San José Marathon Costa Rica
The Lowdown
The San José Marathon Costa Rica is the country's flagship AIMS-certified marathon, organized by the Asociación Marathón Internacional Costa Rica since 1993. The 2026 edition marks roughly three decades of the race and runs through the heart of the capital, passing landmarks such as the National Theater and La Sabana Park with views toward the surrounding volcanoes. The event offers 42K, 21K, 10K, and 5K distances plus a four-person marathon relay, drawing runners from Costa Rica and abroad for an early 5:00 a.m. start to beat the tropical heat.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Good crowd energy
National Theater of Costa Rica
La Sabana Metropolitan Park
Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica
Other distances available during the event weekend:
San José, San José Province, Costa Rica
CR
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Minimum age 18 for the marathon distance
Required Documents
- Photo ID
Entry Methods
- Online registration via the official race website
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Review the official cancellation and refund policy on the registration site before entering
AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) full member race, certifying course accuracy and international standards.
Organized by the Asociación Marathón Internacional Costa Rica (Costa Rica Marathon Association), founded in 1993 and affiliated with FECOA (Federación Costarricense de Atletismo).
Entry cap of approximately 3,000 total runners across all distances per the official registration page (2026 edition).
Community
Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.
Community Reviews
Learn from fellow runners and share insights that will help the next person toe the line.

