Leki Ještěd 24 Winter Running Weekend 2027

Did you think 24 hours of running in summer was a challenge? Now move it into the reality of a relentless Czech winter. Leki Ještěd 24 Winter Running Weekend is the absolute elite among winter ultra runs in Central Europe. It’s the frosty twin brother of the summer edition, turning the technical slopes of Mount Ještěd into an icy, snowy arena for a battle against time, crushing fatigue, and harsh winter weather.

The rule of the game remains unchanged, but the difficulty level rises dramatically. Competitors (racing solo or in relay teams) have exactly 24 hours to complete as many laps as possible on the slopes of Ještěd (1012 m a.s.l.). Each loop means brutal, steep climbs through forest cutlines and ski slopes, plus hair-raising descents that in winter are often covered with powdery snow, treacherous ice, or slushy melt.

When after 24 hours the clock finally stops counting down, and with fingers stiff from the cold you collect your unique, hard-earned medal, it’s time for well-deserved rescue for your body. The Liberec area offers brilliant infrastructure for winter revival:

A winter fairytale on the summit of Ještěd: The futuristic TV tower on the peak, coated in ice and snow, looks in winter like a polar outpost on an alien planet. After the race it’s worth going up by car or cable car, and with a warm tea in the local restaurant, admire the breathtaking, snow-covered panorama of the Karkonosze, the Jizera Mountains, and Poland🗼.

Thermal warmth at Wellness Centrum Babylon: After a day spent in the cold, fighting slips and technical descents, your muscles will be in agony. The Babylon complex, styled like ancient Roman baths, is the best thing you can do for them. Hot saunas, steam baths, oxygen caves, and warm-water pools will bring you back to the land of the living in no time 🌊.

A walk through the snow-covered Old Town of Liberec: Visit the square to admire the monumental Neo-Renaissance town hall, which in winter, illuminated after dark, looks like something out of a fairy tale. Duck into one of the local cozy specialty coffee cafés for a cup of an excellent brew and a huge slice of homemade cake 🏛️☕.

A warming Czech feast for a gigantic hunger: Twenty-four hours of effort in the cold burns an astronomical number of calories. Drop into a traditional Czech pub and start with a steaming, spicy garlic soup (česnečka) with croutons and stretchy cheese that will warm you from the inside instantly. For the main course, order a hearty gulaš s knedlíkem or the classic svíčková na smetaně. The whole thing is perfectly rounded off by a warming, spiced hot mead (horká medovina) or a mug of local Konrad beer straight from Liberec 🍲🍻.

Pack your best winter trail shoes, crampons/microspikes for running, several sets of spare clothes, a запас of batteries for your headlamp, and see what kind of steel your character is forged from at Leki Ještěd 24 Winter!