+13 m
The climb is at the start
From the start you rise to 31 m within the first 600 metres, and give it all back before kilometre 1.5. It is the only significant hill until the end: go out steady and do not read it as a sign of how the day will go.
Sunday 11 October 2026 · 8:30 am
The Estepona Marathon, kilometre by kilometre
42.195 km and a half marathon along the Mediterranean, starting and finishing at the Municipal Athletics Stadium. Here is the official route measured, the real elevation profile, the timings and everything you need before pinning on a bib.
Estepona Travel does not organise the race. This is an independent guide written from Estepona; entries are always taken on the official website.
Countdown to the start
The Estepona coastal path, backbone of the course
The numbers that matter
Date and start
11 Oct 2026 · 8:30 am
Sunrise is at 8:23 am
Distances
42.195 km and 21.0975 km
Marathon and half marathon
Start and finish
Municipal Athletics Stadium
Same point for both races
Entry fee
€60 marathon · €35 half
From 1 March to 5 October
Time limit
5 h 30 min
The finish closes at 2:00 pm
Certification
WA · RFEA · AIMS
Marked every kilometre
A 2,000-runner marathon facing the sea
The first Estepona Marathon grows out of the half marathon the town has been running for years, and steps up to the full distance with one clear idea behind it: keep it small. The organisers call it a boutique marathon and cap this first edition at 2,000 runners so the experience never turns into a crowd.
What you get is a race run almost entirely at sea level, in October, with the high season over and the town back to its own rhythm. You start with the sun barely risen over the Mediterranean and finish mid-morning, in good time to walk down to the old town for lunch.
On this page we have measured the official course point by point to tell you what no press release does: where the only serious rise is, how much of the course hugs the sea, which stretch runners pass three times, and exactly when they will run past you.
The course
Interactive map of the official route
Drag the slider to travel the race metre by metre: you will see the position on the map, the real altitude and the approximate clock time based on your target finish.
Kilometre
0.0 km
Altitude
18.0 m
Passes at
08:30
Time
0:00
Estadio de Atletismo Municipal— Start on the track, with the sun just coming up in the east.
Pace 5:41 /km
Elevation profile
Tap the profile to jump to that point · 1.7–31.3 m
0 km21.0975 km42.195 km
The vertical scale is heavily exaggerated: the whole profile fits inside 30 metres of elevation. Drawn to true scale this line would be almost flat.
- Course
- Aid station
- Start and finish
- Kilometre
- Mediterranean Sea
Where the course goes
The organisers warn that the courses are still being technically validated and may change. This map reproduces the routes published by the organisation, measured and normalised to the certified distance.
I Maratón de Estepona — Jardín de la Costa del Sol — Marathon · 42.195 km, Half · 21.0975 km.
The profile
What the elevation says and the press release does not
We measured the official course every 100 metres. These are the four numbers that change how the race is run.
85 %
Almost all at sea level
85 % of the marathon runs below 15 metres of altitude, averaging around 10 metres, with one point that touches sea level on the coastal path. This is genuinely flat, not brochure flat.
+14 m
Save something for kilometre 41
Between km 40.6 and km 41.6 the course climbs from 10 to 25 metres to get back to the stadium. It is only fourteen metres, but they arrive exactly where they hurt most. In the half marathon the rise is even sharper: +17 m between km 19.6 and 20.4.
≈191 m
Real cumulative gain
On the smoothed profile the marathon gains around 191 metres and the half around 100. In other words: a course where a personal best is on the table, wind permitting.
08:23
You start with the sunrise
On 11 October the sun rises in Estepona at 8:23 and the race starts at 8:30. The first kilometres head east, straight into a low golden light over the sea. Bring a cap and something for your eyes: for those first twenty minutes the sun is right in front of you.
