Telcel Mexico City Marathon

First off the communication for the race was terrible for non Spanish speakers. For an event that wants to become an international event they have a LONG way to go for that to happen. Communication before the race lacked details and was only provided in Spanish. At the expo to pick up the packet there were no signs at the building directing you to the correct entrance leading to groups of people wandering around asking unhelpful unfriendly staff where to go. Once I found the expo I wanted to ask about the buses but went through 4 people before finding one that could halfway speak English. And to make it worse the info she provided was 100% wrong. I found out during the preface announcements which were thankfully done in both English and Spanish that there were a record 550 international runners…so not surprising they didn’t have any info in English. Now on to the morning of the race which starts at 6am!. There are several free bus lines around the city that will take you to the start at the Olympic stadium running the morning of the race. Contrary to what the lady told me they were not for bag checks (those buses were at the starting area). Also there were dozens of buses at my stop waiting to take racers. The buses were convenient and very easy to get on. Now on to the coral situation . The CDMX marathon has a history of people jumping into the race and running where they shouldn’t. I thought the morning of prep to keep corals separate was great walking groups forward as each wave was started. The problem is they clearly aren’t verifying race times. People in my coral were not even close to a 3:30 or even 3:45 pace. As a result I was weaving through traffic with difficulty until easily mile 20! I was still weaving through people all the way to the finish line. I’m used to the typical coral cutters that I have to dodge for the first 2-5 miles but this race took it to an extreme! The race course itself was not terribly difficult with some hills in the middle and slight downhill to flat finish. The support was good lots of water and Gatorade stations one Maurten gel station that I recall. The water is in little plastic pouches that was actually really handy for holding onto if you weren’t ready to drink it. Or grabbing two or three at a time. The streets were mostly good. Probably 5k worth of cobblestones. Some very uneven intersections and two tight turns that cut to one lane width which caused the crowd to go to a walk to get through. This race was huge - Boston sized. The real reason to run this race? The crowd is incredible! Easily rivals the Boston crowds. All though these crowds act a bit more like the crowds in the Alps at the Tour de France. Screaming and blowing horns all the way out in the road! Music blaring and bands everywhere, a Uber deejay mid course. Crowds are handing out little bags of tequila, coke, beer, all kinds of food and candy. The funny thing is it was a huge party all along the race course and then you get to the finish in the huge Zocolo plaza and they are like ok get out. No after party unless you have a special vip tent package (not even sure how to get one). I would recommend this race highly if you speak Spanish. If not, go with someone who has done it before or does speak Spanish.

2019 was the first year they ended the marathon at the Zocalo and started at the Olympic Stadium. Overall it was extremely chaotic. Subways to get to the starting point were completely full to the point that I had to wait a couple trains to be able to actually get in one. I was almost late because that whole process took an extra 40 minutes. I will say they had a lot of bathrooms setup at the start which was nice. I attempted to join my starting group (3:30) but it was very difficult to find. I did find it eventually but clearly nobody was paying attention to corrals because the ENTIRE marathon I was passing thousands of people slower than me. Sometimes the route is pretty narrow which makes you have to weave in and out of people or get blocked completely. Good luck using a bathroom during the race. I ended up peeing behind a tree in the park out of desperation. Even at the end of the race I was praying for bathrooms but they had NOTHING. Ending the race in the Zocalo was a nightmare for me. It's already a crowded area of Mexico City but after running an extremely exhausting marathon they spit you out into a crowd of thousands of people with no access to a restroom or chill area to hang out for a bit. It's extremely difficult to escape this area because you are boxed in by the marathon and they don't like people crossing the course. I will say the crowd support was amazing and it was cool to be able to run through various areas of Mexico City without having to stop. I did have a lot of fun during various parts of the race. Would I recommend this marathon? Only if you thrive in loud noises and chaos and don't mind the lack of bathroom access and potential huge crowds at the end. Also if you aren't trying to set any records for yourself. Buena suerte!

I arrived in Mexico City a week before the marathon from Minnesota to get used to the altitude. I also signed up early and was placed in the front coral! The expo, the race and the fans were all awesome. I would highly recommend this race to everyone. The crowd was screaming from start to finish with our final 200 meters inside Olympic stadium.

