Dear running friends! 🏃♂️❤️🏃♀️
This Saturday, 7 February, we'll start the third round of the 2026 ČSOB Winter Series together – the popular Valentine's Edition! 💘
The ČSOB Bratislava Marathon is getting closer, so it's the perfect time to test your fitness. Get your trainers and running outfit ready and add a touch of Valentine's atmosphere! 🎽💖
A bonus for running couples in love: take part in the photo contest at the photo wall with the official event photographer and enter the draw for a Valentine's dinner worth €100 at the U Taliana restaurant.
Our event partners have also donated more attractive prizes to the raffle, including the loan of a Renault Symbioz for one week from Renault Slovakia and a Garmin sports watch. The raffle will take place after the awards for the main disciplines, and the winners will be drawn from all runners registered for the 5 km or 10 km.
We're looking forward to seeing you! 🙌💙
Organisational information for Saturday's event:
➡️ Event base: NEW VENUE! Veolia Aréna Draždiak, Tematínska 3, Bratislava – Petržalka
➡️ Event programme – Saturday 7 February 2026, Veolia Aréna Draždiak
• 08:00 – 10:00 – registration and participant check-in
• 09:45 – children's warm-up before the start
• 10:00 – start of the children's races (A – B – C)
• 10:00 – changing rooms and bag storage open
• 10:30 – BILLA children's races awards ceremony
• 10:40 – photo contest at the photo wall for a Valentine's dinner at the U Taliana restaurant (first photo session)
• 10:55 – lining up in the corridors – pre-start information – 3 starts for both 10 km and 5 km
• 11:00 – start of the 10 km
• 11:10 – start of the 5 km
• 12:10 – photo contest at the photo wall for a Valentine's dinner at the U Taliana restaurant (second photo session)
• 12:20 – 5 km and 10 km awards ceremony
• 12:30 – raffle for prizes from our event partners
➡️ Start times:
• children's races from 10:00
• 10 km from 11:00
• 5 km from 11:10
➡️ Check-in (bib pick-up):
• Friday from 12:00 to 19:00 – Eurovea 2, inside the shopping centre on the ground floor (0) – at the entrance near the skyscraper
• Saturday from 08:00 to 10:00 – at the event base by Veolia Aréna Petržalka
We kindly ask runners from Bratislava to pick up their bib on Friday if possible!
You can also collect bibs for your friends. All you need is their forwarded registration confirmation email.
➡️ Universal bib for runners with a full-series entry: If you bought an entry for the whole series, you received a universal bib at the St Nicholas Edition that you'll also use at the next rounds of the Winter Series.
This means you don't have to attend check-in for the Three Kings, Valentine's and IWD Editions. Just come with your undamaged universal bib from the St Nicholas Edition.
If your universal bib gets damaged or lost, contact us well before the start of the next edition and we'll replace it.
➡️ Start corridors:
Because of the high number of entries, the race will start in three waves about one minute apart:
• Wave 1: 5 km under 27 min, 10 km under 49 min
• Wave 2: 5 km 27:01 – 32 min, 10 km 49:01 – 57 min
• Wave 3: 5 km over 32 min, 10 km over 57:01 min
❗Choosing a corridor is voluntary, but please line up according to your real ability.❗
➡️ The start and finish are on the asphalt road by Veolia Aréna Draždiak, where the whole event base will also be.
Maps for the 5 km and 10 km are published HERE – at www.bratislavamarathon.sk under “Race day – Venue map”. The children will run 300 m, 600 m or 800 m (depending on age) to Draždiak lake and back.
We want to give runners the greatest possible comfort and safe conditions during the race. The shorter discipline will therefore be slightly adjusted – instead of 5 km, it will be 200 m longer so that the route stays on good asphalt as much as possible.
There will also be a timing mat at the 5 km mark, so the results will show not only your total time but also your exact time at exactly 5 km. This way you'll see your progress during this preparation period.
➡️ Changing rooms and bag storage: Changing rooms and bag storage will be at the event base near check-in. The changing rooms will be inside the ice rink building and open on Saturday at 10:00. Toilets will also be available there.
➡️ Refreshments on the course and at the finish, medal: There will be a water station at about 5 km on the 10 km course.
At the finish every runner will receive a finisher's medal, Mattoni, Red Bull and hot tea (we'll keep making fresh tea – if it runs out for a moment, more will be ready shortly).
➡️ Photos: Event photos are provided by the professional photo service GetPica. After the event, participants who agreed to photography when registering will receive a link to their personal photos at the email address given in the registration. Don't cover your bib with another layer of clothing so your photos can be matched to you. If you like the photos, you can buy them individually or as a discounted set.
If you're not sure whether you agreed to receive photos when registering, keep your bib – it has a unique code that gives you access to your photos at www.getpica.com.
➡️ Marathon shop: As usual, our shop will be open at registration on Friday. You'll find accessories in the ČSOB Winter Series design as well as products from our partners, which you can already find in our e-shop shop.becool.sk. On Saturday there will be a limited selection from the shop at registration.
➡️ Awards ceremony, raffle, prize draw (dinner at U Taliana):
• Children's races: at about 10:30
• 5 km and 10 km: at about 12:20
• We'll draw the raffle and the winners of the Valentine's dinner (photo contest) after the awards for the main categories. You must be present in person at the draw. If you don't come forward, we'll draw another lucky winner.
➡️ How to get to the start:
The best way is to come on foot or by public transport. You'll find the best connections at www.imhd.sk. The nearest bus and no. 3 tram stop is “Veľký Draždiak”, or alternatively Lúčanka.
Note: If you come by car, you can park in free spaces near the nearby residential buildings, at nearby shopping centres or at the St Cyril and Methodius hospital. Please note that parking is charged in some places. Parking in the ice rink grounds is not possible.
VIRTUAL VERSION:
➡️ When can I run my chosen distance?
You can run your 5 km or 10 km (children: the distance for their age) at any time from Thursday 5 February 2026 to Sunday 8 February 2026.
➡️ Rules for adults (5 km and 10 km):
Measure your time and distance with a running watch or a mobile app. Then upload a screenshot or link from the app as proof of your time to the system – using the link in the email.
Your result is the so-called “elapsed time” – the total time from the start of your run to the end, including any breaks you take (ideally run the distance without stopping, or if you need a break on the course, don't stop your watch or app).
➡️ Rules for children:
Children's virtual races are non-competitive. After the run, parents upload the time to the results system. You'll receive the upload link before the date of the Winter Series round. Enter the time in the format hh:mm:ss (e.g. 00:01:52).
There will be no ranking by time in the children's races; children will be listed by bib number or alphabetically. Children can download their certificate next to their name in the results.
➡️ When do I have to upload my result?
Any time after your run, but no later than midnight on Monday. After midnight (Tuesday morning) the system will no longer let you upload a result. Don't leave it until the last minute!
➡️ What should I watch out for?
We count the time from the start of your run to the end. So if you take a break during the run, it will count towards your total time.
You can run your chosen distance anywhere, but the elevation must not be negative overall – you can't run more downhill than uphill.
Treadmill runs are not allowed!
➡️ How will I receive my medal?
We'll send a finisher's medal to every participant who properly records their result in the system (adults and children) at the address given in the registration form.
We're glad you decided to run with us! Enjoy your run!
