Robert Celiński

Only this page is translated into English so if you would like to read other pages (e.g. articles on my marathons) I recommend using Google Translate web site.

Welcome to my homepage and thank you for your visit :-) Before I bore you to death with the story of my life, I will write a few sentences about myself. I am an economist by Master's degree, IT specialist by profession and runner by passion. This site is mainly dedicated to my passion - running. I can boast of several amateur running successes. In 2008 I won Antarctica Marathon and completed marathons on all seven continents. As one of the first people in the world (and the first Polish runner) I finished all World Marathon Majors - a series of the biggest marathons in the world (Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York City). I am the first person in the world with both achievements (seven continents and six majors). A great success is also the fact that since 2003, in good health, I have run annually about 4000 km, participated in marathons in interesting places all over the world and I have had a lot of fun. Since 2010 I have been better known as "the husband of his wife", Anna Celińska, a multiple Polish champion in mountain running who won bronze medal at the World Championship in 2013 and in 2014 she also won bronze in the Polish marathon championships. Let's finish this short introduction, you may read further below or click on various tabs on this site.

I was born on 5 October 1979 in Warsaw (the capital of Poland). I can say that this is my city because my parents and mother's side grandparents were born here, too. I do not remember my first year of life, but my parents then lived in Powiśle. Then we moved to a flat in Gocław, where I shared a room with my 5-years-younger brother Alex. In 1990 we moved to Anin, where my brother Marek (younger by 15 years) was born. After 20 years in Anin I moved to Bielsko-Biała, where I married my wife Anna. I love the landscape here, in the Polish mountains.

In elementary school I was interested in math, and my greatest passion was chess. I can say that I was successful in this field. Then, chess gave way to more active sports (basketball, soccer). I finished my chess career with second category (1800 ranking points), wonderful memories and well-trained analytical mind. In high school, Batory (it was here where my parents met) I attended class in mathematics and physics. I have great memories from that period. I played in the school basketball team (though I am not very tall, I became even captain of the team) and soccer (I still remember my 2 hat-tricks hit in Warsaw High Schools Championships). Luckily, I passed my final exam in Polish ;-) an in math I even got 6 grade. Instead of watching intensely Word Cup in 1998, I studied carefully for my entrance exam to Warsaw School of Economics. This resulted in gaining 91 points and placing 15th among 3500 candidates (mostly ahead of me - olympics finalists, who got maximum score and didn't have to pass subject exam). That was my biggest success in science, probably the last. I decided at SGH for two specialties: Finance and Banking, as well as Quantitative Methods and Information Systems. Over the last 2 years of studies I had to combine studying with working daily, but I managed to pass my final exams with two fives on diplomas. At that time I worked as an accountant for an international company, where I developed my knowledge of finance. Immediately after graduation I started working as a consultant for a large IT company - Comarch, which in turn involved me into more topics related to computer science - my second specialization. After 10 years I work as a senior consultant and I have considerable experience in implementing IT systems in public institutions. I do not write more now - this is not my CV :-)

My job skills are useful in private terms. I manage this site and our club's portal byledobiec.pl. I have developed RunCalc mobile application and portal for runners and Polskie Góry - an app for mountain tourists. Polskie Góry was downloaded over 110 000 times on Google Play store and it gets very favourable opinions from users (average 4,7 stars out of max 5).

Mobile application for runners

My interests were changing in childhood. In elementary school I was engrossed in chess - used to practice every day. I have forgotten a lot since then, but some chess experience has remained. If a passionate novice tries to beat me, I will bring him to the ground, soon. In elementary school I got interested in computer science. I liked programming computer games - I could pore over my programs at night and improve them. On a reverse, I never played computer games too much, because I think that it is a waste of time.

