Spitsbergen Marathon

Course & Elevation

The Spitsbergen Marathon is a summer running event in Longyearbyen on Svalbard, held on a Saturday in early June, at about 78 degrees north. The organisers describe it as the world's most northerly marathon on firm ground. It offers a marathon, a half marathon, the Spitsbergenmila (10 km) and a children's Mini Marathon. Start and finish are in the car park outside Svalbardhallen in central Longyearbyen, and the marathon is two laps of the half-marathon route, run on a mix of gravel and asphalt. The route leads out of town into a landscape of Arctic nature and remnants of the mining industry, and the organisers describe the course as tough, with open terrain. In 2026 the marathon started at 10:00, with the half marathon at 11:00 and the 10 km at 11:15. Runners come from around 20 nations, according to the tourist board, and the organisers advertise it as the only marathon in the world with polar bear guards. It was first held in 1994. The 2027 race is set for 5 June, with registration opening on 1 July 2026.