Mexico City Marathon: Elevation Profile, Course Map & Pace Calculator
Latin America's largest marathon, finishing in the Zócalo at the heart of the old city. The whole course sits between 2,240 and 2,300 m — the first true altitude course in this catalog — where thinner air costs most runners 4–6% versus sea level, so pace and fuel off that adjusted target rather than sea-level PR splits. A gentle net descent from Ciudad Universitaria softens, but does not cancel, the altitude tax.
The Mexico City Marathon is a challenging course with meaningful climbs — rated 4/5 on our difficulty scale. Over the official 42.195 km (26.2 mi) the course gains about 1360 ft (410 m) and loses 1510 ft (460 m), with a net drop of 47 m (154 ft). Grade-adjusted pace says the toughest stretch arrives at kilometre 31 (near mile 19.5), demanding about 16% more effort than the same distance on flat ground. The steepest pitch on course reaches 12.1%.
Course stats
| Distance | 26.2 mi (42.195 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Mexico City, MX |
| Total ascent | 1360 ft (410 m) |
| Total descent | 1510 ft (460 m) |
| Net elevation | -154 ft (-47 m) |
| Steepest grade | 12.1% |
| Difficulty | 4/5 |
| Field size | ≈30,000 runners |
| Race day | Last Sunday of August |
Kilometre-by-kilometre splits (grade-adjusted)
Grade-adjusted (GAP) splits for a 4:00:00 finish, computed from the course's elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model: uphill kilometres get more time, downhills less, at even effort. Splits scale proportionally for any other goal time — the interactive pace calculator on this page computes them exactly.
| Kilometre | GAP pace /km | GAP pace /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5:48 | 9:19 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 5:48 |
| 2 | 5:15 | 8:27 | -51 ft (-15 m) | 11:02 |
| 3 | 5:53 | 9:28 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 16:56 |
| 4 | 5:25 | 8:42 | -35 ft (-11 m) | 22:20 |
| 5 | 5:43 | 9:12 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 28:03 |
| 6 | 5:30 | 8:51 | -26 ft (-8 m) | 33:33 |
| 7 | 5:43 | 9:11 | -25 ft (-8 m) | 39:16 |
| 8 | 5:43 | 9:12 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 44:59 |
| 9 | 5:25 | 8:43 | -29 ft (-9 m) | 50:24 |
| 10 | 5:50 | 9:23 | +15 ft (+5 m) | 56:13 |
| 11 | 5:32 | 8:54 | -18 ft (-6 m) | 1:01:45 |
| 12 | 5:47 | 9:19 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 1:07:33 |
| 13 | 5:42 | 9:11 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 1:13:15 |
| 14 | 5:41 | 9:08 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:18:55 |
| 15 | 5:37 | 9:02 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 1:24:32 |
| 16 | 6:01 | 9:40 | +34 ft (+10 m) | 1:30:33 |
| 17 | 5:40 | 9:07 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 1:36:13 |
| 18 | 5:44 | 9:14 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 1:41:57 |
| 19 | 6:00 | 9:39 | +31 ft (+10 m) | 1:47:57 |
| 20 | 5:49 | 9:22 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 1:53:46 |
| 21 | 5:52 | 9:26 | +17 ft (+5 m) | 1:59:37 |
| 22 | 5:39 | 9:05 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 2:05:16 |
| 23 | 5:31 | 8:52 | -20 ft (-6 m) | 2:10:47 |
| 24 | 5:42 | 9:11 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 2:16:29 |
| 25 | 5:48 | 9:19 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 2:22:16 |
| 26 | 6:00 | 9:39 | +33 ft (+10 m) | 2:28:16 |
| 27 | 5:31 | 8:53 | -22 ft (-7 m) | 2:33:47 |
| 28 | 5:33 | 8:55 | -14 ft (-4 m) | 2:39:20 |
| 29 | 5:39 | 9:06 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 2:44:59 |
| 30 | 5:22 | 8:39 | -34 ft (-10 m) | 2:50:21 |
| 31 | 5:36 | 9:01 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 2:55:57 |
| 32 | 6:35 | 10:35 | +83 ft (+25 m) | 3:02:32 |
| 33 | 5:28 | 8:49 | -35 ft (-11 m) | 3:08:01 |
| 34 | 5:21 | 8:36 | -37 ft (-11 m) | 3:13:21 |
| 35 | 5:50 | 9:23 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 3:19:11 |
| 36 | 5:24 | 8:41 | -37 ft (-11 m) | 3:24:35 |
| 37 | 5:58 | 9:36 | +26 ft (+8 m) | 3:30:33 |
| 38 | 5:31 | 8:53 | -22 ft (-7 m) | 3:36:04 |
| 39 | 5:32 | 8:54 | -17 ft (-5 m) | 3:41:36 |
| 40 | 5:48 | 9:21 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 3:47:24 |
| 41 | 5:48 | 9:20 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 3:53:13 |
| 42 | 5:41 | 9:09 | -1 ft (0 m) | 3:58:54 |
| 42.2 | 5:40 | 9:08 | -1 ft (0 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Mexico City Marathon flat or hilly?
The Mexico City Marathon is a challenging course with meaningful climbs (4/5 difficulty). Total ascent is about 1360 ft (410 m) over 26.2 miles.
How much elevation gain does the Mexico City Marathon have?
About 1360 ft (410 m) of total ascent and 1510 ft (460 m) of descent, for a net change of -154 ft (-47 m). Figures come from a digital elevation model, so very flat courses can read 20–30 ft high.
What is the hardest part of the Mexico City Marathon course?
Kilometre 31 (near mile 19.5) is the toughest split on the course by grade-adjusted effort. Grade-adjusted pace puts it at roughly 16% more effort than flat running. The steepest grade on course is 12.1%.
When is the Mexico City Marathon?
The Mexico City Marathon is typically held on the last Sunday of August. The next edition is expected around August 30, 2026. Confirm the exact date on the official race website.
How many runners take part in the Mexico City Marathon?
The field is roughly 30,000 runners.
What pace do I need to run the Mexico City Marathon in my goal time?
At an even pace: 3:00:00 needs 6:52/mi (4:16/km); 3:30:00 needs 8:01/mi (4:59/km); 4:00:00 needs 9:09/mi (5:41/km); 4:30:00 needs 10:18/mi (6:24/km); 5:00:00 needs 11:27/mi (7:07/km); 5:30:00 needs 12:35/mi (7:49/km). On this course, grade-adjusted pacing shifts a few seconds per mile between uphill and downhill splits — the pace calculator on this page computes those splits for any goal time.
Plan your Mexico City race
Marathons with a similar profile
- Athens Marathon — 1260 ft (380 m) ascent
- Osaka Marathon — 1250 ft (380 m) ascent
- Rome Marathon — 1240 ft (380 m) ascent
- Austin Marathon — 1070 ft (330 m) ascent
Official race site: https://maraton.cdmx.gob.mx/