Malaga Marathon 2026 Guide: Course Analysis & Tips (42k/21k)

The seaside Malaga Marathon has well and truly arrived this year, knocking on the door of Spain’s big-city marathons with numbers that suggest they’ve cracked it: over 20,000 entries across its two distances (the Malaga Marathon 42k and the Malaga Half Marathon 21k). It’s a race that’s sticking with the course it launched in 2025 (which I’ve broken down km by km from start to finish here, in Spanish) and that has sorted out some of the logistical headaches of years gone by.

In this attempt at a runner’s guide I’ll take you through both distances (Marathon 42k and Half Marathon 21k), having raced it in 2024, jogged every one of its new sections, run other races there (the March half marathon) and put in plenty of training miles around the city.

Here you’ll find a full Malaga Marathon course analysis, my take on race strategy, the key tips for before, during and after the race, and, if you’ve got friends or family coming to cheer you on, a mini spectator guide with the best spots to watch the race.

Good luck… and see you Sunday, soaking up this cracking city!

🇪🇸 GUÍA MARATÓN MÁLAGA 42k 🔗
🇪🇸 GUÍA MEDIO MARATÓN MÁLAGA 21k 🔗
🇬🇧 MÁLAGA MARATHON GUIDE 42k 21k 🔗

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RACE INFO
TIPS AND STRATEGY
COURSE ANALYSIS
COURSE DESCRIPTION, KM BY KM
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
SPECTATORS (WHERE TO WATCH AND HOW TO TRACK)

Updated on 26 October with all the latest for the 2026 edition (new date, new Expo venue…)

Malaga Marathon 2026 at a glance

Date: Sunday 8 November 2026, wave starts from 8.30am

Distances: marathon (42.195 km) and half marathon (21.097 km), both certified, starting together

Start and finish: Paseo del Parque, in the city centre

Course: mostly flat and coastal (around 70% exposed to the wind), with a few short, punchy climbs

PB-friendly? Yes, if you read it right: a step below Seville or Valencia, on a par with Barcelona

Cut-off: 5:30 (marathon) · 2:45 (half)

Race info Malaga Marathon

Race info: start times, bib, services

Location: Malaga

Date and start times: Sunday 8 November (from 8.30am)
Wave 1 (8.30)

42k: elite to sub-3:15
21k: elite to sub-1:30

Wave 2 (8.40)

42k: 3:15 to 4:00
21k: 1:30 to 1:45

Wave 3 (8.50)

42k: 4:00 to 5:30
21k: 1:45 to 2:30

Distance: 21.097 and 42.195 km (certified)

PB-friendly? Doable

Course: Marathon · Half Marathon

Race rules: Marathon · Half Marathon

Cut-off:

Marathon: 5:30
Half Marathon: 2:45

Drinks stations:

Marathon: 12 on course, plus the finish
Half Marathon: 4 on course, plus the finish

Pacers:

Marathon: 3:00 · 3:15 · 3:30 · 3:45 · 4:00 · 4:15 · 4:30
Half (equivalent): 1:30 · 1:38 · 1:45 · 1:53 · 2:00 · 2:08 · 2:15

Extras: free buses for runners (with a ticket provided by the organisers), bag drop, showers, live music and entertainment, finisher’s medal (plus a finisher T-shirt for the marathon).

Expo / Bib collection (Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga)

Friday and Saturday: 10am to 8pm

The Generali Malaga Marathon is a road race over the certified distances of 42.195 km (marathon) and 21.097 km (half marathon), held in the city of Malaga (Andalusia, Spain). Run under RFEA and World Athletics rules, its hub, start and finish are on the Paseo del Parque. The course is predominantly flat and hugs the seafront (Paseo Marítimo Pablo Ruiz Picasso, El Palo, La Misericordia, Carretera de Cádiz), taking in landmarks such as the port’s cruise terminal, the area around the La Rosaleda football stadium (Guadalmedina loop) and a lap inside the Ciudad de Málaga athletics stadium, before finishing through the historic centre along the iconic Calle Larios.

Tips and strategy Malaga Marathon

Photo: Generali Malaga Marathon Facebook

PB at the Malaga Marathon 42k? Even more so now (but watch the wind)

The Malaga Marathon course has a lot more seafront than it did in 2024. That means the elevation is much gentler (they’ve ditched a stretch in the last third that was as ugly as it was full of traps), but also that you’re more exposed to the wind if it decides to show up (I’ve counted around 29 km of it in total). On top of that, so many similar-looking kilometres (it can get a bit monotonous) can mess with your head if you’re running on fumes.

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Overall, though, it should be a course that lets you run faster than in previous editions, because the opening is less demanding and, very cleverly, they’ve moved the La Rosaleda section (not a tough climb, but one that used to finish you off) to just after halfway, instead of making you run it again in the last quarter of the race.