Timings and control
Cut-off times and aid stations
Mandatory cut-off times
The time limit is 5 h 30 min and the finish closes at 2:00 pm. Anyone missing these splits is out of the race and must leave the course. A sweeper vehicle marks the cut-off on every section.
| Km | Time limit | Clock time |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0:39:05 | 09:09 |
| 10 | 1:18:10 | 09:48 |
| 15 | 1:57:15 | 10:27 |
| 20 | 2:36:00 | 11:06 |
| 25 | 3:15:25 | 11:45 |
| 30 | 3:54:30 | 12:24 |
| 35 | 4:33:35 | 13:03 |
| 40 | 5:12:40 | 13:42 |
Aid stations
Water and isotonic drinks at kilometres 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40. Some of the stations from kilometre 20 onwards also serve solid food, and there is a refreshment area beyond the finish line.
The aid stations in the regulations refer to the marathon distance.
km 5km 10km 15km 20km 25km 30km 35km 40
Runner services
- Finisher medal for everyone who finishes within the time limit.
- Bag drop at the start and finish area (the organisation takes no responsibility for deposited items).
- Medical services throughout the race, with authority to withdraw any runner in poor physical condition.
- Physiotherapy and podiatry reserved for injured runners, not as a recovery massage.
- Public liability insurance held by the organisation.
- Disposable chip built into the bib: it must not be folded or tampered with.
Entry
Prices, deadlines and small print
42.195 km
Marathon
€60
Under-18s cannot take part
21.0975 km
Half marathon
€35
Same start, same finish
Entry period
From 1 March 2026 until Monday 5 October 2026 at 8:00 pm, online only, unless the organisation decides to extend it.
Cancellation guarantee
Entry fees are never refunded. When you enter, and only then, you can add a €6 cancellation guarantee that refunds 100 % of the entry fee. The guarantee itself is non-refundable.
Personal and non-transferable
No name changes are accepted under any circumstances. Running with someone else's bib means disqualification.
Bib collection
At the Runner's Expo, whose location the organisation will announce through its official channels. Bring your entry receipt and photo ID. No bibs are handed out on race day.
An honest note about the number of places
The official website presents the race as a marathon capped at 2,000 runners, while article 6.1 of the regulations refers to 3,000 available bibs. The two figures do not match. We point it out because it affects something very concrete — whether you should hurry to enter. The sensible thing is to assume the lower figure and not leave it to the last week.
Entries are taken on the official site
Estepona Travel does not handle entries or bibs. The organisation's website is the only valid channel.
Prizes and categories
What is at stake up front
Prize money for the men's and women's overall classification. It is paid in full for times under 2:16:00 for men and 2:45:00 for women; between those marks and 2:27:00 / 2:55:00 half the amount is paid, and beyond that there is no prize money.
| Place | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.000 € | 3.000 € |
| 2 | 2.000 € | 2.000 € |
| 3 | 1.000 € | 1.000 € |
| 4 | 700 € | 700 € |
| 5 | 500 € | 500 € |
- €1,000 for beating the benchmark record in the regulations, plus an extra €1,000 for going under 2:06:30 (men) or 2:23:30 (women).
- Spanish classification: €1,000, €750 and €500 for the first three in each category, subject to time conditions.
- A trophy in every category listed in the regulations.
- All prize money is subject to legal withholdings and to the time being ratified by the RFEA.
Categories
Under-20, Under-23, Senior, and Masters from M35/F35 to M70/F70 in five-year bands, through to the oldest athlete to finish. There are also special mixed categories for wheelchair athletes and for physical or intellectual disability, with their own classification. Ages count as of race day.
Wheeled devices
No wheeled device of any kind is allowed during the race, handbikes included. Wheelchairs certified by the Federation and approved by the organisation are permitted.
For spectators
Where to watch the race, and when
We cross-referenced the course against itself to find the areas runners pass more than once. Pick a finish time and work out the approximate moment they will go by.
Times are estimates at even pace from the 8:30 am start. In a real race the later kilometres usually run slower.
Estadio de Atletismo Municipal
×3 passesStart, last kilometre and finish in the same venue. The most emotion per square metre.
Marathon · 42.195 km
- km 008:30
- km 4112:23
- km 42.212:30
Half · 21.0975 km
- km 008:30
- km 2010:23
- km 21.110:30
Barriada Blas Infante · avenida España
×3 passesThe urban stretch facing the sea. This is where the crowd gathers and the noise is loudest.
