Everything a visiting runner needs for the Chengdu Marathon: the 2026 race on 25 October, how the lottery works for 2027, and how to turn race weekend into a few days in Chengdu.
Updated 2026-10-16
The course
The route is called “Through Past and Present”. It starts at the Jinsha Site Museum, where the 3,000-year-old Golden Sun Bird was found, and runs past Kuanzhai Alley, People’s Park, Tianfu Square and the Panda Tower. New for 2026: Du Fu Thatched Cottage, the Sichuan Museum, Qingyang Palace and Qintai Road.
It is a fast, flat point-to-point course with about 60 m of total climb. The only real rise comes late, around 39–41 km near Guixi Park. The full marathon finish is more than 15 km from the start, so plan your return trip from Century City.
Race week in Chengdu is usually cool, cloudy and humid, around 16 °C, with a fair chance of drizzle. Good marathon weather, but bring a throwaway layer for the start.
Race morning
Starts are staggered: 07:30 for elites and marathon zones A–C, 07:50 for marathon zones D–E, 08:10 for the half marathon zones F–G. Security queues can take more than 30 minutes, so aim to be at Jinsha before 06:00.
Getting there: Metro Line 7 to Jinsha Site station, which runs early on race day. Staying in Qingyang District or near Kuanzhai Alley puts you within a 2–3 km walk of the start. After the finish, Metro Line 1 runs from Century City station.
Bib pickup: the organizers announce the place and dates about two weeks before the race. Bring the same passport you registered with; it has to match your entry.
Runner perks in the city
Chengdu treats race week as a citywide event. With your bib, more than 20 museums and scenic spots offer a free first ticket or free reservation, over 500 restaurants and shopping streets give 20% off from a week before to a week after the race, and more than 90 hotels offer discounts and late checkout.
Running in 2027: how the lottery works
Entry is by lottery, and demand is high. For 2025, 287,584 people applied for about 35,000 places: roughly 1 in 5 got a marathon place, and only about 1 in 16 got a half marathon place.
The window moves from year to year: 15 April–15 May in 2025, and 10–24 June in 2026. Registration is on the official site, which has an English version, or the MARAMARA (马拉马拉) app. A computer is easier than a phone. Since 2026 you pay only after you are drawn.
Join XFORMA as a member and we will tell you the day the 2027 window opens. If the form asks for things you don’t have, such as a Chinese phone number, send us a request and we will help you through it. Free during our opening period.
Make it a trip
Go to the Giant Panda Base the day before the race: book with your passport two to three days ahead and arrive for the 07:30 opening, when the pandas feed. It is an easy morning on your legs. After the race, refuel with clear-broth Sichuan dishes rather than the spiciest hotpot; your stomach will thank you. Our Chengdu guide lists 25 places: gyms, running routes, high-protein restaurants and sights.