The Marathon de la Sainte-Croix is a technical mountain trail race within Sainte-Croix Mountains National Park. It emphasizes difficult, shifting terrain over smooth speed, and its reputation stems from making a low mountain range feel much more challenging than runners anticipate.
The route ascends toward Święty Krzyż, extends into the Łysogóry chain, and includes unstable scree fields. The surface varies significantly, requiring strong mountain legs, careful footing, and patience on ground that can penalize those treating it like a standard marathon.