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On Wednesday, 25 February, in the historic setting of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, the European Marathon Classics (EMC) series was officially unveiled. The continent-wide initiative brings together eight iconic marathons from across Europe into one incredible challenge designed to bring people together, strengthen communities and celebrate Europe’s shared spirit.

Spanning Mediterranean Rome and Madrid, Atlantic Lisbon and London, to the heart of Europe in Vienna, Warsaw and Frankfurt, and reaching north to Copenhagen – European Marathon Classics offers a journey across borders and cultures.

One distance. Eight cities. Many cultures. One shared European identity.

At its core, European Marathon Classics is about more than running. It is a movement that encourages health and wellbeing, inspires people to stretch beyond their limits, and fosters a deep sense of belonging among runners and the communities that support them. The series champions responsible participation in sport and respect for the environment - values shared across the eight events.

Eight classic marathons

The European Marathon Classics series consists of eight races held between March and October: Acea Run Rome The Marathon, Vienna City Marathon, TCS London Marathon, Zurich Rock’n’Roll Running Series Madrid, Copenhagen Marathon, Warsaw Marathon, EDP Lisbon Marathon and Mainova Frankfurt Marathon.

“European Marathon Classics embodies our ambition to explore Europe together while pushing boundaries- both geographically and philosophically. I’m confident this series will show that across Europe we are better together than we are apart and that we are more similar than we are different. I hope it will inspire participants from around the world to experience Europe’s great marathons, cities and communities,” said Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the TCS London Marathon and one of the driving forces behind the creation of European Marathon Classics.

To earn the title of “European Marathon Classics Finisher” and receive a commemorative medal, participants must complete at least five different marathons from the list, each in a different city. There is no time limit for completing the five races.

Medal and collectible magnetic coins

During the Vienna inauguration, the European Marathon Classics medal was unveiled, which embodies the series’ values of unity and shared experience. It will be awarded to participants upon completion of their fifth race in the series.

The medal design features a distinctive concentric structure, with space to add magnetic collectible badges from the races completed. As runners complete the marathons, they build a personalized medal reflecting their journey.

“The European Marathon Classics are an inspiring challenge, and this unique medal represents this spirit in a truly remarkable way,” says Kathrin Widu, CEO of the Vienna City Marathon. “By bringing together leading European marathons, we aim to inspire even more people to embrace marathon running. We are united by shared values like a passion for sport, community, health, and sustainability and driven by the energy of a new generation of runners.” 

Historical results will count

One of the key principles of the project is a commitment to recognising both future achievements and historic marathon results, dating back to the earliest editions of each event – from Madrid’s inaugural 1978 race to Lisbon’s beginnings in 1986.

Through a partnership with LetsDoThis.com, runners will be able to add verified past race results to their EMC profiles, with the feature expected to launch in the second half of 2026.

“We value everyone who has ever completed the marathon distance at our races, whether this year or forty years ago. It is a major operational undertaking and a significant organizational challenge, but we will make it possible to recognize results dating back to the very first editions. We see this as a sign of respect for marathon history and for the people who created it,” emphasized Marek Tronina, Race Director of the Warsaw Marathon.

Registration for European Marathon Classics is now open at www.europeanmarathonclassics.eu. Joining the series is free of charge. Entry fees apply for participation in individual races in accordance with each event’s regulations.

Digital assets for the press release

Here is the link to Google shared drive where you can find all the assets (photos, videos) related to the European Marathon Classics launch. When using please always credit author: Roman Pfeiffer for EMC 

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About European Marathon Classics - www.europeanmarathonclassics.eu

European Marathon Classics (EMC) is a European series uniting eight prestigious marathons in cities across Europe: Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, London, Copenhagen, Vienna and Warsaw, to Frankfurt.

The initiative combines sport, tourism and culture, encourages regular physical activity, promotes responsible participation, and supports communities among runners from around the world.

Participants who complete at least five marathons in five different cities earn the title of “European Marathon Classics Finisher” and receive a special collectible medal that can be personalized by collecting unique badges corresponding to each race.

2026 European Marathon Classics calendar:

Acea Run Rome The Marathon – March, 22

Vienna City Marathon – April, 19

TCS London Marathon – April, 26

Zurich Rock ’n’ Roll Running Series Madrid – April, 26

Copenhagen Marathon – May, 10

Warsaw Marathon – September, 27

EDP Maratona de Lisboa – October, 10

Mainova Frankfurt Marathon – October, 25

Media Contact

European Marathon Classics Media Team
[email protected]