Marathons in Graubünden

Running 42.195 km in Graubünden would be a real feat at altitude 🏔️: narrow valleys, successive passes and profiles built for climbing. For a marathon in Graubünden, many runners therefore choose a faster format in neighbouring areas, then come back here to train.

The canton is nevertheless an excellent place to prepare. The roads of the Engadine, flat around the lakes of Sils and Silvaplana, train your breathing at 1,800 m above sea level, a real advantage when you return to the lowlands. The Rhine valley, near Chur, offers long straight stretches to work on your pace. The season runs from May to October, when the roads are clear 🍂. The long, bright summer days make it possible to fit in long runs without racing the sun. Village fountains let you refill your bottle almost everywhere, a detail that makes all the difference in hot weather.

The neighbouring marathon calendar offers some great goals. The Zurich Marathon opens in April, the St. Gallen Marathon and the Winterthur Marathon follow in May, then the SwissCityMarathon Lucerne closes the season in October 🏃. Each city is easy to reach by train from Chur, with regular departures throughout the day. The marathons in Switzerland offer even more choice.

The Glacier Express, which crosses Graubünden, boasts of being the slowest express train in the world 🚂, which reassures marathoners struggling through a tough moment 😄. The red trains of the Albula line, a UNESCO World Heritage site, also remind us that moving slowly lets you enjoy the scenery. From your first marathon to a personal best, everyone can choose their race according to their level, their pace and their desire for altitude training. Between sessions, a hike or a bike ride around the lakes rounds out the programme gently, without ever boring your legs.