The fifteenth-century castle in Elche beside the start on the Diagonal del Palau; the course crosses the Vinalopó gorge on the bridge below it in the first 200 m.
Photo: José Manuel Pérez, Public domain
km 0mile 0
Palmeral of Elche
Elche's UNESCO palm groves, beside the start and run through again on the Camí de Beniardà and the Camí de l'Almàssera between km 12 and 14, new to the course for 2026.
Photo: José Carlos Díez, CC BY 3.0
km 5.6mile 3.5
Miguel Hernández University of Elche
The campus on the Avinguda de la Universitat, run out and back between km 2 and 6; the highest point of the course, 90 m, is on it at km 5.
km 12.9mile 8
Huerto del Cura
The garden of the Imperial Palm, a few streets off the palm-grove stretch at km 13.
Photo: Etnacila, Public domain
km 36.2mile 22.5
Parque El Palmeral, Alicante
Alicante's own palm park, beside the Avinguda d'Elx near km 36 as the course runs into the city along the coast.
km 36.9mile 22.9
Playa de San Gabriel
The beach on the sea side of the Avinguda d'Elx near km 37, where the sea is on the runners' right.
km 39.3mile 24.4
Port of Alicante
The marina and its quays, where the course loops out by the yacht club near km 40 and finishes on Muelle 12.
Photo: acediscovery, CC BY 4.0
km 41.1mile 25.5
Explanada de España
The palm promenade with its wave-pattern paving, beside the course on the Passeig dels Màrtirs de la Llibertat at km 41, a kilometre from the finish.
Photo: Nicolas Vigier, CC0
Height drawn many times taller than life. Heights: MDT05.
0 10 20 30 40 km
0 10 20 26.2 mi
Aid stations, water dashed: bridge upright dashes: cut-offs
flat to 24
downhill to 36
flat home
Your 5 gels, at the orange marksFor a 4:00 finish, one every 40 minutes
Downhill to the sea79 m lower at the finish than the start, most of it lost between km 24 and 35.
Palms first, then the portElche and its palm groves first, then the road to the sea and a finish on Alicante's port.
Stay in Alicante, start in ElcheBuses from Alicante to the start leave 06:15 to 07:30; the gun is at 09:00.
Course notes
3 short reads on the course
1km 0 to 42.2GradientDownhill to the sea79 m lower at the finish than the start, most of it lost between km 24 and 35.
Elche sits on a plain about 80 m above the sea, and the first 24 km stay on it: our bare-earth
profile, smoothed over 1 km, rolls between 72 m and 90 m, with the highest point of the day,
90.3 m, at km 5.1 on the Avinguda de la Universitat. From km 24 the road across the Camp d’Elx
starts to fall, and by km 35 it has dropped from 84.6 m to 7.1 m. The last 7 km, through
Alicante and out onto the port, run within a few metres of sea level, and the lowest point,
2.0 m, is at km 41.4.
In all the course climbs 41.3 m and finishes 79 m lower than it starts, about 1.9 m for every
kilometre. The council describes the stretch between the two cities as flat with a slight
downhill slope. These figures are for the 2026 course.
Measured
2km 0 to 42.2LandmarkPalms first, then the portElche and its palm groves first, then the road to the sea and a finish on Alicante's port.
The start is beside the Palacio de Altamira, and the first 20 km stay in Elche. New for 2026,
they take in El Palmeral, the UNESCO-listed palm groves: on the organiser’s course line the
race runs the Camí de Beniardà and the Camí de l’Almàssera between km 12 and 14, then crosses
the Vinalopó on the Pont de Canalejas into the old town.
From the roundabout on the edge of Elche the road runs east across the plain towards the coast.
For 2026 the organiser dropped the last eight urban kilometres in Alicante, with their climbs,
so the race comes into the city along the Avinguda d’Elx, passes the Explanada de España among
the palms and finishes on Muelle 12 of the port. The council counts 32 km in Elche’s
municipality and 10 km in Alicante’s.
Sourced
3Whole courseTacticsStay in Alicante, start in ElcheBuses from Alicante to the start leave 06:15 to 07:30; the gun is at 09:00.
This is a point-to-point race between two cities. The start, on the Diagonal del Palau beside
the Palacio de Altamira in Elche, is 20.9 km in a straight line from the finish on Muelle 12 in
the port of Alicante.
On race morning the organiser’s buses leave Alicante from the Calle Juan Bautista Lafora,
opposite the Playa del Postiguet car park, as they fill from 06:15, the last at 07:30, so that
everyone is on the start line for 09:00. They cost 4 euro and are booked with the entry. After
the finish, buses go back to Elche from the Postiguet car park. The bag trucks wait in the
Candalix car park in Elche before the start and stand beside the finish on the Paseo del Puerto
by the Casino Mediterráneo.
Sourced
Every aid station8 stations, km 5 to km 39mile 3.1 to mile 24.2
Point to point from the Palau d'Altamira in Elche, through its palm groves and out across the plain to the sea, finishing on the port of Alicante 79 m lower than it starts.
The Elche-Alicante Marathon is a flat point-to-point course of 42.2 km with 41.3 m of climbing. Its lowest point is 2 m and its highest 90 m above sea level. Next race: Sunday 13 December 2026, starting at 09:00.
