The SuperHalfs: A Complete Guide to Europe's Half Marathon Series (And How to Enter)
- 2 days ago
- 11 min read
Six countries, six iconic half marathons, one rather special medal at the end of it. The SuperHalfs is the half marathon world's answer to the Abbott World Marathon Majors, and in this guide I'll walk you through exactly what it is, where the races are, who runs it, and how you actually get yourself to a start line.
In this Article
Why I'm Writing About the SuperHalfs
I'll be honest about how this one landed on my blog. I was deep in research for a potential world record attempt over the marathon distance when I chanced upon the SuperHalfs series, and the first thing that struck me was how little I'd actually seen written about it. For a series this ambitious, a genuine European circuit of world-class races, it seemed to be flying under the radar.
The idea of travelling round Europe in quick succession to complete races in different countries genuinely appeals to me. There's something about stitching together a continent one start line at a time that fires me up. Having recently written my guide on training for your first half marathon and another on the Abbott World Marathon Majors, it felt only right that the SuperHalfs got its own space here too. So here it is: everything I dug up, in one place.
What Is the SuperHalfs Series?
The SuperHalfs is a series of six of Europe's leading half marathons, brought together under one banner with a shared rewards system. The tagline says it all: "an extraordinary running series for ordinary runners." Where the Abbott World Marathon Majors can feel like a club for the lucky and the very fast, the SuperHalfs is deliberately pitched at regular runners who love to travel, chase a personal challenge, and collect a few stories (and medals) along the way.
The concept is simple. You complete all six half marathons, in any order and in your own time, and once you cross the finish line of your sixth race, you're awarded a unique SuperMedal and a place in the SuperHalfs Hall of Fame. You've got a generous window to do it in, so there's no pressure to cram them all into one frantic season unless you want to.
Every one of the six races is a serious event in its own right. They all hold World Athletics road race labels or are run on World Athletics World Championship courses, and they're certified by AIMS. Several have hosted world record performances. In other words, these aren't novelty fun runs bolted together. They're six of the best-organised, fastest and most popular half marathons on the continent.
The Six Races, Locations and Dates
Here are the six SuperHalfs races with their host cities and their next confirmed editions. Dates do shift year to year, so always double-check on the official race site before booking flights, but this gives you the shape of the calendar, which neatly splits across spring and autumn.
Race | City | Country | Next Edition |
EDP Lisbon Half Marathon | Lisbon | Portugal | 7 March 2027 |
Generali Prague Half Marathon | Prague | Czech Republic | 3 April 2027 |
Generali Berlin Half Marathon | Berlin | Germany | 4 April 2027 |
Copenhagen Half Marathon | Copenhagen | Denmark | 20 September 2026 |
Cardiff Half Marathon | Cardiff | Wales (UK) | 4 October 2026 |
Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich | Valencia | Spain | 25 October 2026 |
The split is handy: three races in the spring (Lisbon, Prague, Berlin) and three in the autumn (Copenhagen, Cardiff, Valencia). If you're an organised soul, you could in theory knock out a big chunk in a single year. Prague and Berlin in particular fall on consecutive days in early April, which is either a logistical nightmare or a gloriously mad weekend double, depending on your outlook.
A Closer Look at Each Race
EDP Lisbon Half Marathon. The most popular running event in Portugal, and arguably the most spectacular start in the series. You set off across the 25 de Abril Bridge, high above the Tagus, running back into Lisbon over that famous red suspension span. A fast, scenic, history-soaked early-season opener.
Generali Prague Half Marathon. Run by RunCzech, the engine room behind the whole series. The course threads through the historic heart of Prague (castles, bridges, the river) and is known as a quick one. This is where the SuperHalfs concept was born.
Generali Berlin Half Marathon. The spring community get-together that kicks off Berlin's running season. Flat, fast, and a brilliant taste of a city that knows how to put on a road race.
Copenhagen Half Marathon. A relative youngster, founded in 2015, but it's earned a world-class reputation fast. A flat, fast course that rolls past the city's landmarks with cool Nordic autumn weather to help you fly.
Cardiff Half Marathon. The home fixture for us in the UK, and one of the country's largest road races. An iconic loop through the Welsh capital, with the kind of crowd support that carries you round.
Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich. One of the fastest half marathon courses in the world, full stop. If a personal best is what you're after, this is the one runners circle on the calendar.
When Did the SuperHalfs Start?
The history is a little tangled, and worth getting right. The series was conceived around 2019 and originally meant to launch in 2020, but we all remember what happened to mass-participation sport in 2020. After a difficult start because of the pandemic, the SuperHalfs properly got going in 2022 as a five-city series (Lisbon, Prague, Copenhagen, Cardiff and Valencia). Berlin was added in 2024 to make it the six-race circuit we have today.
Who Organises the SuperHalfs?
