The 31st KIPRUN Running Night ended with a huge success and broke a record with 4,800 participants, which has become another favorite of foreign running tourists this year. The number of international participants in Budapest's only night half marathon quadrupled last year, the combination of the illuminated capital and the experience of running at night attracted athletes like a magnet. The most popular event at the sold-out event, every sixth participant in the half marathon distance was a foreigner, with participants coming from a total of 71 countries.
The field of runners, who started from Heroes' Square, bathed in light, then ran along the iconic Andrássy Avenue and along the atmospheric paths of the City Park, as well as the thousands of interested people and fans who visited the event on Saturday evening, were treated to a stunning spectacle. 31. KIPRUN Running Night.
The race, which started 15 minutes after sunset, broke a record this year – a thousand more people than last year, a total of 4,800 people registered – and has become a true international running festival. The proportion of foreign runners in the entire field reached 13%. The international participation in the half marathon was particularly outstanding: every sixth runner came from abroad to complete the 21.1 kilometers in the summer night. Most of the running tourists came from France, Slovakia and Germany, but runners from many corners of the world, from the United States of America to the Republic of Korea, were represented by a total of 71 countries.
– The success of the sold-out 31st KIPRUN Running Night exceeded all our expectations. The race further strengthened Budapest's position on the international running map: the unique view of Andrássy Avenue and Heroes' Square shining in the night light offers an unforgettable experience, this attraction has lured more and more running tourists to our country, but the illuminated Budapest at night was also an unparalleled sight for Hungarian runners arriving from more than 400 settlements. – he said Árpád Kocsis, managing director of the Budapest Sports Office.
The KIPRUN Running Night was a highlight event not only for foreigners, but also for domestic runners. It is a special pleasure that many beginners also participated in the running night: 16% of the Hungarian half marathon runners, while 19% of the 10 kilometer runners completed their first longer distance in this race.
Interestingly, the event is one of the "youngest" competitions of the Budapest Sports Office, with 20% of the participants being from the 16-26 age group.
As part of the event, representatives of six professions – IT specialists, lawyers, economists, doctors, engineers, and teachers – also measured their speed in professional championships. Almost 300 people representing the professions took part in the quarter marathon and 380 in the half marathon, with engineers, economists, and IT specialists being the most active.
