Kamal Datta speaks with Marek Tronina, race director and CEO of the Warsaw Marathon Foundation, about turning Warsaw Marathon from a near-closed event into one of Europe’s most enduring road races. They also unpack the creation of European Marathon Classics, a new eight-race series built to preserve marathon heritage, grow runner experience, and create a more accessible European alternative to the biggest global marathon brands.In this episode, Marek shares how leadership in running is less about doing everything yourself and more about finding the right people, protecting quality, and building emotional connection alongside race-day logistics. He also explains the friction, decisions, and strategy behind launching a cross-border marathon project in just 12 months. Key Topics: Marek describes the shift from a niche running scene to a mainstream participation culture, and how Warsaw Marathon grew from a few hundred runners to 14,000 registered runners.Marek reflects on a difficult period from roughly 2015 to 2020, when Warsaw Marathon stagnated, and how the pandemic helped reset the team’s energy and purpose.He details the European Marathon Classics launch and why eight races, including Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, London, Vienna, Warsaw, Frankfurt, and Copenhagen, came together around a shared vision.He shares the biggest friction point in the series launch: how to handle historical finishes and whether past marathon results should count toward the new series.He says the long-term goal is for European marathoners to naturally see the series as part of their running path, alongside preserving the marathon’s European heritage.Time Stamps: 00:00 - Marek Tronina’s role in Warsaw Marathon and European Marathon Classics 01:10 - Warsaw Marathon’s 2002 reality: almost no mass-running culture in Poland 03:16 - Saving the race from shutdown and staging an edition in two months 05:13 - Why journalism and broadcasting helped in race leadership 06:38 - From 307 finishers to 14,000 registered runners 08:35 - Knowing your strengths, weaknesses, and finding the right team 10:11 - Why emotional experience and logistics both matter 13:00 - The split finisher medal and the idea of giving a half to someone who helped you 14:29 - The post-pandemic surge in mass participation running 19:33 - Digging the well early: always plan ahead and keep improving 21:07 - The tough years between 2015 and 2020 24:19 - Competing with a commercially backed marathon in Warsaw 25:46 - Running a 36-hour marathon during pandemic restrictions 27:13 - Why major marathons dominate and how mid-tier races can survive 29:12 - Why quality KPIs matter more than pure runner counts 31:12 - Trust, volunteers, and preparing so others can do their jobs well 34:42 - The catalyst for European Marathon Classics 38:00 - Why the project had to move fast and make hard decisions 41:00 - The fight over historical finishes and why past results matter 45:59 - How the eight races were selected 49:13 - The moment the idea crystallized in London 53:53 - European Marathon Classics as a complementary alternative, not a rival 56:27 - Turning marathon travel into a fuller tourism and culture experience 59:53 - Why Europe should protect the marathon’s heritage and future 62:52 - Marek’s vision for where the series should be in five to ten years 64:53 - Why Athens Marathon remains special to him 66:21 - Rapid fire begins: favorite course, logistical nightmare, pre-race calm, carbon plates, and kilometer 38 75:26 - Marek’s closing advice: enjoy life and go out for a run Reference: https://europeanmarathonclassics.eu/
