Races in Estonia are always a homely atmosphere and a holiday for the participants. For the marathon, Tallinn is blocked from traffic for 3 days, and it is clear that the capital of Estonia lives for this event.
7 Estonian races for a sports weekend in nearby Europe
Estonia is a small country with a lot of competitions and strong running traditions. Running in Estonia is always a homely atmosphere and a holiday for the participants. Yuri Vinogradov and the RunTrip team came up with some ideas for running trips.
1. Tallinn Marathon (Tallinna Maraton)
- Where: Tallinn
- When: September
- Distances: 5, 10, 21, 42 km
- Website: tallinnmarathon.ee
- Eesti Linnajooksud race series
When you talk about Estonia, you always remember the city of Tallinn, the capital of this small European state. The Tallinn Marathon fully corresponds to the level of the start in the capital, which any major European city would envy.
Tallinna Maraton is recognized as the largest running event in the Baltic States. It takes place in mid-September in perfect weather. The heat is gone, a light Baltic breeze blows over the runners as they first run along the central streets, then along the Baltic Sea, and then circle around the cobblestones of the old city.
For the marathon, Tallinn is blocked from traffic for 3 days, and it is clear that the capital of Estonia lives this holiday. There are distances for every taste: choose, run, participate! The strongest Estonian stayers run here together with the invited Kenyans and Moroccans, and the townspeople, sometimes walking in jeans and a marathon T-shirt, are in no hurry and join this grandiose event.
Right in the center of the old city, where there are shops, cafes and restaurants to the left and right, along the street fenced with metal barriers, the participants of this autumn race go. The picture is amazing!
The Tallinn Marathon is part of a series of city races that brings together the largest Estonian cities: Narva, Rakvere and Tartu. Scattered throughout the country, which can be driven in three hours, the races in these cities are combined into a Cup, following which a general award is held at the end of the year.
The series of city races is popular with Estonian runners and it is considered very prestigious to win prizes.
2. Delfi Lake Run Series
Run around Lake Harku (Kaugjooks Ümber Harku Järve)
- Where: Lake Harku
- When: June
- Distances: 6.6 km
Run around Lake Pühajärve (Jooks Ümber Pühajärve)
- Where: Lake Pühajärve
- When: July
- Distances: 10.7 km
Run around Lake Ülemiste (Jooks Ümber Ülemiste Järve)
- Where: Lake Ülemiste
- When: August
- Distances: 13.8 km
Estonia, like neighboring Finland, is a country of lakes. It is around them that several races take place in June, July and August. Many participants, high competition, beautiful places. Runs around Estonian lakes are combined into the Delfi Lake Run series.
3. Tartu Forest Marathon
- Where: Tartu
- When: May
- Distances: 5, 10, 24, 42 km
- Website: www.tartumaraton.ee
- Eesti Linnajooksud race series
Tartu is perhaps the most sporty city in Estonia. The Tartu Cube includes not only cross-country starts, but also roller-skiing, cycling and skiing competitions – the famous Tartu Ski Marathon. Based on the results of the series, a separate standings is held, statistics are kept with the encouragement of participants who took part in the starts 5 or 10 times.
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The Tartu Running Marathon (not to be confused with the city marathon run in October) is a prestigious cross-country run that runs along the winter marathon course. In the beginning, when you run a couple of kilometers along the highway, there is a decent elevation change, and then the forest begins, and the participants run from point to point, starting in Otepää and finishing in Elva.
4. Grand Race Round Lake Viljandi (Suurjooks Ümber Viljandi Järve)
- Where: Lake Viljandi, Viljandi
- When: May
- Distances: 12 km
- Website: viljandijarvejooks.ee
- Eesti Linnajooksud race series
On May 1, a run around Lake Viljandi takes place. This is one of the most massive competitions in the Baltic States, in 2019 it was held for the 90th time! At a distance of 12 km, 3,000 runners from 10 countries finished.
The route of the run does not change: crossed, with hills, ravines, swamp sections, forest paths, fields, sections of arable land. Interestingly, in some places the participants can choose their own route: on the first kilometers around the city, you can maneuver between houses, or you can run along the dirt road, fly directly through the swamp or run around.
The career of the legendary Hubert Pärnakivi began in Viljandi. Many people know about his feat at the USSR-USA track and field match in 1959, when he brought victory to our team, finishing in an unconscious state.
Pärnakivi won here 11 times in a row from 1952 to 1962. On the Walk of Glory, which starts from the start of the run, a granite slab with the name of the winner is laid every year, and a monument was erected here to Pärnakivi during his lifetime.
5. Vändra Marathon
- Where: Vandra
- When: May, July, December
- Distances: 8, 16, 21, 42 km
- Website: mispo.ee
Home series in Vändra, a town in the south of Estonia, which no one would know about if it were not for the races so loved by Russian cross-country travelers. Held in May, July and December.
The races in December are especially memorable, when you can start two days in a row if you wish. Immediately after the finish line, it's great to take a steam bath in a barrel bath and look directly from there at the athletes running along the distance.
Starts in Vandra are not numerous – on average they gather 2-3 hundred participants. In May, a high-speed race on the highway, in July – the trail, in December, participants run through the city part of the May race. In fact, everything is within the city, there are different distances.
The goodwill, attentiveness and responsiveness of the organizers and participants of the races conquer forever.
6. Night Half Marathon in Rakvere (Viking Line Eesti Ööjooks)
- Where: Rakvere
- When: August
- Distances: 5, 10, 21 km
- Website: ööjooks.ee
- Eesti Linnajooksud race series
Of the 16 thousand residents of the Rakvere in the Night Run Estonia night marathon, 8 thousand participate. The starting package includes a ticket to the water center, where you can relax after the race, and a steam ticket from Viking Line. The participants of the half marathon on the highway are accompanied by energetic music, and at the finish-fire show and fireworks.
In the Rakvere, the running movement is developing more and more actively: in addition to the night half marathon, now they are raining in July and in December for the New Year. It can be seen that in the Rakvere the run is very popular!
7. Half marathon in Narva (Narva Energiajooks)
- Where: Narva
- When: June
- Distance: 6-21 km
- Site: Jooks.ee
- Eesti Linnajooksud
Narva has their own series of races, which few people know about. And in the region I am going to Virumaa, even traditional running evenings are organized, which are spent in the week. Running leisure in Estonian!
The Narva half marathon is organized by the team of the Tallinn marathon, and therefore the event takes place at the highest level. The picturesque run route runs around the city and along the river. Comfortable weather and flat route make the Narva half marathon with a gesture for personal records, and the status of the Estonian championship attracts strong runners.
90% of the city’s inhabitants are Russians, so it will not be difficult to chat with the locals. The road from St. Petersburg will take only three hours.