What better place to start an event of such international importance as the Vienna City Marathon than at UN City, the Viennese headquarters of the United Nations, housing most of the international organizations located in Vienna. Until recently, the start of the City Marathon had been at Schönbrunn Palace. With the increasing popularity of this athletic event, it was decided that the area near the Danube bridge Reichsbrücke, by some Marathon runners considered the equivalent of the Verrazano Bridge, the starting point for the famous New York City Marathon, offered more space for the thousands of people participating in that event.
Let us get you on track now: quite soon after taking off, you will cross the Danube River. And since you are still at the beginning, you might be able to summon up enough breath to hum a few bars of the world’s most famous waltz and Austria’s unofficial anthem, The Blue Danube. Never mind that the river is not exactly blue! In our imagination, it shimmers any color we choose… !
After having reached the majour intersection Praterstern, the route continues along Praterstrasse and across the Danube Canal, an artificial side branch of the river, built to lessen the burden of the Danube itself. Soon, you will reach Ring Boulevard, the majestic tree-lined avenue circling the inner city that was built around the turn of the century after the last of Vienna’s city bastions had been razed. The Ring, as the Viennese call it, is lined with a truly impressive array of grand buildings – where you enter, the Stubenring, you see some imposing office buildings on your left; a peek through the outer perimeter of the Ring provides a view of Otto Wagner’s splendid art nouveau Post Office Savings Bank.
On your left, along Parkring, spreads the largest of Vienna’s green oases in the center of town, the City Park. In it, you can espy the golden statue of Waltz King Johann Strauss Son: don’t worry, he won’t hold it against you if you were slightly off-key when you hummed his most famous waltz!
After having run along Schubertring and Kärntner Ring, you get to the first supply station (a little more than 3 miles in) at Opernring, where you will also be able to admire the Vienna State Opera: keep in mind that operas are performed here ten months out of the year; but getting tickets will have to wait until tomorrow. After having stocked up on provisions, you turn left and continue on Linke Wienzeile. Keep a lookout for the colorful exterior of Majolica House (No. 40), which was also designed by Otto Wagner.
Your next supply station (6.2 miles in) is imperial indeed: it is right next to Schönbrunn Palace, the former Habsburg summer residence, a sumptuous building with an equally resplendent park – this is where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart played with some of the 16 children of Empress Maria Theresia!
At the palace, you turn back and get to Mariahilferstrasse, Vienna’s most important shopping street. You have gotten into your stride by now, right? So you might do some long-distance window shopping and memorize the stores that you want to visit the day after the race. Before you know it, you are back on the Ring Boulevard, where you turn left once again and, on Burgring, pass by the famous twin museums facing each other on your left: the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Natural History, with the statue of Empress Maria Theresia keeping watch in the middle. On your right spreads the majestic Imperial Palace, which served as the residence of the Habsburgs for many centuries. Continuing along the Ring, you will find Austria’s venerable Parliament on Dr. Karl Renner Ring on your left, in front of which the statue of Pallas Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, keeps guard. Looking at her might prompt second thoughts about the wisdom of embarking on this venture, but then again, she also knows about overcoming one’s weaknesses, doesn’t she? After a stop at the next supply station (almost 10 miles in), you continue refreshed and invigorated.
You can glimpse your goal, Vienna’s City Hall (where the finish line of the Marathon is located) – as you are beginning to get somewhat exhausted, it is tempting to run right for the tape. But you still have more than half the race to run, and anyway you are on the wrong side of the building. You have quite a ways to go yet!
Run past City Hall and Vienna’s University to Liechtensteinstrasse and join the Danube Canal once again, follow it to Spittelauerlände, where you can see the colorful Spittelau Heating Plant, designed by the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Here you make your way back again along the Danube Canal to Obere Donaustrasse and your next supply station (12 miles in).
Now you will enter one of Vienna’s most beautiful green areas: the Prater, with its spacious meadows and country-like feeling where you will find the supply station at Rustenschacherallee (15 miles in). Here you will undoubtedly encounter a great number of fellow-athletes who are not participating in the marathon (at least not this year): bicyclists, inline skaters and joggers – the Prater, after all, is a paradise for sports fans. (And even though you don’t encounter it on your run, we would like to point out that the Danube Island, built into the Danube Canal, with its 26 miles of waterfront, fulfills many dreams of sports fans, including swimming, boating and other athletic activities).
Back to the Prater, though: as you run through as quickly as possible, you will inevitably gaze upon one of Vienna’s famous landmarks, the Giant Ferris Wheel. After passing the supply station at Prater Hauptallee (18 miles in), you run past the Lusthaus (“Pleasure Pavilion”), which used to provide a nice resting place for imperial hunters and walkers, and is now often used for wedding receptions and anniversary parties.
Soon you will reach yet another supply station (22 miles in). After passing the Urania Planetarium, you once again find yourself on the Ring. But not before having stopped at the supply station at Weiskirchnerstrasse (25 miles in). Once again, on the Ring, you pass the different sections of this splendid boulevard, until you reach the Finish Line in front of magnificent City Hall!
You made it! Congratulations!