THE NEW COURSE

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COURSE PROFILE

The new adidas Stockholm Marathon course – kilometre by kilometre

1. Lidingövägen – Valhallavägen/Odengatan
With adrenaline pumping we set off on the broad Lidingövägen, just by Östermalms sports ground. We pass Stockholm Olympic Stadium, where the finish line beckons after just under 42 kilometres. Make sure you don’t turn left out of habit and follow the old course, instead turn right on to Valhallavägen. The first kilometre sign is exactly as you reach Odengatan.
Note: Lidingövägen was once called Ropstensvägen, since it ran from Ropsten’s ferry (to Lidingö) to the tollgates where Karlaplan is situation today.

2. Odengatan – Sveavägen

A nice downhill stretch down Odengaten leads us to the junction with Sveavägen, a long stretch of which is included for the first time in Stockholm Marathon’s history and takes us towards the heart of the city.
Note: Take a deep breath of inspiration at Gunnar Asplund’s Public Library on your right. It’s a world renowned building which marked the end of the classical era. The cylindrical top on the rectangular base reminds us of a child’s building blocks.

3. Sveavägen – Kungsgatan/Hötorget
Past the Grand cinema, which Sweden’s prime minister, Olof Palme, visited the evening he was murdered in 1986, and Adolf Fredrik’s cemetery, where he is buried, then turn right on to Kungsgatan at the Concert Hall.
Note: Until 150 years ago, Hötorget was divided into Månglartorget, where meat, fish, vegetables and flowers were sold, and Bondetorget with its seasonal produce. At the Porter Café, a glass of porter cost 5 öre and a litre bottle of pickadong (red wine) 75 öre.

4. Kungsgatan – Torsgatan

We gather speed as we head downhill and wind our way along Vasagatan and Norra Bantorget till we come up to Torsgatan, the first uphill part of the course.
Note: Horse-drawn trams went from Norra Bantorget over to Torsgatan, which in 1910 was the first road to be paved with asphalt, an early preparation for future marathons.

5. Torsgatan – St Eriksgatan

In the opposite direction to the original marathon course, we enter Kungsholmen with the old 16 storey Sports Palace on the left. In 1978 a cinema here was transformed into Polar studios, where ABBA, Led Zeppelin and the Ramones all recorded albums.
Note: At the top of the palace, Bruno Liljefors had a three storey studio where the windows were wide open. The painter fed birds with meat and fish.

6. St Eriksgatan – Scheelegatan

We continue in the opposite direction to the old marathon course and enjoy the journey down Fleminggatan, which ends with a right turn into Scheelegaten and Rådhuset court house. This is a very easy stretch, and it’s going to get even better!
Note: The battle at the beginning of the 20th century for who should build Rådhuset was between Carl Westman and Ragnar Östberg. The latter lost but instead got the commission for City Hall, which became Kungsholmen’s and the whole of Stockholm’s most famous silhouette – built on the grounds of the old Eldkvarn, where Rådhuset should originally have stood. Ragnar Östberg’s proposal for Rådhus, Mälardrott, which was to have been built where the City Hall now stands.

7. Scheelegatan – Norr Mälarstrand

Along Kungsholmstorg we’re running downhill again reaching Riddarfjärden’s Norr Mälarstrand waterfront and the sight of the City Hall’s three crowns.
Note: In old times, there was an invisible border between the part of Norr Mälarstrand we are running along and the part west of Kungsholmstorg. For example, people who lived here skated on Riddarfjärden while the country bumpkins would stick to Kronoberg Park.

8. Norr Mälarstrand – Vasabron

We are leaving Kungsholmen for Norrmalm, over Stadshusbron to Tegelbacken, the traffic system mentioned in songs by both Olle Adolphson and Kent. Tegelbacken is one of the few sections which breaks your rhythm in an otherwise record quick first 10km.
Note: At the far end of Norr Mälarstrand, stands Ragnar Östberg’s jewel, City Hall. It was built with tender care. The bricks are copies of the bricks used for the Tre Kronor castle which burned down. De Tre Kronorna, the three crowns, is the symbol of Stockholm and also adorns the top of City Hall’s tower.

9. Vasabron – Skeppsbron

We are leaving Norrmalm after just a short stretch and cross Vasabron over to Gamla Stan, the Old Town, which we’ll encircle, mainly by following the waterfront, firstly Munkbron, alongside the metro line, past Mälartorget and Kornhamnstorg, then over to the Skeppsbron side, opposite Skeppsholmen.
Note: Stockholm’s original heart nowadays has only just over 3000 inhabitants

10. Skeppsbron – Stallgatan

We run out from Gamla Stan over the completely flat Strömbron with a view of Kungsträdgården ahead on our left, but turn right instead and see the first 10km sign on the second hill of the course, Stallgatan.
Note: Blasieholmen was, until the 17th century, an island, separated from Norrmalm by Näckströmmen. At the battle of Brunkeberg in 1471, the Danes fled over Näckholm bridge which collapsed and many drowned on the flight to their homewardbound boats.

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