Movistar Madrid Half-Marathon 2026

10 million. Yes, you read that right, the Spanish capital 🇪🇸 attracts a staggering 10 million visitors per 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 attracts so many people? Because it beautifully combines a very rich cultural offering, majestic buildings and leisure activities for all tastes. Put on your best zapatillas 👟, because the hot 🔥 atmosphere of the Movistar Madrid Half-Marathon is waiting for you! At the end of March, two races are available: a 5.8 km and a half-marathon. Passing by the most beautiful historical monuments 🤩, it's one of the most mythical events of 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 at the forefront. They love their city and running so much that they've created an event that allows participants (21,000 in 2024 and 16,000 at the finish!) to discover the most beautiful spots of the city... And to set amazing times! 💣 If you're eager for records, know that the time to beat has been held since 2021 by Kenyan 🇰🇪 Ronald Kiprotich Kirui at 59 minutes and 38 seconds for men 🚹 and by Kenyan (they are indeed unbeatable) Winfridah Moraa at 1 hour, 7 minutes and 22 seconds for women 🚺. They're not here to pick kiwis 🥝, so you'll need to move! 😅

The start will be at the Paseo de Recoletos, in front of the National Library 📚, followed by a long straight that will take you past the Natural Sciences Museum 👩‍🔬 and the Ministry of Agriculture 🐄. At the grand Plaza de Castilla, you'll make a 180° turn (don't run too fast, you might slip!) to head back down along Bravo Murillo, an avenue that will take you to the Canal de Isabel II. There, you'll make a detour to quickly return to the starting line area, before heading towards the beautiful Puerta de Alcala, at the north-west corner of the Parque del Buen Retiro. Hop hop hop, another little detour will take you away from the park before bringing you back along the fences of this superb urban green lung 🌳. You'll then pass in front of the train station 🚂, then on the Plaza Emperador Carlos V before heading back up (in all senses, both northward and on a challenging false flat near the end of the course!) along the botanical garden 🪴, the Museo del Prado 🖼️, and the Neptune Fountain ⛲️. The much-coveted finish arch 🏁 will appear before you, just steps 👣 from Plaza Cibeles and Plaza Colon. After benefiting from 4 liquid refreshment stations 🧃 placed along the course (at km 4, 10, 15, and 19.5), you can indulge (if your stomach can handle it after the effort!) in the finish line buffet to regain strength 💪.

If you prefer short and intense events, or if your training doesn't yet allow you to tackle the half 🤧, then you can opt for the "Carrera ProFuturo". These 5.8 km, that simply loop around the Parque del Buen Retiro 🛝 with a start and finish 🏁 at the Puerta de Alcala, have a beautiful charitable vocation: 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 finish the distance in 18 minutes and 5 seconds for men 🙋‍♂️ and in 21 minutes and 12 seconds for women 🧍‍♀️, many run to support a noble cause while taking on a personal challenge in a genuinely cool setting 🥰.

If you're coming to spend the entire weekend in Madrid, we have some outing ideas that might interest you 🧐. Some museums are among the most visited in the world, notably The Prado, The Reina Sofia or The Thyssen-Bornemisza. You can also explore magnificent monuments such as the Plaza Mayor, the impressive Royal Palace or the Cathedral of Almudena. This city also offers leisure activities for all tastes, from the shopping 🛍️ aficionado to the nature lover 🦎 (Retiro Park, Royal Botanical Garden, Campo del Moro garden…). As for the famous movida, the creative cultural movement 🧑‍🎨 that animates Madrid's nights 🌃, it deserves a whole evening to soak up this unique state of mind . Well, okay, you'll avoid trawling through tapas bars the night before the half-marathon, but it'll be free time right after the race! No doubt you'll still have enough energy 🔋 to discover the century-old bistros and the lively little streets that smell like Spanish cuisine and echo with Iberian cheer 💃.

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