Shanghai Marathon

Course & Elevation

The Shanghai Marathon (Shanghai International Marathon) is the city's annual marathon, held on a Sunday in early December and rated a Platinum Label road race by World Athletics. The 2026 race, on 6 December, is the 30th edition and is being used by the World Marathon Majors in its evaluation of Shanghai as a possible ninth major. The marathon starts at the Bund Bull in Huangpu District on the Huangpu waterfront. The wheelchair race goes off at 06:45 and the marathon follows in waves from 07:00. The route passes the Bund, the Nanjing Road pedestrian street and the Jing'an Temple before finishing in the Xujiahui area, at Xujiahui Sports Park. The first race was held in 1996 as the Shanghai International Citizen Marathon. For 2026 the marathon capacity grows from 23,000 to 30,000 runners, and a separate mini marathon with 15,000 participants runs the day before. The course records are 2:05:35 for men (Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba, 2023) and 2:16:36 for women (Brigid Kosgei, 2025).