The national relay run Košice – Bratislava THE RUN SLOVAKIA 2026 has successfully written another chapter of its story. 100 teams and around 1,400 runners registered for the 533-kilometre course across Slovakia. In the end, 87 teams reached the finish on Rybné námestie in Bratislava, together creating one of the most remarkable editions in the event's history.

THE RUN SLOVAKIA once again brought together athletes, volunteers, partners, municipalities and fans across the whole country. From the start in Košice to the finish in Bratislava, the participants were accompanied by hundreds of kilometres of experiences, teamwork, determination and unforgettable moments.

Runners from Slovakia and abroad met at the start. Participants came from Austria, Germany, France, Poland, Hungary, Czechia, Ukraine, Japan, Ireland, the United States, England, Belgium, Spain, Mexico and Denmark.
THE RUN SLOVAKIA showed once again that the love of movement knows no age limits.

The youngest participant this year was 15, the oldest 64. Several generations of runners met at the start, united by the desire to take on the challenge and experience a unique adventure across Slovakia.

Interest in taking part was the highest in the event's history. For the first time, the number of applicants exceeded the maximum capacity of 100 teams, which the organisers have decided to keep in the future so that it does not come at the expense of the quality of the organisation, safety on the course and the participants' comfort.

This year the weather showed almost every face. Runners on the course faced lower temperatures, wind, drizzle and several rain showers. Although the conditions were not ideal, especially for teams spending the night outdoors, most participants appreciated the pleasant daytime temperatures that spared them from demanding heat. The reward for a tough weekend was sunshine at the finish, where runners, partners and organisers enjoyed the end of the event together.

"This edition showed that THE RUN SLOVAKIA has a firm place among the biggest sporting events in Slovakia. We are delighted by the record interest from teams, the international participation and the atmosphere created throughout the weekend by runners, partners, volunteers and fans. Many thanks to all of them," said event director Dušan Tarčák.

Course record broken

One of the most remarkable sporting moments of the edition came from the team Not2BeeLoser, which won the main MARATHON 12 MIX – FULL category in 36:37:06, setting a new THE RUN SLOVAKIA course record.
Second place went to Stellantis Run Team (38:04:51) and third place to POLTRADE Run Team (38:28:22).

In the FREESTYLE 7–16 MIX – FULL category, the win went to Nitra Knights in 39:44:19, narrowly ahead of Accenture Hore Bež and RUN'N POSES.
The LADIES FREESTYLE RUN category was won by CHERRY on Top, who completed the 533-kilometre course in 47:11:01. The team was made up entirely of women and, as this year's only all-female team, successfully completed the journey from Košice to Bratislava.

Five solo runners took on the event's greatest challenge

One of the strongest sporting stories of this year's edition was the five solo runners who decided to complete the entire 533-kilometre course without relay changes in the unofficial SOLO ULTRA category.

They set off on Wednesday morning, two days before the relay teams started. After five days on the course, two of them made it to Bratislava.
Among the solo runners, Marián Pavúk (Pavúčik Sport Team) won, with Peter Ondráš (Rezké korytnačky) in second place.

All five solo runners delivered performances worthy of admiration and respect. Each of them deserves special recognition for the courage to stand on the start line and cover hundreds of kilometres across Slovakia on their own feet.

Children's runs were very popular too

The event also included the ZSE KIDS RUN children's races, held in Košice, Teplička nad Váhom and Bratislava.

A total of 136 children took part, enjoying the unique atmosphere of THE RUN SLOVAKIA and experiencing a running story of their own. The enthusiasm of the children, parents and fans confirmed once again that a love of movement is worth building from the earliest age.

BEŽÍME O DUŠU continues after the finish

This year the event again included the charity project BEŽÍME O DUŠU, which aims to support children's mental health through a specific project of the TV Markíza Foundation.

The fundraiser continues after the event, and the public can still join during the following week. The organisers believe that together we can help the children who need support the most.

The event would not happen without the support of our partners

THE RUN SLOVAKIA 2026 took place with the support of general partner Volvo and main partners ZSE and VSE, who stood by the event along the entire 533-kilometre journey across Slovakia.

Partners Takenaka and Klimak were also an important part of the event; besides supporting the organisation, they took part with their own running teams and were part of the atmosphere on the course.

Rajec took care of the runners' hydration throughout the weekend, Red Bull brought energy to the course and the finish, and ATAK supplied the sports gear for the participants and the organising team.

Care for the runners' health was also an important part of the event. Thanks to VÚSCH, participants could have preventive check-ups over the weekend, including blood pressure, cholesterol and ECG measurements, in Veľká Lodina, Teplička nad Váhom and Bratislava.
The technology and the event's mobile app were provided by BinarBase, the winners' trophies were made by Hydro Extrusion Slovakia and the participants' medals were supplied by HKS Forge.

Park Inn by Radisson Danube Bratislava provided the comfortable finish-area facilities, while the joint Pasta Party for runners, partners and organisers took place on the summer terrace of the Bocca Buona restaurant.

The atmosphere of the event was brought to the public throughout the weekend by STVR, Rádio Slovensko, TV Markíza, the beh.sk portal and other media partners.

The organisers also thank all partners, municipalities, volunteers, medics, security services and the thousands of fans who helped create a unique atmosphere along the entire journey from Košice to Bratislava.

Media contact
Renáta Tarčák
THE RUN SLOVAKIA
[email protected]
+421 903 948 948