The perfect running party

Santiago offers those who come to run the Marathon the perfect mix of a well-organized sporting event and eco-tourism. Runners have seized the opportunity, first experiencing the Santiago Marathon and then enjoying the beautiful natural attractions that this country offers its visitors. You may have to make a selection between the exotic and archeologically puzzling Easter Island and the impressive northern Chilean sky that attracts scientists seeking the best location from which to admire the splendor of our galaxy. There you find the largest and newest astronomical observatories, including ALMA – the Atacama Large Millimeter Array.

The Santiago Marathon is scheduled for the first Sunday of April each year, and offers something for everyone. They can select from Marathon, half marathon or 10km races – each of which are quality mass events – but the main focus is on pampering the Marathon runners, who at the finish receive a medal and quality services in a spacious resting area, including food and beverages and professional massage.

The marathon course has recently been adjusted to offer a flatter profile, avoiding road underpasses to make it easier for the mass and faster for runners who are striving to improve their personal bests. Both course records were broken this year – the men’s by Julius Keter, who ran 2:11:43 and the women’s by Jacqueline Kiplimo who recorded 2:30:52. The marathon has become an important regional athletic event, helping runners from many South American countries, and above all elite Chilean runners, to achieve qualifying times for Olympic Games, World Athletic Championships and Pan American Games.

The new course has maintained its touristic interest as it passes by many of the city’s historic monuments, landmarks, and parks, and in addition offers participants the Andes Mountains as a dramatic backdrop. The finish line lies right outside the Presidential Palace. The average temperature at the time of the race is 22ºC and the average elevation of the course is 604m above sea level.

The Santiago Marathon is the perfect running party for over 25,000 runners, coming from more than 50 countries around the world, including Chilean and foreign elite athletes. Covered by the international media and broadcast live by national television in a four-hour program which includes the awards ceremony, the Santiago Marathon impresses as the largest running event in the Latin American region. There are live bands positioned along the course to make the marathon more enjoyable for runners, and to help enthuse the growing number of spectators who flock to the course and encourage runners to reach the finish line.

Even though the Marathon was only established seven years ago it has grown rapidly from 6,000 entries in the first edition to the current number. National and city authorities alike clearly recognized the importance of this mass sporting event by requesting that it be part of Chile’s Bicentennial Celebration in 2010. The race organizers seized the opportunity, providing T-shirts in three colors (red, white and blue) to the 25,000 runners according to the race in which they were entered – and used them to form the largest human national flag ever seen in the country.

The organizers of the Santiago Marathon are committed, together with the sponsors, to protect the environment by making best efforts to offset all CO2 emissions caused by the event through the purchase of carbon bonds or credits in the carbon market; through a recycling program for cups and plastic bottles; and by avoiding the use of paper as material. All entries are made online and a digital identification system is used to pick up the race kit.

The Santiago Marathon also offers a world class Marathon expo. Runners and their families, for 3½ days prior to the race, are able to learn about sports medicine, nutrition, psychology, technology and sportswear, making this event a unique experience. Every year a press conference precedes the opening of the Marathon expo and the launch of the Santiago Marathon.

The 2013 edition received the highest recognition from the Chilean Government, particularly from the President, His Excellency Sebastian Piñera, who actively participated in the awards ceremony. The Special Sports Commission of the National Congress acknowledged the contribution made by the Santiago Marathon to sport and to the international image of the country. The National Institute of Sport and the National Athletic Federation provide support to the Santiago Marathon every year.

The Marathon organizers are proud of these achievements and the success of the race. Runners and other race organizers recognize this event as the most important marathon of the region. As organizers we offer an open invitation to join us in this magnificent race.