Lisbon Marathon
Cascais, Portugal
- Marathon
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Lisbon, Portugal is home to possibly the world’s most gorgeous marathon. Journey from the seaside village of Cascais, run along the banks of the Tagus River and pass World Heritage sites. The half marathon provides stunning views from its epic start on the Vasco da Gama Bridge. Feel the excitement … MORE
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Flat, fast course with few turns
The course is a good one to get a PR. I didn't because it was hotter and more humid than I expected for early October. You take a train to … MORE
The course is a good one to get a PR. I didn’t because it was hotter and more humid than I expected for early October. You take a train to get to the start; that worked out okay. The toilets were out of toilet paper an hour before the race started. Also, they were out at the finish. Fortunately, I have been to enough races and know to bring my own. Gels were handed out at 2 locations during the race but they were very difficult to open. I easily added a minute or two to my time trying to open the gels. Post-race refreshments were okay, but I crave something salty after the race and they did not have anything.
One way course along the coast
The race is a one way course from Cascais on the ocean along the coast into town through cobblestones and past ancient. You take a train out to the start. … MORE
The race is a one way course from Cascais on the ocean along the coast into town through cobblestones and past ancient. You take a train out to the start. Gradual inclines and declines. A great t-shirt.
Stunning Destination for a Marathon
What a gorgeous place to go for a run! And just missed a PR by 13 seconds, too! Temps were low 60s in Cascais at the start and didn’t get … MORE
What a gorgeous place to go for a run! And just missed a PR by 13 seconds, too!
Temps were low 60s in Cascais at the start and didn’t get too much warmer thanks to the temperate coastal climate. The scenery for the first 20ish miles is idyllic, especially miles 2-8 while you’re in Cascais for an out-and-back. Breaking ocean waves, gentle breezes, and unspoiled views of the coast greet you for the first third of the race.
Water stations begin at mile 3. They’re a little spread out for the first half of the race — maybe every two miles? — but come a bit more frequently on the back half. There were no toilets along the race route; men and women alike were seen ducking into the underbrush for mid-race relief.
Along the route to Lisbon, you’ll pass through more village-y areas. The beauty of the course still shines through, with a mostly flat route hugging the shore as beaches, cliffs, and tidal areas mark the miles.
Crowds were sparse most of the way, but certainly not absent — and the finish area is a throng of spectators lining the streets as you reach the square where the race ends.
The train ride to Cascais is a short 40-minute trip, and free to runners. Board as Cais du Sodre. The trains run every 30 minutes and were full with runners (and our special funky odor).
Race swag was pretty ho-hum. There’s a shirt (it’s ok), a buff (meh), and a bag. A granola bar, too, I think. Post-race support was equally ho-hum: Another bag with a banana and a protein drink. There was a Gatorade tent nearby. If there was any other swag or nourishment for runners nearby, I missed it.
I told myself Lisbon was gonna be “just a training run,” but despite only 48 hours to lick jet lag, I had one of my best races ever. By relaxing and enjoying the run, I was able to soak up this magnificent destination. I highly recommend this race for anyone who cherishes the journey more than the result
A race for your next PB
I read many positive reviews on this race before I registered but honestly I didn't expect it to be so good! The expo was OK, if you forgot to bring … MORE
I read many positive reviews on this race before I registered but honestly I didn’t expect it to be so good!
The expo was OK, if you forgot to bring some of your equipment/supplements, there are sellers offering all the essentials but don’t expect to buy the cheapest piece of clothing there. I got myself energy gels and salt bars as well as a visor because I needed some sun/rain protection.
Getting to the starting area is a process and since the race starts at 8 a.m. it requires waking up early and taking a 40-minutes train to Cascais but later on you are grateful because you are almost in the finish line before the sun gets too strong.
Anyway, everything is perfectly organised….from the BIB pick-up, baggage drop-off, refreshment stations, live music stages and the cheering crowds on the course….
It was only my second marathon and I didn’t know what to expect but it was so flat (with some minor elevation parts) that I managed to improve my time for 30 minutes!
Refreshment stations were well-organised, with bottled water, electrolytes, orange/lemon pieces, and sometime around 25th I think there were gels which I didn’t take.
