Polar Night Marathon

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.