Thousands on the runway in Prague

Runners flowed into the check in, showed their documentation, got their start numbers, passed the security and boarded through gate D6.

The airport shuttle buses took them to the runway but instead of entering the plane they lined up at the start of the 5km “Runway Run”.

2,674 runners in total secured their places in this sold-out once-in-a-lifetime event. They were split into different categories to abide by the public and health safety regulations. Categories included an astonishing Sunset Run on Saturday evening, or a sunny Breakfast Run on Sunday morning, with many of them doing the 3km Family Run distance. Runners were running while planes were taking-off or landing over their heads.

To spice up the excitement, RunCzech and the Czech Athletic Federation organised an Elite Run with a live broadcast on Czech National TV. Four Czech elite men and four women created mixed relays in an exhibition race of 500-1000-500-1000 metres on the runway.

Afterward, runners and their families continued to the Runway Park where they could see exhibited aircraft, closely examine the airport’s special equipment, and spend the day with an entertaining and educational programme for the whole family.

RunCzech founder Carlo Capalbo said: “As the world awakens from bearing scars of the pandemic, this event shows us that runners are eager to come back to their passion. Our [aim] is to demonstrate that the country is safe and competent, that the Czech Republic is running.”