Christchurch Marathon

The Christchurch Marathon, which first took place in 2003, is known for having one of the fastest courses in the world. Its flat and scenic route make the Christchurch Marathon ideal for runners of all ages and abilities. With full marathon, half marathon, quarter marathon, and Kids’ Mara’Fun events, there’s something for everyone. This article will tell you everything you need to know about this premier New Zealand marathon.

The course

Adult races

Since the 2023 edition, the Christchurch Marathon has been held in Hagley Park. The course features a scenic, flat, and fast route through Christchurch’s city centre, giving participants a great view of various landmarks including Christs College, Cambridge Terrace, Canterbury Museum, the Avon River, and Oxford Terrace. The course also boasts many spectator opportunities, with spectator points in four locations around the course, all within five minutes walking distance to the start and finish line.

All events start and finish next to the Armagh Street gates. The course route is a 10.55K counter-clockwise lap through the city and Hagley Park. The full marathon consists of four laps for a 42.2K total, the half marathon two laps for 21.1K, and the quarter marathon one lap.

Compared to the marathon’s old, pre-2023 route, the current route features better roads, fewer bridges, much less traffic, and more drink stations.

Kids races

The Kids’ Mara’Fun takes place entirely within Hagley Park. As with the adult races, all kids’ races start and finish next to the Armagh Street gates in the park. Depending on the age group, the course is altered to accommodate 1K, 2K, and 3K routes. The kids’ races are safe and scenic and never leave the security of Hagley Park.

How to enter

Prospective participants can enter the 2024 Christchurch Marathon on the event’s official website. Depending on the race and when you enter the event, there are several different price points:

Entry to the full marathon costs $115 if you enter before March 18^th, and $140 after March 18^th.
Entry to the half marathon costs $80 if you enter before March 18^th, and $100 after March 18^th.
Entry to the quarter marathon costs $50 if you enter before March 18^th, and $65 after March 18^th.
Entry to the kids 1K, 2K, and 3K races cost $25 if you enter before March 18^th, and $30 after March 18^th. Parents can run with their kids for free.

For the full marathon, racers are welcome to use wheelchairs, while for the half and quarter marathons, racers are welcome to use wheelchairs and walkers.

A renowned marathon

Being one of New Zealand’s fastest marathon courses, the Christchurch Marathon is an opportune place for runners to achieve a new personal best time. Both the full and half marathon are IAAF and AIMS certified, making Christchurch a great place to qualify for international marathon events like the Boston Marathon.