run vienna - enjoy classics

That's Why You Should Run in Vienna!

A Unique Way to Experience a Marathon

Wien, Vienna, Viena, Vienne, Bécs, Dunaj, Vídeň, Wenen, Wiedeń, Viyana or "Wean": Whatever you call the world capital of classical music – discover marathon running here or discover it anew!

Limited Edition

In recent years the Vienna City Marathon has succeeded in creating a unique position as a marathon event on the international scene. It offers participants a very different experience to what they can find elsewhere around the world. The reason why it’s extraordinary is because that’s in keeping with the city of Vienna itself and because the organising team bring such passion and creativity to their work to make the Vienna City Marathon outstanding.

The 30st Vienna City Marathon only happens once in a lifetime, which was reason enough for a special anniversary booklet, called “Limited Edition”. Take the chance and browse online through this jubilee booklet. Let yourself be swept away by the charm of this beautiful city and the emotional pictures of the Vienna City Marathon. To get a copy of the anniversary booklet, visit the booth of the Vienna City Marathon at the marathon expo in Berlin or Frankfurt. The booklet can also be found in Goodie Bags of different marathon events. You would like to receive a copy by mail? Feel free to contact us via [contact form].

Click here to browse through the jubilee booket “VCM Limited Edition”:

[VCM Limited Edition Edition read mode]
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[Download the booklet VCM Limited Edition]

Vienna is extraordinary
Classical Overture
International Friendship Party
A truly impressive course
Competitions for all
Be inspired by Mozart and Johann Strauß
Vienna in celebratory mood
New Theme every year

In recent years the Vienna City Marathon has succeeded in creating a unique position as a marathon event on the international scene. It offers participants a very different experience to what they can find elsewhere around the world. The “VCM” gives you the chance to experience the marathon in a unique way. The reason why it’s extraordinary is because that’s in keeping with the city of Vienna itself and because the organising team bring such passion and creativity to their work to make the Vienna City Marathon outstanding.

	Vienna Is Extraordinary Vienna fascinates as both a historic and modern cultural capital – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart spent the peak of his creativity here, Sigmund Freud developed psychoanalysis in Vienna, while museums, theatres and concert halls offer the visitor a fascinating range of interests. Vienna has a global reach, is home to the United Nations and many other international organisations. It is a city much in demand for its lifestyle and as a holiday destination – worldwide surveys often place Vienna number one for quality of life. Experience all of this with the Vienna City Marathon. The VCM brings together the classic tourist images of Vienna combined with modern lifestyle. This unique combination of a musical world tradition, cultural heritage and contemporary running event makes the VCM unique. In the 28 years since its creation the event has earned for itself an outstanding position on the international running scene. The biggest sports event in Austria motivates 35,000 participants to get involved, making it the biggest participatory event in the country. The world federation for athletics, the IAAF, has awarded the VCM their exclusive IAAF Road Race Gold Label. Some of the fastest runners in the world have won here, including the running legend Haile Gebrselassie and the double World champion Abel Kirui. Many young athletes have used Vienna as a springboard for their international careers. To run here is something special for every runner, especially when you receive a medal decorated with exclusive Swarovski crystal which every marathon finisher is given after crossing the finish line as a trophy to remind them of their achievement.

	What Makes The Vienna City Marathon Unique The Vienna City Marathon defines itself not only as a sports event with thousands of participants and spectators. It is a public spectacle. Runners should receive more than just a start number, drinks and an official finishing time. They should be able to take away with them pictures and emotions, they should be able to experience the marathon and the city and have uplifting tales to tell.

	Classical Overture The sequence of events begins long before the starting gun. Participants have the chance in the days before the competition to get in the mood for the great race with classical music. Following the motto “run vienna - enjoy classics”, there are concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle, Christian Thielemann or the outstanding pianist Rudolf Buchbinder as well as concerts with the Vienna Boys’ Choir which provided many runners with deeply moving experiences.