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The Malaga Marathon is a fast race if you know how to read it (don’t get carried away over the first 5 km, then race pace adjusted for the wind, easing off a notch wherever it ramps up), but it’s not one of the very top PB courses on the road. It sits a step below Seville or Valencia, roughly on a par with Barcelona (it’s maybe even a touch flatter, though not faster, much like San Sebastián), and well ahead of Madrid (the toughest profile of the lot). In Malaga, as well as legs, you need a cool head and a game plan to master it.

Malaga Marathon (42k) race strategy: easy – race pace – easy – race pace

…But hey, this is a marathon and, beyond a few home truths that apply to every club runner over the distance (you always want to reach 30 km still feeling fresh enough to whistle), every runner has their own playbook.

Anyway, this is how I’d race the Malaga Marathon 42k:

1 Start to km 5. Get through the first 5 km, which come with the handicap of a mass start, a few stretches that drag uphill and one short but properly tough climb (there’s some downhill too, mind!).
EASY

2 Km 5 to 22. Read the day (how windy and how hot it is) on the most coastal stretch, bearing in mind that although it’s mostly flat, it still hides a few short climbs.
RACE PACE, EASING OFF ON THE CLIMBS

3 Km 22 to 28.5. The climb up to La Rosaleda, which you want to take calmly at a comfortable pace; the way back down is kinder but still has the odd short climb, so this isn’t the time to push.
EASY

4 Km 28.5 to the finish. Back along the coast heading west, much flatter than the earlier coastal stretch, apart from a couple of bridges that ramp up ever so slightly. The end (almost at km 41) hides a short but tough climb and then a bit of a drag before you fly to the finish.
RACE PACE

Photo: Generali Malaga Marathon Facebook

PB at the Malaga Half Marathon 21k? Very much on the cards, but you have to read it right

The Malaga Half Marathon was already a quick race, a fair bit quicker than its big sister, and with this year’s changes (especially the gentler first few km) it feels even quicker to me. From km 3 onwards it’s very flat and you only need to keep an eye out for a handful of short climbs.

Against it, two things: those first 2 km uphill and the crowds (both races start together), which mean you can’t run comfortably until a few km in; and the wind, which can show up anywhere along the seafront, roughly 80% of the course.

But if you’re asking me whether you can run a PB here, I reckon you can. It’s not as fast as the TotalEnergies Malaga Half Marathon (the one in March), and it can’t compete with the Seville or Valencia halves, but it’s a good race to give it a go, on a par with the Barcelona Half.

Malaga Half Marathon (21k) race strategy: race pace and a cool head on the climbs

Credit where it’s due: the half marathon is a very fast course and you only have to manage the start and a few short climbs. The rest, weather permitting, is about holding a steady pace.

Here’s how I’d break down the Generali Malaga Half Marathon 21k:

1 Start to km 3. Get through the first 3 km, which come with the handicap of a mass start, a few stretches that drag uphill and one short but properly tough climb.
EASY

2 Km 3 to 14. Much less elevation, mostly flat, with just a few gentle rises to deal with. Keep track of where the wind is coming from to manage your pace.
RACE PACE, ADJUSTED FOR THE WIND

3 Km 14 to 17. The out-and-back through Las Acacias and El Palo is peppered with tough little climbs and much quicker sections.
ADJUST YOUR PACE TO THE GRADIENT

4 Km 17 to the finish. Fast terrain heading back along the coast; if there’s no wind, or it’s behind you, it’s time to put the hammer down.
RACE PACE, BUILDING TO THE FINISH

*CLICK on the map to download it in high resolution

Course analysis Malaga Marathon

! A course revamped in 2025

Here are its main features.

! The 42k and 21k still share the first 21 km of the course and the same start (common to both races), while the finish is different for each. And now there are wave starts.

! An opening loop through Mármoles and La Aurora before you hit the seafront.

! The loop up to La Rosaleda comes much earlier (just after halfway) and is a bit longer; the way back also runs along the west bank of the Guadalmedina, which means going through a short tunnel.

! More seafront heading east: it used to turn at the Jaboneros stream and now goes all the way to the Gálica stream.

! The marathon also has more seafront, because after the athletics stadium you head back towards the centre along the coast.

! In the marathon there’s less running around La Térmica, and the stretch alongside the motorway and through San Andrés, Dos Hermanas and San Rafael is gone.

! No changes in the old town, but there’s a new very short, very tough climb just before the last km.

! Less elevation gain in both the marathon and the half.

Photo: Generali Malaga Marathon Facebook

! The marathon and half marathon share the course and the start

At the Malaga Marathon both races start together and run the first 21 km of the course side by side. The split is very well signposted, although it comes at you out of nowhere when you reach Plaza de la Malagueta and hit a climb of about 150 metres.

! If you’re running the marathon: move to the left-hand side of the road to turn onto Paseo de los Curas and carry on.

! If you’re running the half: keep right and give it everything down the home straight.

