Marathons that start and finish in the same location

As someone who works on logistics on a daily basis, when it comes to selecting what Marathon I want to do next, the location of the start and finish is important for me. I like the idea of being able to stay in my room, or at least at the hotel, until very late before entering the start pen. I also feel better knowing that I can give my all during the Marathon, safe in the knowledge that I don’t have far to go after finishing.

From the Marathon rule book, Did you know?

“The start and finish points of a course, measured along a theoretical straight line between them, shall not be further apart than 50% of the race distance.” [i.e., 13.1 miles (21.1 km) for the ~26.2 mile (~42.2 km) marathon distance].

If the above is not the case then the course is not official and won’t count for records etc.

So, let’s have a look at those Marathons where the start and finish are in the same place. Of course we’ve selected our hotel in a prime location to make race day logistics as easy as possible. You just need to turn up and do the running! We have highlighted 3 of our favourites; Paris, Reykjavik and Rome. You can read on to the bottom of the page for a full list of Marathons with easy race day logistics.

Our favourite Marathons that start and finish in the same place

Read below about product Manager Simon Davies running Paris, about founder of Sports Travel International Ireland Martin Joyce running Reykjavik and about me visiting Rome.

Paris Marathon – Sunday 17 October, 2021 | Sunday 9 April, 2022

The Paris Marathon starts on the Avenue des Champs Elysees. The various start pens line up between the Arc de Triomphe and the Rue de Marignan and Rue de Colisee. The finish is on Avenue Foch which has various exits that will lead you back to the hotel. We stay at Hotel Mercure Wagram. A comfortable hotel with a great location for the start and finish of the Paris Marathon.

• Location of the start: Avenue des Champs Elysees: 700 metres/ 9 minute walk from our hotel
• Location of the finish: Avenue Foch: 500 metres/ 7 minute walk back to our hotel

Product Manager and runner Simon Davies ran the Paris Marathon and stayed at our hotel. Read about his experience here:

Simon’s Experience at the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris.

The Rome Marathon – Sunday 19 September, 2021 | Sunday 3 April, 2022

Another beautiful city Marathon is Rome. I stayed at the hotel Mercure Roma Centro Colloseo myself, with my wife, on a city break a few years ago. As I enjoyed my stay so much we started using this hotel for our Rome Marathon Weekend. The views from the hotel’s roof top terrace and bar of this legendary ancient Roman construction are unbelievable. You can even sit in the rooftop pool whilst enjoying the view of the Colosseum. See picture below of the view you could enjoy after having conquered the Rome Marathon.

• Location of the start: Via dei Fori Imperiali – 1300 metres/ 15 minutes
• Location of the finish: Via dei Fori Imperiali – 1300 metres/ 15 minutes

Reykjavik Marathon – Saturday 22 August, 2022

Sports Travel International are Ireland’s Marathon Travel specialists. Our friend, and founder of our sister company Sports Travel International, Martin Joyce, discovered Reykjavik for himself in 2019. He had no idea what to expect when he travelled to the Icelandic capital for the first time. He recounted his memorable experience at the Reykjavik Marathon for us…

• Location of the start: Sóleyjargata – 900 metres/ 10 minutes walk
• Location of the finish: Lækjargata – 150 metres/ 2 minute walk

Reykjavik Marathon – An Odyssey

See our full list of Marathons with start and finish in the same place. Click on the link to view the Marathon.

Written by Alex de Waard, Director of Product and Operations at Sports Tours International

As someone who works on logistics on a daily basis, when it comes to selecting what Marathon I want to do next, the location of the start and finish is important for me. I like the idea of being able to stay in my room, or at least at the hotel, until very late before entering the start pen. I also feel better knowing that I can give my all during the Marathon, safe in the knowledge that I don’t have far to go after finishing.

From the Marathon rule book, Did you know?

“The start and finish points of a course, measured along a theoretical straight line between them, shall not be further apart than 50% of the race distance.” [i.e., 13.1 miles (21.1 km) for the ~26.2 mile (~42.2 km) marathon distance].

If the above is not the case then the course is not official and won’t count for records etc.

So, let’s have a look at those Marathons where the start and finish are in the same place. Of course we’ve selected our hotel in a prime location to make race day logistics as easy as possible. You just need to turn up and do the running! We have highlighted 3 of our favourites; Paris, Reykjavik and Rome. You can read on to the bottom of the page for a full list of Marathons with easy race day logistics.

Our favourite Marathons that start and finish in the same place

Read below about product Manager Simon Davies running Paris, about founder of Sports Travel International Ireland Martin Joyce running Reykjavik and about me visiting Rome.

Paris Marathon – Sunday 17 October, 2021 | Sunday 9 April, 2022

The Paris Marathon starts on the Avenue des Champs Elysees. The various start pens line up between the Arc de Triomphe and the Rue de Marignan and Rue de Colisee. The finish is on Avenue Foch which has various exits that will lead you back to the hotel. We stay at Hotel Mercure Wagram. A comfortable hotel with a great location for the start and finish of the Paris Marathon.

• Location of the start: Avenue des Champs Elysees: 700 metres/ 9 minute walk from our hotel
• Location of the finish: Avenue Foch: 500 metres/ 7 minute walk back to our hotel

Product Manager and runner Simon Davies ran the Paris Marathon and stayed at our hotel. Read about his experience here:

Simon’s Experience at the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris.

The Rome Marathon – Sunday 19 September, 2021 | Sunday 3 April, 2022

Another beautiful city Marathon is Rome. I stayed at the hotel Mercure Roma Centro Colloseo myself, with my wife, on a city break a few years ago. As I enjoyed my stay so much we started using this hotel for our Rome Marathon Weekend. The views from the hotel’s roof top terrace and bar of this legendary ancient Roman construction are unbelievable. You can even sit in the rooftop pool whilst enjoying the view of the Colosseum. See picture below of the view you could enjoy after having conquered the Rome Marathon.

• Location of the start: Via dei Fori Imperiali – 1300 metres/ 15 minutes
• Location of the finish: Via dei Fori Imperiali – 1300 metres/ 15 minutes

Reykjavik Marathon – Saturday 22 August, 2022

Sports Travel International are Ireland’s Marathon Travel specialists. Our friend, and founder of our sister company Sports Travel International, Martin Joyce, discovered Reykjavik for himself in 2019. He had no idea what to expect when he travelled to the Icelandic capital for the first time. He recounted his memorable experience at the Reykjavik Marathon for us…

• Location of the start: Sóleyjargata – 900 metres/ 10 minutes walk
• Location of the finish: Lækjargata – 150 metres/ 2 minute walk

Reykjavik Marathon – An Odyssey

See our full list of Marathons with start and finish in the same place. Click on the link to view the Marathon.

Written by Alex de Waard, Director of Product and Operations at Sports Tours International