I arrived in Mexico City a week before the marathon from Minnesota to get used to the altitude. I also signed up early and was placed in the front coral! The expo, the race and the fans were all awesome. I would highly recommend this race to everyone. The crowd was screaming from start to finish with our final 200 meters inside Olympic stadium.

Plenty of aid stations and support along the course. I have yet to find a better tasting Coca Cola in a bag than I found around mile 20. Also, the men’s bathrooms near the start line did not have toilet paper

There was some people that did not sign up for the race that we’re trying to participate and would get in the way

Wonderful experience in such an incredible city! By far the most beautiful course I have run but also the most difficult due to elevation. A life long memory

Highly recommend. Overall, a great experience and beautiful route throughout many neighborhoods in Mexico City. The added challenge here is the 7,300 feet altitude so I'd suggest arriving a couple/few days early to acclimate and do a few warm up runs. The starting point at Estadio Olimpico Universitario was easy to arrive by uber, while also accessible by metro. There were no amenities (hydration / nutrition) at the start village and limited toilets with no paper ! So plan accordingly by packing the items you may need including toilet paper. At the expo, I inquired about bag check and was told this was eliminated due to covid pre-cautions but understood this was offered in prior years. Thankfully, I had packed a throw-away sweatshirt hoodie which was sufficient for the 50 degree weather prior to sunrise. The starting corrals are well spaced out around the stadium which limited the crowding, often the case at other marathons. The crowds were lean for basically the first 8 - 10 miles, until reaching reforma then polanco but the crowds really picked up for the final 20 - 26 mile stretch to help give you the extra push. The final stretch through centro and finish line at zocalo was a thrill. There was plenty of hydration on the course (water / gatorade) but no official nutrition (gels / food) which was strange; however many people were giving away fruit, candies, ice, etc along the back half. I had packed my own gels and salt pills, but took advantage of the ice at one point which was refreshing by melting in my mouth. At the finish, you had a walk quite a distance after finishing to receive hydration (water / gatorade) but no food. It was quite crowded after exiting the runner area so didn't spend much time exploring the festivities, just grabbed a complimentary beer - after hydrating, of course :) and walked to my hotel. If you're looking for a great challenge by completing a marathon at such elevation in a beautiful city with incredible food, hospitable people and perfect weather then this is a must add to your list. Bear in mind, this marathon doesn't draw a large international group so everything is in Spanish but embrace it and enjoy the experience! I've run New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Berlin (among others) and you cannot compare when it comes to organization, festivities and amenities; if you go into the event having the same expectations then I think you'll compromise your experience. Temper your expectations, focus on the altitude challenges and you'll have a truly memorable experience. VAMOS!

PROS -Beautiful course. It’s like a sightseeing tour of Mexico City. -Crowd are very enthusiastic -Weather is perfect! -Numerous water and electrolyte drink stations SUGGESTIONS: -Add more portable toilets and provide tissue papers. -Be more specific with race start time -More race photographers. It would be nice if they are wearing official uniform to differentiate from the crowd. I suggest not to only focus to runners wearing costumes. Everyone deserves a great photo remembrance from the event.

The race begins at the Olympic stadium and ends in the historic city center. The first five miles is a slight downhill straight away. The route winds through parks, boulevards, and unique neighborhoods. Crowds and security were out in force. If you have run Chicago, it's like going through Pilsen for the whole race. The racing surface was good to excellent with only a couple of cobblestone sections around monuments and at the end in the Zocalo. Mostly flat with limited climbs over a couple of viaducts. The course has many turns and a couple of out and back sections. A lot of shaded areas so the Sun was not a problem. The course is at 7,000 elevation, which may take some adaption, but which makes it attractive as a training race. The crowd support was great. Everyone with a megaphone in Mexico was there. The custom of general spectators to offer water, beer, soda, candy, food, medical attention, was amazing. Great entertainment on the course: bands, DJs, cheerleaders, etc. I was disappointed that there did not appear to be many American runners.

It's a good tune-up for later fall marathons because it is compatible with most fall training schedules. It fell on a scheduled 20-mile training run weekend so total mileage was right.

Me estoy preparando para él maratón ciudad de México estoy apasionado y emocionado de correr Aparte estoy entrenando para este maratón espero y me vaya excelente Estoy emocionado de poder participar en esta carrera Y que me reciban muy bien y también les deseo a todos muchas buenas suerte

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