Córdoba Half Marathon 2026

Race registration for the 40th Córdoba Half Marathon opens the door each year to one of the most recognizable events on the Andalusian popular athletics calendar, and in 2026 it does so with special significance: the race marks four decades of history, a milestone the organizers — the Municipal Sports Institute of Córdoba (IMDECO), sponsored by the Provincial Council of Córdoba — are celebrating by raising the field cap to 7,800 bibs, the highest participation ceiling in the race's history. The event takes place on Sunday, November 29th, 2026, starting at 10:00 am from Avenida Conde de Vallellano, and is jointly certified by the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation, the Andalusian Athletics Federation, and World Athletics, as it's included in the National Calendar of outdoor road races. Registration for the Córdoba Half Marathon is handled online, with an initial pricing tier of €18 until September 28th, rising afterward in stages up to a maximum of €31; the window stays open until November 11th, 2026, unless all bibs sell out sooner — something that, in recent editions, has happened within days given the added appeal of this anniversary edition.The 21.097 km course, entirely flat, is one of the race's biggest selling points: it cuts through Córdoba from north to south and east to west, linking neighborhoods, avenues, and monumental corners into a single urban circuit. After the start on Vallellano, the field quickly heads toward the river, crossing the San Rafael Bridge into the Sector Sur district, turning through Plaza de Andalucía and Avenida de Cádiz, before returning via the Miraflores Bridge toward the wide Paseo de la Ribera. The real warmth from the crowd arrives, as tradition dictates, right in the historic center: passing through Plaza de Colón and, above all, the bustling Plaza de las Tendillas and Calle Gondomar gives runners a crucial morale boost before tackling the final stretch toward the Poniente and El Brillante areas. The big reward comes in the final meters, when the course returns by crossing the historic Roman Bridge, with the silhouette of the Mezquita-Catedral — a masterpiece of Moorish architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — as a backdrop, before finishing at the iconic Puerta del Puente, on the banks of the Guadalquivir River: one of the most visually striking finish lines on the entire Spanish half marathon calendar.Bib pickup is organized several days in advance and across multiple time slots to avoid crowding: on November 26th and 27th, at the Vista Alegre Municipal Sports Palace, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and 5:00 to 8:30 pm, or on Saturday, November 28th, from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Every registered runner receives the traditional runner's bag, including a technical t-shirt and a commemorative medal for this 40th edition. Along the course there are aid stations at km 5, 10, 15, and 17, plus an additional post-finish station — located on Avenida del Alcázar — where runners can refuel with a sandwich and fruit. The organization also provides changing rooms and gear-check, several medical assistance points along the route, official pacers for various target paces, and two preferential starting corrals reserved for runners with accredited times (sub 1:15 / sub 1:34 for Corral 1, and sub 1:22 / sub 1:40 for Corral 2, men's and women's categories respectively). The overall time limit to complete the race is 2 hours and 27 minutes, with intermediate cut-off checkpoints at km 5, 10, and 15.The 40th Córdoba Half Marathon also keeps its inclusive, grassroots spirit: it offers a specific category for athletes with physical or intellectual disabilities and for wheelchair participants (including handbikes), and includes a special "Club Prizes" section designed to encourage collective participation from associations and sports clubs of all kinds. One unusual feature among major popular races: unlike other events, Córdoba does allow registration refunds (until October 30th, 2026, under IMDECO's public pricing rules), as well as processing a bib ownership transfer within that same window. After crossing the finish line, race day also doubles as the perfect excuse to wander Córdoba's historic old town, visit the Mezquita-Catedral, or stroll the whitewashed streets of the Jewish Quarter — a way to extend, without rushing, the experience of having run through one of Spain's most historically rich cities.