Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon on 15 November

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PUERTO VALLARTA · RUNNING

The Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon runs on Sunday 15 November 2026, with the 21K starting at 6:30 in the morning. A 5K follows at 6:40, and both races start and finish at the Agustín Flores Contreras sports complex, in front of the Sheraton hotel.

Entry costs about 450 to 500 Mexican pesos (US$24 to US$27), and places are limited. For a US runner it is a cheap early-morning way to see the resort away from the beach, but the paperwork is old-fashioned.

What the Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon Is

The Medio Maratón Puerto Vallarta, as its website calls it, is the city’s annual road race over 21 kilometres. The 2026 Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon adds a shorter 5K race, and no 10K is listed.

Puerto Vallarta is a resort city on Banderas Bay, on Mexico’s Pacific coast in the state of Jalisco. It is a long-standing resort destination for US and Canadian travellers, and race weekend falls in the middle of November.

Every finisher receives a commemorative medal with a special design, according to the race page. Entry also covers a shirt, a bib number, a timing chip, a bag check, drinks at the aid stations and a snack at the finish.

Prizes go to the top three men and women in each age group, in both races. The groups run from Libre (ages 18 to 29) through Máster A, B and C (30 to 59) to Vet D (60 and over).

Start Time, Venue and Route

The 21K starts at 6:30 a.m. and the 5K at 6:40 a.m. local time, with arrival advised 40 minutes early. Puerto Vallarta is on Mexico’s Central time zone, so the Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon starts at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time in the United States.

Both races start and finish at the Agustín Flores Contreras municipal sports complex. It stands in front of the Sheraton hotel, and the route runs along the main coastal avenue, Avenida Francisco Medina Ascencio.

The 5K follows the central lanes of that avenue northward and turns back near the Sunscape hotel, about 2.5 kilometres from the start. The page describes only the central lanes of a main avenue, with no beach or trail sections.

The 21K runs the same avenue to a first turnaround at a landmark the page calls Coca-Cola. It then passes the One hotel and heads toward Marina Vallarta, the yacht harbour district, before returning to the Sheraton by the Tres Mares roundabout.

The organiser states that the Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon route may change without notice, so check the race page in the week before the start. The page does not say which lanes are closed to traffic or when they reopen.

Entry Fees for the Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon

The organiser of the Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon publishes four price steps in Mexican pesos. Early sale cost MXN 300 (about US$16) from December to 28 February, and MXN 400 (about US$21) ran from 1 March to 1 September.

The next two lines overlap, with MXN 450 (about US$24) listed for 1 September to 31 October. MXN 500 (about US$27) is listed for late entry from 1 October until packet pickup.

The MXN 450 line ends on 31 October, so MXN 500 is the safer figure to budget for. Confirm the amount with the organiser before you pay.

The page does not say whether the 21K and the 5K cost the same, or whether foreigners pay a different fee. Dollar figures here use 18.82 pesos per US dollar, the rate of Saturday 31 October 2026.

Places are limited, and no closing date for entries is stated. The page adds that the fee is not refundable and not transferable.

How to Register From Abroad

To enter the Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon, download the form and pay at a Farmacias Guadalajara pharmacy or at Banamex, a large Mexican bank. Then email the form and the payment slip to the organiser’s contact.

Registration is also offered through Trotime, a Mexican race-registration website. Confirm that the race is open there before you rely on that route.

The pharmacy and bank routes appear to need a Mexican branch, so ask the organiser how a foreign runner can pay. The page also gives a WhatsApp number.

Race Packet Pickup and Race Day Tips

On Friday 13 November the packet desk is at Casino Life in Plaza Caracol from 10:00 to 18:00. Runners there get a MXN 100 (about US$5) store credit valid that day only.

On Saturday 14 November the pickup moves to the Agustín Flores Contreras sports complex, again from 10:00 to 18:00. The page lists no pickup on race morning, and runners who skip both days lose their entry.

Mexico marks the 1910 Revolution on the third Monday of November, so race weekend is a long one that ends on Monday 16 November. Hotels and flights around Puerto Vallarta can fill up, so book early.

Plan the ride to the start before race day, because a 6:30 a.m. gun means an early departure. The US State Department advises avoiding driving alone or at night, so ask your hotel for a taxi or driver.

Carry a copy of your registration slip, your bib and some pesos in cash. The organiser lists a bag check but does not say where it is or how it works.

Tips for US and Foreign Visitors

The State Department’s Mexico advisory, last reissued on 6 September 2024, rates the state of Jalisco “Reconsider Travel” because of crime and kidnapping. It lists Puerto Vallarta, with neighbouring Riviera Nayarit, among tourist areas with no extra restrictions for US government staff.

The same advisory tells visitors not to wear expensive watches or jewellery and to keep family informed of their plans. Read the full advisory before you book.

Entry rules for US passport holders are not covered by the race page. Check the State Department’s Mexico page and Mexico’s immigration institute, known as INM, for passport and length-of-stay rules before you fly.

The eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from 15 May to 30 November, according to the US National Hurricane Center. The Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon falls in the last two weeks of that window, so watch the forecast before you travel.

Dress for a warm coastal morning, and drink at the aid stations. The organiser lists water and sports drink on the course but does not give the number of stations.

Distances are in kilometres, so a 21K race is 13.1 miles and a 5K race is 3.1 miles. Bring travel insurance that covers sports injuries and a printed copy of your entry slip.

What Is Not Confirmed Yet

The Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon page does not name the organiser, who appears only as the contact for registration and payment. It also gives no cut-off times, no number of aid stations, no results page and no rules for foreign runners.

The price list overlaps, so it is unclear whether MXN 450 or MXN 500 applies after 31 October. The page also does not say how many places remain.

The road-closure hours and the exact route of the Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon are known only from the organiser’s description. Everything here rests on the race page as of Saturday 31 October 2026, and the date, start times and venue could change.

What Comes Next

For the rest of the month in the resort, see our What to Do in Puerto Vallarta in November 2026 guide. Our Puerto Vallarta city page covers living costs and neighbourhoods.

Other Mexican races are the Cancún Marathon on 5 December and the Mexico City Half Marathon on 13 December. For the wider picture, see how we rank the country in our Latin America Power Map.

More: Mexico news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon?

It is on Sunday 15 November 2026. The 21K starts at 6:30 a.m. and the 5K at 6:40 a.m. local time, from the Agustín Flores Contreras sports complex.

How much does the Puerto Vallarta Half Marathon cost?

The organiser lists MXN 450 and MXN 500 (about US$24 and US$27) for late entry. The two price lines overlap, so confirm the fee before paying.

Where do runners collect their race packet?

Runners collect packets at Casino Life in Plaza Caracol on Friday 13 November, or at the sports complex on Saturday 14 November. Hours are 10:00 to 18:00 on both days.

Sources: Medio Maratón Puerto Vallarta 2026, official race page (date, start times, venue, routes, fees, packet pickup, categories), accessed 31 October 2026; US State Department, Mexico Travel Advisory (Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta, night travel), accessed 31 October 2026; US National Hurricane Center, eastern Pacific hurricane season dates, accessed 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