Logistics info and track updates for Vltava Run. 💙

Dear Runners, 

The race is just around the corner! It’s time to review the logistical rules, but mainly to reveal everything we have prepared for you on the course this year. Your peak performance tuning is culminating, and we believe that after reading these lines, your excitement will jump to the next level.

CARS ON THE COURSE 

You have reported the number of cars for each team – this number is binding and must be strictly observed. All vehicles must be visibly marked with parking cards throughout the entire race. 

  • Important: The team number, name, and driver’s phone number must be clearly written on the card. If a car creates an obstacle, we must be able to contact you immediately. 

  • Watch the rules: Failure to follow the parking team's instructions may lead to penalties. Minibuses, buses, and camper vans are strictly excluded from the race. 

  • Parking: A car may arrive at a handover point no earlier than 20 minutes before the expected arrival of your runner (this also applies to major handovers). At the finish line, park in the area marked on the back of your parking card. 

  • Parking lot K - Kytary.cz: We managed to increase the capacity of parking lot E - Ledařská II. at the last minute. Therefore, the Kytary.cz parking lot will not be operational. If you find a red K parking card in your starter pack, let us know and we will exchange it (one for one). 

  • Routes: Follow the recommended transit routes in the race instructions (via QR codes leading to Mapy.cz). Even if your navigation occasionally offers a "shortcut," trust our itinerary – it is designed with the race's flow and safety in mind.

THIS YEAR’S NEWS ON THE COURSE 

Several major changes (compared to last year) await us this year: 

  • New route from the start: You will run through Kvilda, Borová Lada, Stožec, all the way to Lenora. From there, you will join the "standard" route. These are mostly new sections, so we advise not relying on knowledge from previous years, but rather studying the routes thoroughly. 

  • Šumava National Park: In these sections, you are running through a National Park. Please show maximum consideration for nature; the black grouse is currently nesting, and every individual matters! A strict drone ban applies to the entire area. 

  • Change in the second half of the route: The Solenice handover is replaced by the Hřebeny handover. There are fallen trees on the section from Hřebeny, so yesterday we changed the second half of the route. We are now running on the red hiking trail. The map routes and GPX files have been updated. The race instructions have not been updated yet.
    From there, we continue along the right bank to Rabyně and proceed through a new handover at Hradištko towards Davle. It is a beautiful but trail-intensive and demanding route. 

  • Vltava Run ČTYŘKA: Shortly before Rabyně, runners from Vltava Run ČTYŘKA (VR4) will join the course. Blue-orange arrows will also appear on the track; however, the marking on trees will remain blue-white tape. You must stick to your blue color! You only run through the VR4 handover in Třebsín, just as they will run through your handover in Hradištko. After Vrané, be careful not to accidentally turn onto the VR4 route – while it offers bonus beautiful views, it is extremely demanding! You continue running along the river until the finish.

IN THE PIXEL GLOW: YOUR MEMORIES FROM THE COURSE 

On the course this year, you will meet not only our media team with photo and video crews but also photographers from Mobil Pohotovost. Using Google Pixel phones, they will ensure that each of you has a top-quality photo directly from the action. So when you see them – they will be very visibly marked, you won't miss them! – strike your best running pose. Everyone will envy these snapshots! You will find them after the race in our photo gallery, categorized by team number for simplicity.

ENERGY REFILL 

To ensure the kilometers aren't too much to swallow, it is necessary to regularly replenish your energy. We have prepared a list of handovers where you can get quality refreshments: 

Borová Lada, Věžovatá Pláně, Plešovice, Hluboká nad Vltavou, Purkarec, Chrášťany, Slabčice, Květov, Kostelec nad Vltavou, Klučenice, Hřebeny, Kamýk nad Vltavou, Líchovy, Štola Josef, Vrané nad Vltavou. 

Tip: When checking your gear, make sure that besides strength in your legs, you also have enough cash. You will certainly use it for local treats at these handovers.

SAFETY AND VIEWPOINT 

This year, you can again look forward to the popular photopoint by Kooperativa. You will find it near Štola Josef. Stop by and capture a moment worth running for. The leg pain will fade, but this photo remains! 

Important notice: As runners, you move on the left side of the road. In key locations, green arrows with the slogan #bezpecnostmazelenou (safety has the green light) will remind you of this. However, keep it in mind throughout the race – your safety is the priority.

