Each year Kraków welcomes the start of spring with this half-marathon tune-up for the big Kraków Marathon about a month later. Named after Marzanna - the old Slavic goddess of winter, death and rebirth - this seasonal charity run coincides with the vernal equinox and the old pagan tradition of 'drowning Marzanna' to end the icy grip of winter. More mindful than burning effigies and polluting rivers, this new tradition has become massively popular, with 4000 runners registering each year. The course is extremely flat and fast, making it ideal for setting best times, and the event is accompanied by the 5km run 'Dla Małych Serc' (For Small Hearts).