Costa Rica is preparing to welcome hundreds of athletes from around the world in an unprecedented event: the Great Costa Rica Marathon 2025, a world-class competition that will take place on Sunday, November 30, 2025, in the heart of the Greater Metropolitan Area. With nearly 300 confirmed international runners and athletes from 22 countries participating, the event represents a turning point in the country’s position as a leading sports tourism destination.

The marathon will cover the main thoroughfares of the Greater Metropolitan Area, including the complete closure of one of the San José ring roadways, transforming the busiest streets into an urban Olympic circuit for the first time. From the air, the course’s layout forms the shape of a heart, a perfect metaphor for what this race represents for Costa Rica: an experience that beats at the heart of its capital and its people.

Exceeding all expectations

The international response has exceeded all expectations. Currently, athletes from countries such as Aruba, Colombia, Qatar, Singapore, Denmark, Luxembourg, Mexico, Nicaragua, Ireland, England, Guatemala, Ecuador, the United States, and Canada, among others, have registered. This diversity not only expands the event’s reach but also strengthens the country’s global position as a host of quality sporting events.

High international quality standards

“At the Costa Rican Tourism Institute, we are pleased to support the Great Costa Rica Marathon, an athletics event with high international quality standards that will boost tourism in San José and surrounding areas, thanks to the confirmed participation of runners from 22 countries and hundreds of thousands of Costa Ricans from all corners of the country. Costa Rica will become the epicenter of sport, especially our capital, a unique opportunity for the nearly 10,000 participants to discover the stories, architectural spaces, and cultural elements that give rise to the ‘San José: Heartbeat of Our Identity’ strategy,” said Ireth Rodríguez, Head of Promotion for the Vacation Segment at the ICT.

The Great Costa Rica Marathon responds to one of the most established trends in global sport: marathons that merge high-level competition with attractive tourist destinations. In this case, the country not only offers a first-class athletic experience, but also a comprehensive vacation experience, with world-class infrastructure, biodiversity, culture, and hospitality.

Furthermore, the event will have a direct impact on the urban environment. 100% of the funds raised from registrations will be donated to the restoration of La Sabana Metropolitan Park, the capital’s most important green space. This initiative transforms the marathon into an event with a purpose, where every step counts toward building a better city.

With distances of 2K, 5K, 10K, 21K, and 42K, the marathon was designed to include people of all ages and backgrounds. Currently, the youngest registered runner is 5 years old, and the oldest is 78. This diversity reflects the event’s inclusive spirit, which seeks to bring together professional athletes, recreational athletes, and families in a single celebration.

“Costa Rica is a country that knows how to dream big, and when we have a dream combined with partnerships that make it possible, Costa Rica can achieve things comparable to the best happening in the rest of the world. This is a marathon designed to honor Costa Rican athletes, but it is built with the highest international standards. That is why we are confident that all the international athletes who visit us will not only experience an epic moment but will also have a unique experience visiting one of the most beautiful countries in the world, Costa Rica,” said Leonora Jiménez, part of the marathon organizing team.

The marathon is supported by ICODER, the ICT (Spanish Institute of Tourism), the MOPT (Ministry of Tourism of Costa Rica), the Traffic Police, and the municipalities of San José, Tibás, Montes de Oca, and Goicoechea, among others, as well as the official endorsement of the Government of the Republic, which has declared it an event of public interest.

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