Then, I changed my passion to sports, and above all - basketball. I did the shot of my life in seventh class in primary school. At the end of the game we were losing by two points, and I desperately threw the ball from behind the halfway towards the basket. The ball bounced several times against the rim, and then began to roll around it. The final bell rang, and everyone was waiting, if we would lose by two points, or would win by one (my shot was for 3 points). After over ten seconds (!) the ball slowly leaned towards the center of the rim, accelerated its circular motion, and in a moment went through the rim - we won! I have never repeated such a magical shot, but I loved playing basketball and spent much time on it. At vacation time I used to participate in basketball camps and at school played for the team as a point guard. In third grade, I became even captain. At school I also played soccer a lot. I was right forward, and my main asset was fast start to the ball and ability to strike lucky goals. I was not a technique genius, definitely not :-) In college, I tried to continue my sport life - I played in university soccer league, and then in the indoor soccer league. There was even a time when I combined my running training with playing basketball and soccer, but then I decided for the best of these sports ;-)

I moved my soccer rivalry from stadium onto table (the so called table soccer or foosball). W bought my table in 2003 (Garlando type). I used to practice different combinations of passes and shots. I played extensively with Marek, who at the beginning was too short to reach foosball grills and played while standing on a sled :-) It is hard to say which of us is better. When Marek comes to Bielsko, our matches are always very exciting and finish with result 10:9. I have a few other interesting skills, such as solving Rubik's cube. In Budapest (that's where this logical toy comes from) I bought myself a 5x5x5 cube (the most difficult one) and I was able to solve it (it took me one month). My wife bought me Rubik's Tower (2x2x4), and I can solve that, as well.

I developed my interest thanks to my parents who (supported by my grandmother) gave me much attention in my childhood. This is a good place to thank them for that :-)

Apart from what I have written above, this page is dedicated to my greatest passion - running. I ran while doing other sports, e.g. basketball and soccer. There was a time during vacation when I did some jogging every morning, just to be fit. I started running deliberately in late July 2003, after reading some information on forthcoming Warsaw Marathon. I thought that it would be a wonderful challenge for me. I "prepared" for the marathon within 7 weeks. I managed to finish it with poor result 4:24. After the marathon I did not run for a few months, but next year I decided to participate in Warsaw Marathon once again. My result was slightly better, but I wasn't satisfied with it. Then I started to work harder - in Monaco I did 3:34, and from that moment I decided to train regularly.

Within the following years, running has become my passion. It improved my health and wellbeing, allowed me to meet hundreds of interesting people and encouraged me to travel around the world. Thanks to running, I finally met a girl that I had been searching all my life :-)

I run almost every day, 300-400 km each month. The following table presents distance covered by me since I started running:

I am founder and president :-) of Byledobiec Anin running club. In the initial phase of activity there was only one member of the club and I did not expect it to develop that much.

I am member of Seven Continents Club, an association of runners who have completed marathons on all seven continents (you can find out more in appropriate section on the website). I probably have the best average 7-continens result: 2:55:51. I also participated in all six World Marathon Majors: Berlin, New York, London, Boston, Chicago, Tokyo, which made me a member of Six Star Finishers. I would like to become the first man in the world to complete marathons in all European capitals (45).

My greatest success is triumph in Antarctica Marathon in 2008. I could mention a few good marathon results (personal best 2:48). I took good places in international marathons in Sydney (20th place) and Lisbon (21st place).

Besides marathons, I completed a few mountain ultramarathons. It was the so called Butcher's Race, ultramarathon in Bieszczady Mountains (about 75 km course with impressive elevation profile). In 2006 I was in a group that finished Butcher's Race hardcore course (more than 100 km). In 2007 I again ran in tandem with my brother and we won, setting course record (9:02). Then, I met Anulka and we did Butcher's Race twice - in 2009 (1st place) and 2010 (2nd). After moving to Bielsko-Biała we both participate mainly in mountain races. In 2012 and 2015 I participated in Chudy Wawrzyniec - over 50 km in Beskid Żywiecki (later twice over 80 km in 2017 and 2023). In 2013 I ran first edition of Bieg Grania Tatr - 70 km through Tatra Mountains, highest in Poland (+5000/-4900 m) and fist edition of Beskidy Ultra Trail 220 km (+/- 11000 m) - the longest race I've ever done. Sometimes I happen to run individual ultra training. The most spectacular was The Run Towards The Sun in 2016 and 2017 (120 km, +/- 6000 m). In 2023 I run The LOOP (230 km, +/- 11000 m) through Beskid Śląski, Żywiecki and Mały, that took me 3 days - course record.

While looking up my running results on the Internet, please do not confuse me with the second Robert Celiński (born 1973). He is my far cousin and our names and surnames are identical. "The second Robert" has been running professionally, and has had better results than me. Alex laughs at me, that even in "Robert Celinskis' category" I'm not the best runner :-)

The following table presents my marathon goals:

As soon as I achieve all the above goals, I will certainly find something more :-)