Prishtina Trail Half Marathon Plus - Awesome!
Prishtina Trail Half Marathon Plus, KOSOVO was our 134th different location half marathon.
The friendliest of hosts and a willingness to speak English to us.
This half was a mandatory kit trail half marathon, in total 14.50 miles, with three steep mountains with a total elevation of 4,500 feet. Pristina trails was our third highest elevation half only Liechtenstein Alpine and Trail du Mont Blanc had beaten the elevations.
We had studied when the elevations would occur and how many there were over the course. For the half marathon there were three mountains; it was a case of when we had got to the peaks we would be counting down to the next, being mindful of energy expenditure.
When the half marathon started, we saw a group of mountain rescuers and medics ready for any action! We were all walking within three minutes, a taste of what was to come... So steep that the participants were in single file walking through the forest, that you can only walk as fast as the person in front is walking. At points we would be tiptoeing up the mountains as it was so steep.
Aid stations were plentiful, full of a variety of foods and drinks in paper cups, I took cold coke to give me an extra boost. I drank two litres in total of my own drinks. We both added additional salts throughout the event. The staff were helpful to our needs and encouraging at the aid stations.
The last and steepest incline was pretty tricky; it was a single track, which was lined with a slimy clay like mud. There were lots of the slower 10K racers who were finding the elevation hard, and they were sitting to the side in the grass banks. I did think to myself that if any of the participants who were in front of us slipped and lost their footing that they would just slide all the way back to the bottom knocking every single person behind them flat as if we were skittles.
Although it was quite a warm day, the majority of the whole route was covered in tree canopies through the forest. There were waterfalls to cool down enroute. We could hear wild boar snorting in the woods on the way around and birdsong.
At around halfway I noticed my soles were coming away from the tip of my shoes, I think the sticky clay like surfaces must have pulled them away. I was worried that the whole sole would come off and how on earth would I be able to run on the rocky terrain without a sole. At one of the aid stations, I asked if they had any tape. The lady looked in her bag and pulled out a bandage; I thought that if I put that on my shoe it might get caught so chose not to bother and risk it!
At the end there were plenty of refreshments, cans of cold drinks, sandwich rolls and snacks. Which were gratefully enjoyed.
The day after the day after my goodness were our legs feeling stiff and chunky.
Grateful not to have been injured by the incredibly technical terrain, steep inclines and declines. Our slowest mile was 24:08 and the quickest mile was 10:35.
... The value for money was exceptional! A zipper drawstring bag with headphone slots filled with vouchers, energy gel, snack bars, sports T-shirt and a soft reusable drinks bottle. The aid stations and the recycled plastic medals. Mountain rescue, Medics and Prishtina trail staff – Awesome!
Public transport to the very start of the event was consistent throughout the day.
10 May 2026
Unprompted review
