Polar Circle Marathon® and Half Marathon

Half marathon runners start at the same point at the same time as the full marathon runners. The half marathon runners also runs the loop on the ice cap and their finish line is located after the respective 21.1 km. In the half marathon finish area a heated tent is set up and a bus will take all half marathon participants back to Kangerlussuaq when the last half marathon runner has crossed the finish line.

The marathon takes place on uneven gravel road and ice!
The run starts about 2 km from the inland ice and follows the gravel road on to the ice cap. While running on the ice cap (about 3 km) one should be very attentive and careful. Even with a thick layer of snow on top this part can still be very slippery. Because of the danger of falling into a crevasse, it is strictly forbidden to leave the marked route on the inland ice. On the ice the route takes a loop before leading runners the same way back on the gravel road. When passing the original starting point you have approximately 35 km left to the finish line in Kangerlussuaq. Running these remaining kilometers on gravel road you will pass enormous glacier tongues and moraine plains and go through tundra and arctic desert. It is an incredibly beautiful landscape that runs for many kilometres along some of the ice caps oldest glaciers.
If you are lucky and not too tired, you may see reindeer and musk oxen grazing along the route.