Exotic Destination

Reykjavik Spring and Autumn Marathons, Iceland

Agetaway to Iceland to run a marathon might not be at the top of most people’s bucket lists, but it should be. The Reykjavik Marathon is a fun race with a relaxed feel in an amazing city – the perfect combination for a destination race.

Iceland is an incredible country, and in the last decade, it has seen a boom in tourism, and for good reason. The small island nation of just 362,000 people is smaller than Newfoundland, but it is packed with natural wonders, from geysers to volcanoes to lava fields and much more.

The Race

Participants can choose either a half or a full marathon, both of which are quite small. In 2019, the half-marathon had 287 participants and the marathon had just 32. Race manager Pétur Helgason says that they hope to bring those numbers up to 500 in the half-marathon and 200 in the marathon, but no more than that. “With more runners, the course will be too crowded,” he says.

Both races begin next to Reykjavik’s Elliðaá (pronounced et-lay-the-ow) River, which is bordered by lava formations that are thousands of years old. From there, runners head towards downtown Reykjavik, passing through some of the city’s various neighbourhoods.

The course is an out-and-back, which the half-marathon racers complete once and the marathoners twice. The route takes runners to the waterfront, where they will pass by Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach, normally a tourist hotspot during the Icelandic summers. Farther along, the course veers away from the coast and goes inland, past Reykjavik University and the city’s domestic airport, before turning back toward the ocean.

From the 7k point until the 10.5-kilometre turnaround, athletes are running along the water. If it’s a clear day, they may catch a glimpse of the glacier-capped Snæfellsjökull Volcano, about 115 kilometres across the bay from Reykjavik. Iceland’s strong wind can make for a tough stretch of racing along the waterfront, but it hasn’t been an issue in recent years.

“Iceland is a very windy place,” says Helgason. “In April, you can sometimes expect a lot of wind from the west [off the ocean], but so far it hasn’t shown up during the race.”

After 10.5 kilometres, racers turn around in Reykjavik ’s Vesturbær district and head back the way they came.

If there is a headwind going out, the good news is that a strong tailwind will help runners f ly back towards the finish. The bad news? Marathoners will have to endure that same headwind all over again on their second lap. Whether you choose to run the 21k or 42k, it will all be worth it after you finally cross the finish line. Then you can enjoy Reykjavik and Iceland as a running tourist in recovery mode.

Touring Iceland

If you run the Reykjavik Autumn Marathon, you’ll definitely want to enjoy Iceland as a tourist for a few days after your race. Reykjavik itself has a lot to offer, and adventure is never far away in such a small country.

Whether you’re interested in art, history, nature or the Icelandic fishing industry, there’s a museum to visit. Reykjavik is also a wonderful city to explore on foot (if you’re up for it after your race, that is), with plenty of cafés and shops to browse. A trip up the bell tower of the iconic Hallgrimskirkja Church, whose interior columns were inspired by Iceland’s Svartifoss Waterfall, offers a 360 degree view of the city. Other examples of Reykjavik ’s standout architectural landmarks include the National Theatre of Iceland, Ásmundarsafn Museum and the Harpa Concert Hall situated at the edge of the harbour.

If you want to get out of the city to see some nature, it’s a quick car or bus ride away. Snæfellsjökull National Park, the site of the volcano that’s sometimes visible from the marathon route, is a two-hour drive. Less than an hour east of the city is Þingvellir (pronounced Thing-vet-leer) National Park, a unesco World Heritage Site, where the tectonic plates of North America and Eurasia meet. Here, you can hike and even scuba dive between the two continents.

Þingvellir is one of three stops in what is called the Golden Circle, which also includes Geysir, which geological records show has been shooting water 70 metres into the air periodically for 10,000 years. (It also gave birth to the word geyser.) The final stop in the Golden Circle is Gulfoss, an enormous waterfall about two hours east of Reykjavik. There are many Golden Circle tours available out of Reykjavik every day.

There is also a Reykjavik Spring Marathon in April, which was made inaccessible this year due to coronavirus. Whether in spring or fall, Reykjavik makes for a great marathon or half-marathon destination. Check marathonhlaup.is for scheduling updates.— Ben Snider-McGrath