Marathon de Stockholm

What’s the common thread between Alfred Nobel 🧪, Greta Thunberg ♻️ and Zara Larsson ? 🎤 You’re giving your language 👅 to the wolf ? 🐺 Well, they were all born in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden! 🇸🇪 Did you also know the city is so fragmented (it has a mere 14 islands) that it’s nicknamed the “ Venice of the North” 🛶. We’re not even going to talk about the impressive density of innovative tech companies 🤖 that makes the city rival the Baltic Sea 🌊), hence the nickname. And by the way, the streaming music giant Spotify 🎶 was born here, with its headquarters still in the city center 📍. That’ll blow your shelf away, Ikea 🪑, doesn’t it? 🧐

The last Saturday of May, it’s not about music streaming 🎧, nor the clatter of a flat-pack furniture assembly 🔨 that echo through the streets of the Swedish capital, but live concerts 🎸 that boost the motivation of a fleet of raunty runners 🏃🏼‍♂️. Yes, it’s indeed late May when the Adidas Stockholm Marathon 👟, one of the continent’s most renowned marathons 🇪🇺, for the sound quality of its organization and the beauty of its route 🤩. A perfect date, because on the southwestern coast of the Sweden, summers are mild… and almost no nights! 🌞 So you’ll be able to celebrate your finisher medal 🏅, and perhaps your personal record ⏱️ until the wee hours… 🌚 But who’s actually a day without end! In any case, you’ll have plenty of time (6h30 max) to finish the famous 42,195 km, whose distance is officially recognized by the Swedish Athletics Federation 🤸‍♀️ and the World Athletics (no, you won’t run an extra meter, that’s for sure! 🤓).

Beyond the obvious joy of treading these northern lands, you’ll get to visit seven iconic Stockholm districts 🏙️. The itinerary, filled with enthusiastic crowds, starts just steps from the Olympic Stadium built for the 1912 Olympics 🏟️. It’ll whisk you quickly to the heart of Östermalm, where the country’s most expensive properties stand 💸. Open your eyes wide to enjoy this jewel you’ll soon be leaving behind for Vasastan, the chic district 💅 and trendy by the water 💦 where you’ll find the town hall, a glut of art galleries 🎨 and a host of ultra cozy restaurants 🍝. After crossing a bridge, you’ll reach Kungsholmen (bless you! 🤧) where you’ll find a different, more intimate and livelier vibe, with a beach 🏖️, a long 2 km stroll and the Ralambshovs Park 🛝. Hop hop hop! Two more bridges (we told you it’s a water city, here’s the proof!) will take you to Gamla stan, the historic old town made of colorful buildings dating back to sometimes the 13th century. You’ll then glimpse the royal palace 👑 and the Stockholm Cathedral 🕍.

Then you’ll stroll through Norrmalm, today the true city center 🌆 with the park most loved by locals (take a run-up, the Kungsträdgården) and the famous Ahléns department store 🏪. No time to linger for shopping 🛍️, because you’ll be at the 12th km ! After passing the Olympic Stadium again, you’ll head toward Djurgården : this vast slice of nature 🍃, close to downtown, is none other than the world’s first urban park, whose history goes back to the 15th century. This woodland island 🌳 is home to deer 🦌, hares 🐇, and even some rare bird species 🦜 that share space with wildly popular attractions 🎡: Gröna Lund, Nordiska Museet, Jardin Rosendal and Skansen. This is where you’ll pass at midpoint, feeling as if you’ve already visited several cities 🤩. You still won’t be done with your surprises! 🎁

The Stockholm Marathon route still holds many beautiful discoveries 👀 with a new stretch through Norrmalm and Gamla stan to reach Södermalm Island 🗾, a little bohemian 🌸, honestly creative and decidedly laid-back ✌️. The largest of the 14 islands of the Swedish capital hosts SoFo district, young 🧒 and alternative 🤪, whose nickname is the abbreviation of “South of Folkungagatan ” (no, this isn’t a Nordic Comptoir shelf, it’s a boulevard slicing the island East to West 🧭). Around 8 km are mapped out in Södermalm, which you’ll leave by crossing a spectacular bridge that will take you to Kungsholmen. Hang on, you’ll have only 7 km (you’ve already walked them earlier in the race 😉)! You’ll reach the Olympic Stadium for an unforgettable finish 🥰 in this historic jewel. The warm crowd will punctuate your final strides with applause 👏 and shouts 🗣️ that make the hairs on your whole body stand up.

Du gjorde det ! Yes, you can be proud of yourself ! 🙌