The series is led by RunCzech, the organisation behind the Prague Half Marathon (and the Prague Marathon, among many other events). They work in partnership with the organising bodies of the other five races to run the series, the SuperPassport system and the SuperMedal. It's a collaboration between six established race organisers rather than a single promoter parachuting in, which is a big part of why the quality across all six events is so consistent.
How to Enter the SuperHalfs: Step by Step
This is the bit that confuses people, because entering "the SuperHalfs" and entering an individual race are two separate things. Here's how it actually works.
Step one: create your free SuperPassport. Head to the SuperHalfs website and sign up for a SuperPassport. It's free, and it's the digital record that tracks your six races. You'll get a SuperPassport number, and this is the key to the whole thing.
Step two: register for each race individually. The SuperHalfs series does not sell race entries directly. You enter each of the six races through that race's own website, the same as any other runner. Entry methods vary: some use ballots, some general entry, some sell out fast, so follow the SuperHalfs on Facebook and Instagram, where they announce ballot openings.
Step three: add your SuperPassport number to every race registration. This is the easy one to forget. When you enter each race, make sure you put your SuperPassport number into the registration. That's how your finish gets credited to your series tally.
Step four: complete all six and claim your SuperMedal. Run them in any order, within the series window. Once you've finished your fifth race and entered your sixth, the organisers are notified you're on track to become a SuperRunner, and your SuperMedal will be ready for you at the finish of race number six.
One genuinely useful detail: if you've already run some of these races before signing up for a SuperPassport, don't panic. You can claim those past results and have them added to your account, so they still count towards your six.
The SuperPassport and the SuperMedal
The SuperPassport is the heart of the whole concept, a digital passport that collects a stamp for each race you complete, a bit like a running version of collecting stamps at border control, except far more fun and with considerably less queuing. As you tick off each city, your passport fills up.
Complete the set and you earn the SuperMedal, plus your name goes up on the Hall of Fame at superhalfs.com. Now, regular readers will know I am a complete sucker for a medal. One of my own medals has a message on the back about how the medal isn't just for the race. It's for every early morning, every low day, every nutrition experiment and every sacrifice that came before it. The SuperMedal is exactly that feeling stretched across six races and six cities. I can see precisely why people get hooked.
Run and Travel: The Official Travel Agencies
Here's where the SuperHalfs gets clever for those of us who love the travel as much as the running. Several of the races are hugely popular and can sell out, and sorting flights, hotels and transfers in six different countries is a faff. So the series works with a global network of official travel agencies.
The pitch is straightforward: these agencies can secure your race entry (handy for sold-out events) and handle the travel logistics (flights, accommodation, transfers) so you can concentrate on your running. You contact them directly to check entry availability and package details. They're organised by country, so you generally pick the one serving your home market.
The headline partner is Nirvana Europe, the official travel partner covering all six events. A number of the others, including Sports Tours International, Born2Run, Travelmarathon.it, interair and TUI, are also official operators for the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which is a reassuring badge of credibility if you're handing over money for a package.
A quick, honest word of caution from me: packages, prices and entry availability change constantly by race and by season, so I'd treat the list below as your starting point for a conversation rather than a fixed menu. Contact your regional agency directly and ask exactly what's included before you commit.
Full List of Official Travel Agency Contacts
Here are the official SuperHalfs travel agencies grouped by country, with direct contact details.
Agency | Country | Website | |
Nirvana Europe (all 6 events) | United Kingdom | ||
Sports Tours International | United Kingdom | ||
Sports Tours International | Ireland | ||
Sports Tours International | United States | ||
Sports Tours International | France | ||
Destiny2Sport | USA / Colombia / El Salvador / Panama | ||
Fitness International Travel (FIT) | United States | ||
Coddiwomple Travel | United States | ||
Dream Travel Canada | Canada | ||
Contrastes Running | France | ||
Voyage Marathon | France | ||
Travelmarathon | Spain | ||
Marathinez Tours | Spain | ||
Transvia Sport | Spain | ||
Endeavor Maratones Internacionales | Spain / Portugal | ||
Ki Run | Italy | ||
Born2Run | Italy | ||
TravelRunning | Italy | ||
VivieSorridi | Italy | ||
Italy | |||
Laufreisen GmbH | Germany | ||
interair-Sportreisen | Germany | ||
Czech Sport Travel | Czech Republic / Slovakia | ||
Runners Unlimited (by Ruefa) | Austria | ||
Studer Travel Service | Switzerland | ||
Springtime Travel | Norway | ||
Springtime Travel | Sweden | ||
Travel2Run | Belgium | ||
TUI Sports | Netherlands | ||
Travel2Run | Poland | ||
RAZ Event Marathon | Poland | ||
Explore Travel | Romania | ||
Run Away Travels | Serbia | ||
SD Maratonc | Slovenia | ||
Active Holiday Company | India / UAE | ||
CYRUNS Miles | India | ||
Golden Rama Tours & Travel | Indonesia | ||
Cerita Lari Explorun | Indonesia | ||
Travelmarathon | Brazil | ||
Sub4 Turismo Esportivo | Brazil | ||
Kamel Turismo | Brazil | ||
terranova (maratones) | Colombia |
If you'd rather book everything yourself, you can of course go direct to each race organiser: Lisbon (maratonaclubedeportugal.com), Prague (runczech.com), Berlin (generali-berliner-halbmarathon.de), Copenhagen (cphhalf.dk), Cardiff (cardiffhalfmarathon.co.uk) and Valencia (valenciaciudaddelrunning.com).
