MEXICO · RUNNING
Key Facts
- Power Index Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 71.4 points (October 2026 edition).
- The race Powerade Monterrey Marathon, 42.195 km, a Boston Marathon qualifier.
- When Sunday 13 December 2026, 6:45 a.m. in Monterrey, which is 7:45 a.m. Eastern.
- Where Fundidora Park, Monterrey, Nuevo León; start and finish in the same park.
- Entries Sold out; the organiser’s name-change window closed on 30 October.
- Watch in the US No US broadcaster announced; results are due Wednesday 16 December.
The Monterrey Marathon runs on Sunday 13 December 2026 in Fundidora Park, a former steel-mill site in the Mexican city of Monterrey. The gun goes off at 6:45 a.m. local time, which is 7:45 a.m. Eastern.
All entries for the Monterrey Marathon are sold out, and the organiser says there are no refunds. This guide gives the Eastern time schedule, the rules, the costs and the options for an American who still wants to go.
Why the Monterrey Marathon Matters to US Readers
The Monterrey Marathon is a certified 42.195-kilometre race, which is the full 26.2 miles. The organiser says AIMS, the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, certified the course, and World Athletics endorsed it.
The Monterrey Marathon is also a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, so an American can use a fast time here to enter Boston. The organiser reports chip times to Boston, and chip times decide who qualifies.
The Monterrey Marathon also qualifies runners for the Abbott World Marathon Majors Age Group Championships. That makes it more than a local fun run for serious amateurs.
The 2026 slogan is “20 años corriendo juntos”, which means 20 years running together. The sponsors include Powerade, the sports-drink brand, and Brooks, the running-shoe maker.
In Plain English
The organisers are a state association of running clubs, the Asociación de Clubes de Corredores de Nuevo León, and Arca Continental, a beverage company. Nuevo León is the northern state whose capital is Monterrey.
The Mexican athletics federation, called the FMAA, sets the competition rules for prizes and protests. A Boston qualifier is a race whose certified course and timing let runners use their time to enter the Boston Marathon.
Schedule in Local and US Eastern Time
Mexico abolished daylight saving time in 2022, so Monterrey is on UTC-6 all year. In December the United States east coast is on standard time, so Monterrey is one hour behind New York.
The Monterrey Marathon starts on Sunday 13 December at 6:45 a.m. in Monterrey, which is 7:45 a.m. Eastern. That is 6:45 a.m. Central, 5:45 a.m. Mountain and 4:45 a.m. Pacific.
There is a single gun start with four corrals, assigned by the finish time a runner reports. A runner who gives no expected time is placed in the last corral.
Chip and bib pickup is at CINTERMEX, the convention centre. It runs Friday 11 December from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday 12 December from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
In Eastern time, pickup is 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. A carbohydrate dinner is listed for Saturday from 7:00 p.m., or 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
The organiser lists two days of sports expo, but the page gives no separate expo dates. Protests under the federation’s rules are accepted until Monday 14 December.
Results are due on Wednesday 16 December. The organiser’s site is the place to check them.
Entries, Fees and Refunds
The organiser’s site shows “Inscripciones Agotadas”, which means entries are sold out, and the race page says total entries are sold out. The pages show no waiting list and no race-week sales.
The name-change window for runners who cannot race ran from 12 to 30 October and has closed; the fee was MXN 250 (about US$13). The rules say a bib and chip are personal and cannot be passed to another runner.
The race page says there are no refunds once an entry is bought, and bibs cannot be carried over to a later edition. Entries can be transferred only through the official process.
The 2026 fee rose in four steps. It was MXN 1,350 (about US$72) until 15 April and MXN 1,450 (about US$77) until 15 July.
The fee was then MXN 1,550 (about US$82) until 15 October and MXN 1,650 (about US$88) after that. Foreign runners paid US$100, according to the organiser’s fee list.
A charity category called Corredores con Causa cost MXN 2,000 (about US$106) for 500 places. Women over 60 and men over 65 paid MXN 1,000 (about US$53) until 31 July, arranged by WhatsApp.
All conversions here use MXN 18.82 to the dollar. Prices are shown for planning only, because entries are closed.
Course, Cut-Offs and Rules
Start and finish of the Monterrey Marathon are both in Fundidora Park. The race page gives no description of the route beyond that, so we do not describe the streets.
The time limit is 6 hours 30 minutes from the gun, so runners must finish by 1:15 p.m. local, or 2:15 p.m. Eastern. They must pass kilometre 21.1 within 3:15 and kilometre 30 within five hours.
