Movistar Madrid Half-Marathon 2026

10 million. Yes, you read it right, the Spanish capital 🇪🇸 attracts as many as 10 million visitors a year! 😮 Located on the Manzanares River 💦, in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula, it is one of the most popular destinations in Europe 🇪🇺. And do you know why the city charms so many people? Because it happily combines a rich cultural offer, magnificent buildings, and leisure activities for all tastes. Put on your best zapatillas 👟, because the caliente 🔥 atmosphere of the Movistar Madrid Half-Marathon is just waiting for you! On the program at the end of March, you are offered two races: a 5.8 km and a half-marathon. Passing by the most beautiful historic monuments 🤩, it is one of the most legendary events in the city 💃.

If Madrid shines on the football fields 🏟️ with its two emblematic clubs ⚽️ (Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid), it also boasts a dense community of passionate runners 🏃🏼‍♂️. Among them, the organizers of the Madrid Half-Marathon are prominent. They love their city and running so much that they created an event allowing participants (21,000 in 2024 and 16,000 at the finish!) to discover the most beautiful spots of the Madrid city... And to achieve impressive times! 💣 If you're keen on records, know that the time to beat has been held since 2021 by the Kenyan 🇰🇪 Ronald Kiprotich Kirui in 59 minutes and 38 seconds for men 🚹 and by the Kenyans (undoubtedly unbeatable) Winfridah Moraa in 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 22 seconds for women 🚺. They're not there to peel kiwis 🥝, so you'll have to get moving! 😅

The start will be given at Plaza de Colón, followed by a long straight line running alongside the Natural Science Museum 👩‍🔬 and the Ministry of Agriculture 🐄. Once you reach the grand Plaza de Castilla, you'll make a 180° turn (don't run too fast, you might skid!) and head back down Bravo Murillo Avenue, which will take you to the Canal de Isabel II. There, a detour will bring you straight back to the starting area, before heading towards the beautiful Puerta de Alcalá, at the northwest corner of the Parque del Buen Retiro. A small detour will briefly take you away from the park before leading you along the fences of this superb green urban lung 🌳. You'll then pass the train station 🚂, cross the Plaza Emperador Carlos V, and climb (in every sense of the word, both northward and up a grueling false flat near the end!) along the Botanical Garden 🪴, the Museo del Prado 🖼️, and the Neptune Fountain ⛲️. The much-coveted finish line arch 🏁 will stand before you, just steps away 👣 from Plaza Cibeles and Plaza Colón. After enjoying 4 water stations 🧃 placed along the course (at km 4, 10, 15, and 19.5), you can dive (if your stomach turned by the effort allows it!) into the finish buffet to regain your strength 💪.

If you prefer short and intense races, or if your training doesn't yet allow you to tackle the half 🤧, you can opt for the "Carrera ProFuturo". These 5.8 km, which simply loop around the Parque del Buen Retiro 🛝 with a start and finish 🏁 at Puerta de Alcalá, have a wonderful charitable purpose: each participation contributes to supporting a digital education program 💻 promoted by Fundacion Telefonica and Fundacion La Caixa. This initiative aims to reduce educational inequalities worldwide 🌍. While champions complete the distance in 18 minutes and 5 seconds for the men 🙋‍♂️ and in 21 minutes and 12 seconds for the women 🧍‍♀️, many run to support a noble cause while taking on a personal challenge in a truly cool setting 🥰.

If you're spending the entire weekend in Madrid, we have some outing ideas that might interest you 🧐. Some museums are among the most visited in the world, such as the Prado, the Reina Sofia, or the Thyssen-Bornemisza. You can also discover stunning monuments like the Plaza Mayor, the impressive Royal Palace or the Almudena Cathedral. This city also offers leisure activities for all tastes, from the shopping aficionado 🛍️ to the nature lover 🦎 (Retiro Park, Royal Botanic Garden, Campo del Moro Gardens…). As for the famous movida, the creative cultural movement 🧑‍🎨 that lights up Madrid's nights 🌃, it deserves an entire evening to soak up this unique atmosphere. Of course, you might avoid the tapas bars the night before the half-marathon, but you'll have free reign right after the race! There's no doubt you'll have plenty of energy 🔋 left to discover the century-old bistros and the lively streets filled with the scent of Spanish cuisine and echoing with good Spanish cheer 💃.

So, when is your registration for the Madrid Half-Marathon? 😉