Why the Half Marathon Is Such a Brilliant Distance
Now, full disclosure: I don't tend to enter half marathons. But each year I complete an awful lot of 13.1-mile training runs inside my training blocks for various ultras, and I'll happily say it's a thoroughly enjoyable distance. It's long enough to be a real test of your endurance, but short enough that it doesn't take over your entire life the way marathon and ultra training can.
It's also wonderfully accessible, which is exactly why I think it's growing in popularity. I see it at my own gym constantly. A lot of people there are working towards their first half. It seems my "let's push the limit" stunts, like the 24-hour treadmill run, and the posters I stick up promoting whatever crazy fundraising run I'm on, have nudged a fair few people into buying a pair of trainers, lacing up and giving running a proper go. Most of them have ended up joining me on Runna for their training, too.
The half gives you space to improve year on year. It's the perfect distance to test yourself, post a time, then come back and beat it. And honestly? I've considered entering a few myself. Runna often has me running a half distance in a session anyway, and I love the idea of scheduling that around a local (or not so local) half, soaking up the atmosphere and earning a medal. Did I mention I love a medal? A series like the SuperHalfs takes that simple joy and turns it into a six-city adventure, which is a very dangerous idea to put in front of someone like me.
Training for Your SuperHalfs
If the SuperHalfs has got its hooks into you, the good news is that the training is very manageable, especially with a structured plan. I've written a full guide on how to train for your first half marathon that'll take you from the start line to 13.1 miles, and it pairs nicely with a few of my other pieces you'll want in your back pocket for a series like this:
Tapering for a race: essential when you've got six of them to peak for.
Carb loading before a race: get the fuelling right and the miles look after themselves.
What to eat after a run: recovery matters even more when you're racing across a calendar.
The running pace calculator: useful if Valencia has you eyeing a PB.
I plan my own training with Runna, and if you fancy trying it, you can grab two weeks of Runna Premium free using my code ANDY2. It's the app I've leaned on through my own rebuilds, and it's introduced hundreds of people around the world to the joy of running.
Or click the link to redeem the 2 week premium free trial https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=ANDY2
Frequently Asked Questions
How many races are in the SuperHalfs series? Six: Lisbon, Prague, Berlin, Copenhagen, Cardiff and Valencia.
Do I have to run the SuperHalfs races in a particular order? No. You can run them in any order, across multiple years, in whatever sequence suits your life and budget.
How long do I have to complete all six? You're given a generous multi-year window that starts from the date of your first race, so there's no need to rush all six into a single season. Always confirm the current rules on the official SuperHalfs website when you sign up.
Does signing up for a SuperPassport enter me into the races? No, and this trips people up. The SuperPassport is free and tracks your progress, but you must still enter each race separately through that race's own website, and add your SuperPassport number to each entry.
What do I get for completing the series? A unique SuperMedal, awarded at the finish line of your sixth race, plus a place in the SuperHalfs Hall of Fame.
Can I count races I ran before I had a SuperPassport? Yes. You can claim eligible past results and have them added to your account, so they still count towards your six.
What if a race I want to do is sold out? This is exactly where the official travel agencies come in. Many can secure guaranteed entries as part of a travel package. Check the contact list above for the agency covering your country.
When did the SuperHalfs start? It was conceived around 2019, launched properly in 2022 as a five-race series after pandemic delays, and expanded to six races when Berlin joined in 2024.
Who runs the SuperHalfs? The series is led by RunCzech, organisers of the Prague Half Marathon, in partnership with the other five race organisers.
Are the SuperHalfs races good for a personal best? Several are very fast. Valencia is regarded as one of the quickest half marathon courses in the world, and Berlin and Copenhagen are flat and fast too.
About the Author
I'm Andy Hood, ultra and endurance runner, cancer survivor, Runna ambassador, and the bloke behind Running WestwardHo. After cancer tried to take my running shoes off, I laced them back up and turned running into a way of supporting others, having raised over £27,000 for cancer charities through self-designed ultras like my Krispy Kreme London run and 160km around Mont Blanc. I'm also the founder of Check Ya Balls, a cheeky men's underwear brand with a serious message about checking yourself.
I write honest, practical guides and reviews here on the blog. No sponsored fluff, just real experience from the trail and the road. Whatever your distance, whatever your pace, you're a runner. Lace up, enjoy your miles, and maybe I'll see you collecting stamps somewhere across Europe.
Andy
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