Albacete Half Marathon 2027

The Albacete half marathon is faster than its reputation. In 2025, Hagos Eyob won in 1:00:42 and Kiros Muaz in 1:09:09, and both times are now course records. That’s quick for any Spanish race, and very quick for a provincial capital on the La Mancha plain. The 29th edition starts at 9:30 on Sunday 4 October 2026 on Avenida de España.

Two unequal laps

The course is a loop run twice, but the laps are different lengths. The first is 8.3 km and the second 12.7 km. Break the race down that way. The first lap is where it’s easy to go out too fast in a big group. The second lap is longer, and that’s where you’ll either hold your pace or lose it.

Albacete is very flat, so the biggest factor is the wind across the plain rather than hills. If it’s blowing, stay in a group on the exposed stretches.

Drinks and pacers

There are five drinks stations, at km 5, 10, 13, 15 and 18.5. That’s more than most half marathons, with an extra stop halfway through the second lap and another shortly before the finish.

Pacers will run 1:24, 1:30, 1:40, 1:45, 1:50 and 2:00. If you’re aiming for sub-1:30 or sub-2, you’ll have a group to follow.

Before you go

• The race is organised by the city council’s municipal sports institute (IMD). Entries and regulations are on albaceterunning.com.
• The runner’s bag includes a technical shirt from 42K Running, white with an orange-to-fuchsia gradient.
• Albacete is about 1 h 30 min by high-speed train from both Madrid and Valencia, so you can travel on race morning if you’re happy with an early train.