Expat Next Door: Carlo Capalbo

The RunCzech annual Volkswagen Marathon in Prague is back on May 8 in full swing and brings with it a new agenda.

After two years of continuous uncertainty and anxiety, RunCzech is proud to be bringing positivity and enthusiasm back into the heart of Europe.

RunCzech founder Carlo Capalbo created the infamous Prague marathon in 1995 and its popularity has since spread worldwide. Just in 2019, RunCzech had participants coming from 131 different countries. The idea of this marathon has always been to have a world-class international marathon hosted here in the beautiful, historic city of Prague.

The international inclusiveness has brought boundless joy and pride to participants and bystanders alike.

This year especially, the message is at its strongest. Keeping in mind the last two years of bundling in quarantine and the current political uncertainty spreading throughout the world, Carlo Capalbo has decided that it is time to “reintroduce a sense of normalcy” through a set schedule of events and create an energy of excitement towards the future.

Having the assurance that the upcoming RunCzech races are scheduled and will always happen according to schedule is the most important message Carlo wants to be communicated.

The certainty of fresh air, physical activity, social interaction and freedom of spirit is the best way they can build an environment of mental and intellectual stability that has been missing in recent times. Everything from work to school to activities has, over the past two years, been unreliable in its operations.

“Offering to the entire world the certainty of a set of races on set dates not only gives the participants a reason to train and set and achieve a personal goal, but it also encourages excitement and brightness towards the future,” said Capalbo.

The heart of Carlo and the entire RunCzech team has been put into making all participants and bystanders feel a sense of community and belonging that can be filled with positive energy and conversation.

“In contribution to this subject, this year’s marathon has been turned into an entirely new sport that the world has never seen before: a Battle of the Teams. There will be six teams led by six team leaders of Czech professional athletes hailing from a variety of sports,” he adds.

There will also be four professional athletes on each team. The remaining spots are filled with everyone from veteran-marathon runners to amateur runners. Everyone is welcome and everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the success of their team.

Each team supports a specific charity, so the contributions will be going to several great causes and programs.

“Not only is the new, innovative way of running a marathon intriguing for its premiere, but it is also just another way of bringing together participants from all over the world to create a joyous, team-building community in the name of the great sport,” continues Capalbo.

The radiant inclusivity of this year’s marathon is represented by the slogan “Run for all. All for run.” Whether you will be
participating in the marathon or watching from the side, we look forward to supporting this message together!