A Faroese adventure

Discover the magic of the Tórshavn Marathon.

On 1 June 2025, lace up your running shoes and experience the unforgettable Tórshavn Marathon. Set in one of the world’s smallest yet most captivating capitals, this event offers an extraordinary blend of competition and breathtaking natural beauty. Runners of all levels are welcome, with a choice between the full marathon, half marathon, or a fun run – making it perfect for seasoned athletes and families alike.

Imagine running past emerald-green mountainsides, alongside the dramatic shores of the North Atlantic, and under cascading waterfalls, all while soaking in the peaceful charm of Tórshavn’s quiet roads and footpaths. The route is an adventure through the Faroese landscape, filled with fresh air, serenity, and stunning vistas that will leave you inspired.

Whether you’re aiming for a personal best or simply savouring the joy of running in an international event, the Tórshavn Marathon promises an unforgettable experience for all participants. Join us this June and discover why running in Tórshavn is a journey of a lifetime.

A participant, ‘John’, tells his story:

The Faroe Islands are a group of 18 volcanic islands rising straight out of the cold North Atlantic situated between the north of Scotland and Iceland. The islands are an autonomous nation of Denmark and have their own culture and a language which is similar to Icelandic. My friend Katrin was born and raised on the islands and after 15 years living in Copenhagen, she decided that she wanted to return to her homeland. As a member of the local running club organising the event, she was keen to spread the word about what a great race this was so in the end I couldn’t resist signing up. I hadn’t realised what a stunning location this would be for a marathon though.

The capital city of Tórshavn means Thor’s Harbour. Usually the islands are subject to unsettled weather but I landed in clear sunshine having connected at Copenhagen for the flight to the islands. From the air I could see how hilly the islands were with sheer cliffs rising straight out of the sea. I knew in advance that this would be a challenging course so I had duly trained on hills to prepare myself for the 600 metres of climb on the course. I felt reasonably confident although I was still daunted by the distance ahead of me. I had plodded around plenty of half marathons before but never felt capable of doing the same distance twice in a row.

I finally lined up by the pretty harbour in Tórshavn alongside the 5k, 10k and half marathon racers for the first full marathon of my life. I had made it this far. There was no turning back now. The race started innocuously with a gentle 8km loop of the city before a steep ascent of the coastal road with a stunning view of the North Atlantic and the hump-backed neighbouring island of Nólsoy. The road then turned away from the ocean and we had a long descent as the road picked up the shore of the dramatic fjord, the Kaldbaksfjørður.

As we ran along the fjord, the scenery became more spectacular. Waterfalls cascaded down the steep hillside on either side of the water with only the strengthening breeze and baaing of sheep disturbing the tranquil closed road course. The sun was out though and after the half marathon turning point there were just 100 full marathon runners on this part of the course. We had the whole length of the fjord, both sides of it, to ourselves. Soon enough the front runners had reached the turning point and were heading back along the shoreside in the opposite direction.

I finally reached the hamlet of Kaldbak with its beautiful turf-roofed church and a few flag waving kids cheering us on. I was feeling good. It felt like I had the whole of this majestic fjord to myself. But the wind was strengthening, the temperature was dropping and I knew I had some big hills ahead as we started the steady climb from the shoreline of the fjord back towards the city.

The hills I had descended a couple of hours earlier seemed much steeper than I remembered on the way out. There were only three or four runners within sight by now and I knew I had dig in for the last few kilometres. I found that even the downhills were hard to negotiate. The historic old town finally came into view and I was able to run the last few hundred metres along the flag lined streets down towards the finish line by the harbour.

As I crossed the line Katrin presented me with a superb chunky medal which showed the hammer of Thor. I had done it in 5:36, thankfully within the six-hour cut off point. It was not the easiest course to do for my first marathon but I couldn’t think of another one I’d rather have done.