The class competition

- part of the HCA Marathon // Friday 25 September 2026

Costs

  • Price per class to be announced later
  • Min. 12 students in class to make up a team

To register, please call +45 3059 2444 or throe@hcamarathon.dk.
Enter school, number of classes and approximate number of students 

The race

  • Distance 2.5 km
  • For 4th and 5th grades
  • Start/finish Odense Idrætspark
  • Name on start number

Number pick-up

Start numbers will not be sent out, but will be handed out by class on Friday from 9.30 - 10.15 at Odense Atletikstadion.

Program

  • 9.30 - 9.45 The buses from Bergholdt arrive at Pucken - for those schools that have booked a bus. 
  • 9.30 - 10.15 Pick up race number and refreshments for after the race. (Handed out class by class to the teacher) 
  • 10.20 am Warm-up 4th classes
  • 10.30 am Start 4th classes 
  • 11.05 am Warm-up 5th classes 
  • 11.15 am Start 5th classes
  • Approx. 12.00 p.m. Award ceremony 4th and 5th grade
  • Approx. 12.15 pm Departure with the buses from Pucken - for schools that have booked a bus. 

Before the race

A timing chip is embedded in your race bib, so please avoid bending the bib.

The winning time is an average of the net times of all class participants in the class competition.

Net: From crossing the mat to the finish line. 

Deadline for name on start number will be announced later.

We encourage classes to meet in the green areas around Odense Athletics Stadium.

The grandstand is a great place to cheer on all the other participants in the Class Competition.

The start of the Class Competition takes place inside Odense Athletics Stadium.

There will be various activities at Odense Athletics Stadium.

There will be no stalls - so no need to bring pocket money.

Refreshments for each participant will be handed out by class together with the start numbers.

Refreshments include a muesli bar and a soft drink.

At the start/finish line there are toilets in and around Odense Atletikstadion.

  • Visit from HCA Marathon staff to talk about running and the Class Competition
  • School class set of the book ”Run with...” (for first-time participants)
  • Access to the website klassedystenhca.dk

During the race

The route is 2.5 km around Odense Sports Park. 

There will be signposts - remember to keep an eye out and follow the signs.

Link to the route will follow at a later date.

The students run the first and last 300 metres at Odense Athletics Stadium. Immediately after crossing the finish line, they will receive a well-deserved medal. Students are asked to leave the finish area afterwards so that there is room for the other runners crossing the finish line. Feel free to take a seat on the grass or in the stands and help cheer all the other runners to the finish line. Remember to agree in class where you will meet when you reach the finish line. 

After the race

All finishing runners receive a medal when they cross the finish line. 

  • A piece of fruit
  • 1/2 L spring water
  • mm.

The winner of the 4th and 5th grade class competition wins a trip to JumpingFun in Odense with free jump incl. one slush ice per person as well as a trophy and this year's event t-shirt.

The winner of the class competition for 4th and 5th grade will be announced by the announcer - and you can follow along on the results list.

The prize-giving ceremony will take place inside Odense Athletics Stadium. The prize-giving ceremony will take place at 12 noon when the last runner has crossed the finish line.

Immediately after the finish, you can download your personalised diploma via the results list.

Link to the class team results 2025.

Interdisciplinary material for teaching

The class competition is more than a race. It is also an educational tool. The material consists of the book ”Run with...” and the website klassedystenhca.dk

The book focuses on the different aspects of running, such as social aspects, what happens in your body and why some people can run faster than others. But it also focuses on history and geography.

The web material supports the book with various activities for physical education, Danish, geography and history. This makes it possible to expand the running experience into an interdisciplinary programme where the race itself is the cherry on top.

Every year, thousands of runners gather in Odense to participate in the HCA Marathon. The class competition is part of the HCA Marathon. In the class competition, school classes compete against each other.

“Run with...” is about running, but it's not just about how to get better at running. It's also about everything else that running is. Running or sport is central to our society, our culture and our identity, and it's something that many people work with and care about on a daily basis.

With this material, we want to show that running is more than just running. We want to show you how important movement is to us as humans and how important running and movement are to our everyday lives and society. “Run with...” consists of a book and a comprehensive online teaching material.