It all began in 2014, when a resident of Sobótka, Przemysław Demków, set off alone from Śnieżnik towards the Owl Mountains. He had an idea to organize a mountain ultramarathon — informal, friendly, without regulations, course markings or all the usual formalities. Just the mountains, a backpack and the road ahead.
At the time, he could not find anyone willing to join him, so he set off alone. After several hours, somewhere near Bardo, his wife Kasia picked him up and took him home.
This solo adventure is considered the first edition of Bieg Kreta.
Przemek was not easily discouraged. The following year, he tried again. This time, a dozen or so people joined him at the start, and the number grew year after year. Informal support points began to appear along the route, while the event retained its original, expedition-like character.
Eventually, the event grew to such an extent that it became a major burden for the small group of enthusiasts organizing it. Logistics became increasingly demanding, especially since the race was still held far away from Sobótka at the time, with the start in Kletno and the finish in the Owl Mountains. This did not make things any easier. For the local community, the event was still something of an exotic undertaking, and relatively few people became involved in its organization. A slow process of burnout began, and it was not far from the fifth edition of Bieg Kreta becoming the last.
It was then that race director Przemysław Demków and the Sobótka Runners Club faced an important decision. What next? Should they continue organizing what was, at the time, a very niche ultramarathon?
At a meeting of the club’s board, two key decisions were made — decisions that would radically change the future of Bieg Kreta.
First, the route was extended by several dozen kilometres so that it would finish in Sobótka. This transformed Bieg Kreta into a fully-fledged Ślęża-region mountain race, giving Sobótka a genuine connection with the event and a reason to identify with it.
The second decision was even more ambitious. A second, 377-kilometre distance was introduced, inspired by the famous Sudeten Triangle connecting Śnieżka, Śnieżnik and Ślęża. From that moment on, Bieg Kreta Hardcore became the longest ultramarathon in Poland. Ślęża — and Sobótka — became both its starting point and its finish.
From its very first edition, Bieg Kreta Hardcore was something truly extraordinary. It captured the imagination, stirred emotions and gave the competitors’ struggle an almost heroic dimension.
With each successive edition, the level of sporting competition on the Hardcore course increased, as did the interest among spectators — including people with no connection to running. The website enabling fans to track competitors’ positions throughout the four days of the race typically records around 50,000 views, with the number growing every year.
Only ten competitors are allowed to start the longest Bieg Kreta distance, selected through a qualification process. Athletes must meet a minimum RMT_Kret ranking criterion of more than 500 points and have completed at least one 100-mile road race or a mountain equivalent of a similar level of difficulty.
The sporting level continues to rise year after year. In each of the first four editions, both the women’s and men’s course records were broken. The 2023 result, however, exceeded all expectations. Dariusz Rewers won in 66h 03min, while Nina Graboś finished just behind him in 67h 20min. According to the RateMyTrail ranking, Nina Graboś’s result was the best performance by a woman in a mountain race in Poland in five years.
During the 2026 edition, Hardcore winner Bartosz Tomkiewicz became the first athlete in history to break the 60-hour barrier.
Want to discover what Bieg Kreta is all about in just three minutes? Watch the music video below: