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I challenge you to find a better half marathon in Europe in December. With warm weather and palm trees, you could almost pretend it’s not December at all. The Málaga Half Marathon is perfect for all levels of runners, and anyone looking to see the city from a different perspective.

If you’re looking for someone to plan a vacation around the Málaga Half or Full Marathon for you, look no further. I offer trip consultations, tailored travel itineraries, and end-to-end trip planning. I even support running clubs traveling in large groups.

Overview of the Málaga Half Marathon

With an early start time, this circular half marathon takes you through the gorgeous city of Málaga, along the picturesque coastline of the Mediterranean, out past the iconic Málaga lighthouse and then turns around to drop you back at the start line. The early start time is perfect as it guarantees runners the chance to see the city from a new perspective.

Málaga Half Marathon Course

Like the best courses this one is mostly a circle. Starting next to the Málaga town hall along Paseo del Parque, the course quickly diverts runners out of the Old Town. As you head into the outskirts, runners do cross through a brief tunnel that holds one of the only “hills” in the first section of the race. 

Expert trip planning designed around your race.

As you turn and head back towards the coastline, be prepared for the sun. The 8AM start time guarantees that runners will get to experience golden hour directly in their faces (make sure you have a hat). The course then turns towards the gorgeous Mediterranean, and directs runners back along the water for two flat palm tree filled miles.  

When you hit the end of this section, the crowds will pick up. This area is very close to both the start and finish lines, so lots of supporters just stay here for the entire race. Turning along the pier and towards the lighthouse, I want to call out two things. One, this is the windiest section of the entire race. There is no protection on either side. And two, this out and back section has lots of speed bumps on the road. Please be cautious and make sure you are not dragging your feet. I saw many people stumble and one woman wiped out here. 

The last four miles of the race are once again an out and back. This section takes you under the palm trees again and is a beautiful way to finish the race. At the 9-10 mile mark, there is also a small but brutal hill. Everyone I chatted with after the race talked about this hill, even though it isn’t the largest hill on the course. The problem with this hill is that it doesn’t feel like you ever get the downhill bit on the return. You technically do, but the downhill happens very quickly and then you hit more uphill. This section can also be difficult as by this point in the day the sun has risen and there really isn’t any shade. 

When you see the signs come up to separate the half marathon and marathon runners, you are at the finish line. After the two separate, the half marathon has maybe another 50 meters. The finish line area is a very short distance, so if you have any energy left, pick up your pace before separating from the marathon.

Bag Drop

The bag drop for both the marathon and half marathon is at the bullring. If you are coming from Paseo del Parque, continue straight past the start and turn after the first building. The rounded bullring will be directly in front of you. The first few tables are only for marathon runners, but continue following the curve of the building and you will see the rest of the bag drop tables. The process is very easy and well organized. When I went to pick up my bag post-race, the worker was even able to grab my bag before I reached the table. It was one of the smoothest experiences of any half marathon I have done.

Bathrooms at the Málaga Half Marathon

There were lots of available portapotties, and they were clean with toilet paper. I do warn you – the public bathrooms along the pier will be closed pre-race. Unfortunately, I lost half my warm up time heading down the pier thinking I could outsmart everyone and wash my hands. I didn’t and almost missed the start.

Water and Refreshments

My biggest pet peeve, this race gives full water bottles rather than little cups. Maybe one runner out of 100 actually wants that much water, the rest of the runners toss the water on the ground. The race also had oranges and bananas available for runners to grab as they passed through the refreshment areas.

Breakfast on Race Day

Let me be the first to tell you: don’t trust Google in Málaga. I looked on Google and found several bakeries that would be open at 7AM on race day. Then race day arrived and none of them were open. I eventually found a place called Julieta and got a small breakfast, but this was not ideal. If you are traveling in for this race, I would recommend buying food in advance and eating in your hotel.

What To Do in Málaga

Not only is this a gorgeous half marathon, but Málaga itself is a great city to visit. I easily got 50k steps everyday of my trip just from sight seeing. Here’s my top three recommendations:

• Alcazaba – The history behind these walls provides a fascinating look at the history of Málaga. There is also a free audio guide available for all visitors.
• Málaga Museum – Not only does this museum have Picasso art work, amazing sculptures, and a lovely balcony, it also has clean toilets! If you’re like me and spend the day before a race chugging water, those toilets will come in handy.
• Just walk around – Málaga has a quiet beauty in its streets and on the beach that can really be enjoyed when you slow down and look around.

You can find my full recommendations post here.

I hope you have a great time at this race and enjoy yourself. If you aren’t sold, check out the rest of my half marathon reviews.

If you want a travel buddy, join my FB group for international women runners to connect and travel together.