The first walking race from Prague to Poděbrady was organized in 1894 as a club championship by the Pedestrian Club Královské Vinohrady and the winner was František Malý at 5:50. After a long break, the race was not resumed until 1929 by the AC Praha 1890 club in preparation for the newly entered 50km distance for the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games; since then, it has been held annually except for the war period 1941-1944, since 1947 with international participation. The original route from Prague's Karlín to the spa colonnade in Poděbrady was a test for pedestrians of courage, perseverance and the ability to overcome themselves.

In 2021, 2023 and 2025, Poděbrady will host the European Race Walking Team Championships. This year, the elite race walking competition of Europe will take place on Sunday 16 May.