SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES 2016 EDITORIAL 2. APRIL Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon EVERYONE KNOWS HOW LONG A MaraTHON IS. YES IT’S PRECISELY FORTY-TWO KILOMETRES AND ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY FIVE METRES. FEWER PEOPLE HAVE ANY IDEA OF THE SHEER NUMBER OF PEOPLE IT RUNCZECH 5. – 27. APRIL PULLS IN, HOWEVER. Junior Marathon The RunCzech Running physical exercise is growing the sport whose league tables League consists of three Prague world over. Not just because of regularly feature some of the 16. APRIL running events – the marathon, the absolute number they’re able wealthiest people in the country. O Prague Relay 4×5 RUNNING 2 half marathon, and ten- and to reach. But because of how Another beautiful aspect of five-kilometre runs. Plus, intensely people get involved in running is that it is a highly four regional half marathons, the sport. democratic sport. Both on 8. MAY hosted in Karlovy Vary, České and around the course you’re Volkswagen Prague Marathon Budějovice, Olomouc and Ústí Another beautiful aspect guaranteed to come into contact nad Labem. of running has become with people who you’d otherwise LEAGUE 21. MAY a manifestation of modern never meet. Everyone is there Each year, the races of the living a lifestyle which sees for the same reason – pleasure. Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon RunCzech Running League people investing in themselves, Pleasure derived from exercising, draw more than eighty thousand their bodies and their overall coming together to do so and runners, and many more health, increasing their overall pushing yourself and your own 4. JUNE spectators, either lining the satisfaction with life in general. limits. And that’s why the one 2016 Mattoni České Budějovice Half Marathon courses or glued to TV screens. common denominator you Altogether, millions watch the What’s more, there is a natural notice among the vast majority races. correlation between people who of runners is a beaming smile. 25. JUNE lead active lives and those who Mattoni Olomouc Half Marathon And, while not officially a part active companies seek to recruit. This magazine is dedicated to all of RunCzech Running League, It’s not that people working those who along with RunCzech our fledgling run, the 2O Prague in business sit in their offices share in distributing running 10. SEPTEMBER Relay 4×5 draws thousands thinking about running as they smiles. If you’re interested in Birell Prague Grand Prix more. write business plans. These getting in on the action, why not people often actively take part try it yourselves? Runners and their supporters, in races themselves. The names 17. SEPTEMBER however, aren’t the only ones of a whole host of top managers, » CARLO CAPALBO Mattoni Ústí nad Labem Half Marathon to succumb to the charms of lawyers and investors all appear President of the RunCzech running. It also appeals to at the starting lines of RunCzech organising committee; people with a head for business. races. On top of this you’d be Chairman of IAAF 24. SEPTEMBER Interest in linking brands with hard pressed to find another Road Running Commission Berlin Marathon guest race 4 – 5 / RUNCZECH SPORT ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2016 6 / RUNCZECH RacING 7 / HUGE WIN FOR CZECH RUNNING DIPLOMacy 8 – 11 / RUNCZECH RUNNING LEAGUE 2016 CHarT 12 – 13 / RUN WITH US YEar-ROUND AND BECOME A RUNCZECH STar 14 – 15 / DAILY CONTacT WITH RUNNErs 16 – 17 / RUNCZECH SPECIAL PROJECTS 18 – 19 / WE RUN FOR OTHErs, AND SO COULD YOu 20 – 21 / RUNCZECH IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES 22 – 23 / RUNCZECH TEAM AND VOLUNTEErs 24 – 25 / CZECH REPUBLIC: A RUNNER’S ParaDISE 26 – 27 / SPORT as AN ECONOMIC GIANt 28 – 33 / WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO RUN A maraTHON? SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES 2 3 SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES The biggest surprise among Czech athletes, EVA VRABCOVÁ, professional cross The fastest woman in the Birell Prague Grand Prix 10km,V IOLAH JEPCHUMBA (30:24), country skier and participant in two Winter Olympics, stunned everyone missed the World Record (held by Paula Radcliffe) by only 3 seconds; with this with her switch to professional running. In 2016, she immediately delivered result she becomes the second fastest woman in history. She set the World Lead some astonishing results. Namely, she broke 3 RunCzech events records, at time of the year in 2016, the African record and Kenyan record. Also, Jepchumba the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon (1:11:06), at the Volkswagen Prague posted the second fastest time of the year in 2016 in the 10k (the world leading time Marathon (2:30:10), and at the Mattoni Olomouc Half Marathon (1:15:16). at that date) as a split time in the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon. Worknesh These results took her to the European Championship and to the Olympic Degefa, with 30:34 in the 10k, holds the third fastest time of the year for Games in Rio, where she showed stable and fine results. 