! A really wide first km, then it narrows

Beyond the grand, super-wide opening straight, the first few km alternate between wider stretches (three to four lanes) and much narrower ones of just two. The concertina effect is more than likely, especially as there’ll be many more of us this year (over 20,000 entries) and both races start together.

! But this year there are wave starts

Thanks to this year’s course changes, the timings now allow for staggered starts: three waves, 10 minutes apart, which should quickly free up more room to run comfortably.

Wave 1 (8.30)

42k: elite to sub-3:15

21k: elite to sub-1:30

Wave 2 (8.40)

42k: 3:15 to 4:00

21k: 1:30 to 1:45

Wave 3 (8.50)

42k: 4:00 to 5:30

21k: 1:45 to 2:30

! The wind could be the star of the show on over 70% of the course

It’s a big factor all along the seafront (km 5 to 22 and km 28.5 to 40), and could also play a part on the Guadalmedina stretch (km 25 to 28.5).

! From km 21, the marathoners are on their own

Fewer people, but more room to run too. There’ll be the odd single-lane section (like the climb up to La Rosaleda around km 26, and from km 40 to 41.5), but nothing that stops you running comfortably.

! Signage that does the job

Clearly visible km markers (big signs) and a well-marked split between the marathon and the half.

Photo: Generali Malaga Marathon Facebook

! Plenty of well-run drinks stations, but the first two are tricky

The first drinks station suffers from too many runners and not enough space; it may only be set up on one side (as happened last year), so my advice is to have a look before the start (it’s around km 1: come down off the Tetuán bridge onto Pasillo del Matadero) to see how it’s laid out.

The second will be more or less in the same spot as in 2024. It’s better spread out, but it’s still pretty hard to grab a drink. Oh, and the volunteers are absolutely brilliant.

Here are the main features of all the drinks stations.

! A drinks station every 5 km up to km 15, then every 2.5 to 4 km. Twelve in total (plus the finish). More than enough, if you ask me.

! Water comes in bottles. Isotonic drink is served in cups.

! Seven are water only. The other five also have isotonic drink and fruit. No gels.

! Tips: 1/ Skip the first few tables and you’ll have more space to yourself. 2/ The first drinks station tends to be pretty chaotic; if you’re running in a group, it’s better for one or two of you to grab the water and share it out.

DRINKS STATION	WHAT’S ON OFFER
KM 5	water
KM 9.5	water
KM 15.5	drinks (water and isotonic) and food (fruit)
KM 18	water
KM 21.5	drinks (water and isotonic) and food (fruit)
KM 25	drinks (water and isotonic) and food (fruit)
KM 27.5	water
KM 30	drinks (water and isotonic) and food (fruit)
KM 32	water
KM 35	drinks (water and isotonic) and food (fruit)
KM 37	water
KM 40	water
FINISH	drinks (water and isotonic) and food (fruit)

Photo: Generali Malaga Marathon Facebook

! Pacers from 3 hours

These are the pacer target times at the Malaga Marathon:

Pacers

42k 3:00 · 3:15 · 3:30 · 3:45 · 4:00 · 4:15 · 4:30

21k (equivalent): 1:30 · 1:38 · 1:45 · 1:53 · 2:00 · 2:08 · 2:15

Worth bearing in mind:

! Ask them beforehand what their plan is… Because depending on how they’re going to pace it, you might be better off following them or going it alone. I think this is a race to run a touch slower over the first 2 km, then claw back a little time up to halfway, not force it on the climb to La Rosaleda, and then run to the wind over the last third, which is very flat apart from the climb at almost km 41.

! They carry flags… I reckon flags are more reliable than balloons (which get tangled up with each other).

If you’re going to follow one, the best thing is to find them in your start pen and always keep them on your radar, but stay a little way back at the start. The start and the first km are very wide, but then it narrows, and it’s a mass race because the half and the full start together, which can make it a bit stressful and cramped with so many people around the pacers.

! When should I tuck in behind them? Three options:

· From the start of the seafront stretch, from km 5, if there’s a headwind on the way out (heading east).

· On the way back along the seafront, from around km 16, if there’s a headwind on the way back (heading towards the centre).

· After halfway, when it’s much less crowded because the 21k runners will have finished.

! Even so (and this is purely my own two cents), at the start a huge bunch of runners builds up around the pacers, and it’s uncomfortable running with so little room. My advice is to stick close to them as the gun goes, so they don’t get away from you in the usual surge off the line, but let them go a few metres in the opening km to give yourself a bit of space and breathing room.

! Oh, and the marathon finish is gorgeous

A final km through the historic centre that’s a real treat after 41 km of marathon beating. Made for the ‘Gram.

Course Malaga Marathon (42k and 21k), km by km

Green: Easy (flat or downhill)
Amber: Moderate (gentle drags, wind or crowding)
Red: Hard (tough climbs)