Moscow Half Marathon - 2024: date, registration, route, distances

Some people run for recuperation without having any specific goals. But if you want to set personal records, you should definitely try to overcome the distance of a half marathon. Very soon, the capital will have a great opportunity to do just that: the Moscow Half Marathon turns 10 years old! Already want to get to the starting line and run 21.1 kilometers, but do not know how? We will try to answer all your questions.

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History of the half marathon

May 18, 2014 – it is from this date begins the countdown of the history of the Moscow Half Marathon, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary. Then two distances were presented: 21.1 and 10 kilometers, and the first finish line of the half marathon was crossed by 1000 people, another 663 participants marked the distance of 10 kilometers.

In 2020, the start was held in August, the sports program included races at 21.1 kilometers, 5 kilometers and a corporate relay race. And last year for the first time the half marathon was divided into two days: a 5 kilometer race was held on May 13, and the half marathon distance was covered on May 14. An innovation for 2024 is an open relay race for students.

These days it is the largest race in Russia at 21.1 kilometers. Over the previous nine years, 94,516 people took part in the Moscow Half Marathon . And about 100 pacesetters helped them in overcoming the distance .

Date and time

In 2024, the Moscow Half Marathon will be held for the first time in April, with starts scheduled for the 28th and 29th. We don’t know for sure what the weather will be like on those days, but our sources promise a hurricane of impressions and a rain of medals.

8:00 Sunday morning, which is the time when the first day of the Moscow Half Marathon begins, participants will spend in “Luzhniki”. And already at 10:00 the first athletes will begin to overcome the five-kilometer distance. The full schedule looks like this:

8:00 – opening of the starting town, the participants of the race for 5 kilometers will be able to leave their belongings in the luggage room and use the locker room;
10:00 – start of the 5 kilometer race.
10:40 – awarding of winners and prize-winners in the absolute championship of the race 5 kilometers.
11:15 – the end of the race for 5 kilometers;
11:00-13:30 – at this time, participants registered for the Children’s Run will be able to get their starting packets;
13:00 – opening of changing rooms and the beginning of animation for the participants of the Children’s Run;
14:00-16:30 – start and finish of the Children’s Run.

On Monday the Challenge for the strongest and the most athletic will continue – to get up early, to arrive to Luzhniki by 7:00, and then to run 21.1 kilometers. Read more about the time frames of the main half marathon of the capital:

7:00 – opening of the starting town, participants of the 21.1 kilometer race and the corporate relay will be able to leave their belongings in the luggage room and use the locker room;
9:00 – start of the 21.1 kilometer race, corporate and student relay races;
10:30 – awarding of winners and prize-winners in the absolute championship of the race on 21.1 kilometers and in the team championship of corporate and student relays.
12:40 – end of the race.

Distances and routes

The venue of the Moscow Half Marathon was the territory of the legendary Olympic complex “Luzhniki”. Recall, in addition to the distance of 21.1 kilometers, you can run 5 kilometers, corporate and student relay, as well as a children’s race. At the same time, the start zones are in different locations:

half marathon, corporate and student relay – Festival Square;
5 kilometers – Small Sports Arena;
children’s races – Northern Sports Center.

Temples, cathedrals, bridges, high-rises and majestic buildings will all frame the athletes’ path. It’s not hard to guess that half marathon runners will have the most locations to visit. On the route map you can find seven embankments: Luzhnetskaya, Frunzenskaya, Prechistenskaya, Kremlin, Kotelnicheskaya and Krasnokholmskaya. So you can enjoy the beautiful views along the way.

Registration

25 000 – this is the number of participants the organizers expect this year. But in order to test your strength on the distance of 21.1 kilometers and get a medal, you will need to comply with a few rules:

be of legal age (18+);
receive your participant’s packet on time (read below when and where to do it), which is issued only if you have an ID card and a medical certificate. The requirements for the certificate can be found on the website;
participants with disabilities and veterans of combat operations must submit supporting documents;
overcome the distance in less than three hours from the personal start.

How to apply for the half marathon?

The main stage of accepting applications for the half marathon ended on March 19, 2024. But do not be disheartened, if there are places available, registration will be available on the website from April 25 to 28, 2024, as well as during the issuance of license plates.