Those checkpoints close at 10:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. in Monterrey, which is 11:00 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Eastern. Timing mats record splits at kilometres 5, 10, 15, 21.1, 25, 30 and 35 and at the finish.
Skates, bicycles, strollers and animals are not allowed on the course, apart from official vehicles. Swapping chips or bibs leads to disqualification and a ban.
The Monterrey Marathon has 26 age categories for each sex, from 18 to 24 up to 80 and older. The top three in each category win store vouchers of MXN 7,000, 5,000 and 3,000 (about US$372, US$266 and US$159).
The Prize Money
Elite runners compete for a total prize pool of MXN 830,000 (about US$44,100), paid to seven places in each men’s and women’s race. Elite runners cannot also claim the recreational prizes.
The prize claim deadline for the Monterrey Marathon is 30 April 2027. A winner who cannot collect in person should read the organiser’s rules before the race.
Getting There and Where to Stay
Fundidora Park is a public park built on the grounds of an old steel foundry in Monterrey. Its own site calls it the industrial heart of the city.
The park’s site says to take Metro Line 1 to Parque Fundidora or Y Griega station, and the entrance is right there. The Metro may be the simplest way to avoid road closures on race morning, but check its opening hours for a 6:45 a.m. start.
Our <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/expat-cities/monterrey/”>Monterrey city page</a> covers neighbourhoods and transport for visitors. Pick a hotel within walking distance of the park or close to a Metro station.
Viva Aerobus, a Mexican low-cost airline, is listed as a collaborating sponsor of the race. Flight prices from the United States change daily, so check the airline’s own site.
Safety and Costs for US Visitors
The US State Department rates Nuevo León “Exercise Increased Caution” because of crime, as its Mexico advisory read on 31 October 2026. It says criminal activity and violence may occur throughout the state, and it places no travel restrictions on US government staff there.
The advisory was last reissued on 6 September 2024, so read the current text before you book. Keep valuables out of sight and use licensed taxis or ride-hailing apps after dark.
Mexico’s immigration institute sets entry rules for foreigners, and this guide does not state them. Check the State Department’s Mexico page and the institute’s site for passport and length-of-stay rules.
Spectators can watch from the roadside at no cost, though the organiser has not published a spectator map. For more on the city, see our <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/what-to-do-in-monterrey-in-november-2026/”>Monterrey events guide</a>.
How to Watch in the United States
The organiser has announced no US broadcaster and no live stream for the Monterrey Marathon. If a stream appears, the organiser will most likely announce it on its official site or its social accounts.
The start is 7:45 a.m. Eastern, so a US viewer would have to be up early on a Sunday. Check the organiser’s pages in race week for any live video.
What Is Not Confirmed Yet
The organiser has not published a course description, a spectator map, the road closures or the expo dates for the Monterrey Marathon. It also names no live broadcast.
It is not confirmed whether any entries will be released after the name-change window. The organiser also runs a Corredor de Valor route through six charities, and its site does not say whether places remain there.
More Mexico Running Guides
Our guide to the <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/cancun-marathon-mexico-5-december-2026/”>Cancún Marathon on 5 December</a> covers a night race with entries open. Our <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/mexico-city-half-marathon-guide-2026/”>Mexico City half marathon guide</a> covers the 13 December race in the capital.
More: Mexico news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Monterrey Marathon in 2026?
The Powerade Monterrey Marathon is on Sunday 13 December 2026. The start is at 6:45 a.m. in Monterrey, which is 7:45 a.m. Eastern.
Can I still enter the Monterrey Marathon?
The organiser’s site says entries are sold out, with no refunds. The name-change window closed on 30 October, so the one open route is the charity-linked Corredor de Valor.
Where does the Monterrey Marathon start and finish?
Start and finish are both in Fundidora Park in Monterrey. Chip and bib pickup is at the CINTERMEX convention centre on 11 and 12 December.
How can I watch the Monterrey Marathon in the US?
No US broadcaster or stream is announced. Check the organiser’s website and social accounts during race week; results are due on Wednesday 16 December.
Sources: Maratón Powerade Monterrey, official site, 31 October 2026; Maratón Powerade Monterrey, Convocatoria 2026 (date, start, fees, pickup, cut-offs, prizes), 31 October 2026; Maratón Powerade Monterrey, Reglamento (bib transfer, Boston qualifying, course rules), 31 October 2026; AIMS, race profile for Maratón Powerade Monterrey, 31 October 2026; US State Department, Mexico travel advisory (Nuevo León), accessed 31 October 2026; Parque Fundidora, official park site (Metro access), 31 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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