pacertrip.Races
PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE
ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA race photo

ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USNov 1, 202642.195km · 21.1km · 5km
Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
Race date in 22 days
Nov 1, 2026 Sun
City · Distance
Albuquerque · 42.195km · 21.1km · 5km
Entry fee
$150Varies by event and entry period
Status
OpenTue, September 1, 2026 ~ Sun, November 1, 2026See how to enter ↗
Official website ↗
InstagramYouTube
D-day as of Oct 10, 2026
ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA race photo
Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
About the raceHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

The marathon course has 51 feet of total elevation gain.

Starting downtown, the route includes Route 66, Old Town, the Bosque Trail, North Valley and Los Ranchos course.

The marathon course is USATF-certified, so finish times count as Boston Marathon qualifying performances.

Half marathon and the 'Dia de los Muertos 5K' are also held on the same day.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

No runner reports yet. We'll add them here as they come in.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Finisher vlog

Albuquerque Running Fiesta · Finisher vlog

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

General entry · Marathon

Entry cost $150

Full marathon Entry fee.

Organizer's page
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA course map and elevation

Your 42.195km

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:00
EventStart
Marathon42.195km07:00
Half21.0975km08:00
5K5km09:00
START

Downtown Plaza, Albuquerque, NM 87104

Start · Google Maps
Show more

Course starts in downtown Albuquerque.

Route 66, Old Town, the Bosque Trail, the North Valley, and Los Ranchos are included in course, and the marathon has just 51 feet of total elevation gain.

The city sits in the Albuquerque Basin, with the Sandia Mountains to the east and the West Mesa to the west,

while the Rio Grande and its bosque run north to south through the heart of downtown.

For the 2026 edition, the start line location has changed and the course course has been streamlined.

Pacer s are stationed along half marathon and the marathon, while 26 local teams split up the course course to cheer runners on.

The program, called “Adopt a Mile,” assigns one mile marker to each local school, club, or cheer team.

The event was first held in 2025.

Local runners, race organizers, and residents spent four years preparing it,

starting with the goal of creating a race that showcases Albuquerque and New Mexico as they are.

Typical race-season temperature: around 7°C (44°F)
Long sleeves + a throwaway layer for the start

Participant benefits

Pacers

Finisher medal

Bag drop

Where and when to collect your ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2025 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

The Albuquerque Running Fiesta; packet pickup information has not been published.

DoubleTree Hotel

Google MapsDirections

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startAlbuquerque Civic Plaza, downtown Albuquerque, NM — served by ABQ RIDE local buses and the ART…
  • Getting to the finishSame venue — Civic Plaza.

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Albuquerque Civic Plaza, downtown Albuquerque, NM — served by ABQ RIDE local buses and the ART (Albuquerque Rapid Transit) Red Line on Central Avenue.

Start/finish at Civic Plaza in downtown Albuquerque. Most transit-accessible race in this batch — standard city bus/BRT gets runners to the start.

Map

Getting to the finish

Same venue — Civic Plaza.

Downtown, walkable from many hotels; ART Red Line stops nearby on Central Ave.

Map
Source · checked Aug 22, 2026
READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

The 2026 race takes place on Sunday, November 1.

The marathon starts at 7:00 a.m., the half marathon at 8:00 a.m. and the 5K at 8:45 a.m. The schedule is marked as tentative.

A community shakeout run is held at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 31.

Bib pickup takes place at the DoubleTree Hotel from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. the same day.

Pacers are available for the half marathon and marathon.

Half marathon groups target times from 1:20 to 3:00, while marathon groups target 3:00 to 5:30.

Pacers run even splits.

The marathon course is USATF-certified, so finish times may be used as Boston Marathon qualifying times.

A separate 0.5-mile event is available for children aged 12 and under, with a capacity of 100 participants.

Registration will open later.

The marathon entry fee is $69.99.

Times are local to Albuquerque. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Albuquerque | Private Airport Transfer to/from Albuquerque International Sunport Airport

$179

View on Klook

Albuquerque Car Rental (Qeeq)

Compare budget-friendly rental cars with a free-cancellation option (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Qeeq

Hotel Andaluz Albuquerque, Curio Collection By Hilton

Hotel · 291m

8.6/10(120)
View on Booking.com

Hotels near the ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA start line in

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

Distances are straight-line from the start.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

Hotel Andaluz Albuquerque, Curio Collection By Hilton

Hotel · 291m

8.6/10(120)
View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Trip.comClosest to the start lineView on Trip.com

Time for you, before and after the finish

View all →

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

Albuquerque | Private Airport Transfer to/from Albuquerque International Sunport Airport

$179

View on Klook

Albuquerque Car Rental (Qeeq)

Compare budget-friendly rental cars with a free-cancellation option (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Qeeq

Albuquerque Airport Pickup (Welcome)

Local driver pick-up, flight delay monitoring included (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Book after checking price

View on Welcome Pickups

What to see in Albuquerque after the race

Seeing Albuquerque with the medal on

View all →

The city you ran — this time, a little slower.

Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Experiences, food and sights are travel products in Albuquerque.

Total cost and budget for ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · Trip.comFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Albuquerque runners' room

Frequently asked questions about ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA

FAQ
When does ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA 2026 take place?

It takes place on Sun, November 1, 2026 in Albuquerque, NM, United States.

How much is the ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA 2026 entry fee?

The main event costs $150.

What distances does ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA 2026 offer?

Marathon · Half · 5K.

What time does ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA 2026 start?

The race starts at 07:00.

Where does ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA 2026 start?

Downtown Plaza, Albuquerque, NM 87104.

When does registration for ALBUQUERQUE RUNNING FIESTA 2026 open?

Registration runs from Tue, September 1, 2026 to Sun, November 1, 2026.

PacerTrip connects you to races, stays, flights and tours. You book and pay on each service; when you go through these links we earn a commission.