[비즈한국] ‘RUN Sense 2026,’ hosted by Bizhankook, was successfully held on the 5th at the Pyeonghwa Plaza in Pyeonghwa Park, Sangam World Cup Park, Mapo-gu, Seoul. True to its slogan, “RUN The Record, Feel The SENSE,” the event was designed for participants to enjoy both official record tracking and a vibrant running festival. Approximately 2,500 runners participated in this year's race.
On the morning of the 5th, the Pyeonghwa Plaza was filled with the passionate energy of runners, which couldn't be cooled down even by the crisp weather. Despite heavy rain and strong winds the previous day and a forecast of rain early that morning, the skies fortunately cleared up, providing perfect conditions for running. Participants spent their time stretching or gathering to chat while waiting for the race to begin.
RUN Sense 2026 featured two courses: 5km and 10km. The 5km course reached its turnaround point near Nanjicheon Playground, while the 10km course turned around near the Han River Wildlife Exploration Center.
All participants received various souvenirs. Pre-race gift packs included a RUN Sense running vest, running socks, a timing chip, and a race bib. Finisher medals, mobile record certificates, and snacks were provided to those who completed the race, adding extra joy to the experience.
At 8:00 AM, the 10km Group A started the race to the sound of music, followed by Group B and the 5km participants.
About 30 minutes later, the winners began crossing the finish line. In the women’s 10km category, Noh Yu-yeon (40) took first place with a time of 36 minutes and 31 seconds. In the men's category, Gam Jin-gyu (34) won with a time of 32 minutes and 22 seconds after a tight race decided by less than a second. Both winners were awarded 800,000 KRW and a trophy.
In the 5km race, a married couple from Poland grabbed the spotlight by securing first place in both the men’s and women’s categories. Diana Dawidziuk-Gosk (31) took first in the women's category, while her husband, Dominik Gosk (34), finished first in the men's category.
Noh Yu-yeon, the 10km winner, remarked, "This is a course I run on often. I usually practice alone, but competing against new people at the event made it exciting and helped me push past my limits."
Following the awards ceremony, various events took place. Partner companies—including Today Dumping, Shortcell, Skin Construction, Gyeonggi Rice Cake House x Daddy Food, Choco Health, Habitat for Humanity Korea, Jonber Health, Monomano, Lexi Health, and FlipBelt—hosted booths and provided various gifts to the participants.
The event also featured many young participants taking on their first marathon. Eight-year-old Park Seo-jun, who ran with his father, said, "I wanted to try a marathon, so I joined with my dad. It was tiring to wake up so early, but my goal is to finish the race." His father, Park Sung-yoon, added, "I’ve always run marathons alone, but I'm happy to take on this challenge with my child. Our goal is to finish under 30 minutes."
Celebrities also joined the race alongside fellow runners. DJ DOC’s Kim Chang-yeol said, "There were moments I wanted to give up while running, but I thought to myself, 'If I can't do this, what else can I achieve?' and didn't give up until the end. It was tough, but I feel great after finishing." He added, "Marathons are often compared to life; I hope everyone lives a more fun, enjoyable, and happy life with the same mindset they had crossing the finish line today."
After the race, various events hosted by comedian Kim Wan-ki, who served as the MC, followed. Participants gathered in front of the stage to enjoy games and a 'random play dance' session, taking home prepared prizes.
Meanwhile, a short-form challenge in partnership with Shortcell is also underway. Participants who upload videos of the RUN Sense 2026 event are eligible for prize money based on user votes. The challenge runs for 15 days from October 5th to the 19th, with a total prize pool of 1 million KRW.