Kuwait Marathon

Course & Elevation

The Gulf Bank 642 Marathon, often called the Kuwait Marathon, is a road race in Kuwait City held on a Saturday in late November. It is organised by Gulf Bank with the events company Suffix, and the number 642 is the number of muscles in the human body. The first race in 2015 was billed as the first full road race in Kuwait, and the 12th edition takes place on 28 November 2026. The programme has a 42 km marathon, a 21 km half marathon, a 10 km run for ages 16 and over, and a 5 km walk or run for ages 11 and over. The race starts at Souq Sharq on the Gulf coast. In 2015 the organisers described the path along Gulf Road past the Kuwait Towers, the Gulf Bank head office and Souq Mubarakiya, and more recent editions also pass the Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Centre. The bank describes it as the first race in Kuwait accredited by World Athletics, with a Bronze Label, and it is recognised by AIMS and the Abbott World Marathon Majors. More than 10,000 runners took part in 2025, with total prizes of US$50,000.