Aaron Gruen: Music genius and marathon star at VCM 2026!

Aaron Gruen: Music genius and marathon star at VCM 2026!

Vienna, Österreich - The Vienna City Marathon (VCM) 2026 will take place on April 19, 2026 and awaits a top -class field of participants. Among the prominent athletes will be the Austrian record holder Aaron Gruen, who has completed the distance in impressive 2:09:53. Gruen's participation not only promises top sporting performance, but also a cultural connection, since the day before the marathon in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Music Association with the Vienna Symphonics

The concert, which begins on April 18, 2026 at 11:00 a.m., includes works by well -known composers such as Johann and Josef Strauss, Franz Lehár, Johann Schrammel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johannes Brahms. Jan Nast, director of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, emphasized that this event illustrates the connection between community, music and top performance. VCM managing director Kathrin Widu emphasizes that the marathon is leading through Vienna, the "World Capital of Music".

Aaron's running preparation and its connection to the music

Aaron Gruen, who has had Austrian citizenship since 2024, is planning intensively for future competitions. On June 22nd, he will take part in the 10 km street run in Boston, as part of his training program. From the end of June, height training in Park City, Utah, will be announced to prepare for the World Championships in Tokyo.

In preparation for the VCM, Gruen enthusiastically praised the route and the atmosphere in Vienna, which he previously only knows from videos. He won the Vienna New Year's Eve run last year, and his girlfriend Katie Goldenberg will also compete at the VCM. Katie showed a personal best of 2:53:39 in Valley Cottage and applied for Austrian citizenship because her grandfather fled from Vienna to the USA in 1939.

Registration and marathon offer

Registration for the VCM and the accompanying concert of the Vienna Symphonikers has already started. In addition to the marathon on April 19, 2026, registrations for the half marathon, relay marathon, the Vienna 5K, the inclusion run and children's runs are also opened. Musical marathon runners have the opportunity to apply for the "concert for the marathon".

The VCM is not only the largest marathon event in Austria, but also one of the most important in the international running calendar. Every year, over 30,000 participants attract the streets of Vienna, including around 8,000, which master the full distance of 42.195 km. The marathon has the World Athletics Label, a high award, and has been an integral part of the running calendar in Austria for over 30 years.

For more information on the events and registration options at the Vienna City Marathon and to the other major marathons in Austria, the links to the articles on krone.at and hdsports.at