Srednji istočni maraton

Race strategy

Run the downhill at race pace, but focus on the climb.

• Start easy and control your HR up to Ignjatov Hrast.
• Hold your race pace up to Kraljeva stolica, but stay in control.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Go easy on the first downhill, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 53.9km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.4km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.4km–21.2km · Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 21.2km–29.6km · This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Fade · 29.6km–53.9km · 20.6km of runnable trail, high point 521m. Plus 1 more descent. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 53.9km–58.7km · Descent of 293m averaging 6%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line.

Course

The course climbs 2140m+. With 36m/km of climbing, this is a rolling, mostly runnable course. By gradient, 37% of the distance is uphill, 29% downhill and 34% flat. The longest climb runs 8.7km at an average 5.5% grade (477m of vertical). The longest descent runs 4.8km at an average 6.2% grade (293m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 19.0% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 18.9% over 0.2km. Surface: 76% trail, 14% road, and 9% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 71.8 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Isin Cot (522m), 46.8km from the start. The course also passes close to Crvena Krecana (512m) and Kraljeva stolica (507m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 3.2km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 24 of 100), with 49% of the load in the first half: 0 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Go easy on the first downhill, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 53.9km.
• 29.6–33.3 km · 252 m D−, -6.8% · 25.4 km ahead → your pace
• 53.9–58.7 km · 293 m D−, -6.2% · 0.0 km ahead → free

Results

94 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Stefan Ristic (Serbia) in 6:03:11. Women's winner: Ekaterina Krivosheina (Individual Neutral Athletes) in 7:18:59.