The Palma Marathon Mallorca is one of the island’s great sporting occasions. Coinciding with the European Masters Cup cycling in the north of the island, it is a key event for promoting the island as a sports tourism destination, especially in the low season.
The marathon was first held in 2004 when just over 2,000 people took part. Participation has soared ever since. There are some 7,000 this year. A truly international event, there is particularly high representation from the UK (22% of all participants) and Germany (37%). As well as the marathon, there is a half marathon and a nine-kilometre run. At Parc de la Mar, which is where the races start and finish, there are stands and activities.
A hashtag for the event is #FollowTheSun. Let’s hope they do.
The routes across Palma
The start of the Palma Marathon Mallorca is scheduled for 8am for the marathon (42km) and half marathon (21km) events, while at 8.45am it will be the turn of those registered for the 9-kilometre distance, and after the trophy ceremony for the three types of courses, the finish line will close at around 2pm. In any case, the traffic closures will begin before the start of the race, as will the parking restrictions.
In its first phase, the Palma Marathon Mallorca circuit runs along the Paseo Marítimo on the land side in the direction of Andratx towards the Porto Pi roundabout, where the 180º turning point is located, continuing along the Paseo Marítimo on the sea side in the direction of Llucmajor, entering Camí de s'Escollera until the entrance control to the commercial docks and turning 180º towards the Escollera exit. The 9km participants will have to cross and access the lane on the land side to enter the finish line.
Half marathon and marathon participants will leave Camí de s'Escollera in the direction of Llucmajor and head for the 180º turning point located at the Portixol anchor roundabout to turn back and go up Avenida Gabriel Alomar i Villalonga on the left-hand side until reaching C/Escola Graduada to turn left along C/Mateu Enric Lladó to Porta des Camp to go through C/Bastió Princep and Passeig Murada to turn right along C/Portella and C/Pont i Vic to turn right at C/Sol and turn left at C/Sant Francesc to Plaça Santa Eulalia where you turn into C/Morell, C/Sant Pere Nolasc and turn right onto C/Palau and again onto C/Mirador to go along Palau Reial to Plaça Cort and turn right onto C/Cadena to enter Plaça Santa Eulalia and turn left to follow the streets Vidriera-Corderia-Pes del Formatge-L'Hostal de L'Estel turning left Celler d'en Miró and turn left onto C/Sindicat to C/Bosseria and turn right onto Plaza Major-Sant Miquel to exit onto Avda. Compte Sallent/Avda Alemanya/Avda Portugal to turn left onto Paseig Mallorca until Jaime III and turn right onto Passeig Mallorca until turning right onto C/Ruben Dario and C/Concepció until turning right onto C/Montcades and turning left onto C/Can Serra leaving Jaime III and turning left onto C/Sant Jaume until Plaza Santa Magdalena to make a loop on Via Roma and turn left onto Via Roma. Santa Magdalena to make a loop on Via Roma and continue along Ramblas de Palma and head along C/Unió to el Born and continue along Plaça Reina and Antonio Maura where the Half Marathon participants will turn left to head towards the finish line and the Marathon participants will turn right to start the second lap of the course.
The second lap will be an added loop from Plaça Cort turning left to run along Jaume II and return along C/Colon until turning left along C/Cadena to follow the previous route along C/Vidriera.