Running & trail running · July 2026
Ultra Tisza-tó Half Marathon 2026 | Running brought us together
Contrary to old belief, this sport is not a lonely genre: it builds community and forges friendships.
Running brought us together on the Ultra Tisza-tó half marathon distance too: after the sunset SUP sessions, family boat trips, shared lunches and friendly ice creams, one more community experience – where we also ran.
It was a memorable moment when Tomi, the young man in the middle of the photo, asked 20 minutes before the start while warming up: "Berci, do you have a spare pair of running shoes? We brought everything for today's run except that." Of course I always have a few Kiprun models at hand for testing, so that was solved too, and 2 minutes before the start we all stood at the line in full kit.
On the course we refreshed each other when needed, not begrudging a sip of water or an energy gel – which everyone was short of in the 30-degree heat on the dam around Lake Tisza. Without worrying about our own placing, we helped each other and experienced this 21 km journey together.
I'm glad that in our running circles young people get the latest running shoe models sooner than the latest phones. I'm happy to see that the more goal-oriented ones don't chase cheap digital dopamine, but consistently do sports, study and work year after year – and that here nobody considers the aimless scrolling of social media platforms cool anymore.
"Base training" means something entirely different to us than to most. There's no beer relay here – at most a half marathon relay. The long-distance runner mentality is present in studying, in work, and of course in half marathon and marathon preparation too.
It's also true that our shared holidays sometimes feel more like training camps – yet they recharge us and become lifelong memories. Running brings us together in this way too.
Contrary to the old belief, this sport is not a lonely genre: it opens a treasure trove of possibilities, builds community and forges friendships.
A little biased, but from the bottom of my heart I can say what the Decathlon Kiprun running shoe brand also stands for, and what I represent too: more runs, more life.