The Mexico City Marathon has reached its 41st edition. This year, 30,000 runners are expected to participate, of which almost half are women, according to figures from the Mexico City Sports Institute (Indeporte). The sporting event has been the scene of important achievements, such as the national record set by Bolivian athlete Héctor Garibay Flores in 2023, or the feat of Ángel Vargas, the only runner who participated in the Marathon for 38 consecutive years.
The Marathon of the Mexican capital was held for the first time in 1983 with 7,000 runners who met at the Hermanos Rodríguez Racetrack and finished at the Monument to the Revolution. Over the years and the spread of the “running” culture, the event achieved international fame and attracted elite runners from around the world. In fact, competitors who achieve qualifying times can participate in the Boston Marathon in the United States. Since 2013, the Marathon has been held on the last Sunday of August, and the only time it was interrupted was in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
When and at what time does the Mexico City Marathon start?
The Mexico City Marathon will take place next Sunday, August 25, 2024. The route consists of 42 kilometers and 195 meters. It starts in front of the Olympic University Stadium, on Insurgentes Avenue, and ends on the esplanade of the capital’s Zócalo. The departure times by blocks will be according to the following table:
The call indicates that participants must remain within the perimeter of the route that will be delimited by fences and official signage of the event. Runners who do not comply with the established route will be disqualified. Participants may run at a pace of up to 8 minutes and 30 seconds per kilometer. That is, they must complete the route in a maximum time of 6 hours. Taking these times into account, the marathon will end around noon.
Those who require more than the established time will be able to climb onto the sweeper that will circulate behind the participants and take them to the finish line. These runners will be disqualified and will not be part of the official results.
The prizes for the absolute winners are given in dollars. In addition, there will be bonuses for timing and special prizes for the first three Mexicans, as established by the call:
First place: $45,000 and a Garmin watch.
Second place: $20,000 and a Garmin watch.
Third place: $10,000 and a Garmin watch.
The route and the closed streets
The first 10 kilometers of the Marathon run along Avenida Insurgentes Sur. The route passes through historic sites and emblematic places in the Mexican capital. Around kilometer 15, the runners will come across Parque España, between the Roma and Condesa neighborhoods. Then, they will go around the historic Chapultepec Castle until they enter the surroundings of the Soumaya museum.
Then, at kilometer 35, they will approach the first square of the capital along Paseo de la Reforma Avenue. To the left they will see the imposing Museum of the Revolution, and in the last stage of the route they will come across the Torre Latinoamericana and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The finish line will be in the capital’s Zócalo, in front of the National Palace. At the end of the marathon, each participant with an official number will receive a finisher’s medal, fruit, water and isotonic drink for their recovery.
Kit delivery: this is the Marathon shirt
In this edition, runners will receive an orange shirt with some of the capital’s most famous landmarks printed on the front, while the medal shows a snake in a pre-Hispanic pattern.
The delivery of the packages will take place on August 22, 23 and 24 in the Mexica I and II rooms, in the World Trade Center, according to the following schedules:
Thursday, August 22, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Friday, August 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 24, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
To pick up the kit, the runner must come with a photocopy of his or her official identification. According to the event website, the delivery of packages is personal and no name changes will be made for the athlete’s safety.
Source: elpais
