Study abroad student runs the Prague International Marathon for the first time
Evan Sadler always wanted to run a marathon. The life-long soccer player and business major from Sonoma State University had just finished his collegiate soccer career last fall and he was spending his spring semester in the University Studies Abroad Consortium’s (USAC) Prague program. All around him, he noticed the clues that running is a big part of Czechian culture. He had heard about the Prague Marathon a couple of months before the race would begin. In that moment, he realized he could finally put the time into accomplishing his next big physical challenge — and do it while studying abroad.
By 9 a.m. on May 5, 2024, his shoes were laced and he was at the starting line of the Prague International Marathon. It was well organized and attended. Thousands of people were there to watch nearly 8,000 runners test the limits of their athletic abilities while blowing past the city’s infamous medieval spires and contemporary architecture.
“The energy around the start line and all throughout the course was very exciting and motivating,” he said.
For the past 30 years, the 42-km (26-mile) course has taken runners through the beautiful capital city of the Czech Republic. They even cross over the majestic Charles Bridge during the route, which is becoming known as Europe’s fastest-growing road race.
The marathon had begun. To prepare, Evan found a training program to build up the endurance he would need for the race. Most follow a 16-20 week timeframe, but he only decided to run the marathon 45 days ago. He had to start training from week 11.
It was going to be hard. He needed all the motivation he could get.
Thankfully, fellow spring semester student Aubri M. and USAC Program Officer Dáša Ejemová helped cheer him along the route. He was grateful for their encouragement, and the support of the host family that he stayed with for the week leading up to the marathon.
When Evan entered the second half of the race, his study abroad mentor and USAC resident director, Jan Stodola, arrived on his bicycle — and followed him along the route.
“I think what I remember most about the day of the race is Jan meeting me at mile 13 (21 km) and biking next to me the rest of the race,” Evan said. “He was such a great motivator for me not only on race day but throughout my training; asking me how it was going and following my runs on an app called Strava.”
Jan stayed with Evan the entire second half of the race, which encouraged him to keep running when the going got tough.
“I will always be grateful for him,” he said.
Keeping an average 6:52 min/km pace, Evan’s official finish time was 4:33 — an incredible achievement for someone running their first marathon ever. Between the culture shock and upheaval of daily life while living abroad, he found being active was a great way to keep his mental health in check. In Prague, students have access to the university’s fitness facilities, and he goes there almost every day with his roommate, Billy C.
“I think being active while in Prague was very helpful for me,” Evan said. “I’ve been an active person my whole life, and I think that it’s very essential for my mental state. I believe that it helped me out tremendously with transitioning into living in a different country. While everything changed from what I was used to in America, I was still able to work out and improve myself the same as I would’ve back home.”
Plus, being active took him to every corner of the city.
“I really enjoyed running around Prague,” he said. “It gave me a whole new perspective on the city and I was able to see parts of Prague that I might not ever have seen otherwise.”
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