The history of marathon races in Moscow began in 1981, when the Moscow International Peace Marathon was held for the first time. It remained the main marathon of Moscow for more than three decades. However, in 2013 this title passed to the newly created Moscow Marathon. Although the Moscow International Peace Marathon is still held every year, the Promsvyazbank Moscow Marathon is much more popular today.
The Moscow Marathon is certified by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and meets the requirements of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). However, it hasn’t been designated an IAFF Road Race Label Event yet.
The race is traditionally held on the last weekend of September. Its route begins at the embankment of the Moskva River and ends at the Luzhniki Olympic Complex. Over the course of the race, runners can see more than 30 world-famous sites, including the Moscow Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Bolshoi Theatre, four of the Seven Sisters skyscrapers, the Moscow International Business Center (Moscow City), Lubyanka, the White House (the House of the Government of the Russian Federation), and the statue of Yuriy Dolgorukiy.
The Moscow Marathon includes several races: a 42.2 km race (full marathon), a 10 km race, a corporate relay, and a wheelchair and handcycle race. Participation is open to runners aged 18 and older. Participants of the full marathon are divided into several age groups, men and women are awarded separately. The Promsvyazbank Moscow Marathon is one of Russia’s largest road races. In 2016, it featured 28,000 enrolled participants from 70 countries.
Alongside the annual Moscow Marathon, its team organizes a number of races throughout the year. They include the 5 km April Run, the Moscow Half Marathon, the 5 km Color Run, the 10 km Night Run, and the Luzhniki Half Marathon.
Photo: vk.com/moscowmarathon