For the sixth time, and once again on a larger scale than last year, the founding of the republic was celebrated with movement on October 28. The Sokol Run of the Republic drew over 10,000 runners to 82 locations across the country, including 17 abroad. New additions to the event included races in Končenice, Croatia, and Toronto, Canada. Favorable weather across most of the Czech Republic and the opportunity to meet personalities like Marie Horáčková, David Schweiner, and Jakub Kohák boosted participation.
Runners celebrated this special day in 65 locations across the Czech Republic. In addition to the capital, the map of runs included Brno, Ostrava, Plzeň, České Budějovice and Liberec. Runners from smaller towns and villages also joined in, making it easy for anyone to find a race near their home. “I absolutely love how the Sokol Run of the Republic brings people together. This sense of community is much needed these days, and I’m glad I can support the event and be a part of it,” says Sokol Run ambassador and an olympic archer Marie Horáčková.
The National Anthem Resonated in Prague Amid Record Participation
The largest race took place on Prague’s Petřín, with over 700 runners participating—a record turnout that confirmed the movement-themed celebration of October 28 as a beloved tradition in the capital. The program began at Tyrš House in the morning, attended by the mayor of Prague 1, Terezie Radoměřská. Children’s races started at 11 a.m., offering courses of 100, 400, and 800 meters for young and advanced runners alike. Visitors enjoyed sports and artistic performances as well as workshops spanning from Kampa to the peak of the day’s celebration: the main 6.5 km race at 2 p.m. Runners heard the national anthem and, accompanied by the music of Smetana’s Vltava, set off to honor the founding of our nation.
Helping Vanesska and Flooded Sokol Halls
The Sokol Run of the Republic also has a charitable aspect that runners embraced again this year. Through registrations, they contributed 177,850 CZK to support Vanesska, a girl born with a congenital disorder. Her deaf parents are doing everything they can to improve her quality of life, and thanks to the runners, their journey will be a little easier. Additionally, in the Prague-based ČEZ Energy Zone and nationwide via the EPP – Pomáhej pohybem app, runners raised an incredible 500,991 CZK to aid the Czech Sokol Organization in renovating Sokol halls damaged by floods.
NAZDAR in 2025
A big thanks goes to the hundreds of organizers, partners, and runners, without whom this unique and unforgettable event would not have been possible. The celebration of the republic through movement concludes for this year, but the spirit of this tradition lives on as organizers look ahead to October 28, 2025. In the spirit of the Sokol motto "The individual is nothing, the collective is everything," the organizers thank everyone for the shared experiences and invite the public to celebrate the founding of the republic again in 2025.
