maraton-info - Marathon running in Norway

Marathon running in Norway

For those who are interested in maraton running, Norway offers a number of scenic and interesting courses. Here is a description of a few of them, with somewhat more detailed course information than what is found on the respective homepages for these races.

Det Norske Fjellmaraton, Beito. This is the classic Norwegian mountain marathon course. It was arranged for the 24th time this year. The point-to-point course starts in a pine wood in Sjoadalen (altitude ca. 950 meters). The first 10 kilometers are run alongside the lake Sjoadalsvatnet and are flat. The next 11 kilometers are more demanding, with a series of stepwise climbs up to Valdresflya and the halfway point which is close to 1400 meters above sea level. This stretch of the course passes close to Gjende, a much used entrance point to mountain walks in the Jotunheimen area. From the halfway point at Valdresflya, [which is also the start for the half marathon race] the course is easy to ca. 29 kilometers with downhill terrain to the mountain lake Bygdin. Then flat until ca. 31 kilometers where one faces a ca. 2 kilometer hill with approximately 150 meters elevation up to Båtskar. From Båtskar the course is easy downhill to Beitostølen which is located at just below 900 meters altitude.

The weather conditions at the time of the year this race is held, which is usually the first Saturday in June, may vary considerably. The range is sunshine and 15-20+ degrees to rain or wet snow and close to zero temperatures at the high altitude stretches. There may be quite a lot of snow from last winter on Valdresflya. However, the course itself is snow and ice free with wet of dry asphalt. Traffic over Valdresflya is regulated race day.

Approximately 3000 runners participate in Det Norske Fjellmaraton each year, of which 100-200 run the marathon.

Midnight Sun Marathon, Tromsø. This race has become the most international of Norwegian marathons. It is held the first Saturday in July, which is a time of the year the sun never sets in Tromsø, which is located on an island [Tromsøy]. The race starts late in the evening [22.00] so that the runners can hopefully experience the midnight sun. The loop course consists of two stretches, one onto the mainland and back to Tromsø [ca. 20 kilometers] and the other along the coast of Tromsøya. The course profile is rolling with ca. 30 meter climbs across the Tromsøy - mainland bridge.

The weather conditions may vary. Rain and cloudy or sunny, snow is unexceptional in July. In addition to the midnight sun which is [or may be] a special feature of this race, the arctic chill in the air which is present even in summer, also adds a special flavour.

Jølster Maraton, Jølster. This race is held in a scenic course which goes along the south side of Jølstravatnet, an inland lake located on the west coast of Norway. The course is mostly flat with only one major [approximately 20 meter] elevation around the halfway point. The views along this course include farms, mountains and glaciers. Jølster Maraton is usually held the first Saturday in July. The weather conditions are usually stable with 15-20+ temperatues, but rain or showers is not uncommon. This marathon has 50-100 participants each year.

Nordmarka Skogsmaraton, Oslo. Whereas the four marathons described above all are run on asphalt, Nordmarka Skogsmaraton is run on gravel roads with a short [less than 1 km] path stretch. The race starts from Sognsvann in Oslo and goes through central parts of Nordmarka which is a forest area north of the city center. The course is rather hilly but it also consists of some long and flat stretches. However, the cumulative elevation is over 600 meters. Nordmarka Skogsmaraton is usually held the last Saturday in June, and usually has between 300 and 400 participants. The course is to some extent shades by trees which makes running more pleasant even on a hot summer day.