Athletes Prepare for the Tamarindo Beach Marathon in Guanacaste

Athletes Prepare for the Tamarindo Beach Marathon in Guanacaste

This Saturday in the Guanacaste beach town of Tamarindo, no fewer than 4,500 athletes will show up to run up to 42 km. Skilled runners and avid athletes will test their endurance against 42 kilometers of pavement, heat, and humidity during the 2013 race. Starting at 5am on September 20th in downtown Tamarindo, this exciting event will test the endurance of runners from around Costa Rica and the world as they are challenged by Guanacaste’s exceptional terrain.

The very first Tamarindo Beach Marathon in 2007 attracted only a handful of interested runners. Then, three years later, there were 900 runners. And now, on this Saturday in Guanacaste, organizers expect more than 4,500 athletes and as many as 8,000 spectators. Guests from all over the world will arrive in the Pacific surf town to prepare for their 42-kilometer journey.

The Tamarindo Beach Marathon Attracts Runners from Around the World

Costa Rica’s enthusiasm for long-distance running has exploded in recent years. The nation now hosts a variety of running events, from the San José Marathon to the Challenge Irazú adventure race. Nearly all of them have grown exponentially in the past decade.

While the name of the race refers to “Tamarindo Beach,” the marathon takes place primarily on paved roads, not the sandy coastline. Beach marathons do exist, and there is a corresponding 5K race that takes place entirely on the beach, but the full marathon treats its runners to woodsy highways through the Guanacaste countryside.

Last year’s first-place winner was Fidaku Lamma of Ethiopia, who was disappointed with his time of two hours and eight minutes, stating that the hot weather had slowed him down.

There is also a half-marathon and 30K race (which also start at 5 a.m.), the 10K (5:30 a.m.) or the beach-based 5K (6 a.m.)

For Book Now! visit the event website.