Seven-year-old Viki motivates to Jeseníky

"There are three classic routes for competitors - Long (64 km), Half (38 km) and Short (14 km), for which it is still possible to register at the race venue at Červenohorské sedlo," said Pavel Zitta, the director of the Mountain Challenge.

Dogtrekkers will be the first to set off on the royal Long route with their four-legged pets half an hour before midnight on Friday. Twenty minutes after them, the rest of the field will run out. "The night run is no longer just dominated by ultra specialists who are all about time and winning; increasingly, the magic of night mountain runs is also being enjoyed by complete amateurs. Of course, these are not people who just get up off the couch and run, but participants for whom the powerful experience of a quiet mountain night and personal performance is paramount. They don't need to compare themselves or outdo anyone, they are outdoing themselves and nearly three thousand vertical meters. Personally, I can confirm that the Jeseníky Mountains are worth it," said race spokesman Patrik Pátek, while reminding that the remaining distances start on Saturday morning - the middle Half route starts at 9am and the shortest Short route at 10am. Individuals, pairs and dogtrekkers start on each.

The race itself starts directly from the mountain environment. The Červenohorské saddle at an altitude of over a thousand metres above sea level offers a direct view and entry into the landscape from the start. In the case of the two longest courses, the experience is enhanced by a view of the two great landmarks of the Jeseníky Mountains - Praděd and the Dlouhé stráně pumping reservoir. But the mountain challenge is not just about running. It also helps with its non-competitive seven-kilometre charity Walk with Mixitka. Half of the entry fee traditionally goes to Lukášek Bílý, who has been battling the effects of his premature birth for eleven years.

The Mountain Challenge is a series that is primarily meant to motivate. And the Jeseníky Mountains are a great opportunity to spend a pleasant weekend in the mountains, and it doesn't have to concern only race runners. Accompanists can come into their own or it is directly suggested not to rush home right away. "I know what I'm talking about. A week before the race, we spent an absolutely great week alone in the Jeseníky Mountains with three kids, full of hiking, exploring and relaxing. There is an incredible amount of places to go with the kids," said Patrik Pátek, a Pilsner, whose words were confirmed by his seven-year-old son Viki, who even without a cable car managed the journey from Kouty to the Dlouhé stráně reservoir and back. "It was quite a climb up to the reservoir, but I liked it very much. It's a pity we couldn't swim there, it would have been like being at the sea," the seven-year-old boy was captivated by the megalomaniac structure, but he immediately became serious: "I think other children can do it too, but they have to take a break along the way," Viktor Pátek remarked with an important look, which can be an inspiration for those who are hesitant to take on the Mountain Challenge.

The stop in the Jeseníky Mountains, which is also supported by the Olomouc Region, will conclude the scored part of the series. After that, the points from this year's two races and last year's two races will be added up and evaluated during the bonus race in October in Pálava (9 October) . It was not fun, but I am very happy that we managed to keep the race at a high level and the main idea - to motivate people to be active in the beautiful mountains of the Czech Republic. I always look forward to the atmosphere that prevails during the event," Pavel Zitta, the director of the series, invites to participate in the Mountain Challenge.