Polar Night Marathon
Race Day Weather
Cold start — layer up, chance of rain
Runners will start in chilly 26°F conditions — dress in layers for the corral and plan to shed early. Light winds shouldn't be a major factor for pacing. There's a chance of rain, so have a backup gear plan ready. High humidity (84%) will make it harder to cool down through sweat — increase fluid intake accordingly.
The finish is 17 miles from the start, so we look at it at 2 points, not just the start line. In a typical year, at 9:00/mi, you start at 26° and finish around 4:55 PM in 24°.
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Race Info
The Polar Night Marathon runs through Tromsø, Norway, more than 350 km north of the Arctic Circle, during the polar night period when the sun stays below the horizon. The marathon starts on the island of Kvaløya and finishes downtown near the Culture House, a point-to-point route along the fjord. Runners cover the course under blue Arctic light, with the city's streets lit by candles and, on clear nights, a chance of seeing the northern lights overhead. The half marathon, 10K and 5K have run since 2004; the full marathon distance, sponsored as the Ishavskraft Marathon, was added in 2021.
