Marathon de Riga

With a sharp nose 👃, you know this race is going to be a real treat for you! 😏 Having become a true institution 👆, the Marathon of Riga is, since 1991, a must-attend running event in the Baltic States 📍. With more than 22,000 participants, it’s also the biggest competition in this region! 😮 Of course, the organizers are keen to keep that status! 👑 They have, for that, pulled out all the stops with 5 races spread over the third weekend of May. So it’s in spring 🌻 that you’ll need to head to the capital of the Latvia 🇱🇻, Riga, to run a historic 23.2 km, a 21.095 km, a 10 km, a 5 km or a 1,609 km. Kids from Riga can also enjoy the “ Children’s Day” 👦, which takes place on Saturday, where several races are organized for families and children up to 12 years old.

It’s like meeting an old friend! Since 1991, the year of the collapse of the USSR, Latvia celebrates the return of its independenceand its love of sport 🫶 with the most famous marathon in the Riga Golf. In addition to thirty years of existence, the event has had numerous twists that have tested its longevity, without quite putting an end to it 😉. It’s thanks to the dedication of the organizers that it is now regarded as the most important in the Baltic states ✨, Riga having become “the world’s road running capital in 2023”, as stated by Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics! 👏 In this regard, it’s also worth noting that the event holds the World Athletics Gold Label and the World Athletics Road Races 🥇. The Rimi Riga Marathon is also part of the 350 global marathons where you can qualify for the Abbott World Marathon Majors World Championships 👍. Created by Abbott World Marathon Majors, the label enables runners aged 40 and above to attend the World Championships 🏆. In total, in 2022, 17,000 people from 76 different countries came to compete. That year, the slogan “Together! ”, was dedicated to Ukraine. Moreover, the revenue 💶 from the 5 km distance was entirely donated to support the war-torn country 🤝.

Okay, now that these elements are set, it’s time ⌚️ to focus on what matters most: the course of the Rimi Riga Marathon!As you already know, 5 distances 🖐️ are offered in just one weekend. In spring, when temperatures will be still cool (around 15°C on average 😬), you’ll start one of the races 🚩. You can not only come to conquer the sacred Riga marathon (42.195 km), but also the half-marathon (21.095 km), the 10 km, the 5 km or the “DPD Mile” of 1.609 km... The question remains why you’re there! 🙄 If you want to have the opportunity to discover the city 👀 in its entirety, to cross its river 🌊, the Daugava, and explore the historic streets of the largest city in the Baltic states, the crown jewel is the queen distance 👸 or the half-marathon we recommend (the marathon is a double loop of 21 km ➿). If, however, you’d rather beat your personal best ⏱️or run a shorter distance or save part of the weekend to visit 🚶‍♀️, we’ve got other distances for you. Of course, if you’re a performer seeking the best time, THE race you need is the “DPD Mile”, which was specifically designed to welcome the world's elite runners 🌎. Like the other races, this one is particularly flat 📏. However, you’ll note that none of the courses feature heavy elevationwhich makes the event ideal for posting the best times 🚀. But still, we don’t know if you’ll be able to beat current records: 2 hours, 8 minutes and 51 seconds for Ethiopian Andualem Shiferaw (2019) and 2 hours, 26 minutes and 18 seconds for Ethiopian Birke Debele (2019). Indeed, 2019 was a great year! 😅🍾 2024 will be exceptional too, especially thanks to the festive vibe 🥳 that will fill the streets. The event aims to be joyful, friendly and family-friendly! ☺️ That’s why there are numerous activities 🪇 planned throughout the weekend as well as a “Children’s Day”.

Boasting a cultural 🎨, cultural and architectural and historic treasures, Riga is a destination that has a lot to offer to runners/visitors 🥰

We’re waiting for you at the Rimi Riga Marathon to enjoy a weekend that sits at the crossroads of sport, performance, sightseeing and discovery 🫢.