2016, shown as a split time during the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon as well. VIOLAH JEPCHUMBA of Kenya produced the World Lead time of 1:05:51 ALL 4 CZECH MEN competing at the Volkswagen Prague in the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon. She’s become the third Marathon were supported by international pacemakers, fastest woman in history. which enabled them to fulfill the criteria of the Czech Athletic Federation and to qualify for the European Championships. RUNCZECH WORKNESH DEGEFA with a result of 1:06:14, shown in Prague, holds the 4th fastest half marathon time in the world this year, which is also the 8th fastest time in history. SPORT DANIEL WANJIRU Five male athletes led by (59:20) broke the one hour barrier in one of the greatest mass finishes in RunCzech ACHIEVEMENTS history at the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon. RunCzech Racing Team member, ABRAHAM KIPYATICH, won the Birell Prague Grand Prix with a time of 27:40. It was the World Lead time IN 2016 at that date; Mathew Kimeli set the World Junior Lead time of 27:53. BARSELIUS KIPYEGO (59:15) became the 4th fastest half marathon performer of the year by winning the race in the city of Ústí nad Labem. PERES JEPCHIRCHIR, the World Champion, added another victory in MILAN KOCOUREK set a new Event Record at the Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon (1:06:51). the Mattoni Ústí nad Labem Half Marathon to her almost perfect Jiří Homoláč set a new Event Record at the Mattoni Ústí nad Labem Half Marathon (1:05:41). season, posting her fourth sub 1:08 performance to date. In total, 10 RunCzech event records were broken (5 overall best times and 5 in the Czech elite runners category). 4 5 SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES 5 VICTORIES IN WORLD LEADING EVENTS – 3 IAAF Gold Label Road Races, One Silver Label Road Race, 1 World Dominant Road Race HUGE WIN FOR CZECH RUNNING DIPLOMACY FEW, IF ANY, caN BE LEFT IN DOUBT REGarDING RUNCZECH’S STATUS as A LEADER 12 SECOND PLACE POSITIONS in track and road races IN ORGANISING INTERNATIONAL RUNNING EVENTS. 8 THIRD PLACE POSITIONS in track and road races But now we have further proof elected as a member of the board since March of last year. This in the domain of sporting at the Association of International makes RunCzech and the Czech diplomacy. Another big Marathons and Distance Races, Republic the only organisation international award to add to the otherwise known as AIMS. This and country in the world to boast THREE IMPRESSIVE INTERNATIONAL DEBUTS: Joyciline Jepkosgei won the Mattoni seven International Association places him shoulder to shoulder representatives in both of its Karlovy Vary Half Marathon with a personal record and race of Athletics Federations Gold with Carlo Capalbo who has largest athletics organisations! record; Mathew Kimeli finished fifth in the Birell Prague Grand Labels. Director of the RunCzech held down the position of IAAF Prix with the World Junior Lead time in 10k; Edwin Kiptoo races, Václav Skřivánek has been committee chair of road running » RunCzech (junior) won the Kalakaua Merrie Mile against established senior elite field. VERY IMPRESSIVE, CARLO. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM IMPRESSIVE MARATHON DEBUT: Festus Talam won the Eindhoven Marathon as a pacemaker with a time of 2:06:26, becoming the fastest Paul Hardy, IAAF Competition and Events Director pacemaker ever to finish a marathon in his debut. FANTASTIC EFFORTS AND SOME AMAZING 2 EVENT RECORDS: both produced by Joyciline Jepkosgei, 1:09:07, in RESULTS FOR 2016 the Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon, and 1:07:02 in the Peter Ciaccia, Race Director, TCS NYC Marathon Marseille Cassis 20K CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SERIES’ EIGHTH FASTEST TIME OF 2016 over 10k (Joyciline Jepkosgei, 31:08, Prague) ACHIEVEMENTS THIS YEAR. carlo capalbo Brett Larner, Japan Running News Director RUNCZECH 7 TOP 30 PERFORMANCES of the year 2016 AMAZING! CONGRATULATIONS ON AN EXCELLENT YEAR. WELL DONE! ONE SENIOR WORLD LEAD TIME: set by Abraham Kipyatich in 10k (27:40, Jakob Larsen, Director of Danish Athletic Federation World Lead time at that date) in the Birell Prague Grand Prix RACING václav skřivánek THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING THE RunCzech Racing, inspired by Czech TWO WORLD JUNIOR LEAD TIMES: Edwin Kiptoo produced a World Junior running legend, Emil Zatopek, brings Lead time of 3:39.0 in an early season 1500m race in Kenya; FANTASTIC RESULTS WITHIN 2016 RUNCZECH RUNNING together elite athletes from all over the Mathew Kimeli posted a World Junior Lead time of 27:53 in ACHIEVEMENTS. NOT ONLY THOSE MAKE US AND MYSELF world. Based in Prague, and consisting the 10k at the Birell Prague Grand Prix TOO, FEELING PROUD OF BEING YOUR PARTNER! of some of the world’s most promising runners, they wear RunCzech Racing Karel Ledvinka, Director of adidas Czech Republic gear, and represent the organization in running events all across the RUNCZECH RACING provided visibility of the RunCzech brand while globe.