Sustainable running festival in the city of Mozart

The implementation of measures and initiatives for an environmentally friendly organization of a running event has been an important pillar of the Running Festival in the City of Mozart for many years. In proven and very good cooperation with its partners, the largest active sports event in the province of Salzburg is also sustainable in its comeback.

For the first time, the marathon train runs to the running festival in the city of Mozart. The S-Bahn, equipped with an additional set, starts on the marathon Sunday, May 15, at 6:24 a.m. at the train station in Schwarzach-St. Veit and at 7:44 a.m. reached the Salzburg Mülln-Altstadt train station, which is closest to the start and finish area. The starting areas at Ferdinand Hanusch Platz (marathon, half marathon, relay marathon) and in Hofstallgasse (10 km) can be reached in a short walk along the Salzach with an enjoyable perspective of the beauties of Salzburg's old town. “In the area of mobility and sustainability, the running festivals in the city of Mozart have the same DNA as we do. Sustainable, relaxed and in an atmospheric togetherness to the starting line and back home after the run. The marathon train embodies that,” says Mag. Johannes Gfrerer, Managing Director of the Salzburg Transport Association. He observes that thanks to targeted initiatives such as the climate ticket, more and more people in town and country are using public transport for active leisure activities.

A symbolic togetherness throughout the state

The Marathon train runs along line S3 and stops at all stations. The organizing team welcomes all runners with a small welcome package. Johannes Langer, organizer of the running festival in the city of Mozart, is happy about this new project and, in addition to the environmentally friendly journey, sees a special symbolism: “It extends and strengthens the common running experience among like-minded people from the same region. The marathon train is also an important symbolic link between the Alpine districts and the state capital as part of the largest active sports event in and for the entire state of Salzburg.”

Participants in all Sunday competitions may use the marathon train free of charge upon presentation of their own start number or confirmation of registration. The return trip is also included in the offer. Here, participants can board a train of their choice on Sunday, provided it is part of local public transport – ie ÖBB long-distance trains are not included.

Environmentally conscious mobility

As in previous years, the participants in the competitions of the Running Festival in the City of Mozart will be able to use the public transport system in the core zone of the city of Salzburg free of charge on the day of their run. The offer is valid on presentation of the starting number or the confirmation of registration for the respective day of the competition in the period from three hours before the start of the competition until the end of operations. “Running is the most environmentally friendly form of exercise there is. We are very much looking forward to the fact that numerous runners will move through the city area in an environmentally friendly way on the running weekend - a harmonious addition," says Gfrerer.

As part of the "Benzin-Frei-Days", an initiative of the state of Salzburg, the participants in the Salzburg Women's Run and all those who pick up their starting documents on Friday at the SportMall in the Eisarena Volksgarten enjoy the free use of all public without exception Transport in the province of Salzburg.

Organic nutrition and running as part of a conscious lifestyle

Between 2010 and 2019, the Salzburg Marathon was organically certified ten times in a row. This is unique in the global marathon scene. The organic certification, developed in loyal partnership with Bio Austria in Salzburg, is a second important pillar in the sustainability concept of the running festival in the city of Mozart. “Endurance sport and a conscious, high-quality and organic diet are two important components of a conscious lifestyle. Organic food provides the right basis for performing well when running,” emphasizes DI Andreas Schwaighofer, Managing Director of Bio Austria in Salzburg. He praises the commitment of the organizer team, because the criteria for passing the test by the SLK are strict in the purchase, storage and preparation of all ingredients for the organic meals in event catering. "The special thing about the running festival in the city of Mozart is that we don't just see a selective implementation here, but the entire catering area is organically certified and that has a strong significance," he emphasizes. The few conventional foods during the event weekend, for example drinks, are specially marked.

Running is sustainable

With its wide range of sports, the running festival in the city of Mozart per se sends out a strong signal for sustainability. "Anyone who does sports regularly, puts on their running shoes regularly and prepares themselves purposefully and sensibly for a running goal, enjoys a great and lasting effect on health, physical fitness and general performance in everyday life," reminds Johannes Langer, who has been a trainer for around four decades is active in running, both professionally and recreationally.

Other important environmentally conscious measures

All the more important to him is the breadth of initiatives that, in good cooperation with partners, add up to an organization of a weekend of events that is as sustainable as possible. All of the route vehicles used by the organizer from the premium mobility partner Hyundai are electrically operated on the Salzburg run weekend. The team of employees and the majority of the police and rescue escorts use bicycles and e-bikes on race days. The starter packages for all participants are made from corn starch and are biodegradable. The cups at the refreshment stations are also biodegradable, and a reusable system is used in event catering. Without exception, aluminum cans are not used, plastic bottles have been significantly reduced. The runners enjoy fresh Salzburg spring water at the aid stations. In years of cooperation with the logistics partner Gebrüder Weiß, logistics trips have been reduced to a minimum.

Sustainability guidelines of the running festival in the city of Mozart