Mexico City Half Marathon 2026: Date, Route, Road Closures, Metro Schedule, and Everything You Need to Know
The Mexico City Half Marathon 2026 will take place this Sunday and will bring together 30,000 runners on the capital’s main streets. Whether you are participating, cheering on the runners, or simply need to head out early, plan ahead because there will be road closures and the Metro will operate under a special schedule.
This year’s route includes the Third Section of Chapultepec Forest, meaning several roads will remain closed for several hours.
When is the Mexico City Half Marathon 2026?
The race will be held on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
The starting line will be in front of the Hemiciclo a Juárez in Alameda Central, while the finish line will be at the Angel of Independence.
As in previous editions, runners will start in waves according to their assigned block.
Start times:
- 5:50 a.m.: Wheelchair athletes and visually impaired participants.
- 6:05 a.m.: Elite runners.
- From 6:10 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.: Remaining starting blocks.
The race has a maximum time limit of three hours, so it is expected to conclude around 9:00 a.m. However, traffic may not return to normal until approximately one hour later.
Road Closures
The course passes through several of the city’s main avenues, so road closures will begin early in the morning.
The affected roads include:
- Paseo de la Reforma
- First, Second, and Third Sections of Chapultepec Forest
- Montes Apalaches
- Avenida Joaquín Clausell
- José María Velasco
- Avenida Toluca
- Paseo de la Milla
- Calzada Chivatito
- Fernando Alencastre
Authorities recommend avoiding these areas during the morning and using alternate routes whenever possible.
Race Route
The course begins in front of the Hemiciclo a Juárez and passes through several of Mexico City’s most iconic landmarks.
Participants will run past:
- Monument to the Revolution
- Paseo de la Reforma
- Angel of Independence
- Diana the Huntress Fountain
- National Museum of Anthropology
- National Auditorium
- Campo Marte
- Avenida de los Compositores
- Molino del Rey
Runners will then return along Paseo de la Reforma to cross the finish line at the Angel of Independence.
The main novelty of this edition is the inclusion of the Third Section of Chapultepec Forest, featuring hills, curves, and wooded areas.
Metro Schedule
As in previous years, the Mexico City Metro (STC Metro) is expected to begin service earlier on certain lines to facilitate transportation for runners.
Although an official announcement has not yet been issued for this edition, it is expected that Lines 1, 2, 3, and 9 will begin service at 5:00 a.m. The rest of the network is expected to operate under its regular Sunday schedule, beginning at 7:00 a.m.
Participants are also expected to be able to ride the Metro free of charge by presenting their race bib number.
Start Times by Wristband Color
To avoid congestion, runners will start according to the color of their wristband.
- White – 5:50 a.m.: Wheelchair athletes and visually impaired participants.
- Purple – 6:05 a.m.: Elite runners.
- Black – 6:05 a.m.: Adidas Runners.
- Yellow – 6:05 a.m.: Estimated finish time of 1:00–1:20.
- Green – 6:15 a.m.: Estimated finish time of 1:21–1:40.
- Blue – 6:40 a.m.: Estimated finish time of 1:41–2:00.
- Orange – 7:00 a.m.: Estimated finish time of more than 2:01.
The White, Purple, Black, and Yellow groups will start from the Hemiciclo a Juárez, while the Green, Blue, and Orange groups will start on Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas.
The organizers asked all runners to respect their assigned wristband color and arrive early enough to locate their designated starting area.
Time Limit
According to the official race rules, participants have a maximum of three hours to complete the 21.0975-kilometer course, equivalent to an average pace of approximately 8 minutes and 30 seconds per kilometer.
Participants who fail to maintain that pace will be picked up by the sweep vehicle, removed from the race, and excluded from the official results.
Runners will also be disqualified if they fail to complete the official course, record irregular timing-chip readings, or engage in unsportsmanlike conduct, such as cutting the course to reach the finish line faster.
Source: chilango
