Polar Night Marathon
Race Day Weather
Cold start, maintain pace carefully
Runners will face a chilly start at 26°F, with a finish temperature dropping slightly to 24°F. Light rain is possible during the pre-race period, so a throwaway layer may be beneficial. With an average humidity of 84% and a SSE wind at 6 mph, runners should be prepared for a headwind from miles 15 to 24, necessitating conservative pacing strategies to conserve energy.
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.
