 22 May 1983 and ran from the National Assembly along Tsarigradsko Shose to the junction near Novi Han, finishing at the Vasil Levski National Stadium. The marathon was held every year from 1983 to 2008. The organisers count the 2026 race as the 43rd edition. It is part of the AIMS calendar and is Bulgaria's national marathon championship.
Course Facts
Weather
Typical climate for the race month — an estimate, not a forecast or a race-day record
11°C
Temperature
70%
Humidity
35%
Rain Chance
Early October in Sofia is mild and fairly dry: average highs are around 18°C and lows around 6°C, with relative humidity near 70% and rain on about 11 days of the month. The 9:30 am start is usually cool.
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