This is one of the few pieces of information we hope you won't have to remember during the race. However, one must count on the fact that things don't always go perfectly smoothly. In cooperation with BENU, you will therefore find fully equipped first-aid kits at every handover point, containing the essentials: blister and minor wound plasters, bandages and tapes, disinfectants, cooling gels, elastic wraps, or basic pain relief medication. So, if any problem starts to arise—you know where to turn! Alternatively, you can call the medical team via our app.

CATS ON THE COURSE 

Prepare yourselves for the fact that you won't be alone on the track this year either – you’ll be accompanied by more than one feline predator. In addition to the one that each of you will wear on this year’s official race t-shirt, you will encounter many more in various forms: as markings under your feet showing the right direction, in reflective versions guiding you safely through night sections, or as glowing navigation directly at handovers. And in Lipno nad Vltavou, one even awaits you in larger-than-life size! Let’s see how many times you spot a PUMA during the race?

Performance Tip: To make your run as smooth as possible, you can now find a recommended PUMA footwear model for each stage in the race instructions, specifically chosen to best suit the given terrain and profile.

HYDRATION REGIME 

Hydration is the foundation of performance. Rajec refreshment stations with spring water can be found in these locations: Stožec, Vyšší Brod, Rožmberk, Klučenice, Hřebeny, and Živohošť. So 3, 2, 1, and go get them! 

Additionally, a water tanker from Česká voda – MEMSEP will be available in Rabyně and Hradištko.

EVERYONE WILL WANT TO BE IN ČESKÉ BUDĚJOVICE! 

As you run into "Budějce," you’ll be looking for a proper restart. That will be handled by the MOL service station right next to the handover point, which will transform into the main base for your "pit stop."

For everyone with the MOL Move app, they have prepared a 50% discount to get you back in the game:

  • Coffee to kickstart your next leg (available in an iced version, too).

  • Legendary hot dogs, which simply belong to Vltava Run.

  • JIM energy drinks and Fresh Corner canned coffee for an instant burst of energy.

  • Refreshing Fonte Viva water.

Just scan the QR code on-site, download (or, if you are already a member, open) the app, and the coupon is yours. And watch out, it’s not just about food! A "runner's car service" will also be ready for you. On-site, you can borrow massage guns, rollers, vibrating tripods, cooling gels, or bandages. And if you need to take a breather for a moment, 30 exercise mats are waiting for your quick recovery.

This is exactly the stop where you’ll catch your breath and gain strength for the kilometers ahead!

SLEEPING QUARTERS 

  • NC Géčko: On the way between České Budějovice and Hluboká nad Vltavou, a unique sleeping area awaits you this year (20:00 – 04:00). A quiet zone, sanitary facilities, and light snacks will be prepared. When else will you get the chance to sleep in a shopping center? 

  • Other options: You can also sleep at the Sports and Relaxation Area in Hluboká (under the stars), in the gym in Týn nad Vltavou, or in Vrané nad Vltavou. Details can be found on the website or in the app.

WARMING STATION BY THE DAM: GET RE-SOURCED WITH 4CAMPING! 

When you run past Hněvkovice and fatigue or the chill from the water starts to set in, look out for the 4camping station. This isn't just an ordinary tent; it’s your private sun in the middle of the race! Need to warm up inside and out? We have a warming station ready for you to recharge your morale and body temperature. And while you thaw out, you can also "feed" your electronics and recharge phones or watches. 

First aid for the forgetful: If your headlamp gives up in the middle of the night or you realize you underestimated your layers, 4camping won't leave you in the lurch. You can purchase small equipment on-site that will literally light your way forward. Stop by; this place will pump new blood into your veins!

FORGOTTEN ARTIFACTS 

DEK provides the toilets at handovers for us, and all materials and production background between the start and finish are transported by their unmistakable red vans. But these aren't just about iron and tents. Every year, our closing team uses them to collect "forgotten treasures" left behind at the start and handovers – from a forgotten shoe or sleeping bag to a lonely earbud that fell out during a transition. If you start missing some gear after the race, don't despair and check out the special album on our Facebook page. We will faithfully photograph all found artifacts so they can return to their owners.

AND MUCH MORE! 

There is much more waiting for you on the course than fits into one email. Enjoy every kilometer, and if anything doesn't seem right or you encounter a problem, let us know immediately via the Vltava Run app. It's in your pocket as insurance and a partner in one, so keep it handy just in case. 

Don't have it yet? Fix that before our presenter Radek sends you off on the track! We look forward to seeing you at the start!

Your Vltava Run Team