Maratón de la CDMX Telcel

The Maratón de la CDMX Telcel is Mexico City's annual marathon, run over the streets of the capital since 1983 and held on the last Sunday of August. It carries World Athletics Elite Label status (the category formerly called Gold Label), is endorsed by AIMS, and is a Boston Marathon qualifier. The 42.195 km course starts on Avenida Insurgentes beside UNAM's Central Library and the Estadio Olímpico Universitario, the main stadium of the 1968 Olympics, and finishes in the Zócalo, the Plaza de la Constitución in the historic centre. Along the way it follows Insurgentes and Paseo de la Reforma past the Ángel de la Independencia and Chapultepec, and runs through Polanco, Roma and Condesa. The city sits at about 2,240 metres (7,349 ft), which makes this one of the highest-altitude big-city marathons anywhere, and the thinner air slows most runners compared with a sea-level race. The field is capped at 30,000 runners. Starts are staggered from 5:45 AM, beginning with the wheelchair and visually impaired block, then the elite women, the elite men and three general blocks. Runners must hold a pace of 8:30 min/km, a six-hour limit, or board the sweep vehicle. Mexican residents enter through Emoción Deportiva, Tiendas Martí or on site at the Expo Maratón, and international runners through Race Roster. Charity places are available through Corre con Causa. The elite race offers US$50,000 to each winner.