About the race
The Mexico City Marathon, officially the Maratón Internacional de la Ciudad de México, is an annual road race on the streets of the capital, held in late August or early September. It received IAAF Gold Label status in 2018.
History
The race was established in 1983, at a time of growing interest in marathons in Mexico. The first women's winner, María del Carmen Cárdenas, later became one of Mexico's first female Olympic marathoners. The competition was largely national until the early 2000s, when more elite international runners began to compete and win. Eileen Claugus of the United States was the first foreign winner in 1987, and Ethiopia's Tesfaye Tafa became the first foreign male winner two years later. The 2020 edition was cancelled because of the pandemic. About 35,000 people from 60 countries took part in 2015. The programme also includes a marathon road bicycle race.
The course
The start is near the Hemiciclo a Juárez in Alameda Central. The course runs a south-to-north loop on Paseo de la Reforma, follows a second loop back and passes the Torre Mayor twice. The last section follows Avenida de los Insurgentes westwards to the finish at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario. Overall the course rises slightly, by around 65 m in total according to Wikipedia. It is largely flat at the start, hilly between about 10 km and 25 km, and ends with an incline over the final ten kilometres.
Cut-offs and entry
Check the organiser's website for time limits, entry windows and fees. Wikipedia reports an unusually high number of disqualifications in recent years, mostly for not completing the required distance, which makes the official rules worth reading before race day.
Where to watch
Check the organiser for spectator information. Paseo de la Reforma, where runners loop past the Torre Mayor, and the finish at the university Olympic stadium are the landmarks named on the course.
The next edition
Check the organiser for the next edition date.
Weather
Mexico City has a subtropical highland climate, shaped by its tropical location and high elevation. Its wet, humid summer runs from May to October, so a late August or early September race falls within the rainy season. This is general background, not a forecast.
SourcesMexico City Marathon site (did not load) · Wikipedia: Mexico City Marathon · Wikipedia: Mexico City (climate)