Košice Peace Marathon

The Košice Peace Marathon (Slovak: Medzinárodný maratón mieru) is the oldest marathon in continental Europe and the third-oldest in the world, first run in 1924 and continuously held every year since 1941. Founded by sports enthusiast Vojtech Bukovský after inspiration from the 1924 Paris Olympics, the race has grown into a World Athletics Silver Label Road Race and AIMS-certified event. The flat, fast, largely traffic-free course runs two loops through Košice's historic city center, with a total elevation gain of only about 74 meters and a mere 16.35 m difference between the lowest and highest points on the route, making it attractive to both elite runners chasing fast times and first-time marathoners. The race weekend also includes the Volvo Half Marathon, a four-person Relay Magna Marathon, handbike, and inline skating events, drawing thousands of participants from Slovakia and abroad each October.