Växjö Marathon

Växjö Marathon is an annual marathon running competition in Växjö, Sweden, organized by the local athletics club Växjö Löparklubb. The race was first held in 1994 and is one of the most popular long races in Sweden. The race is currently the second largest marathon in Sweden with hundreds of starting runners. The route is eight laps is run around the Växjö Lake on a flat course with 85% asphalt and 15% dirt road. Thanks to the cool temperature in October when it takes place and the easy course, the race is considered fast. The current race records are 2:27:59, set in 1999, and 2:50:36, set in 2008, for men and women respectively. The city’s name is believed to be constructed from the words “väg” (road) and “sjö” (lake), meaning the road over the frozen Växjö Lake that farmers took in the winter to get to the marketplace that later became the city.