To register, you need to fill out a short form with your first name, last name and date of birth. Proof of qualification is required to run in the first cluster. You will need to attach an electronic record of an event that took place after June 1, 2022, your results must be less than 1 hour 23 minutes on the half marathon distance.

You will also need to pay the entry fee to participate, after which you will receive a confirmation email in your inbox. This can take from a few hours to a few days, you cannot cancel a paid registration. The cost of participation can be different:

for citizens of the Russian Federation the cost varies from three to five thousand rubles, depending on the date of registration;
for boys and girls up to 21 years old, men from 60 years old and women from 55 years old with the citizenship of the Russian Federation there are discounts. The cost of a ticket is from 1.5 to 2.5 thousand rubles, depending on the date of registration;
for athletes with disabilities and veterans of combat operations with Russian citizenship registration is free of charge;
for foreign citizens the ticket price varies from four to six thousand rubles, depending on the date of registration.

Having paid for participation, you get not only an opportunity to run the distance, but also a start package. It includes a start number with pins and timing chip, water and a snack, as well as a wristband, packet and locker sticker. And, of course, a medal at the finish line.

Where and when do I get my start packet?

The most important rule for all participants: on the day of the race you can’t get the start packets. Therefore, you need to go to the Southern Sports Center of the Olympic Complex “Luzhniki” for it on one of the three days:

April 26 from 15:00 to 20:00;
April 27 from 11:00 to 20:00;
April 28 from 11:00 to 18:00.

Start packages for participants of the 5 km race will be issued only on April 26 and 27.

How the race takes place

All participants are divided into special clusters, based on the time that the runner indicates during registration as the expected finish time. You can recognize your group thanks to the letter written on the start number. Each cluster starts at a different time, such division is necessary for more comfortable overcoming the distance athletes of different levels. It also helps to avoid collisions between runners running at different paces.

Many clusters have their own pacemaker. If you are a first-time runner and don’t know what a pacesetter is, we’ll tell you all about it. A pacesetter is a lead runner who sets the pace for a group of athletes. Thanks to them, all the athletes run smoothly and finish at the scheduled time.

There are six food and refreshment points along the marathon route. There you can find water, bananas, oranges, apples and special gels. So you won’t have to worry about dehydration. But just in case, there are medics on duty in the finish area who will be able to provide prompt assistance.

How is the finish time calculated?

We have already told you about the cluster system, because of the staggered start the delay between athletes can be up to 20-30 minutes. But don’t worry, the countdown of each runner’s personal time starts only after crossing the start line and ends after crossing the finish line. At the same time, the time for prizes in the absolute championship is calculated by “gun time”, i.e. the time from the firing of the starting gun to the moment of crossing the finish line.

How do I track results?

You can track the kilometers traveled online with the help of a special chip – chrono-tracker. And it can be done by anyone who has your start number, so friends and family will be able to go to the site, enter the number and follow your progress in real time. There will be four update marks in total: 5, 10, 15 and 20 kilometers. Thanks to the same chip, your personal best will also be measured. So don’t bend your number or expose it to external influences that could harm the equipment.

All results, both preliminary and final, will be published on the website. Participants will also receive a text or email with their times.

Rewarding

Of course, the best of the best will be highlighted and will receive special cash prizes. The total prize pool this year amounted to 1,230,000 rubles. There are also rewards for those who will be able to set one of the records, the total bonus payout is 1,200,000 rubles.

At the distance of 21.1 kilometers, athletes who crossed the line in the top six among men and women in the absolute championship are awarded a cash prize. The medal process is divided into 14 age groups for men and women. Three best runners in each category will climb the podium. The cherished medals will be awarded to all participants who completed the race in less than three hours.

In the 5 kilometers section, cash prizes are awarded to runners from the first to the third place among men and women in the absolute championship. But there is no category awarding, all finishers will receive a commemorative medal.

The youngest will not be left without medals either. In the Children’s race the first three boys and girls in all age categories (4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13) will take part in the awarding ceremony and will receive commemorative cups.

If you have any questions, you can go to the website of the race and find all the necessary information. We wish you a successful overcoming of the distance.