Marathon · 42.195 km
- km 308:47
- km 30.511:23
- km 38.812:10
Half · 21.0975 km
- km 308:47
- km 9.309:22
- km 17.610:10
Puerto Estepona (Seghers)
×2 passesBy the harbour, at the western end of the course. A good place to watch them turn and come back.
Marathon · 42.195 km
- km 34.911:48
Half · 21.0975 km
- km 12.509:41
- km 13.709:47
Alcazaba Beach
×2 passesThe coastal corridor heading east, with the sea behind. Fewer spectators, better photographs.
Marathon · 42.195 km
- km 508:58
- km 28.311:10
Half · 21.0975 km
- km 508:58
Three logistics tips
- 1The seafront promenade in the centre is the only spot where you see the runners three times without moving: early on, mid-race and on the way to the finish.
- 2The stadium holds the start, the last kilometre and the finish. If you can only be in one place, that is the place.
- 3Streets on the course are closed to traffic. Move between points on foot or by bike: the centre and the stadium are within walking distance.
Beyond the finish line
Estepona does not end at kilometre 42
Marathon weekend falls in October, probably the best month of the year to get to know Estepona: no crowds, the sea still warm and the terraces busy until late.
Plan your visit
Tell us how much time you have and we'll build the weekend.
Where to eat
From rice dishes by the harbour to market cooking in the old town. Our restaurant picks, with no sponsorships.
Where to stay
Hotels, apartments and country houses, sorted by area so you can choose near the start or near the centre.
The old town
Flowerpot streets, whitewashed squares and the mural trail. The best plan for tired legs on Sunday.
The beaches
Twenty-one beaches and coves along the coast, many of them right beside the corridor the race runs through.
The map of Estepona
Everything worth your time, placed on the map: monuments, beaches, restaurants, viewpoints and walks.
What else is on that weekend
Estepona's events calendar, kept up to date, with what happens before and after the race.
Getting there
By air
Málaga-Costa del Sol airport is less than an hour away by car, according to the organisers themselves. It is one of southern Europe's major hubs, with direct connections across the continent.
By car
Estepona sits on the A-7 and AP-7 corridor. On race day there are road closures along the course: allow extra time and park away from the start area.
Staying close
The course runs past much of Estepona's hotel seafront. Sleeping by the promenade means you can walk to the start and watch the race three times from the same spot.
Frequently asked questions
Everything people ask before a first edition
Sunday 11 October 2026, starting at 8:30 in the morning from the Municipal Athletics Stadium in Estepona. The finish line closes at 2:00 pm.
Two: the full marathon over 42.195 km and the half marathon over 21.0975 km. Both start and finish at the same place and share the morning.
€60 for the marathon and €35 for the half marathon. You can add a €6 cancellation guarantee that refunds 100 % of the entry fee, and which can only be taken out at the moment of entering.
Monday 5 October 2026 at 8:00 pm, or until places run out. Entries opened on 1 March 2026 and are taken online only, on the race's official website.
Yes, genuinely. 85 % of the route runs below 15 metres of altitude. There are only two notable rises: one in the first 600 metres, given back before km 1.5, and another of about 14 metres between km 40.6 and km 41.6 to get back to the stadium.
The circuit measures 42,195 metres and is duly certified. The race is run under the World Athletics and RFEA road racing rules and is part of the AIMS calendar. The course is marked every kilometre.
5 hours and 30 minutes from the official start. There are also mandatory cut-offs every five kilometres; anyone missing them is out of the race and must leave the course.
At the Runner's Expo, whose location the organisation will announce through its official channels. Bring your entry receipt and photo ID. No bibs are handed out on race day.
Not in the marathon. The regulations restrict the race to adults.
The seafront promenade in central Estepona: measuring the course against itself, runners pass through that same area three times. The stadium is the other great option, because it holds the start, the last kilometre and the finish.
See you on 11 October
If you are coming to run, the official link is right below. If you are coming to experience Estepona, start with the map.
Guide produced by Estepona Travel from the regulations and the information published by the race organisation, and from our own measurement of the official routes. We are not the organisers: to enter, check changes or resolve administrative questions, always go to the official website.