Jaén Half Marathon 2026: Record 3,800 Runners Registered

The Jaén Half Marathon breaks its participation record in its 30th edition, held on Sunday 15 November 2026, with 3,800 runners registered across its two distances: 2,800 in the 21-kilometre half marathon and 1,000 in the 10 kilometres of the Memorial Paco Manzaneda.

According to Jaén City Council, the half marathon figure is more than double last year’s. Both races were presented on Tuesday 10 November at the Baños del Naranjo by the mayor, Julio Millán, and the councillor for sport, Beatriz López. Also attending were the provincial deputy for culture and sport, África Colomo, the deputy general manager of Caja Rural de Jaén, Álvaro Martínez, and representatives of the other sponsors and collaborators.

The growth of a race turning 30

The mayor put the leap in perspective: just three years ago there were little more than 350 runners, and current participation is ten times that figure. Millán also recalled that the Jaén, City of Athletics project aimed for the capital to be recognised for its commitment to the sport, its organisational capacity and its hosting of major sporting events, and that the half marathon was the race that had been hardest to promote.

In his speech, Millán said: “This edition has a special meaning because we are talking about a competition that is 30 years old, but above all, one that is living through one of its best moments. A race that has managed to reinvent itself, grow and find its place until becoming an increasingly important date in the Andalusian athletics calendar.”

He added: “The figures speak for themselves. Just three years ago we had little more than 350 runners. Today we are talking about participation that is ten times that figure. It is extraordinary growth that shows the work is paying off and that Jaén is gaining weight in the world of popular athletics.”

The councillor for sport said that bibs sold out months ago. In her words, this is “participation never seen before” and “a historic edition that will mark a before and after in athletics in Jaén”. López also stated that the city “is ready to host the best half marathon in its history”.

New certified single-lap course

The big sporting novelty is the single-lap circuit, certified by the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation, so times will have official validity and recognition. The start is at 09:30 and the finish is on calle Virgen de la Cabeza.

The route was publicly presented on 19 May and includes a few small changes from that version because of works at plaza de la Constitución. The 10-kilometre course largely coincides with that of the half marathon and will serve to validate a time for the upcoming Carrera Urbana Internacional Noche de San Antón.

Prize money, trophies and gifts

The half marathon introduces prize money for the top three finishers in the overall men’s and women’s categories: €300 for first, €200 for second and €100 for third. Winners of the category for people with a disability will receive €300, and those who reach the podium in the other categories, a trophy.

The 10 kilometres will have a single overall classification, with no specific categories, and the top three men and women will receive a trophy. The Municipal Sports Board has also announced other gifts for the leading athletes, such as glasses designed to block blue light and regulate the circadian rhythm, and sports supplement packs.

Bib pre-booking for San Antón 2027

Half marathon finishers will once again get a bib pre-booking for San Antón 2027, scheduled for January. They must pay and complete the registration within the period set by that race’s regulations.

When and where to collect your bib

Bibs are handed out in the shopping arcade of the Jaén Plaza shopping centre. On Friday 13 November it is open from 17:00 to 22:00, and on Saturday 14 from 10:00 to 15:00 and from 17:00 to 22:00.

On race day, Sunday 15, bibs can be collected at a tent next to the start and finish between 8:00 and 9:00. The regulations, the courses in several formats and other relevant information are on the race’s official website.