Maratona di Pisa.
The Maratona di Pisa runs on a Sunday five days before Christmas, taking you through Pisa's historic centre, out through the Parco di San Rossore to the sea, and back along the Arno to a finish beneath the Leaning Tower. The course is flat and fast - barely any elevation change - making it one of the better winter targets for a personal best.
Maratona di Pisa 2026: Course, Route Profile & Map
The opening kilometres run through the city from Piazza Daniele Manin, before the course leaves Pisa and crosses the Parco Naturale di San Rossore - the protected pinewood and dune reserve at the mouth of the Arno - out to the coast at Marina di Pisa. From there the field turns back on the same route into the city.
The final third follows the Lungarni, the Arno's riverside boulevards - Lungarno Pacinotti, Gambacorti and Mediceo - straight through the historic centre to the finish beneath the Leaning Tower on Piazza dei Miracoli. Elevation barely factors in: almost 85 percent of the course is flat, and there is no real climbing anywhere on it.
The course's appeal is the contrast: the quiet, car-free forest roads of the nature park run far from any crowd, before the return into the old town drops you between the Duomo, the Baptistery and the Tower for the finish. Starting in mid-December means cool, often breezy conditions on the exposed coastal stretch and short daylight hours - on a course with almost no gradient of its own, that is the real test.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Maratona di Pisa.
Start under control
With no real climbing anywhere on the Maratona di Pisa, nothing on the course dictates your pace for you - it is entirely your own discipline, which is exactly the trap. Because the opening kilometres feel effortless and flat, the classic mistake is starting too fast, a debt that comes due only after 30 kilometres.
Hold your rhythm
The section through the Parco di San Rossore and the coast at Marina di Pisa, in the middle of the race, is where it is decided: the open coastal stretch can carry a breeze off the sea in December, and holding an even pace against it is harder than back in the sheltered city. Spend too much there and you feel it on the long return along the Lungarni.
Spend what is left
Plan to run the first half deliberately conservatively and keep your reserve for the closing kilometres through the city, rather than spending it out at the coast.
Training plan for Maratona di Pisa: 12-week build
Build the base
Expect a race duration of a good three hours up to five-plus, depending on your level; the cutoff sits at 6 hours 30. The course itself - flat, without any real climbing - turns this into a steady aerobic long effort rather than a race of tactical pace changes: your speed is limited almost entirely by your own endurance, not by the terrain.
Train race pace
What decides the race is less a single section than your ability to hold pace over the full distance, when the course itself offers no natural breaks from a climb or a change of rhythm. The coastal stretch by the Parco di San Rossore, where wind can be a factor, demands extra focus on clean running form once your legs are already tired.
Rehearse the course
Prepare with long, steady runs at marathon pace that train exactly this: holding a constant tempo over 25 to 32 kilometres at a stretch, without a climb to set the rhythm for you. Runs into the wind or in cool December temperatures belong in the plan too, since the coastal section can bring exactly those conditions.
Arrive fresh
Because the start is at 9am in mid-December, plan clothing for cool, single-digit temperatures that can shift over the three-plus hours you're out there - layers you can shed or keep on as you go work better here than kit built for a summer course.
Courses
Download the Maratona di Pisa course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Maratona di Pisa dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Everything about Maratona di Pisa.
How long is Maratona di Pisa?
Maratona di Pisa is 42.2 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Maratona di Pisa have?
Maratona di Pisa has around 111 m of elevation gain over 42.2 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Maratona di Pisa?
Maratona di Pisa is classified as Flat, averaging 2.6 vertical metres per kilometre. 84% of the route is flat, 10% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 0% is steeper than 6%.
Is Maratona di Pisa a loop course?
Yes, Maratona di Pisa is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Maratona di Pisa course?
Yes. The Maratona di Pisa course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Maratona di Pisa?
Preparation for Maratona di Pisa should account for 42.2 km, 111 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Maratona di Pisa?
The pacing strategy for Maratona di Pisa should reflect 42.2 km, 111 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Maratona di Pisa take place?
Maratona di Pisa takes place on December 20, 2026.
Where does Maratona di Pisa take place?
Maratona di Pisa takes place in Pisa, Italy.
Which distances does Maratona di Pisa offer?
Maratona di Pisa offers 3 distances — Maratona: 42.2 km (Marathon); Mezza Maratona - La Pisanina: 21.1 km (Half marathon); Christmas Run Pisa: 6.5 km.
How do I register for Maratona di Pisa?
Registration runs through the organiser: maratonadipisa.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
