Toledo Imperial Marathon 2026: more than 3,200 entrants

The first Toledo Imperial Marathon 2026 will take place on Sunday 15 November in Toledo, with more than 3,200 runners registered. The race will start at the Mirador del Valle and finish on the Paseo Imperial de la Vega. According to the City Council, participants come from 22 countries and almost all of Spain’s autonomous communities.

Start times, race categories and route

The marathon, over a distance of 42 kilometres and 195 metres, will start at 9:00. Handbike participants will set off at 9:12, followed at 9:15 by the pairs relay and the Ekiden, with teams of four runners.

Rubén Lozano, councillor for the Environment, River Tagus and Sport, put individual participation at approximately 1,400 runners. He also said there were 600 participants in the pairs relay and 1,200 in the Ekiden. Lozano highlighted the participation of athletes with disabilities using Joëlette chairs and handbikes.

In the pairs race, each participant will run 21 kilometres, with the handover taking place in the car park next to the railway station. The Ekiden handovers will take place in front of the Juanelo Turriano school, in the station car park and on avenida de Adolfo Suárez.

The route will pass through every neighbourhood except Azucaica. It will go through Santa Bárbara and el Polígono, past the railway station and around Salto del Caballo. It will also pass near the Hospital de Tavera, the bullring, the Escuela de Gimnasia, la Peraleda and the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha campus.

In the historic centre, runners will pass Zocodover, the Puerta del Sol and the Puerta de Bisagra. The route will cross the Tagus near the Academia de Infantería and the Castillo de San Servando and will pass through Toletum.

Among the announced participants are Capi Teixeiro, who will run his 200th marathon, and Gemma Arenas from Almagro, a world medallist over 100 kilometres on the road.

Aid stations, race numbers and transport for runners

The organisers will set up ten aid stations, approximately every five kilometres, with cardboard cups. There will be five bag drop points: at the start, at the 10, 20 and 30 kilometre marks, and at the finish. Pacers will cover finishing times of 2:45, 3:00, 3:15, 3:30, 3:45, 4:00 and 4:15.

Participants will receive medals and T-shirts specific to each category. There will also be prizes and incentives for winners who surpass certain performance marks set out in the race regulations.

Race number collection will take place at Colegio San Patricio on 12, 13 and 14 November. On Friday 13, collection will be in the afternoon, and on Saturday 14, from 11:00 to 19:00.

On race day, free shuttle buses will run from the Reconquista roundabout, next to avenida de la Cava, to the Valle. Runners will also be able to use municipal public transport free of charge throughout the day by showing their race number.

Medical provision and organisation

The medical provision will include eight ambulances, two of them mobile intensive care units, as well as two rapid response vehicles, two motorbikes with medical technicians and a first aid tent at the finish. Two skating clubs will provide basic assistance along the route, and the Colegio de Fisioterapeutas de Castilla-La Mancha will be present at the finish.

The organisers expect around 400 volunteers and approximately 15 cheering points. Mayor Carlos Velázquez thanked the more than a thousand people who will take part in the operation, as well as the institutions, sponsors, sports clubs, volunteers, municipal workers and professionals involved. He also thanked the Policía Local, Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil.

During the presentation, Velázquez said the race was intended to become a regular event and highlighted its potential economic and tourism benefits for Toledo. Lozano announced that any financial profits from the marathon would go to the city’s sports clubs that help organise it.

Road closures and access to Toledo

The carretera del Valle will remain closed on Sunday 15 November from 7:00 until approximately 10:30. The Paseo Imperial will be closed from 15:00 on Saturday 14 until approximately 18:00 on Sunday. Controlled crossing points will be available for residents when safety conditions allow.

Policía Local chief inspector Miguel Fernández Arévalo explained that the route has been divided into four sectors coordinated by police commanders and that the race will last approximately five hours.

The city bus terminus will move from Zocodover to the Safont bus bays from the start of Sunday’s service until after 14:00. From there, services will connect with the outlying neighbourhoods, el Polígono, La Legua, Vistahermosa and Buenavista. The closures may cause changes to service frequencies.

On the TO-23, runners will use the greenway on the outward leg and the inside lane of the road on the return. Vehicles will travel in the right-hand lane, and the exit from el Polígono towards the A-42 will remain open. Residents of La Legua, Valparaíso and Vistahermosa will need to use the ring road because of the disruption to avenida de Adolfo Suárez.

In the historic centre, the main access points will be the Puerta de Bisagra, paseo de Recaredo and Doce Cantos. When one is affected, at least one other will be kept open. The Policía Local says it has worked to ensure access to the Hospital Universitario de Toledo and the train and bus stations.

A message from the City Council’s tax department to tour operators states that tourist coaches will not be allowed to enter on 15 November. The Policía Local is providing information about the disruption through posters and leaflets for hotels, businesses and other groups.

The operation will involve local police officers, Protección Civil volunteers and nearly 200 support staff. Around 1,500 cones and 350 barriers are due to be installed, along with signs. The Policía Local is also working on the evacuation plan and coordinating with the 112 emergency service.

For the morning of the race, the Policía Local recommends keeping private vehicle use to a minimum and prioritising public transport.