Marathons in the Canton of Lucerne

The marathon in the canton of Lucerne has one landmark event: the SwissCityMarathon Lucerne, which takes place in the very heart of the city, between Lake Lucerne, the wooden bridges and the Lion Monument 🌉. The course lets you discover the city from a different angle, with its monuments, its bridges and its views over the water, in front of crowds packed along the sidewalks. The festive, popular atmosphere in autumn pushes runners all the way to the finish, and families also enjoy the children's races organized around the event, making it a sporting weekend to share across generations.

The marathon is prepared for like anywhere else, with 12 to 16 weeks of training, one long run per week and patience on the hills. The hills around Lucerne offer ideal terrain for building endurance, between lakeside roads and rolling paths. A benchmark run over a half marathon, a few weeks before the start, lets you check your pace and how you feel 🏃.

To mix things up, look at the neighbors: the Zurich Marathon crosses the largest city in the country 🏙️, the Jungfrau Marathon heads up to the summits of the Bernese Oberland ⛰️ and the Napf-Marathon takes you onto the ridges of the Napf 🌄. Three very different atmospheres, so you can find the one that suits you, whether you dream of city crowds or high-altitude silence. Reserve your bib early, because the most popular marathons sell out several months in advance.

The marathon calendar for Lucerne is built around this autumn event, but you can already build your plan from the half marathons in the canton of Lucerne, the Zurich marathons, the Bernese marathons and the marathons in Switzerland 📅. A few uphill sessions and good nutrition management complete the picture, along with a little sleep the week before the start.