- Half
Santa Pola
Santa Pola Half Marathon
A flat coastal route beside the Mediterranean, made for personal bests.
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2027 edition
Next up
Countdown
83
days to 24 Jan 2027
- Distance
- Half Marathon
- Course
- Flat
- Climb
- 10 m
- Entry
- €40
About
The race
The Mitja Marató Internacional Vila de Santa Pola is a highly regarded World Athletics recognized half marathon held in the picturesque coastal town of Santa Pola in the province of Alicante. Widely considered one of the best half marathons in Spain, the course is celebrated for being almost entirely flat, making it incredibly fast and perfect for setting personal bests. Runners enjoy breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea as the route hugs the coastline, passing through scenic residential areas, historical buildings, and beautiful parks. With exceptional crowd support, pleasant winter weather, and an unbeatable post race tapas culture, this event attracts top international elites and thousands of recreational runners looking to start the year with a spectacular seaside race.
Before you go
Pro tips
Racing it
- 01
Flat and fast
With only 10 m of total climb across the half marathon, this is a course to run at even effort from the gun and chase a personal best, not one to save anything for.
From the elevation profile
- 02
Plan for a 10:30 gun
The late-morning start means you finish in the day's warmest hours, and typical race-day temperature is 8.8°C, so wear layers you can shed before the start.
From the start time, temperature
- 03
Race the coastline
The route hugs the Mediterranean past residential streets, historical buildings and parks, so use those landmarks to break the race into sections instead of watching the kilometers.
From the description
- 04
Use the crowd support
Crowd support is exceptional here, so run the tangents along the barriers where spectators gather and let the noise carry you through the closing stretch.
From the description
- 05
Save room for tapas
The post-race tapas culture is part of this event, so plan a late lunch rather than rushing off, and keep a little in the tank for the finish.
From the description
In Santa Pola
Walk to the start
Santa Pola is compact and the seafront roads close for the race, so stay or park within the town center and walk to the start rather than driving in.
Best spectator spots
The seafront promenade and the area around the port give spectators close views, and the layout lets you catch runners at more than one point.
Recover by the water
This is a working fishing town, so recover with an easy stroll along the beach or out toward the salt flats, where the pans and flamingos make a flat leg-stretch.
Written by AI from the course data and the race's description; city tips are general knowledge. Check race-day details with the organizer.
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