Palma Marathon

Location: Palma
Country: Spain
Website: https://www.palmademallorcamarathon.com/
2025 Marathon Date: 19/10/2025
2026 Marathon Date: TBC
Winning Time 2025: 02:31:47
% Sub-3s: 2–5%
# Sub-3s: 10–49
Total Runners: 1k–3k

The Palma Marathon brings together Mediterranean beauty, historic streets, and rolling coastal roads on the island of Mallorca. It’s a race that trades on atmosphere and scenery rather than pure speed — charming, vibrant, and unmistakably island-paced. You run through a city framed by the cathedral and the harbour, with palm-lined boulevards and flashes of sea light. But make no mistake: Palma asks you to earn your time.

The route is part old-town weave, part seafront rhythm. That means variety: stone-paved stretches, long waterside sections, gentle gradients, and the occasional tightening of space in the historic centre. Watch awareness matters. Smooth cadence pays off more than split obsession in those early kilometres. Then, when the course stretches out alongside the water, there’s room to settle and move. It’s a marathon where you learn to flow rather than force.

Weather defines this race as much as terrain. October in Palma can bring perfect mild racing air — or sun that creeps up quicker than expected. Even at its coolest, the island climate carries warmth and brightness. Hydration and pacing discipline aren’t just helpful here; they are structural. The runners who succeed keep their core temp in check, fuel on schedule, and hold back when the morning feels almost too comfortable.

Spectator presence comes in waves: locals around the centre, beachfront pockets, curious tourists offering cheers that blend different languages at once. There’s a relaxed charm to it all — an atmosphere of movement without frenzy. Aid stations are frequent and well-run, reflecting Palma’s appeal as an event destination as well as a sporting challenge.

A sub-3 effort in Palma is a craft performance. It demands economy, composure, and awareness of climate, especially through the late miles when the sun and rollers test concentration. It isn’t a course where you muscle the clock — it’s where you build a relationship with the route, keep a cool head, and let fitness express itself intelligently.

For runners who thrive on variety, scenery, and thoughtful pacing rather than rigid calibration, Palma offers a memorable, rewarding marathon — part endurance test, part Mediterranean journey.