Yichang Marathon 2026 - Hubei, China

The Yichang Marathon 2026 returns to the Yangtze River city of Yichang, Hubei, on Sunday 1 November, with 16,000 runners expected for a scenic road-running showcase at the gateway to the Three Gorges. Both the marathon and half marathon start at Peace Park (和平公园) on the riverfront at 07:30 China Standard Time (UTC+8). The 2026 edition has 4,000 full-marathon places and 12,000 half-marathon places.

The course

The full marathon heads out along Yanjiang Avenue, passes the riverside districts and the Lighthouse Square turn-around, then crosses the Wujiagang Yangtze River Bridge before continuing through the south-bank road network to finish at Yichang Olympic Sports Centre in Dianjun District. The half marathon uses the Yangtze riverfront section and returns towards Baisha Road, finishing by China Construction Star, with the finish gathering area at Wujiagang Primary School. These are different finish locations, so allow for transport back to the start or your accommodation. Yichang's river and gorge scenery and its association with the Three Gorges project make this a distinctive destination marathon.

Entry and eligibility

The official 2026 application window ran from 13 July to 8 September, closing at 18:00 local time. Applications exceeding each category's capacity were determined by ballot. New general entries are now closed. The published registration costs were CNY 180 for the marathon and CNY 150 for the half marathon. They include disposable race timing, participant clothing, on-course supplies and event insurance.

The marathon requires entrants to be at least 20 years old and to document one marathon or two half marathons completed within the previous 24 months (or the specified First Track qualification equivalent). Half-marathon entrants must be at least 18 and provide a qualifying half marathon or two runs of at least 10 km. Athletes aged 65 or older require a signed participation declaration. Some partner booking portals restrict their channels to Chinese nationals, while the organiser's full regulations also describe document requirements for Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas runners; international runners should clarify eligibility directly with the organising committee.

Practical race-day guidance

Race-pack collection instructions, security checks, transport arrangements and road closures should be checked in the organiser's final 2026 participant notice. Do not assume bib collection is available on race morning. The roads and bridge along the full marathon will be affected by restrictions. Entrants should follow the official instructions for bib placement, start-zone access, health screening and deadlines. Official race information is available from the Yichang Marathon website and the 2026 registration regulations.