Running Races in Romania — The impressive course of the Transfagarasan Marathon. Photo: Organizer

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Running in Romania - All Races 2026 [Running Calendar]

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Well known in Romania is especially the region of Transylvania (Transylvania) in the Carpathians.

In this region there are also one or the other interesting sporting events. Romania is a successful country in sports anyway, after all, Romania is placed in the top 20 worldwide in the eternal medal table at Olympic Games. In 1984, the Romanian team even managed to win 20 Olympic gold medals in Los Angeles. At the time, the nation finished second in the medal standings behind the U.S. (which won as many as 83 golds).

Success in running lags far behind

Female track and field athletes from Romania in particular were among the absolute world elite at the time. Doina Melinte was Olympic champion in the 800 meters and Olympic runner-up in the 1,500 meters in 1984. In the 3,000 meters, her compatriot Maricica Puica ran to victory with a then Olympic record of 8:35.96 minutes. However, the Romanians' dominance in track and field has been lost after the turn of the millennium. In 2012, 2016 and 2021, the track and field athletes did not win any medal at the Olympic Games, so the last Olympic medal for the Romanian track and field team was a long time ago. In 2008, Constantina Dita sensationally ran to the title in Beijing after 2:26:44 hours. She started the decisive attack after less than half of the race and defended her lead until the finish. The then marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe from Great Britain did not even make it into the top 20 in this marathon.

The biggest running events in Romania

The biggest running event in Romania is held in the fall. This is the Bucharest Marathon in the capital city of Bucharest. Annually, with all the fringe events, almost 10,000 athletes participate in the autumn marathon.

Other major races in Romania are the Cluj-Napoca Marathon, the Brasov International Marathon and the Bucharest Half Marathon.

Running in Transylvania

Away from the city, however, Romania also impresses with some scenic runs. A classic is the Transylvania 100, which is also booked far beyond the country's borders. The ultra trail has a length of 100 kilometers and leads through Transylvania. You should also not miss the Transfagarasan Marathon in Avrig. The ambience and panorama of this mountain run and marathon is definitely worth seeing.

All Running Races in Romania (sorted by date) can be found in the following overview: