PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONIQ / RACE GUIDE

Erbil International Marathon

Name: 3,500 people run Erbil marathon
Uploaded: 2023-10-28
Description: The Erbil International Marathon began in 2011 as the first international marathon in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region. It is accredited by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS)

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

IQOct 31, 202642.195km · 10km · 5km

Rudaw English · YouTube

Race date in 21 days: Oct 31, 2026 Sat
City · Distance: Erbil · 42.195km · 10km · 5km
Entry fee: $30From the 2025 edition
Status: OpenSee how to enter ↗

2026Date Oct 31, 2026 · Open

2025

2025Date Oct 31, 2025

Official website ↗

Instagram YouTube

D-day as of Oct 10, 2026

About the race Runner stories How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

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

The Erbil International Marathon began in 2011 as the first international marathon in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.

It is accredited by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and comprises the full marathon (42.195 km),

half marathon (21.1 km), 10 km, and 5K Fun Run categories.

It is held every year in Erbil on the last Friday of October, with the 2026 race taking place on October 31 (Friday).

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.

#ErbilInternationalMarathon#Erbil#Overseas Marathon#October Marathon#Full marathon Marathon

Stories from runners who've been there.

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

Race reports: 2

DianaRan in 2019 · Finish time 5:22

“I did finish the full marathon but it was quite challenging to complete it.”

Short on supplies at the Erbil Marathon, Diana relied on police, passersby, and fellow runners, then dodged traffic that had reopened late in the race. Her running app recorded 5 hours 22 minutes after her first full marathon, making the finish a meaningful achievement under difficult conditions.

Read the original on The Globetrotting Detective

The Boston GlobeFinish time 3:12:56

A participant's race recap covering the heat and delayed start in Erbil.

Their race in brief

Read the original on The Boston Globe

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

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

2023 Full recap

Rudaw English · Full recap

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 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.

From the 2025 edition

General entry

Select an event category and complete the registration form on the official website;

registration is confirmed by email

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 42.195km

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

From the 2025 edition

Runners start · local timeFrom 10:00

Time limit6h

Event	Start	Time limit	Entry fee
Full Marathon42.195km	10:00	6h	$30
Half Marathon21.1km	—	—	$20
10K10km	—	—	$10
Fun Run5km	—	—	$5

START

Sami Abdulrahman Park

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Sami Abdulrahman Park, Erbil

Finish · Google Maps

Cutoff
Full marathon time limit 6 hours — Other categories time limit are not specified on the official website

Course starts on 60m Street opposite the Parliament, then follows roads through central Erbil,

including sections around the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Erbil Citadel and Sami Abdulrahman Park, one of the largest parks in the Middle East.

Overall, it is regarded as a flat course suitable for runners of various abilities, and finish is located inside Sami Abdulrahman Park.

World Athletics Label: Label Label
AIMS Certified: Member race of the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races)
Typical race-season temperature: around 24°C (74°F): Hot race — plan fluids and electrolytes

Participant benefits

Medical support

Water stations

Aid stations

Finisher medal

Finisher certificate

Official timing

Finisher finisher medal

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 official website does not list the bib, Packet Pickup registration location, or event date and time.
Contact the organizer to confirm the required documents, proxy pickup, and whether race-day pickup is available.

Stations & transport near the venue

Transit cardThere's no citywide transit card or reliable public bus network for visitors — get around by taxi (agree the fare or just pay in cash at the end, since meters aren't used) or use the Careem app, which is the easiest and safest option for foreigners.
Getting to the finishSami Abdulrahman Park

Source · checked Aug 20, 2026 · Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

More details

Getting to the finish

Sami Abdulrahman Park

Finish inside Sami Abdulrahman Park, west side of Erbil city, next to 60 Meter Street (Sixty Meter Road), directly opposite Kurdistan Parliament and Council of Ministers buildings. Main Erbil-Mosul road runs just south of park.

Map

More details

No shuttle bus or road-closure info on official site. Erbil has no formal public transit -- taxis, shared minivans, ride-hailing apps only (in-city taxi 3,000-7,000 IQD).

Note: some of the official site's text appears left over from the 2025 edition -- reconfirm the exact date with the organizer. Venue is a well-known fixed public park, very likely still correct regardless of exact date; start-line location not stated separately from finish on official site.

Transit card

Pay taxi drivers in cash (Iraqi dinars); a typical cross-town ride runs roughly 4,000-6,000 IQD. Careem (ride-hailing app) is widely used and lets you pay in-app or by cash.

There is no formal reloadable transit card system to speak of in Erbil.

Where to buy

Source · checked Aug 20, 2026 Source · checked Aug 17, 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.

Course has aid and refreshment stations at several points, with medical staff on course for safety support.

Official timing is used, and finishers receive a finisher medal.

The event is traditionally held on the last Friday of October.

As it takes place on a weekday, check local traffic-control arrangements in advance.

Entries are submitted through a Google Form on the official website, followed by confirmation by email.

Times are local to Erbil. 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.

Erbil International Hotel

Hotel · 1.9km

9.1/10(289)

Erbil International Marathon

About Erbil International Marathon — what makes it special

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

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run