Some people complain about cobblestone but it was really nothing, couple of hundred metres near the finish line where you get the support from spectators that you don’t even feel how much your feet are crying 😀
Besides, the city and all the scenery you get to enjoy while running from Cascais to Lisbon is just amazing…
This is the race I would highly recommend to every runner!
no toilets until 6 km
we were on a bridge for 2 hours waiting for the marathon to start. No bathrooms, no services. Then, there were no bathrooms until 6 km. For the first 3 … MORE
we were on a bridge for 2 hours waiting for the marathon to start. No bathrooms, no services. Then, there were no bathrooms until 6 km. For the first 3 hours of my day, I watched men, women, old, young, have no choice but to release their bowels over the bridge, on the bridge, where people were standing, in ditches, on the side of the road like animals. The marathon started one hour late because of the hurricane, so I can imagine that created logistical challenges, but they were tearing down the track after the turnoff of the mini marathon, so there was no signage after that, and a cop on our tail pressuring to pull us off. We came as a group from Canada and had lengthy discussions about finishing under 4 hours, and were assured that we had the time, since we are a walking group. I loved Lisbon and Cascais as a destination, but this was a terrible experience. We could have gone anywhere. All the organizers needed to tell us is that they didn’t take walkers over 3 hours. That was not what we were told. 4 of us travelled from Canada and 3 of us were pulled off.
Don't Waste The Time or Risk Your Health
This was a poorly organized race, from start to finish. The race day weather and lack of course support lead to very dangerous running conditions. The Rock n Roll organization … MORE
This was a poorly organized race, from start to finish. The race day weather and lack of course support lead to very dangerous running conditions. The Rock n Roll organization should reconsider associating their name with this production.
1. To start, the pre-race expo was held in a location too small for the turnout. The line to get inside the building for bib pick-up was over 2-hours long and on an unshaded concrete terrace. On an 80+ degree day, this led to sunburn and heat issues for all even before the race started.
2. Bibs were handed out without safety pins. This made for an interesting opportunity to scour Lisbon stores for something to attach our bibs to our shirts.
3. Inside the expo, there were a few crowded (uninterested) vendors before I was pushed towards your t-shirt and exit. I luckily received one of the last few shirts available, although not in my size and unwearably small. They completely ran out of race shirts for participants later that afternoon.
4. On race day, we had to wait in another >1-hr line to board a bus for transport to the starting point on the bridge. Once there, we had to wait another hour for the race to start. There was no shade or water during any of these waits. Unfortunately, the staff only allowed racers to use toilets in their own tightly controlled corrals. I could see empty toilets in the corral behind me, but was prevented from using them by security. Despite waiting over an hour, I still had not gotten through the line for the toilet when the race began and my corral emptied out.
5. Water/aid stations were not located at the miles indicated at the expo. This meant that the first aid station did not happen until well-past the 3-mile mark. While this may not be a big deal normally, the long pre-race wait times, lack of shade, and late start time (10:30am) on a day that climbed near 90oF meant I was very thirsty and would have appreciated an earlier water break.
6. At the height of the race, when temperatures were at their worst, the aid stations ran out of water and liquids. By mile 8, the tables were empty and support staff were gone. Racers were digging through discarded water bottles on the ground for any drops they could get. A first aid station handed out some water, but had to reserve most of their supply for the health emergencies that began rolling in. I should mention that I finished well within the time constraints of this race and this lack of water/aid affected a large portion of the runners.
7. They ran out of post-race snacks/ drinks. On a large concrete, unshaded plaza, after miles of no course support in 90-degree weather, I was greeted by empty-handed staff. After begging, I was eventually provided a small carton of warm chocolate milk, but was denied a second by security.
After the race, the Lisbon staff took to social media to congratulate themselves on a record-number of runners. They seemed to overlook the fact that their poor management of the race put runners’ health at risk. If you have a race that runs through mid-day heat with no shade, then you need water. It’s that simple.
A nice offering for a stop on Eurotrip
The start line on the bridge was pretty cool, the rest of it was not very scenic at all, and the finish line was very crowded, not easy to find … MORE
The start line on the bridge was pretty cool, the rest of it was not very scenic at all, and the finish line was very crowded, not easy to find snacks and drinks. Performance was as expected as I had just run Berlin marathon the week before and spent the week at Oktoberfest
Tough at the end!
Lisbon Marathon used to be an event at the beginning of December, so it was a good option to end the year with. Runners could choose between the full and … MORE
Lisbon Marathon used to be an event at the beginning of December, so it was a good option to end the year with. Runners could choose between the full and the half distance. The expo was small, but fine. The start of the half marathon took place at km 21.1 of the full course so that runners ran the second half of the full course together. It was a nice and flat course along the seaside passing by the famous Hieronymus monastery, then turning back to downtown where the course turned left through the historical centre of Lisbon. Km15-20 were all uphill before the last km was finally downhill. Finish was in the stadium. I liked the race but unfortunately it was the last edition of the Lisbon Marathon which was always held in December. Weather conditions were perfect when I ran the half marathon. Sunny and 12 degrees Celsius. Lisbon Marathon has become part of the Rockn Roll series in 2013 and now takes place in October.