Race week
Timetable
Friday 11 December Expo
10:0010:00 AM–20:008:00 PM
Runners' expo and bib pickupPaseo de la Estación, Elche. Open without a break. Bring your ID; someone collecting for you needs the organiser's authorisation form and a copy of your ID.
Saturday 12 December Expo
10:0010:00 AM–20:008:00 PM
Runners' expo and bib pickupPaseo de la Estación, Elche. Open without a break. Bring your ID; someone collecting for you needs the organiser's authorisation form and a copy of your ID.
Sunday 13 December Race day
06:156:15 AM–07:307:30 AM
Buses from Alicante to the start in ElcheCalle Juan Bautista Lafora, by the Paseito de Ramiro, opposite the Playa del Postiguet car park, Alicante. Buses leave as they fill from 06:15; the last one goes at 07:30. Booked on the entry platform, 4 EUR. They drop runners in Elche at calle Señora de la Cabeza with calle Pizarro.
09:009:00 AM
Marathon startCarrer Diagonal del Palau, beside the Palacio de Altamira, Elche. One start, from five pens by expected finish time (sub 3:00 to over 4:30). Pacers for 3:00 to 4:30 in quarter hours.
14:302:30 PM
Finish closesMuelle 12, port of Alicante. The time limit is 5 hours 30 minutes from the first runner crossing the start mat, so the finish closes at 14:30 by the clock.5:30 limit: 7:49/km for 42.195 km5:30 limit: 12:35/mi for 26.2 mi
Time not published
Bag trucks at the startParking de Candalix, Elche. The bag trucks stand in the Candalix car park before the start and meet you at the finish. The service is not free (1.50 EUR in the rules) and is booked when you enter; only the bag handed out with the bib is taken.
Time not published
Bag trucks at the finishPaseo del Puerto viejo, by the Casino Mediterráneo, Alicante. Beside the finish.
Time not published
Buses back to ElchePlaya del Postiguet car park, Alicante. After the finish, buses back to Elche leave from the Postiguet car park as they fill.
Cut-offs (7)
09:409:40 AM
Cut-off at 5 kmRunners not through by this time are taken out of the race. Counted from the first runner crossing the start mat, so the clock is from the 09:00 gun.0:40 limit: 8:00/km for 5 km0:40 limit: 12:52/mi for 3.1 mi
10:2010:20 AM
Cut-off at 10 kmRunners not through by this time are taken out of the race. Counted from the first runner crossing the start mat, so the clock is from the 09:00 gun.1:20 limit: 8:00/km for 10 km1:20 limit: 12:52/mi for 6.2 mi
11:4011:40 AM
Cut-off at 20 kmRunners not through by this time are taken out of the race. Counted from the first runner crossing the start mat, so the clock is from the 09:00 gun.2:40 limit: 8:00/km for 20 km2:40 limit: 12:52/mi for 12.4 mi
12:2012:20 PM
Cut-off at 25 kmRunners not through by this time are taken out of the race. Counted from the first runner crossing the start mat, so the clock is from the 09:00 gun.3:20 limit: 8:00/km for 25 km3:20 limit: 12:52/mi for 15.5 mi
13:001:00 PM
Cut-off at 30 kmRunners not through by this time are taken out of the race. Counted from the first runner crossing the start mat, so the clock is from the 09:00 gun.4:00 limit: 8:00/km for 30 km4:00 limit: 12:52/mi for 18.6 mi
13:401:40 PM
Cut-off at 35 kmRunners not through by this time are taken out of the race. Counted from the first runner crossing the start mat, so the clock is from the 09:00 gun.4:40 limit: 8:00/km for 35 km4:40 limit: 12:52/mi for 21.7 mi
14:202:20 PM
Cut-off at 40 kmRunners not through by this time are taken out of the race. Counted from the first runner crossing the start mat, so the clock is from the 09:00 gun.5:20 limit: 8:00/km for 40 km5:20 limit: 12:52/mi for 24.9 mi
Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it. Photo: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, by giggel, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it.
Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it.
Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it.
Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it. Photo: Edinburgh Castle, by Stephencdickson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it. Photo: Taipei 101, by Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Questions about the Elche-Alicante Marathon
Is the Elche-Alicante Marathon course flat?
Yes. It has 41.3 m of climbing over 42.2 km. The highest point is 88 m above the lowest. It finishes 79 m lower than it starts.
When is the Elche-Alicante Marathon 2026?
Sunday 13 December 2026. The start is at 09:00.
How do I enter the Elche-Alicante Marathon?
Entry for the 2026 race is open. It opened on 16 February 2026. There are 3 ways in: Open entry, Change of name and Fast runners enter free. Entry fee: €65 (for the 2026 race). Entry details on the organiser’s site
3 more questions
What is the time limit at the Elche-Alicante Marathon?
Runners have 5 h 30 min to finish. The finish closes at 14:30.
Where does the Elche-Alicante Marathon start?
Start: Carrer Diagonal del Palau, beside the Palacio de Altamira, Elche.
Is there a video of the Elche-Alicante Marathon course?
Yes. A 3D flyover film of the whole course, start to finish (1:16), plays at the top of this page.
