Sahara Marathon

Course & Elevation

The Sahara Marathon is a solidarity race run in the Sahrawi refugee camps near Tindouf in south-west Algeria, first held in 2001. The 2027 edition is scheduled for Tuesday 16 March. It is organised in collaboration with local institutions such as the National Union of Sahrawi Women and the Sahrawi Athletics Federation, and runners take part as part of an organised week in the camps, staying with Sahrawi families, rather than by simply buying a race entry. Besides the 42.195 km marathon there are a 21 km half marathon, a 10 km and a 5 km. The marathon starts in the El Aaiún camp and is a point-to-point race rather than a closed circuit, crossing the camps of El Aaiún, Auserd and Smara. The ground is a mix of compact ground, sand, stones and some sections of dunes or soft sand. The profile is mostly flat, with small climbs between km 21 and 35. From km 5 onward there are refreshment stations every 2.5 km with water and fruit, and runners are advised to carry their own bottle, bars and gels. The field is capped at 400 runners, and the race raises awareness of the long-running conflict in Western Sahara and funds projects in the camps.