	Friendship Party In The Town Hall Banqueting Suite A special highlight is the "International Friendship Party" on the Saturday before the VCM. Originally intended as a "Carbo-Loading Party", the event has long been transformed into an exciting meeting place for participants from over a hundred countries. The "Carbo-Loading" is not the main item on the agenda, instead it's the idea of "Getting Together" and sharing the excitement of the marathon day to come. There's probably no other marathon in the world which has the kind of space at its disposal as the Vienna City Marathon in the exquisite neo-gothic banqueting suite of Vienna's Town Hall. While we're on the subject, there is also fantastic "Kaiserschmarrn", a traditional Viennese pancake, in addition to delicious Italian pasta on offer. Participants of the Vienna City Marathon, their family and friends enjoy an attractive programme guided by moderation.

	Impressive Course For Culture One of the founding principles of the VCM Organisation was and remains the search for the current and long term best solution, never opting for the easy way out. The Vienna City Marathon takes you to Vienna's most impressive modern and historic sights. It begins between the skyscrapers of the UNO complex, the site of the United Nations. Straight after the start, participants cross the 864 metre long Imperial Bridge (Reichsbrücke) over the beautiful blue waters of the River Danube, accompanied by the world famous melody of the Danube Waltz by Johann Strauß. No other river in the world has had as many songs composed about it as the Danube, which divides historic and modern Vienna. The race takes you past the Riesenrad or giant ferris wheel, through the green expanse of Prater Park. It then continues on Vienna's Ring Road, past the famous Opera House, through Vienna's River Valley to reach Schönbrunn Castle, the former imperial summer residence. On the way back runners can take in the greatest examples of Vienna's architecture along the Ring Road, from the numerous museums and the Town Hall to the Burg Theatre and the University. Discover the Course.

	Competitions For All The course has been steadily developed since the race's debut edition in 1984. Several years ago we worked out how simultaneously to stage a marathon, half marathon and a relay marathon, the latter the biggest in the world, as well as integrating two childrens' races into our organisation, all on a modern, attractive and interesting course from the sporting perspective. This programme of events offers runners of every ability the chance to experience Vienna in their running.

	A Marathon For All The Senses In the world capital of classical music runners discover their rhythm in tune with the melodies of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the waltz king Johann Strauß with more than ten kilometres of the course resounding to music. The "Marathon Sound of Vienna" gives you wings at the very start, when runners from every nation taking part are welcomed to the strains of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy." Participants can hear classic melodies as they run along the Ring Road. Vienna would not be Vienna if the finishing straight on the Heldenplatz didn't have a suitable accompaniment. While spectators in their thousands in the packed stands await the approach of the winner to the sound of Richard Strauss' "Thus spoke Zarathustra", a tide of emotion is unleashed over the last 200 metres as the runners approach the finish line. This finishing straight, one of the most beautiful anywhere in the world, is just as moving an experience for the great mass of runners.

	Vienna Celebrates The Marathon Vienna shows it knows how to have a party and not only at high society events such as the Opera ball or the Life Ball, Europe’s biggest fund-raising event to combat AIDS. The marathon is no exception. That’s why the VCM leads straight into the party marathon. No marathon event in the world has a better appointed hospitality area right next to the finish. Alongside a large public area where you can just hang out and relax are a large number of luxuriously furnished party tents which can be hired by companies and teams. The celebrations and dancing carry on into the evening. Of course, everyone’s keen to exchange experiences and impressions of a successful Vienna City Marathon.

	A New Theme Every Year Each year the marathon in Vienna takes a different subject for its main theme. It was fitting that for a marathon in the world capital of music, Mozart’s anniversary in 2006 was the first such example. Since then the event has adopted the claim “run vienna - enjoy classics” and it has gone from strength to strength. However, music and culture are not the only possible choices for our annual theme. In 2009 the VCM became the marathon for debutants – only those runners who had never run a marathon before were invited for the elite field. This was a concept which prove a great talking point. In 2010 the VCM celebrated the greatest anniversary in our sport: “2,500 Years of the Legend of the Marathon” with a big exhibition and the “Marathon Flame” from Greece. In 2011 Haile Gebrselassie took part, this world star entrancing everyone by his presence. In 2012 Vienna and the Vienna City Marathon celebrate the 150th birthday of probably the most significant artist of Art Nouveau, Gustav Klimt. A range of activities were designed to place one of the best known paintings "The Kiss" at the centre of the VCM. In 2013, the Vienna City Marathon is getting ready tocelebrate its 30th anniversary. Let yourself be swept away into the world of the Vienna City Marathon.

Disover Vienna in running the marathon, or discover it anew! We look forward to welcoming you.